False Castrato

[Random_White_Guy]

"I dunno, it just feels like there's nothing I can do"
"I mean what's the point? Other DM factions aren't doing anything about it"
"PC's just stand there and watch things happen, then go grind Trogs"

There's been a disturbing trend of late of people OOCly debating and mentioning the current state of EFU affairs. The idea that somehow the Conclave is an unhaltable crushernaut, that all the PCs on EFU are reactionary, that there's nothing to do IG, that the tone of the server is "Try to do fun stuff then say forget it and go quest".

It seems to wax and wane with times of year in EFU, or how particular trends are going. I try to limit how often I make posts like this but I felt it was appropriate.

EFU is a Sandbox. It is open to huge shifts, changes, alterations, and shaping based on PC action and PC initiative.

If PCs sit about feeling like nothing can be done, nothing -will be done-.

If as a PC you are bored of grinding quests then sit down and try to find something fun that can draw PCs besides questing. There's scheming, there's merchanting, there's exploring, there's cults, there's IC religion, there's crime, there's hunting, there's really no limit to what you can do in EFU.

But as an Ex-DM and a PC there is nothing that breaks my heart more than PCs going "Well why aren't the Order trying to stop it?", "Why are the Wyrm Watchers taking it on the chin"? in regards to both recent Conclave actions and current events IC.

The answer?

So PC's can cowboy the fuck up and stir some conflict

Where are the Paladins, Where are the Harpers, where are the freedom fighters, where are the opportunistic criminals who want to play both sides? Where are the sellouts who betray their friends for piles of imperial gold? Where are the rivals who believe what the Empire is doing is right but it should be them at the seat of the throne not the Wizards?

IRC and IG Tells are not meant as a tool to bitch about how "Those darn imperials are at it again". I've interacted with the Conclavists and they're some of the most fun and dynamic PC's on the server. People just see what they want to see.

EFU is at its peak both idealistically and entertainingly when there are PC actions at work to resist, think about, pursue, and weave around. PC to PC conflict is the spice of EFU life.

I'm not saying "GET OUT THERE AND MAKE PCS TO MESS UP THE CONCLAVE"

But instead saying instead of griping, consider how IC your character would react to such feelings and develop them in game.

Perhaps your PC may be the one that people tell stories about for vanquishing the Empire.

Perhaps your PC may be the name cursed and burned in effigy after betraying the entire populace.

PCs have more power than EFU is willing to give it. One PC turns into two PCs can turn into a 10 man PC Faction that could be making big moves and shaking the server.

Fun comes when there's five different groups are shaking the server, stirring conflict, at each other's throats, recruiting people, making moves, drawing lines, fighting over those lines, trying to gain the public's love or fear.

"Screw this, there's nothing I can do, let's run harpies" isn't how you get there though.

Unless what you enjoy about EFU is the quests, which is perfectly acceptable.

[Voluminous Cloak]

Yes. What he said.

[Coin Lord]

Not experienced or witnessed this.
 
It cyclical. The sun sets, the sun rises, yadda, yadda...
 
In a month a new bunch of PC's will have emerged and beaten up the Conclave and their allies.
 
The present Conclave PC's have been super-active and aggressive IG, which has been excellent. They deserve their moment in the sun! EFU is great because this wont last too long before someone (or the server) smacks them down and we start all over again.

[Porkolt]

It's called falsetto.

[Aethereal]

It will all make sense, come Nightal.

As to the overbearing presence of the Conclave. I can sympathise, but I think its totally one sided to think 'they're all out to get you.' Most of them probably are though. xD

Ideally, however, you should be coming to these conclusions, in character and in-game!

[DreamWithinADream]

Im new to mistlocke but when i got here like a month ago there was a crop of popular pcs, and throughout the weeks one by one theve died or fallen off and I dont think thats a bad thing...its going to allow for new people to rise up and take the stage. It seemed a little slow to me this past week as a newcomer but im sure thats just because new characters need to gather up a little strength and confidence before they start feeling really badass.
Also, im pretty sure that in the process of finding a new main people sometimes bounce around a bit from one low lvl tooon to the next till they settle on something they enjoy playing. Just give people time to establish themselves and im sure things will whirlwinding again soon enough!

[LaceAndLeather]

Or when PCs are like, "HEY, I'M DOING SOMETHING AWESOME. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOMETHING AWESOME, TOO?", realize that sometimes other peoples' plots are a means to an end.

We are all characters in each others' stories, not main characters with 50 other people playing our supporting roles. People forget that.

[BASTARD!]

I certainly agree with a lot of this. I haven't seen the waxing and waning of fotm styles or of inspirational up and down-times yet but I definitely believe they're there.

I think it is hugely important to embrace your character's goals and desires to the utmost. If your citizen cares enough to heave threats, shake his fist, and yell at the Muster for not doing their job..maybe they should try to get something together. Whether against the conclave, cyricists, ooze cult, aberrant, or any of the many potential conflicts that exist or have existed.

At the same time I think it is pretty important not to do these things if they are against your characters nature or for the sake of them. Some characters like to lay-low and keep alive. This is understandable, but at a point I think the "staying alive" part overpowers the real reasons why we're here.

People bang out quests and suffer little deaths that are truly insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and feel as if they have gotten somewhere. They do more and more quests trying to accumulate potions, items, etc.. so that they may someday be a part of conflict and the richness this server brings.

This gaming mindset to start doing quests from the moment you arrive on the Island really detracts from other amazing things that are happening. I'm not saying quests or questing is bad, just that having the tunnel vision to only see the quests is. A lot of interesting PCs exist and give more than enough opportunities to fresh players to get involved. From building allies to getting a foothold in a faction or making enemies!

I think any of these alternatives are more likely to reap bigger benefits then waiting for the next Well/Muskroot/Gnoll sending. Even if you don't earn much in material gains from the conflict or interaction you will undoubtedly come away with some very excellent roleplay.

As for people who stand around the square complaining of boredom..ADVENTURE! I recently made a new character and am seeing a side of the server I have not seen before. When the square is empty, but players are on..STUFF IS HAPPENING. You would be amazed at the actual groups of players you may run into in the wilds, old stones, conclave territroy. Don't be too afraid to venture away from the Village for something other than a quest.

That's my biased opinion anyway. I feel like I have a similar mindset to many others that you describe. I fell into the trap of quest-grinding and walking around doing nothing. Looking for others to entertain me without putting in the real effort myself. I expected loot from questing, and thought my deaths meant something just because i was level 8 when they occurred. If you don't have drive or actual motivations none of it really matters in the end.
Playing it safe and just existing is meaningless without some sort of conflict. You will get to a decent level by quest grinding. You may die a lot or not at all, but then what? You're level 8 or 9 with no ambition.

I feel like it's really important to build that stuff up as your character progresses. Don't try to save it for when you feel like you can back yourself up better. I've seen level 4s punk other characters through roleplay and presence alone. The sooner you start getting involved, the better. Waiting for power leaves the server with very mundane lower level characters who may not even exist in a week's time.

[Luke Danger]

Or when PCs are like, "HEY, I'M DOING SOMETHING AWESOME. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOMETHING AWESOME, TOO?", realize that sometimes other peoples' plots are a means to an end.

We are all characters in each others' stories, not main characters with 50 other people playing our supporting roles. People forget that.

I haven't been on for a long time, but this is critical to understand. Everyone is equal in rank as far as the DM's are concerned. In 'verse, some PC's outrank others, but OOC everyone is the same if they put in the willingness to play. Sometimes your character gets a day in the limelight, sometimes you're the party member sidekick/squadmate. I actually liked playing the latter a lot; the second-in-command/buddy role because you get to play a lot and when it isn't your day in the limelight you can sit back somewhat and let the others have their day.

From my experience, every EfU PC of note had some sort of friend or ally. The Montezzis had their crew of retainers/loyalists, the Dwarven leaders (Kharst, Durgrim, Dalgad) had their allies (and Gloin as the lampshading second-in-command :p ), de Olid had the Stygians and his own crew of allies, Emma Snow had other Order Templar like Baldomer. And even NPCs are in on this: Gaeserric had his mute friend (name escapes me ATM), Razul has had Fassaud, the Count had his Rubies, etc. etc.

Don't be afraid to be the supporting character. In fact, embrace being in the second chair when you find yourself in it as its a chance to grow your character for your day in the limelight. Who knows what your character's story might turn to!

TBH, something that every faction really needs is a character who is not in command but is willing to call the leader out when he/she does something and is willing to be H'bala's advocate in situations. That niche is easily just as important as having a faction leader, if you ask me, because not only does it give the faction someone who can keep order if the leader suddenly vanishes, but it also means that a faction leader has a check of sorts.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't be ambitious and should wait for other PC's to start goals. In fact, just the opposite: focus on your goals and your character's agenda. The thing to remember is that sometimes you will be helping someone else in their goals just as others help you with your goal, and sometimes your goals become unattainable and must wait for them to be attainable again.

All in all, be flexible with your playstyle and remember that you are not always in the limelight. Quite often, others are in the limelight or more commonly it is shared amongst the group. If you feel you lack the drive to be a faction leader or run your own plots; play a goon/red shirt. If you feel up for the challenge, feel free to give it a go, just be ready to fail. Nothing is garunteed, and the best characters are those who will make a push but are also willing to take a step back and let the others into the limelight.

[Caddies]

lol @ letting Conclave be top dogs

[Pool]

Personally, I do not find conflict appealing in the slightest in either the actual combat or the political means of it.

It might just be me, but I'm a better skill fighter than I am a number cruncher. I'd rather be doing all sorts of stupid twirls and jumps to hit someone's head that's poking out from a shield or dome'ing people in a shooter. I'm not a firm believer of relying on luck just to judge by number.

PVP does not really feel very inviting when the character's apart of a race that's known for being nasty pieces of work in conflict when it comes to brute strength, only to get beaten by nearly everyone who uses a two headed weapon or has a stat build that's better than him. Also watching from a factionless POV, the way PVP is executed is in such poor tastes that it makes me frown.

I'm not about to complain about a battle because IC is IC, but the factions really just seem to wait until everyone logs off and attacks the stragglers left. No dieing in a 'guts and glory' manner on a battlefield. That is boring and just a poor show. I liked the stand-off between the Abberants and the Order at the cross-roads. That is how a battle should be.

Not counting the actual combat, the way they're waged are a bit nutty. They're either stirred by over-zealous characters that really don't have any sense to why they're trying to stir something or it can be as simple as "I don't like you anymore." that snowballs into more people coming to their side.

I'd rather my character dies with meaning instead of some petty scuffle that was stirred. I have no problems with my character dieing, infact alot of his plans to un-root something dangerously strong involves suicide in terrible manners to take them out with him. But there's a Lich, some terrible thing named The Agony and all sorts of shambling undead. There seems to be something much more important to me than what he or she said on the other side of the fence. So while I'm interested in the idea of factions, I would just prefer to adventure and charge into the locks of the Lich than stab some dude who wears a different faction's colors.

[Damien]

personally these threads are super boring now, stop making massive shit stirring threads when you come back rwg >_>

[tropic]

These threads DO have a tendency to balloon into debates about the state of roleplay. Boring for older players but newer players can maybe glean something.

Here's the last one:

http://www.escapefromundeath.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61746

Related:

http://www.escapefromundeath.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57226

http://www.escapefromundeath.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57512

[xXCrystal_Rose]

Another one of these. Summary: Everything has its ups and downs. If you don't like the current flow then quit complaining, get off your ass and change it IG.

[Pool]

Another one of these. Summary: Everything has its ups and downs. If you don't like the current flow then quit complaining, get off your ass and change it IG.

Nobody has the power to do that. Voicing displeasure against it in itself kind've weighs badly in your favor.

Alot of the things people have problems with are out of their reach or in control of the people upstairs.

Example: People IC wanted to oppose the Aberrant because they were sick of everyone dieing. The King himself comes out of invisibility while we're checking out a Aberrant corpse and trying to figure out how he died. A war-party of 13 is down in a quarter of a second. Then a single Conclave member comes by and does it again while we're all still recovering just to kill the King because he's weak from fighting all of us.


You need -ridiculous- amounts of power or enough charisma to sway an -entire- server just to follow your interests and get your desired results through an IC manner. What you're asking of people is a very high order.