5. We talked about the bad let's talk about the good

We talked about the bad let's talk about the good


  • I've been basically posting this because I've grown tried to hear of the trolling and the whining from players what's wrong with the server, so i ask. the reverse.

    What keeps you guys logging in?

    What keeps the server alive?

    What good points in the server would you like to see even further.

    ~Del

  • S

    The players keep me logging in. I am always meeting someone new, someone cool, who I can't believe I haven't met before because we've both been around for a long time.

    The challenge of coming up with a fresh concept keeps me engaged, and never bored.

    It's always entertaining to see what Wabz will come up with next, or who Verk is trying to kill with his current character.

    I also love all the way all the old areas are being re-done. It's fun to explore how each new area has changed.

    But my number one reason is Duckroll


  • Would like to know of that too.

  • C

    A few things.

    For starters, its a low level, low magic server. Which honestly there arent many of, Arabel may be one of the only ones, at least with a fair amount of people. Level 10 and 11 are pretty much hitting the level cap, and I like that. It still take a group of adventurers to fight a dragon, not one man single handedly slaying one. Perfect levels for a great mix of epic dragon slaying plots and more normal killing bands of orcs or bandits plots. The low level cap also helps with players that do not want to be combat oriented. Not to mention there isnt any +10 Sword of slay everything or cloaks of Time Travel and stuff like that. It makes getting an honest to goodness special item actually special.

    Secondly, the players. I've played on a handfull of other servers and the players never seem quite as creative and varried. Or as friendly and fun to RP with. I do however wish it was more like the olden times with more players on, that is a small downside.

    Third, the DM's, we've got a great team of DM's that are all totally awesome at what they do, keeping the servers, fun, intresting and listening to the players, wants, needs and complaints.

    The reason I ever bought NWN in the first place was honestly for Arabel, I've never played more then a couple levels of the campaign. I seen a friend playing Arabel and was hooked. Thats how much I love this server!

    One more point I would like to make is that I play here because there is no Haks, dont get me wrong, I love the idea of what Haks can do and bring to the game, but, I have wanted to try out Prisoners of the Mist for a long, long time, but I simply cant be bothered with the Haks and stuff.

    I will end with one bit of critisim and its been said before. As the population grew, so did the server, however now that the population is shrinking down again I think that the DM team needs to look at ways to shrink the server back down to a smaller player base. I dont even mean just "area" wise, but the amount of people you take on quests, etc…

    Overall, I love Arabel though and hope to have a few more years of fun here!

  • E

    1.) It's Forgotten Realms, although only by name at this point.

    2.) It has more players than other Forgotten Realms servers.

    3.) Most characters are level nine and under.

    4.) There are players who know how to make a character come to life, and I play to watch them do their thing.

    5.) Sometimes, there are new areas to explore.

  • N

    Delanish, you're a hero.

    Low level, low magic, Forgotten Realms setting with many character possibilities, respectful DMs, and a community that has been alive for years beyond the game's "half-life," so to speak.

    Oh. And Parasitic Nematode's swamp women.

  • G

    @SorchaRed:

    The players keep me logging in. I am always meeting someone new, someone cool, who I can't believe I haven't met before because we've both been around for a long time.

    That.

  • E

    Bless you Delanish for starting this thread. I was toying with the idea of starting one and you just went ahead and did it.

    Here's some of the reasons that I show up around here still -

    The creativity of the player base and the dms is addictive.

    There's always something unexpected just around the corner waiting to be discovered. It might be the next character concept of a player, or some stunt that a dm pulls off, but that element of not knowing what's next is fun.

    CoA is a creative outlet. Let's face it, to some degree we are all imaginative folk, and Arabel is a place where we can scratch that itch freely with like-minded individuals. I could never find this kind of creative outlet locally where I live so you lot are my role playing buddies. Sometimes I don't agree with some of you… hell sometimes I don't even like some of you, but we have this fantasy role playing in common and that brings us together. I dont' want to sound like I'm kissing anyone in particulars ass so I'll just say thanks to all of you for the years of being able to come here and be creative in your company. Damn that sounded sappy...

  • A

    A top ten off the top of my head -

  • T

    The ability to use the few hours I have to spare to dive into some fantasic story. The times where I could spend countless hours in game are over due to job, family and real life. For me its important to be able to log in for 2-3 hours and experience something exciting and fun with good roleplay. The ability to "switch off" for a few hours.

    So for me the good is:

    1. Forgotten Realm setting - love it
    2. Good roleplayers
    3. DMs that can really build atmosphere
    4. Good scripted quests
    5. Awesome plots

    and the bad is:

    1. endless sitting around plotting "team good style"
    2. stuff that wastes my time like dying and waiting for raises for x hours, locking player bags and DMs being pissed at me for asking questions while trying to help another player
    3. scheduled things for which I make time in my busy agenda only to find out that they were moved, cancelled or start hours later
    4. lack of ooc consideration


  • I've been here basically since the beginning, so 'what keeps me here' is likely just being stubborn and comfortable in familiarity. Although every aspect of the server has developed very well and very visibly.

    • The module is superb.

      • Unique changes to spells, classes and other standard features not found elsewhere.

      • Well balanced quests and encounters.

      • Diverse quests.

      • The module is accommodating without a DM.

      • Many different places to explore, with rewards for doing so.

      • Areas frequently updated to reflect plots.

      • Regular maintenance for outdated features and areas.

    • The narrative excellent.

      • The story of Arabel has matured and developed in scope.

      • Any idea can be achieved with some creativity, inclusiveness, entertainment, persistence and a little luck.

      • DMs are always numerous, whenever there's a lull in activity, ranks are bolstered swiftly by new or returning members.

    • Players and DMs are better as a whole.

      • It's just the evolution of the playerbase rather than saying new players are better than old. When new styles and ideas arise, they're adopted and advanced.

      • Many players know how to create and push plots.

      • DMs are both available and willing to run events for proactive players as well push their own stories.

      • Every community has issues and drama, but in general everyone's mature. No, seriously. Spend 10 minutes playing on battle.net, Xbox Live, any generic FPS or a MobA. I think this just comes from the game genre though.

  • V

    I agree with a ll the above. In addition lately the module seems to be changing a lot faster mechanically, so much I have no time to explore and try the change before another is added which is good in my book as it brings a fresh air about some class, a place, or a new creature even. It satisfies my need for exploration of new elements added and those are kept coming at a very good rate.

    Also, especially lately I feel players's opinions are taken into very serious account and sometimes find some kind of implemantation by DMs. Maybe that happened before too but the last 2-3 months there is definite improvement on this.

    I wont mention anything else because I ll just be repeating someone else's post. In the end I havent find the same combination of all the good stuff CoA offers in any other server. Many servers may be better in some aspect (player count, some mechanics that seem better, usually just specific stuff, or even design of certain areas and general server setting, meaning I may like some setting more than FR). The thing is that while CoA is not the best server in those single aspects from specific other servers, it combines every aspect very well overall and it is what keeps me here. It is how it combines igredients to make the best server overall to me.

  • A

    Its how Arabel draws you into it story that keeps me here. 😃

    When I was playing in the civil war, I felt like I was in the middle of civil between two sides with there own ideal, aims, objectives, hero's and villians.

    When I played Quiella, I felt like I was druid who was trying everything to save her glade from destruction and free its spirit and when the Eye Cult finaly killed her, it felt like the end to a good book!

    The carefully crafted world, the viberent characters, the fact you feel that you can change things, and be changed by actions in game…..

    Don't quiet know anything like it! Its a proper MMOG that I feel is a generation ahead of WOW and its like in some regards, if not graphics!


  • I could name several things, ranging from the setting to the mechanic. But the truth is that the real fun can come only from the guys standing behind the monitor. Without good players and good DMs that share this passion of telling stories, all the shiny things like new spells or classes would mean nothing.

  • A

    The ability to use the few hours I have to spare to dive into some fantasic story. The times where I could spend countless hours in game are over due to job, family and real life. For me its important to be able to log in for 2-3 hours and experience something exciting and fun with good roleplay. The ability to "switch off" for a few hours.

    Same reason for me plus i enjoy the interactions with other players.

  • S

    A great post topic

    1. Arabel is the best and most true to form roleplay server anywhere.

    2. Happens also to be the best and most true to form Dungeons and Dragons experience anywhere. I consider COA really authentic.

    3. I love stories and enjoy it when people tell me the story of their character.

    4. The players and DM's really engage with everyone, which makes this a great experience.

    5. I enjoy the constant tinkering around the DMs do and get excited whenever they add anything new, such as the new wizard packages and the upcoming fighter packages.

    Spartan


  • The community.

    Pure and simple. The dm team, the players alike. Being able to login, hear about Thorkms baby, a player I have known since I came here almost 8 years ago, while we pummel through some orcs, is fantastic.

    Or seeing Dond become a man, and still remember when he told me about the first High School crush.

    That is what makes me log in still.

    That, and the story telling. If some skilled and talented authors took the story of CoA, and turned it into a new series of books, I know it would become a bestseller worthy of Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones.

    Hells, they could end each book, by telling of one of Olouths characters who left, and then start every volume with the character coming back again 😉

  • S

    Hells, they could end each book, by telling of one of Olouths characters who left, and then start every volume with the character coming back again

    Well they could also format it like a comic strip daily using that metric. :lol:

  • I

    The best part about CoA is when Olouth quit, and then came back again.

    Echo what everyone said. People are always going to kick up and fuss and say something is lame about CoA, the setting or the people - but it doesn't matter as long as people keep coming and playing.

    Rock on, CoA.

  • W

    @SorchaRed:

    The players keep me logging in. I am always meeting someone new, someone cool, who I can't believe I haven't met before because we've both been around for a long time.
    It's always entertaining to see what Wabz will come up with next

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