Lessons learned from Sunday's expedition

Cafall · Post by **Cafall** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:06 pm

Actually, there was a half-orc character on the server for a while (Kragor Skullhaks or somesuch) which was extremely orcish. I thoroughly enjoyed the times I RPed with him and wish I had used more finesse at the time. But there really isn't much for those kinds of characters on this server, just as a dumb thug would be shunned from respectable company in real life.

On the same note... I haven't done a very good job of being suspicious of half-orcs either (sorry!), but it doesn't really matter much now because the only two or three regulars on the server are already travelling buddies of Corvus.

By the way, I have a strange feeling that this thread has been hijacked... :oops:

-- Cafall (Corvus Gwynstredd'ae)

goatte · Post by **goatte** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:29 pm

*Several sword-wielding members of the Dragon Dale Town Watch burst into a room above the Rough and Tumble, where they find a Half-Orc rogue holding a knife to the throat of a discussion board thread.* 
 
<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/happy.gif ALT=":D"> 
 
I'm glad folks took this conversation where it needed to go. The original lessons learned that I posted were mostly about technical aspects of playing NWN in large groups. Things that I thought would make the dungeon delving experience more survivable. Roleplaying is much more subtle and difficult than knowing when and where to click with a mouse to get the desired result, and I consider where the discussion has gone to be more beneficial in the end. By the way, Karn is just as bigoted and racist as any other character. To him, Goblins have no right to exist and should be exterminated. And their gold confiscated. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> 
 
goatte

Cafall · Post by **Cafall** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:57 pm

In that case, I wouldn't mind discussing the extremely difficult art of roleplaying while in combat situations. It's something I definitely need to brush up on... how do you guys do it? Hard enough to type at a reasonable rate when you aren't Eldrieth's momentary pincushion.

-- Cafall (Corvus Gwynstredd'ae)

randy jordan · Post by **randy jordan** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 5:53 pm

I have to add my own name to that one Cafall. I am not a good typist, and if I try too much typing, I find myself either entering a comment to a conversation that has already moved on, or missing half a battle, simply 'cause I wasn't looking at the screen. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/embarassed.gif ALT=":o"> 
 
Randy

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub188.ezboard.com/bthevast.showUserPublicProfile?gid=randyjordan>randy jordan</A> at: 10/28/03 2:20 pm

DarkRitual · Post by **DarkRitual** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 6:08 pm

Well, to both of you I'd suggest Custom Text Macros as one solution. 
 
The problem with those are that you can only put in as much text as you can fit in the actual Text Macro box, but that's usually enough for anything you'd say in combat anyway. Like a WarCry. 
 
I'm a fairly fast typer, so I can usually keep up. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)">

LiaAmakiir · Post by **LiaAmakiir** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 6:24 pm

@_@;; I made quite a few mistakes on Sunday.. 
 
With regards to the scouts attacking enemies, a couple of times the lure tactic went wrong and we shot down the goblins instead of just injuring them. Other times, it was just a lone goblin. In the future, I'll be much more careful on that issue - sorry! @_@; 
 
And, I'm sorry that I wasn't more upfront in the fight at the dwarven door. I lost track of what everyone was doing and just attempted to shoot down the enemies I saw. I didn't even realise that Gall had fallen, which says a lot for me <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":"> 
 
On the issue of racial hatred, I don't think I do too well at that. I find it difficult to work out exactly how Elrith would react to such races, as she normally does have a friendly, optimistic attitude to most people. With half-orcs, she's suspicious of them and gives them the cold shoulder unless they have somehow managed to prove themselves to her - which is only Lugdush at the moment. I could have done a lot better on this aspect, I think.. 
And drow.. Ritual, you're right about Cormanthor elves generally having a pure hatred of drow. This is another thing I don't think I'm playing too well at the moment. Elrith does hate the drow, but she doesn't show the fanatical hatred like Zagreus - I feel perhaps she's a little too cautious with regards to House Jaelre at the moment. But then.. I can't simply change the way I've played her and her personality suddenly and without a good reason. In retrospect, there's a lot of things I would possibly have done differently regarding races such as half-orcs and drow if I was creating the character now and not back in June. But it's how to continue from here that's the crux. @_@; 
 
~Elrith

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub188.ezboard.com/bthevast.showUserPublicProfile?gid=liaamakiir>LiaAmakiir</A> at: 10/28/03 2:58 pm

DarkRitual · Post by **DarkRitual** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 8:37 pm

I didn't think it was necessary to scout Goblins in the Glades during the day (or night for that matter) while moving to the warrens. Our party was very strong and nothing the Goblins could throw at us would have been a problem. Hence the initial confusion with Zag and scouting in the western Glades. 
 
It seems like overkill to have three scouts move ahead while we all wait and have them return and tell us "One Goblin Grunt" and sit there and plan a lengthy strategy. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tongue.gif ALT=":p"> 
 
I'm exaggerating of course, but the fact remains that we are more than equipped to kill anything along that route, Archers, Warriors and all, without blinking (As the scouts ended up doing without the help of the rest of the party!). So the heavy scouting stuff should be saved for when we're actually inside the dangerous caverns and whatnot. We were already delayed as it was.

goatte · Post by **goatte** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:38 pm

Good point, DarkRitual, but the reason I asked for scouts out in the Western Glades was so that we could start practicing what we should be doing in the Warrens. Fact is, if you suddenly have to put something even slightly complicated into practice in a dangerous area, you're likely to fail. I'd rather that we would have gotten used to doing the right thing before putting everyone at risk. Frankly, assuming that we can kill anything that moves in the Glades has led many folks to fall there. Not respecting your opponent will get you killed. Archers are about the deadliest Goblins out there. I've been hit for 15 points of damage wearing half plate and carrying a tower shield. What would that have done to a rogue or mage? And the AI of our opponents makes them target the fallen until we have to return to town for a resurrection. As leader I had to think of the safety of every member of our group. 
 
As far as the delay, part of it could have been helped, and part couldn't. Would you rather be dead or start the expedition late? Taking your time and doing something right is far more enjoyable, IMHO than getting sucked into a bad situation and having an epic Last Stand. The Drizzt Do'Urden character would have been far less interesting, had he died early on in his career from underestimating his opponents. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/happy.gif ALT=":D"> 
 
goatte

randy jordan · Post by **randy jordan** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 11:30 pm

As another note regarding scouting through the glades (mind, I wasn't there, so am only commenting on what I have read here). What's to say there would have only been goblins in the glades. The idea of scouts, is to make sure that NOTHING hits the main group unawares. You were in the process of hunting a drow after all. 
As an intelligent enemy, what is to keep her from placing her very expendable allies out in the glade, to make sure that anyone approaching would not do so unnoticed. Perhaps the scouts should have stealthily bypassed those goblins who were of no threat to the uber-group following, perhaps sending someone back to alert the group of anyone worth note (like the archers), so the main group could then deal with the threat, while the scouts continued doing what they were there for. The scouts could have even observed a drow, watching and learning about the group hunting her, if they were still hidden from sight. 
IMO 
Randy

DarkRitual · Post by **DarkRitual** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:21 am

I admit that I may have too hastily dismissed the scouting of the western most Glade. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/embarassed.gif ALT=":o"> It was however, said in the context of "We'd been waiting for three hours for the scout to begin." 
 
But point taken, you guys are right, the Archers can be threatening when they make criticals, so it's better to be safe than sorry. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)">

BelFarfalla · Post by **BelFarfalla** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:31 am

Start times and Attendance: 
 
We seem to have two types of scouts. This last one needed specific people to show up. Others are adventures with looser attendance requirements. 
 
This last scout required that people be on the Vast two days in a row. 
 
I could not make the Saturday meeting at the specified time because of an important family commitment. I did however show up later and was able to talk to Karn and others. 
 
I had every intention of showing up on time on Sunday. Real life gets in the way sometimes. I went to the walk-in-clinic with an injured knee at 8 a.m. I did not get home until almost 1pm (3pm EST). This was out of my control. I thought that by going at 8a.m. I’d be out in time for the scout. My point in telling this is that we do not always have control over rl. I feel badly about being late but it was out of my control and my tardiness was not a frivolous. Right now I have a brace on my knee. 
 
In retrospect I should have left a note here to let others know that I was doing something that might impact my timely arrival. Perhaps we could do that in the future… keep each other informed. This could be especially important for a scout of the type we had this last Sunday. 
 
Karn had a great idea in taking some time to plan the scouts. I’d like to suggest that we hash a lot of it out here. Then we could have a short rp meeting right before the scout where the final decisions are brought up. Maybe even use some real meeting rules.. like an agenda, a goal and a set time frame. I’ve been in meetings in which 10 minutes of discussion takes hours in rl time because they are held in a public place. There are constant interruptions, etc. I have a low tolerance for meetings with have not goal… 
 
More later on …….. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)">

goatte · Post by **goatte** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:22 am

BelFarfalla, I'm glad you mentioned how real world influences these games. I almost didn't make it myself. Had a power outage for the whole neighborhood until an hour before start time. I was down for three hour before that. 
 
I did schedule two days in a row because I saw it as a chance to really get across the plans for the Drow. We had some good plans come out of that session. Karn has them in the back of his head ready to implement or modify as needed. I'm sorry it seemed to ramble around. Part of that was brainstorming, which really sucks up time dealing with ideas both good and clearly bad. Did I mention the mini-quests going on in the background? <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> We had some rp exp coming our way that first day, though. 
 
Next time we'll meet someplace that no one ever goes, like the jail in Dragon Dale. Actually, I'd like to propose meeting in River Vesper Landing. Hardly any youngsters come down there. The Sign of the Full Tankard is far away from anything else. Little chance of interruption. RVL is also close to the bandits and kobolds, should we decide to go that way. 
 
Next scout, we'll have a preplanning session in the 'in character discussion' section. Followed by the preparation phase. Getting equipment, gear, weapons, potions, etc. That will be followed by going out and doing it. 
 
By the way, I won't be able to get online this weekend but only for a little while on Sunday. Much of that may end up being used to RP through a search for information relating to the note. 
 
goatte

The Vast

Lessons learned from Sunday's expedition

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