Future Direction of the DR PSW

[Matalina]

We had people to do the job. You have people who can activately take part in the plot. I for one have seen that, and even if you give people a reason to say play this big hot shot character the plot line stalls.

 

The plot line is not important to most people. How many people can say they've done anything in the RP besides increase in rank? I see very little of people actually doint much more and it's usually the same people who aren't doing training who come up with the ideas, who go through with the ideas.

 

We had people playing the main characters, we had multiples as a matter of fact and it still died out. RPs like the bowl of winds has been trying to get off the ground for over a year now and why hasn't it? Because those in charge can't come to an agreement or the people who are suppose to play key roles up and leave. If you want advancement it either has to go extremely fast or you have to force it along by mandate.

 

We've tried letting people be the dragon reborn and we've tried having a comittee run it them. But ya know what it's never gone anywhere.

 

The Shadow can have a purpose for running around. Just because you have some Dreadlord out there running around doesn't mean that the Shadow doesn't have a bigger plan. The whole plan is to free the Dark One. Anything and everything you do should focus on that but do you think each and every person who beleives the Great Lord is going to follow a chosen who they don't even think exist? I mean how many common darkfriends have actually had a visit from a Chosen, who by the way just got free like a few years ago according to the books. Eye of the World freed most of them and that's only like a a year into the time line...So where did all these darkfriends come from? Why are there people who are helping the shadow? Why is there a black ajah before there was known to be a chosen among them? You do not have to be part of the main plot line to follow into the world of the shadow. The whole point is to bring the shadow to the world... that is the point.

 

Mat

[WhiteWolf]

The purpose of this discussion is not to allow one Division to dominate the RP, no matter what that Division is. An earlier post wanted the rp to fall in line with the White Tower's way of doing things, yet if we did that most of the characters would have to age by at least 20 years to suit the White Tower. Why? The White Tower is not the DR PSW, nor is any other Division. The DR PSW has to reperest ALL divisions, if it does not we would be left with maybe three Divisions and that would be it.

 

I can appreciate that ppl are loyal to the Divisions they are members of, but we have to put that aside and look at this as a whole. We have to consider what is best for all Divisions, not just one or two.

 

As to the main story line and interacting with main characters? That has never worked no matter what we have tried and Mat's post covers the salient reasons why. I would like to see a move away from the dependance on the main characters and have something where everyone feels important. Writing our own stories is what i think is best, not trying to rehash what has gone before.

 

However, that does not mean i will not consider every thing that is mentioned here and even if i do not like a suggestion, but others do, i will do my best to try and incorporate that into what we do in the future.

 

one more thing, and this should have been passed on to the players by the DL's, the current point in the timeline is the Path OF Daggers book. That has been made clear to the Staff, or so i thought so they should have passed that on to their members,ok?

 

Owen

 

RP Admin

[Nargbert]

I understand that we have tried letting people play the main characters. But again, it is because we mandated exactly what they were going to do and exactly how they were going to do it. I know, I was a trolloc involved in the invasion of emmonds field back then. Even though I was attacking the town I was STILL barred from having any contact with the main chars.

 

Now, I wasn't saying just have people play the main chars. I am saying that we need to allow peoples normal chars interact with the main plot line. And we need to let go this desperate need to control everything down to the most smallest event. Let things happen as they happen and stop trying to control every small thing that happens in the Main rp.

 

I have talked to Owen many times in the past and he has been very open to new ideas. I think we need to start throwing more new ideas at him and get away from this whole 'Stay the course' thing! If we are talking about the future of the rp.. let us talk about it instead of just saying keep doing things as they have been done.

[The Don]

if it'll save the RP, we can make me the main character and my two buddies can follow me to conquer the world for the GL. They can be a Trolloc and a gholam. We'll have lots o' fun, and I will marry 3 evil ladies, and the trolloc will be in love with a raven and a crow, and the gholam will be come prince of Shara. It will be Bizzaro Randland!

 

But in all seriousness... is this really something to argue over. We have a main plot like we always have. If you want to follow it, fine. If not, fine, go do your sidestories. Theres enough room on the site, I think, for both types. Just because the main plot lags, doesn't mean we can't go off and do other things... thats why we get more than one player.

 

I'll hear no arguments! So it is written, so it shall be done! 8) Thus speaketh El Don.

[Liitha]

at times i think also things stalls in plans cause you spend so long planing before anything can happen everything has changed (hence why my dread has mainplotish been stuck in seanchaen for a year ooc not more or less...which was never my plan) and then you need to replan and replan and it just run into the sand

 

okey the BoE was stoped cause not enough peoples where interested...why not let those who was have their fun with it and let the vacant roles be filled with NPC's

 

those not interested obviously has other things occupying them which is fine but shouldnt hinder those who dont and want to play a difrent game from doing so...if there is a problem with who do what then take a master descision say this is how it will be sign up close in a week and then we drive for a month if you cant post let us know if it takes over a sertaint amount of time be prepared to have your char NPCed to drive the story along...dont like it dont sign up

 

instead of leting the story stall push it through..we're at a dormath point it seems in the history which means we need to get passed it to a point peoples find more exciting...

[Nargbert]

See, this is why I hate trying to explain what I am thinking. No one listens and just says "We have tried that before and it didn't work." No, you haven't. I have been here for a long time... no you haven't. I am not saying have people play Rand and mat and perrin. I am saying, let the rpers actually determine the damn fate of the main rp. Instead of the incarns and the DL's having some kind of strangle hold over the main rp and saying "This is what we want done, so do it. DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THESE PLANS!", we say hey, go for it. If you want to interact with the dragon reborn or friends, be our guests. Just don't abuse the power. Let the DL's be there to try to set the goals of the Divisions. Let them come up with ideas on how they can affect the movement of the storyline, then do it! The Incarns can be there to say "whoah whoah whoah, this is getting a little too out of hand now." But otherwise, they stay out of the planning of the main rp for all intense purposes.

 

And I am insulted at the idea that I am only trying to push one divisions ideas and saying one division should control all. What I was pointing out was that SG is half of the main plot line equation... but we pretty much have zero ability to affect anything in the main plot... even with chosen! You, owen, should know that when I put forth ideas I put them forth for the good of all DM. I am not putting ideas forward for the good of one division.

 

And like ata said... get rid of the damn planning for so long. That is the whole point of letting the players determine the main rp. Lets get away from each div trying to protect their little whole in wall division and lets have them work together to let people HAVE FUN! Get rid of the damn buracracy!

 

A fed up narg

[The Don]

*sniffs* thats my boy *chest swells up with pride*

[Mark_Mandragoran]

one more point to throw out there. Don't the other boards cover the different times on the storyline? If we really want to choose a different time in the storyline to RP at, there should already be a board somewhere that covers it. That way we can have variety with our rps by having not just one place in time to play at, but can choose where we want to be, like at the AoL boards. So we should just stay at where we are, and just try to finish off the storyline as best as we can. Also, the balancing of divisions and the greater involvment of everyone in the main storyline are great ideas to me

[Lih-Lyh]

I don't know about how DM works, really but my 2 cents is that an earlier timeframe would be awesome

 

but wherever you start, you might want to start changing right now if it's going to change

[Jaydena]

Personally I have put to much time and effort into character interaction, making friends for my character, etc etc etc in the timeline we are in for 4 years to want to reset anything. I have seen it screw other sites up and as big as we are I can see another split of dm type fight going on. I like the concept of staying where we are or actually finishing what we started. Why not start another PSW for those that would like to rp Aiel War or some other timeline? Muddled sick with the flu thoughts but there you go! :lol:

[claireducky]

I think we should continue on.

[Liitha]

yes on through the tarmon gaidon and into a new age...mind you not AoL because

 

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave birth comes again.

 

AoL is the age of legend...maybe in the next age it will fade to myth and a couple ages down the road from that it will be long forgotten *s* ;) basicaly we only know of 2 of many Ages...so the age after Tarmon Gaidon is one we have to make up ourself...and when we get there...(i asume it will take some time) if there is request for a new drpsw..then set it up like with the AoL as a smaller one and let us make our own stuff and cary through and see where time will take us where we can go what changes will happen..etc...there is an unexplored wilderness out there the road ahead is open *s*

 

we got the staff and the member and the system needed to manage this...and it will give an opertunity for those who been through resets to not start over again but have new stuff to tackle and an opening for the rest even who hasnt to finish their stories...an adventure for all

[Isra]

I voted for Continuation, and skimmed the comments. Agree with what Taea and Sirayn said, and I am really fond of Narg's idea to let the main characters be ... NPCs (?). Not sure what to call them - but make them more background characters so that those of us who want to interract with them, can, with the Incarns monitoring the situation to make sure people don't do things out of context.

 

A caveat to my continuation vote: I don't want to continue so far that we turn into the next Age of Legends, so that this turns into some sci-fi world rather than a fantasy one (which is my perception of RJ's AoL). That is why I play here, rather than at the AoL PW.

 

Hell, I'd be happy if we just stagnated the entire main plotline, turned the main characters into complete background entities and played in the world without being so much bound by the books.

 

 

My usual disclaimer: I make sense in my head. Questions welcome if I've boggled you. =)

 

 

Edit: just read what Ata said. Also an interesting idea...continuation until we hit a world we'd be creating on our own, at which point we spin that off into another PSW and reset or stagnate this one for those who want to remain.

[Guest nephitess]

Lets continue on!! :)

[Liitha]

if we keep it in the same psw it really wouldnt be nesicary for a new drpsw those who dont want to be part of the mainplotline but just want to keep rping in the normal day with the set we have of rules now could "retro" since the rules already in place it shouldnt be much difrent other then other rules aplying for the mainplotline rp's ...which would mean you dont need a whole new set of staff and so on...it takes quite a lot of peoples to run a psw effectivly and i am unsure if we have enough to run 2 psw's effectivly enough...as well the mainplotline never ran to fast..it has always been slow going

[Guest Celes]

I'm all for continuation of the plotline, for one reason because since I joined DM about I think it was 5 years ago, we had this plotline and since then every year it progressed a tiny bit. Why stop now, start all over again and never see the end of it?

 

Also I agree with Narg's point that the RP'ers should be forced less and let to do what they want more. Having been DL myself for a few months I know that it's fantastic to come up with big ideas and work them out into a plan for the division or even more than one division. But the next step is to get people involved and get them to write the entire RP and not just phase 1. And that is so hard and not because RP'ers are efil or not unwilling to write, they just want to write what comes up in their minds. They may need guiding to learn how to write and to be companions with other writers. And maybe also help with setting up bigger plots but I don't think DM needs a small group writing a book and the rest of us playing in it.

 

Not that that is how I see the DM structure now, it's more to give some background to why I agree with Narg's point. :) I think we're doing quite well with the current plotlines and if just downsize the 'big plot's' and make the smaller plots fit in the bigger picture maybe we will progress to an actual Tar'mon Gaidon. There is alot of creativity on DM and finally I'd like to say that I also agree that the Light does not have to win, maybe the Dark Side does not win either. Maybe a big clash ends all support to fighting and we all try to pick up the pieces. Maybe the Shadow does win and starts taking over everything, maybe the Light wins and the Shadow is forced to wear white dresses all the time. Anyway, the short version of my opinion is that we carry on and see where it goes. :) (this is all a personal opininon of course)

[Telcia]

First off,

 

Thank you for asking what we thought. I know you'll never find an answer that makes everyone happy but showing that our opinions matter to you ... well that rocks socks hard core!

 

 

STAY THE COURSE - OUR PSW

Anyway, all that said I think we should stay the course but do so with the courage to let the players steer the boat a bit. If they want to make a cross-dressing male channeler the next amyrlin (as silly and stupid as that sounds) then by god don't tell them "that wouldn't happen in the books, that's just not realistic"... let them do it.

 

Our ic world is a PSW... a Portal Stone World. It's not the world of Mr. Jordan's books. I'd like to see that be the case in more than just name and, I do agree with those who have voiced the idea that the Main Characters should be NPCs.

 

 

NPC APPLICATION PROCESS

I think it would be easy enough to let people apply to interact with them (the main characters) if they have a good story in mind just as they have to apply to use Sa'angreal or other talents. Heck, we could set up a board (like the bio board) for just such a thing and DLs could review the requests, help refine and define the details so they become workable with respect to the way these NPCs would or wouldn't act(as opposed to just saying "sure" or "no way") before approving the player to write them into their stories.

 

Sure, to some it seems silly that others might 'need' them ... but on the other hand, if it makes someone smile and feel good; isn't that why we're all here. It may not be my cup of tea, but maybe it's someone elses and I don't know that I'm in the right telling people what they should or shouldn't enjoy. *shrug*

 

 

CURRENT SEASON & YEAR

I think stablizing points need to be added to the site example "The season and year currently are..." might be nice pages to have here or boxes on the side of the forums. Sure, some people's rps might be a bit behind or head of the timeline a bit but some little touchstone to help people feel connected in the world might be good. (Characters who progress a lot in a short rl time might have to ignore the timeline a bit, but this has always been the case.)

 

 

PSW TIMELINE PROJECT

I think another stablizing touchstone could be a forum post that is edited by Admins which details out a timeline of events from the beginning of our PSW's play. A huge project, yes, but one that could help newbies understand better where we are, where we've been, and dream of where we could yet go.

 

 

MAIN STORY ARC RPS

Another point might be, with refrence to the timeline, simply plan RL dates for things to occur & that's that no matter how long it takes to rp it out. Example: Let's say the Admins decide that "Bowl of Winds Occurs April 10th 2007" On April 10, 2007 the Admins could come in and add to the timeline that "Bowl of Winds Occured." After that it's up to the players to rp it out. If they don't... their loss. If they do... great but put it into their hands and don't worry if it doesn't actually get acted out.

 

Just a few thoughts I had before bed. Again, thank you for letting us be a part of this.

 

*hugs*

[Arette]

I vote for continuing the current timeline and maybe even going beyond the Last Battle once we see what RJ does with it. With the snail pace our Main Plotline moves, his last book will come out before it's relevant to us.

 

My reasons are the same that Taea and others have already voiced. The events caused by the timeline have affected mine and many others' characters in such a fashion that redoing their bios for an earlier time period would be impossible. The characters would simply not be the same anymore without their history and this would seriously hamper at least my fun.

[WhiteWolf]

STAY THE COURSE - OUR PSW

Anyway, all that said I think we should stay the course but do so with the courage to let the players steer the boat a bit. If they want to make a cross-dressing male channeler the next amyrlin (as silly and stupid as that sounds) then by god don't tell them "that wouldn't happen in the books, that's just not realistic"... let them do it.

 

I think this should not be something in the DR PSW, i know this is being used as an "exteme" example, but events such as these can now be RP'd out on the Turnings of the Wheel board which was created specifically to cover eventualities such as this.

 

I am trying to find ways to allow everyone to do what they would like, but it needs to be done in the right way. To implement certain ideas, eg Wolfkin Warders, in the Official DR PSW would not be for the best, i believe. So i am more than happy to try and find a way around that and allow players to do as they like, within reason, in a similar environment. The ToW board is such a place. There a player is allowed to RP in Jordan's world, but can create RP's that reflect how they would like to see that world. If ToW takes off i am more than happy to create more boards under that catagory, but there needs to be enough interest to warrent that otherwise it is a waste.

 

The problem, as i see it, with the NPC process is that it can be abused and we would end up with players only rping with themselves, as has happened in the past. I want to encourage players to RP with other players not with themselves. Obviously i am not suggesting any here would do that, but it has been known to happen and policing a plethora of NPC's is not easy. For now i think the NPC rule is fair, but as always, if anyone has ideas they want to present to me they are more than welcome to get in touch with me and we can discuss them.

 

The current season/year should be known to all DL's who should have informed their members. At the moment we are starting on Path of Daggers and there are three largish rp's in the planning process that will cover this book.The Staff are discussing how to bring the main characters into these rp's. If anyone has any suggestiong on this, then they can discuss them with their DL/RP COord and ask them to present them to me, or can e-mail me with them.

 

The timeline project is in hand and i hope to have something posted soon. James has worked very hard on this and i want to publicly thank him here, as what he has presented to me is very comprehensive and should be a great help.

 

I am not in favour of forcing anyone to rp in a situation where they do not want to. But, it is hard to please everyone and sometimes players have ideas that are only applicable to a very low number. I would like to get as many players as possible involved in the big rps to encourage them to interact with more ppl. To that end, when i present an rp outline to the Staff, i try not to go into minutae but to give broad strokes to allow the DL's to fine tune the rps to suit their needs, and by extension their players needs. Again this is not always possibly, as we have to work to the majority and not the minority. However, it is possible now, for players to take an idea and change it to suit themselves and rp it out on the ToW board.

 

i know i keep on mentioning the ToW board, but that is for one reason only. The DR PSW, i believe should follow the books reasonable closely, but that does not mean there should not be a place for players to change things, that should be done on the ToW board, under the lose rules there. I hope that as word gets around more players will use this board to do that.

 

Hopefully the above will clarify how i see things and help everyone to understand what i am trying to do.

 

As always, if you want to discuss anything to do with the RP with me, then please feel free to PM me or e-mail me and i will do my best to help out.

 

One last thing: There is a lot, i feel, that needs doing to improve the rp, some is behind the scenes and may not be apparent to players. Other things will become apparent as they are implemented. But nothing will be done without the Staff being given a period of notice in which they can voice their opinions,ok?

 

Owen

 

RP Admin

[Liitha]

well i must say yes and no...opening for main chars beeing NPC so peoples can sit in a tea meeting gosiping might lead to peoples RP with themself

 

that said it is actualy not imposible (in my opinion anyway) to get to interact with the main chars...there just need to be a valid reason and a RP plan

 

Andor RP...alowing aiels to interact with the dragon

Murandy one...wine war and woman..two chosen present..open

 

those are just two examples ongoing atm..so as such you could say there is an aplication process in submiting interdiv/bigger RP plans