HOW'S THE GAME?

[paradisamods]

It's time for another round of Game Discussion, also known as

HOW'S THE GAME?

Here we come together to discuss the game, its plots, the settings, and just about anything we can think of that we'd like to talk about, expand upon, improve, change, etc.


This is not an HMD for players and their characters; this should be about the game's function as a whole and not the people in it. If there is something you feel is absolutely necessary to address that involves a specific person, please IM a mod first to discuss it. We can be reached at valawie (Valerie), fan of todd (TF), or never die ftw (Ashley).

Anonymous will be left off for this round. Sock journals are allowed, but you will have to request comm access to post with them.

Here are the sections that we've come up with. Add your own, and we'll edit it into the list. :)

➜ HOW ARE THE MODS DOING?
➜ HOW IS THE ONE-MONTH APP RULE WORKING?
➜ APPLICATION PROCESS CHANGES
➜ ACTIVITY CHECK
➜ HMD
➜ PARADISA BEYOND
➜ PRISON & PRISONERS

PLOTS
➜ ARE WE READY FOR DARKER PLOTS AGAIN?
➜ WORLD PLOT
➜ MINI EVENTS/PLOTS
➜ WHAT PLOTS DO YOU WANT TO SEE?
➜ WORLD PLOT HIATUS PLOT PROPOSAL

Comments

HOW ARE THE MODS DOING?

[paradisamods]

Recently the staff underwent some big changes. We have a brand new mod team, and we would like to know how you feel the team is doing. Do you have any suggestions? Is there anything you would like to see? Feel free to give us any feedback you have as it will all be welcomed and appreciated!

Re: HOW ARE THE MODS DOING?

[icarustattoo.livejournal.com]

I'm just wondering if you guys were going to be looking for new helpers! With TF and Ashley stepping up to mod (is Jenn stepping down to helper I don't even know ......) and Dolly dropping, are we okay on the helper front? I know the game has shrunk a little, so it would make sense if we wouldn't need helpers immediately.

HOW IS THE ONE-MONTH APP RULE WORKING?

[paradisamods]

Since the last HTG, the rule has been modified so that a player must wait a period of one month after applying for a character before they are allowed to apply for another character.

Do you feel this rule is working? Do you feel it is still a necessary rule to keep around? Give us your thoughts!

[emit.livejournal.com]

I like this rule, since it can serve as a good deterrent for spur of the moment applying, but maybe we could amend it a little in the case of new players. Perhaps let a (completely) new person apply for two characters to start and see how that works? It can be sort of frustrating to be kept at one character when someone might be perfectly capable of limiting themselves or playing two or whatever.

It's just a thought, and I totally wouldn't mind hearing more if I'm missing something on it. :)

[detectivegenius.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm a little biased right now because I have a second character I want to app and am a little bummed to have to wait a whole entire month to be able to app again, but I like the idea of a new character every two weeks for a month and then a new one every month. So potentially saying, app 1 chara, two weeks later app 2nd chara, two weeks after that (one month after the first), app a 3rd chara, but then wait another month from the 3rd to app a 4th chara, so and so on. I do like the thought of a couple weeks to get situated with a new character though (since I would probably focus on just one character for a bit at first anyway if you could app more than one before doing anything with the other) so I support not being able to app two at the same time.

[orgrimmar.livejournal.com]

As far as I am concerned, this really isn't a rule that I feel is necessary any more. The fact that "the new staff" seems to be all about not using charts and regulating people's activity as harshly, why place a limit on applications?

If people prove to handle multiple characters, great! If they cannot handle their characters, I don't see why others cannot tell us or the player in general that their activity needs to shape up or they shouldn't spread themselves too thin. This is an issue that I have seen people address in many a HMD to serious consideration by most player that has received the critique, so I don't really see a problem with it in the long run, to be honest.

Not to mention, with the game significantly smaller, what harm could more characters in the castle bring about?

APPLICATION PROCESS CHANGES

[paradisamods]

REGARDING ALL APPLICATIONS

Applications that are asked for revisions are now given 72 hours to make the requested revisions. Once the 72 hours pass, the application will be declined and the character will become available for anyone interested in applying for them. Applicants will need to re-apply if they pass the 72 hour window.

If we receive an application but need more time to review the application/canon, staff will reply with "APPLICATION FILED" and added to a list of applications that need to be reviewed.

REGARDING RE-APPS

In order to be eligible for re-applying with memories, the character in question must have been in the game for a period of 3 months or longer.

Players are only allowed to play one re-apped character at a time.

Applications for re-apps will be open to all players for a period of 2 weeks every 3 months.



Do these seem like fair guidelines? Please let us know what you think.

[gentleidealist]

Hmm. 72 hours seems pretty standard, but if the person apping has a question or they need more time due to busy schedules, can they ask for an extension?

ACTIVITY CHECK

[paradisamods]

Currently, players are asked to make 2 posts a month per character. If 2 posts are not made, a post goes up asking for additional threads to supplement their activity.

Recently, if a player does not meet the activity requirements through posts or threads, they have been given the option of making 3 posts in the next month.

There have been very few cases in which this is necessary, but it should be mentioned so that the playerbase is aware that, if all else fails, they have this option. Everyone has rough months, after all!

[gottaknockhard.livejournal.com]

I think you all have been very fair in regards to this. The current activity requirements seems totally reasonable to me.

Re: ACTIVITY CHECK

[hesam-bb.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind some discussion about AC when a person has applied for a hiatus that spans almost 3/4 of a month?

I've noticed a few people have been put on AC notice when they've had a hiatus listing about 3 weeks of the month. I know from personal experience being out of the game for that long, you don't know where to start to try and make sure you have a decent post to put up for tagging, or where to go to put yourself in threads. And you also don't want to be the one putting up a last minute post to make sure you scrape in.

The other thing I was curious about is if there's a difference for those who have more than one character and you go on hiatus for a long period of time. They have to do at least one post, but if they have 3 characters that ends up being 2 posts extra for them as opposed to someone who has less characters.

Wouldn't mind knowing how those things get handled, that's all.

Re: ACTIVITY CHECK

[coolguysangel.livejournal.com]

I'm new to the game, and I really like this policy. First month is always the hardest in regards to getting involved, so I like that "second chance" with the three posts in the month that follows. ♥

[descendent]

Can you guys actually put on the hiatus page located on livejournal that if we are gone for x amount of days/weeks, we owe one post? Because I went on hiatus and thought I had myself covered from having to make any posts at all (which is why I went on hiatus in the first place), and apparently I wasn't. I don't know if this rule was there before I went on hiatus (I can't remember) but I thought I was safe from AC. I don't look at the wiki unless the information I want isn't available on any of the LJ pages I can find and I think that it would be a little easier if all the information wasn't spread out on two sources (instead, have it all on the one page rather than a bit here and a bit there) because I would've extended my hiatus if I had seen this on the LJ page. (I know it's my fault that I didn't look at the wiki page, but I think it'd really make it less stressful if it was available on the page we sign up for a hiatus on.)

I think it's great that you guys are allowing three posts for the next month.

How many threads equal a passing of the AC? I never know whether what I have - if I haven't made two posts - is enough. Other games have 10-15 comments as the rule for their threads.

HMD

[paradisamods]

It seems as though recent rounds of HMD have been very quiet. In the last post alone, 29 out of 54 players received feedback of any kind. It does raise a little concern as to whether or not the post is being utilized, or if it's at all necessary.

Is HMD too frequent? Do we still need a game-sponsored HMD? Is there anything in particular that you feel is causing a low response? Let us know what you think.

[gottaknockhard.livejournal.com]

I know I've been majorly slacking at this the past few HMDs, mostly due to time constraints. Although maybe there's a way for it to be restructured to encourage feedback? Like broken into categories for people to respond to specific areas without having to think of them as a whole... The frequency doesn't bother me, but it would be good to get more conversation going!

I'm not sure how that would work, but it's an idea.

[molotov]

I personally feel like HMD is way too frequent. We're having them, what, once a month? Every two months? Most people's playing just won't change that much in that short of a time frame. I can't see an honest need for an HMD more than once every three months, max.

There is one other thing in regards to HMD that I know stops me, personally, from participating: it doesn't seem to be that effective. There are a couple of factors to that (people who don't know your canon, etc etc), but a really major one that we've seen happen several times in the past year is that people become really defensive to honest construct criticism, and it just gets ridiculous and drama-filled, and then they don't heed the advice. The only HMD concrit that I've ever seen pay off usually has to do with activity, rather than anything productive.

A second factor to the drama issue is, I think, the loss of anon. Most people in such a tight-knit community don't necessarily feel comfortable speaking out. I know we've had anon issues in the past, but lots of people don't want to bother making socks, and the vast majority aren't going to go against the grain with popular players. This isn't new information, but I really think it bears repeating.

Idk, it's kind of a tough issue, because even when you take out the drama and the fear of confrontation, you're dealing with a lot of people who don't play from well-known canons. And as one of those people who pretty much never gets crit on an HMD due to that, it's not helpful to hear that no one knows your canon, but they love your playing!!! That's great, but it doesn't tell me if Molotov is OOC, you know? HMD is fantastic if you play from a big or well-known canon (Harry Potter, Homestuck, Dr. Who, MLP, anything in the Whedonverse, etc), but it's pretty much useless for people who play out of any other canon. But that's all a problem that I have no idea how to solve.

/ramble over

Re: HMD

[foolreversed]

Having it as often as it is pretty pointless tbqh. I think every 4 months might be easier. It's 3 times a year then, but also an adequate length of time.

Don't bother bringing anon back btw. Idk I feel like the socks get things done without a lot of shitty anon stuff like someone pretending to be more than one person or w/e. People wanna go anon so badly they can take it to the player's anon enabled HMD posts if they have it... and if they don't they probably won't tag the gamewide HMD anyway.


On another note I've found that when people had a question or comment to give to me about my playing they went straight to my hmd post in my journal anyway, meanwhile no one's ever said shit on my comments on the game wide hmd except in the form of reassurance (which I very much appreciate because I'm the kind of person who has a lot of silly worries over EVERYTHING). So IDK, I guess food for thought.

[workaphilic.livejournal.com]

I really, really don't want the gamewide HMD to be eliminated. Every two months may very well be too frequent, and it seems completely reasonable to scale it back to once every three or four months, but I still feel like it's important to have.

In my experience, my private HMDs rarely -- if ever -- get used. I've always gotten more feedback from the gamewide HMD than anywhere else, even if that feedback was just reassuring me that I was on the right track.

Running out the door, so I don't want to get into anon vs. sock right now, BUT YEAH THIS HAS BEEN PI THOUGHT THEATER.

ARE WE READY FOR DARKER PLOTS AGAIN?

[paradisamods]

It's been several months since players have asked for a break from darker plots. (Darker plots including but not limited to plots like the Berserk, high school, & Slenderman plots.) Aside from the villain plot back in August, we've tried to schedule more lighthearted plots.

Paradisa is not a horror game by any means, but the castle itself has always like to cause a bit of distress every now and then. Are we ready to bring back darker plots? How far apart should such plots be scheduled? We want to hear everyone's thoughts!

[gottaknockhard.livejournal.com]

I think so! As long as they're spaced apart by say... 4-5 months, I don't see any problem with throwing a dark plot in. I've only seen a couple that were truly horror plots since I've been here, so I definitely don't think that they've been overdone. (Of course there have been others that have been more serious, but I wouldn't really call them "dark" exactly.)

Also I love dark plots, so I'm slightly biased. Something legitimately creepy now and then keeps things interesting. :)

WORLD PLOT

[paradisamods]

A recent discussion was held regarding how the game should continue with the world plot and the people in the world beyond--if at all.

We would like to take a final vote regarding how players feel this plot should be handled.

OPTION ONE. The world plot comes to an end. Characters are given answers to loose ends and the game reverts back to focusing on castle life.

OPTION TWO. The world plot continues! The First Gens "mysteriously" vacate the area while the game takes a hiatus from their plotline, leaving the region free to travel without interference from the hostiles and their politics. Meanwhile, expeditions to various locations in the world continue as residents discover rest of the world.

Please reply with your vote in the subject of your comment, elaborating or providing alternate suggestions in the body.

OPTION TWO

[encryptedlock]

I feel like the World Plot makes the game more than just a regular jamjar and would become significantly less interested in continuing my time at Paradisa without it.

Honestly I don't have a problem with no end/hiatus and things just continue as normal, but as I am the minority in this I suppose there's not much of a choice.

MINI EVENTS/PLOTS

[paradisamods]

We have been scheduling quite a few player-run or lengthy plots, but seem to have steered away from random mini-plots brought on by the castle. Would you like to see more 1-2 day castle-wide plots brought on by the castle itself? (For those that remember, think March Madness, only not all in the same month!)

[gottaknockhard.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of mini events, but I'd like them to be ... like three days minimum. One day plots tend to flood the comm like crazy from what I've seen, and a lot gets ignored, and then I end up wishing it was longer...

But I'm all for little castle things like that. :)

WHAT PLOTS DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

[paradisamods]

As always, we'd like your feedback on any plots you'd like to see in the future. Perhaps you have an idea but don't know where to begin writing it up yourself, or maybe you have a question about something you'd like to try but aren't sure how it would work. If it's related to plots you'd like to see happen, it goes here.

[gottaknockhard.livejournal.com]

Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace.

Something in space. ... That's the extent of my request.

(I am biased.)

WORLD PLOT HIATUS proposed plot idea... thing - 1/2

[custodismundi.livejournal.com]

Hey guys! So, a few weeks ago, I pitched an idea to the moderators about a plot that might explain the absence of the world plot (first gens, etc) in Paradisa, ICly speaking. However, since it involves a state of changing the general way of things, they requested that I get feedback from all of you before deciding whether to go through with it.

Please keep in mind this is just a skeleton and before anything concrete is solidified, we are tossing around ideas. Things could change and will absolutely be added in terms of detail and event progression! NOTHING IS FINAL.

The goal of this plot is to deter residents from interacting with the first gens without things simply "vanishing" or being put on "hold." I also have the goal of opening up communications with the castle and adding a few elements to daily gameplay that might encourage more interaction between the castle, the town, and the way characters take advantage of/abuse wishes.

Basic outline goes like this:

First phase: the catalyst for this change is unknown -- but in the fashion of all world changes, at midnight, Paradisa is different. ...a LOT different. how, you ask? well, it's rather easy to see.

We're not exactly IN the castle anymore. Paradisians across the board will be unceremoniously dumped into town -- a foreign and smaller town than the City Royale, but a town none-the-less. Where are all the townspeople? What is happening? Where's all our stuff? Why are we here? Is this a world change...? The castle is still right there, but... wait, is that different too?

We have become the townspeople of this smaller town, and locked outside of the castle. A NEW castle. During this phase, there will be no wishes, and access inside the building will be totally blocked off. We've been stolen by another castle, guys. What the hell.

What this means for you: this phase is about exploring new land and fending for yourself after your life of privilege, as well as working together. The object is to increase CR opportunities and get more characters "out there" and out of the apathy, run-of-the-mill routine! You will need to find a place to live in the town, and figure out a way to feed yourself! You can go check out all the new miles and miles of land we just got plopped in! Hey, want to go scout the closed-up exterior of the castle and the grounds to see if we can find a way in together? HEY, THIS HOUSE IS TOTALLY MINE I CALL DIBS. Do I have to farm the land?! etc.

The details of the state of the town (how much is provided at the start, whether there will be npc townspeople to help things along etc) is currently TBA. The goal is not to punish your characters into roughing it, but instead push them into working together to coexist in Paradisa again.

Phase two: After a little time to get accustomed to their new wish-and-castleless lives, the castle is going to communicate with us again. Maybe it's through a curious psychic who branched out, or maybe it's a little note you mysteriously found on the street -- however it happens, the castle is TALKING.

After this is initiated, there might be a few little events to test your loyalty, Paradisians! The castle wants to know you guys really are all about worshiping it's awesomeness, and you're not getting inside or getting any answers or consideration if you don't put on a good show. The specifics of these events is TBA, but there won't be any sacrificing of small children or anything traumatic involved, I promise. These will be more about groveling and suffocating your pride to prove you love it, because YOU DO LOVE IT, RIGHT? RIGHT GUYS?

Upon successful completion of a few of these tasks, and maybe a few nice chats over tea with a sentient castle (it likes Earl Grey with its monocle on), we move onto:

Phase Three: The castle is opening back up again, slowly but surely. Maybe some people don't trust the castle and continue roughing it out in the castle/grounds. Maybe they decide to explore the interior. But this castle won't be the same as the old one and things will be interesting in here... maybe some of your curiosities about it will be rewarded? Do you dare? (Details TBA.)

WORLD PLOT HIATUS PLOT 2/2

[custodismundi.livejournal.com]

It will start granting low tier wishes ("can I have some clothes in my size?" "can we have some food to take back to town?"), and if you continue earning its trust... maybe the castle will pay you in kind by granting more of your wishes, guys! Maybe it'll even open up more of itself to you. Maybe you can live there again and not have to work for your keep like you used to. It would continue to build up like this, until there is a pretty good give and take thing going! People are talking to the castle, enjoying its benefits... and not taking it for total granted and disrespecting it! Wow, we're all so mature here in Paradisa.

Depending on how long all of this takes (see feedback notes below), there will continue to be other events as if this castle were throwing losses, world changes, and other things at us. Essentially, it will function as if we were building trust with an entirely new castle in an entirely new region, and are now under its control instead of Cair Paradisa! This means yes, losses and events will still happen. Alongside this, there will be new things to explore in the land as well as inside the castle.

The conclusion of the plot would bring us all back home to Cair Paradisa just the way it was before. City Royale will still be there. It feels like we just woke up from a world change! But a few things will be different:

- Any homes you stayed in or built during the event, along with businesses or land you up-kept, have the potential to be assimilated with the City Royale once we return to Cair Paradisa as we know it. Any homes or business you ran in City Royale will be exactly as you left them when you came back.
- Some discoveries/additions to the castle may be made (new rooms like the Four Seasons? etc).
- Characters who abuse wishes too frequently or get greedy again will be at the mercy of the castle! It might backlash with embarrassing or cruel losses, so be careful not to betray its generosity, you ingrates. (This is optional and up to player discretion, can be handwaved, etc.)
- The line of communication is still open. Whether the castle always feels like talking is another story -- but there is no longer utter radio silence between characters and Cair Paradisa! Maybe it'll reply to a filter or a verbal probing... maybe it'll touch back if a psychic touches it. (Giggity.) Only time will tell!

So, what really happened? Was it a world change? Did it fake us out? Is there really a castle out there, fighting with Paradisa for control and ownership over us? Or was it teaching us a lesson in abusing its generosity and the whole thing was a prank? Could it revert us back to townspeople, closed off forever, and leave us to rot if we don't make it known we love it...?

What should we do now? It's up to you!

FEEDBACK FROM YOU! This part is important:

- The timeline on this plot and the duration of each phase HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. Would you be okay with this building up over the period of a few months to give the world plot time to chill? Do you think a few weeks is all it would take? How long are YOU okay with this development taking place?
- How do you feel about the temporary change of location and absence of wishes? Do you like the idea of going "back to the basics"?
- How do you feel about this level of change overall? Would you rather things stay the same and the castle is quiet, wishes stay the same, etc?
- Is there anything otherwise stated in the outline you have questions, comments, or concern about? Tell us here!

Thanks for reading this tl;dr and humoring my weird... ideas... /leaves this quietly here for your perusal and feedback! I want to hear anything and everything you guys think, any ideas you have, and anything you might think could help us work out the details moving forward.

PARADISA BEYOND

[icarustattoo.livejournal.com]

Someone brought this up on Plurk awhile ago and I've forgotten who, but their concern was that having a separate comm for World Beyond plot stuff is confusing. Here are some points that were brought up to the best of my knowledge:

PROS:
-Doesn't clutter up the main comm
-Keeps things organized for easy reference
-People who don't care about World Beyond Plot don't have to follow the comm

CONS:
-People forget it's there and miss out
-Makes World Beyond Plot seem more exclusive

Thoughts?

[superheroine]

Re: the cons

a) making sure it is listed everywhere as an official community, and clarified on WP posts that the posts are over in paradisabeyond.

b) I'm not sure how that works -- admission to join the comm has always been just about as fast as joining any other comm, and save the players who never joined their older character accounts to the comm, all the new character accounts should have been given access when joining the comms in the first place. What gives it the impression of exclusivity?

PRISONS AND PRISONERS

[icarustattoo.livejournal.com]

Okay so playing a character stuck in prison is boring and lame. Here is an idea I had to fix this? Maybe???

So apart from the recently proposed power dampening collars idea, the only other solution I've seen to being forced to play a character indefinitely rotting in prison is a mass prison break. Of course Tony Stark built the prisons, so they're virtually unbreakoutable. But Tony isn't here anymore, so what if ... some innocuous maintenance light goes on and nobody can figure out what it is because Tony is kind of a dick and doesn't leave instructions lying around and then the prison malfunctions?

I have composed a short video to illustrate my meaning.



This provides villains the ability to break out and do stuff that isn't just lounging around a cell all day, as well as giving heroes something to work together to try and fix. And the beauty about it is, once it is fixed (if ever!!), we'll be able to throw villains back in prison again! Until the light goes on again oh shi

idk it might get slightly repetitive but it might be a good temporary solution? Unless anyone's got any other ideas? It certainly doesn't solve the issue in the long run, but short of the castle just caving in/sealing up the prisons, I'm not sure what else could be done.

[gevurah]

I agree that something needs to be provided for villain types who are currently in the prisons. In the past when having discussed this with players, they mentioned some of their characters would not be able to garner more CR if they stayed in prison forever and they tend to lose the inspiration and drop. Obviously, I don't want this to happen, because then IC consequences and all that never fall through and tl;d no one is happy. ;/ I just can't think of what to do to fix this right now because of how disorganized law enforcement is IC and OOC.

Who is currently in charge or helping out with the prisons?