Grade the June event!

[Von Raven]

- this isn't just me, and i know the standard response of "it's your job to get involved and get on mods" but when the same groups camp the tavern door or bottom of the stone road to snatch up the npcs to go on every mod, it's frustrating. a bunch of the mid lvl players commented to me about the same thing. chapter hoppers who are already more powerful than half the town are on every mod, 2, 3, 4 a weekend.. i didn't go on 1. i don't know if or how hooking mods can be monitored by npc camp but maybe they should be. maybe the npcs that hook should have instructions (some times) looking for specific types of adventurers rather than first one they bump into. i dunno.

This is a long standing problem that I've experienced at every chapter I've been to and it's not indigenous to HQ...it's something that no one's found an effective solution for yet.

I think that this is something that all of us staff members in our respective chapters need to take a hard look at. :geek:

 

[Von Raven]

Saturday morning I was happy how soon I got into game. But I was disappointed at how late it seemed like the game got running.

This is something that we struggled with back in the day when we first started the Alliance...yeah, we wanted to run things well into the night and early morning, as long as the PC's were awake, but we also wanted to enterain the early risers. So if we ran encounters really late, then, usually the NPCs got up later, went to have breakfast later, etc...we tried shutting down Monster Camp no later than 3 am.

So your critique is not a new one, nor are you the only one to have ever voiced it. It's a delicate balance, one that is difficult to maintain. PCs have to remember, late nights equal late starts the next day.

 

[Von Raven]

This is a long standing problem that I've experienced at every chapter I've been to and it's not indigenous to HQ...it's something that no one's found an effective solution for yet.

I think that this is something that all of us staff members in our respective chapters need to take a hard look at. :geek:

Also, if there were frequently more NPCs, then more modules could go out. NPC numbers are often at the heart of some of the Game's biggest problems.

 

[Ezri]

Sunday definitely picked up. Although honestly I was a little disappointed with the last blob fight. I really enjoyed being able to Prison one for the Mages guild, but I was sort of hoping that it was going to be a button fight. Once again it just seemed a little easy. It was good to split up the town but PC's were trying so many different things to clean up the blobs that I sort of wanted it to be something we had to do to actually stop the wave. Ah well.

What's a "button fight?"

 

[Jevedor]

i think a button fight is where the fight keeps running until you push the right button (or kill the right person, solve the right problem... an so on) once that happens fight stops and monsters go POOOF..

 

[Telokh_Amdo]

There was a suggestion about trying to make Bartholomew, my hobling tavernkeeper guy, the head of a local "adventuring guild." He'd keep a book of adventuring groups and people and their skills and then when plot hook guy comes into town, he seeks the tavernkeeper who can then say "Ah, that sounds like a perfect task for group X" and who can then try to make sure as many different people get to go on modules as possible.

This will require players to cooperate and sort of "reverse metagame" for the good of all, of course.

I think this is a very difficult Idea to implement without leaving out those who are not in a group, because I've seen it in the past where plot sends a lot of team specific mods out and the solo players for a whole weekend sat in the taveren starving for something to do while staring at the same other starving faces all weekend.

Well, that would be one of the reasons to have an NPC organize a group. In the past, if a group was ready, they'd grab the module...

Characters could just sign-in with the tavern keeper at the beginning of every event. Established teams would register as such as long as they have a full mod group in a attendance. Independants, or small groups, would register as such and the tavern keeper could create mod groups as they are needed from there.

 

[Robb G]

Characters could just sign-in with the tavern keeper at the beginning of every event. Established teams would register as such as long as they have a full mod group in a attendance. Independants, or small groups, would register as such and the tavern keeper could create mod groups as they are needed from there.

there have been lots of events in the past where the hobling trader would come into game with a list of things that he needed to hire adventureres for. a team or group of individuals could signup and then that npc could go back and set up those mods throughout the weekend. I recall that being very successful unless I am somehow mistaken. i know all of the PCs who i hang out with loved it.

 

[Ezri]

Characters could just sign-in with the tavern keeper at the beginning of every event. Established teams would register as such as long as they have a full mod group in a attendance. Independants, or small groups, would register as such and the tavern keeper could create mod groups as they are needed from there.

there have been lots of events in the past where the hobling trader would come into game with a list of things that he needed to hire adventureres for. a team or group of individuals could signup and then that npc could go back and set up those mods throughout the weekend. I recall that being very successful unless I am somehow mistaken. i know all of the PCs who i hang out with loved it.

We are working on re-implementing this. So stay tuned.

 

[Dreamingfurther]

That sounds like it could be a cool way to set up some mod teams. Also some Mages guild mods never hurt... but its ok, I understand it was a bit low on NPC's. All things considered I thought it was solid.

i think a button fight is where the fight keeps running until you push the right button (or kill the right person, solve the right problem... an so on) once that happens fight stops and monsters go POOOF..

Michelle, Jeremy is correct this is what I was thinking about when I mentioned a button fight.

 

[Tyson]

This weekend was off-the-chart amazing.

However, I was nowhere near the event so I can't put it down as a vote.

 

[Tetsu]

TYSON COME PLAY! We have Dwarves for you.

 

[Tyson]

Believe me I'd love to, but there's a reason why I can't. And not just the 350 miles trip either.

 

[Tetsu]

Well, we miss you bro, I hope all is well with the family! I am looking forward to your triumphant return.


-Justin C.

 

[Gilwing]

One thing I sort of wish is that hooks for mods might come into the tavern and RP for 20-30 minutes before figuring out a group of people to help them.

Nothing personal but it seems you want to have your cake and eat it too. Thats why people hang out, out side. They don't want to wait in the tavern and miss a hook or a wandering monster. You also can't expect for the hook to wait around for 30 mins while you get ready or find people when I can come along and say, "I have a group right now". The npc will have every reason to just go.

The book idea is good for some but I can't see it being used for all. Again you expect the hook to go past the people that are hanging around and go up inito the tavern to look it up in a book.

The only problem I had is I feel that the hooks should try comming in game from other places except for down the hill from NPC camp (I understand alot of npc were new).

 

[Ezri]

That sounds like it could be a cool way to set up some mod teams. Also some Mages guild mods never hurt... but its ok, I understand it was a bit low on NPC's. All things considered I thought it was solid.

i think a button fight is where the fight keeps running until you push the right button (or kill the right person, solve the right problem... an so on) once that happens fight stops and monsters go POOOF..

Michelle, Jeremy is correct this is what I was thinking about when I mentioned a button fight.

Ah yes. Sometimes that can work very well, especially if it's a long established plotline and players know what the button is. But we generally avoid those style of wave battles on Sundays for a few reasons (these have happened in the past):


- If the battle goes too long, we literally run out of time in the weekend. People expect to be out of there by a certain time, and nothing sucks more than "I am having fun in this battle, but if I don't pack my $h1t up and get out of here my <insert significant other here> is going to kill me" or "I have a long drive and now 'Im not going to get home till 1am"

- If we can't resolve it in that fight (because the players don't figure out the button) we're forced to move things to the next event, which leaves the event feeling unfinished and people feeling left hanging. OR we end up having to do a deus ex machina sorta thing which leaves an even MORE sour taste in people's mouths.

Don't get me wrong, button fights (now that I know what that term means) can be a lot of fun and we do utilize that format from time to time, but they've proven problematic for OOG reasons on Sundays.

 

[Dreamingfurther]

One thing I sort of wish is that hooks for mods might come into the tavern and RP for 20-30 minutes before figuring out a group of people to help them.

Nothing personal but it seems you want to have your cake and eat it too. Thats why people hang out, out side. They don't want to wait in the tavern and miss a hook or a wandering monster. You also can't expect for the hook to wait around for 30 mins while you get ready or find people when I can come along and say, "I have a group right now". The npc will have every reason to just go.

The book idea is good for some but I can't see it being used for all. Again you expect the hook to go past the people that are hanging around and go up inito the tavern to look it up in a book.

The only problem I had is I feel that the hooks should try comming in game from other places except for down the hill from NPC camp (I understand alot of npc were new).

How is this asking for wanting my cake and eating it too? Essentially I was saying it might be cool if mods were hooked other ways than just someone walking into town and grabbing the first 6 people that is all... Coming in and RP'ing with people, (maybe in the tavern?) before asking for help is one way to do that. But meh, it was a low NPC weekend, I'm not unhappy or anything. Just explaining my grade that's all...


Yea I understand the OOG considerations Michele and it was quite nice to get out on Sunday at a good hour like we did. In a perfect world we wouldn't have to go home from game.

 

[Robb G]

In a perfect world we wouldn't have to go home from game.

When are you going to dye your skin black and hair white permanently Dave?

honestly you freak me out whenever I see you without makeup.

 

[Stakie]

I personally gave the event a D. and this is why.

It wasn't the most horrible thing that has happened to me during my time at alliance but it was my first time PCing and it was a big let down. I have to quote this.. because I feel it's totally true.

"- this isn't just me, and i know the standard response of "it's your job to get involved and get on mods" but when the same groups camp the tavern door or bottom of the stone road to snatch up the npcs to go on every mod, it's frustrating. a bunch of the mid lvl players commented to me about the same thing. chapter hoppers who are already more powerful than half the town are on every mod, 2, 3, 4 a weekend.. i didn't go on 1. i don't know if or how hooking mods can be monitored by npc camp but maybe they should be. maybe the npcs that hook should have instructions (some times) looking for specific types of adventurers rather than first one they bump into. i dunno."

Unlike him I did get to go kill trolls which is one of the minor reasons this whole event wasn't a total bummer. I just didn't feel that involved. Believe me I tried so hard. NPCing so many times helped me lots, but I am still learning about EVERYTHING! The auction for others was a bummer, but being my first time and actually being able to sell stuff... well that was good for me. Those red guys at the auction did make it entertaining and that's when I started to feel better about the event. It wasn't until LATE Sat night did I really have anything to do at all.

 

[Robb G]

part of that is figuring out how to BE involved with the plot and other PCs. Scott and Dave and countless others have it right when they say it is up to you to fill the luls with PC interaction. I'm usually always busy with Guild work, which is nice. Being the new guy in town is tough (it's been a while, but I was the new guy once too).

my comment about the mods is constructive criticism though... cause i already have a solution to get myself on mods if I wanted to implement it. I could easy turn on the d*ck-switch and force the issue making sure I go on mods... it's one of the tactics I see employed by players and PCs that I don't like. they muscle their way onto the mods. yeah, i could do that too... but it's the wrong way to do it. I hate those people. I don't want to be looked at that way by other players or their PCs... which is not somewhere I want to take this character (or this game).

I'm glad Patrick commented that he has seen the same issue at other chapters.. and Michele saying that the hobling trader concept might come back is a huge bonus.

the mod issue didn't ruin the game for me, I had a good time, just kept it from being an A in my book.

 

[Dreamingfurther]

In a perfect world we wouldn't have to go home from game.

When are you going to dye your skin black and hair white permanently Dave?

honestly you freak me out whenever I see you without makeup.

lolz

Funny you say that though. Many people have the opposite reaction, being freaked out when I am IN makeup... Maybe we should be worried about Rob here when seeing a dark elf is less troubling to him than a human...