8 Things You Can Do to Make Life Easier for Other Players

[Lulzebub]

The NWN engine is not perfect, and there are certain aspects of it that can get very frustrating. Additionally, there are problems that plague every computer role-playing game which cannot be fixed, only worked around. If you will indulge me a moment, I'd like to present a few ideas for out-of-character things we can all do to reduce the amount of angst we unintentionally inflict on each other. These are just the things I've noticed, and I may be totally off-base, so feel free to correct or amend this list.

1. Don't stand in the middle of a walkway.

There are small spaces in the ziggurat where people have to pass by if they want to get from one place to another. For whatever reason, they also happen to be favorite places for people to stop and enjoy a nice stand. Don't do this. It's considered rude to block a doorway in real life, and in NWN it's downright frustrating. When you stop moving for any reason, check and make sure that you aren't preventing people from getting past you. Please. There are lots of other places to stand around.

2. If you're fighting in a crowded place, stick to the walls.

When you're invisible or have a good tumble roll, one of the best things you can do is get right behind the fighters and heal them. By the same token, when on beaches, in narrow tunnels, or in the forested canopies, the worst thing you can do is plant yourself, invisible or hidden, right in the middle of the path of retreat. Just make sure you're hugging the walls and you won't cause any problems for anyone.

3. Don't go AFK in the middle of something.

The best time to go AFK is when you're about to start a quest, right before everyone buffs up. The absolute worst time to go AFK is when you are in the middle of said quest, there's a battle raging, and everyone's buffs are about to wear off. We all have little emergencies we have to deal with, and sometimes you just can't help it. But for the most part, if you take your bathroom break, refill your drink, smoke your cig, or whatever it is you need to do before things get busy, the chances that you will need to go AFK again are greatly reduced.

4. Use the "Close" button on chests.

If you are on a quest and see a chest that is stuck open, that chest is broken. That means that, until the next reset, the chest will not generate any treasure for any other party that takes the quest. It is very frustrating to fight your way through a quest only to find that most of the chests are broken and that you will get nothing for your effort. By simply using the "Close" button when closing a chest, you can prevent this from ever happening.

5. Give people a chance to type.

It's almost never a good idea to type something and then run off. You really don't know how the other person was going to respond. Maybe they were going to give you what you wanted. Maybe they had something to say that you needed to hear. If you run off before they can respond, you will never know. Remember that every response is going to take at least ten seconds to type out for most people, and give them a chance to do so. This is especially important in PvP, because it's really not fair in a role-playing game to attack someone without giving them an opportunity to react to it in some way.

6. Cancel automatic actions.

This only applies to archers. When you have killed your current target, click on the ground or your action queue so that you don't automatically start taking shots at that other mob that's waaaaay across the field. Your fighters need a chance to heal up and prepare for the next battle, and that's impossible if the archer doesn't stop drawing enemies.

7. When on quests, let one person make the decisions.

Too many cooks spoil the pot. If you really want to shine, do it by being a team player. Sure, there are IC reasons why your PC may not want to do what they're told, but it often happens that players will get it in their heads that they need to run off to one side and battle that badguy in the corner who isn't attacking anyone, meanwhile the rest of the group is in trouble because they are missing someone. Elect a party leader and stick to their decisions.

8. When interacting with DM-possessed NPCs, let one person do the talking.

I'd be willing to bet that half of the reason so much of the server lore hasn't been uncovered is because every DM-possessed NPC who deigns to interact with the common adventurer encounters the equivalent of an unruly mob pulling them in all directions at once. Select an ambassador, preferably someone with good social skills and an understanding of the situation, and let them interact with the NPC on behalf of the whole group. Nothing good ever comes out of a mob mentality, and without a group leader, that's exactly what happens when a DM possessed NPC comes up. That's not to say you shouldn't act out if that's what your character would do in that situation, because you absolutely should. But when there are too many people talking at once, it's difficult to keep up.

For the record, I've been guilty of every item on this list at some time or another, so I hope this doesn't come off as nagging or complaining. I'd just like to shine a light on some of the less obvious ways things can go wrong in NWN for entirely OOC reasons.

[Drakill Tannan]

Number 1 apples to real life too, actually.

[DeputyCool]

FWIW, so does #2.

[New Guy]

All from 1 to 6 have my unabashed approval; these are mostly engine limitations that turn into IC nuisances because players don't pay due attention.

7 and 8 are debatable. I certainly see the merit in the suggestions, but I remind all who read them that these are the kinds of things that will -always- be open to IC interpretation.

[Lulzebub]

Yeah, I was kind of iffy about the last two for exactly those reasons, New Guy, but I figured they were worth including because often the confusion arises from two or more different PCs being unable to type fast enough to steer the situation. It's just a lot easier if one person is responsible for the typing part. There will always be situations where a "group leader" is undesirable.

[derfo]

Good tips.

[Letsplayforfun]

I'd fully support 1,3,4,5.

Others are highly debatable, but nonetheless good tips.

[Egon the Monkey]

1 is very, very true. If you can't reach the combat and you're a melee PC, don't shove through and risk trapping your ally because of the Bump System.
Draw the Mighty Longbow, Throwing Axes or set of darts anyone with over 8 Wisdom should have in their pack, leave a gap and SHOOT some things. Doesn't matter if you're only 12 DEX, you've got full BAB and it's better than using the melee weapon that can't reach.

[Yalta]

1,3,4 and 5 all sound. rest could be flexible depending on circumstances, but good on you for writing all this stuff up! :)

[Nuclear Catastrophe]

1,2, and 4 - okay.  Fairly reasonable to expect people to do that for you.

3 is a bit unfair.  Personally, I go afk a hell of a lot, and none of it is planned - phone calls, food, bathroom breaks etc.  Some of EfU's quests are pretty long!

5 Is a little bit silly.  In real life you can certainly shout something at someone in a street and run off without them getting a response off... I wouldn't recommend it, but it's doable.  And in PvP, I am not certain people are going to stop hurting you so you can type "argh!".

6 doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but if you feel strongly about it, sure.

7 should be dealt with ICly

8 should be dealt with ICly


My opinion, and not necessarily that of the EfU DM team as a whole, etc etc.