So as I was taking a look around efu, visiting a couple of places, I sort of realized that server change and server appearance maybe haven't quite kept pace.

Seems like there are alot of smoldering holes in the ground these days, and a severe lack of NPC flavor.

Now I get it that the desolation these days - to name a few places - in the mines, bluemushroom, canal, lower, southern alley-ways, and lost shop are all examples of in game actions, however, my point is that desolation and scorched earth make our areas really uninteresting.

Once was an efu with a bit more color, variety, and plain ol shit going on in alot of the major areas than now. Of course, addition of new areas, further from town, have been very colorful, yet the bigs ones seem to have had a trend towards the suck recently in terms of the visible things and character.

If lower is so desolate, where are the beggar kids eating broken glass? Or the old desperate hooker leering at everyone and everything? If upper is so prosperous, where are the yuppies drinking starbucks? How come you won't run into any spirits with open wrist wounds rocking back and forth as they listen to Marilyn Manson around the lost shop scorch? Where's the goblin hag using the gnome statue in the bluemushroom for a clothes line?

What I'm saying is, make desolation a little more interesting, having empty areas vacant of npcs always went agaisnt Howland's creed of economy of space. Without it, efu losses a bit of the wonder and awe it once had. So if there's nothing going on in an area, make something interesting, maybe trivial, going on.

Maybe this is crap everyone already knows, and probably the DMs just haven't gotten around to doing it yet, either way, I think it should happen soon. Our server needs a bit of a tidying up in regards to the areas - as it stands now, it might be hurting the overall interest and quality for new players (I think we desperately need to hold their interest) as well as for our old players who remember the glory days of bustling, more livelier areas (i.e. the flaming dandy Ghail, Goblins stewing rats, the creepy sharran dark moon monastary, the druegar forge... ah but alas....)

Dudeyochief, Cullen really has a point I think.

Cullen's the man and totally correct.

Totally agree with mr Cullen.

More love for Upper, the Canal and Lower

Actually, building on this very same suggestion; I think it would be nice and a good way to add more life to Lower, Upper and the Canal if you added/removed some quests or jobs in those areas.

On quests - Upper and Lower's quests have both sort of stagnated - it might be nice to change some of the quests or update them. For example, Boggs could do with being replaced with something a bit more novel - as could some of the other "old-timer" quests. - Lower's quests are somewhat the same, with quests not really reflecting the current situation in Lower - it's pretty much the same old but with fewer NPCs. Since it appears Lower is turning pretty much into the Big Bad Overlord castle, wouldn't it be nice to add some quests taking this into account? Like quests where you raid the evil thugs of the Montezzi or their weapons cache, or where you help some Duergar slaver put the smackdown on excaped slaves. Anything, really. - The Canal Ward in turn is practically void of all quests - except the good ol' Storehouse (who's questgiver is still hiding out in Lower) which should by any stretch be looted dry by now and maybe diving into the Canal. Perhaps adding some naval quests or jobs would be interesting and add to the flavor of the area? Really, that area could do nicely with some addition to give it more life. People go where the jobs are, and right now the jobs are getting pretty stale and spread out.

On NPCs Lower could do with a whole new set of NPCs based on what's going on down there. Hiding freedom fighters, evil slavers moving in to take advantage of the goings-on, you name it! The Canal Ward could do too with some more population - to me when I walk around there it's pretty much just an empty space.

Probably a totally useless post which will earn me a lot of trolling, but that's my 2c.

The Dms are going to kill us. But I've been talking about this within my conversation circles for some time now. And I truely believe that Cullen really hit the nail on the head. The tiny things, the colors, the countless variety is what makes this server rock. The less of that we see, the more uniformity, the more boring things become. And seriously, Uppers gate looks scarier and more battle ridden then Murs. They should have some women that cant stand the mess and clean that shit up. lulz.

I completely agree with you Cullen, and some of us have made it a point to start tidying things up. Ideas from you guys are totally welcome. I know I, at least, will tidy up a little here or there on the occasions that I make changes in the toolset.

How about having someone... or something reclaim the mines? I mean, PCs had opportunity enough to do so by now (and they did try, many times!). But since the mines were desolate and unoccupied last time I went through there, how about, oh, I don't know, have a gnoll tribe take over who let you pass for 30 gold (while looking at you as the tasty morsel you are).

Would give our team sunshine some NPCs to hate!

Also, something akin to the old curio-shop would be really sweet. Maybe some Tiefling fence who set up shop in Lower and sells odd, rare things? I'll have you know that the curio-shop was my favourite area on EFU - and that's only because I never saw the Dark Moon monastary. Just like 99% of the players. :)

If we have NPC or Quest suggestions, should we post them here openly or send them to DMs in PMs or via IRC? I have plenty of ideas, and so too I think most others, just not sure where to write them or leave them.

I want a shop in the middle of no where in the most dangerous quest in EFU, Seers. Accept the only things you can buy is a brain :P

Hate to break you, but Seer is far, far from the most dangerous quest.

There's so much for Thomas still to find. :)

Keep the ideas coming though.

If lower is so desolate, where are the beggar kids eating broken glass? Or the old desperate hooker leering at everyone and everything? If upper is so prosperous, where are the yuppies drinking starbucks? How come you won't run into any spirits with open wrist wounds rocking back and forth as they listen to Marilyn Manson around the lost shop scorch? Where's the goblin hag using the gnome statue in the bluemushroom for a clothes line?

man thats so great im in complete agreeence

I could say the same thing about some of the areas that aren't even desolate.

Mutalak doesn't seem to exist for any reason. You can spend all this gold to go out there, for absolutely nothing you can't find in Sanctuary already.

There is all this trade supposedly on the Dark Lake, and I'd love to see more and more flavorable and unique shops. Give people reasons to travel by boat here and there, especially for the trade.

What I'd love to see is scripted earthquakes, with a percentage chance increasing the further away from Sanctuary you get.

The earthquake effect + random falling rocks + everybody dies ?

Would be nice.

Those little NPC shops we used to have really made it worthwhile hanging out there, admiring the items and stuff. Some were actually worth buying at any point in time. It's what got people out of the gates and which gave some flavor to those out there. The setting doesn't really allow for much change and creativity of terrain - but use of light and stuff really spice up the place too. Glowing crystals, torches, inexplicable light sources, mushrooms, old ruins more random and somewhat more dangerous (and random) NPC encounters? The Wandering Brothers' are cool too, except they've nothing worth buying. Perhaps supply them with a random item/reset which is somewhat more interesting? Acid/fire bomb style, potions of Shadowshield or Protection from Spells - Won't be hard to be more creative than I am.

Shrieker Mushrooms are really annoying, too. :( Perhaps them deal X d X sonic damage. That will teach people to stay away.

Berosion If we have NPC or Quest suggestions, should we post them here openly or send them to DMs in PMs or via IRC? I have plenty of ideas, and so too I think most others, just not sure where to write them or leave them.

I'd recommend sending them to a DM via PM or via e-mail. Bear in mind, most suggestions don't get pulled through into the actual gameworld. Although many player suggestions have helped us brainstorm and develop other neat ideas.

Oroborous I could say the same thing about some of the areas that aren't even desolate.

Mutalak doesn't seem to exist for any reason. You can spend all this gold to go out there, for absolutely nothing you can't find in Sanctuary already.

There is all this trade supposedly on the Dark Lake, and I'd love to see more and more flavorable and unique shops. Give people reasons to travel by boat here and there, especially for the trade.

Completly agree.

I think slavers should sell uber loot and such. And not stuff you cant find in sanctuary.

We'll work on this.