State of the game poll

[Salt Merchant]

Just putting a toe into the water.

[Barsook]

I said, "Sometimes things happen, if you wait for them".  Maybe because I'm a off-peaker or it's the role/PC that I have.

[Cutthroat]

Reasonably active, if you put yourself out there. I also contend that's the way things have been for years. If you don't make yourself available for plots (whether by joining a clan or group, leading things, etc) you'll never see them.

[Zoltan]

Reasonably active, if you put yourself out there. I also contend that's the way things have been for years. If you don't make yourself available for plots (whether by joining a clan or group, leading things, etc) you'll never see them.

[Delusion]

That's...

Kind of a strange poll? Personally, I often play at off-peak times and might go an hour or two without seeing another PC. I still find plenty to do IG despite that. Perhaps my somewhat newbish fascination with the game and world is to blame. Perhaps that envisaging a small band of traders as just a few tiny little specks crossing a vast, dusty plain is pretty cool. Or a ranger settling down into some shaded nook. A well-dressed merchant heading to a bar in some hoity-toity pub and striking up a deal. A dude with bone swords setting upon a small group of gith all on his lonesome, and the ensuing display of badassery/premature death and that little band of gith doing their thing. Whatever. Hopefully you can see what I'm getting at there.

I guess I've seen hints of 'plots'? I don't know. I log in rather regularly regardless. Sure, I wasn't so fond of the clanned PC I had due to playtimes and whatnot, but there's absolutely nothing compelling me to place my PCs in clans (and there are plenty where playtimes are less of an issue, too).

[Malifaxis]

Reasonably active indeed.

[Potaje]

I find that at times there is more going on in game than I want to oocly handle, other times the lulls hit and I think, uggg.

But there are many perspectives on plots, types of plots. Some may think that if there is no action to it then its really not much of a plot. Which in someways can make it seem like there is not really much going on. But I for one know that the game world is alive, and if your in a clan and think nothing is going on, perhaps its because you are not privy to all information and it has to be that way.

Somethings the clan needs to build its strength before advancing into further plots.

As an individual or solo/ indie, perhaps you do not see the plots around you because your out side most circles, or perhaps you do not care much to get involved and expect or think plot means by definition another raining mountain of fire. This is not so, nor are hordes of warring gith that decend on luirs during concubine trade week.

Some times a plots main source is simply being available to receive goods that furthers the staff/virtual side of a region altering plot.
Not glamorous, but it does allow for an opportunity to be one many sides of that plot, if one makes themselves aware of it and gets involved.

From such, one plot participation can thus lead to another, though not always immediately, so at least try to keep an active character alive long enough that they are able to be called upon, perhaps more plots will open up for those that seem to be missing them.

Then there is this side, go out and make a plot, instill in others and the game what you want, be it the plot to build up trade relations and a name in that manner or be that warring, raiding group.

As for myself I am a very active peek and off peek player, with a catheter and iv to allow me this pleasure.. (kidding a little). I like to switch around in them, but I can some times put 12 or more hours in, in a day. 

[valeria]

I've never really had a problem with plots, except that one time I was playing an indie for a relatively long period, and that other time I was practically isolated for an entire month and spent most of my character's time doing solo RP with a pillow.  Usually I play in clans, and I haven't noticed any absence of plots to become involved in while playing in clans.  Sometimes while reading the board lately, I can't help but feel that what I think of when I think "plots" and what other people think of when they think "plots" are entirely different things though.  I wasn't really around for any of the big staff-done stuff of by-gone ages, so I don't really have the "oh it was so cooler back in 200#" mentality that some people seem to have.  And then, sometimes I wonder if it really was cooler, or if that's just the nostalgia talking, taking away the boring bits and glossing over whatever gripes they had at that time, in favor of the fun stuff they can remember.

[Semper]

In general action, I think there's plenty. That could be as varied as what an indie hunter would be doing, to way up with politics between templars/nobles/merchants.

Bigger game-spanning plots, and action in the sense of battles, scrimmages between different forces, magick flying here and there, and the stuff that gets your adrenaline pumping? Now and then. I think that's good, but sometimes the waits between last TOO long...  or the action that IS happening is happening in a different part of the Known, and so your char only sees a glimpse (or hear rumors) of it.

[Kassindra]

Reasonably active, if you put yourself out there. I also contend that's the way things have been for years. If you don't make yourself available for plots (whether by joining a clan or group, leading things, etc) you'll never see them.

Yep, I put the same thing, for the same reason.

[DustMight]

These days it seems like option #1, but with no serious amount of RL time to spend on the game, I can't get a good perspective.  Of course, I voted anyway, that's democracy, right?! 

[Semper]

Reasonably active, if you put yourself out there.
Sometimes things happen, if you wait for them.

These two sound like double-barreled questions.
The first part seems to ask what your Arm experience is in terms of action, but the second part is asking how you perceive the action is happening around you when you are either sitting back and waiting for them or actively pursuing them, and only provide one choice for either of those (either you go out and pursue them = reasonably active experience OR you are the person who sits back = sometimes get involved with action)

[Jdr]

I voted the second option, but being an off-peaker, everything happens when I am at work. It makes me really, really frustrated.

[Lizzie]

If there was lots and lots of action, every day, but most of it was low-quality action, or negative-quality action, or neutral-quality action, would it matter all that much, that there is a lot of it?

[AreteX]

I put reasonably active.

The reason I say this is my luck has often been when I make throw away characters(well, almost) with concepts that I expect them to die quickly or be killed by something or someone ect, seem to find their way into awesome storylines.

The reason I say this is because those are my less conservative characters.  The ones that just GO for it.  I don't worry about them living a long time because I think the concept is so awesome I just cant face a death of this character.

I think getting out there and playing and just GOING FOR IT is the way to find yourself woven into different plots, and yes, you might die... but it'll be a glorious ride.

[HavokBlue]

Kind of what AreteX said.

My throw-away characters that were conceived in about 5 minutes before chargen are the ones that get involved in things.

Sometimes I have trouble getting involved in things, but taking risks with your character definitely helps.

[jstorrie]

My PC often has a lot to do, even when their clan is thin. Things are going well.

[Majikal]

I never have trouble finding a plot, though the pc's I make tend to be the plot producing type be it a creative string of dwarf focuses or the elven mentality. Elven mentality is so fucking awesome in the sense that trust trials alone are your personal miniplots. Waiting around for someone else to toss a plot in your lap, you're going to be bored.

Personally I approve that staff haven taken a more hands off approach as far as plot-weaving goes. For players like myself that like to make shit happen I think it opened a lot of doors for plot production. Back in the day when staff handed out 'quests' like candy I found myself feeling like I was getting ushered into turning my pc into what they wanted to see rather than what I wanted to see. If my pc turned down or ignored the quest given by staff I felt like I was being an asshole even if it was ic for my pc to do so.

[Cutthroat]

Almost everyone that's posted in this thread has a positive view of things. I'm pretty curious about the other side, if anyone that voted for the last two options wishes to expound their opinion.

[Lizzie]

I didn't vote. I'm sure there are tons and tons of stuff going on, but I'm not in a position to really know at the moment. So, *I* am not seeing much action. But I'm confident there's plenty of it, and I'm pretty sure most people don't need to "look for it." There's always something going on and if you really can't find anything, you can always make shit up

[KankWhisperer]

I voted the worst one. Mostly because it is my perception that things do change but only when the staff feels like building or burning down a tavern. I don't see the players who actually change anything or get involved in any super cool plots. I still feel like the staff will ignore/brush aside whatever you are doing if you are not their buddy or in their clan. Or if you do get any interaction it is 'WE HAVE COME TO KILL YOU NOW.'. It is probably mostly my own fault for setting my day to day goals for only things I can do without any upward help.

[HavokBlue]

I voted the worst one. Mostly because it is my perception that things do change but only when the staff feels like building or burning down a tavern. I don't see the players who actually change anything or get involved in any super cool plots. I still feel like the staff will ignore/brush aside whatever you are doing if you are not their buddy or in their clan. Or if you do get any interaction it is 'WE HAVE COME TO KILL YOU NOW.'. It is probably mostly my own fault for setting my day to day goals for only things I can do without any upward help.

Those are, coincidentally, both examples of I'm fairly sure are player-driven plots.

[KankWhisperer]

Maybe so. But to me they just seem like staff plots because I didn't see anything but the end game.  I put myself out there as a tool for people to use but I never really am 'invited' to participate in anything hush hush I guess.

People are starving. Someone burnt down something. I think I am more entertained by the rumor boards than my character's life.

[Fredd]

I voted the worst one. Mostly because it is my perception that things do change but only when the staff feels like building or burning down a tavern. I don't see the players who actually change anything or get involved in any super cool plots. I still feel like the staff will ignore/brush aside whatever you are doing if you are not their buddy or in their clan. Or if you do get any interaction it is 'WE HAVE COME TO KILL YOU NOW.'. It is probably mostly my own fault for setting my day to day goals for only things I can do without any upward help.

Those are, coincidentally, both examples of I'm fairly sure are player-driven plots.

In my time I have seen pc's build 2 tavarns, and suspect one of a burning.

I've also been in on MANY MANY small plots... Most of them are to IC to speak of atm and arent common cannon knowledge.

I imagine though, this isn't a complaint about lack of plots in the main clans right? Cause, for the most part, most plots are driven by say Noble PC's played by players.  There are lesser plots out there, but you got to find them. And these pc's that are doing them are generally happy to include you somehow, if it's possible.

Bottom line:
There are several decently exciting things going on right now, this second in the game. But if you aren't making yourself available, you wont see them.

[KankWhisperer]

Define: Making yourself available?