05-11-2015, 08:50 PM
I've sent out a few PMs to get more details about some of these cons. If you didn't get one, don't think I'm ignoring you! I might just have asked someone else about the same mod/problem/etc already. And you're still welcome to PM me with personal input if you'd like to.
Here are a few things I can explain openly.
Cabins. There actually aren't any unused cabins right now. Two are used by PCs, one by NPCs and the last one locks up so that I can safely store the things that should be locked up such as smoke bombs and player files. I promise that if we had unused cabins, we'd be putting them to work for you!
The OOG tent. This wasn't described to all the NPCs because it would be a breach of privacy for me to explain one person's medical concerns to another. That said, anyone who chooses to announce their medical situations is welcome to, because I know it reduces confusion. Sorry to anyone who was thrown for a loop by this.
Timing. From the PC side, I think the actions of NPC camp can seem very arbitrary. I'll explain how our timings happen.
Weeks before game, the shapers plot out what stories and situations we plan to provide, and we slot those into a rough schedule so that we avoid stepping on one another's toes more than we have to, or forcing players to choose between mods too often. We adjust that schedule right up until a few days before game. After that, we list other stories as "flexible" at the bottom of the page. Those ones, we send out when we have more hands on deck than usual or more bored PCs than usual, or something else that makes the time feel right. The last thing we add is the "at event" stuff. That's merchants, crunchy monsters, NPCs related to overplot, personal plot things, etc. Those we send out strictly according to how many people are awake and waiting to be engaged. So when players are surprised at how late into the night we were sending things to bother them, it's just the other way around for us. To us, the fact that you're awake is an instruction to us saying that you'd like to be interacted with. We don't always know what interaction you want, but that's why we keep sending them. Likewise, when you're shocked at how early the plot stuff started on Saturday, considering the late night on Friday, that's because the early morning was already written down and planned, and the NPCs for it went to bed early, but when the PCs stayed up late, so did NPC camp. We find those mornings exhausting too, but we do them because we're trying to entertain the night owls and still keep on schedule. Matty might be onto something here - if camps were to tell us what types of interaction they prefer and whether or not they need interactions in the night, that might help us to let everyone get their jollies or their beauty sleep as they need. Apart from that, we'll just do our best to learn from experience with you all.
Pros
+ the costuming. Holy smokes you people and your costuming. I can really see the work that some people have been doing over the winter, and even many of the new players really impressed me. Looking good people!
+ the role play. I was really impressed by the good, the bad and the ugly out there. I don't want to out anybody by using names, so you'll have to pat yourselves on the back and know that you did good (or bad, if you're a bad guy).
+ creative solutions. To personal problems, acquiring goods, gaining the combat advantage against orcs, levering political situations. You guys impress me every game, but this game seemed especially on point.
+ mystics. More of them this season, and doing good role play. Good on you.
Cons
- as mentioned by a few others, we discovered some things to be understocked in the bathrooms when we got to site. That should be looking better next game.
- the death of Ange's camera lens. I'll post more on that later.
Here are a few things I can explain openly.
Cabins. There actually aren't any unused cabins right now. Two are used by PCs, one by NPCs and the last one locks up so that I can safely store the things that should be locked up such as smoke bombs and player files. I promise that if we had unused cabins, we'd be putting them to work for you!
The OOG tent. This wasn't described to all the NPCs because it would be a breach of privacy for me to explain one person's medical concerns to another. That said, anyone who chooses to announce their medical situations is welcome to, because I know it reduces confusion. Sorry to anyone who was thrown for a loop by this.
Timing. From the PC side, I think the actions of NPC camp can seem very arbitrary. I'll explain how our timings happen.
Weeks before game, the shapers plot out what stories and situations we plan to provide, and we slot those into a rough schedule so that we avoid stepping on one another's toes more than we have to, or forcing players to choose between mods too often. We adjust that schedule right up until a few days before game. After that, we list other stories as "flexible" at the bottom of the page. Those ones, we send out when we have more hands on deck than usual or more bored PCs than usual, or something else that makes the time feel right. The last thing we add is the "at event" stuff. That's merchants, crunchy monsters, NPCs related to overplot, personal plot things, etc. Those we send out strictly according to how many people are awake and waiting to be engaged. So when players are surprised at how late into the night we were sending things to bother them, it's just the other way around for us. To us, the fact that you're awake is an instruction to us saying that you'd like to be interacted with. We don't always know what interaction you want, but that's why we keep sending them. Likewise, when you're shocked at how early the plot stuff started on Saturday, considering the late night on Friday, that's because the early morning was already written down and planned, and the NPCs for it went to bed early, but when the PCs stayed up late, so did NPC camp. We find those mornings exhausting too, but we do them because we're trying to entertain the night owls and still keep on schedule. Matty might be onto something here - if camps were to tell us what types of interaction they prefer and whether or not they need interactions in the night, that might help us to let everyone get their jollies or their beauty sleep as they need. Apart from that, we'll just do our best to learn from experience with you all.
Pros
+ the costuming. Holy smokes you people and your costuming. I can really see the work that some people have been doing over the winter, and even many of the new players really impressed me. Looking good people!
+ the role play. I was really impressed by the good, the bad and the ugly out there. I don't want to out anybody by using names, so you'll have to pat yourselves on the back and know that you did good (or bad, if you're a bad guy).
+ creative solutions. To personal problems, acquiring goods, gaining the combat advantage against orcs, levering political situations. You guys impress me every game, but this game seemed especially on point.
+ mystics. More of them this season, and doing good role play. Good on you.
Cons
- as mentioned by a few others, we discovered some things to be understocked in the bathrooms when we got to site. That should be looking better next game.
- the death of Ange's camera lens. I'll post more on that later.