Good Player/Great Player

Fliggin McButton · October 01, 2009, 12:40:11 PM

So, through lots of observation and comparing notes with associates of mine, I have realized that there is a distinct difference between a good player, and a great player. I would like to know what your opinions are on how a good player, might become a great player.

But first I must define what I believe to be a good player and a great player.

QuoteGood Player- Someone that when he logs in you think 'Oh it's him/her... who does she play again?' and you check the player list, see it, and say 'oh yeah I knew that'. The good player is capable of some truly great RP, but for one reason or another always seem stuck in supporting roles. The sidekick, the loyal servant behind his Master, the soldier. The good player is capable of making a difference, but often it is incredibly difficult for them and they often find themselves with overwhelming roadblocks, or have difficulty finding others to assist them.

Great player- Someone that when they log in you think 'Oh its (player), he plays (character)' without having to check the list. They almost always make a difference in a few short weeks, sometimes less. Whatever they play, the characters name becomes well known very quickly. People flock to them. They can make a brand new character and be in a DM quest that day. Their plans almost always progress, sometimes slow, sometimes very very quickly, but they always progress.

So... discuss. What is it that some of you great players out there do (dont be modest, you know who you are) that some of we good players can learn from to improve not only the quality of the server, but enhance our own playing experience?

derfo · October 01, 2009, 01:05:11 PM

i'm not a great player, but what should be known is to make a character have at least one major goal that involves people (if not more), and pursue it

the more obvious you make it that you're doing something involving/fun/proactive/whatever the more attention you're likely to draw, and the more likely you're going to have fun yourself, which should probably be the first major OOC goal, unless you're some sort of big dangerous dan

Equinox · October 01, 2009, 01:49:41 PM

Include people. something i learnt from Talir.

Include people in stuff, bring new people into your factions. give them missions to do, be it "map the isle" or "stalk this pc so we can find when they are weak".

Imo a great player, includes as many people in their plots and pc's as possible.

Cerberus · October 01, 2009, 01:59:18 PM

I'm NOT a great player, not even sure if I'm a good player, but I have to say I actually enjoy playing the "side-kick" concepts. If I didn't have Vifur right now I'd look into the slave concept because it would be the altimate sidekick. But anyway...

I think part of the reason I have issues taking charge of a group is the fact that I don't know all the quests that well. Hell I went on the wolf quest ("Save teh cows!") by Johan's Mill for the first time just this past weekend. So I think that knowledge of what/which quest can be done based on average party level helps to make some of the great players great and should be added to the list of what helps to make a "great player".

Random_White_Guy · October 01, 2009, 02:33:40 PM

There is a single, simple, rather undifficult process to make the leap from "Good" to "Great" player.

Involvement.

It requires some work without doubt, and requires proper inspiration, but all it takes to become a great player is that. This is a game. First and foremost If you can find a plot you love enough to pursue endlessly yourself, then you win. Its that easy. There are a lot of good players with personal and intricate plot ideas that they pursue. Some seek wealth, some seek glory, the works.

From that point on if you can involve other people into your plots, then you are a great player.

Its just that simple.

Canzah · October 01, 2009, 03:12:50 PM

I'll just say I think persistence plays a big part. Even if you can find a goal that suits you and stick to it, it may take some time before the right kind of characters turn up to support, or oppose you.

If you do stick by an agenda or whatever your character is about for a long time though, your name will most likely become known and supporters/opposers of your cause should turn up.

Edit: I should mention, of course, you also have to promote your cause. Time won't do it for you, but with time more people should notice your efforts.

Letsplayforfun · October 01, 2009, 03:31:01 PM

Great player = good player + makes others have fun too.

ExileStrife · October 01, 2009, 04:39:31 PM

Purposely losing when it's a good moment to do so.

Daemonic Daz · October 01, 2009, 04:47:09 PM

A great player can make something out of nothing with the help of other players and little DM help. I think people sometimes forget that this is a storytelling (RP) server where you are trying to tell your story to others, not the DM's are trying to tell you a story, They are there just to help you along as you tell it.

The server is shaped by the "awesome" playerbase, not the DM's :)

Random_White_Guy · October 01, 2009, 04:57:15 PM

Quote from: ExileStrife;147417Purposely losing when it's a good moment to do so.

DeputyCool · October 01, 2009, 06:03:37 PM

Something that is incredibly important to being a "great" player is this, and it is also key to getting those DM Quests you hear so much about:

Log in. And when I say log in, I mean log in for a lot of time. I don't mean dedicate 12 hours a day, but I do mean log in and find or make something to do. If you log in for 20 minute spurts, a DM won't have time to notice you, set something up and run it.

Like any other game, you get out of it what you put into it.

PlayaCharacter · October 01, 2009, 06:36:48 PM

Quote from: Random_White_Guy;147396If you can find a plot you love enough to pursue endlessly yourself, then you win.

I can't stress this enough. Playing NWN on EfU:A is a creative effort. If you don't have a source of inspiration for yourself, you're never going to inspire others to follow your plot.

If I had to hand out some general advice, I'd say this: read history. Learn about the Roman Senate. Learn what SPQR means. Find the names of all the colonial settlers of the New World, also known as America, and choose your favorite. Read up on the great pirates of the Caribbean islands.

Pretty much every DM who has ever logged in to this server is educated and will understand immediately what you're aiming at if you adopt some of the themes you find in history books. Trust me, you don't even have to scratch the surface to find enough inspiration for a thousand character concepts.

lovethesuit · October 01, 2009, 07:40:42 PM

You should never feel the need to impress people to make an impact. You don't need to be a great player, or even a good player. You contribute to EfU with every character, big or small, and it's this wide variety of players and characters that makes the story of EfU flow so easily. Some are more heroic than others, and some make greater impacts on the setting. However, just by being yourself and playing the way you want to play, you're making EfU more awesome. Don't buy into the hype that says starting factions and swooning DMs makes you a better player; there's a correlation, but there is no causal connection.

Mort · October 01, 2009, 08:23:02 PM

Good Player does what is expected of a player.

Great Player beats your expectations.

Everyone's expectations vary :mrgreen: .

But yeah, what Strife said is Key. Not acting in an unexpected way (i.e. roleplay altruism) is usually fun to see.

People who go against all odds and succeed (of course they fail 70% of the time with their other chars, but the times where they succeed makes them great).

People who are interesting/entertaining to be around. (This is really a generational thing too... If you have a ten year difference in age and dont have the same cultural background, it hurts your chances.)

As well, unpredictability is key in it. Longterm characters often become less awesome because they become predictable, if they must remain interesting, they must remain unpredictable in some way.

TomBanana · October 01, 2009, 08:59:33 PM

I find this 'involving' other characters something like a gray area. What does this exactly mean? I've recently seen powerful evil priests publicly humiliating and beating up other PCs, overpowered min/max barbarians challenging every p/c for a spar, that they'd surely win, powerful PCs FDing other just for belonging to a rival faction, and all those seemed to be what I saw of prospective PCs that involve others. It seems to me that 'involving' other PCs is very closely related to PvP and high levels of power, be it related to builds, consumables, wealth, powerful allies, etc. However, it seems to me to be the trend, get powerful, impose your will toward others, get allies that way, 'backing ones words', involving others that way. I am not sure about the amount of fun one is bringing to others that way. Well, I'm just saying what I've seen lately, I'm not judging or accusing anyone, simply pointing out the current model of involving seems to be this one. And is not a particular way I would be willing or capable of doing either. Can anyone give me other examples and ways to involve others?