Daz's amazing lootfest extravaganza

[Tanonx]

First off, the lowbie quests are nice. I'd like to see some soloable stuff higher, but that's no big deal. 2-4 quests get characters into the survivable levels fairly quick and painless. Unless you're a mage/rogue, I guess. Most things on the server itself default to 'pretty sweet', too.

That said, few bits I don't think are viable projects, but could use attention. One being 'Friking Death Wildlife'. Really, how did the guy with the cart even get his ox and wagon this far, when I can't sneak out for tripping over animals that devour my fresh lvl6 outside the gate zones? For that matter, what path did he take? There are kobolds all over that one, orcs all over this one, spiders down that one, and death cats and dogs on all of them. I know it's an unforgiving wilderness out there, but can we get some roads or something? Just because ruthless carnivores could be there doesn't really mean they should be.

Also, just a check, but could we make sure PCs and NPCs are on even footing, at least? Just taking a level of a PC class in normal PnP 3.X indicates you're beyond most people, but I could settle for that being in potential rather than ability. Sure, they've had long lives before you came along, but chances are, so did you before you were zapped/crashed/spawned into Ymph.

Tag on the potions. I'd like to see fights revolve more around fighting than buffs. The fights I've seen that haven't been magic-restricted duels mostly center on who uses the right consumable at the right time, with occasional deference to Knockdown. Regardless of if they should, or if they have to, most I've seen do. Potions are absurdly common. I have a backpack full of the things myself, to the point that I can whip out more spells in a single encounter than a mage can cast for an entire adventure, healing aside.

Seriously. It's as though someone along the design process was scared that PCs couldn't handle quests without buffs, and couldn't wrangle a mage or two half the time. A matter of opinion I happen to disagree with, but in the end not too bad for PvE. And then it carried over to PvP, and hoarding potions by the truckload, and it all went screwy.

So I guess that carries over to my own request. Less reliance on consumable organization/collection, more on your character's build, your party's strengths and weaknesses, and general tactics. This would seem to require many, many less consumables. Slow and steady non-combat healing items combined with a few low-use 'Emergency Heal' type items, maybe. Not sure, but it would need a real overhaul.

tl; dr: Potions are OD'd, PCs aren't OP, tanks have high AC, but can't take spell DCs.

[Ebok]

Just to respond to Tanonx, That's more the manner of the beast that is NWN. If potions aren't used, then when spells and buffs go up people will obliterate everything. If they are expected to be used, then its hard to do anything without them. Without being able to alter nwn, allot of this is not likely to be changed. :(

[Tanonx]

I'm hoping that it's possible to manage a middle ground, with buffing potions being rare enough that even minor ones are saved for tougher fights, with standard buffs and blasts being provided by mages, something like a standard 3.5 game.

Buffs, in my opinion, should make people more powerful, like they do, and everyone should have one or two for when their backs are against the wall. But it shouldn't be at the point where the biggest issue is organizing the oodles of potions you have so that you can get them off first.

[Caddies]

On the topic of character longevity, everyone has their own style and personal tastes.

Personally, I enjoy playing and DMing for high impact characters that make the IG atmosphere tense and exciting before dying whilst attempting one of their brazen goals or fighting one of their many PC enemies.

In the end though, you can make your character last as long as you want. There are always ways to survive any conflict. If you prefer a character that lasts for months and even years, then you're welcome to play one! But by no means does it mean others enjoy such, so you shouldn't really expect or ask for it.

[lovethesuit]

Agreeing with Caddies: more characters need to die so their players can move on.

No, seriously, this is my feeling on the subject.

Also more DMs, not for more time or plots specifically but just because.

[scrappayeti]

Firstly:

"EFU's health is a direct correlation not with DM time or DM plots but rather with PC pro-activity! A dynamic atmosphere is made by players not DMs, always has been/will be!"

I disagree. Good players can make good, dynamic atmosphere without a doubt, we could all cite endless examples. But to absolve DMs of responsibility for atmospheric dynamism is head scratchingly silly. DMs can generate absolutely magnificent story arcs, which draw players like moths to the flame. My favourite moments on this server have been when DMs unravelled some key plot point with at an appropriate time, leaving me stunned and surprised. DMs power over the environment gives them a better chance of using good theatrical timing to tell their stories, something players rarely get to do.

Good story telling, good atmosphere and a good role playing game come from DMs and players sparking off each other. Ergo, when DMs are online, the server improves in quality, it couldn’t be otherwise. The difference in quality of the setting during DM time and low DM time is markedly clear. This isn't for a second to say the responsibility for a fun server rests on the DMs shoulders, either. The process is cooperative - active PCs and active DMs make for a better playground.

However, having said all that, back on topic:

The Good:

The server reeks ambiance. The scary jungles, the cannibalistic halflings, the gobsquat, the mysterious half-clues about ancient cataclysms. All in all a five star effort. The server looks good and feels good to walk around in. It smells rich and inviting, and you feel wherever you poked your stick in the water, you would find the world setting to be deeper than your arm.

The Bad:

World setting responsiveness. I might be way off the mark here, but I feel the capacity for a player to impact the setting with an idea alone has reduced. To illustrate this, let me tell a story from my very first EfU character, Frudoc.

I had an idea that it would be cool if we had a free asylum/hospital in Lower, dedicated to the sick and mentally insane of the underdark. It would be a front, of course, and the now barely-a-spoiler illithid would use it to siphon brains of the poor for his bar. The way I just described it just now was the amount of detail I sent in an off-the-cuff PM to a DM in game. He replied, "good idea, lets do it". I started walking to the illithid's bar, but was ported there immediately by the DM. The details were discussed IC. Next reset, there it was in Lower, the start of an asylum, complete with weird looking scary equipment. All of a sudden I had the start of a series of player driven quests (I need to surreptitiously move giant vats of brain storage equipment through the dark, any volunteers?). I had a brand new faction to recruit for. I had guards to dodge, and Lower folk to lie to and, from nothing, a whole story was written. (For those wondering why they cannot remember any of this, Magister ganked me only a few days later!)

That event, however, was what totally sold me on the game. It made the server feel like a truly flexible and unique RP environment, where the DMs were working overtime to beat the limitations of a computer environment - fixed NPC dialog and pre-coded geography. At that point I truly felt if I got a shovel and emoted "digs a hole in the ground", there would be one there on the next reset.

There was no application, no "gather your minions and reputation first, and then well talk about it", no "play a few good characters then we will see". There wasn’t the slightest feeling that interaction with a DM was something that needed to be earned. There was just involvement and participation for a brand new player. And it was awesome.

Now? Not so much.

The Ugly:

People here seem to be OOC on edge. I would love to see the forums and the chat channel be friendlier and less critical. I think there are various DMs who I believe give bad examples to the other players. It’s a cooperative game, which you literally cannot win or lose, played by a small community. I believe that people could be more relaxed, respectful and helpful, and the server would be a better place. Hardcore PvP environments demand extra attention be paid to OOC respect, because it is so easy to let bad juju creep into your headspace.

[Box]

I didn't read the rest of the thread since the only opinion that matters is mine.


What EFU really needs, is for a firm campaign against everyone idling and meeting outside kingsman's. Bring back the loitering law, have some bitches thrown in jail, make kingsman charge these filthy loiterers extra on the rare occasion they actually enter the premises.


FFS people you don't go to a bar/inn to hang around outside, you go to a bar to go inside and get completely retarded with your friends.

[Ebok]

The reason people hang around outside, is we have a huge server, and from that location you can see the intersection of allot of different places. So it gets traffic. If the King'sman had a window in which we could see if people were walking into the city maybe doing something, we might be able to slip our solo selves on over there. >_> imo

[Elytherin Dragonius]

The reason people hang around outside, is we have a huge server, and from that location you can see the intersection of allot of different places. So it gets traffic. If the King'sman had a window in which we could see if people were walking into the city maybe doing something, we might be able to slip our solo selves on over there. >_> imo

an out door cafe' style bar perhaps?

[Goldfishpie]

Admittedly I have only skimmed through some of these points, so you'll have to forgive me if I repeat issues that has already been covered.
 
The forum information section, especially the factions one, is quite outdated as it still lists both the Colonial Guards, Sharboneth and the Order. I know that it may be vexing to keep updating the forum along with the many changes on the server, but this seems like an update that is quite overdo.
 
Now, I do not know how many people check out the forum before/after, but I know I direct many players with questions to it, only to realize that it must be a frustrating venture to try and tease information out of it.

[Caddies]

I disagree. Good players can make good, dynamic atmosphere without a doubt, we could all cite endless examples. But to absolve DMs of responsibility for atmospheric dynamism is head scratchingly silly. DMs can generate absolutely magnificent story arcs, which draw players like moths to the flame. My favourite moments on this server have been when DMs unravelled some key plot point with at an appropriate time, leaving me stunned and surprised. DMs power over the environment gives them a better chance of using good theatrical timing to tell their stories, something players rarely get to do.

Oh I agree! With all of that. I merely meant to say that above all things, its the inter-PC interactions that make for the best stories and count for the most memorable moments. DMs certainly do make the atmosphere come alive (its the defining reason for DMing, really!) but what we do or not isn't quite as important as PC initiatives. In your example, Frudoc wanted to make an asylum that was secretly a brain farm for a hungry illithid, that was PC pro-activity rather than a DM plot and that's the sort of sweet PC agenda I was talking about.

With regard to setting responsiveness, I agree. But the reality is that when Frudoc was around we had a -much- smaller playerbase (this was EFU alpha, IIRC?) and many more DM hours/focus. EFU is now three years old, the playerbase much larger and currently, the DMing much less frequent. Its unfortunate, but we do the best we can. Hopefully our current discussions on potential DMs will help this setting responsiveness come alive again once more. :)

[Equinox]

At the moment in terms of DM's activity. I personally have never seen better in the year or so i've been playing here. So that's kudos.

On quests. There is a nice number of quests for lowbies. it's fairly easy to reach 6 on a pc without trying too hard which is good. And tougher to get past 7+ which is also good. Keeping the server levels at the middle range means more people are willing to take risks/pvp others. I know soemtimes pvp doesn't occur with one "team" because they have a lvl 10 powerhouse backing them up who thusly scares everyone off.

On potions and supplies, those who complain that "questing = pvp win" couldn't be more wrong. I've been in a lot of pvp on the server, and i can say hand on heart that if you go in with the right attitude. (or jsut dispels) you cant bring most people down.

I personally am a massive fan of puzzle quests and challenges (such as bilbys/puzzlers) i would love to see more of these implemented, even with a low exp payout so people don't just lame them for exp. but do them for the fun of it. I also think invasion quests are amazing, and there recently been a new one added that is such great fun to do with a big team. Makes for great RP too.

Currently inter-faction rivalry is fantastic! the new sons faction is booming and the stygians are doing good! This sort of big server-changing inter-faction stuff is the stuff the makes epic legends. So keep it up guys!

Basically, the server is rockin' out currently. I'm just hoping that this continues and we see people doing epic stuff!

[Thomas_Not_very_wise]

People should join the factions more. Epic plots for epic characters await.

[Canzah]

I didn't read much more than Daz original post, so if someone already said this or something similar I apologise for that.

Either way what comes to mind is that we still have no settlements such as Fort Mur or the Sleeping Pyrimo, to compare with the Underdark. I understand we do have a few settlements outside of the Ziggurat, and the Docks have taken quite a turn recently. But still, there's nothing to quite fill the role that those (Mur, Pyrimo) did back in the days, and even though I realise we're in a setting where evil is less of the norm one such settlement would be healthy in my opinion.

Now again, I reserve myself for the possibility that one such may already exist as I am not 100% updated.

[Portal Rat]

As much as I like "conflict", I enjoy conflict on various levels. I often believe that battle is the climax of a conflict, rather than the whole definition of it. I enjoy all the subtle nuiances, the build up, the insults, the trickery, the backdealing, planning, the emotions of bystanders, collateral damage, the..... story. In a story, the tragedies and fortune that happen upon the characters mean nothing to me if I do not feel attached to them emotionally.

I wish I could get a tattoo of this. I've been here since shortly after the beta, and I feel exactly the same way. To me, this is the greatest weakness of EfU.

If DMs started handing out random role-play experience awards for good one-liners or brilliant forum posts (which used to happen oh, so long ago), players would immediately shift their attention somewhat from questing and PvP to a more nuanced style of play. This is how it works on just about every server in the Role Play section of GameSpy, and I wish EfU would de-emphasize the OMG-KILL-PWN-YEEEAH! aspect of play just a few hairs and put some more emphasis on the actual stories that drive the conflicts. The plots here are AMAZING! It baffles me that people frequently do not stop the fighting long enough to really savor them.

I love both action and story, but I have always thought EfU was a bit heavy on the former to the exclusion of the latter. Character lifespans are -way- too short.

I agree with just about all of what Scruffy said, and I also like what Egon added to it.