Rules & Protocol

[Malazek]

Double XP. This is necessary to speed things up, as OLGs by nature are slower than tabletop games.

OOC Chatter. Please preface Out of Character talk with "OOC:" and italicize it.
-- For example: OOC: Do I have Combat Advantage?

Rolling. Either use Invisible Castle and create a hyperlink OR use real-dice and post your own totals (I trust you guys).
-- For example: Attack Roll = 21, Damage = 8.
-- For example: Attack Roll = 21 (rolled 16, +5), Damage = 8 (Rolled 6, +2).

Speaking. Put Speech in quotes (as opposed to actions, which need none).
-- For example: Brog says "Well met."

Break Down Combat Actions. In combat, be specific about how your spend you actions.
-- For example:

Cricktop moves forward, dagger at the ready; as soon as he feels comfortable with the range, he lunges forth and hurls another blade at the remaining Goblin ... and then says "Don't go too far! I need to collect my daggers."

Move: to H9
Standard: Deft Strike vs. Goblin B. Move to F10, Attack = CRIT!, Damage = 12
Minor: Pulls another Dagger.
Free: Speaks.

Post Regularly. About once a day (3 or 4 minutes is all it takes) should be the norm; more or less will be fine, too. If your absense is holding up the game, I will make an executive decision for you (especially in combat); if you want to post more often, that's cool, too (especially outside of combat). It's going to be very laid back, but I AM going to keep the action moving.

Scrolls & Spellbooks. Rituals CAN BE copied from a scroll to a ritual book, but doing so consumes the scroll (and still requires the normal amount of time to make such a copy). Likewise, a page from a ritual book can be torn out and used as a scroll (but only by someone trained in the Arcana skill), but doing so consumes the pages (and still requires the normal time to cast such a ritual; not the reduced scroll time).

[Malazek]

Today is Monday. There have only been two posts since Friday; and only one of those was from a player. There were NO player-posts on either Saturday or Sunday; and only seven in the last week. (And even that felt like kind of a "surge" compared to the last few weeks). I know that we're all kinda busy, and I understand that real life sometimes gets in the way (a fact that has caused us to lose five players, out of eight!).

So, basically, I just want to ask: are you guys still into this game?
If so, are we content to let it keeping slowing down, until it dimishes to just an "occassional" thing?
Or do we want to try and revitalize it somehow? I am open to suggestions.

[Malazek]

There have only been two posts since Friday.

[Swifthand]

I am not into the game right now. There are a myriad of reasons, and we don't need to rehash them now. That being said, I don't like the idea of simply flushing it. I don't have any suggestions other that dropping the npc's.

-Swift

[Malazek]

Are you guys still into this game?

I only got two responses to this question (one via PM, and one via reply), and one of those was negative. A full third of the active player-base didn't respond (that means only half the players who have characters in this scene responded). I assume the absentee's didn't reply because they aren't interested enough to even do that.

Furthermore, since this was posted, only eight posts have been made by players. That's about one post per week from each player; a far cry from the one per day that I asked for when the game started. Now, dont' get me wrong. I'm not blaming anyone ... I understand that people are busy. I understand that the game has lost some of it's pizzaz (partially due to players dropping out, tho that's not the only reason, I'm sure). I also understand that the most recent story arcs have been forced to precede without the players those plots were designed for. And I understand where the combat system breaks down, and becomes tedious. I understand all that.

But it doesn't change the fact that the game is stale. Posts have become few and far between, and they lack the detailed descriptions they once possessed. After waiting four days for three posts (two of which contain nothing but game mechanics), I just wasn't exited to respond. People just aren't into it, anymore. That's okay, I guess; I mean, it happens. The game was dealt a few bad hands, and it hasn't recovered. No biggie. That doesn't mean it wasn't a good game while it lasted, because it was. I had a lot of fun with this game ... but that was months ago.

So, in short, we need to make a decision ... Quit or Continue?

At this point, I need an overwhelming cry for more, if the game is going to survive.
If we don't fix some of the issues the game is having, I'm afraid it is doomed to deteriorate further.

Let me hear some opinions.

[Halcyon]

Yes, all true. I was writing this before Mal's last post, and I have alot of the same sentiments. All of our posts have fallen off. For my part it’s due mostly to not having a home PC currently, which I hope to rebuild in a couple / few weeks.
I’m all for continuing on so long as everyone else is, or we get a new player. I don’t feel it’s fair to Mal to put so much work into this for any fewer players. Lately the game's been a sad mockery of it's former greatness.
Assuming we all want to do so, we can revitalize this game. Some thoughts:

•I agree that having multiple NPCs around results in more complex and longer challenges. Let’s leave the NPCs at the Cave Temple, or send them on a side mission in the quest to free the Great Rihn. In fact, sending ONLY them to free Rihn would not be outside the realm of possibility, and would free the PCs up for:
•A story thread tied to one or all of the diehard remaining PCs. It was lame when Alex was missing for the creation of the Heroes Vortex. Though the Cave Temple has been integral to Verity’s story form the start, that story element was created by Vangg, who’s missing now – also lame. It’s nobody’s fault it worked out that way, but when characters aren’t around at a time when the story is focused on them, it’s a rocky road. The sooner we get into a story centered on the remaining Companions, the better.
•Immediate Actions cause combat to drag out. No longer can Mal ask for a round of actions and we all post whenever, in no particular order. PCs have to wait and see what the PCs with higher initiative do in order to determine if they should use an Immediate Action. Most of the game mechanics work great for an online game, not this one. I’d be happy to make any of several adjustments:
1.Rule that Immediate Actions go off whenever they are triggered
2.Rule that Immediate Actions go off whenever they are triggered except 1 of the player’s choice. This 1 action would go off when the player decides as normal. Would speed things up somewhat but not a lot.
3.Players define a set of criteria that will trigger an Immediate Action and the action triggers then. For example Verity might define a trigger for Eye for an Eye as any attack that bloodies another PC. Then this IA goes off the first time that happens.
4.? Anyone else care to throw in on this one?
•Nobody should be devastated by other PCs dropping out. Mostly it’s their loss. In game we’re finally about to free the Cave Temple. That’s awesome and epic and directly tied to my Verity’s story and concept. I love that. But even better than that is once we best this challenge, what we do next is up to us.

Regardless of what direction the campaign takes next we’ve developed a rich, vivid tapestry of background story and characters and plot seeds to draw on. It’s been great and it will be great again, if we want it to be. If not, it's still been great.

I wouldn't hold it against anyone who wants to call it. Safe to say if the folks who have stopped posting had given the rest of us a heads up, that would have worked out better. If we're going to continue, which I would prefer, lets not be half-arse about it.

[Swifthand]

I am not into the game right now. There are a myriad of reasons, and we don't need to rehash them now. That being said, I don't like the idea of simply flushing it. I don't have any suggestions other than dropping the npc's.

-Swift

If I had more to say on this subject, I would have said it then. But, since I have been asked to re-rehash this subject, and, since I don't want to be cast as the guy who didn't post, I guess I will type what I have said on the phone to all of you.

- I am not into the game right now. You can't force fun: it either is, or isn't, and the game has felt like work since the "undead dream sequence".

- I don't enjoy finishing the plot line of drop outs.

- The rules of the game we are playing have become time consuming and cumbersome (not fun). The prospect of that trend only increasing as our levels get higher and numbers get bigger further dampens my want to play.

- ALL current story lines seem boring to me. I have thought on the "whys" of this for awhile, and, what I came up with was that, basically, the story lines have been in my head for so long in real time, I have virtually played them out hundreds of times already. There is nothing new or exciting, all that is left is the dice rolling.

- When the GM and players post less frequently, it becomes a vicious circle.

I made a suggestion to Mal on the phone. I don't know if it will help or not, but I do know that I have feel no excitement faced with the current situations in game.

None of my above comment are meant to hurt any feelings, I am just being honest. The game was awesome, $hit happened, and now, not so much. All that being said, I am fine with it continuing as-is. Perhaps everyone will become inspired again.

-Swift

[Malazek]

multiple NPCs around results in more complex and longer challenges. Let’s leave the NPCs at the Cave Temple, or send them on a side mission in the quest to free the Great Rihn. In fact, sending ONLY them to free Rihn would not be outside the realm of possibility, and would free the PCs

I think that's an excellent plan.

A story thread tied to one or all of the diehard remaining PCs.

I don't enjoy finishing the plot line of drop outs.

Indeed. We need to focus on you guys for awhile.

The rules of the game we are playing have become time consuming and cumbersome (not fun). The prospect of that trend only increasing as our levels get higher and numbers get bigger further dampens my want to play.

Agreed. That's an issue that needs to be addressed. Certianly, shorter combats might help that; and with fewer NPCs, the combats should go a lot quicker.

ALL current story lines seem boring to me. ... There is nothing new or exciting, all that is left is the dice rolling.

Well, hopefully, they don't all ROLE-out the way you've imagined them. I'd like to think I have a few more surprises in-store for you guys.

Perhaps everyone will become inspired again.

That would be great.

Mack: Any thoughts?

[macksgarageusa]

in the beginning, this game was a full time adventure (hence the request for every day posts), as player after player has dropped out i feel that it has become more of a recreational activity (IMHO). i feel sad that game has been "played out, except the rolls" because i have never felt that way about this game. maybe for some of you this has become somewhat of a monotony but i havent had this experience in many years. my excitement for our game has never gone away, tho my time to post is definitely less now than in the past. i realize that with such a small number of us left the "newness" may have waned but i never wished this would end. that being said, i dont want this to become a forced activity for anyone because that would ruin the game for us all. if the best idea is to mothball the campaign i think that would serve everyone and the memory of the game better than to force it to continue. i never want brackwater to be referred to as "that sh-tty game we got stuck finishing", that would tarnish the memory and all the fun that it provided us all.
i was always impressed by the fact that we had a game that could be played by all of us (when it was "all of us") regardless of our physical location. we didnt have to worry about who had to work, who was out of town, who couldnt find a babysitter, or who was just too f'ed up to play. i have thoroughly enjoyed playing every level of this game and am indeed thankful for the opportunity to adventure with everyone of you.
is a break all that is needed?

[Malazek]

i feel sad that game has been "played out, except the rolls"

It hasn't been. There are still plenty of unexplored facets to this game, plenty of unresolved plot points, plenty of unsolved mysteries, and plenty of surprises. (Personally, I don't even understand how it could be "played out," unless everything unravels exactly as the players expect it to; but I don't see how that could even be possible ... though individual scenes might feel played-out as they are being played, simply due to the fact that it takes weeks to resolve anything.

monotony

Any "tediousness" that is felt is probably due to how long it takes to resolve things. This is partially due to the nature of the system, and partially due to the nature of playing on a forum. These are specifically the issues that I feel need to be addressed. Things have slowed down. Okay. We need to either accept that (and the fact that it likely slow to halt, eventually) OR do something to speed it up. I do believe that getting past the Cave Temple, and ditching the small army of NPCs, will probably help things along.

That being said, I think having less players and less posts is the main factor in the slow down ... because I am loathe to move things along if nobody has posted (or even if only one person has), even when 24 hours have passed. This might be exasperted by the fact that there sre so many NPCs. After all, I am currently posting for six NPCs; that's the majority of the party, even when everyone does post. If I only have one post to work with, then I am posting for 90% of the party. At the point, it kind of feels like I am playing by myself.

If people don't/can't post more, the game will slow down. I am okay with that, if everyone else is; BUT, it will take that much longer to resolve things. At our current rate of one post per week (each), the game will take seven times as long as it did when we were moving things along everyday. If this is not okay with everyone, how do we speed it up?

Once we are passed Vangg's goals, hopefully things will speed up simply due to the added motivation of getting to your own stories. Getting rid of the NPCs might help, too. Those are all excellent ideas, and I think they will help. Is there anything else we should do?

mothball the campaign

If that's what people want, then ok. Personally, I'd rather keep playing it, but only if everyone is going to have keep having fun. Of course, anyone who needs a break can take one, and they'll be welcome back as soon as they are ready.

i have thoroughly enjoyed playing every level of this game and am indeed thankful for the opportunity to adventure with everyone of you.

It has been fun (save for a few absentee characters, and the occassional stall). The characters have all been enjoyable to watch; and I like to think the story and world have both been interesting. I'd like to keep doing that.

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