Dasaria II - A NWN2 Roleplay and Story-driven Persistent World

Heh. Faen's having similar problems - same as Rhode is.

Perhaps they need to kiss and make up (without the kissing, Faen would say).. Heh.

K

If people avoid partying up with a character due to IC reasons, it means they can't find a creative excuse to do so. That's a shame, because this is the most powerful design decision behind online worlds - to be in a party of adventurers.

If people avoid partying up with a character due to IC reasons, it means they can't find a creative excuse to do so.

Ummm. No, in a lot of cases it means the person not being partied with has done something to deserve it. A paladin shouldn't party with someone that they know is evil. Period. There's no creative reason around it...it's part of being a paladin.

Despite all the problems that Obsidian has heaped on our collective plates, I remain optimistic. There is a reason for this.

Despite all the toolset errors, the idiotic code that comes with it, the broken functions and everything else that's wrong with that toolset, I can still get by. The creation of Aucklorn Mill, for me, was not only enjoyable, but relatively bug free. I crashed a couple times, lost a few minutes of data, but with extensive back-ups (I actually took up about 10 GB of space backing up the Aucklorn Mill addition) I was able to start and finish it within a few weeks.

In fact, the most pain was integration and the bug fixes that followed, and that was only a few hours of frustration. When you see your creation live, however, and being enjoyed by a plethora of adventure-seeking players, all the spite, bile and frustration just seeps away. I will tell you—the positive feedback posted here is a boon to the builders. Knowing your content is appreciated and enjoyed is a great motivator to head back into that breach, once more.

Most people, however, will not encounter the evils of the toolset. It is the player-client that many will become frustrated with. To be honest, the only thing that really pisses me off is the transition crashes. When that is resolved, I believe everything else will fall into place. And I do believe it will be resolved. One way or another. It is comforting alone to know that Obsidian is working on it. Most of our antagonism for Obsidian is due in part to the bugs that we, the multiplayer community, have encountered. Obsidian, however, has shown that they do want to correct their creation. We will see how long it takes them, however.

So the "stallling" of the impending campaign is partially platform related. We certainly don't want to head on into the main story with a buggy client. In the end, however, it won't be the deciding factor. The campaign will be unveiled.

Keep in mind that Dasaria 1's campaign never really was unveiled within the first year, or year and a half. DM and Developer involvement was largely limited to content generation, and minor DM events. There were large, significant pushes (The Ruins of Dasar, the emergence of Talon Hold, the return of the Monarchy) led by the DMs, but these developments occurred well after the server had been adequately established. A lot goes into establishing the community, culture and ambiance of a server. I believe the staff want a good, concrete foundation before they step forward and begin unveiling the second generation of Dasaria's story. They want a multitude of areas so the world feels a little larger than Cear's few districts. Established characters, factions and stories will all add another depth to the server alongside a developing campaign.

And yes, unfortunately RL gets in the way, and there are a few members of the senior staff that are tending to more important things right now. It's a pendulum, really; we will see moments where the server undergoes rapid development, due to Staff Activity and involvement. When work, family and other RL concerns get in the way, however, this type of development will naturally being to slow. This is the way of things.

If any of you remember from the interview with NWN Podcast, the Development Team had planned to start unveiling the campaign "in a few weeks". That is, of course, before RL steps in to rear its ugly head (damn real life interfering with make-believe!) We're not too far away, and compared to Dasaria 1's development, we're actually ahead of the game.

So, with these things in mind, I am incredibly optimistic. I love this community, I love this development team, and most of all, I love Dasaria. Her story remains incredibly important to me, and despite whatever platform issues plague her development, rest assured; I will be motivated to see that she continues to tell her story.

Well said Falcon
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kikkelipoika wrote: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.

On the contrary, rping is important, to me at least dasaria is more then in just some testing stage, its a time for the world of dasaria to awaken, for factions to be formed, and foundations laid

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Stormknife wrote: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.

Yep that was alot of fun that night, falcon was really getting into it with all his pms, and the hoards of undead he spawned at aucklorns graveyard, and then the guard that granted us parley, it was great

Stormknife wrote:

If people avoid partying up with a character due to IC reasons, it means they can't find a creative excuse to do so.

Ummm. No, in a lot of cases it means the person not being partied with has done something to deserve it. A paladin shouldn't party with someone that they know is evil. Period. There's no creative reason around it...it's part of being a paladin.

There are a few charactes Rhode has met that I wouldn't think would ever join him in a party again, a few of which I assume are paladins. This is based on their IC reactions to things Rhode has done, said or shown them. There are even a few evil characters that are disturbed by Rhodes actions.

Rhode has several reasons he wants to meet up with Faen and they aren't all for drinking or a possible bed partner.

***Dasaria is like a listing Luxury Cruiser, the DM's and builders are running around trying to patch the holes that threaten to sink the ship of the NWN 2 game while at the same time provide us with as much luxury as possible while us, the players, are either trying to enjoy ourselves, trying to help where we can, ignoring the problem, contributing to the problem or threatening mutiny. While we wish we were given a better ship so the DM's could bring us more drinks we need to understand that they didn't build the ship*****

Er, you weren't someone I was thinking of, mate. Draco'd group with Rhode. He'd just make sure the guy was never behind him.

Edited due to Grayle's removal of his first post.

I've interacted with DMs maybe 4 times that I've been aware of. Each one of those experiences has been memorable enough for me to remember the rest of my life. They will be placed on my shelf of other important D&D memories. Sure, attending 4 DM run events in the course of 5 or 6 months seems low, but the staff have put in so many hours behind the scenes to help us out; they've given us new content, listened to our concerns, even made friends with new people like me the moment I walked onto the server. (The rest of the community gets kudos for this of course).

As it stands I'm grateful for everything the staff and the other players have done to enhance my experience here. I hope this continues. That being said I'll move onto Grayle's concerns:




Platform issues are a major concern. The constant crashing is wearing people down. We have members who don't play because the game crashes too often for them. If Obsidian can fix this I think it will bring a lot of old and new people to the game again.

Falcon's post has covered the next issue well enough so I'll be moving on.



I feel like this is mostly my fault. My shortcomings as a player. I have trouble developing character goals without some prodding from a DM or two. Does this mean I'm not imaginative enough? Does this mean I'm not dropping enough hints for people to explore so that they can take part in my characters development? Do I need to write more out of game? Probably. I feel like I could be contributing so much more and yet I have so many other things going on all vying for my attention.

Yet recently Aucklorn Mill has given both my characters something to strive for, but they just happened to be two things that ultimately will require DM intervention. In the meantime I can try and sweep other players into those goals and have fun while doing it.

I hope the community finds this useful. Maybe no one likes listening to me blab and I'm sure other wonderful points have been made in the time it took me to write this. However, it is at least my contribution to make things better so take it for what you will.

I think once they re-introduce Trogdor and drop a Prismatic Dragon on top of the impending tournament, things will once again fall into place.

You should probably add a Casino, as well--along with a Brothel, filled with cheerful halflings who give you a helping hand with everything you do.

Oh, and have a face-to-face conference involving Raven and Minuvas. They would get along famously--in fact, I bet she'd have his armor off in a couple of seconds if you know what I mean.

Every time I pick up NWN2 and try and get going, I'll go for a few hours and then... crash...crash...crash... Awkwardly try and cast spells and use feats and skills.

Roleplaying can only get me so far, if the mechanics suck I'lll just move onto something else. Thats why i stoppd with NWN1 i hated the mechanics, and then to come into NWN2 with the same mechanics in an entirely less functional state makes me want to give the game the finger and never load it up again.

So instead I've taken to getting to know the people behind the computer screen, it's more fun than trying to get into a game that is ultimately un-enjoyable for me. The friends I make are ultimately more important to me than any new area or dm event. And I really wish i didnt despise NWN2 so much, but such is life

Part of playing on a free and volunteer server means accepting the amount of time that the developers have in their recreation/fun time budget. These things have an ebb and a flow with the events in people’s lives. I find it a little absurd that I have to state that.

There has hardly been a week when the builder team hasn’t had multiple updates to the module file. Work is constantly being done on the module, and only two weeks ago we launched a major content addition (by the way, Grayle I feel that your post is a bit of a slap in the face to the developer that worked on that for months- water?) At the point where no development is being done on the server by the team, I will strongly consider bringing the module down. Until that point it will remain up for those who can appreciate and enjoy our creative efforts without necessarily having to have a constant supply of "water."

Also, we are incredibly selective about who we allow to run Dm events on Dasaria. I would rather have no or little Dm interaction than bad. Grayle I think you have been a "veteran" of enough wars of many kinds on Dasaria to understand my position on that.

So in summary the cliff notes official response to this topic is the following:

1. Development continues at a steady rate determined by the availability of volunteer staff members which has an ebb and flow based on the lives of those staff members. So long as development continues, then Dasaria will stay up and online for players to enjoy. At the point where no development is occurring, we will take the server offline.

2. Players who can accept and enjoy this, I thank you and look forward to continuing to give good service to you.

3. Players who cannot find creative means to enhance your own play experience while development continues, I am sorry- we are doing all that we can with the budget of time that the staff has.

I also am a little annoyed by the fact, Grayle that you who has immediate and direct communications with me through so many ways found that it would be more appropriate to have a community discussion on the inadequacies of the Dms rather than approaching me personally with concern first. That is all I have to say about that.

I sincerely apoligize. I thought it would encourage the DMs to come play, that's all I meant.

Jeh,

I can assure you that Grayle had the best intentions mate

And yes delivering the message to a public forum was perhaps inappropriate, but good will come from this in that the majority of understanding players will give yourself and the DM/Design team a pat on the back and say "good onya mate, keep it up."

- We know that using the toolset is like wrestling crocodile with one arm tied behind your back.

- we know that the DM client crashes like the groom after a bucks night

- and I know that if I had a beer for everytime I had a transition crash, I'd be rolling into work three-parts spanked every morning!

In summary, we love you guys, and we understand the difficulties you are facing, and if we can provide you with community support please let us know

As for the players, lets get this server moving. We don't need DM events to makes things happen. Just do it. If you have a complex plotline or an idea, talk it over with a few players privately and give it a go. If it fizzles then what have you got to lose?

Mon-da-oth wrote: ***Dasaria is like a listing Luxury Cruiser, the DM's and builders are running around trying to patch the holes that threaten to sink the ship of the NWN 2 game while at the same time provide us with as much luxury as possible while us, the players, are either trying to enjoy ourselves, trying to help where we can, ignoring the problem, contributing to the problem or threatening mutiny. While we wish we were given a better ship so the DM's could bring us more drinks we need to understand that they didn't build the ship*****

One of the enclave's members snaps a quick salute to the Overseer and speaks,"The Captain is dead sir and the iceburgs lie directly in our path."

The Overseer responds as he rubs his gloved hands together, "Excellent, secure the main steerage until I can take control. We will be heroes... for now." Cackles manically.

Sorry, had to do it. That Luxury liner thing was just too apt to pass up. I just want to say this. Love the content, love the characters, love the quests and love the new areas. Got to take one of my tougher guys to the new area outside Thralls Gate and my first reaction was, "Hey look a band of NPCs." and of course my second reaction was "Hey where did all these arrows come from? Uuugh... (respawn)" Thought it was awesome and the first 20 feet of the new area I saw looked great.

I just want to apologize to any DM's who may have tried to interact with my character while in a group and we didn't "get " it. I play so little and have actually interacted with DM's so little that unless the DM is pretty blatent (meaning obviously taking over an NPC and completely de-railing the "normal" course of a quest) I will most likely miss it.

(I suspect that our group was the intended audience of an interaction last weekend when we were trying to turn in the Kalem quest , the inspector wouldn't accept the letter from the guardsman, and we all suddenly ended up in the jail. Until that happened, I just thought the quest was broken or we had missed a quest item. )