The Plants Need Water.

[Grayle]

Deleted.

[Will]

I think this is a legitimate topic concerning the health of the campaign and how we as the community feel about it. Let's all consider our responses with our thoughts and caring.

The current interpretation I get of the server is a kind of "western" feel, with free-roaming individuals (players) and a wild frontier (the server) with the DMs maintaining the reality of this creation. My question is a lot like Grayle's... With the condition of the current software, how does the staff feel about being able to continue the project? And what can we do to promote the longevity of the campaign?

I have other ideas, but I don't think they are necessary at this point. I think these questions are basically the big ones on my mind right now.

[Stormknife]

With no disrespect, part of the problem is you just haven't been on.

Sabre was running some undead invasions in Cear for a while before Aucklorn Mill opened up, and Falcon has been doing a bangup job running events in that area. Usually just possessing the Marshal and giving us some random RP time, but that plotline is progressing (ask Draco/Pylia/Will/Lok'Tok/Marco about their interaction with the Baron's Guard at the gate of the castle). I can't say what the status is on that plotline as a whole, since I haven't been playing much the last two weekends, but it is there and seemingly moving along.

I know that some other things have gone on as well, like the Summoner's Challenge and two guards turning into undead right in front of everyone's eyes (that predated the dead rising in the graveyard, though).

Short version: they're doing stuff.

[Will]

I'd like to reply in defense that Grayle's thoughts were for the DMs and community to give their responses on the topic of the campaign and software in particular, which Grayle has been involved in, including faction details, roleplay with Falcon in the Aucklorn event, and on the forums as well.

While any player's activity or inactivity is objective at best, I don't think any bias should defer from the relevance of the topic in discussion.

[DM Sabre]

Well, I am lurking around, but the past few weeks have been somewhat tiring for me so my presence in game hasn't been big events.

The DM client is at best, unstable. But I make do with the tools available. It is somewhat hard to kick off a main campaign when a good many of the areas are still not in game. ( Though some of my events were a warm up of things to come.) But, I do see that due to game mechanics, things will move much slower. Also, senior staff are much busier with RL concerns this time around. That also will mean a slower pace. This is where the community steps up to fill in the gaps to keep the world alive.

What I do see?
We have many players that are doing a fine job of running with their own plots and stories, much like in Das 1. I encourage this greatly.

We also have many players who actively ignore DM interaction. This is their choice, but it does mean that they will miss out on much. But as a DM, when you try to start something up and your efforts are completely ignored, it makes you throw up your hands in disgust and say why bother.

I see some players treat Das as they would WoW or EQ. By this I mean they treat staff as if this was our jobs, not something we volunteer to do. Please and thank you go a long way for me. Patience will also be a giant factor. The senior members of staff are acting as builders, administrators, and DMs. Lately they also have to be referees of petty disputes, enforcers, and politicians. All this leads to burn out if they are not careful. And I for one, do not blame them if they decide they need to back off for a few weeks to recuperate.

In short, if the Dasaria campaign will keep going it will take a whole lot of patience. If you are looking for fast pace, I am afraid you may be in for a hard time of it. But then Das 1 also had it stagnant periods, something I know the older players will remember although it is easy to forget. Sure we could slap things together with little planning and little thought to how it will affect the campaign as a whole, but that would be doing the server a disservice. Dasaria for me has always been about quality, not quantity.

[kikkelipoika]

I think you shouldn't bother yourselves too much about RP'ing right now, because the server is just in a beta stage. Testing the content over and over again should be the players top priority IMO (not to say that you shouldn't RP, just saying that it shouldn't be taken too seriously), so that feedback can be given. Same goes with the DM events, they are great and all, but i don't think they're really necessary yet. Don't take this the wrong way though, DM events i've experienced have been great so far, and i'm definately not against them . Just a random thought though, and i'm not really sure i even agree with myself here, but i wrote it anyway.

EDIT: the point was, that we just have to wait and try not to rush anything. Patience plx.

[Chia]

...

[BooBooSpooki]

As a new player, I'm having fun playing on Dasaria - people seem to be willing to party up, which always makes for a good reason to come back. Also, many NWN2 servers have little lore to back up their gameworlds, where Dasaria has a lot of lore [for me to] catch up on.

[Vahene]

Please and thank you go a long way for me. Patience will also be a giant factor. The senior members of staff are acting as builders, administrators, and DMs. Lately they also have to be referees of petty disputes, enforcers, and politicians. All this leads to burn out if they are not careful. And I for one, do not blame them if they decide they need to back off for a few weeks to recuperate.

I haven't been a party to DM interaction yet, but I will say thank you, once again, to every DM, builder, administrator - anyone behind the scenes that is in charge of fixing, tweaking, building, helping to create interesting events, etc. It isn't an easy job, and you're right, you do volunteer for it, so the pay isn't necessarily the best but you do it out of love for the game and the product. I appreciate it - a lot.

But then Das 1 also had it stagnant periods, something I know the older players will remember although it is easy to forget.

Very true. Then it was even more important for player-driven storylines, I think, and the RP between those of us that would log on anyway (at least the last 2 years) ended up more than making up for any sort of interaction - but I did come in at the tail end of Das1, not that I'm disappointed by that at all.

I think you shouldn't bother yourselves too much about RP'ing right now, because the server is just in a beta stage.

With all due respect, I disagree very strongly. This sort of attitude is the reason that many RPers are probably getting miffed, myself included. I come here to relax after work, after school, and RP. Whether or not this is beta or not - RPing is still a part of this game, perhaps not all of it because if people just want to hack and slash I certainly won't stop them.

Same goes with the DM events, they are great and all, but i don't think they're really necessary yet.

I don't think this is just a 'test me' time, because you can do that and RP.

Sorry, you just managed to hit a big pet peeve of mine.

K

[Shorn]

To be fair, some of the stagnation has me worried, especially when you couple it with the obvious shortcomings of the game. But I also understand that both the Devs and the Sabre have lots of RL issues, and thats something none of us should have a problem with.

I dont know about all of you, but I think the server is worth stsicking around and letting the devs get to it whenever they are ready and have time to.

[Kell]

The socialising is high and I keep wondering; where should I, for myself, draw the line? I don't want to fall into the old pattern of emó soap stuff again, but when there's little input it's the only thing that can go on and on and on and on... I mean.. Once the undead have stopped coming; how long can you stay bothered by it then? Of course, Aswaith still -is- troubled by it, but eventually when it stops, it stops.

You -have- to have DM input if you want to keep on creating heroes. We can do things ourselves, roleplay and the like, we can screw eachother over as much as we like but eventually it'll boil down to one thing; drama. In whichever way you want to see it. And drama isn't everybodies dish, I know I would like to avoid having too much of it. I don't mind drama every once in a while but to have it -all- the time is a little much for doing it all over again.

Uhm. I'm not complaining though. I have been -incredibly- lucky where it comes to DM intervention, methinks and I hope that the DM's involved understand that I am doing anything -but- complaining, heheh. I'm trying to build with it as well and I'll continue.

But I see and hear the concerns.

(Though, I'm not worried about it just yet.)

[Warlock]

One thing that has me a little confused (probably because I'm still new to online RP but a veteran to PNP) is how do you determine what DM interaction is? If a random character comes up and asks me to adventure or they have a problem of sorts, I listen, but if I have plans to jsut meander waiting around for the familiar people I adventure with, not sure what "flags" a DM interaction.

[Stormknife]

One thing that has me a little confused (probably because I'm still new to online RP but a veteran to PNP) is how do you determine what DM interaction is?

If there's a creature where there shouldn't be, a DM is involved. E.g. An ogre standing on top of goblin hill.

If theres a lot more creatures in an area than normal, a DM is probably involved. e.g. instead of 8 goblins spawning on goblin hill, you get a swarm of 30 hurtling down the mountain side like a green avalanche.

If you're talking to someone and they're not on the player list, a DM is involved.

If you're talking to what appears to be an NPC like you would to a PC, a DM is involved.

Basically, if it's unusual the odds are pretty good that there's a DM in the mix somewhere. It can be easy to miss sometimes, but it gets easier to spot as you become more familiar with the game.

[Mon-da-oth]

I have had several RL problems and situations pop up in the last month or so.

Prior to that I have only come across two events where I know a DM was involved. One I joined in and would have had enough time to stick it out to the end but was sent a "Tell" from one of the higher level characters involved (not a veteran player though) that it was a private DM event and and that Rhode wasn't welcomed. I could have refused to leave the party or even bothered the DM about it but after thinking to myself "After such a jerk thing to tell someone do I really want to party up with a player like that? The answer was no and I have avoided most parties with this particular player since then.****If you are going to be a jerk to me OOC do not expect me to be receptive to helping your characters later on."******

The other time I simply didn't have enough time to stay for much more than the initial RP. I wish I could have but it was at that time very early in the morning for me and I had been up for 20 some hours so I had to leave.

From what I have been able to see of the content it has been great. I can't get any farther than Thralls Gate with out being in a party and just skulking about hoping that Rhode doesn't get spotted or if he does a fighter is close enough to pull the mob off of him.

I have been trying to avoid the "emo" crap myself but I find myself unable to do much. If I can't manage to form or join a party it leaves me standing around the monument in northern Cear throwing insults, taking insults or listening to how upset everyones charcter is.

The way Dasar has evolved I am finding it very difficult to use Rhodes charcter. I can't solo him anywhere and I can only insult people so many times before it ruins any IC chance of him getting into a party.

[baby1111007]

The way Dasar has evolved I am finding it very difficult to use Rhodes charcter. I can't solo him anywhere and I can only insult people so many times before it ruins any IC chance of him getting into a party.

I personally enjoy Rhode. he is welcome in my parties anytime.