ever had the urge to create character after character, and no matter what, you never seem satisfied by the character itself, and so the horrid cycle continues itself?
Well, I likely have experienced this more than most people, and I am frustrated by the lack of imagination, and realistic goals I can come up with.
I have applied for a goblin, but I quickly lost interest in him because people weren't trying to kill me enough. I wander around the Ziggurat, and the Biggest reaction I get is a, "Look of disgust." I applied for a goblin for the constant survival challenges and obvious prejudice I expect out of characters, now that they are app races again, people give more leeway to the Goblin Players than they would give normal races.
I played a guy who wants to create world peace by building a super weapon, I had various modes of interest and fun, but it wasn't enough.
Now I am playing a Waukeenar cleric who believes Waukeen's ultimate gold is create a Golden Age of -mind- where people use wealth to better the world around them.
All of these have fallen short of something I want. And it's a Story that could take off, with a strong beginning.
Something that people no longer respond to, I see various people walking around the Ziggurat, and seem totally oblivious to the new players who struggle everyday to fit in, and I feel left out of the loop.
I am thinking that EFU has simply To many plots and stories, I don't know what I really want out of it anymore, first it was for fun, secondly it was for the story itself, it was like a book being written as you read it because it was the players themselves doing most of the writing...
Now, I step back and realize again, as I said, I don't know why I play anymore. EFU is great fun, don't get me wrong, it's been great fun, but I rapidly loose interest as I compare it to single player games, several of the NPC's are more detailed and deeper than most PC's I encounter. To many LET"S CRUSH QUESTS PC's and not enough PC's who hang out and speak to other players and ask them how their day is going.
I feel like there is an elitist tendency developing in the efu community, where the best hang out only with the best. And everyone gets left behind.
There is support from the Great Role Players, but more often than not, they just give advice and don't do anything more to help your plot out. People like Meldread, ShftingAlliances, Krunto, to name a few, are great people to go to for advice, but they mostly don't give you anything material to work with beyond, "Stick with it." Sticking with something that quickly grows dull and boring, and characters that are both are quickly tossed away like a toddler forgets an old doll in favor for a new one. Despite the previous relationships of said character.
I don't even know why I am posting, but I have to vent and ask people if they are getting a mutual feeling. Iconic players such as Caddies, Pup, Krunto, Meldread, ShiftingAllegiances, RwG, Magister, Gippy, and so on, always spearhead plots and more, they get them done. I never had a character that accomplished all of his goals. Or did anything that leaves a lasting impression, none of my PC's are talked about on the IRC, yet theirs always seem to be. Maybe I am feeling petty and jealous, but I realize how much of EFU I miss by trying to help new players, when they are grouping up and leading the course of EFU with an Iron Clamp and the know how of PvP and Mechanics and DM love in where it's hard for the common RPer to make any differences no matter how hard he or she tries.
Maybe I am asking that these players extend their hand to other players more often, and stop questing with their power build groups.
Maybe if you shared the lore of the server, and the plots that the DM's throw at you more, people will feel left out less.
Maybe I am getting this totally wrong, but this is what I am seeing.
And no, linking this thread to a Post on the Ruins litter on the forums isn't enough. A lot is said when you individually take players in the game and sitting down with them, and inviting them to join a cause, or a plot.
QuoteThere is support from the Great Role Players, but more often than not, they just give advice and don't do anything more to help your plot out. People like Meldread, ShftingAlliances, Krunto, to name a few, are great people to go to for advice, but they mostly don't give you anything material to work with beyond, "Stick with it." Sticking with something that quickly grows dull and boring, and characters that are both are quickly tossed away like a toddler forgets an old doll in favor for a new one. Despite the previous relationships of said character.
Here's RwG's Helpful advice.
Plot.
It doesn't matter what you do. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter what your class is. it doesn't matter what your level is.
Plot. Plot Plot Plot Plot Plot.
Fine a pet project, Work with it. Find others to work with you at working with it. If they don't show up, To hell with them, Do it your self.
Find something you want to do, that is personal and something you want to see happen on EFU.
My example, would undoubtedly be, Adam Symme. Not because I want to gloat. Not that I want to say "Hey, Look what I did, Do what I did".
I wanted to see the Hanged Goblin turned into a great hang-out spot. So what did I do?
I plotted. I plotted to hang out there, any down time I had. I plotted to have people know they can find me there. I plotted to have friends find me there, and do businses there, and plotted to have their friends find them there. Eventually, My plot worked. I had people hanging out there regularly, regardless of what time I logged in.
So, Yes, "Stick with it" is not very material. But it is what you have to do.
Start to do somehting. Do it often. Eventually others will come to do stuff with you to.
That is how PC plots are born. You have to find something -you yourself can do, every day, because its fun-. I'm a social person. So I made my PC a social person. So I came in contact with other social people. I like to tell stories, so the social people I brought in told stories.
Its a snowball. You just have to be that small coin-sized snowball that is going down the hill, regardless of what everyone else says/does.
If you keep on rolling, You'll pick up others along the way and bring them along for the awesome ride.
Stop worrying and love the bomb,
And what I mean to say is that if you want a crazy survival aspect, make a mad bomber.
Seriously. Put all your energy towards genuinely trying to destroy the entire server.
There. Problem solved.
My biggest joy is helping new players and interacting with interesting characters. I also like questing. These two things are what drives me to play the PCs I play, and have always been the core of my successes.
I admit that I regret posting most of this, but it was emotional venting, which is always stupid.
I like RwG's snowball analogy. I've found this to be very true. It usually takes a while for your char to get involved in different plots and things. But if you "keep at it", they will. Eventually, it will snowball to such an extent it can be overwhelming (it often is for me, at least).
I know you don't want to hear "stick with it", but stick with it!
Thomas,
I don’t think it was a stupid post at all. We have all experienced dry spells with some of our characters that resulted in their early retirement or being placed on ice. RwG, as always, provided you with some sound advice. Taking some time to plan out your character’s goals before rolling him/her up is key to obtaining satisfaction from playing your character. As RwG noted, he had outlined some significant goals (short term, midterm, and long term) that were obtainable with his character Adam. That's why he was so stoked playing Adam because he knew when he reached each and every goal.
Goals are only half of the battle. The other half of the battle is identifying those characters and factions that can assist you with obtaining them. Hence…Plot, Plot, Plot!
I would only add two points. Firstly, I have learned a ton of RP’ing from fantastic players like Metro, DangerousDan, RwG, Sedarine, Dholt, etc. So, I would totally encourage RP’ing as much as feasible IG with some server all stars. The veterans contribute to the server and satisfaction by showing the novices like myself how to RP and think outside the box. Furthermore, I would highly recommend establishing a profound adversary IG will greatly contribute to satisfaction as well. All of these players/DM's that I have listed have had an adversarial character against mine, which greatly enhanced my RP.
Cheers!
Domare
As someone who has had many characters fall short of what they wished, my advice is find a faction that is enjoyable and attempt to join it. Factions do several things, first they give you people to play with and to aid you in your plots. Second, they give you goals and usually some types of enemies. This is good stuff. The most fun I ever had was as a member of a drow faction on EfU.
- A.New.Beining
Pick something that everyone hates. So you will get alot of attention and be involved. I know from experience!
This may sound ridiculous, but the easiest way to acheive all your goals, is to not work towards accomplishing them. Make other people do it. No matter what it is, Delegate. Even if it's the simplest thing in the world for you to do alone, Bring someone along or send someone else to do it entirely. I
'll give an example; Steve Smash wants to find a magical summoning reagent somewhere in the wilds. First thoughts? Go invis and run around searching. This option is way easier, but then Steve smash is all along, accomplishing his goal and having nothing to show for it except a cool reagent. Say Steve Smash hired a guide instead. Now not only does steve smash find his reagent, but the guide fufilles their goal of helping someone, and getting paid. What if they see someone along the way?
Maybe they bring this stranger along, in case there are dangerous foes afoot. Now this stranger has a chance to learn about the cool wilds, gets to chat with Steve Smash and his guide, and might even save their lives. Who knows, a plot secret or two might even be revealed in the chit-chat?
What if Steve doesn't want to be the only one looking? What if he hires two people to help him find this special reagent in various locations? Maybe one of them will get their group of friends and start scouring the server, and maybe find a new quest, a hidden area, or something else very cool that when they all meet with Steve smash again, the collective group can now go see this cool secret.
Doesn't this all sound so much better than just running around invis? It's really this simple. Delegating a simple task can lead to mounds of amazing RP and possibilities.
The Biggest problem on EFU is that everybody wants 'The glory' and loot. I made a scheming PC who acheives all their goals through the acheivements of others. This PC has without a doubt had more success than any of my other PC's combined, and definately been my most fun to date.
If you aren't the most proactive person, and aren't the kind of person who receives shittons of DM attention for being awesome - Try this. Find people who DO get tons of DM attention, work with them, hire them, persuade them, do whatever you have to do to get them on your side. Once they start working for or with you, Success is bound to follow. You say people like caddies and krunto always get shit done. So use them! Find a way your character can interact with theirs, and have them work towards your goals with you.
You will have much more success, and much more fun both on your part and theirs by giving the glory to others, rather than hoarding it for yourself. I can promise you that.
QuoteI feel like there is an elitist tendency developing in the efu community, where the best hang out only with the best. And everyone gets left behind
You're thinking of the Sytgians, Where Elitism is a way of life. But that is totally IC.
Other than that, I have never really noticed the elitism that is IRC cliques get in the way of IC reactions on #efu. I'll use myself as an example. I am not the most popular of chaps among the EFU IRC Community, but even my sworn IRC enemies like TRB and Core (Even Dangerousdan!) have always included me in their shit in some way or form. To be honest I have never really ever felt there was an OOC "Fuck, it's cruzel. Let's ignore his PC, or not take him on quests" (Well, There might have been the OOC Groan and "Fuck, it's cruzel") I've always seen the reason for being ignored,(Usually playing an EMO PC that nobody wants to be around) And on the few occasions I have played happy and social PCs(Like VERA LYNN), I was involved with a great many people I usually do not hang out with.
The Elitism is only in your mind. Succeed by rethinking your thoughts on success. Redesign how and why you play the game. I did, and I can promise you things got way more fun after my break I took for a few months. If it's what you need to do, take a break. Reflect on what is fun for you, fun for others, how you can mingle the two, and if EFU is really the place where you can have the fun you want.
"Fuck, it's a Cruzel PC. Let's kill him."
Sounds more like it imo.
lol
For once, I'm not going to jump on the bash EFU:A band wagon. I think I've finally achieved that zen state people talk about.
Just have fun man, who cares about all the other stuff? So you can't get involved in plots, neither can I, but that doesn't mean our characters can't still chill out, bash up some monsters and generally allow we the people to escape the real world for awhile.
Its so easy to get jealous of other people, who seem to get more DM attention, more PC attention and more in general. But getting jealous is pointless, especially since (in the words of led zeppelin) your time is gonna come. Have fun with the game. If you get frustrated, find you're not enjoying yourself, then take a break.
Don't allow the game to stress you out. Allow the game to just be a game. Maybe try a character without serious goals or a serious attitude? Try playing an optimist, I've found that if your character is generally seeing the bright side, then you will too.
Most of all, don't let the man get you down. Ever!
My first char in EFU died to some awesome DM spice, amazeing spice actually. And I was pissed. I just did not get it. I think I even rage quit and posted about it. 3? years on now, or close to it? I don't even blink when a char dies, I just move on, happily. Matter of fact, my last died last night, to a mechanics glitch(grumbles about the collision system), with no DM around to save our sorry buts. Felt like a good time to move on. So I did .I love the game for the escape from the pressures of RL, and I always remember I play for fun, and it is a game-Panama is dead on. I try to always improve my play, but if god forbid, the server shut down tmrw, life goes on. So Thomas, just try and have fun. I think, if you put effort into that goblin you apped, you would have a blast, enocourage others to join the goblin upriseing and what not. And Panama is my new hero for quoteing Led Zepplin in a thread..
667th Post
Hehe... I hated the number of posts I had, so I felt I should put something in Off Topic...
Anyways. I'm having the same problem. My advice: get together with a group of players you enjoy, and make a player faction. They're great fun with the right goals, and you're almost forced to have fun! I love 'em. Or....
SHAMELESS PLUG: Join the Lathanderites!
Most of the advice here is sound. But something that has been left out.
DM factions.
DM factions always need love! look at the stygians. they are currently growing, and thats due to both ooc and ic recruitment schemes.
Ever thought about trying the stewards? the guard? Hells, ask people what they think the server needs?!
personally if there are a bunch of good guys running the show the first thing i would do is go out and make a completely evil -bastard-. A real fucking lex luthor, you want survival games? Hells, sacrifice someone on the ziggurat! Seriously go crazy, kill a guard, kill a stygian, or just go mad and kill -everybody-!
Believe me, you want excitement? you want DM attention and cool plots? then grab EFU by the balls and squeeze. Make your char known by everyone! make it your chars goal!
1. Make sure my name is known, feared, respected by everyone!
just my opinions on the matter.
I am thinking up something totally and completely evil to the point where I am feeling edgy about it.
Don't worry, I am ready to bring out everything.