Uh...

Have you MET our staff? Like...EVER?

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Aly'dra Zau'ana: Priestessish Of Eilistraee
Danika Nefzen: Druid of the Earthmother
Delia Am'Anodel: Paladin of Torm

Get demi DM's then. Little DM's who would do boring chores like rebuilds and stuff and the hardcore, up to standard DM's will have more time to focus on plots, events etc.

That has been discussed before. I believe the conclusion made by the staff was that more people with DM power is not conducive to quality.

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If we had people "DM qualified" enough to do that...we'd just have more DMs.

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Aly'dra Zau'ana: Priestessish Of Eilistraee
Danika Nefzen: Druid of the Earthmother
Delia Am'Anodel: Paladin of Torm

In theory, you could pick five players solely to go into the DM client and award DCs all day. But there's nothing to say that they would do it any faster or fairly than the DMs you already have at present. I would certainly have reservations about awarding DCs for the roleplay I have seen player-side.

I can say with some certainty that once you get on the DM client and actually hear and see just about everything, you'd get a bit of reality check. Players don't make an effort to get a DM in the loop, or their behaviour and type of roleplaying doesn't really check the 'demonstrated excellent RP' box. Or something else.

You want DCs on a regular basis, then you have to be a model roleplayer from the moment you log on to the moment you log off. If there is no DM available to see your roleplay and award a dream coin on a particular occasion, you just have to enjoy the primary benefit of roleplaying, which is that's it's fun, and hope that next time there will be one around.

More than that though, excellent roleplaying serves as a good example to other players and even if a DM doesn't see it, they might hear about it second-hand or see about thirty green wand recommendations against your player name when they do log in.

The problem with the roleplay that I see (and I don't see everything, so my viewpoint may not be representative of everything that goes on) is that it's what I would call average to good. Your mileage may vary.

Clearly some effort is going into it, but it's not always ticking all the boxes as far as I'm concerned. The only way I have found to get that quality is to let other players have extra time to type something, even if it takes a minute longer than you'd normally be willing to wait, and not attempt to increase the pace for the sake of being done with a particular plot faster.

If for the sake of example you can type three lines in the time it takes them to write one (you type short but quick bursts, so your characters sound like William Shatner) that's all very fine, but you then have to stick close to that ratio and make sure that your first line answers theirs and your third line always gives them something to do, so that they can expect to get a word in edgeways. Knowing when it is 'your turn' means that you don't get half way through writing a line and have to re-write it from scratch, it means you're not under so much pressure to get a line written, and you can keep a steady pace going. When it's simply a case of fastest fingers first, some lines written by players contradict or become redundant, and it's more difficult to tell when you should be typing and when you should be reading.

If you don't believe me, try it out. You may lose thirty minutes by attempting this roleplaying 'the slow way' and find it doesn't help you. You may find it gives you time to think of something to tick more boxes and maybe get yourself a DC. You still then have maybe three hours thirty minutes to the next reset to do it the way you're used to doing it if it didn't work for you.

Yes, but I do find the two posts above my previous one rather ironic. I can think of one, maybe two, candidates who'd fill the requirements well enough. But of course, it's not just individual merit but also the ability to fit in with the rest of the team you're going to have to be comfortable working with. Oftentimes DMs simply want to get to know someone better before they're comfortable recruiting them, because the strength of Amia's (and any) team is measured in its ability to work together. That, and getting a dozen people to agree on what are suitable DM candidate traits isn't easy, when opinions on some matters might be polar opposites.

The team could be a little more adventurous in their recruiting, but overall I'd rather be safe than sorry. It's really not easy to find good candidates, and several of the most promising ones have turned down the offer. And DC half-DMs is a really bad idea for many reasons, a lot of them already mentioned, so we're stuck with what we have.

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yeah good over all DMs are hard to find some are great RPers but are to trusting or are just oblivious to exploiting, I know if I see a account log in and out in a row on diffrent players I would be stalking them to make sure they are not twinking out thier alt, or if a hunting group is portaling in and out alot make sure thier not doing the exploit that goes with that.

last time half-DMs came up was it not said you cant have "half-DM" its all or nothing and they dont want a flood of full on powered people that have no idea how to use the client and could cause more harm then good ontop of the fact of having DC fairys who fly around and drop coins like were in sonic the hedgehog because people want more would be silly

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================-<Cory ShadowFlame>-================
Risenlord-Shifter(OMG a Non-Dragon Shifter that can hold his own in PvE)

Mmmm. I think I did the math at one point, and worked out that I had about a 1 in 5 chance of a DM being on during my usual play time (9pm to 12pm, Melbourne Time). That may have changed now that I'm in Perth.

Incidentally, how does one become a DM? I asked about becoming one a while ago, but the process as it was explained to me consisted of the DM team looking through the playerbase, picking whomever they thought was good, and offering them the job. Which is somewhat inefficient, as it means people who attract the notice of the community are the most likely to be chosen. Though I suppose it does ensure superior quality DMs, which is always important.

As for DCs, I've gotten a total of about 6 in my time on Amia, in part due to the fact that I HATE using the wand. It's just a huge immersion breaker for me.

Sorry about any spelling errors, a bit tired at present.

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"Hi, I'm Garnith, and I'm an Invisophile."
Garnith, Ranth, Rick, Burick, Elail, Deryl, Kane, Rini.
Suggestion Rule of Thumb: Don't think about how neat it would be to use, think about how neat it would be for people to use against you.

Well, they more or less actively consider and evaluate people they are aware of, and then ask them if there's enough support from the team. There are no applications per se, but it isn't "forbidden" to let them know you're interested if you think they've missed you.

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I think sadly, the activating animation is hardwired, least that's what I figure from a quick Google search.

If it's not that but actually recommending someone that is the real immersion-breaker, you could go for the 'silent prayer to the gods' routine. For example:

/dm *prays silently* I don't know what I would have done without the help of [Insert name here], may your blessing shine upon them.

Obviously, you need to adapt this a bit to your situation, but if you want to stay in-character and attract a DM who is on, this would be one way to go about it.

At least in my experience, as soon as I found the Amia Boards I learned about Dream Coins. I was reading a lot of topics and they were mentioned all the time. Because I was new (I don't even play regularly now, highest character is a frustrated actor bard level 16 so I guess I am still new) I got the impression that Dream Coins were very, very easy to get. That came from posters who have played in Amia since I-have-no-idea-when and have built up on their DC counter for natural and expected reasons. During my first week (when I played for some 2 hours but every single day) I started to realise that was not the truth. Yes, I saw characters running with custom summons, heard about DC stuff and then it hit me: DCs were not meant to be something everybody should have a big enough amount as to be able to customize all their characters, or even something that all players should have in a big enough quantity as to spend them in GP, XP and custom stuff at the same time. Then I asked myself if I could have as much fun with vanilla NWN as with customized DC stuff in my characters. I decided I could. And THEN what happened was what most people say it will when posts like this appear: I stopped worrying about DCs at all, enjoyed some very nice RP and acquaintances with Magni (my bard) and Leutha (my druid) and pop, I got 2 DCs that I keep as a cherished souvenir now...


tl;dr version: I believe some people have the idea they should have more DCs because they read things like "don't like NWN Animal Companions, reskin one!" and think that all players should be able to have at least something custom made for them for DCs, in all their characters.

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I play:
Frums Deedone, the Green Child
Balrig Sootkiln, Blood and Vellum

I do admit it's a bit depressing to see such a large number of characters with DC goodies, to the point it's hard for me to stay logged in an hour without seeing one or two obvious examples, while never getting any DCs myself. Well, that's not true: I actually got one very welcome DC while roleplaying with myself. That felt good.

It's not that I'd like the DCs for the opportunities they carry. There's not even really anything I can think of that I would use DCs for. It's that seeing so many other people with a supposed great amount of DCs, while I've only ever seen one, inevitably makes me ask myself: "am I doing something wrong? Clearly all these people are being recognized, and I seem to be among the few that aren't." I realize it's the wrong question to ask, and based on quite an incorrect assumption, but I can't help but find myself asking it anyway.

But as has been said, I can't think of a system that would work any better for a server this large. Amia treats its players pretty well... there are more allowances here that I've seen than on any other server I've played on since 2005. I guess the best attitude to take is the casual one. Don't care if you don't get DCs, because in the long run, it's still very possible to make a satisfying character here. And with that attitude, you might yet get a DC or two.

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"A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did." - Anonymous

I am lucky to play with my husband. He uses his DC wand quite a lot. If we're stood in a decent size group where everyone is interacting with some goal and there is actually a DM on, this often results in a DC. The rp is usually of a good standard - rogues doing roguey things, wizzies doing wizzy things, clerics being political animals with preachy overtones, etc - but its not Oscar material. I think when the DMs come on, they want to be able to quickly find those people who are rping, rather than socialising -just- in character, or power levelling. None of them have ever said they minded seeing a recommendation. And definitely none of the people we rp with have ever complained when they get soaked in that lovely green Dream Slime.

Its not that we rp for DCs. My hubby isn't using the wand out of greed, he can never decide what he wants to spend his coins on anyway. Its more a thank you to the people around him. Don't see it as an "Oh my god, look at my hot rp!" wand, see it as a "Thanks guys, rping with you lot is awesome!" wand.

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Have you ever suggested he spend them on you

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Eli Hodgewall <{/,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X
Sven <=={o===========>
Qeelak \ | / ,

last time I was here I got to about level 9 and not one DC. and I used the green wand at points, even attended a crazy half dragons feast, zero, nada. maybe I should talk more -cencored- and one day I can rename my sword dracula.

seriously though, not one. and you want 25 for things, how am I ever going to customize? I drink in the pub while actually drinking, I couldn't rp harder if my brain was replaced by newton.

rant over. ps I don't like the green wand way it doesn't do anything except say "hey dm we're all spamming you for custom coins give give!"

(pps. I do RP i'm not just saying...ok, rant over...)

Use the wand if you see someone RPing that you feel is good.

If you live in Aussie timezone, it typically sucks to be you.

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Dwagin [Duh-wa-GIN] N. - 1a. Small and cute thingum, particularly fond of four legged scaled creatures of the metalic and chromatic varieties.

-Extraordinarily ordinary in the mostest of ways.

Add Europe too.

Only time I see any DM's is between 6 Am and 1 Pm. If I am lucky.

Most of the time are they gone at 8 - 9 AM.

Can't fault them though, considering that is 2 AM in america.

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"Most assume that all the followers of Lathander are great morning people. They're very wrong."
"I think we are the only group where AD&D stands for Attention Deficit Disorder."

We have aussie and euro DMs. If they aren't DMing... well, that's a different problem than DCs altogether.

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Davion Telemos - Monk of the Four Winds
Korthan Isharnos - Dragon Shaman of Thunder Spirit Zamasham

We have them, yes, but the preponderance of the time, people are on during the "peak" hours. From like...3am til 7am here, I rarely if ever see /any/ DMs on

But then, there's only about 20 players on, combined. So.

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Aly'dra Zau'ana: Priestessish Of Eilistraee
Danika Nefzen: Druid of the Earthmother
Delia Am'Anodel: Paladin of Torm

I would have thought there would be a lot more uptake, unless it's really hard to find NWN or hardly anyone is interested in playing it. Or there's a more local server which gives great ping.

There is. It's full a lot more often, and I'm starting to see 30 + people on B. But that one block of time, it's always dead.

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Aly'dra Zau'ana: Priestessish Of Eilistraee
Danika Nefzen: Druid of the Earthmother
Delia Am'Anodel: Paladin of Torm

One of the problems I notice, is that DC's fly around like locusts on a field of wheat when you have a person close to you who have repeatedly gotten DC's, and almost none when your around a couple of people who are say "less off the radar" even when the rp is good, or even better!

I have played a lot, and I'm not complaining cause I could really give half a fark about Dc's.. I don't use them very often, but I only seem to get them around player characters who are well known, players who are old salts, and players that are very very forum active. ((Now I know that, that means that they are great role-players, sticking around so long and getting the experience of the server at it's finest, and lowest but it's a little harder to get noticed when your behind someone, in their shadow, while they stand in the spotlight all the time.))

Or at the odd time when my lowbie character got mystically teleported out of cordor square and sees something that scars her mind O.O<- I actually quite enjoyed that moment of random DM / player interaction, I think the first time I played the game one DM spawned a Thavian slaver with slaves in tow in the swamp when we came out from the Trog lair, and our party had to choose how we reacted to it. I think that's the moment that endeared me to the server. It's not hard, it's not huge epic story telling, it's the little stuff that adds enjoyment. <- More of that stuff.



Totally the same^^ and people should use the wands exactly in that manner.

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Mylana Feycaster- The witch!

All other characters shelved due to burn out..