What can be done to save Sundren?

[Doubtful]

I typed this in response to a PM, but hells it's worth posting here as well...

The biggest single something that can be done by anyone is just firing up the client and getting in game. The more people in game the more fun RP that can happen. Simple as that. Staff, Players, everyone. If they get in game good things happen.

People need to stop worrying about the past or things that have happened, stop complaining about members of staff who aren't on the team anymore or past transgessions and simply get involved in something as simple as the act of playing the game and move things forward with RP and funtimes.

With that in mind I'll change my origional DM schedule a bit so that I get some game time this weekend as well...

So, Saturday evening starting around 17:00 Z/UTC/GMT I'll be starting the event 'Archaeoillogical' for anyone who's around to enjoy!

I'll be in game from around 16:00z for setup and answering any questions.

Use this http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/?pl=1&lid=12,0,6,5&h=12 to convert times.

More info on the nature of the event tomorrow at about this time.

[Mournas]

The biggest single something that can be done by anyone is just firing up the client and getting in game. The more people in game the more fun RP that can happen. Simple as that. Staff, Players, everyone. If they get in game good things happen.

I agree completely, if I had more time I would jump in, been drowned in an ocean of college, taking 18 hours worth of credits this summer alone. FML -_-.

[Atmosphere]

More development and content is needed? Compare Sundren to the rest of the nwn2 servers, it is far ahead of the rest.

Also... bored, got some time, getting the DM itch . . .

Lets dust off my old hammer and hand it back, shall we?

Who is taking care of applications these days?

[Farmboy2003]

More development and content is needed? Compare Sundren to the rest of the nwn2 servers, it is far ahead of the rest.

I actually find that Sundren is far far behind in player content. There's a limit to the areas. But gameplay-wise, there's a lot of neato stuff in. But most places I've been got more content in the form of player content and areas.

Sundren's just the sweetest areas, so I guess it's quality vs quantity But I would not mind More Kaedrins classes to choose from fx.

[bipolar bear]

37 players online now.... just wanted to say well done!

[Orlitoq]

A good story needs a wide variety of things; plot, characters, conflict, and the like are critical. Those things are unimportant though without two other elements: the Storyteller, and the Audience.

Without an audience the best story is never appreciated, and without a story teller an audience just ends up milling about aimlessly.

Not too long ago the Tales of Amn (ToA) NWN2 server imploded, and a goodly number of those players came to Sundren. This was considered a great boon for Sundren as the server's active population skyrocketed. There was also a corresponding boom in DM activity.*

Both of those booms have come to an end. The majority of the players who came from ToA have either left, or become inactive. Active DM presence also appears to have dwindled.**

Is the cause for the disappearance of that player base the same that lead to the initial creation of this thread? Not only do new players need to be drawn to Sundren, but they need to remain.

A thread like this does help bring attention to the issues that could be responsible for the sparse server population, but only if changes are actually implemented can the negative trend be reversed.

No, I do not know what actually is the best/correct solution to this issue. I also understand, and appreciate, that those who have the power to make changes are here on a purely voluntary basis. I just felt the need to revive this thread since it has been only a month and a half since Bipolar Bear's excited comment on the server having reached almost half capacity.... Half capacity... Those numbers are far worse now.

Thank you for your consideration,

Orlitoq


*Correlation does not equal Causation.
**Refer to the above note.

[Saulus]

Going to be honest. Posts like the above basically just serve as "Demotivational" when it comes to the staff. (Me most of all).

While your points may be valid, it comes back to the broken record of "We need more DMs, where there are none". With no resolution in sight it's really like being told "Why are you even bothering Saulus?"

I ask myself the same question when I continually read comments like the above, because so far it has been nigh impossible to change the situation.

So I guess in the end I "hear" your feedback, but it's really not going to result in the type of change you guys want to see.

[Clangeddin]

I think that you also have to understand that NwN2 is an old (and officially not supported anymore) game, and as such, it has problems of player retention that concern all server.
And the fact is that, the RP/Social servers fare much better than their Action counterparts, in fact Action servers on NwN2 are pretty much dead (there's just Fallen Empire, it recently opened and had a surge because it allows you to level up to 40 and it's english, but now it's dwindling already).
Funnily enough, on NwN1 it's the opposite. I suppose it's just the way both games are built that cater more to the different playstyles.

All in all, I think the staff here has done a good job for working on "player retention", the rep system plays a very large part of it, and that's not a standard of NwN2.

[Orlitoq]

Please accept my apologies. That was not the intent of my message.

It was my hope to bring attention to mechanical, or content, issues that have been affecting the server population rather than highlighting the population itself.

That new players are discouraged, or do not stick around was something I felt to be a symptom of the problems rather than an admonition against the staff who have worked so hard to both give us a great setting, and run amazing events!

As one of the ToA refugees I have enjoyed the carp out of my thyme here on Sundren, even when there are no DMs online, but I have personally seen a number of players depart due to things such as limited class selection, crafting, inability to find groups in their levels when making new characters and the like.

Yes, more active DMs would be great, but I was hoping to draw attention to how we can keep/encourage more players to invest long-term in Sundren through making more options available for fluid, and enriching, play for those thymes when just the players are present on the server.

Sorry about that,I hope I have made that distinction clear now... I hope.

Orlitoq

EDIT: I see player base growth and DM activity as two sides of the same coin. An increase in either will see an increase in the other as well.... I want to know what we, players and DMs, can do to get more people putting coins in the jukebox of Sundren...

[Farmboy2003]

While the server isn't brimming with players, I feel that there are more life IG in general, than befote the implosion of ToA. So as someone who played here before that, things are not that bad, in fact I look forward to every stab at the game I get! Glad you're still around though Orlitoq!

[Daimondheart]

I have been hesitant to reply to this thread for certain reasons, but felt it might help. I can't speak for everyone, but player and DM availability has never been a real issue for me. I do use it as a rough guide to judge the popularity of a server, but I've role played on other servers with much lower numbers before.

In my case, the thing that matters more to me than anything is how much my character can shape the world in the server. When I create a character and join a server, it's in the hope that not only will the world shape my character, but my character, in turn, can shape the world. When I see my character's actions changing the way people act and think, when I see something being built up or destroyed, when I see my character can actually make a difference, that is what gets me hooked to a PW. I enjoy a good story as much as everyone, but I've been reading stories all my life. Becoming the writer of my own story is what gets my blood going.

And this I feel has been an issue with Sundren for a while now with this being my third attempt to RP here. The first time I left was because, apparently, players were guffawing at how my character was acting, as if the way he acted somehow reflected on my quality as a role player. I find such snotty attitudes ridiculous, so I left. The second time I tried to play, I did have a little fun but then found out the entire dynamic of the setting was to change and was given the impression by a fellow player that the staff was ignoring the efforts of team good to save the valley and force a "victory" for team evil. I again found this to be counter productive to shaping the world, lost interest, and left shortly before the Grove was destroyed.

So here I am now with attempt number three, initially just for the sake of a friend but now more inclined to stay as I have been told the staff is now more open to allowing the actions of characters to effect the world within the story. And it is for this sole reason that I am still here and will remain here so long as this proves to be true. It doesn't matter to me how slow or how long it takes for the change to happen, but so long as I can see that my characters are indeed having an effect on the world, then you'll have me hooked for possibly life itself.

Sundren may be the staff's "sandbox," but when you opened up the server, made it public, and invited everyone in, you invited all of us to come in and play with the sand, too. Does this mean we can hog all of the sand? Of course not. There has to be give and take. But so long as we have enough sand to build our own castles, we'll happily keep playing with you and help you build a kingdom.

I have become very anti-drama as I've played on NWN2 over the years, and my train of thought when I RP comes down to this. "This is a game. Games are meant to be fun. If I can't have fun, then I will simply stop playing and find another game to play." It doesn't get any simpler than that.

That's all I have to say on the matter.

[Cornuto]

I feel like all of this is coming with good intentions but I have to echo what Saulus said:

Going to be honest. Posts like the above basically just serve as "Demotivational" when it comes to the staff.

^ Indeed.

"This is a game. Games are meant to be fun. If I can't have fun, then I will simply stop playing and find another game to play." It doesn't get any simpler than that.

^ For this reason.

While criticism has its (important) purposes, I wish the ratio of 'solutions offered' to 'criticism of the server' was weighted more toward the former.

Basically, more "here's what I think I/we can do to make the server better," rather than "this is what I don't like about the place."

[thaelis]

In my case, the thing that matters more to me than anything is how much my character can shape the world in the server.

I think this is the crux of it for me too, and I imagine for many players.

Sometimes I've felt like things are a bit railroad, and too faction oriented rather than individual player oriented, but in the end I've realised that doesn't make me have any less fun, it just makes you feel a bit powerless sometimes, more like a real life person than fantasy hero :P

All the work and the changes that the staff have done so far have made Sundren a really awesome place though. Regarding mechanics, I can say with 100% certainty that it is better than when I started here, and from the looks of things the staff have no intention of ceasing those changes.

Actually the only thing I really wish is that there was something I could do to take the load of poor Polt, Doubt and all the others shoulders. I just hope they know their work is appreciated!

[cmosier]

I've been here for six or seven years now, on and off. This is my first time playing a character who shapes anything. I had fun then and I'm having fun now. When all else fails, make another character and try things again. You'd be surprised at the things you missed.

I don't want to sound rude, but you can't power your way to level 20 and then say "I'm bored. We need more DMs" (This is only my perception, please no hate mail). Slow down. Explore. Make friends and enemies. I still have plans on a gnome illusionist to explore the crafting system. Get with other players and plot a fun group.

I'm often the pen and paper GM when our group can manage to get together. You need to remember. GMs are players too. We need to have fun.

[bipolar bear]

like in real life we are all at the mercy of the world around us. and much like real life not everyone can be the star of a movie.... that said most great stories are great not just because of the main star, but the supporting cast. perhaps if people looked at influencing the small things through your game play that perhaps it will some day add to something more. and if not have fun at it anyway.
I am not the longest player to be around here. I am not a great roleplayer ( but I try my best.) im a shitty speller.. but folks seem to put up with me.. all I can say, is that I think the Devs, and DMs have done an awesome job creating a fun world with a very very old game.

not everyone can be a star. but you can maybe you can be the guy that helps the star change the world.

just an example, I was a huge fan of the battle star series. in that series they had a few main chars.. adama, starbuck, apolo. but my favorite of them all was Saul Ty ( again spelling). he was supporting cast. he played his role, and ended up as my favorite.


all that said.. saving from what? if I didn't enjoy it here I would not spend my free time here.