Server Bias

[Ronan]

Anyone can learn to toolset in some useful capacity. It does take a performant computer, however.

My time is probably best spent doing tech work. It what I'm best at, but I absolutely detest doing it (or working with NWN in general). Its like working with CNC machines during the day, then coming home to play with legos. As a result, the vast majority of my ALFA-time is spent DMing or playing.

For the next hak release I want to get Amn's haks integrated into ours. I have no need to join any "beautification" team or whatever.

It would be pretty difficult to get me away from BG. Its git repository makes updating the server very simple for me, which makes my DMing a lot easier. Other people don't use git (because its really a pain in the ass if you don't use it at work like I do), so I don't think this is a factor for them. Besides, I was DMing on BG before BG was cool

People will do what they want to do.

[Rumple C]

Well, I am not going to make any large promises, as I don't tend to follow though on those BUT...

I have some small skill with scripting through VBA, so i'll see if I can do a few nifty things through the toolset, perhaps a few quests/dialogues, and expand upon the rp spells.

[t-ice]

I have some small skill with scripting through VBA, so i'll see if I can do a few nifty things through the toolset, perhaps a few quests/dialogues, and expand upon the rp spells.

Some people simply do not have the capacity or ability to 'make things happen' in the toolset or whatever. You can teach a horse to run, but the turtle will only clam up and hide.

Sorry, but we're all the same species here. Any adult human with no mental disorders can learn to use the toolset. It's about time and effort, not about having some special talent. As I recall from Amn, you did, Adanu. And that piece is still there in ALFA:Amn.
I'm rather tired of hearing the same old "but I just cannot toolset" excuse. Sorry for the bluntness, but people saying so can at least man up enough to say you're simply too lazy to learn, and not motivated. It's a voluenteer project, no-one is forced to contribute, being lazy is fine. But lame arse excuses are still annoying.

[Rumple C]

I think the arguement being put forward is that some people (for whatever reason) will have an apptitude for the toolset. Others will not. Most folks could learn how to do basic stuff if they were so inclined... but... for some the time investment is just not going to be worth the payoff.

If they can contribute in other ways beyond playing? great.

If not, hey, you contribute every time you log in and add to the RP.

Feel like doing more, but don't want to get your hands dirty in the toolset? Join a forum discussion, set up a player group, consider dm'ing, consider shifting server to spread out the player base, say hi to a noob in game (make 'em feel welcome), whatever but - no pressure. Its about having fun.

So, high fives for everyone!

[Adanu]

I have some small skill with scripting through VBA, so i'll see if I can do a few nifty things through the toolset, perhaps a few quests/dialogues, and expand upon the rp spells.

Some people simply do not have the capacity or ability to 'make things happen' in the toolset or whatever. You can teach a horse to run, but the turtle will only clam up and hide.

Sorry, but we're all the same species here. Any adult human with no mental disorders can learn to use the toolset. It's about time and effort, not about having some special talent. As I recall from Amn, you did, Adanu. And that piece is still there in ALFA:Amn.
I'm rather tired of hearing the same old "but I just cannot toolset" excuse. Sorry for the bluntness, but people saying so can at least man up enough to say you're simply too lazy to learn, and not motivated. It's a voluenteer project, no-one is forced to contribute, being lazy is fine. But lame arse excuses are still annoying.

Yes, because we all know that everyone can be an Einstein.

Some people have more aptitude than others for things. Some can use the toolset well. Others cannot. Some have a talent for scripting, others do not.

You can't teach a horse to be a turtle anymore then to can teach a turtle to be a horse. I'm getting a bit tired of using that analogy... but since people keep missing the point of it, there you go again.

I made a small room with a few things in it. That's easy enough to do if you have a decent tutorial and help. That is not what I mean here though. I'm referring to everything about it. Scripting, building, coding, administrating.... those who have the aptitude for any of these... yay! Good for you. If any of these sort of people are willing to help with server projects, I'd say that a thread in the toolsetting forum with area requests for people who want to help ALFA that is maintained by HDMs would probably be a good start.

Since everyone is too busy arguing to 'do it yourself' instead of the point of 'give some help to those who can help ALFA as a whole'... really, it's sad how many people are getting defensive over this instead of, you know, giving suggestions. I'm not an admin or a member of the tech team, so I don't know the processes involved, which is why I didn't give suggestions, but if this is the response I get...

[Darkmystic]

Toolset= Not fun for me
DMing= Alot of fun for me

I wonder why I picked to DM on alfa instead of tool setting... Oh wait, I dont.

[I-KP]

The NWN2 toilset is a horrible, horrible tool and I fully understand reluctance to use it; more power to those that (still) do.

It would appear, for whatever reason, that the great ship ALFA is listing to one side and if some of the ballast isn't shifted valuable cargo is likely to become in danger of falling overboard. ALFA isn't about just one server, at least I never understood it to be, so the Captain of this ship needs to get involved and find out what's going on and, if necessary, act.

[Rumple C]

When WHL and Amn come online, the ballast will redistribute itself I suspect.

[Zelknolf]

I made a small room with a few things in it. That's easy enough to do if you have a decent tutorial and help. That is not what I mean here though. I'm referring to everything about it. Scripting, building, coding, administrating.... those who have the aptitude for any of these... yay! Good for you. If any of these sort of people are willing to help with server projects, I'd say that a thread in the toolsetting forum with area requests for people who want to help ALFA that is maintained by HDMs would probably be a good start.

"I'm not already good at stuff, so I must be doomed and won't make any substantive efforts to change that"?

It's fine if you don't want to do anything; this is a leisure activity and all. People should have the option to just play, but own that's what you're doing. You're not a turtle or a horse. You could learn the toolset if you wanted to. You could learn NWScript -- or even real programming languages -- if you wanted to. Creating and learning how to use tools is something that humanity has always been phenominally talented at.

[Mick]

I am proof that anyone can learn to use the toolset. Computer skills are far removed from my RL skillset, but an interest in contributing to our community spurred me to give it a go. If you have been in the stable behind the Lathanderite Temple in Beregost, then you have seen my first effort at building. All it takes is willingness, some time and admittedly quite a bit of trial and error. I know nothing at all about scripting, but I put together a quest conversation and Paazin put the scripts into it to make it playable. There are quite a few people around who are willing to answer questions and give pointers and there are other resources out there besides. It can be done, regardless of your starting skill set.

As for the original topic here, there is not a lot more that I can add. People choose their server for their own reasons. There are some things that attract most people I would wager.

For my part, the factors that determine where I choose to play are the following in the following order:

1. Players who help contribute to an evolving story and whose playstyles and overall approach to the game more or less match my own.
2. The presence of DMs who help facilitate said stories, either via personal plots or more generalized quests or both.
3. Things to do when DMs are not around that stimulate RP.

I cannot stress the first one enough. If that one goes unfulfilled, then everything else is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.

[Heero]

I am an ugly duckling; only, instead of growing up to become a beautiful swam*, I will just grow up to be an ugly duck.

Im certain someone can think of some way this post applies to server biases as we seem to be hung up on turning turtles into horses at the moment.






*Swans may look nice, but they are vile, temperamental, mean critters. Ill bet they taste good, but the damn government wont let me shoot them!

[Riotnrrd]

Swans may look nice, but they are vile, temperamental, mean critters. Ill bet they taste good, but the damn government wont let me shoot them!

Are you a swan, Heero? It's OK...

[I-KP]

*Swans may look nice, but they are vile, temperamental, mean critters. Ill bet they taste good, but the damn government wont let me shoot them!

Apparently they are a not particularly pleasant tasting, very greasy and stringy meat. By about Z+60 days* they might become attractive to eat but until that day the Queen can keep them.

* Z denoting Zero-Day; the first day of the Zombie apocalypse.

[Dorn]

In terms of server balance it often sorts itself.

The long road server in alfa1 was almost unpopulated and had one dm (the hdm Borgia). About 5 of us moved there and stayed for a few rl years. By the end there were several dms and crowds of PCs joining the wayfarers or trying to kill them or whatever.

After that many of us moved to loudwater which was dead, but then with a good plot and some core players again became a magnet.

I suspect the same will happen here. For example six of us have formed a good strong group I think will last a long time. We are on bg as that's where our DM can DM given where he plays. not because of the statics. It's a good chance we may look into WHL when it comes up as kid can DM there to....or we could go to TSM if his pc decides to move.

Sure statics help ((and yes the BG team have done wonderful job)) , but often a long running stable (and generally non-evil)) group can do as much as this group will begin to craft a story around the server content as much as about them... and people are interested by that.

[Ithildur]

+1 Dorn

Again, static content etc. are definitely sweet, but a regular core of players interacting consistently with a DM creating a sense of ongoing story together is what makes ALFA; it's the kind of 'content' that ALFAns are primarily going to be drawn to.