two suggestions

[herkles]

Hello,

I was chatting with another person* and there were some interesting ideas that got mentioned that I really liked  so I thought I would mention them and see what others think about them.

  making the starting place the mysterious vistani place, one could add a healer and so forth and the ability to get to vallaki, not to mention the current places. I like this idea because that it means that it is a safe area but also mysterious and you could get to different places to start at.

  removing the ML church in the outskirts, this might be an unpopular one, but I do like this idea. As removing the ML church their might help disparce the crowd a bit more and make some other areas get used more. Not to mention their is another ML church in vallaki, plus in the Vallaki gazetteer the -EZRITE- Church If I am remembering correctly is the one that is located outside of the city not the chapel of the morninglord. Plus this might reduce the amount people going in 'heal and than go out to slay the evil monster'.

these might be unpopular but I really like them so I thought I would mention them. What do others think?

*Name is being not named to keep his privacy.

-herkles

[Winter83]

The Morninglor church can be destroyed in character....a mob of angry barovians burn down the place as they see it as a gathering of witches and outlanders, shelter for calibans

[Bad_Bud]

Try considering the Morninglord temple in the western outskirts. Characters have at times made initiative to raise massive amounts of gold to rebuild the place, and with the amount they've collected, they could turn it into a grand cathedral making the greatest of the Core pale in comparison. But the decrepit state of the place has an important meaning to the world we want to portray. The Morninglord temple is the first holy sanctuary new players will encounter upon entering Barovia - It's underlining the neglected state of religion in the domain, the state of good in general. We could principally pursue the restructuring and move the world entry point somewhere else, but even that is something that's been carefully chosen and developed - the entire server layout is in fact planned with it's location in mind, the details added, the polishing, all would have to be revised or remade. Perhaps you would consider this over-worrying, but the first impression for new players cannot be underestimated - it's to a large degree what will determine if they'll leave or stay to learn more - and moving it or changing it at random would jeopardizing the server itself.

[respawnaholic]

Try considering the Morninglord temple in the western outskirts. Characters have at times made initiative to raise massive amounts of gold to rebuild the place, and with the amount they've collected, they could turn it into a grand cathedral making the greatest of the Core pale in comparison. But the decrepit state of the place has an important meaning to the world we want to portray. The Morninglord temple is the first holy sanctuary new players will encounter upon entering Barovia - It's underlining the neglected state of religion in the domain, the state of good in general. We could principally pursue the restructuring and move the world entry point somewhere else, but even that is something that's been carefully chosen and developed - the entire server layout is in fact planned with it's location in mind, the details added, the polishing, all would have to be revised or remade. Perhaps you would consider this over-worrying, but the first impression for new players cannot be underestimated - it's to a large degree what will determine if they'll leave or stay to learn more - and moving it or changing it at random would jeopardizing the server itself.

The Morninglord church is supposed to look run down and decrepid? I'm not trying to be smart here or anything but that is not the impression it gives. Its one of the more impressive buildings in Vallaki.

[Bad_Bud]

It really looks like trash and displays a description every time you enter to back this up.  Are you thinking of the church in the noble's district, instead?

[respawnaholic]

No, and fair enough...I didnt really read the discription..or to be more accurate.....didnt really credit it with what my eyes were seeing. I sort of blew it off like most character descriptions as being irrelevant to what Im actually seeing. Sort of like Brok Dudemaster: the calm, stoic, seely-eyed veteran of a thousand battles and master of all mens fate, etc., etc, (for another two pages)  running like a schoolgirl from a decrepid skeleton.

[Bad_Bud]

There are big chunks of wall and ceiling laying around, one window is bashed out, the walls and floor in general look like they're falling apart, and it's built with the "ruins" tileset.  

Are you using an override that might be making the ruins tileset looks fancier than normal?

[Vespertilio]

No, and fair enough...I didn't really read the description..or to be more accurate.....didn't really credit it with what my eyes were seeing. I sort of blew it off like most character descriptions as being irrelevant to what Im actually seeing. Sort of like Brok Dudemaster: the calm, stoic, steely-eyed veteran of a thousand battles and master of all men's fate, etc., etc, (for another two pages)  running like a schoolgirl from a decrepit skeleton.

Descriptions placed in certain map areas by the builders and developers, tend to have a lot more consideration, relevance and thought as to the atmospheric setting they create at large, so blowing those off as being the equivalent of Brok Dudemaster the pc's novella bio elevating himself as the most important pc in the area, isn't really a fair or accurate comparison.  These aren't descriptions for self aggrandizing purposes, they are there to give the players and thus their characters a sense of the setting they now find themselves in.

[Feronius]

Not a bad suggestion at all. Although the traveling would need to be free of cost then (to at least the lower level zones.)


And for he Morninglord church, I wouldn't mind seeing it go (being part of the faction atm myself) to be honest.
Ilie in the Slums sanctuary should have the ability to ress, people might focus RP more around the town then instead of the outskirts.
If Lizucia can no longer ressurect, I'm quite sure that'd mean a certain decrease in activity around the church.

Pherhaps make the Morninglord church just that.. a church, no ressing and finally cleansing the catacombs. So it's just for ceremonies, etc.
At least finally ending the catacombs tale might be good. Pherhaps make it level 2ish? Instead of level 5-10 as it is now (I mean the entire thing, so the tombs are useless for anyone over level 4?)

Either way, by encouraging more things in town, pherhaps we could use buildings like the Prancing Nymph or other rather unused brilliant places more often?
(For example: If Ilie in the Eternal Dawn Sanctuary could ress, then lots more people would possibly hang around town instead? which makes them more likely to spend the night in town to.)



I just hope my random ideas do not turn into "Now we'll just cheese and run from the outskirts to the slums to ress and back into the fight." but I doubt too many PCs would frequenly do so..

[HellsPanda]

its level 2-10ish

[Bluebomber4evr]

WTF is it with people wanting to destroy the temple? Seriously, it's not going anywhere, folks.

[HellsPanda]

I think people want people to move away from the Outskrits, by blowing up the temple

[Bluebomber4evr]

I know they do, but it's utterly ridiculous. Why blow it up? The hell? Besides, it's in the canon location, for one. And it's an important location for low level characters.

[Arcus]

I think people want people to move away from the Outskrits, by blowing up the temple

This is how you get people to move away from the Outskirts. This is going to be revolutionary.

Consistently do things that aren't centered on the outskirts.
Merchant? Set up shop somewhere that isn't on the ground on the main thoroughfare for stupid/dangerous junk to pass through.
Priest? Get into a Morninglord temple or spread the faith by taking people to your own place of worship.
Monster? Wander around and assault people who Aren't standing around in the outskirts. I guarantee you it'll be easier than dealing with an immediate "THERES A VAMPIRE OUTSIDE LETS GO GET'M BOYS" that the outskirts causes.
Wizard? There's at least one entire city where it's perfectly okay to be a wizard, if looked down on.

Want people out of the outskirts? Show them how much of a backwards slum the place is by doing things elsewhere. People don't go to the outskirts because its the first thing they see, they go to the outskirts because everyone's there all the time always.

[respawnaholic]

No, and fair enough...I didn't really read the description..or to be more accurate.....didn't really credit it with what my eyes were seeing. I sort of blew it off like most character descriptions as being irrelevant to what Im actually seeing. Sort of like Brok Dudemaster: the calm, stoic, steely-eyed veteran of a thousand battles and master of all men's fate, etc., etc, (for another two pages)  running like a schoolgirl from a decrepit skeleton.

Descriptions placed in certain map areas by the builders and developers, tend to have a lot more consideration, relevance and thought as to the atmospheric setting they create at large, so blowing those off as being the equivalent of Brok Dudemaster the pc's novella bio elevating himself as the most important pc in the area, isn't really a fair or accurate comparison.  These aren't descriptions for self aggrandizing purposes, they are there to give the players and thus their characters a sense of the setting they now find themselves in.

Fair enough and your right. I wasnt paying attention is all im saying.  Iwas making the mistake of seeing with my eyes and not my minds eye if that makes sence.

[herkles]

I want the temple removed but I want the dungeon their kept. If you keep the dungeon there it still IMO serves its perpuse for lowbies, I am not sure if many actually realize that the church is supposed to be falling down. I think that is a fair compromise to me. I want to see more people use Vallaki and I honestly think that removing the temple or perhaps Liz might make people do just that. *nods*

[HellsPanda]

offer quality RP elsewhere, and let it be known, and people will eventually come slowly

[Threefold]

Village of Barovia:

'The village is an old man, ready to lie down and die.'

My face:

[herkles]

offer quality RP elsewhere, and let it be known, and people will eventually come slowly

From what I have seen people want the ease of use that is the outskirts and I can see why. The outskirts has the ability where people can find rp easily their but in other places? it is far more difficult. Due to lack of rp in said locations. actually why don't you assist with me in helping to create rp in the port and other places, all you have to do is take someone to the port and rp there!

[Bluebomber4evr]

The temple's not going anywhere, Herkles.

[dutchy]

really blue? not even a lil inch or 2 to the left maybe? how about some decorations for it......i saw some at market near the bell it had a GREATTTT sale *wiggles his hands like an axcited gay guy* oooh just fabulous lets change it all some colour on the walls its soooooo grey thats passé truly is.

decorate the graves aswell more flowers and instead of grey slabs how about pink or yellow hmmmm oh we are going to have a blast redoing the place blue.


right blue you are going to help redecorate right? youl be my lil helper.

ps: i dont think its gets more clearer then that it wont move and nothing shall change i wonder what a persistand world means.....

[Arcus]

Wanting it gone because it will somehow magically make people go somewhere else isn't a good reason to remove it. If people are congregating its because there's people there, not because there's a building there.

EVERY server has hubs like this and the only way ever to make people move is to do interesting things elsewhere.

[darkravenkin]

The morninglord faith really isn't about making there church look better to atract other people. People come to the faith looking for hope or wanting to give it to others. And yes to crack undead heads in. The look of the grave yard in the back is that clash thats needed. On one side you want to show the hope and respect that they wanted to try and give. But then the other side of the fang is the dark depressing side. Hope gets crush, the undead always seem to be never ending. Even the church in the city is just a converted warehouse that is rented from the vardo or the city, I'm not to sure.

But OOC the church serves as a healing and raising place for calibans and other living freaks of the night. Over the years it has changed both inside and outside from new DM's, faction members and just general things happening. Yes a general healing and rez station might feel less then PnP like. But you can only do so much with a video game and they have done alot here as is. Not every player has access to a raise dead cleric friend. Some cleric's Dark Powers are high enough so that your getting your friend coming back as a zombie to many times. (But it is fun beating up on them time after time XD )

Now the issue of people just being in the outskirts to much, well it'll happen with or with out the church being there and that not a bad thing to much. I mean new people to the server at least can run into other players and get a low down and get the standard telling of bewaring the night and the city when it gets dark. Having the merchants up and down the area really makes for a community feeling.

Over all I really dont see it changing to much. We're in a country where change isn't like very much. Even if you throw alot of money at it. But then again we are all different people and different styles of play. I just say let it be and enjoy what is there and if not then travel more. Personally I really want to go to Bluebeards island more offen even if im there alone

[dutchy]

tell me what you think?

[darkravenkin]

Hmmm not to bad. I would make a runner on the top in maybe a yellow symbolising the coming of the sun