AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

Sorry if there is already a thread like this somewhere else.

Can anyone suggest a good location for a level 10 fighter based character to hunt for XP? I'd really appreciate any advice. Love ya!

Shekat caves, bring negative energy potions and have 30 AC

Thanks!

I don't suppose you could give me quick directions, could you?

There's this thing called roleplay.

The caves are no secret and all it takes is to ask around for directions in game.
There is no harm in asking other characters questions. However, do keep in mind the forums are not the place to ask such things.

Okay. Cool thanks!

Don't forget to use your Party Advertiser Tool on yourself to place yourself on a list of those looking for a hunting party, and on the ground to view the list.

Luck!

GreatPigeon wrote:

There's this thing called roleplay.

Forcing people to discuss levels or even acknowledge repetitive grinding IC is the lowest, most base form of time waster RP. There should just be an ECL guide posted for the monsters and clear directions on how to get there. IC quest chains that don't suck would of course be preferable, but full implementation is a long ways off. It also doesn't help that fully half of the hunting areas have XP rewards that do not align with the difficulty of the fighting. Those should be mentioned in such a guide as well so people don't waste time, frustration and respawns on them until they are tweaked. Glim is doing an excellent job, but it comes down to time.

One of the developers combing through the toolset to post an ECL guide would not take very long and would make the server feel far less fragmented. The "find out IC" retort always just gets under my skin because the RP is lame and almost never leads to any meaningful character development. You don't suddenly have a richer roleplay experience because you find out that the bandits North of Wharftown will kill you dead and the ones South will not, for the same XP, and eat a respawn. Your character does not suddenly gain more depth because you ask for directions and no one answers because the RP of you saying "thanks!" and running off is not worth interrupting a good train of thought.

NinjaClarinet wrote:

GreatPigeon wrote:

There's this thing called roleplay.

Forcing people to discuss levels or even acknowledge repetitive grinding IC is the lowest, most base form of time waster RP. There should just be an ECL guide posted for the monsters and clear directions on how to get there. IC quest chains that don't suck would of course be preferable, but full implementation is a long ways off. It also doesn't help that fully half of the hunting areas have XP rewards that do not align with the difficulty of the fighting. Those should be mentioned in such a guide as well so people don't waste time, frustration and respawns on them until they are tweaked. Glim is doing an excellent job, but it comes down to time.

One of the developers combing through the toolset to post an ECL guide would not take very long and would make the server feel far less fragmented. The "find out IC" retort always just gets under my skin because the RP is lame and almost never leads to any meaningful character development. You don't suddenly have a richer roleplay experience because you find out that the bandits North of Wharftown will kill you dead and the ones South will not, for the same XP, and eat a respawn. Your character does not suddenly gain more depth because you ask for directions and no one answers because the RP of you saying "thanks!" and running off is not worth interrupting a good train of thought.

I agree with you. If this is the way the player base here wants to do things, that's fine. I mean it. I'm not trying to rock the boat or anything. But it sucks. A lot of the time I only have a little bit of time to play, or I'm running around afk a lot because I have real world things to do. This makes it hard to join a party, because no one wants to put up with the BRB guy. Its nice to be able to run in a group when i have time, but its also nice to be able to solo run things. Its weird to me that across what, a decade of playing nwn, and across many different servers the attitude also tends to be 'ask IC' and 'don't use the forum for this.'

Anyway. Off of my soapbox. I just find it interesting.

Roleplay server = find out things IC.

Asking for IC things / advice via. OOC message on forums is plain wrong. The fact the question is answered is even worse

I might need to start an alt. I don't even remember anymore. :lol:

Guardian wrote:

Roleplay server = find out things IC.

Asking for IC things / advice via. OOC message on forums is plain wrong. The fact the question is answered is even worse

Just out of curiosity, how would you have asked my initial question IC? I've heard of people refer to levels as 'seasons' which seems a little rough. I mean, I get what you're saying. IC is better probably, it just seems like a bit rough.

"Hello, there! I just finished bashing in some orc heads and I'm itching for a tougher opponent! Any ideas? I don't really know this island well yet."

Or whatever fits your character.

Just as an example of what I think they mean!

NinjaClarinet wrote:

Forcing people to discuss levels or even acknowledge repetitive grinding IC is the lowest, most base form of time waster RP. There should just be an ECL guide posted for the monsters and clear directions on how to get there. IC quest chains that don't suck would of course be preferable, but full implementation is a long ways off. It also doesn't help that fully half of the hunting areas have XP rewards that do not align with the difficulty of the fighting. Those should be mentioned in such a guide as well so people don't waste time, frustration and respawns on them until they are tweaked. Glim is doing an excellent job, but it comes down to time.

One of the developers combing through the toolset to post an ECL guide would not take very long and would make the server feel far less fragmented. The "find out IC" retort always just gets under my skin because the RP is lame and almost never leads to any meaningful character development. You don't suddenly have a richer roleplay experience because you find out that the bandits North of Wharftown will kill you dead and the ones South will not, for the same XP, and eat a respawn. Your character does not suddenly gain more depth because you ask for directions and no one answers because the RP of you saying "thanks!" and running off is not worth interrupting a good train of thought.

I don't think so.
This is a role-play server, and should cater to that, and not peoples desire to level in a week, or find a certain place because it's "convenient". A common misconception on this server, is that one has to be level 30 in order to RP, and that's bullshit. I'm so tired of watching people run past to level, never saying a word, and then one day start throwing their weight around, like they've been a force to reckon with for years. And that last sentence, are you serious? There is plenty of depth in meeting new people, and learning new things. It's a shame you don't see that. I fully support the "Find out IC" statement.

The new character can learn about the island, and make new acquaintances by asking around. For players with multiple characters, who know the server, they can make different sets of friends. This would help get rid of the clique feel as well.

Without getting into anything else, I agree that a rough guideline of where you might encounter fights of a certain level, would be generally useful and would've saved me about dozen respawns that resulted from going out and exploring on my own.

1) There aren't always people available. I've come across troubled new characters suffering from that quite recently myself.

2) It's quite immersion-breaking for a character to even vaguely refer to their level or "power level." So asking is already extremely awkward with the whole "tougher than the goblins but weaker than the Malarites deep in the forest" kind of explanation.

aaphelion wrote:

Just out of curiosity, how would you have asked my initial question IC? I've heard of people refer to levels as 'seasons' which seems a little rough. I mean, I get what you're saying. IC is better probably, it just seems like a bit rough.

I would find out in game, as I did when I was on level 10. There is really nothing else to say.

I was scouting the game-world. Two situations always occured:

1, I got my ass spanked by a badass mob so I left the area.
2, I dominated the area so I farmed a while before it got dull.

Eventually I was in a group. That's all.

Kudark wrote:

A common misconception on this server, is that one has to be level 30 in order to RP, and that's bullshit. I'm so tired of watching people run past to level, never saying a word, and then one day start throwing their weight around, like they've been a force to reckon with for years.

Ooh, quote the raven Crow. This gets my full support.

Just for funsies I'll mention that Eddie is not maxed on levels. And guess how long I play him. :wink:

I've been playing Amia for years and my new characters still ask for help and directions.

But if you just don't like the idea of asking in-character somehow, I won't knock someone for taking a more comfortable route. Whether that's a random Tell to a player chosen at random (I've answered these Tells before!) or by posting on the forum. It doesn't really matter, so long as you're enjoying yourself. Just make sure to RP, too. That's the only requirement!

Jes wrote:

I've been playing Amia for years and my new characters still ask for help and directions.

But if you just don't like the idea of asking in-character somehow, I won't knock someone for taking a more comfortable route. Whether that's a random Tell to a player chosen at random (I've answered these Tells before!) or by posting on the forum. It doesn't really matter, so long as you're enjoying yourself. Just make sure to RP, too. That's the only requirement!

Thank you for your polite and helpful responses.

People would spend more time roleplaying if they didn't have to spend it grinding because they want to be 30.

OpenTheRift wrote:

People would spend more time roleplaying if they didn't have to spend it grinding because they want to be 30.

By your logic it would be best to just give away level 30 to everyone in order to improve RP.

:roll:

Yes! Find out everything in game!

Unless of course you are new to the server and play at a time where there are an entire six players on the server, in which case you'll wander for a while get frustrated and log and never come back.

Granted that Amia is an RP server, but what exactly is the problem with allowing a player not familiar with how things are set up and where the major features are finding them out? Can a new player gain some knowledge and comfort with the server before being harassed into RP without enough player knowledge to really know whats going on? I know that most on the server have been everywhere, done everything, and know where to go to level, which makes RP far easier for all their subsequent characters on the server. And I'm also sure that very few people remember how frustrating it can be to be a player where everything is new and unknown.

Amia is an RP lite server. Can we just give new players a leg up and an OOC tour of the major features so they can concentrate on RP rather than the frustration of leveling, which most refer to as an antithesis of RP anyway.

So don't listen to the players that berate you for asking valid basic questions rather than help you and take note of players that overly stress finding out basic information in game as they are obviously already rating your RP skills and finding them lacking in their opinion.

So yes, there are a number of quests in and around Cordor and a few starters in Wilton as well. Finding a party is a far easier and a way to gain more information about the server both OOC and IC. The majority of players are extremely helpful and will jump at the chance to introduce a new player to the server. If all else fails, send another player a tell in game, if they don't feel comfortable giving out OOC information they will be able to point you in the right direction to find out IC, which is easier than being berated for asking a simple question on the forums. Now you know that no question is a stupid question is a lie when applied to the internet....

Be kind to new players, folks. This is why we can't have nice things.

Make the guide an IC adventurer's guide you get in your inventory, presumably bundled with your portal wand by those helpful Mystrans. Problem solved.

Yossarin wrote:

Be kind to new players, folks. This is why we can't have nice things.

This, guys.

Rather than be dismissive, let's please welcome the player and provide help. If you disagree with helping someone OOCly, that's fine-- but don't demean a player (Especially a new player) for asking. Instead you should try teaching, welcoming, and demonstrating as an example.

If I see any more crass remarks like these:

Quote:

There's this thing called roleplay.

I'll be issuing some forum bans. Be helpful, don't be rude. Or don't be here.

I too remember how hard it was to find out things in game when I started playing here and how hard it was to find all the right shops to get the gear you need. Not just because I couldn't find anyone to ask but because even when I did find someone they would purposefully give me the wrong information. Which was kind of fun but didn't really help me much on an OOC level.

I'd really like to help you and tell you to go north of Bendir Dale and north of Amia Forest but I'm afraid people will just get mad at me so you'll just have to ask someone in game.

NinjaClarinet wrote:

Make the guide an IC adventurer's guide you get in your inventory, presumably bundled with your portal wand by those helpful Mystrans. Problem solved.

Yes, this.

For the most part there is general OOC information that is assumed that new characters would have at the beginning of their career. Little things like knowing that there are goblins right outside Cordor, orcs near Bendir, and rumors of spiders near Kampos. Knowing that a level 4 should probably not go to the Shekats right away would really break the server?

The issue with "find out IC", in general, is that it creates inequality between new and old players. Because, as much as we veterans insist we don't metagame, I'm pretty sure knowledge of hunting areas and item availability etc. accumulated over 10 or 5 or 2 years of experience on Amia leaks into the new characters we create. I sure don't have time to ask about good lowbie items IC every time I roll a PC; I just go straight to the Gypsy to buy the regen amulet and do the Trog quest for the cape. Unless some of you are actually hardcore enough to intentionally get lost and make bad purchases on a regular basis (and not just when it's fun RP, but when it's inconvenient and stupid, too) because your new PC doesn't know, I don't think you can legitimately demand others to "find out IC".

But of course, IC information is always better. Something like this is cooler done in game, but it's not a big deal.

aaphelion wrote:

Okay. Cool thanks!

Stopped reading here. What was the point of continuing this thread past this?

IronAngel wrote:

But of course, IC information is always better. Something like this is cooler done in game, but it's not a big deal.

+1, +2, +3..

Because this is already available on the forum as OOC information.

http://www.amiaworld.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=1253204#p1253204

I just spent like half an hour looking for that, thinking I was insane and remembering wrong! xD

I'm such a bad player.. three years and I probably can' t find half the shit on that list. bahahahaha!!!

And you snarky fuckers need to chill out.

To the OP: I'm coming back from a break, but any time you have a question, just send me a tell. If you want to party up, likely I have a char in range, and would be happy to join you unless I'm in RP. I personally dislike the "Party Advertiser" widget. Also, if you want to find one of us that's offered to be helpful, you can hit the "r" button to find out if we're in game and the character's name we're on... saves sifting through the server population only to find out that someone's not on right then.

Good luck, and welcome to Amia!
~LDR

When I first played on this server, the IC information my character got was "the goblins north of town." My 2nd level character got his ass kicked in short order. Nobody mentioned the speedy's quest. Nobody mentioned what gear you should have. Nobody mentioned important potions and other consumables that are factored into the balancing of area monsters' attacks and defenses. I look at that list Anatida linked and all I can think is... yeah, you try taking on Mylocks before you fight She'kats when you're level 8 and new to the server.

Just because something is possible to find out IC doesn't mean that everyone has the time to wait for someone genuinely helpful to help them out. It's just as likely that they'd run into someone disreputable or unhelpful who would get them killed. And even more likely that the advice they get is incomplete, based on just level but not gear, or leaving out an important facet that will cause that player to waste entire hours of their life as they eat respawn penalties and move in the opposite direction wondering why they're even here. Yes, not all of this game is the level grind, but it certainly is when no one else is around.

If it hadn't been for people being willing to help me understand where I should be OOC, I would have stayed gone when my first character ate dust 20 feet out of Cordor. By its very nature this isn't a discussion about old players who know what to do, this is helping out new people in a meaningful way. Aaphelion, please feel free to PM me with specific questions if you're running into brick walls IC. I completely empathize.

Also, wot 'ee said:

IronAngel wrote:

The issue with "find out IC", in general, is that it creates inequality between new and old players. Because, as much as we veterans insist we don't metagame, I'm pretty sure knowledge of hunting areas and item availability etc. accumulated over 10 or 5 or 2 years of experience on Amia leaks into the new characters we create. I sure don't have time to ask about good lowbie items IC every time I roll a PC; I just go straight to the Gypsy to buy the regen amulet and do the Trog quest for the cape. Unless some of you are actually hardcore enough to intentionally get lost and make bad purchases on a regular basis (and not just when it's fun RP, but when it's inconvenient and stupid, too) because your new PC doesn't know, I don't think you can legitimately demand others to "find out IC".

But of course, IC information is always better. Something like this is cooler done in game, but it's not a big deal.

Dead wrote:

Stopped reading here. What was the point of continuing this thread past this?

Because of the onanistic nature of posting.

Dead isn't even reading any more, so by why am I posting a reply to him? 'Cos wank. It's what the internet is for.

IronAngel's post is pretty much bang on the money, says I.

As it happens I did make a point of asking ICly about something on my current character, and to be honest, the impression I got was that the first few answers were 'Ask IC' even though I was. That heavily suggests to me that what is meant is actually 'I had to bite a dozen respawns to learn this, and by gumbo so will you, you n00bscum'.

I've said this many times: I think that I am playing a silly and graphically outdated smack-em-up computer game with the children's favourite Let's Pretend bolted on top. Let's Pretend is an awesome game, and has been a favourite for millennia for good reason, and there's a multibillion dollar industry called Hollywood Et Al that's taking it to some sexy places, but it's still a children's game. That is what I am doing in my free time cos it's fun. Maybe I'm projecting unfairly, but it looks to me that for some folk, RP is a religious observance, and if you don't do it, the Baby Jesus of Roleplay will cry or something. Or that your half-dragon half-celestial half-monkey character is going to uncover some great and profound truths about the human condition.

I don't understand why it's such a big deal that someone asks. This kind of information flies around in private OOC chats anyway.

Outstanding how I posted this from my phone. I tried to send a second post, but alas apparently sending from my phone did not click the buttons.

Regardless, yes find out in game, or post in a RP style.

Hint for PC forum circa Cordor:

Quote:

Adventurer looking to test his/her mettle

I may be new to this isle, but I've braved the kobolds and goblins and even the troglodytes were no match for me. I went off into the hills to see what i can see, but lo after but a mere hours combat all i saw were troll carcasses ripped asunder with my own blade. I seek a fair fight and a way to improve my fortune, so dear friends and commoners, pray tell to what does this troll-slayer protect thee from next?

^^It's still a forum post, it shows you've a genuine interest in staying IC, but I do agree with an adventuring guide - now if only some aspiring explorer or merchant PC wanted to make them to sell to new characters, that would be interesting.

If something isn't a rule (and it isn't) and what you're posting basically amounts to "stop playing how I don't like," you should probably not post at all is a good rule to live by.

Asking around IC is certainly one way to get information, sure. Of course, it's also terribly dumb to claim or even assert it should be the only way as there's huge chunks of the day when Amia's playerbase population is near nil and you can walk the server up and down without finding a soul to talk to.

It'd be nice if the quest lines would continue on with pointing players in the direction of new prospects. For some reason the just stop and fizzle out around the lowland delta area leaving new players scratching their heads. It'd be great to see 1 quest flow to the next, to the next, to the next with even a few branching parallel lines to give alternative options.

Tip for designers: when making/adjusting content, do not assume your game's atmosphere is flush with players and make choices that rely on that. NWN is an old game bleeding players and Amia already has huge blind spots in that regard. Make your content on the assumption that there's only 1 player online and they know nothing of the module at all. You want them to stay, be challenged, and have enough to create their next goal to achieve.

On a positive (!) note, the changes that have been implemented so far to streamline the beginning levels and provide direction for newbies. It's just awesome! It does peter out around level 10 or so, but I imagine it's because there hasn't been enough time to develop it further.

People must feel so welcome to our server when we don't even bother giving them helpful advice to help them navigate. If you want to find out who The Voice is, that should be given the 'find out IC' treatment, not asking where to go grinding next for X level, especially since we lack any kind of guide.

This dead horse is starting to stink.

Imma lock this now, I think. Questions been answered and we're just going around the same subject.

Remember, be friendly to new people, it will make them much more likely to stick around and get involved in that sweet, sweet drug we call 'Roleplay'

Level 10

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