Upcoming Adventure Review

[Aura]

OK, so I'm still trying to wrap my head around the multiple DMs thing, and I think the two thread approach gives a possible methodology:

You can have multiple DMs in the IC thread (much like we do with the DWI thread), but keep it to one active in the combat/event thread. As long as each combat/event is short, this will give plenty of opportunities for switching as the next event takes place.

Is that viable?

 

[MerryMortician]

This sounds good until a player doesn't post for a week. It would be important that the DM in the encounter thread stick to the 2-3 posts per week standard in order to prevent a wait list.

My actual criticism now (and this may just he that I'm missing a detail) is that having one IC thread spin off into smaller adventure threads sounds exactly the same as what we already do. That being the case, it sounds like clutter. GE, do you envision summon common theme for the Silver Road?

 

[GlassEye]

Aura, that is viable unless an adventure short ran longer than expected and had another group waiting. That is why I suggested a number of combat threads. But, I think MerryMortician is right about clutter but it's the only way I could think to handle a large number of low level characters across a spread of levels. The alternative is what Aura suggested after I first posted and have a DM run the Silver Road as an adventure loose enough to handle a number of characters of differing levels with new characters adding in as necessary (and perhaps exiting at a certain level but that seems harder to justify in-game to me).

MerryMortician, I don't envision a common theme beyond the 'Caravan guards' idea. Many of the ideas I have are unrelated, use elements from other adventures along the road, or are location based rather than a single, coherent adventure idea.

To me, the key element is that new players need to get into games immediately to keep them from feeling unwanted. Maybe there is a better answer to this out there than the one I've posited. I welcome other ideas.

 

[MerryMortician]

GlassEye, I think you're touching on a very important point. ealt and I were fortunate to join just as a game was recruiting but that clearly has not historically been the case here.

What if the Silver Road had an IC chatter thread similar to the DWI but did accrue time-based rewards, albeit at 1/2 the rate of standard adventures, and only up to level 2 or 3? Then it could spin off into very brief accounts of perhaps 2-4 encounters apiece. I should think that most active participants in the present community could manage running a couple of encounters at a time (if they were interested) and it may encourage new players to try their hand earlier since they would not be locked into any more of a commitment. Who knows, we could even see the players on the Silver Road begin to run one another through scenarios until they "graduate" to the DWI.

I recognize that offering 1/2 time-based rewards adds an extra step to the calculations and I may be unaware of how much goes into that bookkeeping. My thought is to leave it up to SR players to track their own TBX and ask a judge to check when they believe they are ready to level up. The benefit is that nobody is then waiting several months for a game to start and has nothing to show for it. I believe this could increase survivability in larger-scope adventures that recruit out of the DWI as well as maintain that initial momentum that follows a new player registering. Lastly, the decreased rate of accruing time-based rewards and the level cap on the Silver Road dissuades people from simply lurking until they level up.

Oh and maybe the quality or value of gear that can be found on the SR should be capped to masterwork or somesuch? Or maybe it's late and I should not be thinking so hard.

 

[Aura]

One thing I would mention on the issue of getting people into adventure of some kind is the entire idea has the advantage of lower amounts of forward effort for the DM's part. Part of the problem is coming up with DM's, particularly on short notice or for small groups, and this helps that along. I think that's really part of the big picture.

 

[perrinmiller]

My actual criticism now (and this may just that I'm missing a detail) is that having one IC thread spin off into smaller adventure threads sounds exactly the same as what we already do. That being the case, it sounds like clutter.

I think you have a valid point here, Merry. This has been what is bothering me as this discussion continues.

I think the problem is that we just don’t have DMs stepping up to handle the new players that join LPF and the veterans as well. Some new players stick around to RP for a little while, but others never even bother (and probably are the same ones that would flake in the middle of their first adventure anyway).

To me, the key element is that new players need to get into games immediately to keep them from feeling unwanted.

That and making sure veteran players don't sit around months waiting either, GE. Enough DMs has always been an issue. The Silver Road project creates something new, but still requires DMs to run things before people get bored and leave. We could just as easily provide little mini-adventures from the DWI, even if the min-adventure involves caravan guard duty. So why not just use the DWI for this idea and spin off 1 shot encounters for newcomers from there and save some time and effort?

One thing I would mention on the issue of getting people into adventure of some kind is the entire idea has the advantage of lower amounts of forward effort for the DM's part. Part of the problem is coming up with DM's, particularly on short notice or for small groups, and this helps that along. I think that's really part of the big picture.

In implementation you need DMs to step up. If people are not willing to do it right now from the DWI for 1-3 players for a 1 shot, why would this idea of the Silver Road be any different?

While you are discussing this, what is being done about upcoming adventures for those finishing the three adventures that should be concluding soon? We have 5 players with characters that have been sitting in Systole's game without a new IC post for 2+ months, and they were hardly getting activity for months before that. Even after Mowgli wraps that up with a summary, what is being done for them?

 

[sunshadow21]

Aura, I deliberately presented the Feywood as an on again/off again sort of thing. Individual issues are generally resolved, but the woods themselves are still there and capable of creating new issues.

 

[Aura]

In implementation you need DMs to step up. If people are not willing to do it right now from the DWI for 1-3 players for a 1 shot, why would this idea of the Silver Road be any different?

I rather viewed it as 'easier' with a somewhat canned environment and meta-plot to work with, etc. But it may not be considerably easier? Hmmm.

This said, I wasn't too keen on the creation of new mechanics, such as half TBX/TBG awards. If we're getting into that, we're prolly working too hard at it.

While you are discussing this, what is being done about upcoming adventures for those finishing the three adventures that should be concluding soon? We have 5 players with characters that have been sitting in Systole's game without a new IC post for 2+ months, and they were hardly getting activity for months before that. Even after Mowgli wraps that up with a summary, what is being done for them?

Three games are letting out soon, actually. (Although I'll agree that the Cheesemakers group got the short end of the stick). They are (with estimated character levels upon final awards):

Cheesemakers:
Pirvinia (L8) perrinmiller
Iago (L7) mfloyd3
Tsaaruck (L7) BigB
Samad (L8) CommanderFallout

Rats 3:
Jonas (L6) Mowgli
Dunkel (L4) Deuce Traveler
Cruendithas (L5) BigB
Wahyu (L5) CommanderFallout

Sea Sprite:
Qalabash (L3) Glass Eye
Tamarie (L3) Aura
Francis John (L3) FrancisJohn
Leira (L3) Anastrace
Arradon (L2) ealt
Aelspeth (L2) MerryMortician

I can take the top bracket, with Cheesemaker survivors and possibly Jonas (hard to say, there are comp problems). It won't be Rats 4, but a new offering. Rats 4 will be retuned to be a low-ish level affair for use in the not-distant future.

 

[Aura]

Aura, I deliberately presented the Feywood as an on again/off again sort of thing. Individual issues are generally resolved, but the woods themselves are still there and capable of creating new issues.

No worries, that worked out just fine, then. I was just checking if I'd acted within the intended concept.

 

[MerryMortician]

Aura, I'm sure you're right that introducing new mechanics is over thinking the matter.

I think I would feel better about devoting time this early to DMing if I weren't playing in another game at the same time. I would hate to find partway through that I've taken on too much. Since there seems to be a severe dearth of DM's, I can sit Aelspeth out of the next one and start working on something for those other low-level characters. It may be short as my first foray but it would keep things moving along.