DMing question

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Me and my friends are wanting to get a server and put our website on it, but we would also like to know, if it would be possible to create a realm and become a DM in the ALFA?.
If so how would i go about this, bearing in mind the orrible Manling at ALFA denied me my Roleplaying name that i have bore for 7+ years of my life just because some sneaky GW novelist stole it from one of their managers - My brother.

 

The good news is ALFA is crying out for DMs, got ~ 40 so far, need 120 to complete the FR from Icewind Dale to the Moonsea. Just apply using the form on the index page. It may be a different guy doing apps now.
It is the Forgotton Realms in 1372DR however, not a 'made up custom' world. Some of the key locations have been 'bagged', eg Waterdeep, Silverymoon and Skullport. Check the server map to see what's still free and good luck, the more servers, the more players and ALFA is the only group I know with the ambition to do the whole of Faerun.

 

Ahhh, so the humble Snorri will have a use!.

As soon as i get my server i will apply, ok and thanks for the help, i dont suppose you have a link to the ALFA site do u?.

Snorri

 

Ask and you shall receive. http://www.alandfaraway.net

 

Why thank you Voltric, you should be a Genie not a Troll, lol

 

That's what I told the mage before he hit me with the polymorph other spell.

 

Snorri,
you could sign up to be a DM for ALFA. You could certainly run something for just your friends, though, without any interaction with ALFA at all.

I've signed up for ALFA, but I do find it funny that there's such an overlap in what_is_NWN and what_is_ALFA on these boards, especially since NWN isn't primarily being designed for persistent worlds.

Cullain, of Moray

 

If you notice, these board seemingly overflow with alfans so much that unfortunately (nothing personal ALFA) all talk about NWN will eventually lead to ALFA banter as well. This seemingly bottlenecks peoples view of NWN to ALFA IMO, with little other discussion of other places to play the game in this forum. Again, it's not that I have anything personal against the people who are members of ALFA here, it's just that's about all people who ask about playing NWN hear is ALFA. Man, I'd hate to see what that does to peoples' opinions about the game when ALFA rejects (or at least used to reject) most of the people who apply Just a thought.

 

That's the second time you've said that. Instead of the negative viewpoint (too much talk about ALFA!) why not have a positive input? Tell us about the alternatives for a persistent world, and also point out how NWN can be used to replace the current form of RC for people who don't have the time for a persistent world.

 

Well, ALFA has turned me down twice before, which i am very upset about!, i feel myself as a competant roleplayer and gamer, to be able to join them.
They primarily wouldn't allow me to join becasue of my characters name , which i think has forced me to base my second char, that i will sign up on my NWN char.

Jhoon Rhee: lvl 12 Monk

not alot of gaming experience, i have played with 3 Snorris, the current one, Snorri Jnr, Jnr is now lvl 43 and i have had him for 3 years, total Snorri gaming = 7 years, since i was 10, but they still wont allow him.

Does anyone know the new modorator for the applications?, can someone whisper a good word??? lol ^^.

-Snorri ~ No i'm serious, well off to plait my beard for the pre-war ceremony

 

Hey, I like my negativity. Heh, and besides, it's honestly a point that needs to made around here, and one I've made more than twice. It's just I've made it a couple of times in the last few days, that's all. Me, I've looked around the net for more sites to play. And while I've bookmarked a few, honestly I'm in no rush to apply to sites or even find them until I uprade my computer enough so that I can play NWN. I just think it's important to let people know that there are other sites out there. I've seen posts like "Oh, ALFA rejected me...guess I can't play NWN" enough times around here to say that it warrants me making my point above. I'm honestly trying not to be negative here. I do respect ALFA for their undertaking, and it's commendable that so many people have such faith in a project they haven't even seen yet. But I do think others should be made aware that there will be numerous places out there to play NWN, and that ALFA isn't the only option available. I'm just trying to do for the numerous other servers out there what so many people here have done for ALFA.

And personally, I will never be convinced until I see it with my own eyes that NWN will replace PnP gaming. It's a wonderful thought, it honestly is. But I think in the end, hard work and effort aside, the game will pale in comparison. It will be an excellent CRPG, I'm sure, and hopefully there will be some amazing user created worlds and even some playable MMORP worlds made with it. But I think when you try to take the imagined experience of a PnP game and translate it into a hard image on a screen, it changes everything. And also IMO of course, I believe, for me at least, something is lost when you're roleplaying a sprite on a screen. Just my opinion. And I hate to say the online DM thing is overrated. I see it more used for special occasions than something that will change the face of CRPGs. I would rather encourage people to go to RC and become a part of a PnP game online. I know some people don't have the time, but a few hours once a week can be worked around. I know; I've had to do it.

 

NWN should be a lot of fun, but I agree it isn't likely to be a substitute for PnP play. There are way too many things that will be lost in the translation. Last I heard, Climb/Swim/Ride/Fly were all still out, for example. I wonder how readily you will be able to pick up a barstool and smack your neighbor with it. That certainly isn't something that you can do in any of the IE games.

Besides, D&D isn't the only RPG worth playing.

Aloha
Vormaerin

 

There are two ways to look at this Crawl, the negative side which you have eloquently described and the upsides, like for instance:

When everyone graduated and scattered to the 4 corners of the globe my PnP group folded. Now I have a chance to recreate some of the experience and distance will be much less of a problem

One of the downsides of PnP is all that #~@$! dicerolling. A complex battle with 6 players and 10 opponents using magic etc can easily take an hour or more to resolve. Longer if any of the players have 'Rules Lawyer' skill - 10 ranks. NWN's engine will resolve that in minutes, giving a much more realistic feel (a melee round is 6 secs)

Graphics: You can read LotR and/or go see the movie. One is not better than the other, it's a different experience, I intend to do both. PnP is largely 'in the head' with crude paper maps and maybe metal figures. NWN will give us 3D zoomable graphics so we can watch our characters slay that umber hulk, or get slain.

The BioWare Docs have pledged themselves to recreate as much of the PnP experience as they can within a CRPG environment. If anyone can pull it off, they can. Now the best bit - It's then up to us to create the games!

 

Erran u hit the nail on the head, i love PnP as much as the next guy, but you can only receive the satisfaction of your lvl 1 character smashing the skulls of goblins and Giberlings alike on a comuter screen, hey its amaizing when you lvl up, but when you can see the difference straight away, and not have to wait till your next roleplaying session.

Also, as i have noticed there are alot of good RPGers online, some being american and others European, there we have it!, instant good RPGers over your phone, never more be without that 6th person for you PnP session, when there are thousands waiting to hook up online for the NWN experience.

 

Erran, Does this mean that you will rebuild crystal online and Beowulf the bard will live again?!?? I hope so, I already transferred him to the new edition rules

At any rate, there are too many people badmouthing alfa and NWN in general because they don't necessarily see the upside to NWN. I plan on setting up a night and time each week where I put the server up and we run an adventure. Don't have to worry about people leaving early, getting hungry, etc etc. There are so many upsides to NWN besides an alfa-like persistant world that it is staggering.

 

I don't think I've said one bad thing about ALFA actually. Why does everyone accuse me of bad mouthing them. Geez, I even go out of my way to say I'm *not* bad mouthing them and I still get accused of it. Sense when was pointing out the existance of other servers automatically bad mouthing ALFA. Just trying to dispell possible misconceptions around here. If and when I badmouth ALFA, you people will know And hey, I'm impressed by the size of ALFA's massive undertaking. See, I'm being nice.

And Erran, I have that rank. But my rank in "Keep my mouth SHUT!" keeps the game rolling along well.



[This message has been edited by Crawl (edited October 21, 2001).]

 

Yes, Erran, there are gains as well as losses in the tradeoff between PnP and NWN. I think NWN, as a fully programmable CRPG, will be awesome! However, I have grave doubts that it will be anywhere near as flexible as a real PnP game.

I'm also not sure that I want my ultimate battle against the Slave Lords that have been tracked down over many game sessions to be completed in 5 minutes. I certainly don't want my 'point and click' skills to matter in the outcome. I'd routinely be toast in the IE games without the autopause feature, particularly with spellcasters. Maybe that's because I (and my gaming buddies) have 20+ years at the tabletop and 2 or less at the mouse.

So, I'm looking forward to NWN as a great CRPG, but not as a replacement for my RC style campaign.

Aloha
Vormaerin



[This message has been edited by Vormaerin (edited October 21, 2001).]

 

I think PnP will still be better than NWN but that does not mean that NWN won't be great. I'm a fan of 'both' options for NWN. I think a ALFA like persistant world can be lots of fun as a RP experience. On the other hand running a 'module' for a campaign once a week would be lots of fun too. I think the best advantage this could have over PnP is location. Allowing people to play together that live on different side of the country or world.

 

Precisely. There are far too many of us who have no real option for PnP. NWN is an incredible effort to translate the wonder of PnP into a readily available and environmentally pleasing format. I salute the folks at Bioware.