The DM's have brought up an interesting point recently, why is the area in front of the town hall a more common idling area then the Inn? IC it makes no sense, And really does lag up upper. Is there a reason, or is it just OOC laziness?

Because you get scripted quests and wand-merchants there. Duh.

Inns used to be the hang-out points, and are still used to a degree - but not as much. The Rock Bottom was used much more than the Last Stand is, I admit. I used to really dislike the Rock Bottom aesthetically, but it was definitely used.

Happy to hear constructive suggestions as to how we could improve our inn situation and as to any reasons that the Stand isn't nearly as popular as the Rock was.

I may be harking back to days of old, but i liked the Rock Bottom tavern much better than the current monstrosity. The Rock Bottom was often a place for players to hang out and roleplay the starting of new adventures. I would often find an adventure there witthout the help of the sending system.

Why was it like this? I think for the same reasons that the server is popular. The Rock Bottom was concise, to the point it was functional. It was easy to cross the room, easy to find a set to sit with friends, easy to talk to the NPC to get a room.

The Last Stand is a cumbersome mess. The NPC at the bar is hard to get at, it takes forever to get to your room and back having to transition three times each direction from outside the inn. Thers no good seating really, when you walk on the place all the seats are in the back and you cant see who's there unless you walk all the way back while dodging obstacles like the massive bar. And to top it all off, there no real comfortable place to sit. Maybe the establishment would consider a slight remodel? put the bar in the back and better seating arrangements in the middle?

Sure, theres places upstairs, and theres the baths, but how many times have you walked there in hopes of seeing someone using those places and ended up alone? For me, enough times where i dont do it anymore.

EfU is great in that it is a concise module. What i mean is that most of the roleplay is found in a few zones. This is good. Some modules have sprawling zones and the 10-30 something players on rarely bump into each other. EfU ensures that players interact by forcing them to bump into each other.

Perhaps the sending system is what should be addressed. I had thoughts that maybe there could be more than just the one in the Town Hall. Perhaps one in New Dunwarren and one for Mycopolis and perhaps move Jafar to the Last Stand, each requiring their own stone and each only sending to specific zones (i.e. New Dunwarren sending only to Old Sanctuary, New Dunwarren, and the Upper Gates zones perhaps)

Moving Jafar to the Last Stand would help alot by ensuring that gathering parties were out of the mix and place them in their own zone so as not to lag everyone moving through town. AGain the inn would be a gathering and idling spot to sell wares and roleplay some drunken nuttiness.

just my whacked out two crowns worth. Since my current character is a raging lush, he would like more drinking buddies around.

There's one word to describe the popularity of the RBI, and that is:

Cushions. Soft and comfy placeables to sit on are the way to go.

Very important, however, were also those walls on the ground floor that somewhat divided the area into smaller bits, giving you some privacy without having to lock yourself inside a room (and thus miss potentially interesting newcomers) -- the ground floor of the Last Stand is really just one big space with the counter in the middle. It's too spacious and not a very interesting layout in general, though the blueish hue and dim lighting are a nice touch.

I don't recall there being very many chairs around tables currently either. The barstools in front of the counter are bad for socializing if you'd like to sit around a table with some friends. If there are some at the back (I really don't recall right now, I guess that tells something too!), that's bad -- you don't see all the people coming in. And it's still too spacious!

I too miss the ol' Rock Bottom, and feel that after its demise the Last Stand never could get the patrons the previous inn held. I mean seriously, the old place BLEW UP and you build another on the rubble? Humph.

Semantics aside, the Last Stand is indeed as Calavera said a too-large, inhospitable, cold, empty place. I really miss the Rock Bottom and how you could find all sorts of people and conversations in it (Star Wars Cantina anyone?). Maybe simply urging players back into the inn would help it reach a critical mass and become the hangout again, because frankly currently everyone expects it to be empty. A remodel would be nice too. But, please, dont complicate the sending system. It would only further confuse new players and who would really pay hard-earned gold to send a localized message out? Thats called talking, the sending system is useful because it's far-reaching.

Someone should blow up the Last Stand and than we'll see!

i agree, lets for the time being omit any suggestions i made about the sending system and talk about the real issue.

MOving Jafar to the inn would help A LOT in my very humble opinion.

Also, opening up the floorplan in the middle of the room to make it more hospitable would be great. Some nice seating near the fireplaces, some big tables in the middle, cozy cushion area, and all in view of the front door so as to invite the RP goodness. With more people in there we might actually start to see private rooms in use and maybe even the baths?

Other than that leave the rest of everything the same, and I bet the inn will be hopping!

Certainly the last stand must be considered quite a dump. Considered folk stand around the town hall in full plates all day long (more tiresome to be standing still for long peroids of time than walking around!) and/or siting around in filth. Simple solution. Loitering 100 gold fine. Problem solved.

RBT was such a better hangout than the Last Stand. I do sorely miss it.

I think that all of the comments about the Stand being cold, awkwardly laid out, and not very cozy are right on point. The hard stone seats, and well stone everything, make it sterile.

I'm going to steal a comment from Thane and say that another factor is the lighting. The RBT was really bright (Surface bright), but the Stand is kinda gloomy with the torch lighting.

I also miss the bulletin board. That way I could always pretend to be reading all of the junk I read on the forums each day and sometimes even discuss it with other players.

I vote for an IG remodelling due to lack of business.

It's easy to see why the Last Stand isn't used as much as the Rock Bottom, and most of them have already been pointed out.

The Rock Bottom was a small place, when you entered you bumped into people. It felt somewhat homey and cheerful. It felt like an inn. It had almost all the same things the Last Stand has but the layout and tone of the place was much better.

The Last Stand, by contrast, is a huge "monstrosity" (as someone else put it). It feels empty, cold and devoid of life. To meet someone in the Last Stand you literally have to circle the room, and because of the design of the area most people whisper instead of talking normally. You are put off into small secluded corners, and it just feels odd not to "talk softly" while in the Last Stand. Especially if you're off way in the back.

What I like most about the Last Stand is the ability to lock the doors in the room. I also like the library - a small area off to the side where I can hold private conversations and meetings. The Rock Bottom had this too, with the only difference that we couldn't lock the doors.

Also, I think the price of the room was cheaper too. I hate paying for a room at the Last Stand. I avoid it at all costs, making the place more like the Rock Bottom and lowering the price to be somewhat inline with the Crone (15 GP for non-Uppers, 10 GP for Uppers) would likely make it more popular.

Also, on the conversation of Inn's, the Crone is pretty dead too unfortunately. I wish the meeting rooms and bedrooms there had locks like the Last Stand.

Meldread Also, I think the price of the room was cheaper too. I hate paying for a room at the Last Stand. I avoid it at all costs, making the place more like the Rock Bottom and lowering the price to be somewhat inline with the Crone (15 GP for non-Uppers, 10 GP for Uppers) would likely make it more popular.

Also, on the conversation of Inn's, the Crone is pretty dead too unfortunately. I wish the meeting rooms and bedrooms there had locks like the Last Stand.

I think that the extra cost of the rooms reflects the benefit of having a lockable door. That way its less likely someone sneaks in and robs you, which should be a possibility at the dingy, unsafe Crone. I oppose changing the rates or door locks.

Also the Crone can get rather busy sometimes. I have been happy to see people hanging around there again at 10pm-12am GMT -8.

Naga Certainly the last stand must be considered quite a dump. Considered folk stand around the town hall in full plates all day long (more tiresome to be standing still for long peroids of time than walking around!) and/or siting around in filth. Simple solution. Loitering 100 gold fine. Problem solved.

I think the door of the Last Stand should be rotated 90 degrees in either direction. Right now I think it's pointing towards the library, which is the least useful corner it could point to. When you just walk out, you rarely see anyone. Better to be pointing closer to Town Hall, the Marketplace or the Lower stair.

This reminds of a situation I've seen on other servers where the exit to town was the main hangout, and the inns were pretty much dead most of the time.

The Town Hall steps is the place to find adventuring jobs, which is the natural place for adventurers to commingle. The bar is the place to get drunk and socialize, and everyone seems to agree that there isn't enough of that in the Last Stand.

To all the solutions already offered, I would add these:

1. Put a foyer on either the door leading out of the Town Hall or on a new outside exit from the sending area. If a group of PCs ever wanted to establish an adventuring guild or a cantina, they could rent this space from the city. Otherwise, just fill it with tables and chairs and see what happens.

2. Change the effects of alcohol, so that getting drunk is actually something PCs are likely to want to do while RPing. You could make all alcoholic drinks give a temporary boost to STR and CON, while reducing WIS, CHA, and INT, which would more realistically simulate the effects of strong booze. This would also make it much more likely that barfights will break out, which is always a plus.

I must admit, Rock Bottom > Last Stand.

It was smaller, more realistic, more 'homely'.

I think that the Crone is suffering from the same issue. It's just a spawn point/rest area. If you hang around the inn, the most activity you see is people walking down the stairs to the door, or from the door to Cyrus and proceeding up the stairs.

If there were a mechanical reason to stay in the inn, more people would: Food (if there were a starve/eating system), spending periods of time inside to recover more hitpoints on rest, others benefits/needs. (Though I doubt these kinds of things would be implemented in EfU.)

As it stands, it's mechanically more advantageous to stand outside in the street, as to pick up on plots, quests, and sales immediately.

The Crone's popularity comes in waves, and is usually directly related to the character 'atmosphere' at the time. For example, when Valerius worked at the Crone and had his thing going there, it was more busy than anywhere else in module. Same with Donovan and his gang; it was the EFU hotspot. It comes in waves, and yeah, is related to the PC activity in the inn mostly!

WHen the last stand first opened, My character at the time made the comment that it reminded him of the mausoleum. The Rock was a much more comfortable and relaxed setting. Just my 2 cents worth.

MadCaddies The Crone's popularity comes in waves, and is usually directly related to the character 'atmosphere' at the time. For example, when Valerius worked at the Crone and had his thing going there, it was more busy than anywhere else in module. Same with Donovan and his gang; it was the EFU hotspot. It comes in waves, and yeah, is related to the PC activity in the inn mostly!

Yes, but Valerius turned out to be flammable!

I think the comment that 20 gold is too much hits one of the big reasons the Stand is so empty right on the head. When playing a semi-survival module who has 20 gold?

You save 13 gold a visit by staying at the Crone, which means in less than ten visits you have a potion of something useful sitting in your pocket.

Also with the tables so spaced about it is hard to sit quietly in the Stand, overhear a conversation, then walk over and try to become part of the conversation.

I think the idea of making inn common rooms heal hit points faster is brilliant and would greatly improve time spent in the various inns.

Some of the quest NPCs that used to be in the Bottom are now in town hall, which sends traffic that way. Maybe these PCs could be moved back into the Stand.

You could make a delivery quest usable by all levels, that gives a small amount of xp. Then no matter what level you are, once a reset you have a reason (and I know we shouldn't need reasons other than RP to go to the inns, but gamer nature is gamer nature) to walk in to the inn and maybe run into some people to RP with.

However, don't make the inns too comfy, servers where most of the gameplay takes place around an inn table RPing aren't very interesting.

Bear in mind that resting at The Last Stand rejuvenates your health 100%! It could be cheaper than using even two healing kits to wrap up those wounds.

I do like Calavera's points. We'll see if we can make some changes.

Meh, really? I thought it was just like the other inns where you only heal a %

Also, while siting in an inn, you feel conformable, and are generally more likable. I recommend you get a subtraction to ac and a bonus to cha while in the Inn, to simulate happy comfort. Maby a very slight regen also.

But most of all, the loitering fine would fix it instantly. 30 coins for loitering? no thank you, the stand has baths!

Have to say I dislike the last stand. It is so big grey and cold.

Wench's Clench, plz.

This might work to start with (to bring back the feel of the Rock Bottom, architecturally at least:

• Move the bar in the Last Stand from the centre of the room - so that the bar is now jutting out from the same wall as the main entrance/exit. The bar (and Rak) will now face opposite the stairs that lead to the Upper Rooms.
• Make the bar-bench smaller (and Rak closer to the edge - so he is easier to access), and only put, say, four bar stools around.. so there is plenty of room for drunken bar-fights.
• Place tables and chairs for two, four, and six people to sit around the room to allow for mingling, talk, planning, plotting, drinking and socialising.
• Put the single (forums based) bulletin board back next to first fire-place to create another talking point.
• Place a few cushions around the second fire-place in the back of the room.
• While I love the blue-hue of the room - the Rock Bottom was a more orangy-red color. Different tileset , I think? Maybe just some more red-orange-yellow lighting in the Main Foyer would help with PC desire to stay there longer.

As for the success of the town hall as a place to be- It is a traffic pattern crossroads to lower, and the bazzar. So, people are always walking past it, and when they see a few standing around, they stop to see if something is actually happening, then another passes, and does the same, soon there are several people standing there, whichdraws more,etc..

-Just another take on why it is a popular place to park..

There should be a chance to catch a nasty disease when you hang out near the grime encrusted, gore filled Stoning Cage. How many people die in there with their bodies left to rot for how long?

I know that when I go into an inn, be it the Last Stand, the Pissing Crone, or the Wench's Clench, they always seem to be dead. It is rare you will run into more than one other PC in them. However, when I walk by the Town Hall, there is almost always someone there. It definitely tends to make me more likely to congregate at the Town Hall steps, rather than at an inn. The problem is excacerbated by the design of the inn nearest to the Town Hall, namely the Last Stand. As other persons have stated, there is a huge amount of dead space from the door to the bar, and the bar takes up so much of the room as to make it very narrow to get past it to the rest of the inn. There is a fireplace, and a table with a couple of chairs, but they are behind the monstrous bar, and so most seem not to take advantage of them. There are probably players who traverse through the Last Stand several times a day, and still are not aware of the seating in the Southwest corner of the Inn's first level. The other thing is, there is at least one room, The Spellguard Associates, which never has anyone near it to ask questions or the like. It appears to be just a room with a sign on it. Maybe there should be more information for players concerning it, even if it is a sign with a couple of lines and a contact, or just a location or person to contact for further information for interested parties. It does not seem to be treated like a headquarters at all.

Just my two cents worth.

Another thing is it takes forever to load, I notice the difference from going into the last stand and some other screen. It isn't worth me going inside to wait 1 min for it to load.

You want to know why people don't like you stupid Inn?

Lemmie tell you. The last stand feels like a JAIL. When I walk in, I want nothing more then to get the hell out of it. Its steel-blue lighting is depressing, its setup is military, its hard to walk around, its not comfortable to PC that doesn't have a cold heart and violent intentions. Its way to big, has poorly placed NPC that do nothing but spue large blocks of texts that go right through all of the walls used for other Role-play or Textural purposes. The upstairs rooms feel like traps and the locks on the doors are nice- but aren't in the same breath since you dont ever have the chance to be interrupted or overheard. The Last Stand feels a bit more like its intended purpose when it has bodies laying around and blood splattered on the walls. Then it looks interesting- at least. Otherwise? Heh, I'll go sleep in Lower.

The place is EVIL. COLD. HEARTLESS. HOPELESS.

You walk in and you're like great. Hurrah :( Another piece of this hellish under dark with no reprieve. The Last stand is honestly the worst addition to the server I have ever seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You want to know how to make it better? Here are the things that drew people to the Rock-bottom is all honesty.

1. Allot of newbe quests in close quarters of each other.
2. The place felt like home.
3. All the quests forced players to end up near each other, and the conversations going around often times inspired the others to join in.
4. Non-lockable basement with tons of seating, want a quick bit of illegal trade? come to the basement and we'll talk. person barges in! Everyone reacts. Awesome.
5. The wooden furniture peaceful Innkeeper and soft glow of the room was a thankful break for those of us that have a hard time being depressed in the cold dark bleakness that pervades the rest of the entire server.
6. The only places to sit in the main room were right around each other tucked into at traffic-filled corner that had crowds of people gathering around to hear the new stories, or just chat.
7. When people complain that a Locale is drawing too many loitering people and doesn't seem to fit the setting- maybe thats a clue to why people go. Its a temporary escape for the players to be able to have their characters relax- or not.
8. Color has a massive effect on the human brain and the emotions drawn from it. Prison vs. Home. That is why no one wants to chill in the L.Stand- It's oppressive. Utterly. Some talk there- but it draws a different crowd- one that doesn't stay around all day and provide an entrance intro to the under dark for all those new characters. The color is a primary reason why it doesn't inspire love- or true connection to people on a deeper level then wow look a "building to talk in." Whether people are likely to realize it or not, the color is the worst change ever made to any building icon in this worlds history.
9. Lastly, people came back to this place because it had an atmosphere that was unique. It felt peaceful. The place felt like it was a place you could rely on. It was my favorite thing in this entire server. Still is. And I miss it every time I log on.

Ebok

Color has a massive effect on the human brain and the emotions drawn from it. Prison vs. Home. That is why no one wants to chill in the L.Stand- It's oppressive. Utterly. Some talk there- but it draws a different crowd- one that doesn't stay around all day and provide an entrance intro to the under dark for all those new characters. The color is a primary reason why it doesn't inspire love- or true connection to people on a deeper level then wow look a "building to talk in." Whether people are likely to realize it or not, the color is the worst change ever made to any building icon in this worlds history.

Ebok's nailed it with that point! The Last Stand just feels like a giant labyrinth, it's so oppresive and alien and nobody really wants to stay there for a prolonged period of time. The Rock Bottom had the right ambience and that just made you want to kick back and relax down there, there was always something happening.

I think Ebok hit it all perfectly.

No need for further discussion.

Agreed.

In my previous post on this thread I was going to say that the Last Stand prison-color scheme reminds me of an illithid laboratory. But then people would just say to me - "You're paranoid , Ordinant!" :shock: (not that I've been in too many of them ! :P)

I went back in there after I wrote my previous post and noticed that the lighting around Rak is very bright, but Ebok is right about the affect of the blue tones VS. the softer warmer tones. I know the mod is designed to be a struggle from eyes open until eyes shut - which I love - but a warm Inn, where people will congregate would enhance the contrast of imagined safety inside Sanctuary vs. the feel of sheer simmering madness waiting to enthrall you all!!!

The non-lockable basement in the Rock Bottom was good for sure. I dont know how many times I want to talk to people one-on-one away from prying eyes and ears.. and the chance of someone bursting in was always fun. I remember Rashan Swift trying to convert me to Mask worship when I first logged onto the server, down in the Rock Bottom basement. Made me nervous as hell that I'd get caught even talking to this guy.

The Rock Bottom basement was cool.

Isn't that the point though? The Last Stand is perfectly in-keeping with the aesthetic and views of our late First Citizen, Demetrius Bhast.

I like the Last Stand. I remember when it first arrived, people were like all saying how hawt it was... and how the rock bottom sucks.

I feel this topic is kinda unimportant to your overall fun on EfU however.

What I miss however and that I think makes the Crone great is a sort-of PC administration which can work to scheme, attract people, make assassination deals- etc...

However - this already can be done with a good application... so what is missing is simply people with good ideas to exploit this different classy part of the module.

I'd like to see high stakes gambling tables in the backroom, 100 gold blackjack and such

Hobos.

How about a few outside seats and tables by the inn, on the market side, with a cute waitress? No need for coca cola umbrellas though.

9lives Isn't that the point though? The Last Stand is perfectly in-keeping with the aesthetic and views of our late First Citizen, Demetrius Bhast.

Maybe. But it's ugly as sin, cold, uninviting, has no "heart" or love in it and is a genuinely horrible place. It should collapse at the next earthquake.

Jasede It should collapse at the next earthquake.

Jasede earthquake.

I, for one, welcome our Last Stand overlords. I like that place. Sure it has that cold feel to it, but it's the mothership of chill.

You are all so passionate about your inns : (

champion_death Wench's Clench, plz.

QFT.

Wench got pwned by level 2 goblin bomb makers!

Ebok wrote:

Color has a massive effect on the human brain and the emotions drawn from it. Prison vs. Home. That is why no one wants to chill in the L.Stand- It's oppressive. Utterly. Some talk there- but it draws a different crowd- one that doesn't stay around all day and provide an entrance intro to the under dark for all those new characters. The color is a primary reason why it doesn't inspire love- or true connection to people on a deeper level then wow look a "building to talk in." Whether people are likely to realize it or not, the color is the worst change ever made to any building icon in this worlds history.

Ebok's nailed it with that point! The Last Stand just feels like a giant labyrinth, it's so oppresive and alien and nobody really wants to stay there for a prolonged period of time. The Rock Bottom had the right ambience and that just made you want to kick back and relax down there, there was always something happening.

Apparently nobody read my post....

erglion I'm going to steal a comment from Thane and say that another factor is the lighting. The RBT was really bright (Surface bright), but the Stand is kinda gloomy with the torch lighting.

Although I'm glad Ebok expounded on it, and we're all in agreement

Once again I propose:

I vote for an IG remodelling due to lack of business.

erglion, I read your post. However, I felt motivated to make my own as complete as possible so people know where I was coming from. And I'll address a few of the responses, with absolutely no intention of attacking the veiws of their poster.

9lives Isn't that the point though? The Last Stand is perfectly in-keeping with the aesthetic and views of our late First Citizen, Demetrius Bhast.

Mort I like the Last Stand. I remember when it first arrived, people were like all saying how hawt it was... and how the rock bottom sucks. I feel this topic is kinda unimportant to your overall fun on EfU however.

Howland wanted to know what happened to his Inn hangout crew- Well, most of them were people more like me, Mort. And the People like you were happy nearly anywhere on the server so long as fun was happening. I liked the Tribe even! But it was so far away and just not a home for an Upperian. I don't have a place I enjoy relaxing my character within- therefore the lack of a substitute does hurt "my" overall fun.

Calc You are all so passionate about your inns : (

~Peace, Ebok | Rockbottom loyalist

Having never been on the server when the previous inn existed, I know not how it was. However, I can say that the Last Stand is just not friendly to roleplay. As such, it is small wonder that the Town Hall steps nearby have become the place to meet people, find out the news in town lately, and role play to your own preference. I have to agree with the majority of the posters that the Last Stand does need some renovations.

It doesn't need renovations, it needs a squad of exploding goblin suicide troops. Call them "Servants of Ji'Hud". [Spoiler: Ji'Hud is an evil necromancer].

I love the Crone setup.

The Last Stand needs to be renovated, but conceptually it's neat. A ritzy bar and all. My biggest beef is that it really does make a difference for how available seats are and how aesthetically appealing they are. The two different chairs by the fires are neat, but the tables are dark, oddly placed, and BEHIND the action. It would be better, in my opinion, to place them in front of the bar. Also, the bar takes up a lot of room and makes moving around more difficult.

A lot of good points have been made. I am going to just add what happened when I tried to RP in the Last Stand recently.

I spent a fair amount of time on Naradin sitting in the back of the Last Stand writing a book. People often just ran by going upstairs even though I kept making an effort to emote I was writing in a book whenever I saw someone. My attempt to draw people into what I was writing, and hopefully, an in character discussion of ideas, was doomed to failure.

There are two reasons I believe this occured. Of the few people that are going into the Last Stand, most are just doing a quick rest to dash out and start doing more quests. The assumption is there's no one to RP with in there because no one hangs out in there, and I have already found the people I want to spend time interacting with and they want to do something else.

The second reason is that, yes, the actual seating area is very far back in the room, and can be skipped by those who merely want to rest. Many of my emotes probably just weren't seen by the other players.

If I was going to suggest anything, I would move the bar to the far end of the Inn and make the players walk through the seating area. That way, if someone were so inclined to sit in there and try to attract attention to his or herself, they would have a much easier time of it.

As an aside, I find trying to talk to Rak annoying. An interesting NPC, to be sure, but the setup of the bar makes it damned difficult at times.

I guess I am one of the few people that really enjoys the Last Stand, in comparison to the Rock Bottom. I found a lot of really silly RP going on at the Rock Bottom...

Blegh. Cushions bring out the worst in PC's. :(

Are you telling me the Baron was not digging the RB pseudo-cyber? I heard he could dig it, and then some. :wink:

You're forgetting that many evil plans were concocted in the Rock Bottom. Some of the most evil PCs the server has ever seen spent their days angsting out with their buddies, over a nice warm rothe pie and some fresh rothe milk, under the friendly, soft gaze of Spencer.

Rock Bottom, immense, small and wood like, imo it was swell and by far the superior of the stand.

wcsherry I guess I am one of the few people that really enjoys the Last Stand, in comparison to the Rock Bottom. I found a lot of really silly RP going on at the Rock Bottom...

Blegh. Cushions bring out the worst in PC's. :(

Good way to fix the Last Stand?

Force everyone to go to the back from the front to get to the bar and their room ticket, then back to the front to go up the stairs.

This kind of creates a short period of time in which whoever's heading through can get a grip on what's happening.

Right now, it's literally one straight line from the entrance, to the bar, to the stairs (not counting obstacles). All the tables are in the back, while the stairs are in the middle and are right on the point where you come from the front to the back of the inn, so any RP going on in the back will be passed by quite quickly.

So, my suggestion is to completely shove the bar against the back wall, move the stairs to the front, and get some tables -in front- of the bar instead of behind it.

I personally don't think the Last Stand is aesthetically unappealing for inn RP. People RP in dark dungeons, bright plains and gloomy forests. Doesn't matter, good RP can happen anywhere. Besides, it's the Underdark. -Everything- is aesthetically unappealing.

Force everyone to go to the back from the front to get to the bar and their room ticket, then back to the front to go up the stairs.

This kind of creates a short period of time in which whoever's heading through can get a grip on what's happening.

Right now, it's literally one straight line from the entrance, to the bar, to the stairs (not counting obstacles). All the tables are in the back, while the stairs are in the middle and are right on the point where you come from the front to the back of the inn, so any RP going on in the back will be passed by quite quickly.

Great Idea. I think this incorporates a lot of what others have been stating as well. Tables in the front, bar in the back, stairs near the front. I like it (in case that matters...)

-Kalos

The engineers of the town could always develop dweomer-powered 'sending-vending' machines. "Insert 15 gold pieces and speak into the mouth piece when the bell rings..."

The best place for them would be the Inns, as these (as you rightly point out) are the gathering places for adventurers\townfolk.

PS - I always wondered why there wasn't a sending mechanism up in the battlements of Sanctuary to call all the adventurers to aid the defense when the walls were threatened. Maybe there already is and I've missed it...

Simply put-

What some poeple like about the Stand drives others away. Most of the people that enjoyed relaxing in the Inns, are those being driven away.

To make the L.Stand better?

Added newbe quests- or direct them through the area. Create a risk involved with have a convo in that locked room. Move the bar to the back, provide motivation to wander around within. Make the place seem comfortable over cold stone.

Crazy convo's happened in the R.Bottom- true. But they helped inspire non- crazy convo's too. People talking about nothing, is much better for the feeling of a building; then one that is empty.

We have wizards that can make those spheres glow any color- enchant the room to feel like anything- why would they be blind enough, to not think people would be drawn to a visually warm place?

Short hand:

• Traffic
• Quests
• Warmth
• Layout

~Ebok

Swahili PS - I always wondered why there wasn't a sending mechanism up in the battlements of Sanctuary to call all the adventurers to aid the defense when the walls were threatened. Maybe there already is and I've missed it...

By my understanding, there is only one known device in the city for making sendings, which requires a wizard of some skill (Jafar isn't -so- worthless...!) to operate. Coin operated sending machines in the streets is something that likely wouldn't be either feasible, or even welcome, by the city Council. Of course, it is something that could viably be worked toward in game!

There could just be like, a horn, or something?

Thats actually a really cool idea. Put a horn of some sort at the Sanctuary Gate, that is only accessible by Watch/Council PC's. Really, it could be a Watch Private with a convo for only those wanded as Council/Watch/whatever. If you're one of those, you can tell him to sound the horn, which would then perhaps do a Shout? I'd say sending, but it doesn't make sense that those without citizen stones wouldn't still hear a horn. The only downside is people anywhere would hear it, since it's a shout! Kind of sounds like something someone would be better off working towards IG, though.

I'm only sad we didn't have this for other sieges. <-<

Maybe not a shout, but a network of NPC runners?

You give a spoken message to a messenger NPC with instructions on which areas to reach, and then through an unseen network of messengers, the repeater NPCs will speak the message after a time delay, based on the number of transitions they need to cross (e.g. 30 seconds/60 seconds/120 seconds).

Then if you're anticipating trouble by the gate for example, you might put some messenger NPCs up there, so that their messages can be sent down the stairs. Or, assaulting forces can try to kill these messenger NPCs and cut off communications.

This could also be used to make localized sendings to people near repeater NPCs.

A horn is far cooler.

I am with you on the horn thing.

This is becoming a conversation which should be had IG.

Okie doke, topic's gone a bit off-topic, so I'm going to lock this one down.

Thank you for all the comments! If I have time this weekend or next I'll see if I can do something on this front.