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My understanding is that an interesting RP event took place 9/28-29 Last night another event was supposed to take place as a sequel; some friends
persuaded me to come along, much against my better judgement. About 40 folks met on the Black Sands and were portalled off. Whereupon the principle characters
wandered off to do something or other very important, while the rest of us waited for something momentous to happen.
And waited.
And waited.
And ...
Well, I did some RP'ing with some of the other folks there ... Guenn being her nasty, supercilious and snarky Dhe'nar self ... then got bored
and watched some videos for a while, glancing at the game screen occasionally. After 2 hours of damn-all happening, Irar returned and we were all
gated back to the Landing, with little or no explanation.
Oh, we did all get an RPA. Whee.
I suspect that something may have occurred to interrupt the planned course of events ... one of the GM's had a heart attack, a 747 crashed onto Simu's roof,
or UFOs attacked Scottsdale ... but something might have been mentioned to the participants.
THROGG
KHARIZ555
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 01:05 PM CDT
What a rotten little post. Feel free to not come to future events. We'll be fine.
KHARIZ555
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 01:13 PM CDT
And, no, what happened was you misunderstanding. There was never supposed to be any momentous thing happening. The point of the entire trip was for Naimorai and Irar to go the Temple together. The rest of us were just along for the ride as viewers. That was made very clear by the NPC before the portal to Tamzyrr opened up. I'm sorry you misunderstood. The pacing of last night's RP event is about on par for normal pacing on any RP event nights other than the ones where we have big battles and storyline advancing set-pieces, which are few and far between.
ROBLAR
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 02:24 PM CDT
Perhaps your character was the one that made a similar comment while there about expecting some battle or invasion type situation?
I had an OOC whisper ready to explain that it was unlikely last night was going to be that kind of night, but I don't think I executed it.
Anyway, Khariz555 is right, it was one of the small quieter parts of the many per week that are done in and near the Landing. The event for the rest of us was the opportunity to explore and wander a small part of the capital city of Tamzyrr and initiate our own RP. There were also many ambient messages indicating callbacks to other NPC and events and general entertainment. You could wander in and out of the portal as I did a few times.
I had an OOC whisper ready to explain that it was unlikely last night was going to be that kind of night, but I don't think I executed it.
Anyway, Khariz555 is right, it was one of the small quieter parts of the many per week that are done in and near the Landing. The event for the rest of us was the opportunity to explore and wander a small part of the capital city of Tamzyrr and initiate our own RP. There were also many ambient messages indicating callbacks to other NPC and events and general entertainment. You could wander in and out of the portal as I did a few times.
FUDGEHJ
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 03:29 PM CDT
I guess this brings up a point of discussion: What exactly do people expect out of RP events...in the context of Gemstone? And I guess I ask these questions but I am not like...trying to judge you with them if that makes sense. Its just something Im curious what people think about.
Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
I ask because whilst I havent made it over to prime recently, I gave it a good solid shot in and around the landing area...and I'll be bringing Nehor back in likely after EG...and its just interesting to see the dynamic. At least in the Landing area, theres a big difference in the RP life of someone who is with the 'in crowd' and someone who is not. The one on one, small group, player RP? Top notch. No complaints there.
The storyline GM stuff? I felt like a guy coming into the middle of season 5 on Lost. You have to have a PhD in Prime Gemstone History to even UNDERSTAND what is happening. And I get it. You want people to feel the 'weight of history' of the game. You want events to have meaning and consequences, long term even. Its important! But cmon. I had someone who was holding my hand, trying very hard to do their best to help me be involved and understand but even then, it was a struggle and frustrating and quite frankly a huge turn off. And from what Ive been told, pretty much every storyline in the Landing is like this. All...related.
Its ok sometimes to do something completely new.
And hell, its not even always a GMs fault! A lot of GMs (like a good DM should in Tabletop) will go with what the players are going with...and the players have a goddam annoying tendency to be 'OH! This one verbal cue reminds me of a GM event 5 years ago. IT MUST BE THE SAME THING OR RELATED!' and the GM is like 'meh, I'll run with that.'
Its human nature. Its because we are all telling our own story, and in the books? Everything DOES revolve around us and events we witnessed.
But it makes for subpar storytelling imho. It creates a serious barrier to entry for anyone who is new or trying to become more involved but hasnt been.
The last question: Do we want this barrier of entry to remain?
It has its pro's. Once again, it makes it more 'episodic' in nature, and a lot of people seem to like episodic shows. It also limits the natural involvement of new folks, ensuring that 'RP TIME' is shared amongst fewer people, which lets be honest theres an argument to be made that 'less people, more attention'.
But it makes people who are new just...not want to put in the time to read an encyclopedia and watch all the episodes of the LAST 10 seasons just to get involved. And damn, you guys are missing out. Im awesome :P
Berbels shrilly exclaims, "Ise takings hims tos secretses lairses!"
Berbels grabs you and drags you east.
Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
I ask because whilst I havent made it over to prime recently, I gave it a good solid shot in and around the landing area...and I'll be bringing Nehor back in likely after EG...and its just interesting to see the dynamic. At least in the Landing area, theres a big difference in the RP life of someone who is with the 'in crowd' and someone who is not. The one on one, small group, player RP? Top notch. No complaints there.
The storyline GM stuff? I felt like a guy coming into the middle of season 5 on Lost. You have to have a PhD in Prime Gemstone History to even UNDERSTAND what is happening. And I get it. You want people to feel the 'weight of history' of the game. You want events to have meaning and consequences, long term even. Its important! But cmon. I had someone who was holding my hand, trying very hard to do their best to help me be involved and understand but even then, it was a struggle and frustrating and quite frankly a huge turn off. And from what Ive been told, pretty much every storyline in the Landing is like this. All...related.
Its ok sometimes to do something completely new.
And hell, its not even always a GMs fault! A lot of GMs (like a good DM should in Tabletop) will go with what the players are going with...and the players have a goddam annoying tendency to be 'OH! This one verbal cue reminds me of a GM event 5 years ago. IT MUST BE THE SAME THING OR RELATED!' and the GM is like 'meh, I'll run with that.'
Its human nature. Its because we are all telling our own story, and in the books? Everything DOES revolve around us and events we witnessed.
But it makes for subpar storytelling imho. It creates a serious barrier to entry for anyone who is new or trying to become more involved but hasnt been.
The last question: Do we want this barrier of entry to remain?
It has its pro's. Once again, it makes it more 'episodic' in nature, and a lot of people seem to like episodic shows. It also limits the natural involvement of new folks, ensuring that 'RP TIME' is shared amongst fewer people, which lets be honest theres an argument to be made that 'less people, more attention'.
But it makes people who are new just...not want to put in the time to read an encyclopedia and watch all the episodes of the LAST 10 seasons just to get involved. And damn, you guys are missing out. Im awesome :P
Berbels shrilly exclaims, "Ise takings hims tos secretses lairses!"
Berbels grabs you and drags you east.
TRIFFIDKEY
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 06:22 PM CDT
Different events are different.
The current Landing storyline is a fairly involved one, and it's paced like a British murder mystery. Little bit of action here and there, lots of clues spread out over the course of months. It's hard to jump in and figure out what's going on, but it's possible. I did just that, on my return to the game in April after a ~5 year break. Took some time, lots of asking questions, and quite a bit of making new friends.
People, including Kenstrom himself, have been doing a great job at keeping the wiki article updated (https://gswiki.play.net/Keeping_up_with_the_Kestrels) . It's a great resource if you're interested.
As is often the case, the majority of the RP I've experienced relating to the event has been outside of any GM-initiated scenarios.
This particular storyline really isn't for everyone. I made the comparison to British murder mysteries, which I absolutely love but some people find more boring than watching paint dry. But with the frequency of the little RP events like this, it's allowing for more personal one-on-one or one-on-few stuff like last night, more often it's out in the open where anyone can join in with the interaction, and quite often one or two tiny pieces of the puzzle are revealed.
as for the questions:
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Absolutely not. Conflict makes things interesting, but all conflict all the time is tiring. As for combat, it has its place but I couldn't care less about invasion-style fighting. Standard hunting is more interesting to me than the usual invasion. Wave of critter spawns, then 20 pages of CoE and Mstrike scroll. Repeat. Meh.
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It's more based on the character I'm playing at the time and their interests, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't biased toward GM events, if only for the fear of missing something momentous or cool. I'm treating 'RP event' here as the kind of thing that's planned in advance. By far my favorite type of RP in Gemstone is one-on-one interaction between players. In a group of 3 or more, I'm usually the quiet one.
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
Both are important. I understand the whole tuning-out during 'hunt mode', but RP isn't something to turn off at any time. Every interaction between characters is, in essence, an RP event.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
Both are important. Can't have a storyline without each event building on the last in some way. I am looking forward to the next Brand New Storyline, though, whatever that may be.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
The latter, with some of the former mixed in (like in the form of open forums, as we see quite often lately - the NPC can't respond to everyone in the room for time reasons, but everyone there witnesses the responses/clues that are given).
>Do we want this barrier of entry to remain?
Not at all. I was able to get into it, but I've got a few advantages in that. My character's been around, off and on, for more than 15 years now, and I had some history with a few people who were already involved. I've got a lot of free time. My character's a generally agreeable person (at least, that's my intent). Still took weeks to figure out what was going on, so I RP'd it as such. I also had an 'in' backstory-wise (homeland blown up last year heh), which was an internal motivation to get involved and gave me a good reason for my character to want to research all this. Finally, I absolutely love slow-burn mysteries, which is what the current story feels like to me.
Attempting to appeal to everyone is asking for failure, though. My vote is for more. The recent thing in Solhaven was really neat, for example.
Hope to see more of Nehor, by the way.
-mark
The current Landing storyline is a fairly involved one, and it's paced like a British murder mystery. Little bit of action here and there, lots of clues spread out over the course of months. It's hard to jump in and figure out what's going on, but it's possible. I did just that, on my return to the game in April after a ~5 year break. Took some time, lots of asking questions, and quite a bit of making new friends.
People, including Kenstrom himself, have been doing a great job at keeping the wiki article updated (https://gswiki.play.net/Keeping_up_with_the_Kestrels) . It's a great resource if you're interested.
As is often the case, the majority of the RP I've experienced relating to the event has been outside of any GM-initiated scenarios.
This particular storyline really isn't for everyone. I made the comparison to British murder mysteries, which I absolutely love but some people find more boring than watching paint dry. But with the frequency of the little RP events like this, it's allowing for more personal one-on-one or one-on-few stuff like last night, more often it's out in the open where anyone can join in with the interaction, and quite often one or two tiny pieces of the puzzle are revealed.
as for the questions:
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Absolutely not. Conflict makes things interesting, but all conflict all the time is tiring. As for combat, it has its place but I couldn't care less about invasion-style fighting. Standard hunting is more interesting to me than the usual invasion. Wave of critter spawns, then 20 pages of CoE and Mstrike scroll. Repeat. Meh.
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It's more based on the character I'm playing at the time and their interests, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't biased toward GM events, if only for the fear of missing something momentous or cool. I'm treating 'RP event' here as the kind of thing that's planned in advance. By far my favorite type of RP in Gemstone is one-on-one interaction between players. In a group of 3 or more, I'm usually the quiet one.
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
Both are important. I understand the whole tuning-out during 'hunt mode', but RP isn't something to turn off at any time. Every interaction between characters is, in essence, an RP event.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
Both are important. Can't have a storyline without each event building on the last in some way. I am looking forward to the next Brand New Storyline, though, whatever that may be.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
The latter, with some of the former mixed in (like in the form of open forums, as we see quite often lately - the NPC can't respond to everyone in the room for time reasons, but everyone there witnesses the responses/clues that are given).
>Do we want this barrier of entry to remain?
Not at all. I was able to get into it, but I've got a few advantages in that. My character's been around, off and on, for more than 15 years now, and I had some history with a few people who were already involved. I've got a lot of free time. My character's a generally agreeable person (at least, that's my intent). Still took weeks to figure out what was going on, so I RP'd it as such. I also had an 'in' backstory-wise (homeland blown up last year heh), which was an internal motivation to get involved and gave me a good reason for my character to want to research all this. Finally, I absolutely love slow-burn mysteries, which is what the current story feels like to me.
Attempting to appeal to everyone is asking for failure, though. My vote is for more. The recent thing in Solhaven was really neat, for example.
Hope to see more of Nehor, by the way.
-mark
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 08:51 PM CDT
I'm going to split this into two posts. First for Throgg:
>Well, I did some RP'ing with some of the other folks there ... Guenn being her nasty, supercilious and snarky Dhe'nar self ... then got bored and watched some videos for a while, glancing at the game screen occasionally. After 2 hours of damn-all happening, Irar returned and we were all gated back to the Landing, with little or no explanation.
>Oh, we did all get an RPA. Whee.
>I suspect that something may have occurred to interrupt the planned course of events ... but something might have been mentioned to the participants.
If anything happened to interrupt, short of losing his connection, Kenstrom would have told us.
I actually didn't get an RPA (and don't really mind that either), so you might have gotten one for standing out and playing along, even if it was only early on. For what it's worth, I personally thought Guenn's antics were amusing, so even if you didn't get much out of it, others may have enjoyed their time with her. (I know Leafi isn't necessarily the warmest character toward Guenn, but that's character consistency.)
And I guess then the question is--is that enough, if other people are having fun reacting to Guenn but you're not having fun playing her in that context? That's up to you and, hey, if the answer is no then that's alright.
One thing I will say is that Stormy taught me early on that you don't have to stand there if it doesn't make sense for your character. Leafi didn't stand there, and used her neverending supply of Invisibility-imbedded ranger bracelets to be the snooping reporter she is and look for clues or conspiracies.
And sometimes (don't expect this, as it's far from the norm, but sometimes) that can pay off. While Leafi didn't find anything last night, there's nothing to say she couldn't have. In the last couple months Kayse has run off to snoop before and has found things. A few months before that Elementz led a group to ask the Rooks to find where Carenos was and actually got the information. Last year Leafi splintered off from the main group one time to act as bait for half-elf-murdering assassins and--well, she kinda got what she wanted since she had her leg shot off.
With all that said, it's definitely hard to jump into the near-end of a story. For you I can actually see why it would be pretty boring, since it wasn't a night for the GM to involve the whole group and you also didn't have enough context for it to be interesting without that.
For people familiar with all the ins and outs of the current story, though, basically anything could have been going on behind closed doors. Poison, a private deal being arranged, mind control, double crosses, secrets being disclosed, Irar being replaced with a golem, Irar betraying Naimorai, Quinshon secretly being there too... or maybe it was just a prayer session and nothing more. That's the fun of it and it was a great time for speculation.
>Well, I did some RP'ing with some of the other folks there ... Guenn being her nasty, supercilious and snarky Dhe'nar self ... then got bored and watched some videos for a while, glancing at the game screen occasionally. After 2 hours of damn-all happening, Irar returned and we were all gated back to the Landing, with little or no explanation.
>Oh, we did all get an RPA. Whee.
>I suspect that something may have occurred to interrupt the planned course of events ... but something might have been mentioned to the participants.
If anything happened to interrupt, short of losing his connection, Kenstrom would have told us.
I actually didn't get an RPA (and don't really mind that either), so you might have gotten one for standing out and playing along, even if it was only early on. For what it's worth, I personally thought Guenn's antics were amusing, so even if you didn't get much out of it, others may have enjoyed their time with her. (I know Leafi isn't necessarily the warmest character toward Guenn, but that's character consistency.)
And I guess then the question is--is that enough, if other people are having fun reacting to Guenn but you're not having fun playing her in that context? That's up to you and, hey, if the answer is no then that's alright.
One thing I will say is that Stormy taught me early on that you don't have to stand there if it doesn't make sense for your character. Leafi didn't stand there, and used her neverending supply of Invisibility-imbedded ranger bracelets to be the snooping reporter she is and look for clues or conspiracies.
And sometimes (don't expect this, as it's far from the norm, but sometimes) that can pay off. While Leafi didn't find anything last night, there's nothing to say she couldn't have. In the last couple months Kayse has run off to snoop before and has found things. A few months before that Elementz led a group to ask the Rooks to find where Carenos was and actually got the information. Last year Leafi splintered off from the main group one time to act as bait for half-elf-murdering assassins and--well, she kinda got what she wanted since she had her leg shot off.
With all that said, it's definitely hard to jump into the near-end of a story. For you I can actually see why it would be pretty boring, since it wasn't a night for the GM to involve the whole group and you also didn't have enough context for it to be interesting without that.
For people familiar with all the ins and outs of the current story, though, basically anything could have been going on behind closed doors. Poison, a private deal being arranged, mind control, double crosses, secrets being disclosed, Irar being replaced with a golem, Irar betraying Naimorai, Quinshon secretly being there too... or maybe it was just a prayer session and nothing more. That's the fun of it and it was a great time for speculation.
OM1E5GA
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 09:09 PM CDT
I'm not going to respond directly to anyone, and I hope no one takes any of this personally or as an attack on any on-going or past storyline. It's certainly not ment to be, but since someone seemed to be asking for the perspective of others, I though I'd share mine.
I have attended some of the installments of Kenstrom's story in the Landing, including one where everyone was led to Icemule with near capped trolls attacking (still have one of them as my highest kill). I don't go out of my way to be present for them for a variety of reasons, but the big reason is that there's very little actual RP taking place during most of them (I'm speaking as much about the similar RP events in EN as well, since I haven't made that clear yet). Most of the RP in these storylines takes place between the times when GMs are acting out their scenes along with a few players that have been involved for a long time or otherwise made themselves noticed.
Before anyone jumps on me, that's not an attack. There's simply too many people that show up to these things for the crowd to participate much during the GM run bits. Even if the events COULD be RPed the way they are in a venue like Second Life, where an order is developed and everyone waits until it's their turn to post, it would take all day (if not several days) for the GMs to get done what they set out to.
I did participate much more in several events that have taken place in RR. However, far fewer people show up to the ones that happen in small towns, so there is a far better chance that any that care to participate when the GMs are present will be able to. Doesn't hurt that all of my characters have a vested interest in RR, most wouldn't bat an eye if the Landing burned to the ground, and most would actively participate in burning EN.... but that's a different story.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
I have attended some of the installments of Kenstrom's story in the Landing, including one where everyone was led to Icemule with near capped trolls attacking (still have one of them as my highest kill). I don't go out of my way to be present for them for a variety of reasons, but the big reason is that there's very little actual RP taking place during most of them (I'm speaking as much about the similar RP events in EN as well, since I haven't made that clear yet). Most of the RP in these storylines takes place between the times when GMs are acting out their scenes along with a few players that have been involved for a long time or otherwise made themselves noticed.
Before anyone jumps on me, that's not an attack. There's simply too many people that show up to these things for the crowd to participate much during the GM run bits. Even if the events COULD be RPed the way they are in a venue like Second Life, where an order is developed and everyone waits until it's their turn to post, it would take all day (if not several days) for the GMs to get done what they set out to.
I did participate much more in several events that have taken place in RR. However, far fewer people show up to the ones that happen in small towns, so there is a far better chance that any that care to participate when the GMs are present will be able to. Doesn't hurt that all of my characters have a vested interest in RR, most wouldn't bat an eye if the Landing burned to the ground, and most would actively participate in burning EN.... but that's a different story.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
THROGG
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 09:28 PM CDT
>>" I personally thought Guenn's antics were amusing, so even if you didn't get much out of it, others may have enjoyed their time with her. (I know Leafi isn't necessarily the warmest character toward Guenn, but that's character consistency.)"<<
Oh no; I had fun playing Guenn ... she is SUCH a b*** ... but both I and the various other participants expected a wee bit more as far as participation.
Since you were wandering around, you perhaps didn't hear the multitude of Group whispers, most of which took the tack of "why isn't anything happening?"
Maybe I got an RPA because I told Goblyn exactly WHY Dhe'nar considered kittens a tasty treat. (Look up "The Culling").
But after a couple of hours, even RPing a Dhe'nar racist/supremicist started to pale.
Also, Guenn has the hots for Leafi, and in fact considers her a challenge. ::throws in a supercilious Dhe'nar smirk::
Oh no; I had fun playing Guenn ... she is SUCH a b*** ... but both I and the various other participants expected a wee bit more as far as participation.
Since you were wandering around, you perhaps didn't hear the multitude of Group whispers, most of which took the tack of "why isn't anything happening?"
Maybe I got an RPA because I told Goblyn exactly WHY Dhe'nar considered kittens a tasty treat. (Look up "The Culling").
But after a couple of hours, even RPing a Dhe'nar racist/supremicist started to pale.
Also, Guenn has the hots for Leafi, and in fact considers her a challenge. ::throws in a supercilious Dhe'nar smirk::
KRAKII
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 09:46 PM CDT
"Most of the RP in these storylines takes place between the times when GMs are acting out their scenes along with a few players that have been involved for a long time or otherwise made themselves noticed.
There's simply too many people that show up to these things for the crowd to participate much during the GM run bits." -- Starchitin
This is an excellent point.
Everyone in this game tends to think that they're Aragorn, destined for greatness, brooding backstory and deep legend and such...
...but for many storylines--like in this instance--they are actually Third Guard from the Left (in the Slightly Outsized Armor).
GM event is like the coronation at the end of Return of the King. Gandalf & Aragorn had a role, Arwen & Elrond had a role, maybe a dozen others had appearances. The rest of the players were just... part of the crowd.
(And I still don't get that whole "I'm going to sing something" at the ceremony. Viggo can't sing. Stubble check still very manly, though.)
There's simply too many people that show up to these things for the crowd to participate much during the GM run bits." -- Starchitin
This is an excellent point.
Everyone in this game tends to think that they're Aragorn, destined for greatness, brooding backstory and deep legend and such...
...but for many storylines--like in this instance--they are actually Third Guard from the Left (in the Slightly Outsized Armor).
GM event is like the coronation at the end of Return of the King. Gandalf & Aragorn had a role, Arwen & Elrond had a role, maybe a dozen others had appearances. The rest of the players were just... part of the crowd.
(And I still don't get that whole "I'm going to sing something" at the ceremony. Viggo can't sing. Stubble check still very manly, though.)
GAROFALOA
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 10:13 PM CDT
>...but for many storylines--like in this instance--they are actually Third Guard from the Left (in the Slightly Outsized Armor).
Actually, i've been putting myself in that position lately. On purpose.
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/01/2017 10:53 PM CDT
For Fudgehj:
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
I'd prefer it and others wouldn't. The same goes for characters: different characters thrive and shine in different scenarios. Two of my characters would love there to be tons of combat, the others less so. For Leafiara I'd go so far as to say that anyone who hasn't seen her in a war setting hasn't seen her at all. (Not just combat, but war... against humans or elves or anything else that might understand what she shouts at them.)
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It all depends on whether it makes sense for the character to go along based on:
1) who she is: her personality, history, and interests
2) who the people there are
A good thing about Kenstrom-driven events is that Leafi can go along pretty much all the time because they're about trouble and danger, which is always in her interests (even if sometimes only because of self-preservation), and it really doesn't matter what she thinks of the GM characters.
Player-driven events don't have that luxury, as not only will Leafi not go to something if it's not in her interests, but she might not go if it's in her interests but is hosted by someone who she wouldn't mesh with. (Which is a ton of characters, by the way!)
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
I'll be diplomatic and just say I completely understand why the latter isn't very feasible most of the time.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
I want them at least as based on old events as this one is. I'm a purist... I don't even like when longstanding characters who have just changed their Arkati/culture/society/etc. pretend they had been that way all along and expect everyone else to go along with it, never mind an entire story where nothing that came before it impacts what's going on. This is very tame as far as past events having an influence.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
On principle I'd say involve everyone, but in practice... I have to say, pretty much every time when this nine-months-and-counting storyline has focused on a few people, it's been a home run. So, for Kenstrom at least I'd definitely say take turns.
>its just interesting to see the dynamic. At least in the Landing area, theres a big difference in the RP life of someone who is with the 'in crowd' and someone who is not.
As someone who only started participating around August last year... kinda true, kinda not. I completely understand the awkwardness since my first few months were very tough, at least in terms of catching up with the story, but in hindsight I also don't believe it's nearly as much about an in crowd as you might think. Almost everybody is welcoming if you just ask them.
>The last question: Do we want this barrier of entry [in reference to 'needing' knowledge of past events] to remain?
Sure. Some of my favorite RP sessions have been at tables when Leafi, who's very suspicious about certain things because of past history, asks for guidance and thoughts from people who were there. And what makes it even better is that some of them are probably lying to her, misleading her, or just putting their own spin on events (yes, even the "good" characters), which in turn gives her a warped view that she can pass on to others. (And that's assuming she's not lying, misleading, or putting her own spin on things when she explains.) It's all fun, at least to me!
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
I'd prefer it and others wouldn't. The same goes for characters: different characters thrive and shine in different scenarios. Two of my characters would love there to be tons of combat, the others less so. For Leafiara I'd go so far as to say that anyone who hasn't seen her in a war setting hasn't seen her at all. (Not just combat, but war... against humans or elves or anything else that might understand what she shouts at them.)
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It all depends on whether it makes sense for the character to go along based on:
1) who she is: her personality, history, and interests
2) who the people there are
A good thing about Kenstrom-driven events is that Leafi can go along pretty much all the time because they're about trouble and danger, which is always in her interests (even if sometimes only because of self-preservation), and it really doesn't matter what she thinks of the GM characters.
Player-driven events don't have that luxury, as not only will Leafi not go to something if it's not in her interests, but she might not go if it's in her interests but is hosted by someone who she wouldn't mesh with. (Which is a ton of characters, by the way!)
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
I'll be diplomatic and just say I completely understand why the latter isn't very feasible most of the time.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
I want them at least as based on old events as this one is. I'm a purist... I don't even like when longstanding characters who have just changed their Arkati/culture/society/etc. pretend they had been that way all along and expect everyone else to go along with it, never mind an entire story where nothing that came before it impacts what's going on. This is very tame as far as past events having an influence.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
On principle I'd say involve everyone, but in practice... I have to say, pretty much every time when this nine-months-and-counting storyline has focused on a few people, it's been a home run. So, for Kenstrom at least I'd definitely say take turns.
>its just interesting to see the dynamic. At least in the Landing area, theres a big difference in the RP life of someone who is with the 'in crowd' and someone who is not.
As someone who only started participating around August last year... kinda true, kinda not. I completely understand the awkwardness since my first few months were very tough, at least in terms of catching up with the story, but in hindsight I also don't believe it's nearly as much about an in crowd as you might think. Almost everybody is welcoming if you just ask them.
>The last question: Do we want this barrier of entry [in reference to 'needing' knowledge of past events] to remain?
Sure. Some of my favorite RP sessions have been at tables when Leafi, who's very suspicious about certain things because of past history, asks for guidance and thoughts from people who were there. And what makes it even better is that some of them are probably lying to her, misleading her, or just putting their own spin on events (yes, even the "good" characters), which in turn gives her a warped view that she can pass on to others. (And that's assuming she's not lying, misleading, or putting her own spin on things when she explains.) It's all fun, at least to me!
FLAYED-ANGEL
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 04:36 AM CDT
Here's the thing about storylines: it's impossible to do things in such a way that everyone will be happy, all the time, in every instance of such.
This is because -- as should be obvious -- different people enjoy different things about storylines. While some people may enjoy epic combat and the feeling of being besieged by peril, others may enjoy quieter and more thoughtful conversations with NPCs, or even smaller and more intimate gatherings of friends merely tangentially discussing to the same. Some people like killing and mayhem, some people would rather always use their words, and some people like a mix of all of the above. Storylines aren't solely for providing a "thing" that we need directly act/interact with or against; they also exist to provide a frame of reference within which we can do our own thing tangentially, or explore our character's own opinions of (or evolution through) what's transpiring, or maybe hatch some harebrained scheme or another based on what's going on.
As for that night in particular: I think if you'd asked any of the "regulars", they'd have given you an independent consensus that it was far more likely to be a quiet night, more focused on interpersonal roleplay with one another in the context of visiting Tamzyrr... which I think is a great thing sometimes. I'm not sure where the expectation of bloodshed or other mayhem came from, but you should be aware that such typically occurs with less frequency during these interlude-like sections of a larger story arc; invasions or other mayhem typically occur much more frequently when when there's already a framing context for such (we're currently within a seige, Ithzir might invade at any time, someone's planning to experiment with something, etcetera).
If you're willing to pay attention to the larger context (or ask those who typically do), that's usually a good indicator of what you might should expect. Some people do put forth a huge commitment of time and effort to both attend these events and take in (and subsequently explore or theorize about) what's going on, and I'm sure most of them would not mind at all if you have any specific questions or ideas concerning such that would help you more in the context of your choosing. I get people asking me all the time if something is going on, or what we might be expecting on a particular evening... and that's totally fine.
I'll also point out that different storylines run by different GMs often have different personal styles or different elements that are attractive, as they should... if you like things that occur earlier in the evening, or are based out a different location, or are just dissatisfied with the overall structure, perhaps check out the events in Solhaven (there's one ongoing now, I believe), or explore more political drama in the Elven Nations.
>The storyline GM stuff? I felt like a guy coming into the middle of season 5 on Lost. You have to have a PhD in Prime Gemstone History to even UNDERSTAND what is happening. And I get it. You want people to feel the 'weight of history' of the game. You want events to have meaning and consequences, long term even. Its important! But cmon. I had someone who was holding my hand, trying very hard to do their best to help me be involved and understand but even then, it was a struggle and frustrating and quite frankly a huge turn off. And from what Ive been told, pretty much every storyline in the Landing is like this. All...related.
I don't think this is necessarily an intentional design of the stories, in every instance of such, but rather an expected and persistent consequence of history itself; I run a tabletop horror game that's gone through various iterations with nearly 20 years of constantly evolving history, and let me tell you... it's incredibly daunting to try and explain that to a new player. What I'm saying is that history should be dynamic, and should build upon itself -- that's just good storytelling, because to do otherwise would (IMO) indicate a lack of historical context that is the worse kind of enforced "status quo" in what should be an incredibly dynamic and constantly evolving world. History exists for a reason, and while some people may be frustrated or intimidated by it, it should be a challenge that is always present to overcome (or not) at your own volition; trust me, I understand what it's like... I only started playing about 6 years ago, so I was deffo hella confused when I first started.
What I would recommend, in such a case, is compartmentalizing: it's not always strictly necessary to know the minutiae of a character's past, or every detail of everything that came before... you just need a more selective frame of reference to parse what's happening right now. When I try to explain things to new people, I often try to give a more succinct summary of intent rather than too much explicit detail, and I'm sure others could (or would, upon request) do the same. Examples being: "Stephos, that guy is shady because he dealt arms to the Krolvin in the past..." rather than trying to explain the entire context of the Krolvin invasions of aforementioned time period, and whatnot -- that information should be extant for you as a player to seek out, if you want a more nuanced and complex understanding of what's going on, but not necessarily required for you to get the gist of what's happening. "Stephos is a shady and contentious figure, probably self-interested and not a total White Hat... got it."
>And hell, its not even always a GMs fault! A lot of GMs (like a good DM should in Tabletop) will go with what the players are going with...and the players have a goddam annoying tendency to be 'OH! This one verbal cue reminds me of a GM event 5 years ago. IT MUST BE THE SAME THING OR RELATED!' and the GM is like 'meh, I'll run with that.'
That's a really fantastic point -- a GM should never be expected to remain "on rails", they should always be fighting that impression (even if it's only the illusion of such, because of the necessary evil of coherent story structure) and should always try and incorporate player ideas whenever feasible; having said that, however, it's up to us to remember that we can't have our cake and eat it, too. Plus, such references or contexts are often made by the players as much as the GMs; often that's actually really helpful, while other times it can result in a bit of confusion, especially if certain details of the events are subtly (or largely) remembered incorrectly, as sometimes happens. But, some people enjoy sifting through those sorts of things, so... it is what it is, for better or worse.
QUESTIONS!!
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Nah, definitely not... if you're referring to invasions; they're great from time-to-time, especially if there's an ongoing context for such at the time, but overuse of such can get tedious.
If you're referring to interpersonal or storyline conflict, then absolutely -- most writers will tell you that conflict is largely what drives a story, and makes it compelling... but that conflict can range from overt and grandiose (war!), to extremely subtle or nuanced.
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
Not at all. A few of the more interesting side-plots I've seen have come from player-initiated roleplay, which either came full-circle on their own or were eventually subsumed/incorporated into the overall plot. Kenstrom is usually pretty good at winging things or adding thing in, when possible; unfortunately, there are a lot of us, with many different and often contradictory agendas, so we need to remember that. His recent involvement of Maylan with the Rodnay exchange was a great example of him building on a player's initiative, I presume -- it can't always happen or there would be utter chaos (of the not fun sort), but it's very nice when it does.
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
I think planning and foreknowledge of when major things are going to happen is great, if that's what you mean... beyond that, I think it's the individual's responsibility to keep themselves informed of what's going on, while simultaneously trying to help to keep others informed; it's a group effort really, and overall, I think we're all pretty good about that... Kenstrom included. We decided to make the recent exchange public for that very reason (sometimes you have to sacrifice realism for inclusivity), and Kenstrom even included town-wide messaging to where it was going down, even though we were also on that.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
I'm actually one of the people that enjoys the recurrence of plot elements from prior story arcs, so I think a mix of both is good. Some people actually like Lost, after all... although maybe that's not such a great example, because while Season 1 was keenly interesting it devolved pretty quickly after that. But you have to remember that storytelling in Gemstone will never be a "concluded" matter -- while one can certainly plan story arcs with a definitive beginning and end, it will always be building upon itself in some way or another... that's the rightful consequence of a dynamic world. And there are some people who live for and continue to keep hopeful watch for certain NPCs to return, so I think it's important to remember that; Lylia with Aralyte, Falvicar with Redding, Irar with Lheren, and so on and so forth... the list of people who would like certain NPCs to return might be greater than you'd think, so I'd like their hopes for closure or contact to eventually be fulfilled in some way, too.
Basically, all the "old" stuff was "new" and some point or another. New NPCs arrive, old NPCs return... that's how it's always worked, and I think that's how it should work. I think to say that I never want to see a new NPC again would be a huge waste of potential, but I also think to request "only new stuff" would greatly undermine the process of resolving lingering plot threats (and let's be honest, there are always threads needing more resolution) and undercut the potential to tell longer, more satisfyingly epic stories.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
I think it's situational. No one wants to feel left out and I don't think anyone wants anyone else to feel left out, it's just difficult to have the same level of involvement with 50+ people present. I think making smaller groups (or even individuals) a focus and then merging that into the concerns and opinions of a larger group is fine, from time to time; as I said, it's all situational. If you want to be involved, it never hurts to sit around with a few people and discuss your thoughts on what's going on, or plot possible solutions -- there have been many, many times where Kenstrom has been spying on different groups of such people after big story stuff, and he frequently does little stuff or makes little changes as a direct reaction to those convos... whenever feasible, of course, because he's not omnipresent and the pieces of the plot are sometimes varying degrees of malleable, as with any story. So even though I would recommend that from time to time, don't let yourself get frustrated if that that sort of interaction rarely happens to you; it's all about potential, not expectation.
All told... if you can't simply enjoy the conversation, roleplay, and character development that comes from hanging out with others and talking about the storyline, then I think you're deffo kinda missing the point. Story arcs of any sort aren't really about individuals making huge and impacting choices, or about who did what to who at what time... they're every bit as much about how those circumstances affect our characters and their various relationships on a personal level, and that's something you can always choose to portray. And I think a lot of the time, becoming more intimately or directly involved is a direct result of someone (or someones) noticing and appreciating a constant level of commitment without the expectation of external gratification.
Maybe all the Koar zealotry of the Eyes of the Dawn storyline made you suddenly realize what a hard line your character was willing to draw... or maybe something dark (or opportunistic) awakened in your character during Cross into Shadows... or perhaps the more Imperial-focused Swan Song drew you to Solhaven to honor past pledges and help rebuild after the devastation of Talador; whatever the reason, or whatever your particular method is... there's usually a wealth of ways you can roleplay around whatever story arc you decide to be involved with, whether an NPC interacts with you directly or not.
-- Wheels & Skulls Department
You see Blood Mayor Cruxophim the Blood Reaver.
“Blood for the Blood Mayor! Skulls for the Skull Office!”
[ Storyline: https://goo.gl/VQkXAZ ]
[ Order of the Shadow: https://goo.gl/88Ojff ]
This is because -- as should be obvious -- different people enjoy different things about storylines. While some people may enjoy epic combat and the feeling of being besieged by peril, others may enjoy quieter and more thoughtful conversations with NPCs, or even smaller and more intimate gatherings of friends merely tangentially discussing to the same. Some people like killing and mayhem, some people would rather always use their words, and some people like a mix of all of the above. Storylines aren't solely for providing a "thing" that we need directly act/interact with or against; they also exist to provide a frame of reference within which we can do our own thing tangentially, or explore our character's own opinions of (or evolution through) what's transpiring, or maybe hatch some harebrained scheme or another based on what's going on.
As for that night in particular: I think if you'd asked any of the "regulars", they'd have given you an independent consensus that it was far more likely to be a quiet night, more focused on interpersonal roleplay with one another in the context of visiting Tamzyrr... which I think is a great thing sometimes. I'm not sure where the expectation of bloodshed or other mayhem came from, but you should be aware that such typically occurs with less frequency during these interlude-like sections of a larger story arc; invasions or other mayhem typically occur much more frequently when when there's already a framing context for such (we're currently within a seige, Ithzir might invade at any time, someone's planning to experiment with something, etcetera).
If you're willing to pay attention to the larger context (or ask those who typically do), that's usually a good indicator of what you might should expect. Some people do put forth a huge commitment of time and effort to both attend these events and take in (and subsequently explore or theorize about) what's going on, and I'm sure most of them would not mind at all if you have any specific questions or ideas concerning such that would help you more in the context of your choosing. I get people asking me all the time if something is going on, or what we might be expecting on a particular evening... and that's totally fine.
I'll also point out that different storylines run by different GMs often have different personal styles or different elements that are attractive, as they should... if you like things that occur earlier in the evening, or are based out a different location, or are just dissatisfied with the overall structure, perhaps check out the events in Solhaven (there's one ongoing now, I believe), or explore more political drama in the Elven Nations.
>The storyline GM stuff? I felt like a guy coming into the middle of season 5 on Lost. You have to have a PhD in Prime Gemstone History to even UNDERSTAND what is happening. And I get it. You want people to feel the 'weight of history' of the game. You want events to have meaning and consequences, long term even. Its important! But cmon. I had someone who was holding my hand, trying very hard to do their best to help me be involved and understand but even then, it was a struggle and frustrating and quite frankly a huge turn off. And from what Ive been told, pretty much every storyline in the Landing is like this. All...related.
I don't think this is necessarily an intentional design of the stories, in every instance of such, but rather an expected and persistent consequence of history itself; I run a tabletop horror game that's gone through various iterations with nearly 20 years of constantly evolving history, and let me tell you... it's incredibly daunting to try and explain that to a new player. What I'm saying is that history should be dynamic, and should build upon itself -- that's just good storytelling, because to do otherwise would (IMO) indicate a lack of historical context that is the worse kind of enforced "status quo" in what should be an incredibly dynamic and constantly evolving world. History exists for a reason, and while some people may be frustrated or intimidated by it, it should be a challenge that is always present to overcome (or not) at your own volition; trust me, I understand what it's like... I only started playing about 6 years ago, so I was deffo hella confused when I first started.
What I would recommend, in such a case, is compartmentalizing: it's not always strictly necessary to know the minutiae of a character's past, or every detail of everything that came before... you just need a more selective frame of reference to parse what's happening right now. When I try to explain things to new people, I often try to give a more succinct summary of intent rather than too much explicit detail, and I'm sure others could (or would, upon request) do the same. Examples being: "Stephos, that guy is shady because he dealt arms to the Krolvin in the past..." rather than trying to explain the entire context of the Krolvin invasions of aforementioned time period, and whatnot -- that information should be extant for you as a player to seek out, if you want a more nuanced and complex understanding of what's going on, but not necessarily required for you to get the gist of what's happening. "Stephos is a shady and contentious figure, probably self-interested and not a total White Hat... got it."
>And hell, its not even always a GMs fault! A lot of GMs (like a good DM should in Tabletop) will go with what the players are going with...and the players have a goddam annoying tendency to be 'OH! This one verbal cue reminds me of a GM event 5 years ago. IT MUST BE THE SAME THING OR RELATED!' and the GM is like 'meh, I'll run with that.'
That's a really fantastic point -- a GM should never be expected to remain "on rails", they should always be fighting that impression (even if it's only the illusion of such, because of the necessary evil of coherent story structure) and should always try and incorporate player ideas whenever feasible; having said that, however, it's up to us to remember that we can't have our cake and eat it, too. Plus, such references or contexts are often made by the players as much as the GMs; often that's actually really helpful, while other times it can result in a bit of confusion, especially if certain details of the events are subtly (or largely) remembered incorrectly, as sometimes happens. But, some people enjoy sifting through those sorts of things, so... it is what it is, for better or worse.
QUESTIONS!!
>Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
Nah, definitely not... if you're referring to invasions; they're great from time-to-time, especially if there's an ongoing context for such at the time, but overuse of such can get tedious.
If you're referring to interpersonal or storyline conflict, then absolutely -- most writers will tell you that conflict is largely what drives a story, and makes it compelling... but that conflict can range from overt and grandiose (war!), to extremely subtle or nuanced.
>Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
Not at all. A few of the more interesting side-plots I've seen have come from player-initiated roleplay, which either came full-circle on their own or were eventually subsumed/incorporated into the overall plot. Kenstrom is usually pretty good at winging things or adding thing in, when possible; unfortunately, there are a lot of us, with many different and often contradictory agendas, so we need to remember that. His recent involvement of Maylan with the Rodnay exchange was a great example of him building on a player's initiative, I presume -- it can't always happen or there would be utter chaos (of the not fun sort), but it's very nice when it does.
>Does you prefer it to be an EVENT or just things that happen in the midst of the game experience?
I think planning and foreknowledge of when major things are going to happen is great, if that's what you mean... beyond that, I think it's the individual's responsibility to keep themselves informed of what's going on, while simultaneously trying to help to keep others informed; it's a group effort really, and overall, I think we're all pretty good about that... Kenstrom included. We decided to make the recent exchange public for that very reason (sometimes you have to sacrifice realism for inclusivity), and Kenstrom even included town-wide messaging to where it was going down, even though we were also on that.
>Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
I'm actually one of the people that enjoys the recurrence of plot elements from prior story arcs, so I think a mix of both is good. Some people actually like Lost, after all... although maybe that's not such a great example, because while Season 1 was keenly interesting it devolved pretty quickly after that. But you have to remember that storytelling in Gemstone will never be a "concluded" matter -- while one can certainly plan story arcs with a definitive beginning and end, it will always be building upon itself in some way or another... that's the rightful consequence of a dynamic world. And there are some people who live for and continue to keep hopeful watch for certain NPCs to return, so I think it's important to remember that; Lylia with Aralyte, Falvicar with Redding, Irar with Lheren, and so on and so forth... the list of people who would like certain NPCs to return might be greater than you'd think, so I'd like their hopes for closure or contact to eventually be fulfilled in some way, too.
Basically, all the "old" stuff was "new" and some point or another. New NPCs arrive, old NPCs return... that's how it's always worked, and I think that's how it should work. I think to say that I never want to see a new NPC again would be a huge waste of potential, but I also think to request "only new stuff" would greatly undermine the process of resolving lingering plot threats (and let's be honest, there are always threads needing more resolution) and undercut the potential to tell longer, more satisfyingly epic stories.
>Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
I think it's situational. No one wants to feel left out and I don't think anyone wants anyone else to feel left out, it's just difficult to have the same level of involvement with 50+ people present. I think making smaller groups (or even individuals) a focus and then merging that into the concerns and opinions of a larger group is fine, from time to time; as I said, it's all situational. If you want to be involved, it never hurts to sit around with a few people and discuss your thoughts on what's going on, or plot possible solutions -- there have been many, many times where Kenstrom has been spying on different groups of such people after big story stuff, and he frequently does little stuff or makes little changes as a direct reaction to those convos... whenever feasible, of course, because he's not omnipresent and the pieces of the plot are sometimes varying degrees of malleable, as with any story. So even though I would recommend that from time to time, don't let yourself get frustrated if that that sort of interaction rarely happens to you; it's all about potential, not expectation.
All told... if you can't simply enjoy the conversation, roleplay, and character development that comes from hanging out with others and talking about the storyline, then I think you're deffo kinda missing the point. Story arcs of any sort aren't really about individuals making huge and impacting choices, or about who did what to who at what time... they're every bit as much about how those circumstances affect our characters and their various relationships on a personal level, and that's something you can always choose to portray. And I think a lot of the time, becoming more intimately or directly involved is a direct result of someone (or someones) noticing and appreciating a constant level of commitment without the expectation of external gratification.
Maybe all the Koar zealotry of the Eyes of the Dawn storyline made you suddenly realize what a hard line your character was willing to draw... or maybe something dark (or opportunistic) awakened in your character during Cross into Shadows... or perhaps the more Imperial-focused Swan Song drew you to Solhaven to honor past pledges and help rebuild after the devastation of Talador; whatever the reason, or whatever your particular method is... there's usually a wealth of ways you can roleplay around whatever story arc you decide to be involved with, whether an NPC interacts with you directly or not.
-- Wheels & Skulls Department
You see Blood Mayor Cruxophim the Blood Reaver.
“Blood for the Blood Mayor! Skulls for the Skull Office!”
[ Storyline: https://goo.gl/VQkXAZ ]
[ Order of the Shadow: https://goo.gl/88Ojff ]
KAYB8
DOUG
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 10:45 AM CDT
>>-- Wheels & Skulls Department post
Good stuff here. Really good stuff.
Doug
Good stuff here. Really good stuff.
Doug
GS4-LIIA
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 01:31 PM CDT
Great post, Crux.
~Liia
Gweneivia softly says, "Lavabombs are just the isle's way of saying it loves you."
~Liia
Gweneivia softly says, "Lavabombs are just the isle's way of saying it loves you."
LUXELLE
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 02:18 PM CDT
Crux: Could you possibly reposition a few things from that awesome post and stash it at the wiki for reference? Because it was good stuff.
**
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
**
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
FUDGEHJ
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 03:44 PM CDT
Thank you to those who took the time to answer and give your opinion, because GS has always fascinated me how it handles RP. Its the closest to a tabletop experience I have come...but I find those who try and directly translate their tabletop tricks to GS will find not everything that works there works here, and in fact you can lead yourself into some traps if you try a strict copy/paste.
It is good to hear the differing perspectives...and for how it relates to GM storylines specifically. As I said, I've never had an issue with Personal Player RP with my characters (I'll add the caveat Ive had some shitty player to player experiences but they were decidedly NOT RP based heh) but its just funny to me the differences in how people view storylines. There is just a wide range and variety of how people enjoy their stories...some are very FanFic oriented, others love the comic book style, some just like (as Mark mentioned) a good mystery/drama of an episodic nature. Generally, I prefer the Movie style of storytelling...(ones that don't have 10000 sequels). The standard Trilogy format works well for me, storywise.
I guess its only fair if I answer my own questions?
1. Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
To the combat: no, absolutely not. Combat is what I consider filler...something for people to do in-between pieces of a story. The outcome of a combat in GS is never in doubt (alas), the good guys will ALWAYS win. The invasion ALWAYS ends. So to tell a story using combat is nonsensical in the context of GS...its as on rails as you can get! Now, some GM prove me wrong and do something BRAVE with an invasion. Not just occupation for a couple weeks or a month...but drive the players out of an area! hah...though I do understand why that is probably never going to happen and there are good reasons it should not.
To the conflict: Yes. As Crux so succinctly put it...it drives a story and makes it compelling. Character conflict makes things interesting. It shouldn't lead to actual blows...but conflicting goals can lead to interesting events and occurances...people working at cross-purposes makes a good story.
2. Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It honestly depends on the event, as others have mentioned. Is Nehor going to go to a mud-fight? No, absolutely not. But anything theatrical or artsy he will probably attend. The thing is though, as a player I recognize the effort put into player events and I can often find a character who WOULD attend such an event...so when I have the time, I try to show up. GM events...well, its a mixed bag. Ive been to some very good ones and some very poor ones (note, the same can be said of player events but I hold GM events to a much higher standard) and some where I just felt like it missed a lot of opportunities to be better. The RP events BETWEEN GM events ARE interesting..which I guess part of my frustration comes from, because in prime I spend more time trying to figure out what happened and why than actually RPing. And whilst a good listen to exposition dump isnt something Im opposed to once in awhile, I enjoy being an Actor rather than an Observer, and Id rather the story explain itself than forcing others to sit down and hold my hand.
3. Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
A mixture is important, as it is important to draw in new players...and basing it on old events is a turn off to many new players. That is not to say that the Brand New shouldn't be connected to game history...it most definitely SHOULD...but it shouldn't be something that you have to know 10 different groups/recurring characters to have an idea whats going on. Sometimes though, it SHOULD be a Blast from the Past...because there is merit to having people see something new from an old storyline or character they enjoyed.
4. Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
Everyone should be involved in some way, IF they desire it. Thats why a mixture of storytelling techniques and fillers should be employed in a story arc. THAT SAID...the focus should definitely be on a few. And not every story should have the same people as the focus. This is difficult to do...as those who REALLY REALLY WANT THE FOCUS will always be out in front and shouting 'look at me! look at me!'. Sometimes a storyteller needs to look at the quiet one and give them a clear opportunity to be a star, ignoring the head of the class who has their hand raised going OH OH OH PICK ME PICK ME. The key here is variety and moderation. Mixing it up.
So thats my thoughts. I recognize that with the Old Events/Brand New I am in the definite minority. Everyone seems to want the new Adventures Movie, or to read Twilight #7859, or to have a rehash/remake of their old favorites from childhood. I get it. I just value novelty more than most.
The best experience I ever had RP wise was a mix of personal RP and GM RP and was a storyline for my previous main character in Plat. It just flowed, worked out very well, and took twists I didnt expect it to take. It, to this day, effects and defines that character. And most importantly, it had a clear end. A climax. That, I think, is the real draw for me when it comes to RP:
Telling a beautiful story.
Nehor's story took a pause due to me moving, getting drawn into the Plat story, and the fact I don't like hunting sorcerers heh. BUT! Do not fear, he has a part to play in what I'd like to tell, and rumor is he's working on his next big play/production...I hear its to die for :)
Big thanks to Crux, Kayse, Subarashi, Stormyrain, a Halfling Pyromancers name I am sure I will get wrong so I wont try, and others for making Nehors Prime experience enjoyable! And I am looking forward to interacting with you guys more RSN :D Also...shameless plug...if you ever come to try Platinum, you'll meet my other awesome Characters AND get to see why Plat storytelling is best storytelling! After EG, of course
Berbels shrilly exclaims, "Ise takings hims tos secretses lairses!"
Berbels grabs you and drags you east.
It is good to hear the differing perspectives...and for how it relates to GM storylines specifically. As I said, I've never had an issue with Personal Player RP with my characters (I'll add the caveat Ive had some shitty player to player experiences but they were decidedly NOT RP based heh) but its just funny to me the differences in how people view storylines. There is just a wide range and variety of how people enjoy their stories...some are very FanFic oriented, others love the comic book style, some just like (as Mark mentioned) a good mystery/drama of an episodic nature. Generally, I prefer the Movie style of storytelling...(ones that don't have 10000 sequels). The standard Trilogy format works well for me, storywise.
I guess its only fair if I answer my own questions?
1. Must there always be combat? Or some sort of conflict?
To the combat: no, absolutely not. Combat is what I consider filler...something for people to do in-between pieces of a story. The outcome of a combat in GS is never in doubt (alas), the good guys will ALWAYS win. The invasion ALWAYS ends. So to tell a story using combat is nonsensical in the context of GS...its as on rails as you can get! Now, some GM prove me wrong and do something BRAVE with an invasion. Not just occupation for a couple weeks or a month...but drive the players out of an area! hah...though I do understand why that is probably never going to happen and there are good reasons it should not.
To the conflict: Yes. As Crux so succinctly put it...it drives a story and makes it compelling. Character conflict makes things interesting. It shouldn't lead to actual blows...but conflicting goals can lead to interesting events and occurances...people working at cross-purposes makes a good story.
2. Does it have to be GM based? Are you unlikely to come if a player hosts or holds an RP event?
It honestly depends on the event, as others have mentioned. Is Nehor going to go to a mud-fight? No, absolutely not. But anything theatrical or artsy he will probably attend. The thing is though, as a player I recognize the effort put into player events and I can often find a character who WOULD attend such an event...so when I have the time, I try to show up. GM events...well, its a mixed bag. Ive been to some very good ones and some very poor ones (note, the same can be said of player events but I hold GM events to a much higher standard) and some where I just felt like it missed a lot of opportunities to be better. The RP events BETWEEN GM events ARE interesting..which I guess part of my frustration comes from, because in prime I spend more time trying to figure out what happened and why than actually RPing. And whilst a good listen to exposition dump isnt something Im opposed to once in awhile, I enjoy being an Actor rather than an Observer, and Id rather the story explain itself than forcing others to sit down and hold my hand.
3. Do you want them based on old events or is Brand New more exciting?
A mixture is important, as it is important to draw in new players...and basing it on old events is a turn off to many new players. That is not to say that the Brand New shouldn't be connected to game history...it most definitely SHOULD...but it shouldn't be something that you have to know 10 different groups/recurring characters to have an idea whats going on. Sometimes though, it SHOULD be a Blast from the Past...because there is merit to having people see something new from an old storyline or character they enjoyed.
4. Would you rather they try to involve EVERYONE at each event? Or rather 'take turns', as it were, making one or some the focus one day and others the focus the next?
Everyone should be involved in some way, IF they desire it. Thats why a mixture of storytelling techniques and fillers should be employed in a story arc. THAT SAID...the focus should definitely be on a few. And not every story should have the same people as the focus. This is difficult to do...as those who REALLY REALLY WANT THE FOCUS will always be out in front and shouting 'look at me! look at me!'. Sometimes a storyteller needs to look at the quiet one and give them a clear opportunity to be a star, ignoring the head of the class who has their hand raised going OH OH OH PICK ME PICK ME. The key here is variety and moderation. Mixing it up.
So thats my thoughts. I recognize that with the Old Events/Brand New I am in the definite minority. Everyone seems to want the new Adventures Movie, or to read Twilight #7859, or to have a rehash/remake of their old favorites from childhood. I get it. I just value novelty more than most.
The best experience I ever had RP wise was a mix of personal RP and GM RP and was a storyline for my previous main character in Plat. It just flowed, worked out very well, and took twists I didnt expect it to take. It, to this day, effects and defines that character. And most importantly, it had a clear end. A climax. That, I think, is the real draw for me when it comes to RP:
Telling a beautiful story.
Nehor's story took a pause due to me moving, getting drawn into the Plat story, and the fact I don't like hunting sorcerers heh. BUT! Do not fear, he has a part to play in what I'd like to tell, and rumor is he's working on his next big play/production...I hear its to die for :)
Big thanks to Crux, Kayse, Subarashi, Stormyrain, a Halfling Pyromancers name I am sure I will get wrong so I wont try, and others for making Nehors Prime experience enjoyable! And I am looking forward to interacting with you guys more RSN :D Also...shameless plug...if you ever come to try Platinum, you'll meet my other awesome Characters AND get to see why Plat storytelling is best storytelling! After EG, of course
Berbels shrilly exclaims, "Ise takings hims tos secretses lairses!"
Berbels grabs you and drags you east.
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 03:46 PM CDT
>If you want to be involved, it never hurts to sit around with a few people and discuss your thoughts on what's going on, or plot possible solutions
Just to build on this... IMO there's no better time to get started than now--whenever that "now" is and whatever the circumstances surrounding it are. You might make friends, allies, enemies, or opposition today who your character two years from now or two years ago wouldn't go anywhere near. And vice versa, they might speak with you today when tomorrow or yesterday they wouldn't.
Either way, the opportunities are there. I know it can seem daunting, but I want to reiterate that it's not about an in-crowd. (In fact, I'm not sure there even is such a thing.) Like Crux said... jump in. Talk. Get started.
Just to build on this... IMO there's no better time to get started than now--whenever that "now" is and whatever the circumstances surrounding it are. You might make friends, allies, enemies, or opposition today who your character two years from now or two years ago wouldn't go anywhere near. And vice versa, they might speak with you today when tomorrow or yesterday they wouldn't.
Either way, the opportunities are there. I know it can seem daunting, but I want to reiterate that it's not about an in-crowd. (In fact, I'm not sure there even is such a thing.) Like Crux said... jump in. Talk. Get started.
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 04:07 PM CDT
>So to tell a story using combat is nonsensical in the context of GS...its as on rails as you can get!
Maybe that's true for the GM (still skeptical!), but I show up at very close to 100% of Kenstrom story events since I started and still one of my top 5 favorite nights of playing Leafiara in the last year and a half was during a straightforward invasion. She was fired up with anger all night, shouting how she'd worked her whole life to become a person who saves lives but now had to be vengeful and destructive because she'd been driven to it, and it was a blast.
There was also another invasion night (or maybe even the same night, I don't remember) when she got killed and Archales teased her about being too young to die on the battlefield. Whether he was talking about physical age or level, I don't know, but both were sound reasoning at the time.
Leafi, however, rejected this and came just short of spitting at his feet for saying that, mostly because she was dead and literally couldn't. She called him a coward, he argued that bravery didn't mean running out to get your head chopped off, and she vowed that unlike him she'd head back out to die again and again as many times as it took. Archales would eventually earn her respect after she found out other things about him, but to this day she hasn't fully forgotten that night. As she's put it to her best friend, "I never forgive someone who gives me levelheaded advice."
Maybe that's true for the GM (still skeptical!), but I show up at very close to 100% of Kenstrom story events since I started and still one of my top 5 favorite nights of playing Leafiara in the last year and a half was during a straightforward invasion. She was fired up with anger all night, shouting how she'd worked her whole life to become a person who saves lives but now had to be vengeful and destructive because she'd been driven to it, and it was a blast.
There was also another invasion night (or maybe even the same night, I don't remember) when she got killed and Archales teased her about being too young to die on the battlefield. Whether he was talking about physical age or level, I don't know, but both were sound reasoning at the time.
Leafi, however, rejected this and came just short of spitting at his feet for saying that, mostly because she was dead and literally couldn't. She called him a coward, he argued that bravery didn't mean running out to get your head chopped off, and she vowed that unlike him she'd head back out to die again and again as many times as it took. Archales would eventually earn her respect after she found out other things about him, but to this day she hasn't fully forgotten that night. As she's put it to her best friend, "I never forgive someone who gives me levelheaded advice."
KRAKII
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 04:14 PM CDT
"As she's put it to her best friend, "I never forgive someone who gives me levelheaded advice."" -- Leafiara
This right here is a great quote. :)
I'm minded of the, "Look, my mind is made up! Don't confuse me with facts!"
This right here is a great quote. :)
I'm minded of the, "Look, my mind is made up! Don't confuse me with facts!"
DMWCINCY
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 08:47 PM CDT
I been thinking about how to reply to the questions and I think I'm going to settle on telling a bit of a story and hopefully in that any who feel they are on the outside of GM ran story RP may find a nugget that can help them to push forward with their own RP and get more involved.
Since we are seeing a lot of new faces either transfers from DR, true new players, or old returners let me state that I play Puptilian. In my eyes he is a new character as he is a bit over 10 RL years old since I started the current run in GS. I have played for a very long time but always a recluse, always playing mostly by myself with little other interactions so I am not a well known player either. Pup started as a nobody. He was never in the "IN CROWD" and never well known around the Landing. I was one of those players that looked in from the outside, look at the "IN CROWD" and thought High School clicks. This was maybe 7 to 8 yrs ago...heck maybe a bit more. But I look and listen and think that the story looks interesting. I thought it was different and exciting that GMs do get into a character and interact with us adding a bit of something to the everyday events of the game. I wanted to get involved but didn't know how and didn't have anyone to point the way for me.
I admit to being a bit stubborn. Instead of trying once or twice and give up after a few unsuccessful tries to get involved with the story, I stayed pretty consistent on trying to figure out what was going on and trying to be a part of things. Months went by and I finally started getting noticed. I found a niche where my character could fit in and I threw him full into that niche. It worked for him and got his start being a part of the storyline. Years later after a lot of time and effort Pup was given a title of Defender for his contributions. Even later events turned out where he was voted the 1st Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing. A nobody, voted over many very long term players who were more known and more liked in my opinion was a pretty decent accomplishment.
I wanted to get that out there so you have a bit of context to what I have to say next. Think of GM ran storylines as simply a framework. This framework is in place not for the capped, not for the "I been here 20 yrs", and not for those that play every day for 10 hrs a day. This framework is for everyone, the I just started/restarted GS today all the way to I been playing every day for years and never paid attention and everyone else in between. You do not have to be a lore nut, you do not have to know every event, who did what and when, or show up every day. That said I will also note that like many things in life the amount of effort you put into this will go a long way in showing results. Another thing you have to realize if you are just starting out you are not suddenly going to catch everyone's attention. Think of transferring to a new school or starting a new job. You dont go into it day 1 and everyone knows you everyone will listen to every word you say etc. Its a process that needs to be nurtured and groomed and realized that you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
You may read all this and think months?? Years?? I dont have that amount of time to dedicate to this. I will tell you today is a different era in stories then it was back then. Today there are a ton of people getting involved instead of the 5 to 10 of us back when Kenstrom first started all of his madness. There are players that look out for new faces and will do their best to help them get involved. The GMs (not just kenstrom) learned a ton too and do a great job sharing the spot light among different faces. Some nights everyone gets involved, some nights only a few, some nights GMs lead the way, while other nights Players show their worth. I could go into stories of people returning or just starting out in GS and within a month getting heavily involved. Also the "leaders" or "in crowds" do change. Most of those that started out way back when are gone while new blood are taking the reins. The leaders even a year ago are different then those around today. So do not sit back and think that will never be you. Dont worry that you do not know all the names of the NPCs or what happen years ago. Use these questions in your head to drive your character to ask questions to those around you as a way to break the ice. Seeking out the answer to those questions is a good way to find out which PCs are involved and who to keep an eye out for when things go down.
The last piece I want to talk on is why do this at all. As I told you, storylines are a framework. While its important it is NOT the MOST IMPORTANT thing. GMs running them are important but GM ran NPCs are NOT the MOST IMPORTANT characters in the game. They are just background, a tool to be used by players to further their own RP. I will argue the best RP is not when a GM is around or a night when a storyline element is happening but the events that happen around these things. Another important part about the framework is that a framework alone is nothing. A framework is a base to grow from and that to me is the most important point about storylines. It allows you to grow your character in ways maybe even you wouldn't expect. I can tell you I never envision an unknown ranger who was chaotic good and not care about what goes on around him but to his own devices would turn into a lawfully good ranger who found his path with Imaera and cares more for those around him then his own health.
I do hope this helps at least a little bit.
Pup's Player
Since we are seeing a lot of new faces either transfers from DR, true new players, or old returners let me state that I play Puptilian. In my eyes he is a new character as he is a bit over 10 RL years old since I started the current run in GS. I have played for a very long time but always a recluse, always playing mostly by myself with little other interactions so I am not a well known player either. Pup started as a nobody. He was never in the "IN CROWD" and never well known around the Landing. I was one of those players that looked in from the outside, look at the "IN CROWD" and thought High School clicks. This was maybe 7 to 8 yrs ago...heck maybe a bit more. But I look and listen and think that the story looks interesting. I thought it was different and exciting that GMs do get into a character and interact with us adding a bit of something to the everyday events of the game. I wanted to get involved but didn't know how and didn't have anyone to point the way for me.
I admit to being a bit stubborn. Instead of trying once or twice and give up after a few unsuccessful tries to get involved with the story, I stayed pretty consistent on trying to figure out what was going on and trying to be a part of things. Months went by and I finally started getting noticed. I found a niche where my character could fit in and I threw him full into that niche. It worked for him and got his start being a part of the storyline. Years later after a lot of time and effort Pup was given a title of Defender for his contributions. Even later events turned out where he was voted the 1st Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing. A nobody, voted over many very long term players who were more known and more liked in my opinion was a pretty decent accomplishment.
I wanted to get that out there so you have a bit of context to what I have to say next. Think of GM ran storylines as simply a framework. This framework is in place not for the capped, not for the "I been here 20 yrs", and not for those that play every day for 10 hrs a day. This framework is for everyone, the I just started/restarted GS today all the way to I been playing every day for years and never paid attention and everyone else in between. You do not have to be a lore nut, you do not have to know every event, who did what and when, or show up every day. That said I will also note that like many things in life the amount of effort you put into this will go a long way in showing results. Another thing you have to realize if you are just starting out you are not suddenly going to catch everyone's attention. Think of transferring to a new school or starting a new job. You dont go into it day 1 and everyone knows you everyone will listen to every word you say etc. Its a process that needs to be nurtured and groomed and realized that you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
You may read all this and think months?? Years?? I dont have that amount of time to dedicate to this. I will tell you today is a different era in stories then it was back then. Today there are a ton of people getting involved instead of the 5 to 10 of us back when Kenstrom first started all of his madness. There are players that look out for new faces and will do their best to help them get involved. The GMs (not just kenstrom) learned a ton too and do a great job sharing the spot light among different faces. Some nights everyone gets involved, some nights only a few, some nights GMs lead the way, while other nights Players show their worth. I could go into stories of people returning or just starting out in GS and within a month getting heavily involved. Also the "leaders" or "in crowds" do change. Most of those that started out way back when are gone while new blood are taking the reins. The leaders even a year ago are different then those around today. So do not sit back and think that will never be you. Dont worry that you do not know all the names of the NPCs or what happen years ago. Use these questions in your head to drive your character to ask questions to those around you as a way to break the ice. Seeking out the answer to those questions is a good way to find out which PCs are involved and who to keep an eye out for when things go down.
The last piece I want to talk on is why do this at all. As I told you, storylines are a framework. While its important it is NOT the MOST IMPORTANT thing. GMs running them are important but GM ran NPCs are NOT the MOST IMPORTANT characters in the game. They are just background, a tool to be used by players to further their own RP. I will argue the best RP is not when a GM is around or a night when a storyline element is happening but the events that happen around these things. Another important part about the framework is that a framework alone is nothing. A framework is a base to grow from and that to me is the most important point about storylines. It allows you to grow your character in ways maybe even you wouldn't expect. I can tell you I never envision an unknown ranger who was chaotic good and not care about what goes on around him but to his own devices would turn into a lawfully good ranger who found his path with Imaera and cares more for those around him then his own health.
I do hope this helps at least a little bit.
Pup's Player
GAROFALOA
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 09:57 PM CDT
I took the liberty of writing a few stories over the years, That was totally while i was on downtime. from both here and work.
Hell, i just wrote one a couple days ago that kinda got certain people referred to in-game.
It's fun.
VANKRASN39
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 10:10 PM CDT
I'm going to ride this thread and complain about the spell dropping issue
this one:
J>
Rinnok appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Barreaus appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Ducarius appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Keriline appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Latimus appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Zoazar appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Tarakan appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Leafiara appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Eruheran's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Severine appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Anstara appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Durakar appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Certas appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Endoro appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Gesund appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Amminar appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Archales appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Aurla appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Salvashion appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Spikele appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Drazaa appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Florania appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Googly appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Mystana's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Angran appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Ayumia appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Xannorath appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Heartfire appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Lexbubba appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Eruheran appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Tysong appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Roblar appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Lisza's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
The subdued warmth embracing you fades along with the spiritual force surrounding your arms.
J>
Debia's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Nazarr's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Siadreth's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Iowen's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Valaydrian's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Draegus's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Futtilo's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Subarashi's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Shinann's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Bloonk's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Ghrimslin appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Jiarine's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Seeley's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Ghrimslin's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Rinnok's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Barreaus's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Keriline's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Latimus's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Zoazar's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Tarakan's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Leafiara's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Severine's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Anstara's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Durakar's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Certas's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Shinann appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Tysong's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Seeley appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Gesund's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Bloonk appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Ducarius's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Endoro's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Amminar's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Jiarine appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Spikele's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Bristenn appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Angran's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Xannorath's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Archales's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Aurla's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Salvashion's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Debia appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Your bolstered defenses fade with the soft glow about you.
J>
Drazaa's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Florania's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Googly's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Orlicks seems slightly different.
J>
Orlicks appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Orlicks's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Ayumia's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around her arms.
J>
Nazarr appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Heartfire's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Roblar's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Lisza appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Koergun appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Mystana appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Subarashi appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Bristenn's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Jeliara seems slightly different.
J>
Lexbubba's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
J>
Iowen appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Valaydrian appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around her form.
J>
Siadreth appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Draegus appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Futtilo appears less battle-ready as a soft glow dissipates from around his form.
J>
Koergun's movements no longer appear to be influenced by a divine power as the spiritual force fades from around his arms.
LORDEVARIN
Re: RP non-event
10/03/2017 10:16 PM CDT
I believe there are lich scripts which can solve this issue, but that shouldn't be the official solution. Fair point, A.
!>tell child to be quiet
The child cries, "I don't wanna!"
!>tell child to be quiet
The child cries, "I don't wanna!"
KHARIZ555
Re: RP non-event
10/04/2017 11:52 PM CDT
Correct spell dropping is no longer and issue. Just type:
;repo download spellmerge
;spellmerge
Problem solved.
At this point, anyone who can't be bothered to use Lich is missing out on a lot of really awesome features that go way above and beyond what you could possibly imagine.
;repo download spellmerge
;spellmerge
Problem solved.
At this point, anyone who can't be bothered to use Lich is missing out on a lot of really awesome features that go way above and beyond what you could possibly imagine.
VANKRASN39
Re: RP non-event
10/04/2017 11:54 PM CDT
I don't agree with your "solution"
It should be built into the game.
LORDEVARIN
Re: RP non-event
10/05/2017 06:07 AM CDT
Lich is an amazing player resource, but it could also go away tomorrow due to any number of reasons. It's better for the community as a whole that worthwhile player-created features are eventually implemented into the main game for everyone to enjoy. It could be seen as a redundancy and a waste of GM resources, but not everyone is willing or able to use Lich, and "fixing" these problems at their source could lead to unexpected benefits down the line.
!>tell child to be quiet
The child cries, "I don't wanna!"
!>tell child to be quiet
The child cries, "I don't wanna!"
KRAKII
Re: RP non-event
10/05/2017 08:28 AM CDT
And while the lich-based 'solution' may keep you from seeing the lines, the server load (of pumping out all that text to people) is completely unaffected.
They already did it for other spells, several years ago. This is just asking for those couple to be brought up to the same spec.
They already did it for other spells, several years ago. This is just asking for those couple to be brought up to the same spec.
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/05/2017 05:27 PM CDT
What bugs me is that you can have multiple paladins or clerics in the group with the same strength 307/310/1605/1613 up, but if one of them leaves, you get the messages of a spell drop.
GS4-VIDUUS
Re: RP non-event
10/06/2017 11:14 AM CDT
>>I'm going to ride this thread and complain about the spell dropping issue
How often are you seeing massive scroll like this? Invasion/storyline/reim events, or frequently outside of those?
>>What bugs me is that you can have multiple paladins or clerics in the group with the same strength 307/310/1605/1613 up, but if one of them leaves, you get the messages of a spell drop.
This should only happen if the person leaving has an edge on the other casters in the group (lore training for bigger benefits usually).
Viduus
VANKRASN39
Re: RP non-event
10/06/2017 11:18 AM CDT
>How often are you seeing massive scroll like this? Invasion/storyline/reim events, or frequently outside of those?
I rarely join storyline events, but when I do this is what happens, it's not fun at all, and the lag it causes is much worse than the messaging.
I don't do invasions because GMs keep putting in disarming creatures which is not okay with the screen scroll, and I don't do Reim either.
PEREGRINEFALCON
Re: RP non-event
10/06/2017 11:31 AM CDT
From my observations, this isn't an uncommon occurrence at White Haven's Service night - meaning that I'll see it several times or so over the course of an hour.
Horrible? No.
Annoying and a bit jarring when it happens? Yes.
Since my feedback is anecdotal at best, I'll make a point of noting how frequently we really see this and which spells / messages we are seeing over the next few weeks.
-- Robert aka Faulkil
Liia announces, "Funnel cakes will now be delivered door to door in your neighborhood!"
Horrible? No.
Annoying and a bit jarring when it happens? Yes.
Since my feedback is anecdotal at best, I'll make a point of noting how frequently we really see this and which spells / messages we are seeing over the next few weeks.
-- Robert aka Faulkil
Liia announces, "Funnel cakes will now be delivered door to door in your neighborhood!"
VANKRASN39
Re: RP non-event
10/06/2017 11:40 AM CDT
pretty much the first ten to fifteen minutes of the EG opening was spells dropping.
LEAFIARA
Re: RP non-event
10/06/2017 12:23 PM CDT
>>This should only happen if the person leaving has an edge on the other casters in the group (lore training for bigger benefits usually).
Ahhh, thank you for the information. That explains a lot with my paladin, at least, but I'll keep an eye out to see what happens with my cleric. Maybe I'm misremembering.
Ahhh, thank you for the information. That explains a lot with my paladin, at least, but I'll keep an eye out to see what happens with my cleric. Maybe I'm misremembering.
MORENO
Re: RP non-event
10/07/2017 12:26 AM CDT
>From my observations, this isn't an uncommon occurrence at White Haven's Service night - meaning that I'll see it several times or so over the course of an hour.
If they're using scripts to do spellups, they can remove those from their scripts.
~ The girl behind Debia
Check out my websites!
www.dhenar.com
Coming soon: www.noishorah.com
Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/angelofsharath
If they're using scripts to do spellups, they can remove those from their scripts.
~ The girl behind Debia
Check out my websites!
www.dhenar.com
Coming soon: www.noishorah.com
Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/angelofsharath
PEREGRINEFALCON
Re: RP non-event
10/07/2017 08:56 AM CDT
Generally speaking we aren't using scripts to do spellups at our service night. Some people may be using ;waggle but the bulk of the spells are being cast manually.
Weird I know.
-- Robert
Liia announces, "Funnel cakes will now be delivered door to door in your neighborhood!"
Weird I know.
-- Robert
Liia announces, "Funnel cakes will now be delivered door to door in your neighborhood!"
DMWCINCY
Re: RP non-event
10/07/2017 10:48 AM CDT
Disarming should never be a reason to not join in on invasions. The last several years its been the norm to not have invasions with disarming. Itz too chaotic. That said occassionally and accidently a monster will be copied as a quick invasion critter that does disarm. Accidents happen. A quick reportfirst time it happenz fixes that issue. Also the last several years in mule landing and haven if disarm has happen the GMs help get back every missing weapon.
VANKRASN39
Re: RP non-event
10/07/2017 11:21 AM CDT
>Disarming should never be a reason to not join in on invasions. The last several years its been the norm to not have invasions with disarming. Itz too chaotic. That said occassionally and accidently a monster will be copied as a quick invasion critter that does disarm. Accidents happen. A quick reportfirst time it happenz fixes that issue. Also the last several years in mule landing and haven if disarm has happen the GMs help get back every missing weapon.
it can be my reason. I've posted about it in the past, the somewhat recent ithzir storylines is one example, and the GMs responded they would not stop using those creatures, and thus there would be disarming.
The headache isn't worth it to me. I'm not emotionally invested in these storylines to feel a need to take part in the related invasion. I could barely stand staying for the EG opening after the spells dropping.
DMWCINCY
Re: RP non-event
10/07/2017 11:23 AM CDT
Wow interesting as i have to see that post. As stated after a good six seven plus years in invasions from the 3 cities i been at the GMs would say sorry wasnt intentional and after it was over help recover anything missing. This was witnessed first hand.
