Getting Started And Expectations: A Quiz!

[*Agony_Aunt]

Oooh, well, not playing for the moment, being semi-retired, but i'm fairly sure i will return now, in the not too distant future. Perhaps after my summer hols.

Anyway, ill throw in with mine, although would hope we get more new player responses instead of so many of us old fogies responding :D

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?

Didn't have too many expectations, it was my first choice when i went looking for NWN2 PWs. The two main things that attracted me were the PvP via consent only rule and the setting.

2) How were your expectations met?

Yes and more. I joined in October 10 and was playing quite constantly until summer 14, even through the dry spells we had.

3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?

Ah, well, i made a couple of throwaway ones at the start, but the first one that i played extensively was my Paladin, Purity Sunshine, who some older players might remember. On her first outing she got dragged to Carceri at level 1 by a group of players who kept having to resurrect her. I killed her and her sisters (i had 3 of them) off in a forum post, bascially having tired of them. Still one of my most fun characters to date.

4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?

Yes, i found lots of people willing to help me and find my feet with useful advice.

5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?

Just checked the server rules and dived straight in.

6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?

Don't start too many characters. The more characters you have, the less attached you feel to each, until it reaches the point where you have no investment in any of them. One or two characters are probably optimal.

7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?

Not really, just having other players around being helpful was good enough. Learn on the job as it were was good for me. Hell, i was still learning new things even when i had been playing for years.

8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?

Not sure why i stayed. I like RP, i like the planescape setting, and i like grinding when the mood takes me, so SCoD filled my needs. I stopped playing when I got burned out by development which stopped me playing as well. I needed a break. Ill come back at some point for sure though, although ill be more careful next time. But at the moment, its mainly Elite: Dangerous keeping me away.

9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?

Mainly good. Of course, being staff, it put me in plenty of situations where i had to resolve conflicts or was the target of people's ire. Fortunately those were rare, and most players were good sports when it came to conflict situations or admonishments for breaking rules were required.

10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?

Hehe... staff know very well my views on all aspects of the game, and thanks to being a dev for 3-4 years and admin for one year at a time when the server was dying, i got to push my agenda a lot a shape Sigil how i wanted it to be. :D

I'm very happy that since my going on sabbatical not only has the sever gone from being a contender for first place, it is now fairly consistently the number one server, so major kudos to the current staff for their hard work.

[*Biohazard89]

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?

Well, i dont really know what i expected. having been heavily involved on Heavy RP servers from NWN 1 when i first came here i suppose i expected the same amount of RP here as there.

2) How were your expectations met?

To be Frank, at first there werent alot of people taking anything seriously and there was ALOT of OOC drama going on ALL THE TIME. so i actually quit the server and took a long break awhile back.

3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?

Everyones Favorit Hardhead. Vale Reynolt, and he's doing good all thigns considered.

4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?

If it wasnt for Mr.Otyugh playing Marius Darkblade back then i probably would just have moved on to another server. He was the first player to interact with my toon.

5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?

Actually i didnt look for any information at all :P I just kinda jumped into it and let the word of common sense rule.

6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?

I cant think of anything really.

7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?

Nothing really comes to mind no.

8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?

The occassional fun Event im able to Attend, Some of the players keep me here aswell.

9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?

My Relationship OOCly is rather good with most players, i would say. i really dont think id want to write all their names down seeing as the list is LONG.

10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?

For the Most part i have no problems with the EM's but the DM's are horribly lacking in presence.

On a side not....please please PLEASE make some Events in European timezones, or get ahold of European EM's.

[*Nachti]

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?

That I can finally play a race like beholder, mindflayer or balor.

2) How were your expectations met?

Beholder and mindflayer are caster races and thus suffer alot from ECL 5/6. Their special abilities are charisma based, which is supoptimal by different reasons. Mindflayer are ECL 6, but dont have dominate ability and kill their own allies with mindblast?

3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?

Seriously, I researched and tested several weeks before I could really start playing. The first i took to level 5 was a vampire monk. Pretty overpowered and needs to be tuned down at the beginning.

4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?

Why is the claw npc located in the gymnasium and not in the ooc room? The wiki entry about portals and keys was very helpful.

5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?

Yes, look at 3). While playing i have the wiki opened. The race list is not complete. Some planetouched are missed as example.

Right now i dont know if doing quests is worth it so I didnt complete one yet. Couldnt find the things that the stone head in under sigil wanted from a deeper level.

6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?

Play whatever you want but no caster. A caster needs about 2-3 min to bash a door open! Did i miss to invest 1 point in open lock? not sure.

7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?

How to make money.

8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?

The great varity of races, the great selection of gear appearance, the chilled EMs, the interaction with other players, to see my char become a true force and to spin the story of my character even deeper.

9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?

I had no conflicts so far. Relationships are slowly build but nothing to worry about.

10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?

Yes, mostly with EMs. The experciene was quite good, he was very relaxed and helpful.

11) What would you like to improve on the server?

- Is its a server not focused on pvp I dont see a reason why the level of other characters is not visible. It would help finding a group if we could see their level by default (scry tool).

- I spend many hours creating various characters just to see how they would look in their exotic gear. Some ingame pictures for each race entry in the wiki would help. Some exotic races also have different models. Didnt know that for long time.

- There are many texture bugs, especially with boots and plate armors.

- Balance some high ECL classes better.

Ilithids:
1. Add racial feat: Psionic domination, D: 3 min +1min/level, CD: 2min, DC: 10+half level +charisma.
2. Change Eat Brain, so failing a grapple check wont stop the whole process.
3. Mind blast is no mind-affectiong spell and thus not blocked by spells like protection from evil or demon's immunity to mind spells (see lords of madness p175).

Beholder:
1. lower CDs of beholder rays by 1/3.
2. Change wounding ray to 2d6 +2 damage per level. (At 25 = 57 dmg in 1 round, still not much)

Vampire:
1. Change the scaling so vampires are weaker at low level and gain the current strength at 20.

- Give succubus (and maybe Erinyes) a humanoid as base model so they can benefit from various armor textures.

- The wiki still needs an entry about new warlock invocations i think.

[*Nimiane]

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?
I wasn't really sure what to expect, in truth. I'd heard a few good things from a close friend who suggested I gave it a try, and the idea of a grittier atmosphere pulled me in. After spending a few days coming up with a concept, I dove right in.

2) How were your expectations met?
I came in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I've never played Torment before, so the setting was entirely new to me.

3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?
Odette Vieuxpont. Still very much my main character, has she been caught in a whirlwind over the last seven months. Her character growth has been astronomical, surprising even to me. She's doing well, or as well as someone can be after being reduced to crispy bacon. She is still walking around with a bottle in her hand more often than not. She's made a number of close friends, and is constantly meeting new people. I am happy with her as a character.

4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?
My experience as a new player was an overwhelmingly positive. From the get-go I was engaged in RP, and in the days that followed I given an IC tour of the city, an explanation of portals and even set up with a few pieces of gear. I was pulled into a plot (Magic Man's Primal Echoes) that I've been following for my entirety of my time here and have helped shape through IC actions for better or worse. That being said, I still don't know what even half the quests are, nor portal keys. In fact, I'm quite sure there's some portals I haven't even touched yet - the RP keeps me very busy! Even still, everyone remains very helpful in response to any questions I have.

5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?
The wiki was my go-to when starting out, in addition to a few PDF resources. The forum also served as an excellent place to get a feel for how things were done. It's a never-ending journey of knowledge though, I'm still constantly picking up little things I didn't know before whether it be server lore, or a more general knowledge of different settings.

6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?
Be the change you want to see - don't allow the unsavory behaviour of others affect your game time, relish in the positives and pass that mindset on to others.

7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?
Knowing which portals were suited to which levels was confusing at first, from memory, and their locations. Of course, we all know Brux is popular for low-levels but those new to the server have no idea of such. That being said, it encourages RP when tasked with attempting to find your way around the city but that in itself is reliant on the helpfulness of others.

8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?
Still active and keeping sane while studying. The stories of those I meet, but if I'm honestly it's particularly the RP of those whom I engage with regularly that keeps me coming back for more, in addition to seeing how my own stories unfold. I love the chance that I might come across an RP gem at any given moment. I'm also currently campaigning as EM Lyrium, which adds a whole new level of storytelling that I delight in. The knowledge as well, that the server is being constantly worked on, updated and improved is also a pleasing thought.

9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?
For the most part, I feel welcome here and the community has been very kind and helpful. Every road has a few bumps along the way though, and there are always exceptions, but thankfully the few divots I have been privy to were eventually resolved and moved past. As a player, I mostly choose to distance myself from personal OOC interactions beyond anything more than tells, but those amicable interactions I have had were well received and I'll always do what I can to lend a hand where possible and an ear to whomever needs it.

10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?
The admin staff are wonderful, though (and I mean this without insult) perhaps a little soft at times. As a whole though, the team is very supportive and I feel more than comfortable approaching them for discussion on a number of topics. DM presence is a bit lacking on the server, but that is what the role of EM was created for, which is what I think people seem to forget at times. The EMs are just that - "Event Masters" and while some are more active than others, I don't believe there is a shortage on events at this time. Perhaps though, that applies to plot lines rather than smaller, one shot events.

[*RyzaJr]

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?
Just a server where I can enjoy some NWN2 goodness, without being overwhelmed with rules and whatnot. Preferably with custom classes, feats, etc. because I feel the base game could use a bit of improvement. I'm not huge on role-playing as I never really tried it so hopefully a server that isn't so strict on it. Also, no game bugs!

2) How were your expectations met?
All the different races, classes, and feats are great! I really love the variation. Unfortunately there have been a few bugs with my character entering/leaving through doors. Large races are at a disadvantage it seems. The quality of the writing and the world in general otherwise is great.

3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?
My main character is a golem. These classes with natural strength but leveling disabilities (best way to put it?) are pretty strong. I love it.

4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?
I like the simplicity of the OOC room hub. It's got lots of helpful information. The beginner leveling areas are actually not too bad, as I've had trouble even getting started in a similar popular server.

5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?
Not really. I just read some of the rules as the game downloaded, and also in the OOC room hub. I had to google for information about the KEMO bio portrait though.

6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?
Should have started playing online sooner! Been playing NWN2 offline for a while as I'm mostly a solo player, but it's great in a party as well.

7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?
Just general questions on things answered. I'm still not sure if it's possible to go back to the OOC room at any time. Being able to find chat commands in an obvious place would be nice or changing the colors or whatnot.

8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?
I do actually like the role-playing a bit. Gives ya purpose. The variety of classes and races is very interesting as well.

9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?
I get along with other players well, but I'm pretty introverted so I might have a hard time starting a party. I haven't had any real issues with other players.

10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?
I figured out how to contact a DM after getting stuck a couple times as a golem in a house or two. They didn't really reply, just teleported me out of there.

[*Vault 101]

1) What were your expectations regarding the server when you first joined?

My friend poststructuralism had been asking me and some mutual friends to play here for a while, so I already knew what to expect. We had talked about it at length a few times.



2) How were your expectations met?


I really like the building on most of the server, lot of really nice areas. It made me want to contribute.



3) Who was your first (or most recent) character? How are they doing now?


I like to just play one character and give it depth, I feel like multiple characters just sort of leads to each character being a bit more stereotyped than if you just stick to one. I had another character for a bit when I first started but there were some things that made me unhappy with it so I retired that character and made Aquilla.


4) How was your experience as a new player (or with a new character)? Was there something that helped you? Something that was difficult or made things harder?

The player who recruited me gave me some help early on. I did come to the server with a few friends so that made it easier I think to get in to the RP.


5) Did you look for information regarding the server before starting? If so, where? How do you get information while playing? Is some information hard to find or out of date?

No, I was pretty happy to bumble around IC and learn the portals from other characters. Only after a few weeks in did I check the list on the WIKI to see what I had missed. Seems the WIKI is out of date.


6) If you could give yourself some starting advice now, what would you have told yourself?

Nah, I had fun getting started. No advice needed.


7) Can you think of any types of assistance you would have needed when you were getting started?

No.


8) What made you stay? What keeps you coming back? Is there something you are looking forward to, in particular? If you do not play actively right now, what keeps you from returning?

The setting made me stay. My friends like the server too, so it is easy to stay. I am a builder and love building my characters homes wherever I play, so I am looking forward to that. Houses are pretty expensive here, but I appreciate that.


9) How would you describe your relationship to other players? How have you gotten along? If there have been conflicts, have you been able to resolve them and how? Do you feel like you can get assistance in this regard? From where/who?

Mostly pretty good. There are some characters that mine does not like, but I have found most of the time I can ignore them and they go on with their own lives without bumping in to mine. This is ideal.

There is one character I am annoyed with IC most of the time, but she is still fun to play with. Sif, whoever plays her does a fun job of poking at people to see what will annoy them. I sent her a tell to say I appreciated her character even if our characters did not get along and found out the player is pretty cool. Says good things about the server, I think.

As for how I resolve the conflicts I usually just say something rude IC and then do my best to ignore them in the future. (Except for Sif, still like playing with her as stated above)


10) Have you communicated with the staff yet? What have your experiences been like? For example, what kind of attitudes have you met? Is the present staff approachable?

Yes, I joined the build team shortly after we decided to stay and make Sigil our game home. I like the build team a lot. Everyone seems interested in talking about their work and taking advice from other builders, which is not all that common from other servers I have been on. Has a nice feel.

[*Niryain]

1. I joined the server some years ago after the NWN1 Planescape server started to really fall apart. Came this way with a friend who was also a refugee from that place. He still pops in time to time, but regardless. What I was expecting from the server was a similar standard of Planescape that I had in the last server, where belief was the most important thing in RP, where adventure was diverse and interesting, and where the factions had at least some relevance. When I came back after the big racial update last year, it was Fun With Absurd Races.

2. I believe this can be summed up in about a single sentence, though I'll expand on it. Why Are the Only Active Factions the Doomguard, Mercykillers, and Sensates? That seems to be a common thread from my years on and off the server. I've never heard of an Anarch doing anything really important, nor a Dustman, Signer (I think right now I'm one of two Signers being played, the only active one in my timezone), and so forth. I don't know what it is. Is it the fact that DMs/EMs only like to DM for a select few 'easy to DM for' factions and thus players naturally gravitate there? The Mercykillers get so much. ***. Attention over the years. As an example. Is it the inherently heavier philosophy of something like the Signers that's less attractive to latch onto as a player? I'm not sure. But regardless, Sigil's biggest failing to me is that factions are barely important 80% of the time, and 10% of the other time is Bazaar Philosophy Hour. The other 10% is PvP plot angst as I witnessed between Doomguard and MKs some time ago. And when they are important the same three or four are the important ones. The setting's big draw is fifteen unique factions with very distinct outlooks on how the multiverse operates but looking at this server you'd say there's like five and maybe the occasional crazy person ranting about some new wave philosophy.

The rest? Hm, well. Sigil's endgame is really, really bad. You see a run of Carceri, Nilf, or the Maze once every two weeks at best, when it's Bored 30s Grind Time. The dungeons are otherwise too punishing for too little reward after that point, only doable by super builds. Itemization is really weird too. Longswords or Bust, maybe scythes or falchions if you want to be a WM. Otherwise, the best weapons in the loot table are invariably longswords, there's no argument. But the adventure is at least moderately interesting. The RP of Sigil is pretty enjoyable too when it works.

The race update I have nothing but praise for and it's largely what keeps me around. Having so many build options and RP avenues to explore is the major draw of your server, of that I have no doubt. Expand on this whenever possible and do not remove races already there, ever. Grandfathering is the worst and it's already almost kind of bad with grandfathered outsiders, though they'r eminimal in number. No succubus paladins. That Sigil keeps being activelyd evleoped upon is another draw. Keep that all up. Maybe make less silly endgame areas while you're at it someday.

3. Taelyn Vindmar was my first. Long since abandoned due to a lack of interesting RP when the server was going on a downturn. Vayeira Gladesguard, my eladrin, is my latest. She's my favorite character so far and hopefully won't be stopping anytime soon. It's an enjoyable perspective to play, that of an immortal outsider, different from my usual roles. And eladrin builds are hilarious in how broken they can be.

4. I remember my new player experience going reasonably well, but I was duo-ing with a divine caster as a fighter-type. That's a pair that'll get through most things no problem. Back then information was more vague than it is now, so that was a difficulty.

5. I do enjoy researching server mechanics before I enter. I don't believe the wiki really existed/was useful back then, so I tried to find what I could on the forums, otherwise I had to ask around in-game as most people do. These days if i were new I'd just latch onto the wiki immediately and devour it. The only thing I'll say about the wiki is that 'new' grinding zones (The ohter Baator layer that's not a swamp and the new Beastlands place) aren't updated on the portal wiki, meaning most players don't even know they exist.

6. Use a *** shield, don't be a plain two-hander fighter.

7. Basically being informed that any gear not +4/5 is vendor trash would have been a help. It's somewhat better these days but about a year ago when the racial update first came in people were literally giving +5s away for 100s of gold because it was a ten player server until it exploded after the update. Now there's some semblance of kind of an economy so it's mostly balanced out. Also knowing the optimal leveling route of sewers -> Brux -> Fire/Ice -> Minauros -> Abyss until you hate yourself would have saved me time.

8. Sigil has pretty good character RP, the best that's currently available in combination with the setting and mechanics of it at any rate. I love Planescape as a setting and that will never change. What I've learned about Sigil is that you kind of need to 'make your own fun' as it were. Very rarely will you get involved in any interesting DM or EM plots, so it's your own little character dramas and events that keep the server lively and things interesting. Also the mindlessness of the grind is something I enjoy now that I have it down to pretty much a science. I like getting better gear and bigger numbers. I raid in World of Warcraft. xD

9. I've never really abjectly hated another player. All are cordial at worst and friendly at best. The community here is pretty good and non-toxic, likely because PvP is a non issue 99% of the time, and the 1% it is it isn't character-ending issue.

10. I've not had need to communicate with staff save the usual of bug reporting and whatnot. It's been fine.