What RP or Story servers do you play?Are they becoming obsolete?

[Legacy_Metaldwarf]

               

Arinoch wrote...

Boredom and tedium is the enemy of us all.

Here here. I left a server I'd been on for three years because of that, and I still loved the players I was playing with, no less. I had an epic character, which felt like an accomplishment as the DMs had to nominate your character to be advanced above 20. But still, I'd gone everywhere and done everything, and could only count on DM plots, which at the time were few and far between, to get any sense of danger. Maybe that same reason is why I champion the scaling system on TWI so much, because it extends the life of the areas you've been to over and over. Combine that with slow, purposeful leveling and the game world extends itself significantly.

Of course, game world is nothing without players to fill it, so that's the other issue that arises, especially with an aging game like NWN. I wish I knew a way to gauge whether the number of committed RPers are on the decline, even in the real world in terms of PnP play. If there were even D&D forums to visit where you could say "you guys should buy Neverwinter Nights and come play", it's going to be that much harder to get a copy of the game as time progresses. NWN2 is on Steam, at least, so there's always that when the day comes, I suppose.

NWN has been available on on Good Old Games since last fall, and I remember when several folks from my server at the time politely told people on the GOG forums about our server as well as the plethora of others. Most people's responses were along the lines of 'Thanks but we prefer the game itself and action servers.' Most people seemed more interested in being able to level quickly and get 'sweet gear.' Perhaps things have changed over the prevailing months and maybe it's wise to make another such forum post extolling the virtues of RP PW for NWN.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Arinoch]

               Good idea. I posted a few replies to some threads, anyway, though obviously mostly focused on The Way Inn. ^^
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SuperFly_2000]

               

Metaldwarf wrote...
One reason I like posting here rather than some of the server forums is that people tend to be more levelheaded here.

It is funny you should say that.

I have noticed this also. Note that this most of the servers (if not all) mentioned in this thread are not of this kind.

I don't know why it is that such an amount of tension can be built up. Especially on self proclaimed "hardcore roleplaying servers".

It is like there is a build up of OOC frustration that has not been vented. People are more or less afraid to speak their mind, both on forums and or chat. Anything deemed as "politically incorrect" will instantly be bashed on and in worst case lead to ban....for no reason other than trying to discuss some of the inner workings of the server.

Locking of threads seem to be common practice.

I think the worst possible example of this was the Wake server that didn't stay online for long. It looked like a well constructed server only it really had some hardcore rules:
- Hardcore roleplaying
- Permadeath
- Low magic and low level
- ...and full PvP encouraged on top of that.

When the server closed down they stopped moderating their forums...and oh boy was that an ugly sight.


Anyway...this was all a kind of paranthesis and an off-topic rant in this thread awoken by a possible similar thought and also my will to crusade against elitist RP servers....
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_NWN DM]

               One must logically expect over time that there will be some dropout.

That NWN/NWN2 have lasted this long is entirely due to the strong communities that surround the games which were abandoned long ago in favour of ca$hing in and $elling out (BioWare) the more profitable (Obsidian) and lawsuits over gross incompetence (Atari).
               
               

               

                     Modifié par NWN DM, 05 mai 2011 - 12:53 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Arinoch]

               Just on Superfly's post - I think also hardcore RPers can take things very seriously, forgetting it is, at the end of the day, a game. That attitude can transfer into all manner of things, resulting in the hard-headedness you speak of occurring on forums. Of course, then there's the group of hardcore RPers who veer towards the dramatic, which can also transfer into their attitudes on other things. These are the folks who get emotionally shattered in real life when their characters die or something bad happens to them. Some of the best RPers I've known are like that, so it's a shame when people can't take things in stride. Bad things happening to your characters, of course, is one of the best ways for a character to grow and evolve. So at the end of the day I think we just have to get lucky and hope that the core group of RPers that form on a server are of the level-headed, reasonable variety.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TSMDude]

               *sighs*

Why do people contuine to harp on hardcore role players? I do not bash action players or modern players or harrypotteries. I do not disparage the social server people, the planescapers, or even the people who agonize over builds vs character devolping...

It honestly at times feels like I am at a Tea Party rally saying that educated folks who go to college are bad...

When did this switch occurr that folks who like to rp the hard core ruleset which is one of the most popular downloads become evil folks to be avoided? And why is it ONCE again coming up in a thread that rpers are bad?

I mean come on folks...Dungeons and Dragons is a role playing game. We are talking about a role playing game. Not Risk or first person shooters or Lara Croft and her bountiful bosom.

We are talking about a game that is baed on role playing and if Bob wants to rp as hard as he can then let Bob rp, you guessed it, as hard as he can.

I have seen excellent role playing in taverns and even saw a 7 act play done by a group of players on a server and was amazzed. It was quite awesome. i have seen bards perform and magic shows and the what like. I have also seen fantastic rp in a dungeon and on battlefields and even on the forums.

And not once did I begrudge someone for it.

I see servers packed on the action servers with people happily smacking away with axes and I have seen PvP servers that rocked with nothing but powerbuilds...cool..the people are enjoying themselves.

Yet only here do you contuinally see people bad mouth hard core role players as something wrong. I do not understand it and thankfully I never will understand how someone...hell anyone...will bad mouth a certain style of play.

If you dont like it then dont do it....
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_kalbaern]

               

Arinoch wrote...

Just on Superfly's post - I think also hardcore RPers can take things very seriously, forgetting it is, at the end of the day, a game. That attitude can transfer into all manner of things, resulting in the hard-headedness you speak of occurring on forums. Of course, then there's the group of hardcore RPers who veer towards the dramatic, which can also transfer into their attitudes on other things. These are the folks who get emotionally shattered in real life when their characters die or something bad happens to them. Some of the best RPers I've known are like that, so it's a shame when people can't take things in stride. Bad things happening to your characters, of course, is one of the best ways for a character to grow and evolve. So at the end of the day I think we just have to get lucky and hope that the core group of RPers that form on a server are of the level-headed, reasonable variety.

Over-reaction is in noway limited to the so called "Hardcore RPers". I see it constantly on juat about any type of NWN PW. Action and PvP servers where a player thinks their build is untouchable and suddenl gets taken out by a newcomer often go beserk. WoW players and just about any other type of MMO have their own fair share of "nutcases" to. Heck, I listened in last week to someone going crazy in chat while playing my favorite FPS on XBox, just because some "camper" took out his character seven times in a row.**

It's nnot limited to certain age groups that I can see either. On the surface, youth appears to play a part, but youthful players are sometimes also more predominate too. I've known folk from 14 to 70 have blow ups, tantrum and just get mired down in drama over the years. I've seen players leave a world to escape drama and they find more elsewhere. I've seen others play on the same worlds for years at a time and successfully avoid getting sucked into "drama". Wherever and whatever you play, when it's nolonger fun, it's time to move on. I've heard sunlight is good for most of us anyhow.'>

**I wasn't camping. I was sniping while concealed. I always move after every second target. '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Arinoch]

               I didn't mean to imply that I think hardcore RPers are the only ones who overreact to things - I'm a hardcore RPer. What I was saying was that as with any group of people, you get the extremes as well, and when the extremes become the norm for a server, that usually takes it down a bad road. If nothing else, a few outspoken nutbars can give a server a bad name even though there are far more well-adjusted players. The basic truth that we all know is that the Internet gives people a free wall of anonymity that allows them to be as much of a loser as they want, so we have to hope that servers develop a larger group of quality players that becomes the norm rather than those losers.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_muvs32]

               Kalbaern said, " when it's nolonger fun, it's time to move on. I've heard sunlight is good for most of us anyhow.'>  well said.

I can completely understand not wanting to fleece a server pop. or player/s as  "hardcore" and to be avoided but...are good RP'ers being talked of, or players who are merely hardcore? (I.E. overtly selfish, unyielding, clique like and favoring their RP over the efforts of others, too emotionally attached to a fantasy/character(there is a prognosis for that) If a player is great at RP but fosters within there play too many or too great an extent of these traits...does it create a balance for some? I would like to know what others think.

D&D was and I am to assume still is, game,a game to be played by a group (it is indicated that this group be agreeable if not outright friendly) a group of friends playing a game, a game called D&D, period. There is no other way to describe it I.M.H.O.

I do recall that while being a D.M. and admin. team member on a successful PW that a core of players that had played PnP with the mods builder for many years in past thought they they were entitled to dictate to DM's ,and even other players how they were to RP and even how the story would go. They would send PM's without my knowledge to the builder who would tell them he trusted his dedicated staff and would back them accordingly. That lead to more disgruntlement and would consume more time and take away from the FUN aspect.

After the builder/host retired from NwN the mod was given to these old friends who chased off the only two DM's that ran events (tho I know one good soul stayed) and chased off a player base that used to attract double digits. The server in question is always on 0 when I look at gamespy...is there any wonder.

Even tho the folks I speak of could be excellent at RP and writing their backstories ext. with their selfishness and cliquishness they ran off more players then they were worth, very sadly. I know this has happened other places and it is a shame that grown people cannot leave their bigotry, close mindedness and lack of any kind of humility at the door...I apologize for rant.

"Hardcore" itself may be a term undeserved but I understand the apprehension completely when someone offers this term as a description of a group of players.

Remaining neither less or greater then anyone...I will let things be as they are!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Metaldwarf]

               One of the servers I played on had as criteria for people to attain certain rewards their ability to 'bend their rp for others.'  Ideally it encourages people to include others in their roleplay but also subtly to remind them that their characters are part of a world and even if they are epics they should treat the world and especially their fellow rpers who inhabit it accordingly. The idea of 'hardcore' roleplay, to most of the people on that server, meant to be committed to your character but also allow that others are as committed to theirs. I find that disparity all too common on servers.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aelis Eine]

               

TSMDude wrote...

Why do people contuine to harp on hardcore role players?

Why shouldn't they? It's on topic, unlike tangential references to Tea Party rallies and Lara Croft.

Black sheep do exist in the RP community and yes, they are one reason why people are run off.

If you don't like reading about why people think RP servers are in decline maybe you shouldn't, y'know, come into a thread about it?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jenna WSI]

               

Metaldwarf wrote...

One of the servers I played on had as criteria for people to attain certain rewards their ability to 'bend their rp for others.'  Ideally it encourages people to include others in their roleplay but also subtly to remind them that their characters are part of a world and even if they are epics they should treat the world and especially their fellow rpers who inhabit it accordingly. The idea of 'hardcore' roleplay, to most of the people on that server, meant to be committed to your character but also allow that others are as committed to theirs. I find that disparity all too common on servers.

What kind of rewards?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TSMDude]

               

Arinoch wrote...

I didn't mean to imply that I think hardcore RPers are the only ones who overreact to things - I'm a hardcore RPer. ................. The basic truth that we all know is that the Internet gives people a free wall of anonymity that allows them to be as much of a loser as they want, so we have to hope that servers develop a larger group of quality players that becomes the norm rather than those losers.

No worries then.

And I agree with the rest of your statement as it is very true that the anonymity of the tnternet often makes folks spout things or act in a way totally devoid of common sense.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par TSMDude, 06 mai 2011 - 09:58 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_muvs32]

               

TSMDude wrote...

Arinoch wrote...

I didn't mean to imply that I think hardcore RPers are the only ones who overreact to things - I'm a hardcore RPer. ................. The basic truth that we all know is that the Internet gives people a free wall of anonymity that allows them to be as much of a loser as they want, so we have to hope that servers develop a larger group of quality players that becomes the norm rather than those losers.

No worries then.

And I agree with the rest of your statement as it is very true that the anonymity of the tnternet often makes folks spout things or act in a way totally devoid of common sense.

  One see's much the same behaviors while people are driving their cars....Oie!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Metaldwarf]

               

Aelis Eine wrote...

TSMDude wrote...

Why do people contuine to harp on hardcore role players?

Why shouldn't they? It's on topic, unlike tangential references to Tea Party rallies and Lara Croft.

Black sheep do exist in the RP community and yes, they are one reason why people are run off.

If you don't like reading about why people think RP servers are in decline maybe you shouldn't, y'know, come into a thread about it?

Actually I don't think disparaging any kind of rper is 'on topic'. TSMDude made some good points. I've been on rp servers where I was essentially criticized for knowing too much lore about the setting and expecting people to rp accordingly. I have very high standards when it comes to certain settings and I personally don't see anything wrong with that. However, often times I'm forced to downplay my own 'hardcore' rp for the sake of others, which I also don't find a problem with although it makes the game less interesting and exciting for me. I am sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.