So, yeah. Think it has all been said, but I wanted to leave my impression as well... Considering everyone else has had their chance. Even some trolls. Cursed trolls. I could eat their liver. Hmmm... Liver.

*cough* *cough*

My character is the only reason why I'm still playing this game. I picked it up because Diaboli have fun psychological traits, while Ynnwns... Well, they're big ylians with allergies. No offence meant to the Ynnwn pickers of course... Well, actually... You may take some, it'll make me smile a bit.

Anywho, my character has been built around respecting the race's traits... He's even smaller than most, since I wanted him to look as harmless as possible. I don't want him to be a midget, shrewd, reckless, conniving Ynnwn, so I'd rather if you kept the race... Else I'll just be left with a character with the wrong model and the wrong name. Which is specially frustrating if they keep mentioning the race I wanted to play in the game.

If you don't want to work the race right now, just don't do it: instead of ignoring everyone who has created or interacted with diaboli (i.e. all current players), ignore the people that say there are too many races. They probably complained about there being too much History too.

From PS's site:

9. You have the option to live as an adventurer or as a normal citizen - both paths will be rewarded in the game.

Currently PS has only 2 real needs: becoming stronger than others or crafting something more awesome than the others. It also fails to reward people who spend time roleplaying sociable or scholarly characters. These are my opinions on how we could change it:

• Implement hunger and thirst. This will make people visit the tavern as well as give a purpose to cooking other than combat. Make it simple;
• Reward players for spending time around talking (through system, not with GM's). If you have a way of telling if they're afk or not, you could count the time where they are in non-fighting or crafting zones and are not afk and reward them for that. Make the PP bonus small enough to demotivate anyone from hanging around pressing a random key each 5 minutes;
• Ignore fighting for a while and make some items for the sake of aesthetic. It's more important to flesh out the characters right now than it is to improve the weapons and spells.

His sister was studying outside. Her tutor enjoyed the outdoors, since he considered the best merchant should know and feel the Dome.

Veruno agreed.

That was one of the reasons he would be leaving that day. The other reason was his parents expected him to run the Bloodclaw Inc., but it was a job he couldn't love. He hadn't really seen the Dome. And the beautiful garden where Natrina was taking her lessons was far from being an accurate sample.

Everything was set. A note was left at his father's desk and Natrina already suspected he was going to leave. The day before he had told her the merchant would never understand the thief, because the previous never sells at the latter's house. She didn't even smirk then. She just looked into his eyes with a serious expression for a while, nodded and went to her chores without further ado. He had to smile. Natrina was always the same.

He was just waiting for the night to settle. Then he would go out the front door, with his backpack filled with tria and the tools he deemed necessary for the task: daggers, rope, locksmith tools, tinder and flint, some bandages and some miscellaneous items meant to be sold: fabrics, ornate knives and such trivia. He was heading Hydlaa's way, since he had heard a lot about it from the merchants that travelled from the camp. They spoke of it's self-made men and women, the dramas, the threats... all the fun.

The shadows slowly conquered every space where the light still struggled... Soon the darkness would be upon him. He was itching to venture into the wilderness every Bloodclaw had known to bypass.

"Citizens of Hydlaa, I know of your efforts, your ordeals. I've had the honour of sharing them with you."

An enkidukai spoke to all on Hydlaa Plaza. People were listening, not sure what to make of it. All were quiet, the crowd a mixture of curiosity and ennui... The speech progressed, about his experience, his knowledge of the current issues and troubles of Hydlaa.

But the calm and serenity was soon to be undone.

"I stand here before a false god." he stated. The crowd was astonished. Some threatened him, some gritted their teeth, others just laughed in disbelief. But Chancellor Jekkar showed them it was no matter to grin...

Because the Empire was now returned. The Dark Empire of olden.


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From what I've seen, in PS the first step is the hardest.

The system should be made in a fashion where in a few hours you can bring your character to evolve somehow: be it at magic, cooking, hunting, whatever. I'd make the first levels much easier to train then they currently are. It should be rather easy (let's say one or two weeks tops) to get your character to average level (i.e. less than half the max.) From there on, the difficulty should increase a bit faster (by requiring more tria) and as you reach Max minus 25 or 50 that's when it should get insanely hard. (The time and tria it currently takes to max should remain the same, what should differ is when it becomes harder).

Why? Because when you play a RPG you do it to see progress. If it takes you 10 hours before you can kill a different monster, learn a new spell or get a new recipe, then you get bored and change the game.
Also, if this wish was implemented, it wouldn't change the standard of difficulty in an absolute way. It'd just be more friendly to newer players and to people who don't want their chars to be maxed (the best in the whole wide world), but just skilled (able to actually do something) without spending decades for it. It'd also make some players respect the system, instead of avoiding it.

So, when you use a scoop to measure a water bucket, you get some water pouches. That makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is that you can't throw those water pouches back into the bucket. Worst even because there are recipes that require a bucket and not a number of water pouches.

I'm here to help bring an end to pessimism. So I've decided to create an "I'm Staying" post. I think someone has done it in the past, but I doubt anyone can do it in such a lovely fashion.

So, I'm staying. You know why? Because PS is game with an active, interested community that influences the game. And also because the setting is pretty fun. The players in game are hardworking and make good use of the available mechanics, though these could be and are being improved. It's just fun to be part of something that grows and of a world of magic and intrigue.

I'm also staying because I've seen some of my wishes (not just mine, dully note) been granted:
-Alliance Chat;
-RP Covenant (which seems to have evolved into a RP server);
-RP moderation;
-Guild orientation (guide and moderation);

Thanks for the hard work.

Cooperative Plot Creation's How To

0. Introduction
We all like Roleplaying Games with thick, creative and interesting plots, right? But in a MMORPG it is particularly hard to come by these, because everything is diluted in a mass of players with different approaches and behaviours. It's still possible though!
This HOWTO explains how to create good plots at PlaneShift's Roleplay server, for someone who already understands the basics of roleplay.


1. Before You Start

1.1. Requirements
Make sure you know how to roleplay and do it for a while at PS's Roleplay Server to understand it's general context.

You also need time to spare for this. A good plot usually goes by itself after a while, but the beginning always requires plenty of effort, focus and input until everything is planned and enough material is built.

Never forget to have fun.

1.2. Some Concepts

Material: Refers to everything within the game which influences roleplay and plot creation. Backgrounds, character relations, important objects, etc.

Crutch: A crutch is material invented by plot creators that didn't take place in-game. Use as little as you can.

Input: Actions that lead to the creation of new material.

Cooperators: These are the players who will be helping you, following the script you've all agreed upon.

Participators: These players won't be aware of the script, but will participate as well.

2. Getting Started

2.1. Resources
It's rarely a good idea to start a plot from zero, because it will require you to rely heavily on crutches.
So analyse the material you have: the characters you've been playing for a while, their relations (IC friendships, Guilds), their resources (tria, items, time) and your knowledge of the setting and of other player's characters.

2.2. Plotting

2.2.1. Sketching
Now that you have considered the material you have, you just need to think about the inputs necessary to create the dynamic plot we're after. What/Who can be taken/searched for/attacked/created? Who will be responsible it? Who is influenced by it? Where should it take place? Why would you need help from strangers (participators)? Why should all of it take place?
The answers to these questions will help you get a general idea of what inputs you need to get, what crutches you'll require to use, what types of characters you'll require as collaborators in order to design a plot and the space there is for participators to jump in.

After you have an idea of what you're going after write down a simple, short and coherent script. Also it's best to make several solid and connected short plots than one big crappy one.

Avoid having situation where many collaborator characters interact simultaneously, or it'll make Plot Driving really hard.
Avoid writing static situations (like "Relo hits Juszy on the face."), try to make them as dynamic as possible ("Relo will be searching for Juszy. Relo knows Juszy stole his dagger.") This way you leave space for everyone to roleplay as they want.
Warning: Your plot should have plenty of space for the participators. It makes little sense to create a plot where everyone goes by a script. Make sure most of it happens in public, but plausible, places and leave space for interaction.

Reread the sketch more than once. Is it consistent with your character? Are the inputs capable of being produced without disrespecting settings? Can you actually communicate with that much people? Are there people enough to keep the plot flowing? Make the amends you need.

2.2.2. Cooperation
Now it's time to contact the collaborators. Use as much active characters you personally know as possible (and plausible) and then search the Database to find collaborator characters that suit your sketched plot.
Contact all collaborator players. First ask for their interest and capability in participating in a plot. Show them a little summary of it, no spoilers.
If they like the idea send them the sketch. Listen to everyone's ideas, discuss them and improve your sketch.
As soon as everybody agrees with the final plot, it's ready to be implemented. Finally!

3. Plot Driving
If you did your plotting well, only some few parts will require several of the collaborators to be online at the same time and these parts will be done at times where there are plenty of potential participators around.

Make sure the participators know at all times who they can contact to keep the plot flowing, even if you have to make some crutches, force some acting or even tell them through /tells.

Be sure to be active enough for participators and collaborators to go through you with their findings and progressions.

If things go a bit out of what you planned, try to make use of it, sometimes the plot becomes better than what you had in mind.

Have fun.

4. Oversimplified, but complete, Example

4.1.
Jose has been roleplaying in PlaneShift for an year now. He gets along pretty well with some of other players and it seems he'll be having time to express his creativity.

4.2.
So, Jose thinks about his resources: He's just been playing one single character, Hugthar, who is a glutton of a Kran that worships Dakkru and belongs to the Tefusang Raiders, a guild of lowly burglars. He knows of a guild of miners called Ulberpicks as well, who get gems for krans and decoration lovers.

Kra could be looking for some pretty impressive gem. Ulberpicks could have this gem, a mix of ruby, diamond, emerald... and something else. Kras mates could help kra too... But the  Ulberpicks are too tough to ambush. Maybe this is where the strangers could come in. They could help kra trick the Ulberpicks, or they could be  tricked into buying the gem the Ulberpicks wouldn't sell to the Tefusang Raiders. Why? Hugthar's just has a really exquisite taste.

(Notice there's one crutch already, the mixed gem.)

Jose writes something up: Hugthar asks around if someone can help kra buy a gem from the Ulberpicks, since they won't sell it to kra. People should get interested and ask the Ulberpicks. Ulberpicks should give the gem eventually, to someone who complies to what terms the Ulberpicks impose. A person should return to them, to be ambushed out of the gem.

Sounds fun. So Jose sends the message to the Ulberpick's guild leader and talks about his idea. The Ulberpick's leader likes it. But he says that it couldn't be a mixed gem, but maybe a necklace with all three of them, set into onyx. José thinks "sure, sounds even tastier."
He also sends a message to some of his guild mates to help with asking for help and to help with the ambush. They agree to do it.

4.3.
He plays the first days and spreads the message around, along with a friend of his. They didn't need to be on at the same time, but happened to be.
However during the play the person asking the Ulberpicks told them it was the Tefusang Raiders who were asking for it and so the Ulberpicks hid the gem.
So Hugthar got no gem... And the Ulberpicks are even madder at them now. So the Tefusang Raiders will be searching the person who sang the plan in order to get their revenge.

New material was created, people had fun, everything went well.