How'd we do March 22-24
- Thread starter Alkalin3
- Start date
StremthiWayfound
Newbie
Hey all! Great work on another fun Alliance SoMI Event!! I had a lot of fun, but wanted to weigh in on a few things specifically.
Rit Marshaling. Thanks, GJ, for spending a big chunk of your Friday time doing ritual stuff. I know it can't be that awesome for you, but as a player, it was really great to be able to have you allocate your time to that and be in good spirits about it.
Travis RP. Travis, it was amazing how you walked in to the cabin at just the right moment on Friday night, and set off hours of interesting RP with Brigit and me. I thought it was awesome how you were so emotive as that character, even without speaking. And man, did you set forth a hard decision, and not give me any sense of the "right" answer! Needless to say, Saturday's follow up roleplay was awesome. I am super, super excited about where things are going. Thanks to the whole plot team for coming up with such interesting stuff, and thanks to Travis for being this weekend's face of the plotline.
Ellabreeze fight. The whole Ellabreeze fight on Saturday was so cool. Mathis, talking smack to get her mad, and Ellabreeze, responding in due course, was neat to watch. Then when it came time for the mirror, when all of those NPCs with headbands ran in and jumped out--GAME ON! That fight was nuts. The NPCs did such an awesome job.
Nodes mods. I liked the nodes mods because there was strategy involved to winning. Having to fight through to the portal, go through, run all the way to the obelisk, destroy it, then sprint back as the portal started closing, was crazy. I think in that last one you must have moved the obelisk back even farther just to make us work that much harder for it ;-) I wasn't on the first one of these, but the second and third were definitely heavy hitter mods. It was fun to be able to go nuts.
Placker mod. The placker mod had some good and some bad in it. The good was that it was intense fighting, and things got hairy more than once. It took a lot of guts and a lot of prisons to eek our way out a few times, but we made it. I liked that intensity. On the downside, big town cave mods are a real challenge as a fun delivery device. From my perspective on the battlefield, I saw a handful of fighters going nuts on the front line, rotating out to refit. Another handful was in the back covering the rear assault, doing the same thing. Then there was a group in the middle that weren't really involved. It's just tough, when there is no side flanks, to engage with everyone at once.
I was disappointed to waste so many resources and get to the last room and not see a queen. Now, in game, I have an idea for why the queen wasn't there (we took forever getting there and the queen could have easily fled; also, there appeared to be an advance attack by undead that also could have caused the queen to flee long before we set foot into the caves). Although it may make perfect sense in game to have the queen not be there, it's a drag for PCs to fight so far, one step of advance at a time, against an ever-refreshing line of enemies, many with prepare-to-die skills (admittedly not brutal ones), then get to the end and not have the payoff of winning or losing to the boss monster. At the same time, on an out of game level, I think there is a very good chance the town would have wiped if the queen was there, so maybe it isn't the end of the world after all ;-)
Monster camp wait time. It seemed as if there were longer waits outside of monster camp at this event than in the past. You had a lot of NPCs, it seemed, which could be part of the cause. It could also be that we were throwing curve balls. When it is so cold outside, it might make sense to try to figure out a way to have people wait in the tavern. This would serve two purposes--one, staying warm; and two, keeping people in game. It isn't 2 minutes out in front of NPC camp before people (myself included) start talking out of game. That doesn't happen nearly as often in the tavern.
There has to be ways to cut down on the amount of time the PCs are standing around. The answer isn't necessarily rushing around in NPC camp to get ready, because you have a lot to do to get everyone in costume, makeup, with stat cards, etc. The answer, I think, is figuring out how to tell the PCs to go do something else and then come back when you are ready to roll. Doug's contract magic is one way to do it, with an in-game explanation. I wonder if there is some other way to do it, where you don't want to utilize that for in-game reasons. What comes to mind is something like those restaurant buzzers for when your table is ready, or maybe giving the PC who is leading the group onto the mod a walkie talkie so you can call to them to come to NPC camp when you are ready. These are just wild ideas here, but I think that some thought should be put into improving this area, and I am more than happy to help however I can.
The Kernel. I was surprised on Saturday to find The Kernel in the tavern. Having an in-game newspaper is awesome. Thanks for taking the time to do that! I hope to see it again at the next event.
Out of towners. For the regular out of towners, it was great to see you all again. You bring a lot to the game. For the out of towners I haven't met before, it was great meeting all of you! Please come again!!
New players. To the two new players--the girl with the green around her eyes and the stone elf guy who didn't have a long sleeve shirt--you guys were awesome!! It was so cool to see you in the thick of it as first timers. Seriously, you both need to come again. You're going to do awesome in this game. Next time, bring your friends too!!
Food. The food was great again!! I missed Friday's food and Saturday's dinner, but the egg casserole and the soup in a bread bowl were delicious!
I am really looking forward to the next event, guys!
Joe
aka Stremthi Wayfound
Rit Marshaling. Thanks, GJ, for spending a big chunk of your Friday time doing ritual stuff. I know it can't be that awesome for you, but as a player, it was really great to be able to have you allocate your time to that and be in good spirits about it.
Travis RP. Travis, it was amazing how you walked in to the cabin at just the right moment on Friday night, and set off hours of interesting RP with Brigit and me. I thought it was awesome how you were so emotive as that character, even without speaking. And man, did you set forth a hard decision, and not give me any sense of the "right" answer! Needless to say, Saturday's follow up roleplay was awesome. I am super, super excited about where things are going. Thanks to the whole plot team for coming up with such interesting stuff, and thanks to Travis for being this weekend's face of the plotline.
Ellabreeze fight. The whole Ellabreeze fight on Saturday was so cool. Mathis, talking smack to get her mad, and Ellabreeze, responding in due course, was neat to watch. Then when it came time for the mirror, when all of those NPCs with headbands ran in and jumped out--GAME ON! That fight was nuts. The NPCs did such an awesome job.
Nodes mods. I liked the nodes mods because there was strategy involved to winning. Having to fight through to the portal, go through, run all the way to the obelisk, destroy it, then sprint back as the portal started closing, was crazy. I think in that last one you must have moved the obelisk back even farther just to make us work that much harder for it ;-) I wasn't on the first one of these, but the second and third were definitely heavy hitter mods. It was fun to be able to go nuts.
Placker mod. The placker mod had some good and some bad in it. The good was that it was intense fighting, and things got hairy more than once. It took a lot of guts and a lot of prisons to eek our way out a few times, but we made it. I liked that intensity. On the downside, big town cave mods are a real challenge as a fun delivery device. From my perspective on the battlefield, I saw a handful of fighters going nuts on the front line, rotating out to refit. Another handful was in the back covering the rear assault, doing the same thing. Then there was a group in the middle that weren't really involved. It's just tough, when there is no side flanks, to engage with everyone at once.
I was disappointed to waste so many resources and get to the last room and not see a queen. Now, in game, I have an idea for why the queen wasn't there (we took forever getting there and the queen could have easily fled; also, there appeared to be an advance attack by undead that also could have caused the queen to flee long before we set foot into the caves). Although it may make perfect sense in game to have the queen not be there, it's a drag for PCs to fight so far, one step of advance at a time, against an ever-refreshing line of enemies, many with prepare-to-die skills (admittedly not brutal ones), then get to the end and not have the payoff of winning or losing to the boss monster. At the same time, on an out of game level, I think there is a very good chance the town would have wiped if the queen was there, so maybe it isn't the end of the world after all ;-)
Monster camp wait time. It seemed as if there were longer waits outside of monster camp at this event than in the past. You had a lot of NPCs, it seemed, which could be part of the cause. It could also be that we were throwing curve balls. When it is so cold outside, it might make sense to try to figure out a way to have people wait in the tavern. This would serve two purposes--one, staying warm; and two, keeping people in game. It isn't 2 minutes out in front of NPC camp before people (myself included) start talking out of game. That doesn't happen nearly as often in the tavern.
There has to be ways to cut down on the amount of time the PCs are standing around. The answer isn't necessarily rushing around in NPC camp to get ready, because you have a lot to do to get everyone in costume, makeup, with stat cards, etc. The answer, I think, is figuring out how to tell the PCs to go do something else and then come back when you are ready to roll. Doug's contract magic is one way to do it, with an in-game explanation. I wonder if there is some other way to do it, where you don't want to utilize that for in-game reasons. What comes to mind is something like those restaurant buzzers for when your table is ready, or maybe giving the PC who is leading the group onto the mod a walkie talkie so you can call to them to come to NPC camp when you are ready. These are just wild ideas here, but I think that some thought should be put into improving this area, and I am more than happy to help however I can.
The Kernel. I was surprised on Saturday to find The Kernel in the tavern. Having an in-game newspaper is awesome. Thanks for taking the time to do that! I hope to see it again at the next event.
Out of towners. For the regular out of towners, it was great to see you all again. You bring a lot to the game. For the out of towners I haven't met before, it was great meeting all of you! Please come again!!
New players. To the two new players--the girl with the green around her eyes and the stone elf guy who didn't have a long sleeve shirt--you guys were awesome!! It was so cool to see you in the thick of it as first timers. Seriously, you both need to come again. You're going to do awesome in this game. Next time, bring your friends too!!
Food. The food was great again!! I missed Friday's food and Saturday's dinner, but the egg casserole and the soup in a bread bowl were delicious!
I am really looking forward to the next event, guys!
Joe
aka Stremthi Wayfound
jwconvery
Spellsword
I had an absolute blast. Start to finish. Game-on to unfortunate early exit due to OOG reasons. My thanks /congratulations to the plot team and all the hard working NPCS.
Likes:
Everything was really natural/organic. I felt like the plot had a nice flow to it, without being forced. Elementals were attacking friday night. Then barbarian/planeswalker guy came in to suggest that we maybe do something about it. Not sure if that was the plan or if that was a gentle plot-nudge to get going. I really liked it. It had some cool RP and got things moving. As opposed to "well, the PCs didn't close those portals send in some planar princes to wreck shop." I'm sure if we let it go the weekend without dealing with them, then yeah the situation gets worse. Like I said, it was a very refined motivation. cheers.
As a shield fighter I really liked an event when reparing armor mattered. Last event was a lot of status effects, this was was just damage. Different strokes, different folks. I whined about last event so I got to commend it this time around. What I will say to those reading that just came by for one event. This plot team does a great job of varying the type of threat weekend to weekend. If you felt that this event wasn't your strong suit, give them another weekend, they'll give you a chance to shine. (case in point, someone who memmorized shatters, was key this weekend)
Libraries. Wow. That was really really fun. I was expecting a jaunt over to NPC camp to get some questions answered while a plot guy was putting on make-up. What I was greeted with instead was an engaging conversation with a cool character. Chad did a great job. I got information, it was informative and kept my attention. Well done guys. PC's. Give these a try, whether in an IGBA or ingame. They are pretty cool.
Bug Mod: it's good to have a nice town mod every once in a while. I disagree with Joe W. about lack of pay-off being bad. I felt more like this isn't a one-shot fix. and with such a big problem, it shouldn't be.
<<ROOM LEFT HERE TO EDIT IN MORE LIKES LATER Not enough time at work>>
Dislikes:
Bug Mod: Town mods are tough. I was getting frustrated during it, for IG reasons. My one actual OOG complaint would be removing Lucas from the mod. I get that he had an IG thing to do, but this was his thing. He should be the PC leading it.
I would like to somewhat agree/disagree with Joe's comment about monster camp waits. I didn't feel they were too bad with one expection. The bug mod. Corralling townspeople is tough, and when we consult with the 'powers that be' that says 5 minutes. and it's 30 then it's a little frustrating. Getting told "This mod is huge, give us 30 minutes" then we wouldn't feel the wait as much. but then town would scatter, so it's probably a catch-22. The elabreeze mod had a wait to it aswell, but it was such a payoff afterwards I was ok with it.
I tripped/fell/slipped way too much this event. Plot fix that. Kudos to Chad. I was doing the backward walk/hustle to run without running away from a monster he was playing. Stopped to fight, slipped on the ice and face-planted... hard. Chad asked 'You ok?" (since we call our own holds) a soft moan of yes was my reply. Chad's answer? "Ok... 50 Elemental Flame, 100 elemental flame" <3
-Joe
Likes:
Everything was really natural/organic. I felt like the plot had a nice flow to it, without being forced. Elementals were attacking friday night. Then barbarian/planeswalker guy came in to suggest that we maybe do something about it. Not sure if that was the plan or if that was a gentle plot-nudge to get going. I really liked it. It had some cool RP and got things moving. As opposed to "well, the PCs didn't close those portals send in some planar princes to wreck shop." I'm sure if we let it go the weekend without dealing with them, then yeah the situation gets worse. Like I said, it was a very refined motivation. cheers.
As a shield fighter I really liked an event when reparing armor mattered. Last event was a lot of status effects, this was was just damage. Different strokes, different folks. I whined about last event so I got to commend it this time around. What I will say to those reading that just came by for one event. This plot team does a great job of varying the type of threat weekend to weekend. If you felt that this event wasn't your strong suit, give them another weekend, they'll give you a chance to shine. (case in point, someone who memmorized shatters, was key this weekend)
Libraries. Wow. That was really really fun. I was expecting a jaunt over to NPC camp to get some questions answered while a plot guy was putting on make-up. What I was greeted with instead was an engaging conversation with a cool character. Chad did a great job. I got information, it was informative and kept my attention. Well done guys. PC's. Give these a try, whether in an IGBA or ingame. They are pretty cool.
Bug Mod: it's good to have a nice town mod every once in a while. I disagree with Joe W. about lack of pay-off being bad. I felt more like this isn't a one-shot fix. and with such a big problem, it shouldn't be.
<<ROOM LEFT HERE TO EDIT IN MORE LIKES LATER Not enough time at work>>
Dislikes:
Bug Mod: Town mods are tough. I was getting frustrated during it, for IG reasons. My one actual OOG complaint would be removing Lucas from the mod. I get that he had an IG thing to do, but this was his thing. He should be the PC leading it.
I would like to somewhat agree/disagree with Joe's comment about monster camp waits. I didn't feel they were too bad with one expection. The bug mod. Corralling townspeople is tough, and when we consult with the 'powers that be' that says 5 minutes. and it's 30 then it's a little frustrating. Getting told "This mod is huge, give us 30 minutes" then we wouldn't feel the wait as much. but then town would scatter, so it's probably a catch-22. The elabreeze mod had a wait to it aswell, but it was such a payoff afterwards I was ok with it.
I tripped/fell/slipped way too much this event. Plot fix that. Kudos to Chad. I was doing the backward walk/hustle to run without running away from a monster he was playing. Stopped to fight, slipped on the ice and face-planted... hard. Chad asked 'You ok?" (since we call our own holds) a soft moan of yes was my reply. Chad's answer? "Ok... 50 Elemental Flame, 100 elemental flame" <3
-Joe
Lurin
Duke
As an occasional out of towner, I had a great time this weekend, although my playstyle is a bit off-beat when i'm playing the Rabbit as opposed to my toons that can actually do stuff ^.^
Likes
1.) Overall attitude of everyone was great, There was a definite feeling that everyone running the game really cared about making it fun/avoiding having people being missed/left out, and while things weren't perfect it was definitely a good experience.
2.) Not pulling punches - not usually something folks might see listed, but I liked the fact that even though i was playing an artisan with low effective skills, that didn't make any of the mobs treat me with kid gloves. It's nice to be seen properly as an easy target of opportunity at times, nothing is more frustrating to feel like an npc is holding back just because I'm playing a vulnerable toon.
3.) Essence system - I can see that there is a lot of potential in this, and look forward to playing with it when I'm able to loop around again.
4.) Job Board - This seems like a fun system for 'bored? grab a fishbowl' kind of deal, and a much nicer way than having PCs wait outside monster camp with a 'we'll been wandering around the woods looking for stuff' kind of requests.
5.) Loot - The items/scrolls I saw were varied and didn't feel like it was a 'have to give folks the most bang for their TP' situation which is something I really dig (certain rituals are ridiculously hard to find for this reason etc.)
Counter points (Please take these constructively)
1.) Logistics of doing Essence experiments was a little rough, - Probably easier once i know the system/can IBGA it, but I did feel a bit in the way of plot\logistics trying to get them processed.
2.) Not many random npcs all of them seemed very tied to existing things, I was hoping to catch a random merchant/new person to pump for hooks information or RP but it seemed like all the visitors where fairly well known. (Disclaimer, I had to head out after the bug mod so I probably just missed this as I did see new faces in for dinner)
3.) If I could come up with anything else it would be here, but since I can't it must have been an excellent game indeed.
Likes
1.) Overall attitude of everyone was great, There was a definite feeling that everyone running the game really cared about making it fun/avoiding having people being missed/left out, and while things weren't perfect it was definitely a good experience.
2.) Not pulling punches - not usually something folks might see listed, but I liked the fact that even though i was playing an artisan with low effective skills, that didn't make any of the mobs treat me with kid gloves. It's nice to be seen properly as an easy target of opportunity at times, nothing is more frustrating to feel like an npc is holding back just because I'm playing a vulnerable toon.
3.) Essence system - I can see that there is a lot of potential in this, and look forward to playing with it when I'm able to loop around again.
4.) Job Board - This seems like a fun system for 'bored? grab a fishbowl' kind of deal, and a much nicer way than having PCs wait outside monster camp with a 'we'll been wandering around the woods looking for stuff' kind of requests.
5.) Loot - The items/scrolls I saw were varied and didn't feel like it was a 'have to give folks the most bang for their TP' situation which is something I really dig (certain rituals are ridiculously hard to find for this reason etc.)
Counter points (Please take these constructively)
1.) Logistics of doing Essence experiments was a little rough, - Probably easier once i know the system/can IBGA it, but I did feel a bit in the way of plot\logistics trying to get them processed.
2.) Not many random npcs all of them seemed very tied to existing things, I was hoping to catch a random merchant/new person to pump for hooks information or RP but it seemed like all the visitors where fairly well known. (Disclaimer, I had to head out after the bug mod so I probably just missed this as I did see new faces in for dinner)
3.) If I could come up with anything else it would be here, but since I can't it must have been an excellent game indeed.
Durk Bloodrune
Artisan
I may be partial here but I effing love this game. LOL.
In usual fashion, I will only make quick comments. Honestly, my comments dont really count. Everyone else's comments count much MUCH higher on the scale than mine
Mod favorites:
Friday Night Goblin Fight!!!: Time and time again, these Goblin mods make me laugh so hard I am glad that I peed before said mod. Killin Goblins is just good plan, hilarious, fun.
Ellebreeze Fix'er Up'er: Loved it. I really liked the build up with Mathis, the emotion with the real Ellebreeze, the exploding mirror, and then realizing that Ellebreeze could have probably wiped the town without any issues in her messed up state.
Placker Bug Mod: Yup, Im one of the few that loved this. We got our p**p pushed in and we deserved it!!! Just as Joe Convery said, this is not going to be an easy win.
Celestine Elf Puzzle Mod: This was my weekend favorite. Im not going to say anything about what went down here but not only was it Puzzle Explosion but Plot Explosion. Im still trying to wrap my head around all of the potentials. Thanks to this mod, we ended up staying up until like 530am on Sunday morning just DISCUSSING what we were going to do with this information.
Thank you to everyone who came out! Thanks to all of our out-of-towners who came out! Holy cow Mid-West Owner meet!!! I would never have guessed that my chapter would be the chapter were Traverse City, Chicago, and South Minnesota owners would meet up at! It was awesome to have all you guys out!!!
See you in April!
GJ
In usual fashion, I will only make quick comments. Honestly, my comments dont really count. Everyone else's comments count much MUCH higher on the scale than mine
Mod favorites:
Friday Night Goblin Fight!!!: Time and time again, these Goblin mods make me laugh so hard I am glad that I peed before said mod. Killin Goblins is just good plan, hilarious, fun.
Ellebreeze Fix'er Up'er: Loved it. I really liked the build up with Mathis, the emotion with the real Ellebreeze, the exploding mirror, and then realizing that Ellebreeze could have probably wiped the town without any issues in her messed up state.
Placker Bug Mod: Yup, Im one of the few that loved this. We got our p**p pushed in and we deserved it!!! Just as Joe Convery said, this is not going to be an easy win.
Celestine Elf Puzzle Mod: This was my weekend favorite. Im not going to say anything about what went down here but not only was it Puzzle Explosion but Plot Explosion. Im still trying to wrap my head around all of the potentials. Thanks to this mod, we ended up staying up until like 530am on Sunday morning just DISCUSSING what we were going to do with this information.
Thank you to everyone who came out! Thanks to all of our out-of-towners who came out! Holy cow Mid-West Owner meet!!! I would never have guessed that my chapter would be the chapter were Traverse City, Chicago, and South Minnesota owners would meet up at! It was awesome to have all you guys out!!!
See you in April!
GJ
AllianceCHI
Baron
OMG you guys ran an awesome game this weekend!
I loved the huge welcome we felt from the whole staff and many of the players. We were involved, had plenty of work to do all weekend with a good balance of RP and Combat as well as a wide array of difficulties. Our group being a pretty broad range we opted to run some easier jobs at first and then test the job board’s mid-tier all the while getting pulled into some PCs personal and town stuff and getting a side of Romani Plots and I had a good time with it.
Some Faves:
-The Romani RP from Chad was great RP, I think we threw him a curveball and I liked that he rolled with it instead of going the “This is the clearly obvious bad guy” role.
-The 2nd and 3rd portal/node fights were great. The 2nd because we got trapped behind and I got geared up to rez only to think “hey banish” and getting punished by the idea. The 3rd because scrolls win.
-The Placker Bug Mod- I know it was rough for a lot of folks but oddly I felt effective when I picked my moments. I wound up staying behind to ensure we had an escape path and oh what a good idea that turned out to be. Travis has me freaking out when he started building walls in front of the PCs escape path and I was stuck hammering em down with spells and sword for a good 10 minutes of pure panic and screaming like a banshee for everyone to bail out. I made it past the wall and oops…Placker Bug Central… I emptied so much getting through that but it felt amazing to be so scared of failing the town.
- I really enjoyed the pacing and difficulty of the Flame/Lava monsters attacking the village that Travis ran. For the out of towners+Ellebreeze. He also did a great job of making us want to work on resolving to solve the main plot through a fish-bowl.
-Popping the Ice/Winter Node- Since I am rarely there, it’s rare I get to start and finish a plot. I know it was a minor thing but it was really cool to wrap something up and I got to cast a ritual with some of the new incents and props and whatnot.
My only real points of contention were over IG matters and a couple of unsafe fighting situations but generally those were quickly sorted out by the plot team so as I said to the Plot Team and to John this was one of my Best Michigan events ever.
Thanks,
Paul
I loved the huge welcome we felt from the whole staff and many of the players. We were involved, had plenty of work to do all weekend with a good balance of RP and Combat as well as a wide array of difficulties. Our group being a pretty broad range we opted to run some easier jobs at first and then test the job board’s mid-tier all the while getting pulled into some PCs personal and town stuff and getting a side of Romani Plots and I had a good time with it.
Some Faves:
-The Romani RP from Chad was great RP, I think we threw him a curveball and I liked that he rolled with it instead of going the “This is the clearly obvious bad guy” role.
-The 2nd and 3rd portal/node fights were great. The 2nd because we got trapped behind and I got geared up to rez only to think “hey banish” and getting punished by the idea. The 3rd because scrolls win.
-The Placker Bug Mod- I know it was rough for a lot of folks but oddly I felt effective when I picked my moments. I wound up staying behind to ensure we had an escape path and oh what a good idea that turned out to be. Travis has me freaking out when he started building walls in front of the PCs escape path and I was stuck hammering em down with spells and sword for a good 10 minutes of pure panic and screaming like a banshee for everyone to bail out. I made it past the wall and oops…Placker Bug Central… I emptied so much getting through that but it felt amazing to be so scared of failing the town.
- I really enjoyed the pacing and difficulty of the Flame/Lava monsters attacking the village that Travis ran. For the out of towners+Ellebreeze. He also did a great job of making us want to work on resolving to solve the main plot through a fish-bowl.
-Popping the Ice/Winter Node- Since I am rarely there, it’s rare I get to start and finish a plot. I know it was a minor thing but it was really cool to wrap something up and I got to cast a ritual with some of the new incents and props and whatnot.
My only real points of contention were over IG matters and a couple of unsafe fighting situations but generally those were quickly sorted out by the plot team so as I said to the Plot Team and to John this was one of my Best Michigan events ever.
Thanks,
Paul
Durk Bloodrune
Artisan
I have no idea how Wren would have reacted to the Plot that came from it but OMG would JOE have absolutely loved the Puzzle side.
GJ
GJ
StremthiWayfound
Newbie
After debriefing with a few people today about my feedback post, I wanted to post again to clarify that my original post was not complaining about the difficulty of the placker bug mod. I love the intensity of that mod, as well as the intensity of the second two node mods (prepare-to-die skills and all; like I said, they weren't even the bad ones). My only comment was to say that after the intensity of fighting all the way down there, it was a let down not to see the queen.
Now, after talking to others about it, it seems pretty clear we blew it on an in game level. For example, we know there were two other paths. We basically picked randomly to go down the middle one, and on the GTFO run, we ran right by the other choices fleeing for our lives. There are also the other possible reasons the queen could have fled, which I posted in my original post. For any of these reasons, or umpteen others I haven't thought of, the queen wasn't there. Was I disappointed? Sure I was. But that should be an in-game disappointment only. Stremthi was let down to not have a crack at the queen. And that should be the end of it.
On an out of game level and from the perspective of the plot team and game world, it really should not have gone any other way. And on an out of game level, would I have been happy if the plot team just decided to change things on the fly to serve up the queen on a platter? No, I wouldn't have. Truth be told, I would rather play in a "gloves off" game like Chris, Chad, and Travis are running. We almost town wiped--and would have, had we kept going--due to in-game mistakes. You better believe we won't be making them again (or at least we are going to try our hardest to avoid them!).
I appreciate the opportunity to talk to people today to get my head more around what went wrong, on an in game level. If and when we do hunt down that beotch and run her through, it is going to be that much sweeter.
THREE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE NEXT ONE!! WOOT WOOT!
Joe a/k/a Stremthi
Now, after talking to others about it, it seems pretty clear we blew it on an in game level. For example, we know there were two other paths. We basically picked randomly to go down the middle one, and on the GTFO run, we ran right by the other choices fleeing for our lives. There are also the other possible reasons the queen could have fled, which I posted in my original post. For any of these reasons, or umpteen others I haven't thought of, the queen wasn't there. Was I disappointed? Sure I was. But that should be an in-game disappointment only. Stremthi was let down to not have a crack at the queen. And that should be the end of it.
On an out of game level and from the perspective of the plot team and game world, it really should not have gone any other way. And on an out of game level, would I have been happy if the plot team just decided to change things on the fly to serve up the queen on a platter? No, I wouldn't have. Truth be told, I would rather play in a "gloves off" game like Chris, Chad, and Travis are running. We almost town wiped--and would have, had we kept going--due to in-game mistakes. You better believe we won't be making them again (or at least we are going to try our hardest to avoid them!).
I appreciate the opportunity to talk to people today to get my head more around what went wrong, on an in game level. If and when we do hunt down that beotch and run her through, it is going to be that much sweeter.
THREE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE NEXT ONE!! WOOT WOOT!
Joe a/k/a Stremthi
I had a blast this weekend, it was lots of fun to play again in Michigan and the 'land' of Liddia's birth. So for the good:
-I really enjoyed the modules that could go either ways. The Gypsy module with Chad and the parlay back and forth was lots of fun. It is modules like that, that make me glad that Liddia likes to talk and that props are a great thing to have.
-Closing of the nodes and the planes modules were great. Not knowing what was going on and having to book it back to the portal when it closed lead to great role play.
-Many props to the plot team to allowing creative uses of craftsman other skills. A definite highlight was the ritual in the circle with Kit seeking Jehan. -Thanks for allowing creative role-play and allowing us to be creative with skills.
-The interpenetration of the planes was fun. Playing a character who strives to bring balance to the material plane via working with the Elemental planes had me thinking about how that planes work in other chapters.
-Having to crawl though the hive to seek the bugs was really, really fun.
-All of the darkness within Ellabreeze and how that burst forth is a wonderful interpenetration of the enchanted world that the game is. It really hammered home how darkness affects adventures and the humanity within characters.
-The node modules that I went on were great. The slow fighting back and forth and it was well paced, allowing for role play back and forth while fighting.
So for the bad:
-I am not the biggest fan of really fast combat. So I thought that the bug fight could have been slowed down on both sides both player and NPC.
I hope to see you all again soon.
Amadna
-I really enjoyed the modules that could go either ways. The Gypsy module with Chad and the parlay back and forth was lots of fun. It is modules like that, that make me glad that Liddia likes to talk and that props are a great thing to have.
-Closing of the nodes and the planes modules were great. Not knowing what was going on and having to book it back to the portal when it closed lead to great role play.
-Many props to the plot team to allowing creative uses of craftsman other skills. A definite highlight was the ritual in the circle with Kit seeking Jehan. -Thanks for allowing creative role-play and allowing us to be creative with skills.
-The interpenetration of the planes was fun. Playing a character who strives to bring balance to the material plane via working with the Elemental planes had me thinking about how that planes work in other chapters.
-Having to crawl though the hive to seek the bugs was really, really fun.
-All of the darkness within Ellabreeze and how that burst forth is a wonderful interpenetration of the enchanted world that the game is. It really hammered home how darkness affects adventures and the humanity within characters.
-The node modules that I went on were great. The slow fighting back and forth and it was well paced, allowing for role play back and forth while fighting.
So for the bad:
-I am not the biggest fan of really fast combat. So I thought that the bug fight could have been slowed down on both sides both player and NPC.
I hope to see you all again soon.
Amadna
Amulnar Mannik
Newbie
I don't think I've ever been so sore from PCing a character with absolutely no weapons. That being said, I loved NPCing the placker bug mod; regardless of how sore it made me it was still a blast.
Plot team, you guys did amazing as per usual. My only complaint (and I hate to just echo everyone else) would be the wait times, which to me never seemed that crazy. They weren't even really that inconvenient, they were just noticeable, but with the amount of people we had come in from out of town along with all our regulars and some clown named Zach Walker who decided to bring a couple n00bz, I would say it was understandable. Despite all that, you guys made time for me and the other lowbies and I really appreciated that, as I'm sure they did.
Some personal favorites:
"Let's not be hasty." --Chad. Not to mention that whole mod.
Also the Ellebreeze exorcism mod was pretty great, in particular I enjoyed getting silenced. I had to jump up and down to try to get the healers over where we needed them; it was both horrifying and oh so entertaining.
PCs, it's always a pleasure. Out of towners I'm always happy to see the dedication it takes to drive as far as you do and it's always a blast playing with you. Jack and Jess, you guys are improving rapidly, and it's very cool to watch.
NPCs, you guys are killing it, and us, and I appreciate that. Except Menotti.
I'm sure there's more, but I'm incompetent, and I can always edit this later.
--Wes
Plot team, you guys did amazing as per usual. My only complaint (and I hate to just echo everyone else) would be the wait times, which to me never seemed that crazy. They weren't even really that inconvenient, they were just noticeable, but with the amount of people we had come in from out of town along with all our regulars and some clown named Zach Walker who decided to bring a couple n00bz, I would say it was understandable. Despite all that, you guys made time for me and the other lowbies and I really appreciated that, as I'm sure they did.
Some personal favorites:
"Let's not be hasty." --Chad. Not to mention that whole mod.
Also the Ellebreeze exorcism mod was pretty great, in particular I enjoyed getting silenced. I had to jump up and down to try to get the healers over where we needed them; it was both horrifying and oh so entertaining.
PCs, it's always a pleasure. Out of towners I'm always happy to see the dedication it takes to drive as far as you do and it's always a blast playing with you. Jack and Jess, you guys are improving rapidly, and it's very cool to watch.
NPCs, you guys are killing it, and us, and I appreciate that. Except Menotti.
I'm sure there's more, but I'm incompetent, and I can always edit this later.
--Wes
I always have such a hard time writing a review of events because its a big fun blur and I'm horrible at thinking or something.
Thank you plot team for forcing me out of my comfort zone and giving me a challenge. The fighting broken Elabreeze was such a surprise when it happened, because I actually believed Mathis when he told me we were just going out to the grove to talk (lolright). And then the whole town showing up and then getting yelled at and then this awesome fight happening and then finally getting to play regular Elabreeze and almost forgetting how.
I thought the placker bug thing was really fun, and it made sense that since the undead and Lukas's army had already fought them, the bugs figured out some way to hid the queen better. or something. I don't feel like we failed even though we didn't immediately win because its a big problem that I'm sure we'll deal with again. I really enjoyed that there were npcs on both sides fighting us, and because there were so many of you it was oh **** crazy.
The fae game thing. I thought it was an interesting encounter and its cool that a conversation over breakfast with an npc in the tavern can turn into a silly game and then the prize from it being used to go to a really huge saturday night mod. And thanks to the plot team for entertaining me when made unexpected choices and putting up with me when I had a hard time figuring out what to do.
It was super fun getting to rp with so many people from out of town and the new players were awesome.
Becky, you won at tavern food. Everything was awesome and I liked the meal timing.
I like how the job board has a mix of just getting rats out of cellars and doing quest things that effect weekend plot stuff.
I still can't believe we have libraries. I'm looking forward to exploring that more.
High fives for everyone
-Amber
Thank you plot team for forcing me out of my comfort zone and giving me a challenge. The fighting broken Elabreeze was such a surprise when it happened, because I actually believed Mathis when he told me we were just going out to the grove to talk (lolright). And then the whole town showing up and then getting yelled at and then this awesome fight happening and then finally getting to play regular Elabreeze and almost forgetting how.
I thought the placker bug thing was really fun, and it made sense that since the undead and Lukas's army had already fought them, the bugs figured out some way to hid the queen better. or something. I don't feel like we failed even though we didn't immediately win because its a big problem that I'm sure we'll deal with again. I really enjoyed that there were npcs on both sides fighting us, and because there were so many of you it was oh **** crazy.
The fae game thing. I thought it was an interesting encounter and its cool that a conversation over breakfast with an npc in the tavern can turn into a silly game and then the prize from it being used to go to a really huge saturday night mod. And thanks to the plot team for entertaining me when made unexpected choices and putting up with me when I had a hard time figuring out what to do.
It was super fun getting to rp with so many people from out of town and the new players were awesome.
Becky, you won at tavern food. Everything was awesome and I liked the meal timing.
I like how the job board has a mix of just getting rats out of cellars and doing quest things that effect weekend plot stuff.
I still can't believe we have libraries. I'm looking forward to exploring that more.
High fives for everyone
-Amber
Jack
Newbie
So Zach told me to leave feedback so I'm going to leave feedback even though he didn't leave feedback yet!
This whole event was seriously a blast, there wasn't a single moment where I wasn't enjoying myself. I know I messed up a few rules things and asked a million questions but I hope that next time goes a bit smoother since I'll have a pretty good base understanding of the game.
I see people making a common mention of the wait times, but since I don't really have a line to compare it to, they didn't seem all that bad for real life loading times. Some of the mods seemed pretty complex so the longer waiting didn't mean much to me, I was pretty happy with everything that I had to wait for.
I'm really hoping that puzzle mods are somewhat common, because that was the absolute most fun of the weekend. I was completely ecstatic to be involved in one, and insanely jealous that some people got to do two.
I have no negative comments because this couldn't have gotten any better than it already was. Except for the queen thing, I'm not quite sure what happened with that.
I do want to send out a thank you to everyone again, I very much enjoyed myself, every single person I saw was helpful, no one got annoyed with me asking questions, etc. etc. long story short it was a fantastic time, I plan on coming back as well as dragging some people along with me if possible for the coming months.
This whole event was seriously a blast, there wasn't a single moment where I wasn't enjoying myself. I know I messed up a few rules things and asked a million questions but I hope that next time goes a bit smoother since I'll have a pretty good base understanding of the game.
I see people making a common mention of the wait times, but since I don't really have a line to compare it to, they didn't seem all that bad for real life loading times. Some of the mods seemed pretty complex so the longer waiting didn't mean much to me, I was pretty happy with everything that I had to wait for.
I'm really hoping that puzzle mods are somewhat common, because that was the absolute most fun of the weekend. I was completely ecstatic to be involved in one, and insanely jealous that some people got to do two.
I have no negative comments because this couldn't have gotten any better than it already was. Except for the queen thing, I'm not quite sure what happened with that.
I do want to send out a thank you to everyone again, I very much enjoyed myself, every single person I saw was helpful, no one got annoyed with me asking questions, etc. etc. long story short it was a fantastic time, I plan on coming back as well as dragging some people along with me if possible for the coming months.
Banradi
Adept
What an awesome event! I love how each event I get involved in more and more things. It makes me super excited to see how all of these things work out. I also really like the internal struggle of trying to figure out which things take priority!
Highlights:
Formal Casting: First off, I absolutely loved watching Matt cast all of those rituals at the very beginning! The setup was super cool, and I really want to thank Joe (Stremthi) for being somebody I could to talk to throughout that whole thing and to GJ for giving the super cool explanations of what was happening. We froze our a***s off, but it was totally worth it.
Research: I really liked going to the library with Joe (Wren)! Although fighting is exciting and cool and very much loved, I feel like I'm slowly breaking in my "role-playing shoes" as it were, and being able to have long RP sessions like that is super cool.
Ellabreeze fight: I loved this because I had to have a completely different plan of attack... By that time, I was pretty much tapped out of healing spells, and so I thought I would be pretty worthless. However, I remembered I had huge stack of potions and got to run around forcing them down people's throats! I also loved looking over and seeing Wes jump up and down while silenced trying to get my attention so that I could cure him and the other PCs dying beneath him.
Romani Gathering: This was one of my favourite things during the event. Getting all of those Gypsies/Rai together was so much fun, and I really liked exploring the actual culture of being a Romani.
Puzzle Mod: This was AWESOME. The mod itself was fun, but like GJ mentioned, staying up until 5 or 5:30 in the morning on Sunday just talking about what we were going to do afterwards was even cooler! Thanks to Chad and the other NPCs who hooked us that late at night! I really appreciate it.
Lowlights?
Placker Bug Mod: I thought the set-up of this was really cool, (The tunnel that we needed to crawl through, the lights, multiple paths, etc) but it definitely didn't pan out the way we (the PCs) wanted it too. I think it's cool that we can't always win, but with a huge fight like that, it was a bit disappointing to not have a queen at the end.
Monster Camp: Like everyone has said before, I wasn't a huge fan of the wait times. I don't think they were particularly worse, but with more people than usual, I think it's easier to talk out of game.
Thanks again for everything. Cheers to Travis for the cool in-game flyer for the April event... I'm super excited. See you all then!
-Ian
(Banradi)
Highlights:
Formal Casting: First off, I absolutely loved watching Matt cast all of those rituals at the very beginning! The setup was super cool, and I really want to thank Joe (Stremthi) for being somebody I could to talk to throughout that whole thing and to GJ for giving the super cool explanations of what was happening. We froze our a***s off, but it was totally worth it.
Research: I really liked going to the library with Joe (Wren)! Although fighting is exciting and cool and very much loved, I feel like I'm slowly breaking in my "role-playing shoes" as it were, and being able to have long RP sessions like that is super cool.
Ellabreeze fight: I loved this because I had to have a completely different plan of attack... By that time, I was pretty much tapped out of healing spells, and so I thought I would be pretty worthless. However, I remembered I had huge stack of potions and got to run around forcing them down people's throats! I also loved looking over and seeing Wes jump up and down while silenced trying to get my attention so that I could cure him and the other PCs dying beneath him.
Romani Gathering: This was one of my favourite things during the event. Getting all of those Gypsies/Rai together was so much fun, and I really liked exploring the actual culture of being a Romani.
Puzzle Mod: This was AWESOME. The mod itself was fun, but like GJ mentioned, staying up until 5 or 5:30 in the morning on Sunday just talking about what we were going to do afterwards was even cooler! Thanks to Chad and the other NPCs who hooked us that late at night! I really appreciate it.
Lowlights?
Placker Bug Mod: I thought the set-up of this was really cool, (The tunnel that we needed to crawl through, the lights, multiple paths, etc) but it definitely didn't pan out the way we (the PCs) wanted it too. I think it's cool that we can't always win, but with a huge fight like that, it was a bit disappointing to not have a queen at the end.
Monster Camp: Like everyone has said before, I wasn't a huge fan of the wait times. I don't think they were particularly worse, but with more people than usual, I think it's easier to talk out of game.
Thanks again for everything. Cheers to Travis for the cool in-game flyer for the April event... I'm super excited. See you all then!
-Ian
(Banradi)
There were a lot of fun/exciting moments for me at the event and a few frustrating ones.
I think the best part of the event for me was playing charades (for lack of a better term) with the Ferryman and Stremthi. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must have been for Travis trying to figure out what he could do to get his point across without talking. The candles used to represent people during “charades” can up later to humorous ends. I’m glad things worked out for West in a round about way.
Just like everyone else, I loved the Elabreeze fight. I felt bad for her sitting in a circle being berated by Mathis. Matt’s teasing can be harsh sometimes. I can’t imagine how hard it might be to take when he is really trying. I had a hard time determining where to focus so I ended up all over the place, which is probably why I ended up on the ground so much. Chad, love the creepy smile as you were going around killing blowing anyone laying on the ground. NPCs did a great job.
I was a little frustrated about the Placker bug mod, but not for the same reason as everyone else. The safety issues of people fighting in the hole bothered me greatly and the fact that no one would listen made the frustration worse. The fact that the queen wasn’t there made a ton of sense. We took a long time getting down there, there were two other tunnels we didn’t go down, and other armies had already been there. Plenty of reasons for the queen to be gone. I really enjoyed the long fight and the attack from both sides. After going to the back to re-fit and “bugs” come up from behind, I stood up and saw Finely and Nigel as the only others with weapons. They held their ground and earned Sloane’s respect (not sure if that really means much, but it’s there).
I had a major what the f*** just happened moment. Ingebrigtsen walks up asking if anyone lost a sword holder ring. I’m thinking to myself “is he in game”, then he creepily touches my face, says “see you soon, Sloane”, and rifts away. Stunned silence followed by rage beyond belief. Now that I have received some clarification…Game on plot guys!
I was impressed by the new players. They got involved and even NPCed for a while. Hope you had fun and will be back.
NPCs, you are great as always. Thank you for coming out and running yourselves ragged for our entertainment.
See you all in a few weeks!
Brigit
IG: Sloane
I think the best part of the event for me was playing charades (for lack of a better term) with the Ferryman and Stremthi. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must have been for Travis trying to figure out what he could do to get his point across without talking. The candles used to represent people during “charades” can up later to humorous ends. I’m glad things worked out for West in a round about way.
Just like everyone else, I loved the Elabreeze fight. I felt bad for her sitting in a circle being berated by Mathis. Matt’s teasing can be harsh sometimes. I can’t imagine how hard it might be to take when he is really trying. I had a hard time determining where to focus so I ended up all over the place, which is probably why I ended up on the ground so much. Chad, love the creepy smile as you were going around killing blowing anyone laying on the ground. NPCs did a great job.
I was a little frustrated about the Placker bug mod, but not for the same reason as everyone else. The safety issues of people fighting in the hole bothered me greatly and the fact that no one would listen made the frustration worse. The fact that the queen wasn’t there made a ton of sense. We took a long time getting down there, there were two other tunnels we didn’t go down, and other armies had already been there. Plenty of reasons for the queen to be gone. I really enjoyed the long fight and the attack from both sides. After going to the back to re-fit and “bugs” come up from behind, I stood up and saw Finely and Nigel as the only others with weapons. They held their ground and earned Sloane’s respect (not sure if that really means much, but it’s there).
I had a major what the f*** just happened moment. Ingebrigtsen walks up asking if anyone lost a sword holder ring. I’m thinking to myself “is he in game”, then he creepily touches my face, says “see you soon, Sloane”, and rifts away. Stunned silence followed by rage beyond belief. Now that I have received some clarification…Game on plot guys!
I was impressed by the new players. They got involved and even NPCed for a while. Hope you had fun and will be back.
NPCs, you are great as always. Thank you for coming out and running yourselves ragged for our entertainment.
See you all in a few weeks!
Brigit
IG: Sloane
I had a good time.
Thought things were stated perfectly for what the plot team is trying to accomplish.
Thought the wait-time outside NPC camp was completely understandable. It still sucks my RP away. I have a suggestion for myself and the rest of the PCs. Stop talking OOG. Stop goofing off. Simple, right? Our lack of ability to keep IG during a travel hold is our own faults, and we all need to work on it. RP with those around you. Talk about your future plans for the event. Talk about what happened in the last adventure. Talk about your group. Talk about other plots. I don't really care what you do, but it's on us to make sure we keep in game. If standing in front of NPC camp hinders that for you, take your group and step off to the side. Have the balls to tell your friends to stop talking OOG; be prepared for that exact phrase to come from me to you. Take my candid suggestion with acceptance; I'll do the same if let me know I'm slipping OOG, as well.
I have realized I need one goblin mod an event to make each event amazing for me. Thank you for continuing to churn those out. I really hope you have at least half as much running them as we do playing through them.
Shout out to Chris for working as hard as you, both between and during the events.
Shout out to Travis for the accents of his NPCs. It helps create both a realism and a differentiated feel to your NPCs. Keep the atmosphere real.
Shout out to Chad giving my group their favorite mod of the event, and for providing me with a great conversation that kept us all up until well after you'd all gone to bed.
Shout out to Matt for running side-plot. It's big when a PC is willing to take time out of their experience (and money spent) to entertain those around them.
Shout out to Becky for the bread bowls. What a nice different from the normal grind. Also, we gotta get you outta that kitchen once in awhile to come on a mod with my group and I. =)
Shout out to Jess for it being her first event and having a great costume already.
Shout out to Jack for being a trooper and playing half-naked for the first night (even though that is totally your own fault =) )
Shout out to Amber for her (and our chapter's) first plot point. Your roleplay has just been a step above everyone else's for awhile. Was cool to see that chapter of your character's life come to fruition, and I can't wait for the next one. Kudos.
Shout out to Paul and his crew from Chicago for making the drive. It's no secret that relations between our chapters have been strained in the past, and it's sweet to see both sides coming back together and creating the connection that was there all the way back in the International days. (can't wait for your July event, finally get to play me some Ashnar)
Shout out to Steve for making so many shout outs.
Steve
Thought things were stated perfectly for what the plot team is trying to accomplish.
Thought the wait-time outside NPC camp was completely understandable. It still sucks my RP away. I have a suggestion for myself and the rest of the PCs. Stop talking OOG. Stop goofing off. Simple, right? Our lack of ability to keep IG during a travel hold is our own faults, and we all need to work on it. RP with those around you. Talk about your future plans for the event. Talk about what happened in the last adventure. Talk about your group. Talk about other plots. I don't really care what you do, but it's on us to make sure we keep in game. If standing in front of NPC camp hinders that for you, take your group and step off to the side. Have the balls to tell your friends to stop talking OOG; be prepared for that exact phrase to come from me to you. Take my candid suggestion with acceptance; I'll do the same if let me know I'm slipping OOG, as well.
I have realized I need one goblin mod an event to make each event amazing for me. Thank you for continuing to churn those out. I really hope you have at least half as much running them as we do playing through them.
Shout out to Chris for working as hard as you, both between and during the events.
Shout out to Travis for the accents of his NPCs. It helps create both a realism and a differentiated feel to your NPCs. Keep the atmosphere real.
Shout out to Chad giving my group their favorite mod of the event, and for providing me with a great conversation that kept us all up until well after you'd all gone to bed.
Shout out to Matt for running side-plot. It's big when a PC is willing to take time out of their experience (and money spent) to entertain those around them.
Shout out to Becky for the bread bowls. What a nice different from the normal grind. Also, we gotta get you outta that kitchen once in awhile to come on a mod with my group and I. =)
Shout out to Jess for it being her first event and having a great costume already.
Shout out to Jack for being a trooper and playing half-naked for the first night (even though that is totally your own fault =) )
Shout out to Amber for her (and our chapter's) first plot point. Your roleplay has just been a step above everyone else's for awhile. Was cool to see that chapter of your character's life come to fruition, and I can't wait for the next one. Kudos.
Shout out to Paul and his crew from Chicago for making the drive. It's no secret that relations between our chapters have been strained in the past, and it's sweet to see both sides coming back together and creating the connection that was there all the way back in the International days. (can't wait for your July event, finally get to play me some Ashnar)
Shout out to Steve for making so many shout outs.
Steve
Amulnar Mannik
Newbie
Steve said:
Please and thank you. I'm terrible at this. Police me.
--Wes