New player?

[Pinth]

Hey.

Well, as the topic states I'm new around here, and I have some questions about your PW.

I've been playing and DMing on a permadeath HCR server that uses 3.5ed rules for two and a half years but figured it was time to move on to something else.
Browsing some through your threads I see you are having similiar problems as we have had. Unhappy players and constantly decreasing player numbers.

So, honestly, how many players can you expect to see during European daytime/evening?

Is the game balanced to be more like PnP or do you go for the bioware approach?

[DM_Kev]

Hello there,

Evenings are a problem as we only have dm's in uk timezones. The last 2 DMs from other abroad we had cleared off without warning, which has lowered my trust of DMs who I will rarely have contact with, making me reluctant to recruit more.

As for departures, it is a number of reasons;

- We have been too harsh in the past and thats upset a few

- Its not every players cup of tea

- Quiet at nights when most brits are asleep

- Misinformation stirred by resentful people

I myself am in two minds of what to do at the moment. Hopefully I will know the answer soon :)

[Prophet7]

Some of those players have already returned and with the new changes most of the old problems have disappeared. Yes there have been problems, but in this server the problems have been worked through and not ignored. You should try the world for yourself, you will see all the effort and heart that went into it.

[underdarklord]

Kev,

Do you think that you should find some capable people to DM at night because there are people who play at night and would like to have some DM interaction.

You could possibly even get more people on server if there was more DM interaction at night. I know I live in Michigan and when I log on at night here there is basically no one on the server, 2 to 10 pc's max.

Just a idea...I am having a problem with finding the server on Gamespy its not in histories area and I can't find on the rp channel of gamespy

thanks

[Gloin]

During european evenings, you can expect to see 20+ people on quite regularly, I think, so you'll be fine (from your forum-indicated time-zone). As for PnP vs. Bioware-approach - I'm not quite sure what you mean by that, the server strives to encourage RP and party-play -- quite successfully, I think.

[Gloin]

Originally posted by underdarklord
Kev,

Do you think that you should find some capable people to DM at night because there are people who play at night and would like to have some DM interaction.

You could possibly even get more people on server if there was more DM interaction at night. I know I live in Michigan and when I log on at night here there is basically no one on the server, 2 to 10 pc's max.

Just a idea...I am having a problem with finding the server on Gamespy its not in histories area and I can't find on the rp channel of gamespy

thanks

Hmm, a bit of a vicious circle, that. As Kev said, he's reluctant to get DMs he doesn't know personally - and if the two american DMs really disappeared with no warning, I can't blame him. On the one hand, we're less likely to get american players without american DMs; on the other hand, if there are only few american players, it'd be hard to pick some of them for DM-ing.

The bit about Gamespy is perhaps a good point - I don't know where MERP shows up on that, either... Then again, since a custom hak is needed, people need to go via merpuk.wireplay.co.uk anyway.

[catofnine]

Is the server down? I can't connect via gamespy or direct connect. :(

[underdarklord]

Well i am having still no luck finding the server on gamespy. Would anyone know the IP address for MERP so I might actually get to play today when I really don't have anything else do to, plus there is about a foot of snow outside and I really don't want to go out there...burr

Gloin, I agree with your comments but still I would like to see another DM to entertain the pc's from the states, what it seems to me is you rather have all of the people from europe play on this server rather any people play from the states. I know for certain that one of my good friends quit MERP because one DM would not stop hasselling him and friends "to play a certain way" and he quit, HE WON'T COME BACK EVER.

If you want MERP to be GREAT online community then you have to kiss everyone ass and make everyone happy, because we all know that happy players make a overall great online community. Without players there would be no MERP and then no DMs.

thanks

[Argon Balros]

heres the ip 195.224.41.15


perhaps it should be in big writing at the top of the website

[catofnine]

umm...no I think the MERP should be true to what the developers want it to be. It seems to me that they have a distinct vision to what MERP should be and to compromise that by "asskissing" would cause this server to be like all the other Tolkien servers I can't stand playing.

[catofnine]

Originally posted by Argon Balros
heres the ip 195.224.41.15


perhaps it should be in big writing at the top of the website

I've tried that via direct connect to no avail. :(

[catofnine]

Originally posted by Argon Balros
heres the ip 195.224.41.15


perhaps it should be in big writing at the top of the website

I've tried that via direct connect to no avail. It gives me a " failed connection unable to connect, server timed out" message.

((edit)) Oops sorry for the double post! *puzzled look*

[Gloin]

I think underdarklord means we should try to provide DMs for all timezones rather than run the server like players want (although I agree the term "asskissing" was badly chosen).

Well, the fact is that there are no american DMs -- it's unfortunate, but true. There were some, as Kev said, but they let us down.

If you can suggest a safe way of picking people who would make good DMs, I'm sure we'd all love to know.


I agree the IP should be displayed on the front page, by the way.

And server is down atm, that's why you can't connect.

[catofnine]

Perhaps you guys could get together and figure out an application process for some American DMs? Though I'm sure that there's probably one in place. It's unfortunate that ones you did have let you down. :(

[underdarklord]

Sorry if I offended anyone on my rant...I did not mean offend anyone or mistreat anyone.

All that I have said has been the truth and my personal opinions, whether they are right or not that is a different story. But anyways I really like what you did with the server recently and keep up the good work...

Thanks

[DM_Kev]

Thanks for the ideas here guys.

I know that we DO need DMs in American or Australian Timezones (or whatever - provided they can be on duty during UK night time)
If someone draws my eye, I'll look into recruiting them.

Someone commented on 'ass kissing' in regards to working with players. In my books, its a big no no. Sure, its a valid choice, especially if you are looking to get record numbers of players and to please all.

But this is where my comments regarding the negatives of Stormplay come from. If you coddle and wait hand and foot on all the players, you have chaos, in a community like this, where there are large extremes to the larger player base servers.

Its, in my opinion, something which people in the NWN community often forget - "Game experience may change during online play". This envelopes everything to do with what happens when you go online to play. You are playing on someones server and a game which they have created from scratch in their free time for no cost. It is entirely the decision of the owner as to what takes place.

If I wanted the most players/busiest server/s in the world, I would coddle the players to their hearts content. But no - I set out with a specific goal, because I KNEW there was a market out there for players who wanted that little bit extra. Quality. Therefore, we dont want to be setting player count records, we just want quality. Therefore, we wont compromise often with serious issues or ideas which may threaten what we set out to do.

Oof, I went on a bit there. But I hope this was helpful to show you where we stand. :)

[Gloin]

Well spoken, lad. *raises an Aule's and drinks to Kev*