EFU Updates

[Howlando]

I will mention here a few things.

One, Wildsurge magazine has done a feature about us (along with some other NWN persistent worlds). It's pretty brief but cool anyways. It amuses me that our featured screenshot is just a big ugly Tram that is just transparently a boat model with stoneskin vfx.

Two, Beamdog has announced that NWN will be fully released on Steam in two weeks. This is earlier than expected. So we'll probably try to transition EFU to EE fairly soon. This is being actively worked on as we speak. Although for sure we will lose some features, I think it is worth doing. This may bring new players - new players can be both a good thing, and a bad thing. EFU has never been very new-player friendly, and generally new players will only stick around if they meet a veteran who helps show them the server/figure things out. And not just taking them on a tour to the House of Governance, but being actively recruited into a faction, being taken on quests, helped out with things to do on a daily basis, etc. As a small contest, I'm offering a piece of customized, unique, and very special DM loot to whichever player presents the best new OOC Guide for new players - describing briefly how to get set up technically, but also how to get started in the game world and succeed and prosper. I don't mind if there are some minor spoilers (like where some hidden lowbie quests are). Feel free to be creative about it, maybe even write the guide in the style of the old EFUA website with little snippets of IC mixed in with the OOC?

New players also sometimes cause problems - they don't get the culture of the server, might have difficulty behaving appropriately with roleplaying or PvP, and so on. Be patient, help explain things OOC'ly if needed, but don't hesitate to contact a DM if someone is being a problem.

Three, in addition to all the technical issues above we have some cool new stuff planned for EFU in terms of plots & some new content that will be gradually unveiled over the coming months. Stay tuned.

[Silvermoon_Dervish]

You forgot to mention where and how to submit said contest guide, Supreme Overlord.

[Howlando]

Feel free to email the guide to howlando@gmail.com or forum PM it here.

:-)

[Howlando]

OK, so it looks like for some moderate period of time (when we switch to EE) our custom spells and custom weapons will not be available. This will change eventually, but  for now it's probably best to avoid basing a character around a custom weapon.

If this proves to be an issue for currently existing PCs, we'll help shuffle feats around.

[Wench]

I'm so excited to shoot a guide over to you!! I think that is a perfect way to get new players involved and to have them feel welcome.

[Howlando]

A small thought about guides and the new player experience.

I think one of our biggest weaknesses may be that we try to present too much information. For example, earlier today I was speaking with someone who briefly tried out EFU, really wanted to get into the server, but just found it too overwhelming. The player was taken to the House of Knowledge and shown all this crazy lore, and it was just too much. Can you blame them? The House of Knowledge museums are cool when you're already hooked into EFU and are interested in the story, but if you know nothing then probably it's all just confusing and not very engaging.

I think it's a natural instinct for veterans to try to "teach" new players all the lore, but I really think things would probably be easier for new players if we made things just really simple for them.

i.e.

The sun is gone, monsters roam the surface, we're hiding out in this crazy dysfunctional town built in the rusted ruins of an old massive machine.

And in terms of mechanics, stuff like...

We don't use the party system but you get used to it really quick, here is how you use a shovel, here is how you climb, here is where there are some lowbie solo quests, here is how to find a party to do tougher quests, etc.

[zDark Shadowz]

Tutorials aren't just wall of text, best game tutorials I've found were the IG Hardcore prelude for the challenge (although you go through a lot of characters! ) And the Explore the 'dark quest in the Barbican. Interactive.

As a new player I also bought those books in the starting area and just read through them when I had spare time IG or was waiting for people.

Perhaps the tutorial could incorporate a well done video going through these places, which also serves as a preview people could watch to see the world before they commit to downloading X amount of haks?

[Tala]

Players who already own Neverwinter Nights EE and would like to help in the testings are welcome to join #EfuEE in IRC. Just to make it a place I can ask available players to log for a few minutes every now and then to test something.

Thanks!