The Wisdom of Luke Sullivan- THE SOLUTION

Actually, that's not a bad idea at all. We had kicked that around a bit with the plot team but weren't sure how the players would react.
 
Most of the people I play with find plot to be the most rewarding thing they get in a weekend.. Treasure is good and all, but plot is unforgettable. it's the patented JTF sexy factor. not just throwing some spell at some bad guy.. but having that bad guy there specifically for you, or whatever. doesn't have to be anything that elaborate.

I know there are random things that could happen with my character that i would never expect plot to do like some old rival from dockside shows up badmouthing me, or like, the bardic college comes because i am behind on tuition.. little things that add flavor to a character that i would never in a million years expect plot to spend time on because they have a whole event to run... but if plot was for sale like that... I’d totally buy.
 
Robb Graves said:
you'll kill me for suggesting this... but maybe npcs could trade in thier gobbies for special plot for thier PC or something. like an extra special action between events, or even an extra action... or a module to be redeemed next event they PC or whatever. i dunno how this would mess with how things are done already so maybe it wouldn't work at all.. but since it would cost only plot brainpower and time and wouldn't effect the power levels in the game, i thought i'd throw it out there.

Honestly, I have one fear about that idea. My fear is that NPCs would end up buying "an empty box". Oh, I have no question the plot team would do their jobs and make the plot. But all too often, when NPCs and time runs short, we are forced to cut things from the weekend. Personal plot usually isn't the first thing cut, but it isn't the last thing cut, either.

Other than that, it sounds like an interesting idea and there is some definite merit to it. PCs get personal plot by interacting with the weekend. NPCs miss out on that opportunity. This would sorta balance the scales.

-MS
 
yeah, i agree there are some things that would need to be worked out for it (the overall weekend arc + plot /npc camp's timetables /weather)

plus if you have alot of these plot purchases going out.. how will you tell the actual story of the weekend?? hmmm.. things to ponder
 
PRO used to have "good ratio/Bad ratio" pay charts in regards to your PC/NPC ratio. If you had a good ratio you got $10 off your weekend. Average would pay a base price, and BAD ratio (i.e. almost never NPC's) paid a $10 stipend.

For the people driving 6-8 hours, and putting on 3-4 hours of make up, NPC'ing isn't what you came for. $10 isn't much of a penalty per person, but can add up for the chapter. $10 off isn't going to kill the chapter but ensures that a few more people head towards monster camp.

Jim
 
Tempest said:
PRO used to have "good ratio/Bad ratio" pay charts in regards to your PC/NPC ratio. If you had a good ratio you got $10 off your weekend. Average would pay a base price, and BAD ratio (i.e. almost never NPC's) paid a $10 stipend.

For the people driving 6-8 hours, and putting on 3-4 hours of make up, NPC'ing isn't what you came for. $10 isn't much of a penalty per person, but can add up for the chapter. $10 off isn't going to kill the chapter but ensures that a few more people head towards monster camp.

Jim

Living in Pittsburgh, I am aware of PRO policies. Unfortunately, it also had a terrible policy that forced you to PC your first three games, thus ruining your PC/NPC ratio.

-MS
 
youthculture said:
That's another thing. Chaos Storm? Sexiest thing ever.
And whats even sexier? Her throwing them you all.

Im another of those crazy chapter hopping NPCs. I believe Dan had it right, 95% of Ner... Alliance can be fixed with more NPCs. The CT event was proof positive. 1.2:1 ratio made life so much more fun for everyone I think.
If someone where to tell me "Hey, if you NPC for Caldaria enough, we will make sure that when you DO get around to PCing an event with us, we will have something written with your PC specifically in mind" Id be on it like white on rice. Having had the wonderful opportunity to be on the dark side of some of the most amazing moments in the history of Ne... Alliance, (things like Shadowhook, the Shadow Nest, the Tell Tale Heart Mod, Purple Haze, The battle of Creepwood,ect ect), Id jump at the chance to have something of half that caliber happen to me while I was playing. And if its for doing something that I love to do all ready thats even better.
 
Most plot and staff are gracious enough to reward there NPCs who PC an event every so often -- sort of an unspoken tip of the hat, I guess. Assuming you've given your plot submissions and character history to the plot staff on time, anyway. :p

But you're right. Being able to be on the dark side of some amazing events is a feeling that makes me giddy. Hearing PCs OOG and IG talk about that one vicious fight, or that one moment of awesome roleplay and thinking to yourself "hey, that was me!" is a feeling that makes me keep coming back. It makes your NPCs feel immensely valuable to be involved, which is a value that I think is occassionally underplayed.

If you're a PC who can't NPC (which I think everyone can, but I understand it's simply not some people's gig), then you can do the next best thing: make sure the NPCs feel valued. Thank them if you happen to catch them out of game, or share a moment that you had or saw with them that you thought was awesome -- seriously, it means that world.
 
youthculture said:
But you're right. Being able to be on the dark side of some amazing events is a feeling that makes me giddy. Hearing PCs OOG and IG talk about that one vicious fight, or that one moment of awesome roleplay and thinking to yourself "hey, that was me!" is a feeling that makes me keep coming back. It makes your NPCs feel immensely valuable to be involved, which is a value that I think is occassionally underplayed.

If you're a PC who can't NPC (which I think everyone can, but I understand it's simply not some people's gig), then you can do the next best thing: make sure the NPCs feel valued. Thank them if you happen to catch them out of game, or share a moment that you had or saw with them that you thought was awesome -- seriously, it means that world.

I'm in complete agreement. I just started Alliance and I've so far NPCed all of my few events. I don't even have a character in the base yet. While yeah, NPC style may not be the style for some, don't dismiss it as 'work': having been one of the trolls that roared in your face when it ate your 70 slay, or cornered you in a cabin, I love being the one that your war stories are made of. Last event, when people went out of their way to say 'hey that was awesome' and 'so it was -you-! You scared the crap out of me!' made all my hardcore fun as an NPC even better. If that's possible. And even though I will soon finally enter a character and try my hand at PCing, I guarantee that there is no way I would miss out on balancing it out with NPCing for the world. There are always two stories: the player who victoriously re-enters the tavern boasting on how they killed a big nasty, and the NPC who was the big nasty running back to monster camp to boast on how they made Sir so-and-so run around like a chicken with their head cut off before he could suceed.

Also, as an NPC, I'm already getting free experience for a character. A wonderful blanket for the event. And I don't have to pay the 60-70 bucks for it. I'm quite happy doing what I like to do (which is run around like a maniac, 'killing' people and getting 'killed') for the cost of a tank of gas (which is essentially a blanket cost I have to pay to do anything else I like anyway).

Pay? 'More money/more expensive' is a scary phrase. Bring in stuff to donate specifically to Monster camp: foldy camp chairs, a couple extra blankets, that old space heater you were meaning to get rid of, water, munchies, .....cookies!! I do a lot for a cookie.

--Elissa
 
one thing I though there might be more of is Re accuring NPC's
there are some but not as many as I would think.
One thing that might attract more NPC's is having some be evil PC's
have one loyal NPC play an evil guy he can talk his friends into being NPC's in his evil army and they can try to retake whatever or start whatever
the Evil NPC could work closley with plot and cause all kinds of fun and problems for the PC's

a bunch of long term EVIL NPC's/PC's would try to recruit and wold try to make it to events and keep there evil plans rolling this would I think increase number of NPC's as they would be like a ALT only an evil alt

im sure this has been done but in my very limited game experence I havent seen it yet

FW
 
You'd be amazed at the amount of shady/evil stuff going on right under your nose :cool:
 
Im sure I would... cloak and dagger dosnt sound fuzzy and cuddley :)

im not saying it isnt done but one thing that was neat about the movie darkon is that there were empire's and players at war
sides recruiting and trying to gain power
Allies and temp alliances some neat stuff
again im not saying that dostn happen isnt happening with only 3 games played by me I haevnt a clue whats going on
but there dosnt seem to be a rift between players no lines drawn no cival war
it seems that its good vs evil

but again I dont know anything I figure after a year or so I might know a little of whats what
 
It depends on the way the chapter is run. I've been in PvP situations - not my personal cup o tea, but some people love it, so we have it out there. I do like the fact that even among players there are consequences to what you do. I can think of a least a dozen characters with prices on their heads from certain other players. In HQ admittedly it's mostly Good, vs Evil type stuff.

Darkon is a different style of game entirely. There ARE no NPCs. Everybody picks a team and those teams war against each other for imaginary parcels of land. It's more like a live version of Risk than a medieval fantasy game.
 
there are no easy anwsers :)

a PC/evil force would raise the stakes and there would be a lot more player deaths this would cut down the creap (though its ruff)
every PC that went to the other side is actualy a 2 person swing and NPC's could be added to ether side of a battle to make it more even say brigand hired swords or whatever.
if an event has 40 pc's and 15 NPC's and 6 PC went to the other PC side then it would be a 34/6/15 sides and if NPC's aided the secound group of PC's then it would be a 34/21 battle not to shabby

anyhoo just a sugestion

FW
 
The problem with it is then you run into the potential of PCs being 'unplayable' in a chapter after the reveal, or dependent upon plot, a corrupt noble house if the PC group is allowed to run free.

Different chapters hold different things for different people. For example, HQ is a very 'good versus evil' chapter. It allows for sneaky evil guys, but very little room for the 'officially' evil team. The characters would not last long.

-Ali
 
Shady **** happens in game all the time; a lot of people don't see it and that's the way it should be. This isn't a PVP game, although there can be PVP involved. Things like IG laws, nobility, and anti-necro feelings make sure that any 'evil' PCs work their evil pretty quietly -- so any shady stuff, any evil PCs, have to be a subtle kind of evil and know what they're doing.

But it does exist -- a little bit more prevelantly in some chapters than others, depending on their flavor of NERO. As an NPC, you might get to see it happen more often as a PC.. but talking about it is a different story. ;)
 
Seattle tends to have a morally-ambivalent game. There is the law and counter to the law, but very often the players are presented with scenarios where running counter to the law is not the expeditious thing to do, but is the "right" thing to do as well. Oregon is a bit more "Wild West".
 
i ADORE NPCing!!!! problem with me NPCing...
1. I can't get out of the tavern long enough to go to NPC camp to logist much less go play something
2. I can't swing pipe to save my life. I'd love to NPC a ROLEPLAY thing though!!!
3. No one has ever asked me to NPC a role for them...::shrugs::
but I'd do anything for Deadlands staff and even some of Caldaria staff...because I love them...they rock...seriously...
 
A lot of being asked to NPC specific roles comes with time and a few other factors -- like how frequently you NPC. If it's a re-occurring character, plot needs to pick someone who NPCs frequently, which is why most specific 'roles' often go to lifer NPCs. Similarly, if it's a role that is combat heavy, they're going to have to consider who is most apt and available for combat -- same goes for roleplay.
 
tooo true youthculture!! its tough for a staff when someone says "I'd love to NPC but i can't remember too many spells for casting and i can't swing pipe" and they're thinking...."lets send her out as a rock or a tree" heheheheheheh
 
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