EFU:A the DMless?? or is it?

[FanaticusIncendi]

I agree wholeheartedly with Plum and Jayde.

Like Plum, I am playing a Stargazer and so right off I am limited to who I can play with. Plus, my PC is level 8, which eliminates a bunch more possibilities in terms of static quests. I think I've had 4 DM interactions the whole time I've played here and sure, that's probably partly due to the fact that I don't play everyday and simply don't have time to log on for hours and hours.

Because I realize my own time limitations, I also don't bug the DMs trying to solicit personal plot advancement. I have always had the attitude of "if it happens, awesome, if not, I understand and I'll live".

So, I'm not overly concerned with not getting "personal" attention. However, recently as many may know there was a lot of conflict between the Stigians and the Stargazers. A number of posts within the faction forum were made all with ideas on how to handle it, what to do, etc. Many of these posts asked for and really needed a DM response- any response. Considering that the Stargazers have "elders" and the elders are NPCs, there are certain things that needed answering and help from the elders with that needed DM intervention. After Howland went away those direct questions just sat there, unanswered. Finally, as the conflict came to a head, a decision was apparently made outside any of the PCs as to how to appease the Stigians in the moment and no explanation was offered, even after repeatedly "asking the elders" for one.

ICly, I can only assume that the elders are totally ignoring us, even though I suspect that OOCly it is simply a case of not enough DMs or perhaps no DM that cares to deal with the faction. In either case, it made for some very frustrating and anticlimactic inter-faction conflict.

Additionally, there are certain things that are broken on the server (like the nature travel system) which were supposedly in the process of being fixed, but never were. Little things like this are not such a big deal when one thinks of overworked DMs and not enough builders, but when an entire new party system is implemented on the server and yet small fixes and suggestions which would be a very nice bone to toss at a faction that gets very little DM interaction are still sitting there, undone... well personally it's quite discouraging.

Being a builder myself, I totally understand how hard it is to fix little things you don't really want to be bothered with when you're all wrapped up in some other, bigger, better project. And this is where we come to delegation and hiring more DMs.

I have offered on more than one occasion to help with building and minor fixes/improvements but no one took me up on it or even showed the slightest interest. I'm not talking about DMing as I don't feel I have enough time to commit to DMing atm, but as stated before I am happy to help with small fixes and building. I'm sure they have their reasons for not taking me up on it but that doesn't mean the frustration goes away when I see things that are still broke that I could probably fix.

And then there's the hiring of new DMs. I see in this thread a few people encouraging others to fill out a statement of interest. I happen to know of one person who has filled out two such statements over the past year and has not been offered a DM position. This person has been a loyal player of EfU for several years and has never done anything "bad". This person was a DM on another, very well-known PW for many years... around 6, I think. On that PW this person was considered one of the most solid and creative DMs there. I suppose the DMs here have their reasons for not offering him the job and yes I have read the bit about "don't feel bad if we don't approach you...it could be we don't want to lose you as a player". *shrugs* It's hard to argue with that and I'm not trying to convince anyone to rethink their decision on that matter. All I'm saying is it's hard for me to read all these posts talking about how the server needs more DMs when I know of one who would be happy to serve and would be great at it but who for some reason I'm not going to speculate on in this post keeps getting passed over.

I think EfU:A is a great server with loads of potential, however for all the reasons listed above and elsewhere in the new party system discussion, I am unfortunately finding more and more often that when I think to myself "maybe I'll log on to Efu:A" I pick up a book, go see a movie, clean the bathroom or weed the garden instead.

[Caddies]

These things are cyclical, you should know this by now Plum. In a few months or even next week things will no doubt be radicially different. Its easy to look back into the past and somehow come to the conclusion you had no trouble getting a DM anytime but that's just simply untrue.
 
More DMs does not equal a growth in the playerbase. In fact it can mean a palpable loss. Some people are just better suited to playing, and DMing them can and has lead to a dissolution of player stock and dynamism.

Also, a system that removes location and AB/saves/damage/immunities/special attacks etc. as metagamable information is just amazing.

[Equinox]

It's the end of summer, most people are inactive, shit happens.

I can agree to some extent that it is hard to get a dm a lot fot he time, but as i understand it a lot fo dm's are moving/away/on holiday. people have lives outside the game y'know.

Ona positive point, we -have- had to two new dms in the [ast week or so, this si a good thing, and gippy who dm's in my timezones is doing a great job.

all in all, we get dead times, but persevere, good shit happens and this server still rawks.

[Caddies]

@ FI--

DMs are always on the lookout for new DMs, and periodic discussions occur regarding this all the time. If someone isn't DM'd, then there were reasons for it, and frankly their judgment is going to be more educated than your own because they have a better understanding of what is needed.

And as for some of the sentiments in the rest of your post, I honestly think its pretty rude. We will take a single DM for example. Mort has put what I can only guess to be an ungodly amount of hours and work into the server, adding all kinds of things no other server has even came close to (especially without haks) mirroring. Those hundreds of hours of work are essentially summed up by you in one paragraph of your post as "It's alright but no good enough for me to want to play here". You are still disparaging, no matter how politely you do it.

Well done. No wonder DMs get burned out.

[Equinox]

As much as i hate to agree with caddies.

Amen.

[FanaticusIncendi]

Way to take everything I said out of context.

[Jayde Moon]

Leave it to Caddies to take constructive criticism and assign it a judgement.

I mean, seriously, how many more caveats of:

Being a builder myself, I totally understand how hard it is to fix little things you don't really want to be bothered with when you're all wrapped up in some other, bigger, better project.

do you need to know that contributions are respected and positions are understood, but that frustrations mount anyway?

You can look at it as an attack on folks and get defensive, or you can take it as a real perspective that you may not have considered and go from there.

[Jayde Moon]

Sorry for double posting here, but yes, do please keep in mind that other perspectives are valid.  Just because you experience wonderful greatness doesn't mean everyone else does.  Just because YOU get DMed every other day doesn't mean everyone else does.  Just because YOU get great DM loot, doesn't mean everyone else does.  just because YOU don't have trouble with a new implementation doesn't mean no one else does.

I think (and it's just my opinion) that it's pretty arrogant to act as if everyone should see things as you do or STFU.

[Caddies]

It wasn't so much constructive criticism as elaborate whining. Just because someone laces what is essentially a "This sucks I want more" post with politically correct jargon doesn't mean its anything less. Its these people that make DMs burned out, and I find its ironic these very same people are the ones who want more DM time.

Anyway, I'm not going to defend myself against the random "You are a DM pet" argument you brought up out of nowhere, because we both know it won't change your mind. If its easier for you to get by thinking I'm unduly tended to by DMs, then I'm fine with that.

[Letsplayforfun]

The last posts are off topic, sorry to say. I do believe the OP is important, and getting any feedback is useful. It's a touchy issue because we'll probably see vast differences in perceptions, and we don't want to criticize the hard work DMs put into the server. But if there are ways to make it even better, such as telling what kind of DMing some people enjoy, or what some people feel is missing, it's important. It's been long since i saw more than 30 people logged on, so yes, i'm worried.

[FanaticusIncendi]

You're going to read in to what I wrote exactly what you want to read in to it and I don't see that there's anything I can really say that will convince you otherwise, as clearly your mind is made up. Twisting words and creating inferences that were never there in the first place is pretty standard fare served up when someone doesn't like what someone else says and intends to spin it to their own advantage.

Most people understandably don't want to deal with the backlash of expressing an unpopular opinion and this is likely why you have situations such as in the new party system review poll where so few of the 'nay' voters choose to say why they voted that way. I've expressed some thoughts that clearly don't sit well with some and for that I get to watch as I am apparently chided and my words twisted into other than what was intended. That's fine. Internet words don't ruffle my feathers and I'm not changing or taking back one single thing I said and everyone can spin it as they will. I have no doubt whatsoever that numerous silent readers will nod their heads in agreement at my words and that's good enough for me.

[Ommadawn]

Please, let's not get derailed and let this thread turn into a flame war.

[The Puzzler]

More active DMs plz.

[Jayde Moon]

I don't mean to carry on a flame war, this is a post to clarify in an effort to quell said flames.

Anyway, I'm not going to defend myself against the random "You are a DM pet" argument you brought up out of nowhere, because we both know it won't change your mind. If its easier for you to get by thinking I'm unduly tended to by DMs, then I'm fine with that.

It seems random, Caddies, because it's not at all what I was trying to say!!!

It was a general 'you', referring to everyone who gets DMing here and there relative to those who don't, not because they are DM pets or anything, just because that's the way it goes.

It was meant as, "Those of us/you who get DMed and have a pretty charmed time of it here should try to remember that it isn't that way for everybody"

Sorry it came across any other way, mang!

[Equinox]

Ok, someone just lock this thread, constructive or not. its getting flamy, bitchy, and derailed.

Yes we want more active dm's, everyone does, it'd be great if could have dm quests 24/7, and constant shit going on, but we cant. there are several choices, you dont need dm's to do that much or impact the server. sure it helps.

yes some of us love/hate the new implementations, discuss it in the correct threads -asking- about your opinions.

I for one am tired of see threads like this, where constant whinging and bickering ensues daily.

If you dont like the server, leave. Noone is stopping you, but after being removed a couple of times and beign forced to look elsewhere, i'll assure you. EFU is much better than any other server ive come across.

I'll probably get labelled an ass kisser for this post but screw it. People need to chill out and have fun. end of the day, its a game.