One/Two Servers To Rule Them All

[Heero]

I understand people are going to build what people want to build.

[oldgrayrogue]

I started logging in to a LoTR server I used to play on that just got back up and running. The PW is VAST. There are spawns everywhere, literally hundreds of quests and virtually no lag. And there are many open wilderness areas with trees and water and woods you can explore without the need for travel maps or clipped "road areas." The Dalelands server is similar. Not sure why we have so much lag and issues with size as compared to other PWs I have played on.

There is absolutely no reason we cant do this. We just need motivated builders to build areas and scripters to scripts quests.

Let me ask you this: how many player hubs do they have on this LoTR or Dalelands server, and how many in-game areas would you say comprise each of these hubs on average? Im just curious.

I maintain too many resources have been spent over the years building inns, towns, shops, temples, forts, and every other sort of habituated, 'safe' area with not enough effort placed upon the sort of areas that are used for adventure.

LoTR server has one main starting Hub -- Bree Town -- However there are many, many, many other towns and cities including Hobbiton, Buckland, Dunland (larach Dunham), Dale Town, Mirkwood, Rohan (Edoras), Gondor (Minas Tirith), Mordor, Rivendell, Lothlorien and the tree city within, Mines of Moria, Umbar, etc etc, not to mention dozens of caves and ruins and dungeons and swamps and woodlands and deserts and the misty mountains etc etc etc etc, all chock full of creature spawns and crafting component spawns, not to mention hundreds of scripted quests from simple fedex quests to very involved multi part story based quests that unlock PrCs and what not.

Dalelands is similar with main starting areas of Shadowdale and Myth Drannor, but also have widespread outdoor forest areas (almost all walkable) and numerous caves and dungeons not to mention an entire underdark/drow area. So norm seems to be 2 main player hubs with lots of other adventure and "home base" type areas for factions in between. All town and cities have "stock" merchants with basically the same inventory as well as crafting, persistent storage, consignment system, and customizer. Although on LoTR server you have to "earn" customization through a DM token. LoTR also has an interesting RP XP script -- it awards XP for certain types of interaction and docks XP for others -- like OOC chatter and running long distances etc. Both worlds share a rapid level progression mostly through grinding by player base. LoTR bills itself as "RP" based world but while there are those who RP most of it centers around "what scripted quest are we going to do next" as opposed to "story." DMs and some players do stress IC development of story, however, but it is nowhere near the level of ALFA. If ALFA could adopt some of what these worlds have to offer while maintaining the story focus through DMd content I bet we would draw more players. Our standards would have to be relaxed though -- and did I mention both PWs are respawn worlds -- gold and xp penalty (including possible loss of level) but no permadeath.

[oldgrayrogue]

Are we using this? And if not why not?

http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NW ... tail&id=92

[I-KP]

While a valid point, some just don't like PvP, and treat PvP as ruining others' fun.

PvP doesn't have to equal the end of someone's character. Every hero needs a rival and if that rival is another player then of such things fine stories are made.

until people file complaints....I hate PvP because of the complaints, the meta etc.

I can only sympathise with the kind of human waste that you chaps have to deal with when things go south, and for that fact alone you guys will always have my unending admiration and gratitude. It’s easy for me to sit here and pine for the days when the term ‘PvP’ was synonymous with ‘PW’ but if ALFA is now structured in such a way that it frowns upon PvP then I’d say that ALFA’s problems run far deeper than measures like consolidation and multiple PCs will ever touch.

[I-KP]

Multiple PCs has been touted as a possible solution and has gained traction. How about we see how that plays out before discussing ideas like cutting servers and forcing people to play where they may not want to play?

On that point at least we do agree; one step at a time.

However, I doubt that anyone would quit if their 'home' server became a campaign server. Anyone who plays ALFA now does so on TSM and BG anyway - the likely 'Two Servers To Rule Them All' should it happen. Emotive blackmail is no argument especially when there is no evidence to support it.

[Castano]

If you cut servers, I'd like some tech support to spin off the other servers into solo projects and teach us how to host, ALFA owes us builders at least that much.

[Rumple C]

There is absoluetely no danger as far as i am concerned of anyone being asked to cut servers.


We are seeing more regular DM's stepping up.

Alternate PC's are a very real possibility.

Gamespies funcionality has been restored thanks to the latest CE

There will be major improvements in our PR and player stealing in the new year.


Thankyou!

[Sidhe]

Are we using this? And if not why not?

http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NW ... tail&id=92

I wrote the majority of Amn's statics with Legends quest tool. I havent looked at the TLK one but legends is extremely powerful and user friendly. To give you an idea I was able to pump out a generic kill/deliver quest in about 3 minutes. What took time was customising and dressing npc's and working on quality dialogue. Sadly we toned down alot of its functionality to make sure that the statics 'passed' inspection (such as removing the superior diary and quest recording system etc).

Implementing an easy way to write statics means that anyone can try their hand at it, meaning more contribution, eventually leading to things like STO Foundry where the community is driving the content for the game instead of a select few (over worked) people. A simple review system could be put in place to make sure. . .you know. . .anarchy. . .doesnt break out and the sky doesnt fall

[Swift]

Implementing an easy way to write statics means that anyone can try their hand at it, meaning more contribution, eventually leading to things like STO Foundry where the community is driving the content for the game instead of a select few (over worked) people. A simple review system could be put in place to make sure. . .you know. . .anarchy. . .doesnt break out and the sky doesnt fall

Can they be done without giving every man and their dog full access to the modules? I know that has been a concern in the past regarding scripting, that giving players full open access to the builder mods, especially when they were players on the same server, is not the best of ideas.

[Heero]

I will take any statics y'all wish to right to be implemented into WHL.

[oldgrayrogue]

Then lets get the use of Boggs tool or the one I linked approve so more people who don't know how to script can start writing quests. Ronan? Approved?

[Castano]

I will take any statics y'all wish to right to be implemented into WHL.

I'll take any and all statics for MS also. Our static content drive stalled out badly after many volunteered and few contributed.

[zilvai]

I think people play this game to be DMed and get in on stories. If a DM makes public that he is doing events, I think that means he is looking for players - so why keep the players from rushing to said event cross server? o_ô Give lax to that rule, really.

[FoamBats4All]

I will take any statics y'all wish to right to be implemented into WHL.

I'll take any and all statics for MS also. Our static content drive stalled out badly after many volunteered and few contributed.

I'll get to it eventually! Have other projects outside of ALFA for now.

[Sidhe]

Implementing an easy way to write statics means that anyone can try their hand at it, meaning more contribution, eventually leading to things like STO Foundry where the community is driving the content for the game instead of a select few (over worked) people. A simple review system could be put in place to make sure. . .you know. . .anarchy. . .doesnt break out and the sky doesnt fall

Can they be done without giving every man and their dog full access to the modules? I know that has been a concern in the past regarding scripting, that giving players full open access to the builder mods, especially when they were players on the same server, is not the best of ideas.

Im unsure about that Swift, I only ever worked with a full copy of the mod. In all honesty though half, if not more, members are already in some form of 'higher duties' that give them access to things that they do not need as a player so whats the difference here? I think its time we start being a little less tight fisted with our trust.