Suggestion.

[Anks]

This is directed towards the players, I really don't know what the DM's can do about it.

It has come to my attention that there is a new hang out spot for a certain demographic in Sundren. The Druids Glade, personally this does not seem like a place people should be socialising in on a regular basis, If you want to hang out with nature, why not do it in the forest? Atleast the forest it gives players with a neffarious plots and ploy's a chance to act them out. Without haveing to worry about the npc's in this new... "Social hang out."

[c2k]

This is directed towards the players, I really don't know what the DM's can do about it.

It has come to my attention that there is a new hang out spot for a certain demographic in Sundren. The Druids Glade, personally this does not seem like a place people should be socialising in on a regular basis, If you want to hang out with nature, why not do it in the forest? Atleast the forest it gives players with a neffarious plots and ploy's a chance to act them out. Without haveing to worry about the npc's in this new... "Social hang out."

Because you get Dire bears in the forest. I don't know how many times my character who used the forest as a "hang out" died because some level 10+ with superb AC was going to beat on Ogres or Orcs.

[Anks]

Running is always an option.

[c2k]

Running is always an option.

But you don't have to run in the Druid's Glade, hence why people use it.

[CorneliusVonRichten]

People used it because there was an personal event going on and I don't really see a problem here.

[Kaeldorn]

I think seeing it as a new social hang out is a bit much. Annie and Osclow hang out there a lot yes, and for good reason. Today I had Yashia seek them out for an event, and eventually everyone flocked there with the search tool. Sort of a natural reaction when people look for other people to RP with

[Phantom Lamb]

It may tweak a few players as wrong, but I don't think it's a big issue. A lot of ancient cultures we have had religious areas shared as meeting grounds.

[Anks]

I don't know kidna rub's me the wrong way when anyone who isn't a ranger or a druid...hangs out there.

[Phantom Lamb]

I'm not a fan of campfire carebearing period Anks
I think you're right, it doesn't make sense for certain types of characters to be hanging out there socially. But players will flock to other players.

[Azulfae]

Although I personally don't give a **** where people hang out.

Isn't the druid glade supposed to be an undisturbed place of nature, peace and tranquility, not the local adventurer hang out?

If a group of 3or more people are going to have a little sit around and talk about local affair surely the bar up in the rangers rest would be the spot to go.

I think I get where Anks is coming from in a sense.

It's like the people who used to hang at the Exigo are looking to find a new Exigo camp fire. The druid glade is a non hostile area you can port right into and has a rest area only one click from the port. It has a merchant and a central focal point to circle around.

There are times when you see on the search, a few people in the druid glade. You go there and there are 5-6 people there all stood about in various emoted poses none of which are involved in any IC reason to be there.

Annie, Osclow and Yashia and a few others, sure they are always there it's basically their meeting point for nature related and character affairs and always has been. No-one can criticise that.

The point at hand is you lazy sods won't transiton more than one transition to sit in a logical adventurers drinking, meeting RPable social spot that is realistic and makes sense. You all want to sit somewhere that is, click, transition, rest, gather in a circle, and has the excuse you can talk associate with anyone there because simply being there is so wierd that to not talk to the other person that is there would be wierd.

Player 1. "Heya, i see you are also out here staring at the central focal point whilst enjoying the rain."

Player 2. "Yup." does something emoted like reading a bloody book in the rain

Player 1. "Awsome, I uh see you are reading a book in the rain. you uh...."

Player 2. "Yes I will go and kill the ogre chief with you."

Player 1. "Wow I thought you'd never ask!"

Player 2. ((Just a sec...asking Player 3, 4, 5 and 6 if they want to come))

Player 1. ((Awsome, is one of them a healer? we really need a healer I'm a tank and it costs me a tonne in healing kits))

Player 2. ((They will be 20 mins they are just killing the ogre chief already, they will go again with us when they finish.))

Player 1. "Awsome!"

Player 1. ((Oops, sorry OOC, lolz))

Player 2. ((OK, back IC please.))

Player 1. ((Oh yes of course, sorry.))

Player 2. reads a book, in the rain

[c2k]

The above sounds very accurate lol.

[Peridan]

I see nothing wrong with reading in the rain. Maybe they're under a tree?

[Anks]

I don't know.. I have seen it... individuals juggleing shurikens as they read , sit in mid air and do squats all at the same time, after an acrobatic display of skill over a campfire.

[Machiavelli]

*keeper gives people dirty looks*

*They sidle away nervously*

Problem solved!

[Verrath]

A couple of ideas...

Perhaps a teleport like the one in the Schild Mountains can be put around the Rest Areas in the Viridale, which will port hostile creatures to another place as soon as they cross it, so that these areas can be safe for every level character.

Not entirely IC, but it could be thought of as some powerful old ward still active around a historical sacred ruin - that is no longer standing. Or something.


Possible solution to the Inn problem, perhaps:

The only problem I really have with Inns is that there are a few characters who will not go into one, many druids, for example, or the other "wilder individuals" and it would be a jolt ICLy to force them there as an RP center.

Instead of porting a player to where he last was when he's loading after server reset, give him the option to either return there, or go to one of the Inns instead (perhaps list them including whether they have players in them), or to another "designated meeting point".

This may break immersion slightly since you will have to navigate either an auto-converstaion or a click on a placeable or portal that would need to be installed in "loading", but on the other hand, someone who logged out:

a) because he had to leave and was in the middle of a hostile area or
b) someone who hasn't played in a while (but doesn't want to assume their character stayed whereever he logged like a blubbering idiot)

might apprecitate being given this choice. Of course the FEN needs to be excluded from this - dead folk gets no choices

I agree about the glade being ICly problematic, especialy since I had always gathered it was supposed to be very hard to find (survival rolls? class based?)

Players have been good in avoiding the Exigo camp fire.... which I've seen has led to single players being in all sorts of areas, possibly AFK or grinding for want of anything better to do, and waiting till a friend logs on rather than seeking RP.