Posts made by Sunny

@Arkandel said:

Barring specific exceptions (bad staff, the MU* shut down, etc) my experience says people in general leaves games for one main reason: Inactivity. They log on, nothing is happening, they log out and stop trying. If KD utilizes these new numbers by populating opposing factions to encourage political dynamics that won't be an issue.

Now granted there is still reason to be cautious - KD only has two staff members and getting an influx of people can be extremely demanding on their resources. More so since/if some of them already have baggage, drama carried over from their previous games which resurges now, etc.

And to make sure this is clear, there aren't ever going to be more than two staff. I help out a lot, but I'm not staff on the game. To my understanding, they have no interest in changing how they run things or adding staff members -- it works well for them, and that's how it is. Understanding that there is just two of them and sometimes that means things do take a while is pretty vital. It's not the be-all end-all of the solution to everyone's woes, and it actually is ABSOLUTELY not for everyone.

It uses the WoD system, but it's not a WoD game. You can't approach it with the expectation that the culture is going to be the same -- it's not. I love this game, I have more fun here than anywhere else, because I like this sort of game. My all time favorite places to play were Redemption and Leading Edge. And now KD. It's the best thing since Betty White, for me. But man, not everyone likes the same things I do, or has the same pet peeves as I do. Blah blah and so on.

Lots of great players, lots of fun, not for everyone.

Having been involved in the discussion with many of the new people on KD, I'd upgrade hypothesis to theory. Most of them are indeed refugees from WoD. We have at least a chunk of people looking for something after RfK.

@Olsson said:

So a few questions I am curious about.

1. Can I get a few suggestions on how these varying nobles generally differentiate themselves from eachother? I've been asked to play there, but have trouble coming up with what manner of thing I could do that would be intresting.

All the Houses have different goals and different histories. The flavor of the people involved in them are different. Many of them have differing political struggles. If you want to pop in and page me (I'm Emma) I can help you navigate through it all and find that interesting concept for you. For new players coming in, the nobility are basically the standard class. So 'how do they differentiate themselves' is basically 'how do characters differentiate themselves'.

2. How much freedom are players generally allowed to make up for story reasons for their character? Can I make up rivals in other houses? Some vendetta they have against my PC? An unfortunate death that caused them to be central in a power struggle between two minor houses?

Depends on the houses, the circumstance, and whether or not there are PCs in said minor houses. Generally it's pretty free rein as long as you are careful about not invalidating someone else's story. Some of the Houses have had too much murder-death-kill in them and are requesting that folks not come in with those concepts (oh look, another slaughter in Chalasse) but there are plenty of places where you could make a power struggle up (or play within one that already exists). It'd just take some hunting to find somewhere appropriate.

@Ghost

Yeah, KD is the only place I'm really playing right now; I tried getting into the WoD circuit and just haven't found the genre compelling at all aside from the work I'm doing with it. People come in cold all the time. Mostly I suggest avoiding highly religious concepts for new-to-setting folks, but as @Ganymede says, if you've got any experience with fantasy novels or medieval fiction or historical romance or...etc, you know enough to play. The only strict 'time period!!!!' thing is that the Americas don't exist so we don't have the trade goods (or drugs) from there. And when I say strict, I mean that's the only thing anyone ever notices or will say something about, within reason.

Edited to add: Yes, it is likely to be this coming week that approvals start happening again; the lovely guy that does them had the nerve to go see family with his family for the holidays. I'm not really sure who unchained him.

@Ghost said:

I think the mutually assured destruction of "people who have a list of people they won't roleplay with" has come to roost. The mushing pool is getting smaller as it is, but I know at least 6-7 whiny fuckbags who constantly worry over trying to figure out if X player is someone they used to know and swore off rp with.

This isn't my experience at all. I currently don't actually associate with any players that are like this. I have one super shy friend who won't RP with strangers until he's drug to do so, but that's different. I certainly have a list of people I won't play with, but as with Muse's it has maybe 2-3 people on it, and I'll actually avoid games where these people are.

I think this might be projection.

MU*ing has become very insular over the last few years and in many cases if I do not guarantee relationship/TS rp, the player tends to move on until they find it.

You're really playing on the wrong games.

You might not buy the "it's the holiday season", but when multiple people say directly "Hey, I'm gone this week for Thanksgiving" I'm going to blame their absence on...wait for it....Thanksgiving. Most mushers, these days, have families and children and things that absolutely require attention away from the games. That may not be the case for you, but it certainly is amongst the people I know.

I wanted to put this out there, since I know we've had a new flood of folks from around these parts.

Skaldia, who handles most of the approvals / application process, is on vacation in a different state from his usual, doing family stuff for the holidays. Thus, the app process is basically on hold until he gets back. This is the downside of having a small staff (I far prefer it this way all the same); when the holidays hit stuff does stop for a bit.

Things should be back to normal next week. I do apologize for the wait; I know it can be frustrating.

@deadculture No problem; I just don't want someone I know from elsewhere/etc to be painted with that particular brush. I know Reynaud's player pretty well, and have for like a million years. He's as good as Custodius is supposed to be bad.

I know who Reynaud is, and it's not Custodius. He might be there, but that's not him.

@Ganymede said:

@Sunny said:

Fantastic. I'm looking forward to talking to you about it! Exciting. I'm thrilled with how things have been going lately. Yaaaaaaaaay. It makes me super happy that you're going to come poke around!

The little man in me laughed when you said this, given the game's theme and Carey's reputation.

Why are we not doing phrasing anymore, Lana?

@Ganymede said:

@icanbeyourmuse said:

@Ganymede OMG! BE ALYSSUM! I want a Dowayne! Especially since my goal is to be the Alyssum Second. LOVE ME ENOUGH TO BE MY DOWAYNE.

I don't get the feeling that the Dowayne are pimps, actually. They are groomers, instructors, evaluators, etc., in addition to make arrangements for the courtesans. At least, this is my sense of things.

I'll probably pitch at @Sunny this weekend. I have an idea in mind for a member of the court.

Fantastic. I'm looking forward to talking to you about it! Exciting. I'm thrilled with how things have been going lately. Yaaaaaaaaay. It makes me super happy that you're going to come poke around!

These are the crash-course links I share with folks who are trying to figure out the theme:

http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/New_Player_Quick_Guide
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Timeline#Present
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Nobility
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Night_Court
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Religion
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Temple_Orders
http://www.kushielsdebut.org/index.php/Where_We_Are_Not_Going

@Ganymede said:

What kind of non-nobles are you looking for? I surmise you aren't looking for farmers.

Courtesans (including a couple of Dowaynes, which are not pimps omg Muse), the royal court positions. There are some spy positions, or a couple of houses have good openings for non-nobles attached to one of the many many families. I don't usually recommend non-noble PCs for new players to the game (though Ash and I do disagree on this point), but @Ganymede you'd be fine with as much of a self-starter as you can be. It does take a little more work to get involved, but not so much that it'd make much of a difference for you. Shopkeepers and such, too.

Non-noble wise, what you're looking at is still wanting a PC that can and has reasons to interact with the nobility, so a service/good that they'd be in the market for, really, is fairly necessary. Your average farmer, not so much. Yet, a farmer concept could be made to work.

Edited to add: Also, city and/or royal guard are great concepts for commoners. In addition to the Royal Court positions which I mentioned already but am mentioning a second time.

The wiki is pretty helpful, yeah -- I wouldn't recommend a Dowayne coming in cold, but most of the other concepts can be swung with what's on the wiki.

The recent post by staff on the game about what they want...

FALL STAFF WANTED

Welcome to all of our players, both new ones joining us and old ones returning from breaks. We're glad to have you and now that we do there are chances to turn up the heat on some plots we have had simmering, as well as put pieces in place for new ones! With that, I am posting another seasonal staff-wanted update! As ever what we want most is for players to play characters that they find interesting and think they will get the most out of on grid. However we often get asked what the game needs or is looking for, so we try to keep some updated suggestions. Sometimes we even add an xp incentive to encourage filling out certain areas in the game. Here goes!

Nobility: What we mostly look for in nobility is characters willing to get involved in political roleplay. There are various ways to do that, many outlines on our wiki, and they can vary from cutthroat competition and PC enmity to working together with others towards a common goal. We also appreciate filling out noble families with social characters as well, or social characters that dab in politics and political characters that frequent high society. Just be prepared to be visible and mingling both within the other families from your province and the other courtiers. Here are some particular areas we are looking for.

Siovale: (Particularly Perigeaux, Rocaille, Montreve, Verreuil) Siovale is the province of the scions of Shemhazai, known for their pursuit of intellect and knowledge. The province has faced upheaval of many types in recent years, providing opportunities for the development of many different types of characters. While some titled characters are listed as pregenerated, that does not mean that a different concept for those titles cannot be discussed with staff. Noble characters from Siovale, or other Siovalese characters with political aims, can begin with +20 to xp.

Eisande: (Mereliot, Rousse) Eisande is not hurting for population, but both of the Ducal houses are presently low on active membership which can make politics in the area tricky. Being the major port city of Terre d'Ange, there are opportunities for hooks of all kinds, be they with trade or merely an appreciation for fine things. Eisheth is also the Angel of art, music, and healing, so patrons of the arts and healers are valued among her people. Noble characters from Mereliot and Rousse receive a +15 bonus.

Kusheth: We seem to have a growing Morhban sector, and if you choose to join it that is wonderful, there's so much opportunity in Kusheth. It is Shahrizai who are active in court intrigue and politics that we are presently short on. New characters that create Shahrizai to get involved in such things receive a +20 xp bonus.

Namarre: There is a decently populated if scattered population in Namarre, however a few more members of the ruling family would be useful. Therefore we're looking for members of House L'Envers, and offer a +10 to any who create for us with an interest in politics and society.

L'Agnace: For the plot we have been working on there, it would be helpful to see some politically active members of Houses Chalasse and Somerville. There is a lot of intrigue and maneuvering going on in this particular provinces storyline at present, so if that is an interest of yours do check it out. If you need help, many players on channels as well as your staff are happy to assist, and you'll have an extra +20 xp to play with at chargen.

Camlach: The ruling house of d'Aiglemort could use a few more members, and the other houses of the Allied families would also do well to be fleshed out a bit. While many Camaelines are 'off at war' currently, the war will not last forever, and getting acclimated to court life again and continuing to see what new threats are posed to Terre d'Ange can be entertaining for those who enjoy drama and strategy along with political play as well. +10 to new Camaelines.

Non-nobles: While there are several different concepts that are not nobility that people have tried out and had fun with, currently staff are looking for these in particular.

Courtesans of all sorts: The Mont is far more interesting when it is populated, and this can allow for more than just the social and romance rp that many expect, but also intrigue between the houses and intrigue with nobles as well. I am not currently offering an incentive for House courtesans but I do encourage them, especially those with experience who are fully marqued.

Dowaynes: Dowaynes in as many Houses as possible are also necessary for this inter-house rp, and can even find themselves getting involved in religious rp as well. At this point I am not offering incentives either, but note there are several free merits offered to Dowaynes to help assist them in the political and social position they hold.

LAST:

Older characters: While being young and beautiful does have its appeal, there is something to be said for an experienced character, wise in the way of the world. Whether it be a Dowayne on the Mont, or a noble of any rank in a position to advise his or her family, these are the patriarchs and matriarchs of any sophisticated society. Play a character that is 40 or over, and you get +40 bonus points to begin with.

It's cool, man. I'm actually ridiculously shy myself, though most folks would never know it. It's possible to sort of get over it and sort of compensate and just do it. The self-confidence will come with time.Cut yourself some slack!

@JustNobody said:

Now that I think... I do have just one MUSHing friend and like three or four acquaintances, which I meet on the MUSH, where I play now. And we play sometimes, but they have their own friends to play with and go on adventures. So basically, if I manage to get a scene per week - I consider myself really lucky!

This is the problem you're facing, really; I don't know that you're getting enough RP to stick with these characters; 4 scenes a month isn't enough to stay interested, I don't think. I'd suggest a few things:

• Advertise for a playgroup. Put up a post on the games you're playing on saying that you're looking to get involved with a group of some sort? Alternately, state willingness to create a character for a group that needs something, and then do so to fit into what they're asking for. It's usually the most useful on the game in question, but you could also post here or other community sites that exist but I don't really know about.

• Sit in public, with whatever version of an RP flag there is (if there is one) indicating you want to play. Sit in public a lot. Join any LFG channels there might be. Jump on people. Not literally.

• Pay attention to other peoples' characters. If you're having problems with your own, see what it is that you're doing differently than other folks.

I played a character for four months. That was the longest period I lasted, and I could have lasted longer, if the game hadn't died

What was special about this experience that makes it different from your past experiences? Specifics -- did you have more people to play with? Were you more satisfied with a particular aspect of the PC? What was it that was keeping you engaged? Answer this and you'll figure out exactly what you've got going on.

All the other times... I get bored in a week or two, not getting roleplay in the places I make my characters. Or get just one scene in that whole time. I do my best to get involved, but the clique thing is indeed a problem.

It's always a problem everywhere. Human nature. This really confirms for me what I was thinking, though; it's not a problem with the characters, it's a problem with finding roleplay. Are you shy?

I give flaws, but likely I give them the wrong flaws or something? It's very hard to actually know what can be annoying to encounter and what isn't.

Very unlikely. It is very, very rare that specifics of this nature are what make or break a PC. I won't say it CAN'T happen, but I can't say it's likely. If there's a problem with the annoyance thing it's a matter of degrees. You might be playing them up too much -- THAT gets annoying. Making the flaws the focal point of every (or even most) scenes? THAT gets annoying. Any given flaw specifically? Not so much. It's really seriously not what you do, in this hobby, but how you do it (and to a certain extent why; if people can't tell why, they'll make up their own, it's why it's good to communicate your why as loudly as possible).

Edited to add: Why do I always think of ONE MORE THING the instant after I hit submit? Rereading and everything! Argh. Anyway.

Something else to do:

• Drop the pencil. A lot. If you do get into scenes and you want the people in question to play with you more, make it super easy for your character to interact with theirs. Approach them. Give them the opportunity to save your PC from getting pickpocketed. Trip over their purse and spill your coffee, then apologize for touching the purse.

• Focus on the other characters. If all else fails, this will get most people coming back repeatedly: focus on the PC you're playing with. Ask about their life, their history, poke around for their issues, what things about the character the other player finds interesting, whatever. If they're a wild west cowboy, talk about guns and saloons and gambling. If they're a noble lady talk about fashion and parties. Just like in real life, characters love talking about themselves as much as people do. This doesn't have to be a forever thing; spend a while doing this and people reciprocate a lot of the time.

How long in do you tend to get bored? At what point? Weeks or months? How big is your usual playgroup?

It sounds to me like it's not a problem with the characters you're building, honestly; there's probably an issue there, but I don't have enough information to determine what it is yet.

What genres have you tried? How many different games?

Edited to add: The only real bit of feedback I would maybe have based on just what's said here -- stop with the very deep and detailed backstory. Leave plenty open to figure out and grow in play. Sometimes we make the mistake of making all the interesting things happen to the character before we start playing them. The story's already done, the issues are resolved. They can be the coolest character ever, but they're never going to achieve the heights they did in their past...and that can make a character fall flat very rapidly.

Yeah, that was my thought as well.

@Ganymede

I anticipated push-back and insult flinging, believe me. It's not the only aspect of the game that's going to do it, either (I'm actually really surprised there wasn't an enormous stir over the ability for PCs to come back from the dead). If I end up with no one playing there, I can just turn it into an online tabletop for my playgroup or something. I'm also aware that people are operating without the full picture (since I haven't actually provided it), so I've got to take feedback through that lens as well.

@Arkandel

I agree entirely with not making rules to punish the many for the deeds of the few, but this has nothing to do with abuse. At all. It's related to an adaptation for online play, as well as (the big one) the desire to keep the campaign lower powered.

@tragedyjones
If it were rooted in 'I don't want to be like that' instead of 'I want to be like this', I'd be concerned about it being reactionary, as well.

Has seriously no one ever played in an experience limited campaign in tabletop?