Alright folks. I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and talk a bit about what's going on with me at the moment. I'm known for making short lived guys, and have loved playing EFU in such a way. My recent character though I hoped to break the personal trend, and in a lot of ways, I have.
Adam Symme has changed pretty drastically from what I originally set out for him to do, to the point where I've feel like I have "Won", and have a strange feeling to not even play the guy anymore.
I love the character, and the ride up to this point has been awesome, but I am in need of some advice from people who have played Long term characters, particularly of the criminal variety. I feel like I've fallen into new territory without a map.
What happens when you feel like there's nothing else for you to do?
I've been trying to fill my time with plots, as I normally do, but I find that those are best spent against other PC Rivals or Foes, but even in that area I feel like I'm lacking.
I've never had something like this happen, where I've become established, and actually succeeded in my goals. Usually long before this time, I make a mis-step, piss off the wrong person, or the cards fall against me and I die. I sit there, thinking "Damn, That was really fun", and begin rolling up my next new adventure into EFU
This time I haven't though. I've survived. ICly, the Character is having the time of his life.
Sadly, OOCly though, It is getting pretty dull. It feels like there's no real challenges to overcome from my side, and It feels a combination of jaded/conceited to go "I should just keep things going, keep interacting and working with PCs, and wait for DM plots to come down the Pipeline for me to send them on". I've always loved being a criminal because DMs weren't required to have a great time. Now though, it almost feels like its a necessary thing.
I've always enjoyed playing a Criminal character because it is a challenge. Survive against all odds to find contentment, profit, and joy in the pursuit of building an empire. As I said, I normally am dead by this far in a character's development.
It just kinda feels like, "I've done it!", kind of thing, if that's understandable. I spent a few hours hopping around IG today, had some fun interactions with great PCs, but having played a character this long, and completed all of his goals, it almost feels like he's done.
But I don't want him to be, if that makes sense.
As I said, I'm curious if anyone here has had this problem, or if anyone has any suggestions to help me along. This has kinda turned into a bit of a rant, but I am honestly confused where to go at this point.
When you're happy with how plots have gone, You've no more need to pursue Quests for XP and Gold, You get to interact with PCs a lot, but have no real "Driving Challenges", because you feel a great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment with a PC. From both an IC and OOC perspective, what do you do to keep playing interesting? I've sat around trying to find more goals to pursue with my PC, but kept coming back to "ICly, He'd relax, take a back row, and enjoy the sweet life he's worked so hard to gain". That's not really fun OOC, though, Y'know?
I never had this happen tbh, I never, ever, succeeded in accomplishing any character goals in the past.
Allivarn was just a throw together character, I didn't even have any goals for him, so I didn't accomplish any.
So were several of my other characters.
However, You find other goals to pursue, find the other characters who have WTF awesome goals and could use the help, I know I could!
If you've accomplished your goals, then find someone else's to pursue.
Have no fear, Symme's demise is being plotted as we speak.
make an alt to satiate your immediate needs but leave Symme "around" and pick him up when it seems more appropriate to play him (ie when new, relevant plots arise, when you feel the urge to play him, etc.)
don't force yourself to play him because he's not "done" and likewise don't force yourself to quit him because you think he's accomplished everything.
Long life chars and high level chars (>7) have a challenge: Not to get bored. No many around at same time to try a level 9 or high quest, just must wait for DooMs fates. Really a empty hole.
Quote from: tooh;103919Long life chars and high level chars (>7) have a challenge: Not to get bored. No many around at same time to try a level 9 or high quest, just must wait for DooMs fates. Really a empty hole.
A problem I some day hope to have.
I think, dear RwG, what you must do in this situation is very clear:
Make a Duergar!
I am not completely joking; and I can not give good advice because honestly, I've never been in a situation you describe. Like you I end up getting killed, but far more often, unlike you, I grow bored with something I liked; usually after a month. That you managed to get to this point in so little time is nothing short of astounding to me.
But what I'd do is: ask what my character would do! And you already answered that. At such a point I'd think it's for the best to just retire the character and start anew.
Maybe we players could kindly ask to make Symme into an NPC, holding tournaments in the Hanged Goblin, or somesuch? I'd be all for that!
Thanks for the input so far guys.
Thomas: Helping others pursue goals is something I've been doing regularly, and I feel that its a pursuit that every PC should do, not just those that last a long while.
Medaket: Playing an alt from time to time would help a bit, but I like to build things IC. Having two PC's building things IC seems like it'd be a far too difficult chore, as I'm not very good at alts. The second point you raised was a very good one though, Thanks.
Tooh: Levels aren't really an issue, But i've encountered some boredom issues as well. Decided to do less idling IC, and disconnecting myself a bit to get back into the RL to decompress.
Jasede: Retirement is an aspect I considered but passed on and NPCism I don't think is warranted. I wouldn't like the idea of seeing my PC but not being able to play him, kinda thing, and having someone else (DM) RP as him would be far too weird for me. Duergar Merchant though, I'll put next on the list, maybe.
Efuincarnate: I'm looking forward to getting so high level I can't quest, too <_<
I just skimmed your post and didn't read the replies, so I apologize if I'm missing an element or if someone above has already stated something.
Try pushing the envelope. Stretch your power to the limit until your character breaks. You are bound to die, or to "lose", but you'll have loads of fun, cause controversy, and offer fun to others.
I have had some long lived PCs, and a lot of short ones.
I'd suggest having a general idea of what you want to do as a PC ; But choose this to be something which will take a LOT of work to do, (Months, years?) Then work on some filler goals that are related or unrelated to the main one.
Always move with the server, developing new goals as the situations warrant, because if you run out of goals, It will def start to get boring.
I'd suggest always talking to new people, including them - But you're already pretty awesome at that stuff, It's always been a blast playing with you, be it your badass paladin or your Sly wizard.
Keeping the ball rolling can be one of the toughest things, but looking for new ways to push it can definately add more fun on it's own.
I sometimes follow Madaket's advice, other times I follow Sternhund's advice on this issue. Both are excellent options to explore.
Senur RWG, I have had probably one PC get to the point that you are describing, and I will fully admit, I had no clue what to do and fumbled 100%. I think Cruzel may have hit it on the head. Make your goals frickin epic as hell and work towards them. Hell, maybe you want your PC to rule a whole section of Ymph as an overlord... That'd be pretty cool... Or maybe you want him to have some form of leverage on every single faction involved in EFUA... That'd be pretty sweet as well. How about being the "Godfather" of the server...
This is an issue I've heard repeated surprisingly often of late. I think the issue stems mostly from lack of conflict between PCs in the higher levels of things. Trust me, this is coming but with a lack of PCs in important factions (Note: Prospective Stygians, look here!) and with many plot threads still nacent it is difficult. Hopefully things will become more ridden with conflict at a later date.
Its not only you RwG, I can relate to you right now. What the problem I find is that people don't want to catch on and think "Wow this guy is actually trying to accomplish something, lets help him!"
I've given people many opportunitys to get involved with Davril on various things but few ever do, for those that do I've made sure that I put the most amount of effort into interacting with their character and making the experience enjoyable and worthwhile.
To me at the moment, it seems people only wish to get involved with other PC's goals when they see that there is a chance they will get DM attenton. I maybe completely wrong but at the moment thats my two cents.
Well, Egon lasted a good while, from pretty much when I started playing EfU til when Sancuary got destroyed. Same for my ranger alt, Justan.
What I did was find new stuff to do. Egon spent a good deal of his time trying find out alchemy recipes through personal research and discussion with PCs, but that's not too feasible up here because one of the main ingredients won't grow. He held a political debate before the election, busked on the street, set up gardens, gave magic lessons to a newly-empowered sorcerer...
Point is, he did a lot of interesting stuff that didn't require DM attention or PC conflict. (well, one chair got smashed in the debate, and someone got subdued and arrested for winding up a Watchman, but that wasn't Egon's fault :D).
My suggestion would be, since Adam seems a lot about uncovering information and breaking in to places, join the Archaeological Society for a plot?
I usually play long lived pcs and never get bored of them. I can think of a high lvl mage who spend his time exploring the UD, and kept finding things he didn't know. The great thing about long lived pcs is that they have a history with just about every PC on the server, and can easily hook up with anyone for rp.
When i did the quests, i spend more time LOOKING AT THE DETAILS that give lots of clues as to what's going on.
Or sent other people on errands for regeants, or equipement.
Or help newbyes discover harder places.
Or spend time learning new things (recipies, monster capacities, whatever).
Not even getting involved in plots, just sheer discovery of both EfU (and NWN for my part). That gets you a long way even if the pc is not involved in anything specific.
If you can manage to wiggle a plot of your own, of course, that's even better.
Well, I will tell what works for me: Create a story for your character and play as if you were reading a tale, that you can only imagine the final, but have no idea about all the possibles twists that the story has.
Elaborate a really detailed background, and an impossible quest for your character to achieve, as the first chapters of this tale. Then persue it relentlessly even if theres absolutely no way you will ever be able to accomplish it.
And sometimes the best part of a tale can be the random conversations where we get to know more about the protagonist, and not the one where he is fighting dragons and monsters.
I have had this exact same problem with my druid, talon. Until yesterday, i was getting bored with him. So i took it upon myself to take up a kind of -dead in the water- plotline and really push it.
By really getting involved in stuff like that you make new friends, enemies and you get cool dm attention. So push your char to his limits, find something you wouldnt normally do or havent thought about and -really- gun for it.
I have a really excellent solution to this problem that has worked quite well for me up to this time.
You see, when I create a character, I quest, make friends, connect, get into factions, and do all of the other goal-oriented activities associated with that character. Then, when none of my friends are online, I'm too high to solo quests, and the only people around to talk to are elves, I go out and try to hunt Nightrisers/Chosen (back in the day) and die quickly. Then, I roll up a new character.
It works. Try it. You'll run into a High Warlock.
Remember. Since your char is the leading employee at the hanged goblin, you should spread your real estate! Make a chain of Hanged goblins!
Quote from: Vanquishried;103989Remember. Since your char is the leading employee at the hanged goblin, you should spread your real estate! Make a chain of Hanged goblins!
XD Brilliant.
We'll start selling value meals
My favorite characters that I have had longer term have all had personalities that I really, really enjoyed logging in and RPing, both on quests or off. I think it has for me been the reaction that playing the character garners from other characters IG. A part of it is always mechanical character progression, but my favorites have always been more about the fun of logging in and interacting at any level with others.
If you feel the personality is a bit "stale", perhaps it's time to re-evaluate the character a bit. Everyone can change, become compassionate, jaded, bitter, angry, tough, soft, lazy, emboldened, etc by events around them. Perhaps that might inject some fun into the character and change the interactions you are having.
Quote from: Sternhund;103947Try pushing the envelope. Stretch your power to the limit until your character breaks. You are bound to die, or to "lose", but you'll have loads of fun, cause controversy, and offer fun to others.
Long term criminals, the phrase shouldn't exist, but against all odds it does.
I would do what Sternhund suggests. Push the envelope!
In the beginning building a criminal is a lot like riding a bike with training wheels. You can still wipe out get a few scraps and bruises, but you are still fine. During the time of training wheels you make enemies, deal with short term fanatic enemies, build a small gang, carve out a corner for your own business, and have a steady amount of gold coming in with a lot of RESPECT.
Skip the time riding the bike without training wheels, go out get one of the super powered crouch rockets and don't let up on the throttle till after you break the sound barrier. The phrase, "Go big, or go home," really hits here.
You built it, now break it and rebuild it. That trusted group of buddies you made into a gang, sell them into slavery. Even a better idea, sell them into slavery and have them shipped off. Along with them being sold, have some prized cargo coming with you. Late in the night your gang and break out, get their belongings from the cargo and murder the crew in their sleep. My mind just gets whirling, there are more outcomes but why spoil the possiblities.
There are still plenty of mysteries on EFU:A, and always stay 2 to 5 steps ahead of the good guys. Things that happen only because you predetermined them to happen.
My thoughts and opinions, take what you want and flush the rest.
-UnholyWon
@dragonfire9000
Nah, Labur used to hunt Nightrisers all the time. In fact, I used to time myself to see how fast he could get from the spawnpoint at Delver's Shelter to the Ziggurat, killing every Riser spawn without using any supplies. But then, he *was* a l8 Healing/Good Domain Cleric with a morningstar ;).
Back on RwG's actual topic:
I'm going to go the other way and suggest cooperative goals. Try and get something big going for Gobsquat, or the Hanged Goblin, to get your char even more money/prestige. Maybe, rally enough half orc exiles and ne'er do wells to depose Pogglit and become ruler of Gobquat yourself?
Retire him from questing and only bring him out for events?
*glares at Egon for showing up his level four fighter*
RWG,
Here is a potential angle for you…your character finds religion (i.e. Torm, Tyr, Ilmater, Waukeen, Selune, etc) and realizes his actions hurt so many around. Then, he becomes a fanatical priest (lvl 7 Rogue/1 Priest) who goes around attempting to save individual’s souls and convert them to your god.
Lots of criminals who need to be saved…lots of Werecreatures need to be cured. :)
Domare
Shared similar concerns for a brief moment, ended up deciding on something similar to Sternhund's suggestion.