Motivation Mothers
-
For me, there's a load of motivators to play in Arabel. These are in no special order for me, I'm just writing down what comes first to my mind. Hence I cant list them all now, but I'll be sure to add more later on. These are the "motivation mothers". I call them that because a mother brings life, opposite to a killer who takes it. So no killers in this thread, only mothers. Don't post if you cant tell the difference, but ask from me what I meant by the definitions!
First. It starts with the server setting. I've always been fascinated by what it was like to live in the middle ages. In CoA, I found my haven to do just this alongside a fantasy aspect and a flourishing playerbase with their own ideas and inventions. I've never been much of a DnD-geek, but I was consumed by its mythology because of Arabel. And it's not only the history, but the rules of the server. They are fair, they don't seperate anyone from anything. Everyone in Arabel can tell their stories the way it's supposed to be in a real-like society, where there is opposition to your claims, and a constant struggle to make room for your own ideas. I love it.
Second is the promise of anything being possible. I've found myself entrapped by a lust to play concepts with mad twists and enjoyable tweaks limited only by my own imagination. This is all thanks to the leverage the DM team has given us. The DM team always says that "something is difficult to obtain", but never impossible. That means anything is possible, as long as you find a way to fit it into the server setting. That means you cant play a god as your first character, but if everything works out and the dice is rolled favourably, who knows? If you plan on apping to play Lathander after this post though, dont be surprised if you're denied since it's not on the subrace list! But nothing is impossible for me, nor for anyone, in CoA.
Third has to be the playerbase and the DM team. I feel homely when I log in and there's a tell sent my way as a greeting. "Hey, yo, glad to see you bud!" "Baa!". It's a warm, welcoming environment, where players try their best to stick together, have fun and do their best in sharing it with others. I'm enthralled by a feeling a DM would stick his head in while I'm IG, reward our PC gang with XP for our heated conversation that's lasted 30 minutes or so on "turnip soup is better than Sanders chicken", or throwing up a random DM quest where a hole would simply appear in the middle of the crowd, and we'd gather up the adventurers and head out to explore it together! I've seen these things happen in Arabel, hence I still believe in them. You should too.
What about you? What has motivated you to play in City of Arabel?
-
I'm really new here but when I logged into the IRC for the first time to get advice on a character, everyone rushed to help me out. I thought a new server in a game I haven't played in years would be a huge learning curve, and although I was right in needing to learn all the rules and changes, the forums and questions I've asked have really helped a bunch.
-
Love this thread. Makes me miss seeing Sheep PC's IG! I will throw in the motivation mother of being able to leave yourself and others with a sense of wonder and awesomeness based on what you and others can create for the server with or without the help of the DM team.
-
One of the most exciting things in this game can be the adrenaline rush that comes from a massive final fight against the huge Boss at the end of a DM event or from a heavily important PvP encounter. In all my years of playing video games I've never had anything even come close to that rush.
-
What Sheep said. Especially since Sheep and shonmann were, I think, the first two players to take my newbie self under their wings and show me around the server, let me know the basics of how PvP works here, canon vs server stuff and where to find the differences, where coaforum was, how IC vs OOC works … where the Charity Chest was! But especially how to find the Awesome on the server. There's a lot.
What Phantom said, with the exception that I don't spend time in IRC if I can help it. I will keep this thread positive and leave it at that.
What Dobby said, with an addendum: those of us who are players, are players. We're having fun. I assume the DM team is having fun, too, or they'd chuck it in. But the thing about the DM team is also that they're volunteers. Some of their fun, by necessity, looks like work.
And so to the DM team, and every player who doesn't feel like he's getting much positive feedback (yes, I see you there), I share with you something from long, long ago: for every fifty letters to the editor that complain about something, that editor is lucky if he gets one letter of thanks or congratulations. The technology may be different, but it's still just human nature.
I'm not saying there aren't things about the server we could all do better, but I seriously think the "doing better" part is a joint effort. I also think that, given the player personalities this sort of game tends to attract, we'll always find something that needs improvement. Let's be kind with each other. Nobody else understands our need for dungeon crawling or ruins delving or owlbear wrestling between executing our plans for saving or conquering the world.
:D And yeah! What gDarDog said. Also the spasmdancing in the Fugue when things don't go my way... 'cause it happens.
-
I love that a diverse group of people can come together in a game and tell an awesome story.
-
I love the way you can essentially become the ruler of the entire city, and so can anyone else whos playing with the exact same tools you are. I don't really know any other game that can emulate this in the same way CoA has.
-
I'm just glad I can play in an awesome community that isn't full of 12 year olds telling me my mom is fat
-
Yo mamma so fat, when I cut her arm with my greataxe, gravy pours out!
-
Jumping on the Yo Mamma so Fat–--
She makes the fat bastard kobold quest giver look like an emaciated elf...
-
My biggest motivation to return was the escape. I don't play on CoA to be mechanically strong, or to get all the loot. Heck, personally, I don't even do it for the sense of accomplishment. I do it for the story. It helps me escape my own RL issues by immersing myself not only in a character, but a whole world that has been developing since I was a kid.
I still remember the first day I logged onto CoA. My halfling rogue got left out of a quest because I was too low of a level. I was pretty bummed and was about to just log out when up came two helmites (Verkosh and Thorkm) and they asked if I wanted to walk with them on a patrol through the slums. Of course I accepted and got whisked away into a world where within the first day I witnessed the fall of a Hero, and subsequently, the start of an all out civil war that would rock the foundations of the city. I was hooked.
From that point on, I've always been excited to see that loading bar signalling my return into this wonderful world. I've sold information to rival armies, spearheaded the defense against a Dark Army of Duergar and Beholders, worked to stop the rise of Clar Banda, helped create a mechanical dragon, and tried to turn Arabel into a necropolis.
In short… Why wouldn't I log in?
-
I've been around CoA since 2007, and what hooked me was some very nice players pulling my first char into some intrigue and showing me the ropes on day one.
I've seen alot happen in 8 years, and I've had my own ups and downs, good days and bad days. In the end, CoA is a game of cooperation and fun with like-minded players around the world.
People can complain about whatever issue, or whatever quest or whatever DM, but in the end, its a game. It's just pixels on a screen and a hobby. Play CoA to escape the drama and stress of the real world. It's worked for me, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. :)
-
- Escape factor + Immersion.
- Very rarely have I met any IC griefing or other similar behaviours. Probably the most mature online community I have been part of.
- Long term value. Server keeps improving after 10+ years of gameplay and quality RP.
- DMs are commited and care for not only the game part, but also the community part. Most if not all differences between players have been solved without affecting the rest of the community. At least I m not aware of such incidents, not do I wanna know. Also there is open communication between DMs - Players and players are mostly heard. (Big thanks for all the work here)
- Even the die hard PvPers are very OOC curteous, making PvP part of their story.
I can really find more reasons to be playing here since 2006, but its 2015 in a few hours and I must celebrate with family, Happy New Year to everyone, thanks for the fun moments.
-
Can remember I randomly decided one day to check out NwN multiplayer after playing through the campaign with some college friends. Originally started joining whatever server didn't have a password, but nobody wanted to play with me :( Remember I'd send players tells like "Hey looking for someone to play with" and they were like "NO I'M LEVEL TWENTY GO AWAY". I avoided City of Arabel because I didn't like the idea of a city based campaign.
Thought "what the hell" one day and made a CoA character after almost deciding to not play NwN, and got hooked on the cooperative play and story telling. It preserved a lot of what I like about PnP DnD, but at a way faster pace.
For me CoA is a creative outlet, and is all about interacting with other players, making allies and enemies, and the struggle to accomplish your goals and defeat your enemies. I get the most enjoyment from having my PC earn the respect of other PCs, and to eventually die at the hands of a hated enemy. I love when other PCs come to mine because they need help with something that is one of my PC's strengths, or spend the time to learn enough about my PC to exploit their weakness. I think the key is to make a PC that you can enjoy regardless of loot, levels, or power. I've never been an MMO player though, so that might have colored my attitude towards the game. I truely think of this a digital PnP, not a video game.
I get motivated by people who really take the time to RP, work on telling cool stories, and put creativity and fun first.
-
For me CoA is a creative outlet, and is all about interacting with other players, making allies and enemies, and the struggle to accomplish your goals and defeat your enemies. I get the most enjoyment from having my PC earn the respect of other PCs, and to eventually die at the hands of a hated enemy. I love when other PCs come to mine because they need help with something that is one of my PC's strengths, or spend the time to learn enough about my PC to exploit their weakness. I think the key is to make a PC that you can enjoy regardless of loot, levels, or power. I've never been an MMO player though, so that might have colored my attitude towards the game. I truely think of this a digital PnP, not a video game.
I get motivated by people who really take the time to RP, work on telling cool stories, and put creativity and fun first.
This.