A well deserved Rant

[Random_White_Guy]

[15:43] I've heard a couple reports recently about new players trying us out and being ignored :-(
[15:44] Well, one of them said that someone as much as emoted *ignores the new arrival*

This will be short, concise, and to the point.

If you are going to whittle away time idling atop the Ziggurat. Be it RP, Selling goods, or simply idling. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot be involving to the Portal-Rats coming through the Ziggurat.

Be them new, old, or in between, "Dramatically being portaleld through a magical gateway to a new realm" is an awesome. Awesome RP tool.

Folks come through disoriented, disgruntled, and horrified.

If you're going to be pissing away time up there, at least do something worthwhile and involve more people.

In fact, do one better. Grab your friends, Nooby McJustcamethroughtheportal, and move your discussion to the Bars. The Kingsman or Hanged Goblin are great places to catch up with people, introduce people to the setting, and have some fun.

Even if your character is a Banite who steps on puppies with his spike clad boots, Give them a "Hah-Hah. You'll never see your friends and family again. Go drown yourself at the Kingsman." You can still be an evil bastard, and be new-people friendly.

Folks say it gets old, Folks say it gets tedious, but its a dramatic event from both ends. Its cool to watch, its loud and flashy, and should definitely disrupt and conversation you're having.

Standing there watching someone appear out of Thin air, is a dramatic event. When the Undead Spirit-Servant of Garagos did it, Dozens upon dozens of PC's showed up. I'd like to think that isn't because its a DM, but because so many people were coming to see a new arrival.

If you're starting a Gang, stand there with your gang-members, and try to recruit people as soon as they jump in, akin to how gangs and loan-sharks used to do to Immigrants.

If you're starting a Church, stand around with bedrolls and fine armors, and a shoulder for new people to come to terms with their new woes. Such charity is how you get your name out to new comers, and build an easy following

If you're in a Faction, Run up with both hands flailing going "TALK TO ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN A SUPER COOL FACTION AND GET INVOLVED IN THE SERVER".

I kid about the last point, but New Recruits are always being sought, as are people hiring individuals.

Newcomers are easily tricked. Easily consoled.

Be you good, evil, or in between, Newcomers are a gold mine of possible manual labor or Friends.

Do not let the foolish mistake shown in Howland's quote come to pass.

Embrace the newcomer. Even if it is just another Veteran PC on a new character, or just making an Alt.

The Ziggurat is our friend, and those who come through it are in well deserved need of RP.

If you're idling atop the Ziggurat you're likely the first people anyone sees when they come new to the server. If it is simply a new PC for an old player, the first PCs their new guy encounters upon this strange, fascinating, and awesome island.

Shine. Take pride in your role as Idlers/Merchant/RPers/Wal*mart-Greeters, and don't abuse your post. That's when DMs start throwing lightning bolts to clear out idlers.

If you're going to do it, at least do it right. Put on a good face for the server, even if its a minute or two of your time. That trogz run can wait.

That is all.

[Howlando]

I endorse these views absolutely.

If this server is going to continue to be healthy, it is VITAL that all players make a serious effort to extend themselves to new players/characters. Depending on your character, this could take many different forms - you need not be "nice" IC, you can still RP your character's lack of charitable nature with some flavorful IC insults, so long as it's interaction. And a helpful OOC tells helps if you suspect it could be needed.

Not only is this good for the server, but it's likely good for your character. Now they'll have a friend, an ally, a questing companion, someone to join their faction or gang or whatever.

And, of course, if I see it, it will earn you as a player major bonus points as well as likely a nice dollop of XP.

Plenty of new players who try us out won't have the maturity or taste to really succeed here, but it's surprising how much a few seconds of IC RP and OOC kindness can do to ensure we continue to have a vibrant community.

[I can has fun?]

This is a really great post RwG, and it got me thinking about some things that hadn't really occurred to me. Good job.

[Garem]

To play a sort of Devil's advocate, I actually did this with Tieron Malatesta. A lot, even, as recruitment was damned near IMPOSSIBLE for whatever reason. I was always looking to see if people were interested in Idea 1, or no, well maybe Idea 2. Not really? A shame, but no fear, there's Semi-Secret Idea 3 that may fit you just perfec-- wait, hey where are you going? Faussad? Why? He's lame, just stands there all day. Oh damn, they're gone chasing XPs.

This isn't to say that I didn't have some really cool moments. A family of PC bounty hunters came through once, and the strappings of a great relationship between theirs and mine would have definitely happened had they been more active (they only played once a week together, sadly). Aside from that, I was greatly disappointed with my efforts to win over the people of the Ziggurat, gain allies, even find hirable men and women for the family.

Why? Most people who hit the gameworld already know EXACTLY what they want to do, who they want to associate with, who they DON'T want to waste time with, and what they need to do to get there. I don't think a single one of us isn't guilty of this, to differing degrees. Until that sort of mentality is subdued, you can spend all the time you want doing this for little or no benefit to the greeter.

All that being said, I still wholly believe the ziggurat should be used for this by more people; and for God's sake don't stand around and stare at people pop through!

[Thomas_Not_very_wise]

sticky plz

[IxTheSpeedy]

I can't agree more with this.  ESPECIALLY when the pc coming through is new to the server.  Ya know, when I first started on EFU I stuck here because of one particular person showing me the ropes and helping me get acclimated.  I am 100% sure I would not have stayed if it were not for that effort put in.  It's so important to take some time out and show people around a bit.

[Joe Desu]

Back in Sanctuary, I, Zebulon, would often show the newly arrived slaves around, made sure they got their citizen stone give them the lay of the city.  Hells, once I ran back and forth to the Blue Mushroom 2 or 3 times just to start a discussion with the thayans to come into the city.  Of course he might have spit on new blood once or twice.  >_>
 
Yeah, I know not all characters are going to be so IC helpful to everyone showing up.  So if you are going to be standof-ish, check to see if that newly arrived is a newb, just to make sure that your actions were understood.  Of course for ol' timers getting an emote of being ignored is plenty incentive to remember that PC, especially if they are asking you for some healing on a quest.  Have a heart.

[MisterPAIN]

In EfU:A I did this routinely at one point until I took a break when the faction broke-died from internal events and unfortunately I am being busy at the moment with school stuff so I can't really pick it up quite yet. (Blue Meanies)

In EfU I just got the cold hard shoulder since apparently people had their minds set on doing something else (Dragon's Fail >.>).  Had the faction taken off and had the DMs fixed Gatts from the invalidations on clerics most likely they would have been involved with the phoenix stuff and operations around the volcano area.

[Sternhund]

If you're starting a Gang, stand there with your gang-members, and try to recruit people as soon as they jump in, akin to how gangs and loan-sharks used to do to Immigrants.

If you're starting a Church, stand around with bedrolls and fine armors, and a shoulder for new people to come to terms with their new woes. Such charity is how you get your name out to new comers, and build an easy following

If you're in a Faction, Run up with both hands flailing going "TALK TO ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN A SUPER COOL FACTION AND GET INVOLVED IN THE SERVER".

The number one thing to make a faction interesting and proactive is to have a strong base of recruitment. RwG hit it right on in this statement. Use the tools presented, and make the Ziggurat an active recruiting ground. It helps strengthen your faction, and it helps the new player to immediately get involved with what EFUA is all about.

[tooh]

Don't forget that newcomers from others servers think about Xp and Loot first, shoot and kill, to make a powerfull never flee character. Take time to discover and understand about IC and RP, to envolve to a concept character player, but we are here to learn and teach, to wellcome all and make fun, make then participate.

[Denko]

[15:43] I've heard a couple reports recently about new players trying us out and being ignored
[15:44] Well, one of them said that someone as much as emoted *ignores the new arrival

That was perhaps me, I typed this while playing my elven char. Now, I don't see what is the fuss about this. I was rping my char. My char doesn't care that some poor sod get teleported on Ymph, and that's why the most logical thing for him to do is to "ignores the new arrival", especially when he is supposed to have witnessed it like 2500 times already. If I would have been playing a char who is supposed to help, then I would have done something else, but I wasn't. And even an evil char won't say "HAHA YOU LOSER YOU ARE STUCK HERE" 10 times a day; the moment will come when he won't care anymore.

[Conan The Conqueror]

When you are on the server and can't find anyone to talk to or do anything with...then don't complain if that is the attitude that you bring to the table. There are times that you have to think outside of the limitations of NWN and remember it is a game in the end. Time and again it has been said that new players are the lifeblood of the server. "RPing your character" does not mean discount all common sense.

There are a myriad of ways that you can still productively roleplay your characters disinterest or disgust for new arrivals to the colony that come through the portal. You never know, the next person through that portal may just be your future best friend...even if he's the 2500th person you've seen come through it.

[Denko]

Yet, none of the ways of that myriad would fit my char... That's the point. As I said, with another char, I would act differently, and besides that doesn't mean I can't be helpful to new players OOCly.

[Caddies]

Ever thought of saying-

*Glances wearily, even scornfully at the newcomer, muttering quietly before shuffling off* Hells, that must be over two thousand of them I've seen now, getting tired of it.

instead of-

*Ignores the new guy*

You see where we're coming from, Denko? New players are the lifeblood of any server, and there are ways for you welcome them without betraying your character.

[monet]

Why? Most people who hit the gameworld already know EXACTLY what they want to do, who they want to associate with, who they DON'T want to waste time with, and what they need to do to get there.

I think this is really what you're up against.  It's a nice thought that all of these portal arrivals are fresh-minded and new to EFU and even NWN but that's just not the case, it's an old game with few new players, and most experienced players have their home server and if they pop in here they're just sightseeing.  So most if not basically all new characters are from the same set of players.  They know who the factions are and who they want to drift towards.  It would be nice if they RPed more bewilderment along the way but then again when the player has been through the portal six or ten or twenty times now they're more likely to want to "fast forward" to get to the good parts.  Or maybe they want to RP that they were raised on the island or arrived a different way, and don't want to RP the portalling at all...  Another reason they'd want to scurry away quiclkly.

Don't forget that newcomers from others servers think about Xp and Loot first, shoot and kill, to make a powerfull never flee character. Take time to discover and understand about IC and RP, to envolve to a concept character player, but we are here to learn and teach, to wellcome all and make fun, make then participate.

I've played on maybe five or six NWN servers now and they all have this attitude towards the other ones, that they're the only ones who truly RP  and every other server is just about hacking and slashing.  I have yet to see an exception really...  Go read some other servers forums and you'll see this exact message dozens of times.  But I really don't think most NWN players are only after xp and loot, if they're still playing this game in 2009 they're probably after RP in one form or another.  

At the same time stepping into a new server can be intimidating for some people and these folks may need time to acclimate.  They were ready for some hand-holding newbie quests and NPC interactions (which don't exist here) not to have PCs instantly engaging them.  I'm not saying don't do it (it's great that you do!) but maybe a little patience towards genuinely new arrivals, letting them explore a bit if they need it, instead of writing them off as only interested in powergaming or whatever  if they seem shy or overwhelmed.