On player forged events, DMs and game moderation.

[Tratz]

In my first post on the forums I brought up some of the things that I thought would help the functionality of Dasaria. Given I'm still new in the community I am willing to admit my ignorance before I continue with this arguement. I mean it in good faith and politely tip my hat to the people who run Dasaria and moderate the game, as well to the players who have made an effort to supplement a dark/villainous element to the game. It's appreciated.

I've got a beef. Though the player community is very engaged in wholesome and active roleplaying, there are some aspects to the environment that lack substance. Allow me to illustrate what I mean in a couple of examples.

In two events that I've participated in, the end result was in violent confrontation. I'm not the sort of player that acknowledges a challenge rating. It's a useless tool in roleplaying communities and only instigates metagaming. When Giladel Ravencrest is put in a position where imperial law is being compromised he voices it and acts upon it accordingly.

In one instance he witnessed a palemaster PC flagrantly summon her horrific abominations in Cear right by the smithy in plain view of the guards, commoners and other like minded malign characters (or so they seemed as they all started frivolously spewing spells and conjurations in kind). Being Lawful Neutral and a devout of Etoth my character gave them one warning before departing towards the city Gaol to inform the captain himself. Once reaching the commons the said pale master tried to bribe him. Giladel refused and in the open public, within earshot/eyeshot of the guards and commoners said "Then you leave me no choice" and preceded to cast her spells, striking Giladel dead before running off on her merry little way, unobstructed.

In another instance the nutorious Namregs assaulted Thrall's Gate in a malicious act of hate and revenge. Giladel ran ahead to raise the alarm, clearly screaming "ALARM!" twice before being decimated by the villians. The commoners commoned. The Guards Guarded. Only the few guards within eyeshot that they attacked actually did anything and Giladel was left there for dead for several minutes, his elven blood staining the cobblestone.

The very fact that players are aware of the guards and commoners and are taking advantage of the fact to meet their own ends, or power tripping over my low, low level is metagaming. I know Dasaria is an RP/Action server. I don't expect it to be hardcore, or to meet the standard of Hardcore servers. Quite the contrary, I'm here because I can enjoy progressing my character at my own desired rate and still get my RP on whenever the opportunity presents itself...but this sort of thing is like a cancer to any server that would consider itself a Roleplaying server on any level. At least, that is how I feel.

Now I appreciate if the Dungeon Masters who devote their spare time to participate in moderating the server have lives. I myself can't get on for more then fifteen hours a week unless I push it. However if players are going to go out and instigate ground breaking, massive plot moves, then there should be some degree of moderation and depth attributed to it.

But it's not just about events, it's also about everyday ongoings. Laws are being broken in plain view while the entirety of Cear sits catatonic. I would like to suggest recruiting some more DMs to focus on just the everyday moderation of the game. It would not only stop these dull, AI abused incidents from occurring, it would help bolster the already existing roleplaying community to have the environment react to the player's actions. Even if only the DM sits and watches a conversation and hands out tidbits of xp for exceptional roleplay or takes on NPC Roles to participate in the ongoing events, I fail to see how this would not be beneficial to the overall quality of Dasaria. If it's any consolation, I would gladly offer a hand with this little project if it were considered. I've done more DMing in PnP then I have done playing characters, I'd just have to get accustomed to the DM client.

Feedback is always welcome, thanks for reading my rather long post.

[Rob]

The DMs only have so much time to give. Maybe Giladel could help the situation by become a guardsman.

[The_Four_Horsemen]

I Thought Giladel did a fine job trying to sound the Alarm.... In all fairness, the Namregs did continue to assault the guards even though they were not hostile. I thing the DMs/ builders are busy building which I would rather have them do until the mod is ready to leave beta.

[Tratz]

The DMs only have so much time to give. Maybe Giladel could help the situation by become a guardsman.


----


I Thought Giladel did a fine job trying to sound the Alarm.... In all fairness, the Namregs did continue to assault the guards even though they were not hostile. I thing the DMs/ builders are busy building which I would rather have them do until the mod is ready to leave beta.

Yes, as I said, I already appreciate this. My suggestion was to recruit more DMs who are concerned about moderating the game, not demand more from our already hard-working DMs and developers. On the topic of Giladel becoming a guard, I'm sure he'd be enthused at the idea, but he is still making a place for himself in Dasaria, being quite young for an Elf. He would need to grow a little bit more.

[Anton Colicos]

We have a PC guard faction to enforce the IC laws of Cear. While there are currently only 3 of us we are happy to deal with any situation you bring to our attention. One of the best ways is to send a PM to me describing what happened. I'll then inform the other guards and look into it.

[Grayle]

Act and react in-character and you have less to worry about when a dispute arises. This Beta stage is a good time to practice.

Everyone is event hungry. We'll have to be patient for patches and content before Dasaria truly thrives.

I'm translating 'Beta' to mean the curtain has not yet risen for the play.

Dasaria1 was rife with DM and player sponsered events, long-term, short-term, spontaneous and announced, from mass battles to simple conversations.

[SnorriHT]

Patience...Tratz...Patience

[coruscadragon]

two words: BE...TA.


I know you're champing at the bit, and i'm sure that you're grievances are just, but keep in mind that good RP often requires making believe something didn't happen as making believe it did. Whether it's respawning after 'death' or interacting with PCs that don't RP, there are certain things that you have to shake off as having never happened if you want to have a decent RP experience.

*leaves 2cp on the table*

[marine436]

for the record the namreg's were sneaking into thralls gate, when you ran ahead shouting alarm, we fought the guard's RPing the fact we knew the guard's would be hostile to us and you gave us away


i fail to see that as metagaming

[Tratz]

for the record the namreg's were sneaking into thralls gate, when you ran ahead shouting alarm, we fought the guard's RPing the fact we knew the guard's would be hostile to us and you gave us away


i fail to see that as metagaming

It was more or less an example on how the AI can be confused and abused. The purpose of this post was to give suggestions regarding server moderation and sensible NPC reaction. Even if everyone fights "as though the NPCS were hostile," it's not the same as it would have been if a DM played out the alarm and assembled the guard into a fighting force that would have fought more intuitively then say dribbles of one to two AI controlled guards.

You know as well as I that the guards wouldn't do this alone on their own AI. It would put your mind at ease to know this, and thus making a direct offensive at the Thralls Gate a doable thing. I'm not accusing you of consciously metagaming at all. But people would behave differently if the environment acted a little bit more realistically. There are people who would though, and I am not naming names or pointing fingers here, we are all human after all.

What you and the Namregs did was great! I thought it was a neat idea. I also thought the experience overall (which is out of your control) was a bit ambiguous, that's all.

And yes, it's a Beta. And I'm making suggestions that I feel will help the beta develop. I can wait just like anyone else.

[Chia]

I am definitely of the view that DM presence in-game makes or breaks the game.

Not even talking about huge events, just random input from whomever is floating up in the sky. I noticed a huge difference in player's behavior in NwN1 when NPCs suddenly started to toss out the occasional comment.

(Especially "Guards? Guards! This little twerp just stole from me!", innkeeper suddenly blurting out with "You want to fight, do it away from my inn!" and the like )

Or random spicing up of regular quests.

I can't wait to see it happen here, however long that may take.

Actually, I'd rather see that than more frequent content updates, but that's just me...

[Vahene]

First, yes, it is Beta. That means the DM's primarily are focusing on content at the moment, and they have posted repeatedly on the boards to that effect, asking for help even from the general population. They're swamped. I wouldn't expect them to be in game at the moment with a constant presence. Even after Beta, I wouldn't expect them to be in the game with a constant presence. There are plenty of things I want to see at the moment, but a constant DM presence in game isn't one of them. Quite frankly, they have better things to do with their time--like getting content out for the higher levels (you know, those you complaining there isn't any). Let them do their work, and just wait and see.

K

[Minuvas]

The OP has a valid point, and while I wholesomely agree that we need some moderation in the game world at this time (to make players give respect to the world, its NPC's, and its environment).

I think a Combination of a Poorly made DM Client, Frequent Transition Crashes (which applies to DM's as well), and our DM Staff being on a Busy-Stix as of late...makes the world seem semi-"unregulated" and uncontained.

This leaves players who are attempting to bring some sort of regulation and control of the situation, however - when it comes to making major decisions there are obviously only so far the limits of a player can go.

I applaud the player community for attempting to bring some sort of structure to what is in essence, disorderly at this time. I also think we need only be patient, and I mean very patient, until Obsidian finally releases NWN 2 out of its Beta version, and into final release mode for Persistent worlds.

[The Explorer]

I have to say that I would like to see the DM's on more but I like every other Dasarian that have been here for a while understand that the DM's have a lot on their plates and it's a strugle but remaining patient.

While regards to the Namregs they are currently being hunted down buy the Guards as per Minavus's decree if they don't get him it will be bountiful.