AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic - Is it just me? Or... is Amia really quiet lately?

I can't help but notice the last few days there have been VERY few folks around. I've been busy with RL, so I couldn't be here, but... even today, there's so few...

Is something going on I don't know about? Or.. just an ebb and flow sort of thing?

I'm voting for the 'people have other things they need to take care of' option.

I know I suddenly have to move (hopefully finished this weekend), so it's limited my time. Probably just a mix of RL stuff going on. It's a busy time of year!

I simply do not have the desire to log in of late. All of the vitriol on the forums and the saltiness that some have going on oocly has simply burned me out at the present. Perhaps I'll find the drive to log in again soon but for now, Rania is off in the tower on Caraigh, eating cookies and having Lady Cinnamon out for dances with her Lord Snoogiebear.

It's been an unordinary slow week on the whole, yes. There's a stupidly huge number of people moving for some reason too.

Mad Max was on sale for 10 bucks and I've been enjoying that.

Other then that, just waiting for module/dm updates. Eventually you get to a point with a plot and character development where you can't continue it w/o assistance from on high, so you get told to wait and just have to wait. But there's no real IC reason for you to 'wait' so it gets kind of awkward. "Hey what about all that stuff you were doing?" "Waiting on a DM now," "But wasn't that months ago?" "Yes." It gets tiring, and I don't have it in me to level another alt. So I basically just wait.

There also isn't all that much to do outside of Bendir either; everyone's always there and I can't stand the place.

Also I think a bunch of the people that started a new server that died 6 or so months ago just made a second new server, so that leeched some people.

25 bucks says player numbers go up when tormak gets back.
Also real talk the reason the server is quiet is probably because of the unironically cancerous attitude of "nobody is on so I won't get on"

I noticed this too, I had a little bit of a shock when I logged on a few days ago and saw the incredibly low activity. I had not been on the forum for about 7 months but since that time things have changed a lot. Right now there are ten players on-line, it is like 1/4 or 1/5 of what used to be on last I played during the same hours. I'm not sure what to do really... logging on just to idle feels a bit strange.

#StraightOutaAvernus wrote:

25 bucks says player numbers go up when tormak gets back.

No one will bet against that its a simple fact it will happen.

Hell I'm waiting for Tormak to get back, I still log on and nuke undead and such but its been slow over all.

Well its clear more people lurk on the forums than those who bother to log. So it's the human condition that SoA said about "no one I like is on so I won't get on".

Also, it's the age of RL!

I also made a huge move and can't really log unless it's pre scheduled things more often than not. Now that I have a much better computer at my disposal, I need to give myself a chance to enjoy all the games I've missed for the past two years on my shitty laptop

And honestly, Amia demands a lot of my time and energy when I get into the swing of things. And you can never make everyone happy, so it's also a working up to it sort of thing. I never stay away for too long tho!

There are other DMs you can ask for help besides Tormak >.>

But Tormak's macho attitude, man! :mrgreen:

Show Mav some love, people.

newest CKII patches fixed a lot of what was keeping me from playing (besides ruining my iron man saves) so i've been sinking a lot of time into it again

Maverick00053 wrote:

There are other DMs you can ask for help besides Tormak >.>

you wanna take over my stuff? i'll pm you the deets if you want to take over.

That is what I am here for man. Its part of the job. Send it over and ill see if I can help.

pm sent. lets get pitt out of limbo.

PassionateShadow / Bobowest are DMs on a Star Wars server that was revived. I think DukeDublin plays that server too. A lot of PCs are playing Sinfar now a days too. The rest are either AWOL with RL / Moving (e.t.c) or the idea that if no one is on, then they're not getting on.

When I see Nwn servers with Star Wars / Harry Potter / Excalibur / Lotr in server name, I cringe so hard my old lady thinks I'm having a heart attack.

It's just me, mind you. No prejudice or anything.

Star Wars?

Amia has sort of been heading down a steep incline since the conclusion of the Arcanum plot. The DMs who had the drive and initiative then were pushed our by our player base and the DMs who currently do are having it shoved in their faces when they try to make the server and setting dynamic more or less like what happened to Mana, Kobra, and Nihilus.

Players simply leave out of sheer boredom once that happens.

TBH a lot of people are becoming more and more disinterested with Amia as of late, and word around the street is it is because of issues with the DM team. I am never one to hate monger, I am just saying that I have been told by people. And this is something I have heard for a couple years now, off and on. As touched on a lot of people have left for Sinfar and other servers (just look at the player lists sometime) and it's pretty telling why.

Just saying. We gotta be good to the people we have. Not select groups, but all of them. Stay thirsty, friends. We all love the spirit of what Amia was made for

Yeah it goes both ways. Players get tired of DMs and favortism and the like, DMs get tired of players bitching. So I assume. I've never been on the other side.

Having been on that side if the argument before, I'm so tired of hearing about DM favoritism and whatnot.

DM's do their best to make sure the server is fun and fair for all.

If people don't like that some groups get more DM attention create RP that needs attention. Make big plans, institute big changes. Stop standing around and waiting for shit to happen.

You know that little green wand in you inventory? USE IT. It gets DM's attention. Send PM's to DM's asking for interaction.

Stop acting like DM's are supposed to do shit for you and start doing it yourself.

CratzBlade113 wrote:

Stop acting like DM's are supposed to do shit for you and start doing it yourself.

Mhm. Well said.

I gotta say the DMs are doing a fine job. They can't be on at all times and the game is extremely old in the first place. I myself haven't been as present because my sugars been too high for one and have been working on a couple projects. I am pretty sure that some vitriol and bad attitudes could be playing a role but it could just be real life.

Guardian wrote:

CratzBlade113 wrote:

Stop acting like DM's are supposed to do shit for you and start doing it yourself.

Mhm. Well said.

Speaking of which;

viewtopic.php?f=134&t=87287

Arcane stuff happenings Monday at 8.

There is always ups and downs when it comes to server pop. Considering how old nwn is in general it is surprising there are still players period.

I've always got real life keeping me busy on some level, but to be honest - I'm very goal oriented and lately, there's been nothing for me to chase for awhile now. I'd login and find me asking myself "why am I here?" 10 minutes after logging in. Just no interest in any of my characters and no interesting making a new one (which frankly would just end up being something I'd already have made and played on 2 or 3 other servers in the past).

I still love this server and think it's probably the best, but I'm just suffering from "been there, done that" and not much new to keep me interested. Frankly, I'm not even playing other games or anything, just a sense of boredom and ennui. I'm a dog with no cars to chase here.

CratzBlade113 wrote:

Having been on that side if the argument before, I'm so tired of hearing about DM favoritism and whatnot.

DM's do their best to make sure the server is fun and fair for all.

If people don't like that some groups get more DM attention create RP that needs attention. Make big plans, institute big changes. Stop standing around and waiting for shit to happen.

You know that little green wand in you inventory? USE IT. It gets DM's attention. Send PM's to DM's asking for interaction.

Stop acting like DM's are supposed to do shit for you and start doing it yourself.

If you're tired of hearing it, I'm going to assume you hear it a lot. In which case... Hmmmm.....

All I was saying (in assumption that your post was in response to mine) is that the hate goes both ways for various reasons. I listed the top mentioned reasons, or what I thought them to be. You went on about assuming people who cry favoritism don't do anything? That's kinda harsh, and untrue in my case. Not that I'm crying favoritism either. I'm actually a very strong advocate of meaningful RP that does NOT involve DMs! Unfortunately not all players like this. Sad times.

I can kinda get migrating to the Star Wars server because it's a different experience while still potentially being eclectic and meaningful RP.

… But Sinfar?

Imho if players are going there let them go vOv

Naivatkal wrote:

TBH a lot of people are becoming more and more disinterested with Amia as of late, and word around the street is it is because of issues with the DM team. I am never one to hate monger, I am just saying that I have been told by people. And this is something I have heard for a couple years now, off and on. As touched on a lot of people have left for Sinfar and other servers (just look at the player lists sometime) and it's pretty telling why.

The reason why Sinfar has those numbers is because you can play whatever you want there no matter if it makes any lore sense or not.

You wanna be a big chested chick with horns, kitty tail and kitty ears and a horse cock? You can be it and go on Sinfar.

Alas sadly we have RP and Lore standards, and some people do not like those and rather play fantasy creations to cyber all day. Which is mostly what Sinfar is about... cybering.

And if you are into that... please, enjoy. I myself won't even go there if 20 horses try to drag me.

Amarice-Elaraliel wrote:

You wanna be a big chested chick with horns, kitty tail and kitty ears and a horse cock? You can be it and go on Sinfar.

Oh? ... See you later, Amia! *waves*

...

Seriously, from what I've heard (never played there so I don't know if it's true), what kind of people would play there? I'm actually scared of the possible playerbase.

I think sometimes people just need a break and then revisit the server once the addiction kicks back in. Personally I would play more if not for my real life responsibilities, being a parent/husband and having a full time job. Plus my crappy Asia timezone does not help. That's my excuse anyway. I still find the server very enjoyable when I do get to play, mainly with the dorfs at the weekends.

That said, returning to an long running overarching plot, like the Arcanianum one was, I feel would draw people back into the game more and give many something to focus on. I thought that whole plot was great until it fizzled out and exploded at the end. I get the feeling now players are just left to their own devices and floating around doing their own thing, which is good for some (and props to those that are) but not for others. There is no reason why you can't have both and which worked before. Maybe there is a plot already in motion, if so, then awesome.

Amarice-Elaraliel wrote:

Naivatkal wrote:

TBH a lot of people are becoming more and more disinterested with Amia as of late, and word around the street is it is because of issues with the DM team. I am never one to hate monger, I am just saying that I have been told by people. And this is something I have heard for a couple years now, off and on. As touched on a lot of people have left for Sinfar and other servers (just look at the player lists sometime) and it's pretty telling why.

The reason why Sinfar has those numbers is because you can play whatever you want there no matter if it makes any lore sense or not.

You wanna be a big chested chick with horns, kitty tail and kitty ears and a horse cock? You can be it and go on Sinfar.

Alas sadly we have standards, and a lot of people do not like those and rather play fantasy creations to cyber all day. Which is mostly what Sinfar is about... cybering.

And if you are into that... please, enjoy. I myself won't even go there if 20 horses try to drag me.

I have hopped over to sinfar to see what is all up with it and she's not kidding you enter the starting town location and you will see crap like that like. ((One case the persons description said their Wang could be used as a +10 weapon.....))

That being said they do have some non-cyber things that are neat.

Some location have crazy high spawn rates, I walked into a zone and they had like a one minute respawn timer *drools* so want that for Caraigh *spawns 30 undead and nukes them only for them to all respawn ontop of me* MASS MURDER SCORES OF UNDEAD!
Being able to buy houses then upload to the server a house you made it the toolset with a wide range of stuff...ect so you could make labs, Inn, faction bases anything you want without having to cross your fingers and hope you can get a Dev to do the work as rules here state players cant submit maps and they are all super busy with spell stuff and otherwise more important things.

I think if we changed it so players could submit maps ((if we have DM thumbs up for area alteration)) to the devs too look over to make sure they are in working order and don't have exploit stuff like hidden items, shops with OP items...ect it could save Dev time and allow players to not feel like your beating your head against the wall when trying to alter stuff even if the player in question did 80% of the stuff for the map and the dev has to just do touch up like linking transitions adding in Amia NPC shop scripts for inns or what have you would it not take a bit of the burden off them?

I know the wardens did a bunch of RP on a GuardTower in Finaag's Pass it has to be like a year or so ago but nothing ever got added,Caraigh wanting to get a lumbermill/stone quarry map with stone and lumber deposits and trainers added given IC its what the island produces but nothing to reflect that in game, bunch of RP on the Mills Inn getting a redo but its a low traffic area so super low on the list...ect

Personally, I feel stuck with my char and her way of doing things which doesnt seem to fit the Amia these days. At the same time, I dont feel like investing the time to create a new one. Secondly, I dont see people around much and feel it bothersome to start looking for them, though there is that new Rp tool thing... Anyhow, major factor is that I feel my char is out of place for Amia. Thirdly, fighting uphill battle of arranging something feels.... I dont know, useless. Tried to pick up things IC and OOC but just out of drive to carry them further. Kind of feel that if you want to make something, it needs to be aligned with the Dm's vision in Amia. No offense meant to Dm team by that, seriously, just mean that if no DM has interest to run it, it wont move on. Which is normal.

Anyhow, character stuckiness is major reason here. Just uninterested to play her as there seems to be nothing for her to do.

Felt like being ignored in the game (by characters as well as players), boring grind to reach lvl 30, gave up. Now I play other games

*wave* Still lurking.... still adjusting to my new job's hours and demands. TBH, in our little communications center room, there are 3 work centers to include 20 computer screens, 6 large TVs to monitor 60 security camera frames..... when I get home, I can barely stand to look at my laptop screen, or any electronic for that matter. Buuuuuuut I miss you guys.

Sinfar has 67 players on right now, and Arelith 35 compared to amia's 4.

This fact is true for almost any day at any time. The fact is that Amia IS actively losing players and not because "nwn is old" but because other servers are doing many things better.

Say what you will but the numbers dont lie, Amia at the time the Server list went down had one of if not the highest server populations on nwn. It has had every advantage since that time and yet has consistently lost ground.

Making up reasons as to why it isnt REALLY lossing players wont help in actually solving that issue.

The biggest complaint I've heard from anyone I know who's moved on to other servers/games is the attitude expressed by players here. And I admit it's had some effect on me even though I've stayed out of most debates/arguments/etc.

No one can really argue that we haven't lost players to vitriol and just...general meanness. I think it has a bigger effect than we give credit. If we culled the OOC channels even a little bit, it might help. But I don't know that it would be enough to recover our losses in any noticeable way. I'm not sure anything we do will be able to.

Also the general lack of conflict does not offer much opportunities for players.

t o u c h e d wrote:

CratzBlade113 wrote:

Having been on that side if the argument before, I'm so tired of hearing about DM favoritism and whatnot.

DM's do their best to make sure the server is fun and fair for all.

If people don't like that some groups get more DM attention create RP that needs attention. Make big plans, institute big changes. Stop standing around and waiting for shit to happen.

You know that little green wand in you inventory? USE IT. It gets DM's attention. Send PM's to DM's asking for interaction.

Stop acting like DM's are supposed to do shit for you and start doing it yourself.

If you're tired of hearing it, I'm going to assume you hear it a lot. In which case... Hmmmm.....

All I was saying (in assumption that your post was in response to mine) is that the hate goes both ways for various reasons. I listed the top mentioned reasons, or what I thought them to be. You went on about assuming people who cry favoritism don't do anything? That's kinda harsh, and untrue in my case. Not that I'm crying favoritism either. I'm actually a very strong advocate of meaningful RP that does NOT involve DMs! Unfortunately not all players like this. Sad times.

My post was never meant directly towards anyone. I have read how much SoA's group has done for RP in the Underdark, and that's awesome! So if you felt like I was insulting you or anyone else, my apologies, I meant it as kind of a PSA of sorts.

Going towards the lore-sense arguments I've read over: If we keep saying the everything needs to fit with the current FR lore, then yes, the probability of losing players is high. But if DM's decide to allow several small, silly requests, that opens the door for allowing other things that might affect the server in ways that Sinfar allows for. I'm all for keeping the lore intact ,but I think the DM's can be a little bit more lax in looking at special characters/classes/general requests that people would like to do. (Not saying "anything goes," but in the sense that they have less strict rules on stuff.)

Nalkanar wrote:

Also the general lack of conflict does not offer much opportunities for players.

You'd be surprised at how much conflict there actually is, it's just not massive. And I know some characters (one of mine included) who have the means and desire to create said conflict. If you ask around IG it's not hard to find them.

Even with personal issues with other players and dm's and whatever, I still sally on. I'm not a DM, so I can't tell people what to do, how to play, ect. I do however make it known when server rules are being busted, more for the benefit of the person breaking said rules. I am glad this isn't Sinfar. I've said it before. I heard there is a "constant ejaculation" emote, and I would be stuck RPing some macabre fountain in the middle of town. I like the lore of Amia. I like the mechanics. It's not perfect, but with such an open ended world it can't be. I still have goals on Amian, and ambitions. There are people I enjoy playing with and the ones I don't generally just need a little maturing. The real question is: Do you think it is different anywhere else? Hell no. People hate each other or love each other. This is universal. Yeah. The DM's definitly get a little love thrown there way player side, but this generally because they are the heads of active factions. Positions they held before they became DM's. Server count 4? I'm one of them. Thats more love for me....maybe? I am going to take my own advice here and say "If you don't like what other people are doing, ignore them". I am going to keep my opinions to myself in regards of other players activities/rp. It's not my business. I am going to continue to enjoy Amia and hopefully make new friends as well as keep in touch with the old ones that remain. Incomming Mav.

And usually whenever such a topic like this one goes on where people sooner or laer start spitting more and more bile at eachother and everyone, the server rate drops even more.

And then some weeks later people return.

P.S. I still wonder why so many people bicker and toss bile who have no longer actively played the game in months and years. I am not saying the DM Team is perfect, but those people are the ones that really bug 'me' personally (and not as a DM but already far before I became a DM) the most and who ruin my mood to play quite a lot.

Americe if you are going to talk shit about players you should have the courtesy to do so directly to them rather than about them veiledly in public posts.

Blaming all player loss on "toxic attitiudes" ignores that there is actual player loss for legitimate reasons. Especially when you give the view that it simply a temporary dip when its been in decline regardless of dips or peaks for some time.

If you dont accept that other servers have stolen players then it makes it very hard to improve anything in order to regain players.

I hadn't intended this to cause more vitriol... actually I was hoping some people would read it and be like, "Oh, yeah, I should play.". Actually... it helped someone too, Mav and Commie are working on something or sounds like it.

Sinfar? OMG, don't do it unless all you really want to do is rock out with your cock out. Me, I'm here for the roleplay that Amia is. I just wish there were a few more around to share that with.

As for conflict... here is a slightly different viewpoint on conflict. First, there is plenty of conflict on Amia, trust me, it's there. Second, I keep hearing people want conflict, yet, whenever there is... there's bitching, whining and arguments over it. I really don't think people want conflict, I think they want one big bad to unite against. Well, IMHO, even if Amians don't want that, that's what they need.

I'm not intending to start up more argument, vitriol or slandering, instead... I've seen at least a dozen people write on here? Why not log in?

The Great Equalizer wrote:

Americe if you are going to talk shit about players you should have the courtesy to do so directly to them rather than about them veiledly in public posts.

Blaming all player loss on "toxic attitiudes" ignores that there is actual player loss for legitimate reasons. Especially when you give the view that it simply a temporary dip when its been in decline regardless of dips or peaks for some time.

If you dont accept that other servers have stolen players then it makes it very hard to improve anything in order to regain players.

I am not talking shit. I am saying what bugs me and sometimes does not make me want to play.

And yes, the "toxic attitude" IS what makes a lot of players leave and it has been mentioned a gazillion time even in this thread. So I fail to see where I am stating something wrong here.

The population fluxes all the time. It goes from 10 players average to 40 in the span of a month for various reasons.

Yes, we've lost a lot of people. That much is obvious. The why is for an innumerable amount of reasons, and I'd never pretend like it's just one solitary thing, because it's not. We have a lot of problems. It's a dying game with a recycled playerbase. This shit happens. To scream and wail about it like a doomsayer is blowing it out of proportion in this context - which is the current flux of activity, and not the general trend for the past x amount of years or however long ago you've played/lurked here.

Amia has a rather out-dated view on Sinfar, I've noticed, and that's just from me poking around their forums and scripts. No matter your opinion on "ERP" they've undeniably made great accomplishments in regards to their coding and scripting. I'm pretty certain they've gotten around multiple hard-coded NWN stuff that they didn't think they could in previous years. Their PC character customization is absolutely amazing, I think these days you can literally adjust any possible thing you'd want to put on your character (clothing, PLCs, for example masks, hair pieces, daggers, books, if you can add it on your PC you can position it, resize it, colour it, etc.). I'm mainly impressed about that since I recall reading about how difficult that was for them to get around scripting.
I think their hak updates yearly or at least it has a few times regularly enough because they spend the whole year(s) actively searching for content and creating new models for their servers. They might be the only server with an active, large drow playerbase that doesn't seem like it has ever waned much and looks pretty lore savvy.
Alongside that, I've heard in recent years from a few people how Arelith has actively been making changes and striving to improve themselves to avoid falling into the traps that caused the Arelith/Amia spilt in the first place. I wouldn't say Amia has ever been completely 3.5 ed lore accurate partly due to the fact that can be difficult on the NWN base, some coding things are hard or near impossible to get around, and there was a bad taste in people's mouth after the extremism lore of Arelith. Amia has always had plenty of homebrewed, retconned or otherwise lore- it's just a Forgotten Realms 3.5 edition based setting which in itself is meant to be mold-able and has a humorous fantasy edge.

Having said all of that I wouldn't be here if I didn't feel like Amia has been striving to make changes themselves and draw back a playerbase. I'd say the same thing if Amia still had a larger playerbase that we should be trying to make the server appeal to as wide a range as possible. I must be one of the few who feel like the forums have actively improved, at one point the flaming got to a ridiculous point the DM team acknowledged this issue, appointed forum mods and started looking out for flaming. Anyone, especially these days debating on the forums is doing so because we love Amia and we want to play here (ideally). If there is a bunch of recent "vitriol" I guess I've been outside of it as I do the weird timezone thing. I rarely seen actual flamers and anyone expressing complaints to me in particular have been doing so in a very civil manner no matter how frustrated they might be. From personal experience it isn't helpful or healthy to imagine insult where there is none.

(^ Ignore the above textwall and read from here for suggestions instead of me rambling)

Someone else perfectly summed up the first thing I was going to suggest, so

CratzBlade113 wrote:

I'm all for keeping the lore intact ,but I think the DM's can be a little bit more lax in looking at special characters/classes/general requests that people would like to do. (Not saying "anything goes," but in the sense that they have less strict rules on stuff.)

As for other suggestions on how to actually solve things people feel are issues, it seems a number of players feel they would benefit from a long-term, overarching plot for the server. I know that I personally and a number of players disliked the Arcanum plot for various reasons, however I think most of those issues can easily be avoided in the future for a new server plot.
Alongside that I'd like to encourage ways for players to connect easier to be looked at. The player tools would be perfect if they weren't so difficult to know about without being told. Most of my older PCs have specific reasons for not hanging around certain places and it can be hard for people to know where to find them when I am online without sending me a tell. (FYI people can always send me a tell if they need someone to play with and I am online.) I know I and many others posting in here do log in when we can but many not in American timezones or only able to log in a few times at most a week.

Is it just me? Or... is Amia really quiet lately?

Who is online