[Poll] Going Forward - What Do The Players Want?

[Gossamer]

In this world of fantasy roleplay we are forever moving forward, gathering momentum, improving ourselves and our opportunities. With this poll I'd like to hear some thoughts from our players on the future and the way forward. As part of our 'Next Level' campaign, we'd like to see your ideas and wishes fulfilled. Please express them!

I'll be honest. My plan for the immediate future is to focus on my city - Wind Reach - and finish all the Gods/Gnosis' in my care and under my development. I am not including this sort of development in the poll because this is what is going to come to pass (whether folks want it or not!) and hopefully they will all done by summer. What I want this poll to be about is what PLAYERS WANT not what Goss wants. This will also give Storyteller's an idea about what they need to do to please their players and themselves in the days to come.

So go out and vote.. pick one or multiples. Also, feel free to comment!

[Kalasshmalah]

I'll just go down the list on why I voted for what I did.

Non-combat stuff: I love noncombat posts. Possibly because I'm horrible at picturing it?

Divine: The Gods are all very interesting, I'd love to see more interaction with them so I can understand them better.

Lore Dev: There can NEVER be too much lore. I think I've read the majority of it and loved it all. In particular, I'd like more details in the races. Also, to finish all the Gods/gnosis/skills up. Developing the two barely mentioned Dhani nests would be awesoem as well.

History Dev: I've always been a person who would rather know why something is the way it is instead of just knowing that it is. History accomplishes a lot of that. In particular, I'd like more history on the Dhani nests(esp the two undeveloped ones!!)/the Dhani themselves. But I'd love more history on each city/race as well.

Battles between Gods: Most epic way to kill you PC off. Ever. That and they can add some interesting roleplay ideas.

Harsher repercussions: I've always been one to like harshness, but fairness. It's the best way for me to learn I've found.

Easier travel: Would help people get to the un-used areas so we can roleplay more. Just please don't go all airship on us >.< Keep it lore friendly!

Things for Child PC: I don't have or want to make one now, but they can be some of the most amazing characters. I support any...support for them.

Secret Societies: These give your PC more goals. They will have their own agendas and can help with giving you more ideas for roleplay/more people to RP with.

Locations: Did I mention the 2 undeveloped Dhani Nests? That 2/3rds of new Dhani PC's pretty much have to start at?

Classes: Learning is always nice. Even if you're a vet there's always more to learn. Or you could help teach the new players and make them feel more welcomed.

Phew. Well, theres the reasoning to it all

[Stitch]

I voted for Lore Development, for one. I know our Lore can really be a bit intimidating to new players, but I also know it can be frustrating to finally get a handle on it... and find an un-finished link. I would really love to see that day when we have no more little Red Links in the Wiki, and everything pieces together just perfectly.

One day. <3

Also, I think "How-To" classes might be a good idea. I am not so sure what you would have them on, perhaps creating your first character, or writing your first topic... but it would be a good way to get Newbies together, perhaps direct them to a good place to start, show them around the site, give them a few friends so they don't feel all alone and left out of the crowd... and just generally help them become a part of the experience, and make them a little less confused for it.

I will probably bring up my opinions on a few more later... but atm, those are the two that really stuck out to me. <3

[Sairque]

Non-combat groups - Every city has a well developed militia/guard to join, but guards need things to do on their off time. Perhaps this is something that needs to be made easy for players to initiate.

Business opportunities - The more player shops there are, the fewer shopping threads a storyteller has to monitor. Also player initiated. And this could ease travel, as well. Goods need moved, after all.

Divine interaction - We play fantasy with gods because we want to play with gods. A character's personality can be formed around worship to a certain god, but it's twenty times more meaningful when a DS notices that a character would be of interest to a certain god. It doesn't have to be a quest, just getting dropped in on by a god for two posts is awesome.

Small plot lines tying into larger ones - Because these provide cohesion in such a large world.

Easier travel - If Mizahar wasn't so cool, we wouldn't all want our character to visit EVERYWHERE. But, since I don't see the world being dumbed down to prevent travel-complaints... Players should probably start initiating this too.
As players, we all want to move around but we don't want Mizahar to be safe. We want the conflict and the danger, right? The way I see it, the more that people in cities (players) need things from other lands (profit motivated, in all likelihood), the more roads get built, the more patrols get sent out on these roads, the more caravans with guards get sent out. Player businesses play into this, as do non-combat groups, as do city militant forces. Not everything has to be done by the founders, your knight can request to go patrol a road (or dirt path, whatever the case may be) with a company. Maybe this knight (or equivalent) eventually gets put in charge of a patrol company that opens up safe travel to nearby villages, and then out beyond the villages. Then maybe this Patrol Leader gets contacted by a business owner to help deliver a shipment to the border of another area. Characters have jobs, but if the player takes the job seriously then some serious development can happen.

Of course, all of this takes time and characters that have been around long enough to accumulate skills and sway within their city.

There are my two cents.

[Darren]

Alrighty I loved to see this thingie up, just a sign that things are moving well over here in my opinion. Always happy to see, and I'll go ahead and follow suit with Malah and explains why I chose each.

Epic overarching plot lines: A simple person's want really, and I admit I'll submit to most of them. Just having an overall purpose or happening in a time helps one get into their character more. Giving a chance to have more dynamic character development and notable characteristics shaped by their times is always interesting to see.

IC Building Projects & Development (in-game construction): Sometimes less is more, using the imaginations to fill a city. Although I find there are some buildings and constructions that just have to be in an area. I noticed that in the few towns I have skimmed there is always one tavern that is the... go to tavern to start a thread. As much as I dislike bar threads I know that if one was given a bit more variety and options to suitable places to go to the threads would invovle a bit more creativity and more ...realistic actions. Looking at Lhavit it seemed very well versed in this area in my opinion, true I only looked at five or six areas at the most but I say that area as well off compared to the others.

A wider variety of 'non-combat groups' to join: Guilds or something similar! Gives people to a chance to connect easier and make for a bit more interesting threads for their guild. Hopefully their actions will eventually help their organizations further with storyteller help.

City Interaction: To be honest the gates idea is a great addition. The job centers is a bit hectic but rather I voted it for other reasons. If there was an excerpt on the lore how sects of a city react and their characteristics would be enough for me. So people can easily understand and grow empathetic to what people in a certain area would say, do and otherwise. We need more people acting like a "normal" villager, suspicious, closed off and outright genuine.

Business Opportunities! We want to make money!: Yes a very selfish thing. I know it is suppose to be hard to get a good amount but perhaps ways to make one's housing or possessions easier to get. Alot can be said about what a man has, giving people a chance to show off who they really are. On a side note, I just want the chance to have a house and decorate it well if I were to settle down, rather then live on in inns/taverns/roads.

Gods/Goddesses: Just seeing them doing godly things in random areas would be enough for me. Random appearances where they are needed. Morwen or her followers being sent to save traders lost in the Northern Reaches. Not like every instance of course, but if one were to set up a thread with 4 or more people in a long enough thread, there would be a possibility of one of them joining on a random ST's discretion.

Small scale plotlines that tie to larger plots: These sort of things are great imo. The event in Ravok seems to excite most participants and I'm gussing alot of people are writing to it avidly. Small stuff like knowing that their actions can help determine an outcome excites RPers I think.

Battles between Gods (short term or long term conflicts): Busy work more then anything imo. But gives us something to do so that's welcome.

Landmarks (Inns, Crossroads, etc): Stuff like this I would love to see. Anything that makes travel interesting, or can give someone something to do while traveling would be greatly appreciated. Gives a chance to RP with people who might just "happen" to be in the same place while traveling to different parts.

Easier or more organized travel: When I read up on what they do on the Sea of Grass and some of the Drykas helping navigate the areas that struck to me as something rather great. Of course one can ride solo and have a boring trip, but traveling should be seen as an event of sorts. Especially for the first time, leaving a hometown should be talked about.

Locations Locations Locations!: Erm this just tied in iwht the previous two. Not really too strong on this now that I look at it.

[Ssafirarhysati]

My need is simple: I want more bad guys.

Like myself.

And more conflict.

Because everyone's too nice.

I hope you all die horrible deaths.

P.S.
Just kidding on the last part. But not IC-ly.

*insert image of a nice PC/NPC with his intestines being pulled out of his navel or something here because I'm evil like that*

[Vala]

As a mousy librarian Vala prefers to stay safely ensconced in her ginger bubble, hidden behind her books and psychosis. Unfortunately such a city setting for a non combatant PC leads to a bit of stagnation. Interactions tend to be limited to socialization or repetitive training (archery) without many opportunities for a surprising twist. Thus it is Vala's personal wish to have more groups formed (specifically in WR) that would lead to strife and drama that she could possibly involved in. And I also just want to make the brat suffer. I think non-combatant PC's all around Miza would gain from group activity.

Specific to Wind Reach. For a city that adores Priskil she doesn't seem adored enough. Maybe more religious quests or religious intervention from local religious folks?

Not Really Specific to Wind Reach: Maybe more city announcements? Wind Reach had a city calender for a season and I found myself referring to that pretty often. When I graded several threads I noticed that other players had that too. If more cities did that more players could possible coordinate with their cities better and could make arcing plots easier. It doesn't just have to be a calender either, it could be just a public notice about a specific thief that the authorities are looking for... (keeping that little spark of genius for later... any gingers up for an open quest? Jk... maybe when I have more time.)

And though it may not pertain to me, I think it would be really helpful to new players to have a link to a lore article in the getting started drop down, about travel. Specifically how dangerous it is, how to join a caravan, skills necessary to join a caravan or travel in general, dangers of travelling, traveling times ie. how long it takes to get from city to city, travelling methods, and possibly just a little blurb of necessary traveling gear.

[Sairque]

Sai would totally love to shank Vala. Start a thread.

[Ulric]

Non-combat groups: Let’s face it, in many cities you have a military, a priestly/administrative order, and not much else. I can’t help feeling that many populations lack dynamism. I mean, why can’t there be a guild of butchers that runs a brothel, or child street gangs, or feuding fishermen and sailors? In my opinion, it’s critical for characters to achieve a sense of belonging rather than being just another face in the crowd.

Small-scale plots: Let’s face it, epic plots require a significant commitment on both ends, so there tend to be few ongoing ones. I’m a firm believer that all characters should (providing they survive) emerge with severe emotional/physical scars, but smaller plots would allow for greater participation, and perhaps take a few characters to the next level of interesting.

Events: I heartily agree that calendars of events, such as the one in Wind Reach, are important for making cities feel like living, breathing places. It’s not enough for a city to remain in stasis, with life going on the same way for years. Just look at history, where cities were afflicted by droughts, floods, fires, and especially disease on a regular basis. I mean, how do parts of Sunberth not burn down every few years? I don’t mean to imply that everything has to be a catastrophe. I’d just like for characters to have something to gossip about, and perhaps develop on.

Schisms: I’d like to see greater emphasis on sub-factions and maneuvering/tension within factions. I don’t see why everybody should get along. Even the Syliran Knights need a few rotten apples.

Secret societies: Um, I just want to establish Team Xhyvas.

[Gossamer]

I feel there is a conspiracy to get me to post up the new calender for the season for WR and maintain it. I didn't know it was so important to PCs. I'll make that a new goal in the next couple of days.

Otherwise, great feedback folks. Keep the comments coming.