Is LEW in trouble?

Halford · Nov 16, 2008

I cannot see a merger of LEW and LEB being remotely practical myself. The worlds are too different in flavor and option availability. If anything I see it as more likey to put people off and make work for judges, etc.

I think the best bet is for those of us who are still active to try to remain so and recruit as much as possible. For my Ends Meat thread, for example, I advetised on the general forum and was able to bring in three new characters and get a player to resurrect a 4th. I strongly advocate DMs advetising on the general forum, and maybe even a broader LEW recruitment thread that we keep bumped up on the first page - with info on upcoming adventures, etc.

If we attract only a few new members it will be worth the effort, and hopefully some will become community lynchpins in the future.

Bront · Nov 16, 2008

Creamsteak hit a lot of my points, but simply put:

1) PbP Has attrition, because people's availability changes from month to month, and while in a face to face game, that can be easier to account for, it just happens in an online game.

2) Pathfinder and 4th Edition have drawn away some players, others may simply be 3.5ed out.

3) The boards have had issues. I know I've been working on them to some extent (from the Circvs Maximvs side, as they share a server), but untill the server split, it will continue.

4) I'll admit to being weary about the Mega-adventure. It was a cool idea, but complex storylines only work with consistent and active players (see point 1 about the problem), and it could unravel with 1 GM.

6) While the persistent nature of the beast made the game a little less stagnant, multiple GMs still had the issue of not everyone ran things the same way. Mostly in XP and gold awards. In some adventures, you got bonus RP awards, which is the strength of PbP, and in others, it was stock XP only, which slowed down advancement. Some GMs were a little more open with gold and items than others as well, so players were unevenly equipped. It's not something easily rectified, nor do I think it's the biggest problem (or one that really drives many players away), but it is a flaw in the system.

For me, one of the adventures I started in when I started in LEW back in 2005 is STILL GOING! (Or at least it was a few months ago). I lost a lot of interest in that game about a year into it, being frustrated by the adventure, loss of players, and lack of any kind of loot. My character stepped out when I bowed out around 5th level, having lost money form when he started it at 1st, so he's now semi-dangerous to take along on other adventures. I THINK he got some kind of cash reward, or was supposed to, but I don't know.

Oh, and Merger = Bad.

orsal · Nov 17, 2008

Heckler said:
Actually, I don't think many of them were ever assigned judges.

I think we did eventually get judges for all of them, although the DM paid no attention, and didn't record them. I nagged him about it so much that he finally relented and put my name on the one I was judging, but nobody else. Somewhere in the General Discussion thread there's a sequence of posts of judges volunteering for specific adventures. But unless someone wants to dig around to find it, we'll need to rely on people's memory.

Heckler said:
How have new judges been chosen in the past? Do current judges select nominations or does one volunteer? I've been around for a while and I'd be willing to help out. There's a few things that've made me hesitant to DM a LEW game, but I might even step up and do that.

Usually the current judges have an email discussion about it, and then send a totally unexpected invitation to the person selected. It is announced only after the new judge has accepted. There have been a couple times when players have volunteered; the judges took that expression of willingness into account, but usually did not appoint the player a judge immediately. Bront, for example, volunteered to be a judge shortly after he joined. We waited to see more of him in action, and to see whether he would stay active, before offering him a position.

covaithe · Nov 17, 2008

I seem to recall Boddynock volunteering, too, though there's a chance that memory is due to too many blows to the head rather than actual facts.

Velmont · Nov 17, 2008

As I am travlling, it is hard for me to give an opinion, as I cannot take teh time to looks at a few threads I would like to look at, but one thing, it is I want to stay in LEW as a player at least. Rinaldo have been my favorite character out of all PbP and would like to see him continue to live.

Heckler · Nov 17, 2008

orsal said:
I think we did eventually get judges for all of them, although the DM paid no attention, and didn't record them. I nagged him about it so much that he finally relented and put my name on the one I was judging, but nobody else. Somewhere in the General Discussion thread there's a sequence of posts of judges volunteering for specific adventures. But unless someone wants to dig around to find it, we'll need to rely on people's memory.

Actually, now that you mention it, I do remember all that.

Usually the current judges have an email discussion about it, and then send a totally unexpected invitation to the person selected. It is announced only after the new judge has accepted. There have been a couple times when players have volunteered; the judges took that expression of willingness into account, but usually did not appoint the player a judge immediately. Bront, for example, volunteered to be a judge shortly after he joined. We waited to see more of him in action, and to see whether he would stay active, before offering him a position.

Rae ArdGaoth · Nov 19, 2008

LEW, like I've said, is my favorite pastime. I'll do what I can to keep it alive and thriving. Right now, that means:

* Catching up on the goings-on in my intermittent absence
* Updating my adventures
* Updating my PC games
* Updating the Approved Character List

I'll do those things, in that order. As a Character Judge, I've been basically useless. I'll do something about that, too.

Boddynock · Nov 20, 2008

covaithe said:
I seem to recall Boddynock volunteering, too, though there's a chance that memory is due to too many blows to the head rather than actual facts.

B4cchus and I volunteered to help out the character judges, and were later invested with full judgely powers (still getting used to the whole "glow in the dark" thing. :lol:

)

BigB · Nov 20, 2008

Velmont said:
As I am travlling, it is hard for me to give an opinion, as I cannot take teh time to looks at a few threads I would like to look at, but one thing, it is I want to stay in LEW as a player at least. Rinaldo have been my favorite character out of all PbP and would like to see him continue to live.

That is good to hear, what would LEW be without DiSenzios shop?

On that note is Rinaldo in Orussus? If so I have a business deal to discuss when you are back to a normal schedule.

Halford · Nov 21, 2008

Great to see so many LEW stalwarts posting, its inspiring seeing high level characters knocking about - I just hope Erf, Dair, and Lerrin can join their ranks someday!