New Area's

[jezer]

Krok wrote this...

I think the playerbase is dropping, cause the old players just can't find a new thing to do. New skills and spells add a bit of fun, but when you finally get the damn book after 10+hours of perm cycling on all of the continents.. you are a bit discouraged, actually. We can solo stuff which was a dream for us in the childhood. We can do almost everything pretty well, but we have noooo new stuff to do. No new areas, no new forges etc.

If I were an imm I'd be a little alarmed by this. Life is full of cycles, and eventually the more experienced players and imms will leave sloth. Is it not time that some of the younger players step up and improve sloth?

What I am saying, as the respected player base drops, there needs to be injection of fresh talent and ideas from younger players - under the watchful eye of older players, so that sloth can continue further into the future.

If say 3x40 players could write area's and have them approved by imms without becoming imms this could really freshen things up. Maybe a few drachma could be offered for a good area to be put into the game. I think it is idea's like this that could secure a more relevant future for sloth?

I'd like to see a new continent... maybe restricted to 2x40 or less... or an entire continent with area's all themed together. The idea's are boundless... and I am sure I will post more - as will others.

Most people that play sloth are fairly good with computers. I for one am a programmer and would consider writing an area writer which people could write area's in for approval. I could make it output an area file in sloth syntax if so required. It also gives a bit more of a sense of ownership to players... and with that sloth will build and increase.

[gondor]

Very nicely said Jezer. I would have to agree. I for one would truly enjoy putting together an area and perhaps a few quests for spellbooks even. I am sure there are others out there that would enjoy it as well. Perhaps the creators can bring this about and we can help add to the game that we have become addicted to.

[Weasel]

Wasn't there some mention not long ago of an offer something to do with learning slothcode etc? Did anyone email Splork or whoever about it at the time? If not, then really we don't have a leg to stand on, because as I recall, the opportunity to learn was there... I think.

Considering how many players we have online at any given time, there's a lot of areas out there not being touched.. although some areas are hellish to get a CR from due to entrance requirements, which is kinda self-defeating.

[jezer]

I think it was Enea or maybe Clink that once asked something like... If you were allowed to create areas without being an imm would you do it? A lot of people including myself said yes.

I don't really want to be an imm... but I'd like to work with them. (I'm dodging responsibility) Thats why I offer to build an area builder of such that doesn't require you to be an imm to make areas. Obviously they would need approval and testing by imms. I'd be happy to create an open source area builder for windows platform for sloth. I don't want to own this idea, I want others to get onboard, I'm just offering to help.

Maybe at a later date, a testing system could be built into the area builder to test things a bit. A rough "near enough is close enough" combat engine. I also understand it maybe difficult to even make areas without MUDL. I am hoping splork or kjartan will add some thoughts to this post.

Its mostly just good intentions at the moment.

[jezer]

[quote="Weasel":3h0y3j93]Considering how many players we have online at any given time, there's a lot of areas out there not being touched.. although some areas are hellish to get a CR from due to entrance requirements, which is kinda self-defeating.[/quote:3h0y3j93]

To answer weasel a little more directly... I agree, but when you were a 20+ prime noob hanging out on BH, where did you get your xp? I know all my characters have nearly gained probably over 80% of there xp in about 6 areas...

Catacombs, Castle, Matterhorn, Kuo-toans, Shadow Keep, Mage Tower Ruins.

Some complete area's are only ever run because of as little as 1 or 2 items of eq. There are a lot of areas, a lot of them are poor imho. I think more "quality" not "quantity" area's need to be built.

What I think would work best if the imms held a competition to design an area which they think needs to be built, and then the best design wins.

IE, Create a 2x40 orientated area, must have blah blah blah... best entry receives 25 drachma or a weekly

[Weasel]

Good ideas.

[Guinex]

[quote:kr4vwrag]Weasel
PostPosted: Mar 17, 2006 - 09:37 PM Post subject: RE: New Area's
Good ideas.[/quote:kr4vwrag]
Nice post.

[*juggleblood*]

[quote="jezer":3k6ctv7v]Some complete area's are only ever run because of as little as 1 or 2 items of eq. There are a lot of areas, a lot of them are poor imho. I think more "quality" not "quantity" area's need to be built.
[/quote:3k6ctv7v]

We run the areas that offer the fattest xp or coinage generally. For example, an invisible stalker is easy, plentiful, choppy mob thats worth 780k-1.2 mil solo, whereas the berserker in nearby AH north is a nasty kick-your-butt aggro thats worth 150k. Hmmm.. decisions, decisions.

[quote="weasel":3k6ctv7v]Wasn't there some mention not long ago of an offer something to do with learning slothcode etc? Did anyone email Splork or whoever about it at the time? If not, then really we don't have a leg to stand on, because as I recall, the opportunity to learn was there... I think. [/quote:3k6ctv7v]

Yup..

[quote="splork":3k6ctv7v]If there is enough interest, sometime in the near future I will open up a test port for potentional Immortals to log in and play around with stuff like our OLC and MUDL. If you have some cool and innovative ideas for mudl and could build it yourself, I could possibly be persuaded to allow you to build it on a test port and I could add it to the game for you.

Please let me know if something like this would be of interest. Frito and Isiel are our newest Immortals but we would like a couple more builders to continue flushing out our world.

Enjoy,
Splork [/quote:3k6ctv7v]

and Autolycos said..

[quote="autolycos":3k6ctv7v] I'll give 15mil coins to any newb who writes a new area using mudl.[/quote:3k6ctv7v]

I'm definitely going to get in on this offer and learn mudl, but I wanted to get my triple 40, so I've been muddin instead of writing my submission.

It does seem like the muds in a slump and it's got a negative feedback kind of effect. You log in and theres no one on...so you log off, which causes the next guy to do the same. One good quest would probably cure us. Is Enea hosting a quest this weekend?

[Guinex]

[quote:13n305ni]Weasel
PostPosted: Mar 17, 2006 - 09:37 PM Post subject: RE: New Area's
Good ideas.[/quote:13n305ni]
Nice post.

[Autolycos]

[quote="juggleblood":2f7hh0io]and Autolycos said..

[quote="autolycos":2f7hh0io] I'll give 15mil coins to any newb who writes a new area using mudl.[/quote:2f7hh0io][/quote:2f7hh0io]


are you phawking out of your mind? like hell i'll give anyone coins for doing stuff for the mud. you should be doing it anyway.. you want to bring more life to Sloth? then get off your damn lazy asses and do something.. i've been around for almost 10 years, i have brought tons of people to sloth, a lot have stayed... i have tested areas/mobs for imms, been smited for fun. had quests for players to hunt me. and assisted in ideas for descripts, mobs, and items.. not to mention my stupid mini quests and token trivia i like to do.. so stfu and help out rather then point a finger for someone else to get an idea..

#1 invite people to try it
#2 lead more, encourage others to get active.
#3 if you have friends that dont play anymore, lie to them to get them back.
#4 sumbit legit ideas to Kj & Splork rather then grouptelling how things should be.
#5 STFU unless you actually have something useful to say.
#6 rinse and repeat..... learn it, live it, love it


PS. juggle if i'm going to offer 15mil for something simple... then i will offer it to someone that pkills you

[Weasel]

I wouldn't say sloth is in a slump at all - there's a huge amount of new skills and spells that have been introduced recently thanks to the busy coders. Maybe people are getting tired of cycling mobs lately to learn all the new spells and skills, which perhaps makes it feel like a slump..

[Autolycos]

sloth isnt the one in the slump. its the playerbase itself, we are the life blood of the game, we impact the changes, and inspire the trouble the Imms go through to improve things...

You have a small group of mid-sized chars trying, learning and playing. There is a large group of noobs that expect everything to be given too them beacuse they said so, most dont even try. And last, a large group of long-time players that are sick of the schyt the noobs are doing, and getting bored of pinching runs to cycle the new skills.

The Imms & staff are always working hard to make new things to keep our intrest. But the gaps are widening.. when a new spellbook is loaded ingame.. you have 100+ other avs all trying to get it at the same time.. and the game appears to get bottle necked.

If some of us pull a little at the top, and run questy things.. hand out eq, tokens like i do for dumb stuff, it gives the little guys & mid-sized something to do while the Imms can concentrate on important upgrades and such, without being harped on.

it doesnt take much to do. the last token trivia i ran lasted 2.5 hours and i handed out 35 hexs/octs and various vault clutter as prizes for random trivia questions, and bringing me strange items. I had a blast, and everyone that particpated, approx 25 people, newb thru av seemed to have a good time as well..

[Weasel]

..no more 'bring me the head of a weasel' please..

[Autolycos]

*scoffs* fine.... Mr. Big Barrel of no fun.....

[*juggleblood*]

[quote="Autolycos":q1tqlhor] 1. WTF? STFUFAH!
2. When I'm pissed I like to number my points!
3. I am a butt pirate!
4. I have fantasizes of putting weasel up my rear.
5. If you ever misquote me again I'll rip off your head and potty down your throat![/quote:q1tqlhor]

Garsh Auto...