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Author Topic: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall  (Read 6655 times)

Zero Darkon Thirty

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Due to comments and other people's suggestions, I've editted my own. I decided to take out my suggestions that push higher level players away from the outskirts, and instead focused on ways to close the level gap. I can't think of any solution for higher level players and lower level players(anything 12 and below, I'd say) to simultaneously work against  Monstrous Players whom are focused/geared toward lower leveled players. The level gap usually makes it a difficult task for the lower level players to fight the antagonist, but doable in numbers, and far too easy for the higher leveled players.

Suggestions:

1) Remove the XP cap until X level. I put this first because I believe it is the most important.

Pushing high level players away from the hub is not the answer, and people have voiced that in the comments, understandably so. I do think the XP cap is a necessity, especially around the level 12 area. I'd say 8 should be the lowest, as most builds start to feel useful at that level, but 10 would be a happy medium. At level 10, you're formidable. This suggestion has the clear outcome of increasing the overall average level of the playerbase, and so AMPCs will have to be adjusted accordingly. Strong enough to pose a threat to level 10's should be enough to not be fly on the wall for level 15-19's with some enchanted gear. If you're level 20 with full enchants, try be considerate.

The purpose of this suggestion is not entirely for faster leveling. I've just returned to the server and I've found it is faster than before, and not a bad pace at all. I, personally, think that the effects of a level gap weren't taken into account when the XP cap was designed. Due to the major differences, a lot of lower tier antagonism is weak in respects to the strongest of characters. Higher levels on average=stronger antagonists=everyone involved. I'm sure some will say not to focus on levels, and I hear ya, at level 6 which is easily hit, you can usually engage in some fun interaction with Barovian AMPCs. I just find these interactions to be sparse, and I think reducing the level gap will make them less so. Imagine, for instance, everyone were level 20., not that I want them all to be. I'm sure the Dms would have no trouble messing with people in the outskirts, nor would Monstrous Players. Things like that would happen commonly, as they should in this setting.

2) Higher level plot lines in certain Barovian areas.

I still like this idea, because if I ever get around to level a character past 12, Barovia is my favorite setting that is in game. I'd hate to forced to run off to Dementlieu to get tied into some cool plot lines.

3) My third suggestion, and it has been suggested before by aprogressivist is RP hub zones where RP XP is increased.

I don't imagine this would be very hard to code, seeing as they have already made areas give reduced XP to higher levels. This particular suggestion has A LOT of potential good to come out of it. Whether it be encouraging RP in other zones to encouraging players to stay indoors at night for a more immersive feel. Krofburg, Watcher territory, Vallaki's various taverns and inns, perhaps even the tavern in the outskirts are good, potential locations.

Other potential locations, taken from aprogressivist's post:
- The Broken Bell
 - The Drain
 - The slums Morninglord Church
 - The Ezrite Refuge of Fifth Light
 - The Great Library in Port
 - The Golden Fig and a few other cafes and eateries in Port
 - The Halan Hospices in Port
 - The Ezrite Cathedral in Port

4) A way to transfer a % of XP between characters, once one is closured by choice- not killed by other players and corpse hidden. Only characters that have reached X (for the staff to decide) level should qualify.

I'll leave it up to the staff to determine what is a reasonable % of XP to transfer, if this is even implemented. Once you've reached level XX and have all that great enchanted gear, and the story line you've been trying to push isn't working, maybe you want to try a new concept, but don't want to lose potential years of dedication to the server. The above suggestion can fix this. Not something that I imagine is very hard, just somewhat time-consuming for DMs. Could be application based, but I don't really think someone needs that great of a reason to quit a character they've played for years- they want to move on, so be it.



Thanks to all who have and who will participate in the comments, or read the post. Not sure if it is my excellent marketing skills, but this got a lot more views in a day than some do in a month. Please keep the suggestions flowing, and if you agree with any, drop a quote and some reasons. It'll let the staff know if the community actually wants to see things change.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2018, 03:35:12 AM by Zero Darkon Thirty »

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2018, 09:15:18 PM »
I actually dislike the general concept of keeping higher levels away from Vallaki. Most supported factions are currently there, as opposed to the 1.5 in Port-à-Lucine (Gendarmes and Port RVT).

I think that instead of implementing mechanics (removal of RP exp for level 15+ in all west Barovia pls go) we need to enforce responsible play in a harsher manner, as a community.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2018, 09:18:26 PM »
I personally find it difficult to keep the fearful atmosphere of the western outskirts alive, especially at night, when there are higher levels present to easily defeat any challenges I throw towards the newer, lower level players. Likewise, if I brought in challenges to defeat the high levels, they would unfairly demolish the lower levels in the crossfire.

Zero Darkon Thirty

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2018, 09:23:29 PM »
I actually dislike the general concept of keeping higher levels away from Vallaki. Most supported factions are currently there, as opposed to the 1.5 in Port-à-Lucine (Gendarmes and Port RVT).

I think that instead of implementing mechanics (removal of RP exp for level 15+ in all west Barovia pls go) we need to enforce responsible play in a harsher manner, as a community.

I'd like to add that I disagree with the XP reduction past a certain level for the most part. I do think such an implementation is good in say the outskirts, but not Vallaki itself. I'm unsure if it's domain locked, so people in Krofburg at lvl 12 or so won't get XP from RP (which would be terrible.) That's not even mentioning Watcher land, which has some pretty strong werewolves and could serve as a hub for higher leveled character as well. A cool thing that will probably go unused would be a way to stop XP progression in its entirety. Players that reach a specific level and want to remain in say, Krofburg, and actually feel some degree of challenge when faced against threats might find it appealing.


Personally, I don't see the responsible play thing working, unless you could elaborate on how we could be more harsh about it without flaming.

I personally find it difficult to keep the fearful atmosphere of the western outskirts alive, especially at night, when there are higher levels present to easily defeat any challenges I throw towards the newer, lower level players. Likewise, if I brought in challenges to defeat the high levels, they would unfairly demolish the lower levels in the crossfire.

In my mind- just do it. The more dangerous it is, and if it happens when people are outside, people will just stop tempting the night. A low level will learn their lesson all the same about staying outside at night whether a single zombie demolishes them, or a lvl 20 vampire with blood oozes kills them and everyone else in the outskirts, and the healer in the chapel. I've actually seen that happen, and my paladin stopped staying outside at night, but eventually I started doing it again because a) the threat is no longer there and b) there's not much RP indoors usually.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 09:32:19 PM by Zero Darkon Thirty »

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2018, 09:26:09 PM »
It is region-based, as far as I can tell, to everything past the Mists at Tser Falls to the west. That includes Wachter, Berez, Krofburg, Vallaki, and the wild.

It's too much.

Zero Darkon Thirty

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2018, 09:35:33 PM »
It is region-based, as far as I can tell, to everything past the Mists at Tser Falls to the west. That includes Wachter, Berez, Krofburg, Vallaki, and the wild.

It's too much.

Yeah, that's far too extensive. The only zone I'd actually think that an actual XP reduction is worth implementing in is the outskirts themelves and maybe some areas north/south where you may encounter a lower level AMPC/MPC. Even Vallaki is fine without the reduction. It allows factional players of high level to RP in that area without risk of ending an MPC in a very anticlimactic way. I'm sure most Monstrous players are vampires for that reason alone- you get to respawn.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2018, 09:46:17 PM »
I am very much against separating the characters on the server based on level. The more the characters mingle, the better for all.


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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2018, 09:49:20 PM »
Having fought this battle twice, I have little interest in fighting it again.

At some point you no longer get adventure XP for killing rats.

So I guess at some point you no longer get RP XP for being in certain areas. That's the breaks.

I don't agree with it and it creates OOC motivations that affect RP, but I've adjusted to it.

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Zero Darkon Thirty

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2018, 09:54:28 PM »
Having fought this battle twice, I have little interest in fighting it again.

At some point you no longer get adventure XP for killing rats.

So I guess at some point you no longer get RP XP for being in certain areas. That's the breaks.

I don't agree with it and it creates OOC motivations that affect RP, but I've adjusted to it.
There's no battle to fight. I'm opposed to pushing the players out of Barovia, only out of the outskirts, and the general wilderness around it, where most AMPCs and MPCS do their thing.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2018, 10:02:51 PM »
Being level 12 as it is, 98% of my RP is entirely RP based, removing RP XP at any level, tells a player that RP is secondary to PVE which I do not believe is the long term goal of the server, but thats just my opinion. I have a long way to go to 20, but its something for our DMs and Devs to consider server wide if this is really the message they wish to convey.

Zero Darkon Thirty

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2018, 10:58:20 PM »
Being level 12 as it is, 98% of my RP is entirely RP based, removing RP XP at any level, tells a player that RP is secondary to PVE which I do not believe is the long term goal of the server, but thats just my opinion. I have a long way to go to 20, but its something for our DMs and Devs to consider server wide if this is really the message they wish to convey.
Exactly:
They can either get a better chance at enforcing the gothic horror setting they're founded on, or watch level 20's hang around the outskirts making it a great deal less scary for those lower level players trying to immerse themself. It's their choice what message they wish to convey.

I am very much against separating the characters on the server based on level. The more the characters mingle, the better for all.
That's entirely subjective. I'd say the presence of higher level characters in the outskirts has ruined the immersive feel of gothic horror because I know I am eternally safe under their vigil.



All in all, if you have a leveling system, there's going to be gaps. When those gaps exist, it will make it harder to portray a gothic horror setting because there's no way to balance things for a level 5, 12, and 20 alike. If they do figure something out, great, I'm just offering potential solutions. Barovia, at least the global "hub" of the outskirts at the moment is focused for somewhere between 2-11. At some point, you are simply too strong for lower leveled antagonists in that region. whether it be NPCs, MPCs, AMPCs, or DMs.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 11:03:45 PM by Zero Darkon Thirty »

sotbiii

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2018, 01:52:17 AM »
If you ask me the whole outskirts triangle is just bad design (and convenient).

You have a large dungeon in the church with lots of loot and a npc healer/reviver and +1 weapon pool.
If the healer is not enough to keep you spamming the crypts you can quickly visit the Lady's Rest and then sell/identify everything in the Vistani camp and you probably get better prices for most items than from inside the city.
And that's why everyone sits on the area in the middle, while the city next door is barren and empty of all people.
When ever I play a lowlevel, I try my best to get people go with me to the COOL dungeons around Vallaki that have changing placeables and enemies (Why don't we have these in high level dungeons?) but no one really wants to move, much to my disappointment.

Solution? Nuke the outskirts as we know them.
Make the crypts accessible only at certain hours? Give the npc priest a break so she can sleep her nights?
Have the vistani camp disappear from time to time? (Aren't they supposed to be travellers?)
Close the inn, make it more expensive or turn it in to a tavern only?
Have garda forbid selling goods outside the market district? Back in olden days most market towns had walls or fences, not for war but to force people to pay a toll/tax when they enter with their salesgoods.
Everyone will probably hate me for suggesting these radical and inconvenient ideas but I would just like to see the town come alive. People in the streets, people in the inns and bars. MPC's could stalk the numerous alleys instead of just one building.
In Port-a-Lucine you often meet people in the streets. In Vallaki that hardly ever happens. Of course the two towns are also built differently which also affects this.

That's what I think anyway.

More on the topic on hand, I wish the high levels that do hang around the outskirts would have more consideration.
I have seen a high level priest jump from GS (back when we still had that) and with out a word smash down an MPC who was speaking to some players.
And that would have been fine, but when it tried to escape, it was chased, corpsed and closured on what I think was its first appearance.

Also it would be nice to have rp xp in places like the Wachter province no matter what your level is, hardly anything happens in the west.

Zero Darkon Thirty

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2018, 02:35:34 AM »
Spoiler: show
 
If you ask me the whole outskirts triangle is just bad design (and convenient).

You have a large dungeon in the church with lots of loot and a npc healer/reviver and +1 weapon pool.
If the healer is not enough to keep you spamming the crypts you can quickly visit the Lady's Rest and then sell/identify everything in the Vistani camp and you probably get better prices for most items than from inside the city.
And that's why everyone sits on the area in the middle, while the city next door is barren and empty of all people.
When ever I play a lowlevel, I try my best to get people go with me to the COOL dungeons around Vallaki that have changing placeables and enemies (Why don't we have these in high level dungeons?) but no one really wants to move, much to my disappointment.

Solution? Nuke the outskirts as we know them.
Make the crypts accessible only at certain hours? Give the npc priest a break so she can sleep her nights?
Have the vistani camp disappear from time to time? (Aren't they supposed to be travellers?)
Close the inn, make it more expensive or turn it in to a tavern only?
Have garda forbid selling goods outside the market district? Back in olden days most market towns had walls or fences, not for war but to force people to pay a toll/tax when they enter with their salesgoods.
Everyone will probably hate me for suggesting these radical and inconvenient ideas but I would just like to see the town come alive. People in the streets, people in the inns and bars. MPC's could stalk the numerous alleys instead of just one building.
In Port-a-Lucine you often meet people in the streets. In Vallaki that hardly ever happens. Of course the two towns are also built differently which also affects this.

That's what I think anyway.

More on the topic on hand, I wish the high levels that do hang around the outskirts would have more consideration.
I have seen a high level priest jump from GS (back when we still had that) and with out a word smash down an MPC who was speaking to some players.
And that would have been fine, but when it tried to escape, it was chased, corpsed and closured on what I think was its first appearance.

Also it would be nice to have rp xp in places like the Wachter province no matter what your level is, hardly anything happens in the west.


Radical ideas indeed, but I see what you're suggesting. Take into consideration the outskirts is mainly designed for new players as well. The Vistani cavern introduces people to the setting that just hopped in game. Do veterans need it? No, but it was really cool to talk to the Madame and all that other fun stuff my first time playing. Some of them may be nice to see implemented, but for the most part I think due to Barovian xenophobia, the outskirts is best suited as the "hub." Seeing more people in Vallaki would be great though, and some XP hubs there would be great. Thieves, wererats, MPCS, etc could stalk the alleys, assuming anyone actually goes outside, or is RPing in the city in the first place.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2018, 06:33:39 AM »
If you ask me the whole outskirts triangle is just bad design (and convenient).

You have a large dungeon in the church with lots of loot and a npc healer/reviver and +1 weapon pool.
If the healer is not enough to keep you spamming the crypts you can quickly visit the Lady's Rest and then sell/identify everything in the Vistani camp and you probably get better prices for most items than from inside the city.
And that's why everyone sits on the area in the middle, while the city next door is barren and empty of all people.
When ever I play a lowlevel, I try my best to get people go with me to the COOL dungeons around Vallaki that have changing placeables and enemies (Why don't we have these in high level dungeons?) but no one really wants to move, much to my disappointment.

Solution? Nuke the outskirts as we know them.
Make the crypts accessible only at certain hours? Give the npc priest a break so she can sleep her nights?
Have the vistani camp disappear from time to time? (Aren't they supposed to be travellers?)
Close the inn, make it more expensive or turn it in to a tavern only?
Have garda forbid selling goods outside the market district? Back in olden days most market towns had walls or fences, not for war but to force people to pay a toll/tax when they enter with their salesgoods.
Everyone will probably hate me for suggesting these radical and inconvenient ideas but I would just like to see the town come alive. People in the streets, people in the inns and bars. MPC's could stalk the numerous alleys instead of just one building.
In Port-a-Lucine you often meet people in the streets. In Vallaki that hardly ever happens. Of course the two towns are also built differently which also affects this.

That's what I think anyway.

More on the topic on hand, I wish the high levels that do hang around the outskirts would have more consideration.
I have seen a high level priest jump from GS (back when we still had that) and with out a word smash down an MPC who was speaking to some players.
And that would have been fine, but when it tried to escape, it was chased, corpsed and closured on what I think was its first appearance.

Also it would be nice to have rp xp in places like the Wachter province no matter what your level is, hardly anything happens in the west.

The biggest issue you'll come across with this is that Vallaki is a Barovian city. Barovians are notoriously distrustful and sometimes hostile towards outlanders, especially those of other races. The city itself isn't meant to be a hub imo, more a big hunk of grey stone to remind you who owns the place
« Last Edit: October 18, 2018, 06:39:20 AM by PrimetheGrime »

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2018, 06:37:06 AM »
The point about Vallaki is correct.  There is another - Dementlieu has outdoors that are safe to travel at night. Vallaki does not.  It not only isn't safe at night, it is also not welcoming to outlanders.  This combination means that you don't see people walking the streets much at night or day because you're not supposed to see them.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2018, 06:39:42 AM »
I have witnessed multiple AMPCs that hang the so-called high level lingerers of Vallaki and it's environs out to dry quite thoroughly. If it's an issue for DMs trying to run scenes, I'd just start having high levels get mist-abducted to somewhere fun, personally. Maybe the middle of Perfidus.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2018, 06:55:59 AM »
I have witnessed multiple AMPCs that hang the so-called high level lingerers of Vallaki and it's environs out to dry quite thoroughly. If it's an issue for DMs trying to run scenes, I'd just start having high levels get mist-abducted to somewhere fun, personally. Maybe the middle of Perfidus.

That would be pretty thrilling

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2018, 08:01:25 AM »
The real issue is that the Outskirts brings together a great collection of players, especially newer players, so the red-dead mentality is also more greatly concentrated there. This isn't merely lvl 20s, though being more powerful it's more noticeable when they resort to red-dead; but I've had bad encounters as an AMPC in the Outskirts with level equivalent characters.

I agree that lvl 20s should be encouraged to leave, but the issue runs deeper.
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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #18 on: October 18, 2018, 08:08:21 AM »
The biggest issue you'll come across with this is that Vallaki is a Barovian city. Barovians are notoriously distrustful and sometimes hostile towards outlanders, especially those of other races. The city itself isn't meant to be a hub imo, more a big hunk of grey stone to remind you who owns the place

Xenophopic or not, Vallaki is a trade city with booming economy in the middle of Barovia, in the middle of Old Svalich Road and in the middle of the whole Core.

At any case it would make more sense for the foreign traders and locals PC's to spend their time inside the city rather than outside, which at the moment is not the case.
It probably should be safer inside the city walls than outside, which also is not the case because of this cluster of people that forms in the outskirts.
No, I don't believe those six big city areas were designed to be as empty as they are.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2018, 08:33:36 AM »
The biggest issue you'll come across with this is that Vallaki is a Barovian city. Barovians are notoriously distrustful and sometimes hostile towards outlanders, especially those of other races. The city itself isn't meant to be a hub imo, more a big hunk of grey stone to remind you who owns the place

Xenophopic or not, Vallaki is a trade city with booming economy in the middle of Barovia, in the middle of Old Svalich Road and in the middle of the whole Core.

At any case it would make more sense for the foreign traders and locals PC's to spend their time inside the city rather than outside, which at the moment is not the case.
It probably should be safer inside the city walls than outside, which also is not the case because of this cluster of people that forms in the outskirts.
No, I don't believe those six big city areas were designed to be as empty as they are.

This is also an issue with trying to follow canon to the letter. Because canonically, Vallaki residents would be xenophobic and hateful and whatnot. But in a persistent world like PotM, Vallaki has been host to -literally thousands of outlanders for over ten years-. Trying for force the outlander hate to the letter for the sake of canon, and ignoring the fact that people adapt is frankly unrealistic and thus breaking of immersion. There are certain points that must break from canon for a persistent world to be maintained. Because the canon was written and designed for tabletop D&D. Small sessions with limited players with very clear objectives. PotM is a thriving, living world. An entirely different beast than what the canon was meant to cater to. Thus, concessions have to be made here and there.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #20 on: October 18, 2018, 08:54:09 AM »
I agree with many of these points and have seen them made many times now (including by me) and seen them disregarded because of--for shorthand--what I will call "creative vision." The Devs (or at least some Devs) have a vision that conflicts with players' interest. I don't say that is inherently wrong or a bad thing because Devs are the creators of what we enjoy, and we (as players) must appreciate that they are not here to be our slavish servants but because they want to express their personal visions.

Something that occurs to me now, though, in reading these same points again that might be new is this:

1) The players (including me) have long advocated for making VoB a place in which the setting many of us come here for and which fits the PCs we've developed is maintained.

2) The Devs have said VoB is meant to be scary and isolated, so it can't ever be a hub.

3) The recent changes to door locking make VoB even less a place where PCs can hang out.

4) The DMs say what is wrong with having high levels in Vallaki is it makes encounters hard to balance and thus ruins the atmosphere for low levels.

Why not, then, raise the threat level in VoB? Currently it is actually safer than Vallaki. But with the locking of doors, it's hard to do *anything* except hang around in the massive Blood o' the Vine, usually in isolation.

Instead of the wererats, have vampire spawns roaming the streets at night.  Strahd zombies. Ghosts. There must be some reason for all the door locking!

This would help maintain the reason for the Village's isolation and dread, while at the same time give higher levels (who prefer Barovia) a challenge to divert them from the Outskirts.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #21 on: October 18, 2018, 08:56:30 AM »
Another idea: These spawns could drop crafting components, eliminating another reason high levels return to Western Barovia.

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2018, 09:06:51 AM »
The biggest issue you'll come across with this is that Vallaki is a Barovian city. Barovians are notoriously distrustful and sometimes hostile towards outlanders, especially those of other races. The city itself isn't meant to be a hub imo, more a big hunk of grey stone to remind you who owns the place

Xenophopic or not, Vallaki is a trade city with booming economy in the middle of Barovia, in the middle of Old Svalich Road and in the middle of the whole Core.

At any case it would make more sense for the foreign traders and locals PC's to spend their time inside the city rather than outside, which at the moment is not the case.
It probably should be safer inside the city walls than outside, which also is not the case because of this cluster of people that forms in the outskirts.
No, I don't believe those six big city areas were designed to be as empty as they are.

This is also an issue with trying to follow canon to the letter. Because canonically, Vallaki residents would be xenophobic and hateful and whatnot. But in a persistent world like PotM, Vallaki has been host to -literally thousands of outlanders for over ten years-. Trying for force the outlander hate to the letter for the sake of canon, and ignoring the fact that people adapt is frankly unrealistic and thus breaking of immersion. There are certain points that must break from canon for a persistent world to be maintained. Because the canon was written and designed for tabletop D&D. Small sessions with limited players with very clear objectives. PotM is a thriving, living world. An entirely different beast than what the canon was meant to cater to. Thus, concessions have to be made here and there.

Going to firmly side against this, for a very simple reason.  Outlanders are, to be blunt, horrible people who have made life absolutely craptastic for Barovians for over ten years.  Outlanders have killed more natives that Strahd or his minions.  Outlanders have dropped more hideous atrocities onto natives than most of the monsters of Barovia -combined-.

If anything, the xenophobia should be MUCH worse.  As in, kill on sight worse, nail them to the walls of the city worse, make them utterly unwelcome by killing them ALL worse.  These outlander troublemakers causing mayhem, murder, dark vraja, you name it!  The hate is underplayed, and it doesn't take much observation to see that.  They're a backwards people who are constantly under assault from reckless, violent outsiders who demand that the world change to suit their whims.  They're not welcome sights, they're closer to terrorists.

There is another very simple reason.  There must be maintenance of basic canon because when you move away from it too far, you end up with some truly ludicrous changes that become more and more apparent over time.  This adherence means new players can enter the world and read the books and get at least something close to the experience written about.  If you abandon that, you create a playground that suits the veterans over the new people.  And you end up with some frankly rather weird settings and places that just don't make much sense.  Perfect example of that was the Harry Potter server - except it didn't have Harry in it, the House conflicts didn't exist, the lore was rewritten and the big bad was some sort of space marine in anti magic armour.  It was, aside from the places and some of the NPC's, so disjointed and removed from the books that it became rapidly apparent that it was purely for the people who had been playing there, and outsiders had no foot to stand on - and were not really welcome.  This place isn't that - thank goodness - and I hope it never is.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2018, 09:10:25 AM by Nemesis 24 »

ladylena

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2018, 09:38:05 AM »
I've held to my belief that those who are a higher level and in the low-level areas -should- be taking to roleplaying first rather than straight up pvp. 

Nem is absolutely right. I agree that Vallaki has become waaaaaay too tolerant of outlanders, but that is up to us as players to help fix :)

Overall I don't think we should alienate higher level characters from anywhere since the whole purpose of the server is to roleplay, to create a shared narrative. Higher level characters can still RP with low levels and offer them guidance or what have you, just because of their level doesn't mean they can't enrich the setting or stories
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sotbiii

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Re: Keeping level 20 immigrants outside of the outskirts; building the wall
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2018, 09:46:26 AM »
Equally outlanders have also saved the city from doom countless times, killed menacing monsters, found and rescued missing people and fought against foreign invasions.
But I just like to think that foreign trade is the lifeblood of the town and that's why outlanders are tolerated.

This is getting off topic however.