AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

Last edited by The Peacock on Wed, Nov 04 2009, 7:44 AM, edited 1 time in total.

So...

I was travelling through the relentless bog of Frozenfar, when I came across an Inn in Chillywick. Great place! It's just in the middle of nowhere and incited a few ideas for RP, in my own fantasy realm that lives in my head.

Then I realised - Inns are boring. There's no purpose to them, really. Then I thought of the new playerbase, and how, especially on B, so many people get lost, and don't know the surrounding lands very well.

So this got me thinking - Why not add some interactions into key Inns around Amia? This interaction, primarily, is to do with Scouts or somesuch offering 'newbies' to the area advice on the surrounding lands. North, south, east and west.

Signposts don't denote everything, y'know...

It'd supply people with OOC information (of sorts) through the vague manifestation of IC.

For example,

An Adventurer slumps on a barstool in Chillywick, shivering from the dreadful cold outside. He's new to the lands, and the people of Chillywick (mostly hard-arse lumberjacks) can spot this. As the adventurer sips on a Cool-Ale (Like Cool-Aid, except colder), a Scout walks up.

"Greetin's an' all that" He says in a harsh accent. The adventurer turns his head cautiously, unsure of the civilty amongst these apparent hermits.

"Greetings." He nods once in reply.

"New to these lan's, aye?" Asks the Scout, obviously dressed as a Scout.

"You're a Scout of such then, yes?" He asks, nervously.

"Aye, lemme point ye in th' roigh' direction. Jus' west o' 'ere are sem orcses... etcetera etcetera..."

And VOILA! You have yourself some Inn interaction that can be helpful for those people who have lost their way.

Whadd'ya think?

*Shrugs*

I like the idea

I mean, at least the scouts can offer the service of the surrounding areas to those little newbie adventurers.

And perhaps the conversation is scripted through charisma, or lore checks, or even a bluff check - in order to see how much you can find out about the surrounding areas and the likes.

Dunno - it'd make knowing where to hunt, and knowing where to avoid easier.

O, that's actually a nice idea.... as long as I don't have to write the conversations.

Lath broke out the idea, let him write it.

Dakotaen wrote:

Lath broke out the idea, let him write it.

Yep.

Or hand the map room thingy to Yossi (if he did not do it yet) and I could do the writing for you.

I'd like to do the writing... If that's fine with ya'll.

I always liked the immersive situation in Morrowind, when you were lost, and stumbled across an Inn, spoke to a Scout, and they told you a bit about the geographical regions.

Yeah, I wish people would RP more inside inns. Its more lore accurate, in my opinion. Who the hell stands in a town square all day having shouted conversations with people standing on bridges?

Anyway, I think Amia's inns are all great, they all have their own little perks and atmospheres. Peeps should use them more!

Hence the suggestion.

now that is a very good idea. i remember getting lost in morrowind and finding plantations and inns they could help you get some what oriented to where you are. Kudos!

Sounds like a great idea!

Too many Inns.

Too little to do in them.

Anything that makes Inns more attractive would be a good thing.

I've sat in the Nomad for more than several hours on a certain character and never once seen someone walk in. Though I might've been looking in the wrong place, the point still stands that it's highly unlikely for you to find someone else in an inn.

Adding Lathandier's idea would most likely bring people into the inn and make them a much more traveled place. I like it!

Inn's are useless.

They work in PnP, but not in online play. Why? Because in PnP you interact with NPC's controlled by a DM. Online, it's an area usually occupied by NPC's that say one lot of things and thats it. You can purchase silly gimmick ale, and sit around and chat. However you can do most of that elsewhere were other players are more likely to encounter you. Even in server's where you start in an Inn it's not the hub of the server, usually that a high traffic area such as a main square, or just outside the inn. Never actually in it.

Just because PnP does it, doesn't mean Amia should do it. I'd be all for culling the silly amount of inn's and replacing them with more useful area's, or freeing up the space for more interesting additions to the server.

What could help, perhaps, is to make some script that lights up the door of the Inn when people are inside, or play the Inn chatter sound.

Dev Disco wrote:

What could help, perhaps, is to make some script that lights up the door of the Inn when people are inside, or play the Inn chatter sound.

Could, but the biggest issue is player laziness. Few players would go into an inn if they can get all the same outside, and have higher chances of interacting with others. Though I like the idea of knowing if someone is inside or not.

I propose to change the server starting location to Nomad upstairs instead of the Waukeen temple. People always argue the temple(square) is a vital RP hub, when everything comes down the stairs from the Nomad the inn would be such a RP hub. Makes more sense too. Slap that tourist guide from the Waukeen temple to the Nomad as well.

In the past I've been fairly against this idea, but now I agree with Hendrack.

hendrack wrote:

I propose to change the server starting location to Nomad upstairs instead of the Waukeen temple.

I like this idea, but there's so little room in the Nomad upstairs, maybe downstairs would be better, or one of the two can be expanded slightly to house the influx of players coming in right after reset.

Sylfwe wrote:

hendrack wrote:

I propose to change the server starting location to Nomad upstairs instead of the Waukeen temple.

I like this idea, but there's so little room in the Nomad upstairs, maybe downstairs would be better, or one of the two can be expanded slightly to house the influx of players coming in right after reset.

I was thinking one would be expanded

Well my idea was to make upstairs only the starting location. An adventurer would normally go downstairs where all the chitchatting RPing crowd would stay? The Waukeen temple is sometimes awkward to a new player, I Imagine. Random party members wait there to be picked up, fully buffed or even with summons and such stuff. Leave the portal there but just make the starting location in the Nomad.

As far as what Disco said and what we already have, I'd agree that the in chatter thing. As well as that, add more NPC's with random conversations or "quests". Perhaps give patrons some random "gossip" quests that function like the job system. You know, like "Hey, I saw Bud talking to Jim's wife yesterday, what da ya make of that?" or "I could have sworn I saw a rabid dog running around Pinky's Pawn, someone oughta do somethin a'for it bites one 'nem street urchins." Spawn said encouter/creature at X location with a conversation or rolls, yadda yadda yadda, RP ensues. Perhaps a very minimal XP reward, so newbies have something interesting to do as they figure out what RP is all about, but gold shouldn't be given unless it makes sense in the actual quest (a la you find it, or someone gives you it).

The quests would be given randomly from an NPC in whatever tavern, as in you could talk to them a few times, but maybe 1/20 times they'll just give you some random statement like most NPC's do. Or maybe even still, just some random conversation scripts from them. Tell you a little information you might not gain otherwise.

From a WYSIWYG standpoint, you can't blame PC's for not hanging out in inns as they are done now, or even on most servers, no matter how much they are the norm in PnP. It's like "Hmmm, should I go stand in this big, relatively empty room with 2 NPC's that say the same thing over and over again, or do I go hang out in the street where there's PC's and something always new?"

Not a bad idea. I can dig it. The chatter and glowing door thing would work nicely too. I guess the glowing door thing can be seen ICly as a sign that goes up stating that there are people inside, or some type of obvious sign of visitors; coat rack, hat rack, something.

Also, I agree, the Inn would be a much better start location than the temple of the gold hog. ::nod nod::

As an addendum to my suggestion, what about this as well: Have NPC's initiate conversations with PC's.

I mean half the reason people don't don't hang out in inns or other places, even if they have a bunch of NPC's, is because the immersion usually isn't as full as it is with PC's and therefore PC hubs. In that I mean, even though you're RPing and trying to put yourself in your character's shoes, you know OoCly that unless you walk over and talk to a NPC, that NPC isn't going to say anything or move and is as good as a statue, or stand-in on the set of some movie. ICly, you're supposed to assume and imagine they're moving around and talking, but in the back of your head, you know the truth.

Upon that, you pretty much know that every character that talks to you or moves about is either an Adventurer, thereby someone with at least some power, or a DM possessed NPC, and probably still someone with some power. It kinda makes you loose sight of the actual immersion of the setting when everyone that moves or talks is guranteed to be "above-average" so to speak.

Anyway, before I get even more off on a tanget, I think I should get back to my suggestion. Make some NPC's move around, make some walk over an initiate conversations with PC's. Gossip, one-liners, anything. Perhaps even those random gossip quests I was talking about. "Hey, you seen this lady named Murhpy? I'm starting to worry..." or "You look like you can handle yourself, there's this fella' that owes me some money." Perhaps Charisma or Strength modifers could even play a role in how a PC is approached.

Not asking for Class-A interactive AI that has emotion-points, personalities, or what have you... Just features that'd make inns and most NPC populated places a little more appealing. I'd even be willing to write conversations if that helps.

This seems like a pretty neat idea. Having a few things that center around the inns would make a bit more sense than the hundreds of adventurers that (Through spawning) seem to have giant slumber parties in front of the fountain room of the Temple.

Could create an IC law in Cordor against loitering. I imagine the guards there are already paranoid and it'd both give PC guards something to do if they're standing around and push people into the inn at the same time. Also, people basically stand around in the main traffic areas where one would imagine NPC merchants and townsfolk would be constantly needing to walk through.

Well, could also put more job system npc's in the inns. Particularly the job merchants.

I still hold that job system merchants should not be rare or difficult to track down. Toss a pair in each inn, of types that seem appropriate to where they are, and that'd give yet another reason to go inside inns.

Put all local port-wand crystal bindpoints inside inns as well. It'd make a lot of sense for inns to incorporate such things, or even build around/over them, to increase traffic.

Drink Traders could replace -some- bartenders. Food Traders could also be used.

This is a really good idea, the only reason i ever go into inn's is to get drunk in charachter. This would add another legitimate reason to go in and do something.

Eye Cee U or whatever his name is in Cordor actually moves when you hit the option in his convo "I am wounded".

Might seem like a small thing, but if the waitress wasn't standing the same exact place every time it would be interesting. Even if the convo just made her walk several steps in a random direction when you say "goodbye".

Can you script NPC's to say something from a list when a PC enters the Inn? Is it resource costly or lag causing? I know in Djedet those NPC's seem to chatter quite a bit when I'm there, I just don't know if they do it when I'm gone.

There's a restaurant here called Moe's, it's a fast foody type Tex-Mex joint. Anyway, whenever a patron enters the establishment the entire staff behind the counter (4-6 persons) shouts in unison "Welcome to Moe's!". Kind of amusing. Although they could also be grouchy and unwelcoming, depending on the Inn right?

I like the lit up Inn idea although I have a habit of popping into them just because.

Having trainers in the Inn's is also a fine idea for getting them some traffic.

since so many people are offering ideas for their inns, would any want to help out for this onewhich is centered mainly around inns on amia?

Especially since it would call for PC to PC interaction.

NPCs? Nah.

Heres what I think the way to get some good Inn RP is:

1. Get a PC with Brewer/Drinks Trader jobs
2. Find and rent a house.
3. Set the house up to look like a tavern (Theres even a usable bar placable to make this super easy.)
4. Buy a sign and stick it outside.
5. Open the best Inn on the server!

Why has no-one done this yet? :shock:

Xaviera already had, her inn will have a red light outside. :lol:

Nah. Those days are over .She don't have to sell her body to the night.

hendrack wrote:

Xaviera already had, her inn will have a red light outside. :lol:

No, she don't have to turn on the red light, remember?

But on a more serious note, Im interested in what the DM's think of the gossip/quest/random movement and convo idea. I again offer my services as I do along with any crazy proposal I put forward >_>.

Edit: Dangit, Lally beat me to it! xD

I like this idea, and the fact Lath volunteered to write a lot of stuff!

Do we got other volunteers, too?

You need only to point me to an inn, and I'll give you a novel!

As I said earlier, Inns have too little in them, and there are too many of them.

Dark Immolations suggestion of adding NPC quests is a great one.

Cori's suggestion to put more job system NPCs in them is a great one.

Hendrack's idea to make the Inns your starting position is a great one (applies to all settlements, not just Cordor).

More so, DM's can start a campaign of DM quests/events that start within Inns. Isn't that rather common in PnP anyway?

I am strongly in favour of implementing all of these ideas.

Moving the crystal binds that are in towns to be within their inn seems a good idea to me.

Yup.

Could even put the Cordor crystal in the Inn, rather than the temple of waukeen as well.

And there is already a crystal in the Nomad so.......simply remove the Waukeen temple one if desired and set the Nomad as the default.

-Cloak-and-Dagger- wrote:

NPCs? Nah.

Heres what I think the way to get some good Inn RP is:

1. Get a PC with Brewer/Drinks Trader jobs
2. Find and rent a house.
3. Set the house up to look like a tavern (Theres even a usable bar placable to make this super easy.)
4. Buy a sign and stick it outside.
5. Open the best Inn on the server!

Why has no-one done this yet? :shock:

Because it's a stupid idea.

Only if it doesn't work

Last edited by J.G. on Wed, Nov 04 2009, 1:59 AM, edited 1 time in total.

maglorine wrote:

And there is already a crystal in the Nomad so.......simply remove the Waukeen temple one if desired and set the Nomad as the default.

how about have the start in the inn up until level 5, and the bind at a crystal in the temple after that?, with the option of switching back of course.

If the bind was only at the inn then you would still have newbs chating it up with the woman who is changing her cloths, or the dwarf sitting on a wolf party chat'in. :evil:

I do think it would work. Wouldn't have posted that otherwise.

I've seen with my character that an extremely satisying amount of people are willing to buy into the realism of needing to eat and drink. Even without forcing it through some buzzkill script, a majority of characters who pass by my gnomes stall suddenly develop the urge to quell their non existant hunger. I'm sure that some people who pass by a sign advertising an Inn would develop a thirst. Sure. Then all it takes is a bit of word of mouth, bit of Bard fun...Performers, Gamblers....

Theres an opportunity there for someone.

I'd go in, for one. I'd rather visit an Inn with PCs than NPCs any day of the week, no matter what fancy scripts theyre holding.

The 'fancy' scripting is for scouts to help the new playerbase, and even the oldies, to learn about what surrounds the area, enemy-wise...

I even think adding in some lore of the area as well, some history if one wants to inquire further.

I do agree with your idea, but I don't think renting a house is necessary... Why not just an Inn? And the player actually can show up to their shift for work in the Nomad, sell some beers...

That's a better idea than renting a completely new house.

Doesn't Arelith have a system for hunger, thirst and tiredness based on bars that get replenished when you use food or water items, or rest? Maybe something like that would help get people into that realistic metabolism mentality and use places like inns and restaraunts more.

Then again, it would probably take assloads of work on Disco's behalf and make the server lag or something.

Vaylek wrote:

Maybe something like that would help get people into that realistic metabolism mentality and use places like inns and restaraunts more.

Ugh, I really don't like that idea. If I wanted strict rules on how bodily functions are run I'd play Real Life ... I'm not into that really 'hardcore' RP to be honest.

Yurell wrote:

Vaylek wrote:

Maybe something like that would help get people into that realistic metabolism mentality and use places like inns and restaraunts more.

Ugh, I really don't like that idea. If I wanted strict rules on how bodily functions are run I'd play Real Life ... I'm not into that really 'hardcore' RP to be honest.

Yeah, I guess it distracts a lot from what Amia/D+D is really supposed to be about, which is dramatic adventures and RP. I don't think people really RP it on Arelith anyway, they just click their chicken wings and bottles of water when their bars get low.

But it does make your character more of a living organism and less of a pile of numbers, and some people get into it.

Nothing like interrupting an intense DM event that's running at Speed of Plot for 8 hours because your character dies due to hunger. Talk about a drama killer...

Anyways, I'm skeptical that moving the crystals will actually do anything. You people do remember that there already is a crystal inside the nomad, right? And I believe very few people use it. People go where people are because that's where people go... etc etc.

Inns Aren't INNportant!

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