Server PW with application [Decision- Not happening for now]

[Inziladun]

I know i'm new here, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

Personally I wouldn't be entirely against the idea of a Password/Application process. It would most certainly scare away a few potential players, but I think it'd get rid of most of these 'griefers'. Although, if spending too much time dealing with griefers is a prime reason for this, I fail to see how handling applications would be much more less work or any less time consuming. But I don't know the inner workings on how everything is dealt with so excuse me for my ignorance.

If I were to choose, I would go with an application system. Just getting to know the player and his motives for playing on Dasaria. Afterwards, when you pass the application, 'approve' of the account and let him into a members only area of a forum that only members can read and post in. There you could post up the current password and have weekly/monthly changes to it.

[mortannis]

90% of the time I would not give a password server a second look. But more and more I am thinking its going to be a good thing. As a password system would allow you to control who and what gets in. this would solve the overflowing underdark races and alot of other things would be cut out. not to mention characters who random PCs =D

[Hicks2]

Making people read the history of the world before playing in a server they might not like is too much to ask for most people I believe.

I found Dasaria by accident and stayed because it was the only established PW that had a RP feel to it.

I didn't read the history too much or read much of anything when I joined. I just jumped in and played. Now that I like it, I've gone back and read the history more because Im genuinely interested in it and how I can use it in the game.

I don't think it would work as well the other way around, except maybe word of mouth and I dont think it should come to that.

So I vote no to passwords.



As a suggestion, if everyones choosing under dark races... make the guards kill on sight as a preemptive strike to control the "invasion"
(of course, make them start outside the town)

Try deal with it IC. Because people who want to cause trouble, will find the password and get in regardless.

[Xavori]

I fully support this idea. I've seen it in another NWN server, and it's excellent for weeding out the griefers/morons and people-who-don't-know-what-roleplaying-is. Long story short, I'd be willing to go through the extra step of applying in order to be assured that the server that I'm going into has players who have gone through the same process.

To those who think that the admins will spend their precious time instead in handling applications... would you prefer having them handle the bad players, the ones who disrupt game play for the rest? It's not as "scary" as you think, to make one of those "1 paragraph backstory" to send to an admin to get into the server

[lankycheese]

I rekon it's awesome, I played on a NWN server back in the day that had this, where you had to write up introduction tale where it would be read by a team of admins who then would approve it. It wasn't hard to be approved, you didn't have to be good at writing or anything, you just had to have an idea about your character and couldn't make up random crap that had nothing to do with the server setting.

It didn't come across at elitist to me in the slightest, it worked very well actually, and made sure everyone knew what they were getting into before they logged on. It forces all newbies to have a read on the forums first and get a feel for the campaign setting and server rules and community.

A big fat yes from me.

[thedork]

Change itself is always a scary aspect, but the people who have experienced it on past NWN servers say its a good thing, so far no one who has experienced it elsewhere has said it is a bad thing.

So... I voted yes.

[Wilhell]

I voted no for the same reason alot have said. You will lose a huge amount of new blood to the server. The time spent assessing apps will not be very different to the time taken to take action against bad apples once its all sorted out.

When i look for servers i don't bother with anything that is pass protected as i assume it is private (as in invitation only).

As for being happy to be on a server with only 4/50 slots used, i have played on servers like that and it gets very lonesome very fast.

I think the cure will be worse then the disease in this case.

a different system that worked really well i have seen was to have ingame constables.

Basically they were players that have been with server both a long time and had proven they upheld the laws to the admins. They all had a tool that they could use to put people in jail and to let them out. If someone was breaking server rules they would jail them ingame and post on their own private forum board the character name and the jail sentence (this could be 24 hrs to permanent.

Unless the sentence was over 1 week there was no appeal.

I know this would require you to focus on more coding and such but it would satisfy the need for law and order and would leave the server open to receive the full diversity of the NWN2 community.

[Mensha Khaine]

There have been alot of pros and cons posted, but at the end of the day, Jeh and his team need to do what is right for them. If they are not happy das will be put to sleep. If that means a full on RP application to play, then bring it on.

[Greyshore]

Well, how about a test? I believe I know a site where you have to find a password and an username in order to enter it.

Don't worry, very pg-13.

Found it:

shoujo.bookish.net


I must admit I had to read it 3 or 4 times to just find the password. Won't mention how long I took to find the username. How about ya?

[Will]

I chose no, but then again, I am not having to deal with all of the issues. The DMs are, and I don't think I could do half of what they do.

As a player, I chose no because I think while this idea would stop the flood, a lot of potentially fun people would turn away at the gates as well. I would rather stand facing the storm, so to speak, and grab the hands of what potentially great players flow in. It is much harder work at the initial breaking point, but I think we've rescued a few people who already show signs of contributing lasting effects on our beloved server. And eventually--I can see it already--the arms of our survivors will form bonds strong enough to turn the flood and rebuild an oasis of enjoyment and reward.

None of this would be possible if not for the DMs. They are the driving force behind every masterful creation and consumption we enjoy here, and I support whatever decision they deem necessary to keep this place alive for the rest of us.

[VarnithisXIII]

Absolutly not.

I don't mind RP servers and in fact I love Dasaria because of the rich storyline and great charcters in it, but the exact moment all my charcters have to be extremly detailed and I have to write up stroies and an application to even play the game, it stops being fun.

Unlike alot of people on the server, I'm here so I can relax and have fun, not act out a charcter. Do I want to be an all powerful uber pwnage machine? No, I don't, but neither do I like having to contantly think in charcter all the time. I prefer PW Story and RP servers because quite frankly, Action servers are full of jerks and cheaters, but I hate being roped into unreasonable rules and regulations as well.

[Xavori]

While I obviously hope that the admins take MY decision I hope even more that they take the WISE decision, maybe something in-between.

I understand how many feel, that this change (If it happened) would remove some of the "fun" factor, but hey, I prefer quality over quantity

[Vahene]

No.

Who is going to oversee the applications? Who will make the ultimate decision that 'they' think 'this person' shouldn't be on the server because they don't like how the person RPs? Or because they THINK the person won't be able to handle the campaign? Will bias against certain players in the first campaign enter the decision for the second?

As rhetorical as these questions are, I also think Rob is dead on. We've all complained about something or another on these boards, the new ones or the old, and I'm no exception to the rule. However, when it comes down to it, at the end of the day, the reason I haven't been playing lately is because of people playing 'vigilante', reading about it on the boards, and not wanting to see it in a game I've become so fond of, it would break my heart to have to leave it.

Don't get me wrong, I love this game, and the people I've RPed with are fantastic. However. When you take the risk of playing a character, and become worried that that character will be PKed just for existing practically, or forgetting to put a weapon away--it becomes not only absurd, but flat out rediculous for me to even try. It's ruining my game experience, and perhaps I need to flat out say that rather than dancing around it in my postings.

Playing a vigilante is fine--with a DM Client active. With more material existing in game, with a more finished product, not with what we have now. Things like this, and I'm using this as an example, so no one blow up on me, okay? Things like this are what's making it hard to police. DM's should be able to relax when online playing their characters, not have to stop every two seconds and tell 'youknow' to stop attacking Master Roggins because its freaking annoying.

I didn't mean to rant, but I personally would be against applications, because I don't think there's any way to do the process without being biased on one manner or another for or against someone.

If anyone does have a problem with what I've said, feel free to PM me.. it doesn't belong on the boards.

-K

[obsoletenihilist]

What about a rotating password posted on the forums? Changes every week or some such so people getting it from word of mouth without reading the forums and rules etc won't always be up to date. This keeps the server open to new players who just need to make a small effort into going to the forums (which they should be doing anyways for the PwC's) but also might deter some of the problem clientel. Helps make it more of a controlled beta that can be easily removed once beta status is gone.

I'm suggesting the above without an application process too, because applications would take some time that the admin and DM's could put towards better uses.

[Greyshore]

Changing every week...? I don't mean that this isn't a good solution, but I'd personally prefer another less...bothersome solution. :p

But keep up with the ideas! Is anyone writting these down?