Alfa Player Aps Are Now Open!

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Set applied with my drunk senile mage hope i get in

 

I'm thinking of applying, since I plan to get NWN anyway.

To be honest, it took me some time to figure out what ALFA and AORTA were, and I was always intrigued by them.

I'm giving myself a few days to conceptualize my character, so wish me luck!

Just a few more questions:

1) Is ALFA the only way to play NWN online?
2) Is ALFA exclusively for NWN? Or does it have other "activities" or alternative play options as well?
3) If I do get accepted, will I have to start and play in Phlan to be a member of AORTA?

Thanks, and wish me luck!

EDIT


Also, I'm really not familiar with 3rd Edition Rules. Can anyone please tell me of a website where I can learn more about it. A site where I can download a 3rd Ed .pdf file would be awesome. Hehehe...


[This message has been edited by eveningdrive (edited May 08, 2002).]

 

1) No, absolutely not. ALFA is just a bunch of servers connected to make a grand world. You can play with friends and/or in other worlds or in your own world/module as well.

2) ALFA = NWN world. So you will need a copy of NWN and an acceptence mail. They have a little RP-area on their board, but that's just time-killing until NWN is released .

3) I don't think so, but I'm not the person to answer that. Also you first have to get in AORTA. But they seem to be friendly people .

For 3E rules: http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/

Have fun.

 

Some, but not all members of Aorta intend to start in Phlan. Some non Aorta players will also start in Phlan. The beauty of ALFA is, wherever you start you can travel to any of its 60 odd servers from Waterdeep to the Moonsea.

 

Thanks, Erran. Thanks, Magnus.

I guess all that's left is to finish and submit ny application to ALFA. I'm really excited, since its been a while since I did PnP, and this is the closest thing to it that I can think of.

I remember an old DnD module "The Keep on the Borderlands", and the last I played was the 1st Ed Castle Ravenloft. Since then, all I had were the books.

Well, wish me luck!

 

Well things have changed a lot since Keep on the Boarderland came out. A great classic adventure by the way. I think you will find 3E rules a nice improvement over 2nd. Some of the old classes are back from 1E like the Monk and Barbarian.

NWN will not be 3E exactly (some minor differences will exist) but as you said it is as close to PnP as you can't get so far.

 

I wish these guys would hurry up and give me some kind of reply to my app. I sent it in weeks ago and have heard NOTHING. I'm starting to get a little worried.

 

You'll get a reply once you're in or out. I believe they recieve over 50 apps a day....

And about 1 in 30 get accepted. Good luck!

 

1 in 30? How many people apply that it needs to be so exclusive?

 

They look at your bio and character and try so see from that if you're a good roleplayer.

ALFA wants roleplayers, not powergamers. So they try to filter them out this way.

 

My boards (www.db-forge.com, I'm a mod there) had a ALFA debate on the old forums. I originally liked the idea of ALFA--a community of strictly role-players coming together to make a game as fun as possible. I liked it until I came to the conclusion that ALFA is really nothing more than an elitist, arrogant, and in my humble opinion, pitiful faction of the NWN community.

A writing test can determine who can write, but it doesn't all together determine the quality or quantity of ones playing--umm--talents or persona. The more I've read about ALFA, and the different members of ALFA i've talked to jsut makes me dislike the community more.

Maybe i'm judging a whole community on jsut the words of a few that i've talked too--and I hope i'm wrong. Just my opinion

 

About the writing test, I can see your point and yes, it isn't an accurate gauge of roleplaying. I'd like to think that most people who take the time and effort to write would hopefully be an effective roleplayer. But then, this will not always be the case. Its so easy to have another person write a bio for you.

When NWN / ALFA gets off the ground, I am confident the DM's would exercise their powers to protect a roleplaying atmosphere, and warn/punish/ban those who powergame and spoil the experience for others.

Besides, in the spirit that ALFA wishes to pursue, that is to enhance roleplaying as opposed to powergaming, what other method is available to them?

 

and what about people who don't speak English as a native language? It's much harder for them to get accepted, right.

 

I don't think you should see at as a writing test. The bio is just one part of the application after all.

And you don't need a perfect grasp of the language either. But the game will be played in english so you need some sort of basic english skill. And if you have that it should be enough to write a bio. It is NOT an essay competition.

I am not sure if it is harder or not if you don't have english as your first language. I was accepted on my first application and I can tell you that it was not because of my great bio (it was far from great IMO). English is not my native language.

(To be honest I am still wondering how I could get accepted with that app )

 

...And one of the Admins is Norwegian. I think beaver is his native language.

 

I dont think that you should look at the application process as a 'writing test' given by elitist snobs. Think of it as a dating service. A different group of people like to play their characters 'in-character' from those who like to cuss up a storm while fraggin folks on CS or who play Starcraft hardocre. Not to say that there arent people who do all of the above, but what I feel that ALFA screeners do is ensure that people who they feel do NOT play 'in-character' dont have to go through the process of getting accepted over people who do, ONLY to have to get them removed from the game after a few occurences of violating the 'in-character' policies.

I also dont feel that they are necessarily not looking for powergamers. I would consider myself a power-gamer. I like powerful characters. While I am the King of my domain- when my woman lets me be- its a very small domain. When I do play RPGs, whether its a RPG like BG or Dungeon Siege, or a MMORPG like Dragonrealms, EQ, or DAOC, I like to have the best items and the powerful spells. I do, however, do them to forward the roleplaying of my paladin character. I think most do (well not their paladins, but you know what I mean.)

The biggest thing that id say in filling out the app is to be honest. If you really arent the type to want to roleplay your character, you wouldnt want to be in ALFA anyways. If you are a powerplayer who likes to roleplay (specially the evil kind) as long as you can keep your player killing - in character -please do apply. Im going to enjoy hunting you down.

 

Well....I finially got an email from ALFA today. I was Rejected

I guess I'm a little shocked, as well as dissapointed.

I would think that an applicant that started playing D&D back in the 70's (me) would be a welecome addition to the community. I guess I'm a little confuesd about what they are looking for as far as the application process goes. I didn't write some action secquence in my character bio....I talked about who the chracter was, his background, and his motives. I guess I'll need to find another community to join other than ALFA. Any suggestions?

 

How about send in another application to Alfa. There are lots of people that have been rejected with their first app.

Or/and perhaps try some other PW like Argyle or Toril .
There are a plenty of options out there.

 

Ooops, they have such a backlog they've closed their aps again to clear it.

 

So...you know (approximately) when they'll be finished?