It's Not Fun Anymore

[JoScMa]

And one thing about this, communication is important. I have run into a situation where an individual just walked right on in, said nothing and proceeded to kill monsters. Then gets on my case when I told him he was interfering. I don't mind if someone asks me to join up or do some sort of split, or any fair deal. If people don't communicate, how can this get worked out?

[Naraldur]

MadBernie said:

The DM could come in and "out-muscle" the muscle-head. Teach the person a little about rp'ing along the way. I had an encounter the other day with a DM in player's disguise. It was a blast for both of us, we almost got into a fight and ending up getting along great. I had no idea it was a DM. Getting XP for great rp'ing is a great idea, and so is getting wasted by a DM.

This is why I'm not a DM. If I was a DM, there would be a big prismatic dragon (or a ruin-casting sewer rat, though that would feel funny) that roams the major spawns and stomps on anyone who's there more than an hour.

Then again, I like dropping big spawns on people that annoy me when I DM...

Just a suggestion, and I realize it might be out of the question, but what about having higher level players log on at different locals, like 1-10 at west styne, 10-20 at Castille, and so on? That might encourage ( but not enforce) players of similar levels to congregate, make parties, and give DM's the ability to make events that apeal to a certain level of player. It would also level out the poplation density of certain areas. There's nothing to say that higher level players couldn't go to west styne, but if they did it would be for a reason. It might also help identify griefers, since they would be to high level and out of place.

Anyway, just a thought.

This seems like an excellent idea, except that it would be insufferably annoying to not be able to pick up where you left off ("okay, just gotta log out to go eat dinner, I'll finish this quest later" *leaves* ... *relogs*"okay, time ot deliver the item--oops, have to walk for 20 minutes to get back there, and buy a new set of potions to get past those guys I already beat; I thought this was supposed to be a PW!)

However, perhaps this could be covered with the Kehaar books. My idea would be to make a fourth entry in the books that cannot be overwritten and takes the PC back to his/her "base" area, updating automatically at levels 11 and 21. I would make the areas something like:

level 1-10: West Styne Inn
level 11-20: Styne Village "Destiny" Inn (easy access to crypts for the middle levels, also, more frontier-esque)
level 21+: Castille City (there's an inn there right?)

Being based at inns would add some of the importance that fantasy settings usually place on inns which is lacking in IoF.

Of course, there would have to be large structure changes to accomodate this. I think this would be practical to do... but I'll put this in the "suggestions" forum, as I'm straying far off topic.

[ride]

ok I am pressed for time right now so this may seem a bit harsh, sorry

aren't *most* of our players adults?? if so how come we (the DM's) have to act like your *moms*?
cannot you guys work out these little arguments yourselves?

but I guess it comes down to the same sentiment that the ppl who are trying to win the "race" on the freeway are feeling...
"me first, me first"

[ride]

ok so now I am back... harried as ever thanks to Chuck-E and his darn cheese, plus about 5,000,000 screaming children, all seeming to aim straight for stepping on my bad foot... (I swear they put the same stuff in the air at chuck-E's that they use at the casinos )

1 hour time limit on training huh? um... not!
we do chase ppl out of areas after they have been there a long long time (I do sometimes)
suddenly an uber-critter comes thru and massacres the entire party... what happens? usually one person repawns and runs back to rez everyone else, and they just keep going. I have seen ppl do this over and over, never getting the subtle message to "go somewhere else for a bit, dang"
on the same note, I have been the person down in the styne dungeons for 8 hours a stretch training like it was going out of style, so I've seen and dealt with both sides as a player, guess it just wasn't an issue for me....

now I'd hate to see *anyone* leave our little happy fantasyland, but seriously... this server has, what? 350+ maps I think there is plenty of room for everyone to train all darn day and night long and never ever see another person, you just have to explore....

Can you imagine the arguments over the "time limits" propsed here? lmao!!
new arrival: "you've been here 1 hour and 1 minute.... LEAVE!!"
other person: "not according to my watch... I got 15 minutes left" etc. etc.
then someone would suggest that I sync up a website with a time server and post $current_time on a web page that we'd all be required to have open and visible to stop the time limit cheats... *sigh*

that would only make it *worse*, much worse...

again... I'd hate to see anyone leave the server over something as inconsequential as not being able to go into one of the "training" areas one day or something... heck I remember when I was rebuilding ventrick, I'd head down to the south crpyts and it would be a zoo... sure I could have started going "Hey, who are you? I'm *sure* I have been on this server longer than *you*.... LEAVE... it's my turn to train now"
But I did not... I found another place, started RPing, started "taxing" those players , or asked if we could "share" the area, most areas are big enough and have enough spawns, that 2 parties could happily go about killing monsters for days and only see each other for tea once a "lap"...

if it is an issue of not being able to complete a quest, scripted or otherwise, then I'd ask the person doing the quest to contact a DM and explain. In my experience *most* ppl will yield to such a request.... those that do not.... well *they* are the problem, not the server.

sorry, I guess this post got a little harsh too, but maybe I just don't see this as being a "I have to leave the server, cause I just cannot handle *this*" issue...

and please do not take this as a personal stab Naraldur, I consistantly see these little arguments and am just venting

[JoScMa]

As for me, until there is a rule saying someone can only hog a killing ground for x amount of time, I won't bother with them as a DM. Although that doesn't necessarily mean I stop plopping monsters down randomly and such

[Naraldur]

ride said:

we do chase ppl out of areas after they have been there a long long time (I do sometimes)
suddenly an uber-critter comes thru and massacres the entire party... what happens? usually one person repawns and runs back to rez everyone else, and they just keep going. I have seen ppl do this over and over, never getting the subtle message to "go somewhere else for a bit, dang"

I didn't say that the "uber-critters" were effective, it just amuses me.

then someone would suggest that I sync up a website with a time server and post $current_time on a web page that we'd all be required to have open and visible to stop the time limit cheats...

You say that like it's a bad thing.
Seriously, LMAO--that whole section about time limits is funny because it's JUST SO TRUE

and please do not take this as a personal stab Naraldur, I consistantly see these little arguments and am just venting

Did I miss something here?
I think the only thing you said that pertains to me was the first bit that I quoted, which wasn't exactly a "personal stab." Certainly no offense taken.

edit: added a slash in my formatting, man it was wacky before

edit: you don't even want to know

[Silentus]

My personal guidelines are as follows:

1. I ALWAYS give up an area if I have completed a level there during that session.

2. I generally will offer to alllow the person to join unless the XP margin is pretty low.

3. If I have not been able to level and am approached by someone not wishing to join, I will put a timer on myself (never more than 30 min) and give an ooc tell with how much time I want. Then I'll give them a reminder when Im close to done so they have time to return before someone else grabs it. I try to avoid this scenario though as if you get more than 1 party desiring the area it becomes hectic and kind of unfair.

As far as coming into an area already somoene else is training on... well, my characters are primarily loners - as such they are unlikely to ask to join in the training and will subsequently just leave and come back later if desired. If they were more team players, I would at very least put in an IC request to join in. I have never gotten DMs involved because (quite simply) this is a huge world that changes all the time.

REMEBER: Just because you dont know of another good training ground for your skills/level, doesnt mean its not out there, it just means that you need to go out exploring more - this may be a persistnat world, but its contents are not static. Sometimes it pays to reinvestigate areas.

[MitzaVolchenko]

Silentus exhibits the soul of a courteous player. Observe and follow his example and Fredian will be a nicer place.
Please lock this thread. It is far and away a beaten to death and beyond horse.
If you have a concern that you cannot work out between players, ask a DM for assistance. We are all on the same page and willing to help even if it is only to explain why something is as it is.
Go out, explore, and have fun together!

[Makzimia]

Yes thank you Mitz and Silentus, locked.