OT: NWN Persistent Worlds
 

The more I fiddle around with Neverwinter Nights online, the more disappointed I have become with some of the downsides of playing on public servers. Just an awful lot of cheating, looting, predation, and stuff that doesn't interest me much. I am interested in playing occasionally in an environment that would allow me to become attached to my character, and actualy care about his potential successes and development.

Form what I have read, the best bet is to try to get into a persistent world server setup. It's slightly different than the run-of-the-mill servers that everyeon can log onto - they are frequently more complex, and more "professionally" monitored.

I've checked out one promising site, linked below:

Avlis Persistent World

I have filled out their application, and if approved will start mucking around in their site a bit. I will report back - perhaps a setting like this might be what it takes to spark a real FOFC party at some point? (They make a strong point about having their XP settings *very* low, so leveling up is a slow process, by design. That suits me well, but may not be for everyone.)

Anyway - just thought I'd give one more salvo in this issue... there seems to be a fair amount of loose interest in this. Maybe a more stable and deep setting could turn this into something work spending collective time on...

Keep us posted! If it seems to work well, I will sign up too!

That actually sounds interesting. I haven't messed with the game for a while and also was disappointed in the online portions of the game, but something like that might be worth trying.

Sounds cool, I'd be interested.

Hmmm... I've gotten into the site, and it's interesting. It's going to be a while until my character aqctually "does" much of anything, but I'm running lots of errands for people (in their attempt to get me familiar with the main city, etc.).

Noy ready for bettle exactly, but we'll try this out for a while. What I have seen so far is very thoroughly designed and conceived, though.

Well, I have played in Avlis for probably around four or five hours of game time... and am still sitting at around 550 XP, still short of second level. If anyone else is interested in playing in a setting which won't get tiresome quickly, then give this a shot... I'd be happy to group up together.

I can also try to answer soem newbie questions, though there's better info on their web site (message boards) than I could give you directly, I suspect.

Ok Quiky, I applied.

Fritz, I really think this is a lot closer to what you're looking for than anything else I have seen.

So far, my only real complaint is that they may have overdone the "learning curve" portion of the game... I support the concept, but I'm getting to the point of being quite frustrated running around as an errand boy trying to gain some XP.

Hey Quik, I just applied...hopefully I can get on tomorrow night!

Yeah, I just applied too, and maybe my roommate will join...I think I said in another thread that we've had connection issues, so it might not work, but we'll give it a shot.

Quik,

I have my acceptance email, which I almost deleted as spam mail. Let me know when you are going to be on and I will try to join you.

I dropped in today for the first time. It seems interesting, but I would definitely want to do it with other people. Let me know when you're all game, and I'll join! P.S. if you see a bard running around named Arena Helerin, that's me!

Quik - what class are you?

BTW, my roommate plans to join...he will be a rogue.

I am playing a monk. So far, I have turned out to be a pandering, money-grubbing, not-very-holy errand boy who can't really kick anyone's ass. So much for role playing the dark brooding hero.

Just got my acceptance email...I will try and get on tonight...haven't created my character yet, but it will probably be a Ranger...

from Quik's description, a pure spellcaster would be a bitch to develop.

So what do we have here...a bard, a rogue, a monk, a ranger...sounds interesting. Let me know when you guys are playing. A bard royally stinks going solo, but is great in a party (hey, she has to have an audience, right?)

I just sent in a application. Let me know when you guys are gonna play. I'm still new to online playing, so any tips will be appreciated. I'm thinking of being a fighter, but am open to suggestions.

I should be online tonight, but I can post here before I go on so people know for sure. What land is everyone staying in?

Hey, I have made second level... now at least I can kick a little bit of ass.

Here's the thing, for those of you getting started.

As you get going, you will need to get XP by way of runnign around, doing harmless errands and so forth - that seems to be the only reliable way of building up your XP early. As first level characters, you simply are not ready for any real combat - and the game doesn't reward combat very heavily anyway (the XP settings are very low). So, take your time, run some errands, and along the way you will become familiar with the city pretty well. I think that's the point - to get you acquainted with the milieu, and to weed out the kiddies who want tohack and slash (and cheat) their way to great power. It just doesn't seem to happen here.

Now that I'm 2nd lvl, I'm having a somewhat better go of it - 20 HP is a vast improvement over 10. And I have uncorked a few things that will be of some use to our party, I think (as well as my own development).

I will be looking around for tips on where a low level party might go in search of advanture and battle.

Cool. Thanks, QS. Keep the tips coming.

Yep, thanks Quik!

So...how do you guys want to do this? Should we run around running errands until we reach level 2/3 and then join up? Or should we just join up whenever we get a chance? And if so, when?

I think that whenever we get a decent chance, we should try to join up and venture about. I won't be able to play this evening, but can be fairly flexible... and would really enjoy traveling with a party of friends from here.

Two more newbie tips:


They are pretty serious about "staying in character." people buy it, too - which seems weird, first, but then makes sense and seems somehow "right." So, when youre in game - you don't say "I'm gaining XP" you say "I'm getting a little better at fighting" and so forth. I suppose the line between immersive and dorky is a thin one.


Another thing - the market place in this game is a lot more like a real marketplace. The market district has about 12 or so different "sellers" - and at any given time, some wil be around, some will not. If you have something to sell, there will be plenty of people who won't have the expertise to appraise your item properly - and you have to search for a legitimate buyer price. Similarly, you can't just waltz in to one marketplace and see every single item that you could ever need available for the right price (pet peeve of mine in most games). Supply is very limited - especially for items of real value.


Anyway... the more I play, the more I think that these guys have got it right. And I also think that you could easily log scores of hours on this server and not "finish" it at all.

Nasty lag for me. so much I left.

Looking the what we had going, I slected a cleric that goes by ... Fritz.

Good choice, Fritz. (On the cleric, not the name). :)

I was thinking we needed a cleric to heal us while we kick booty.

The availability of healing potions is very low in this setting, too - so having a healer will be a real benefit. I'm currently limping around at about 30% of my full strength, looking for potions.

There is also a resting restriction - you may only rest once every four hours if game time. That keeps you from abusing the system, by getting a full recharge between every two battles. Seems pretty fair, but after my last fight, I need a serious rest!

we assume my cleric is a healer?

is there a fee every month for this game like everquest? i'd be interested in joining up with you guys. i love multiplayer more and more. i'm currently on Medieval:Total War multiplayer, although that's not a persistent world such as this game.

Yes we do assume that.

21:41 Eastern time. I am getting ready to get into the server. I should be in (and out) of the market if anyone is looking for me.

Right now I am a blad black human male with a red suit.

Fabulous! You and I can work out a special handshake!

Others who have been on: Has the lag time been wretched for you?

Quik: Ohhhh, I have not had a special handshake since my fraternity days!

I got on for a couple of minutes last night. I am playing a Ranger named Torin Shivastan.

I had lag issues as well, and logged out. Anyone else, other than Fritz and I, have lag issues?

Hmmm... I have had only very fleeting lag troubles, not enough to even register on my complaint list (much worse on other sites).

Also, a hint: there is a FIre Beetle quest in the market. Each belly will net you 25 exp.

I should be up for playing later tonight. Let me know what's up!

I'll be online for a little while at least, if anyone is around.

If I can get on, Iwill be in and out of the market

Sonofabitch. Just when we were starting to build a party, the server crashes...

yep.

I can get to the server, but my character is gone

I can get logged back onto the server, but it doesn't currently show my character. Ugh.

no hak. oops

nobody had it, we went west instead... sorry we missed you

Ugly scene out there... death everywhere... you're better off you missed it.

#@&%^@()&^%()*&

Stinkin' lag :)