DM Locke |
I appreciate the input from Belgrin's player, but I'll reserve the right to determine the severity of infractions for myself, as the DM of this game. In this case, Ariael, I'm going to ask one final time that you not read what is hidden under spoilers not intended for you.
If any of you have concerns about this request, or how I've been handling the game, please feel free to PM me and we can discuss it.
Hezar |
hmm. I guess we would have to let Ariael just wander on out? Seems like a poor choice to me but hey his call.
As to the other, I think the answer is that he asked us not to look. Hard enough to avoid metagaming when you literally can have 24 hours to plan what you are going to do next.
Anyhow lets all just jump back into the game and have fun.
Hezar |
I think Tanner should become Duvall's Cohort!
Hezar |
you go first!
Hezar |
Some how I don't think you will. But I hope I get to be a fly on the wall if you do go out.
Ariael Lafali |
Smashes face into desk over Hezar seemingly not getting it.
Of course Ariael will not actually turn to the undead side. But its fun to joke about in the section of the thread that is out of game and therefore can be used to talk about anything. Game stuff, silliness, life, work, relationships, movies, etc.
Or have I missed something and Locke only wants to use this thread for serious game related conversations that are unable to take place in character??
Hezar |
Hezar smashes his head as well. Sarcasm my man. See how you used it I used it as well.
Hezar |
I think you take me far to seriously
Hezar |
soooo my sarcasm = does not translate
Arieael sarcasm=brilliant comedy
I see I see. Good to know.
Hezar |
Now that is not true Landon. You could get a Vampire or a Ghoul, they still have some flesh...maybe get an amulet of mighty fist with ghost touch and you could get a ghost
DM Locke |
Apologies, everyone, feeling more than just a little under the weather today. Have dragged myself to my computer to let you know am not dead as of yet. Will try and post entry tomorrow; likely will not give you much trouble on route to watch tower, as I don't relish running another combat with 15+ belligerents on each side, the majority of whom are under my control. Might assign each of you an NPC to run in combat if we have such a large encounter again.
Hezar |
yup cant wait to move on! level 3 is so close i can taste it
Hezar |
good luck! i am sure you will rock
Hezar |
how did the interview go?
Hezar |
sad panda here.
Hezar |
was all jazzed to get cookin again! :)
DM Locke |
Thanks, my friend, I hope luck is on my side. The interviews, psych evals and proficiency exams are all done; now I have to wait for the results of my background check and security clearance. Fingers crossed on those, I can only hope that needing medical care after my wife's death in early 2012 won't count against me.
DM Locke |
I'm afraid not; a flat-footed character can't make attacks of opportunity unless they have the combat reflexes feat (core rules, pg 178). As only Ariael and Hezar had acted on your side so far, everyone else was flat footed, and couldn't react to the fast zombies.
I've no doubt you'll be cutting these skinny sacks of skin down before long!
DM Locke |
If Duvall doesn't act by tonight, I'll take his action for him and have him cast bless. In fact, he could have cast bless before combat even started; the evil cleric certainly had enough time to cast shield on herself.... anyways, that zombie is toast.
Sorry for brevity of posts, had wisdom teeth extracted this morning, feeling a bit loopy from the tylenol 3 and naproxen combo.... math also might be a bit off.
DM Locke |
I was going to post the very same question, actually. I know I sort of fell down for a bit during the previous couple of weeks (due to the job application process I was going through) and with going in to have my wisdom teeth out. I decided I really wanted to rededicate myself to this game; I even quit another PbP game (which was great, btw) as I feared if my posting time was going to be limited that I wanted to make sure you guys got my full attention.
But posting has been very lacklustre the past while on several players parts, as well. While not naming names, I am a little concerned that some players are losing interest. Let me have it, guys: what exactly is the issue?
Hezar |
I really like the game and want to keep it cooking, i have no complaints
hedgeknight |
Honestly, I am losing interest. I play in two other games (a third game just folded on here), and run two games, and to me, this game is just not that exciting. No offense to you, John, or to anyone else in the game, but we are low level characters in a game that isn't designed for low-level characters. Were it not for the many NPC's helping us out, we'd already be dead.
And now we have to go recruit an army to help us deal with the situation...which is already way too difficult for our characters to handle on our own. So...I'm kinda over it. Sorry man.
Ariael Lafali |
I'm not loosing interest per se, but another big combat so soon after the last one is a bit much.
As Hedge said, we'd be done for several times over without the NPCs. Which makes it seem like they matter just as much if not more than the PCs. That should almost never be the case, especially with so many NPCs and none of them cohorts.
I actually like where this game could go, with having to try and get various factions and groups to work together for the greater good, so I'm cool there.
I just think these large combats, each with so many NPCs and a super baddie need to not happen quite so often.
Hezar |
I kin of assumed that the army of NPC's would shrink once we finish this first chapter. However i do not feel like they have bogged us down, and had they not been there the fights would have been lower CR.
However if people arent happy perhaps we can work through this fight and if we need to re recruit we do it then?
DM Locke |
@ hedgeknight - I appreciate you being forthright with your criticisms. I don't appreciate you being silent in the gameplay thread, then jumping at the chance to bail on the game when confronted here. Would you have just disappeared, leaving us to wonder what happened, if not questioned here? Your actions display a lack of consideration for me, and your fellow players. I do hope you find a game more in line with your expectations, but you're right, your time here is certainly done.
@ Ariael - the NPCs are organic to the story. Should they stop fighting just because your PC's have arrived? While I agree that they have saved your bacon in combat, none of the NPC's have been decision makers outside of battle. Pontus is the most powerful character in your group, at 4th level, as well as older and more experienced, and yet he has taken a back seat precisely because I don't want you guys to feel dominated. Your PC's are still at the front and centre of the story, and the relationships being formed now, with these NPC's, will come back to roost later on in the game. If you are concerned about your characters' lack of influence on the story, I would consider your inconsistent record of posting before pointing the finger at the NPCs.
Monkeygod |
Ya wanna know why I haven't posted as much?
Its because the vast majority of the action seems to take place while I am either at work, which is from 9am-4pm Eastern Standard Time, and often I am unable to post during work. I try to, with this game and others, but the batter on my cell phone is old, and looses its charge quickly. By 12pm, my phone is pretty much dead, and I need to turn it off and recharge it. I haven't bought a new batter, because I plan on buying a brand new cell phone soon.
The other times I am unable to post, its because its over night, while I'm asleep. Both times, you end up taking my actions for me.
Now, yesterday, specifically, the posts came while I was work, and by the time I got home, I had forgotten I needed to reply, so that's my fault, and I apologize.
That all notwithstanding, my prior point still remains. Its a little hard to get excited for yet another big combat, with a LOT of NPCs, on both sides, plus a big bad. Can we kill them with ease? Possibly, but they've also kicked our butt a decent amount already.
Is there a particular reason the cleric needs to be in this fight? Could it have not just shown up, said its spiel, raised/summoned the undead, and then left? It just makes the combat seem that much more daunting, and harder to win.
You said it before, all these NPCs on both sides made that last combat at the temple drag and was difficult to run/play.
So you throw something similar, albeit smaller, at us literally the next night. If you're just trying to make us scared and set a good mood, you've already done that. We get it, these are evil, vile undead monstrosities that have no qualms torturing the soul of our already dead companion and have said they will do the same if we keep interfering. And that was before we left the temple.
Honestly, you've done a really good job conveying the evil and dreadful nature of our enemies. This particular combat, with the evil cleric and its scythe and more foul undead, just seems gratuitous and almost unnecessary.
Once more, I will say I like this game , a fair amount. But, these big combats have kinda killed it for me, though not enough for me to quit. I don't do that. I'll stick with the game till its dead, or you and the other players decide to kick me out.
DM Locke |
@ Monkeygod: I appreciate that you've got barriers to posting during working hours. But let's face it: playing in a PbP game as a player requires, what, 10 minutes for a post, at the outside? It's not such a great time commitment. But when one loses interest, it can seem like an eternity. I take actions for characters to keep combat going; my organizational skills are what has kept these large combats possible.
Keeping the pressure on your group with this combat was a decision I made on the spur of the moment. It's going to be important for you to realize that the reach of this group goes beyond Tilver's Folly as the game goes on. Plus, I wanted you guys to be third level by the time you reached the Stendarr estate, but I don't like ad hocing xp awards.
I'm sorry that the presence of an enemy spellcaster is an issue for you, but if you're going to stay with this game you're going to need to get used to it. Besides, considering her choice of target, I'm surprised you'd be expressing concerns at all about her spell (which is being used as written in the core rulebook, btw - spiritual weapon is nothing exotic). We'll see what her goal is, but victory in combat doesn't always require cutting down every foe. And recurring enemies that you learn to hate are always most satisfying to defeat, right?
Having said all that, I appreciate your desire to stick with the game. If I could shift the action to be more at night, I would, but I have my own schedule issues. We'll just have to try and make it work.