Consider rewinding some of the recent changes

I think the title says it all. Better an imperfect server than an empty one. Not saying that this (alone) would "fix" things but I keep feeling mystified about this.

SpiffyMeister

Such as?

The ones that people got upset about. I believe that included the delivery quests and the respawn XP costs. Both theoretically all very reasonable changes but the server needs more (and not less) things to do when only one or two people are online, and dying repeatedly when trying to solo-quest something is likely a huge motivator to just quit and leave (in particular with no PC-priests around to turn to). Alternatively you just stay in the city, do nothing, get bored and... eventually wind up with the same result.

Those are just the first two that come to mind. Neither would be an issue if the server was full or even moderately populated, but they make very little sense in the present context where essentially there are only a few people on for the precise duration of dm-events.

@spiffymeister

SpiffyMeister

What the server needs, is desperately, new content, I agree. I am not fond of the idea of returning an infinite gold stream that included xp because people could cast invisibility.

I am just fond of having some people around to rp with. Cool DM-activity alone does not seem to cut it (sorry @Hangman and @Hominid , and all the others), and neither are quests that won't get people to log on because they do not like dying alone.

V-Rage

Changes that could be reverted is the XP cost on respawning put back as well as prices dropping again on raise dead.

Nobody player wise wanted the price raising just not for it to be more convienient to go to a NPC for ressurection for less XP loss because a ressurection was fairly cheap

Removing the disease script from the Historic District and Clover Market might also help as the rat plot seems to be on hiatus due to Spiffy not having time to wrap it up

Yes, plagues tend to have the property to run a natural course and eventually recede again even without people actively doing stuff about it. Would be nicer/better of course to have things happen based on player intervention - but for that people need to have ideas, motivation, and the expectation that something is going to happen as a result of whatever they are attempting within a reasonable time-frame.

@v-rage

Darlene Te'len

i play with what ever the rules dictate, and many of those changes were instituted because of me (i apologize to those effected), what keeps me from exploring under the city and even travelling in the city are those disease rolls because of the rats (this thing is done now? or is there going to be a in game finale in this regard?)

i modify my play in game to match what i am dealing with, survival is paramount for my character and their actions will reflect this. i still pop in for extended times, but lately my times mostly have been when i am alone or with maybe just one other (i have in the last few weeks had the great fortune to be on when events are happening, and those are fun, cudo's to the players and the DM's in those cases)

i have tried to put forth things that will promote some minor individual RP to those interested (see my most recent in game forum post), i realize this will not appeal to most players, but if i can get maybe one or two involved in my things in game, i view it as a win.

Perhaps rolling things back with modifications would not be a bad thing, make the deliveries open to level 8 or 9, leave the level 10's out, just a thought and it would keep players like me from taking advantage of it (again i apologize for being the cause of having this removed)

SpiffyMeister

Between work and schooling, I am not in any position to do any serious DMing or building till the Summer, which begins around May. I will try and wrap up the rat plot then.

In any case, shiny new content is nice to have - but it’s very time-intensive to create (afaik), and likely only a brief straw-fire if the niche it aims at is too small.

Btw., another point to consider: It seems that the player economy has changed a lot over the last 4 months or so (since the changes). I am not sure how many people still bother doing any of the scripted quests. It seems hard to find people for those, and whether you can make a profit depends a lot on your character and whomever you might find.

I think the recent auction only highlighted this. If there is a technical possibility to check which quests are still being done, maybe have a look into this to get some numbers (I can only share my subjective impression)? I am not sure if any of the newer quests were successful in attracting players to actually have a go at them (Perhaps the House of Salt? I have not had an opportunity to try that one myself, yet).

Darlene Te'len

regarding quests, i had always viewed them as two types back when i was showing new players the ropes, there were the deliveries, which gave low xp but decent gold if you saved it for resources and equipment, then there were the quests, which required a team but spent the resources you built up repeating the deliveries (some of these quests also supplied equipment as well as potions and wands) you stockpiled the ones you needed and used them to survive the more challenging quests or the DM events, which are fun but a person needs to be aware ahead of time that they can use up a lot of the supplies. I tried to make sure people knew that those were the steps you needed to take to prosper. Just basic guidelines

So i would way back then when we had quite a few new players, i would teach them how to get gold and xp for supplies and levels which aid when doing the DM events which were always frantic and full of action and fun. i am less likely to aid people in that way now, for several reasons, i do not know the quests as well as i once did as things do change. there are now fewer new players popping in.

i also feel like my helping friendly character days are well in the past (i learned from experience trying to be nice and help everyone will only get you killed in game, my current character reflects that) i am only interested in my characters well being now (so sorry to any who i do not help now) have your character being rude to my character because that is the way they are..no problem..your character became person non grata to mine now, my and your enjoyment should not be centred around RP with my one self centred character . and anyways my being nice to other characters had nothing to do with people wanting to stay and play (i had even been told by DMs that using easily obtained gold to help new characters was counter productive and damaging, and they would know, they see things we as players cannot, this is now no longer an issue, as i am not accumulating gold at a unrealistic rate like i had been which was pretty much a exploit and why things were changed)

Zolm

Remove the exp from fetch quests and make them level one to ten again so people have more reasons to log on?

Is this viable?

Darlene Te'len

i do not think the xp was the issue, it was the gold and the easy accumulation of said gold by some individuals(me) which caused the problem and created a situation where is had to be removed. i have found a new routine to do when i am alone on the server, or when i am unable to meet up with other players/characters, be they on a quest train, or on a dm event (which i sometimes am able to follow along on, depending on the "climate" in the game). the new routine does not yield me the gold that i once had available, but it does provide me with decent day to day gold to cover sendings and inn rent as well as providing prestige points. There are even physical manifestations in game which can be seen to indicate i have been on (once you know them, and there till the next reset)

Echo

Darlene, it was not just you. There were quite a few players who were having no risk and plenty of reward and that just was not in line with our vision of the server. Characters having over a 100K coin and level 10 and having no risk to get there was a problem.

Darlene Te'len

@echo 120k
<.< (you did say over.....)

Zolm

@echo Okay 4-8.

Darlene Te'len

i wonder if some kind of "exception, can be instituted if no one else on, certain 4-10 level, group 2 and larger can be made to support just one, if there is no one else on the server?" if this is a pain to try and write, just say so, sometimes being on alone and trying to find stuff to do can be quite lonely. i have followed other peoples advice, and made sendings when i am on alone in the hope someone is thinking of logging and seeing the note on discord and think of doing something (i realize most are likely asleep, but i thought i would ask)

those walking quests, i have been shown two so far and rather like them ,perhaps again if it is not a pain to institute "if 1 make end gold not the couple hundred gold, but make it 40 or less, and have less creatures as those can be a cash grab as well if they are numerous"

Echo

@darlene-te-len the levels are set on variables on the npc quest-give (see below). They can be modified live/in-game by a DM, with a console command, but they're pretty set otherwise.

Are there any quests a level 10 character would technically be able/allowed to do alone?

I am aware that, at high levels, it is much preferred to involve others (and it’s more fun!) but if someone is willing to be on alone like that for prolonged periods, and no one else can be coaxed into logging in - then having at least a few more questing-related things to do might help?