Post by Morreion on Jul 11, 2009 8:43:16 GMT -5
www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/3274/Roleplay-Servers-Are-Hard.html]Sanya Weathers: Roleplay Servers Are Hard
I liked this article; Sanya Weathers is always interesting to read (especially when remembering her role in DAoC back in the day). And I can sympathize that RP servers are a headache for devs.
She ends the article thus:
I can agree with much of that, but in my mind, rather than have no RP servers at all, I'll take one that is completely the same as a regular server, but just has a designation as an RP server so RPers can go there and find more RPers.
Particularly in this day and age, I do not expect lots of CSRs there. I do not expect expensive solutions to RP server issues (although I'd pay more to support playing there- devs take note). But at least designate an RP server, please.
The comments on this article were thoughtful and worth reading, reminding me once again why I like the typical RP server player.
I love roleplayers. I roleplay because I think it adds color and flavor to the world when people speak politely and use emotes judiciously. I don't talk in thees and thous, but I do say "Pardon me, good sir" when I'm speaking to a higher level character. When I move around an area, I try to avoid running through people. But I do it all on a regular server, and have ever since I tried to handle a roleplay server from a developer's point of view.
I liked this article; Sanya Weathers is always interesting to read (especially when remembering her role in DAoC back in the day). And I can sympathize that RP servers are a headache for devs.
She ends the article thus:
So, after years of trying to enforce the unenforceable, split hairs, and cut babies in half in order to discover the true mother, here's my own minimum feature list for an RP server:
* Dedicated CSRs around the clock, with special training in names and roleplay conventions.
* No OOC channel at all. Take it to PMs.
* No automatic access to zone chat channels or /yell.
* Dedicated community specialist to grant individual access to zone chat channels and /yell for planned events.
* Dedicated event team consisting of at least two community people and a developer.
* Object creator that creates items with no stats.
* All names, personal and guild, to be approved by hand.
* Regional chat moderation tools as in IRC - in other words, the ability to mute a region at will.
* In game bulletin boards and newsletters to share information.
* A warning that must be clicked before entering stating that roleplay is subjective, that no CS tickets asking for a ruling on roleplay minutia will be answered, and that the player's only recourse is the ignore button.
* An unlimited ignore list.
If the company can't afford to do these things? Don't claim to have a roleplay server at all. It only ends in tears. Focus instead on tools for everyone to use to contribute to the world in which they live.
* Dedicated CSRs around the clock, with special training in names and roleplay conventions.
* No OOC channel at all. Take it to PMs.
* No automatic access to zone chat channels or /yell.
* Dedicated community specialist to grant individual access to zone chat channels and /yell for planned events.
* Dedicated event team consisting of at least two community people and a developer.
* Object creator that creates items with no stats.
* All names, personal and guild, to be approved by hand.
* Regional chat moderation tools as in IRC - in other words, the ability to mute a region at will.
* In game bulletin boards and newsletters to share information.
* A warning that must be clicked before entering stating that roleplay is subjective, that no CS tickets asking for a ruling on roleplay minutia will be answered, and that the player's only recourse is the ignore button.
* An unlimited ignore list.
If the company can't afford to do these things? Don't claim to have a roleplay server at all. It only ends in tears. Focus instead on tools for everyone to use to contribute to the world in which they live.
I can agree with much of that, but in my mind, rather than have no RP servers at all, I'll take one that is completely the same as a regular server, but just has a designation as an RP server so RPers can go there and find more RPers.
Particularly in this day and age, I do not expect lots of CSRs there. I do not expect expensive solutions to RP server issues (although I'd pay more to support playing there- devs take note). But at least designate an RP server, please.
The comments on this article were thoughtful and worth reading, reminding me once again why I like the typical RP server player.
