A genuine request for candid discussion

[Dracharla]

I've been mulling for quite a while whether or not to post this thing. Whether it was the right time, the wrong time, the right thing to do, the wrong thing to do, whether I in particular or any player for that matter should bring the issue up. But well since I'm posting, I guess I can say I've made up my mind.

I would add a further note and say, that this post does not come from a place of malice, incredulity, or antagonism. Rather it comes from a deep love of this server, and this community.

Since the start of the new year, the server has been in slow and steady decline. We went from record high numbers on evenings of 18 or 20 people on, to where we are now, that even when the server is online, there are at the most one or two people online if at all, save when there is an event of some kind scheduled, and even then as soon as it is over the server is dead once more.

There have been many who have worked hard to keep this place alive, and for that I think I can say with honesty that everyone is greatful to you. It has apparently however not been enough.

I have never been known for being overly tactful (both a blessing and a curse) so I guess I will get right to my point.

I cannot say that I speak for anyone else, but I think it is safe to say that many of my fellow players (and please feel free to tell me if I am right or wrong) have had the same thoughts that I now speak here at least in passing.

Is the vast done for?

Is it going to close down?

Should we continue to make efforts to keep it active and alive, within the limits we as players have?

These are not easy questions to ask, nor do I expect they have easy answers, but at this point I guess I feel I just need to ask them. I've been playing here a long time now, and it is my sincere hope that I can continue to play here for a time to come. I understand the need for breaks, sometimes breaks we don't even decide we need, but rather that life decides for us. I think it is not so much the length of this current break that has become so stifling, but rather the uncertainty that surrounds it, we do not know if there is an end in sight to it, or if there ever will be one.

There are so many more things I would like to say, but I think for now at least I have said enough. I am not making this statement as a personal attack on anyone, I am simply just trying to start a dialogue between all members of this community, an honest, candid one, to see where we stand. I have a feeling that this is something that has been on the minds of many people.

This for me at least, is not just a game. It is a hobby. A game is something you play for amusement and then you finish. A hobby is something you do because enjoy it, and it gives you satisfaction. I have spent alot of time and effort on my hobby, and I treasure it. I hope I can continue to treasure it for a long time still. This is not my world, I did not create it, though I would like to think that for a time I have played a small part in nourishing it and helping it grow. I have an investment in it, though by no means as large as the builders. And so it saddens me to be so uncertain about this place. It is my sincere hope that, soon that will change.

My warmest regards to the community,

Dracharla.

[AtraAngelis]

In reading the above, I have had the same sentiments and feelings. I too wonder what our status is. Ironically I just happen to send a PM this morning to our DM asking for such information.

I to would like to hear a heartfelt response from our DMing team, namely AG and Taraxa. As for Ono, he has been a beacon of hope in a murky sea. (Shameless plug)
He has worked hard keeping us on our toes, those of us who linger and still call this place our home.

Yet, we still miss our AG ,TL and Psi.

So again I would like to know what our future holds. What is the Future of the vast? What are our PCs futures here? Should we consider finding new pastures? (Don’t read this as willingness to leave, but more like a refugee from ones home.) AG, what are your plans? Are you coming back some day? Soon? Later? Never?

Might the vast run under some other owner or incarnation? Might there be anyone you would consider helping Onomat with, as in other Dm’s even temporary??

These are the questions that linger on my mind….

[Saxjamm]

Here here.

I too have the same sentiments. Things have gotten very quiet since playing again, and it worries me. Too many of us have gone on break from the game, or had real life things come up. But it seems that during that, the Vast as a whole has definitely stagnated.

Guktron mentioned this very fact in his own thread about the subject, and he's pretty much right. It seems there was some point in time that the Vast reached... and we haven't advanced beyond that point of time, story wise, etc., since then.

Granted, the DM's have worked hard with what they had to work with. The environment of the Vast is detailed. Player requests have been met. So communication, on some level, has existed and thrived. The player base has also had its rocky issues, like any community.

But at this point, it seems like the Vast needs some CPR. And I agree with other sentiments that we, as a player base, should definitely attempt to keep this thing alive as far as we are capable. Perhaps it could string up interested in others wanting to pick up the other ends of the boat. But the truth is, we obviously can't run without the DM's and other staff. It just won't work.

On the other hand, it doesn't seem like it's just low DM appearances and server maintainence that's getting us. It's the player base too. Some of us have been here consistently. Others, like myself, have not. If there is anything the player base can do at the moment, it's to keep arranging times to meet, keep other players in the open in terms of what has been happening (even if it is only a little bit at a time), and hope that interest and participation happens across the board.

[TheRingBearer]

It is a painful thing to watch... this decline from greatness.

Somehow I don't think it was the lack of DMs (Although it may be a factor)... I felt it was the long down-times... the lack of weekly resets of the server... the stucked clocks... that most contributed to this. Also, I'd like to thank the DMs by keeping this forum clean from spam. I know this likely took some time and effort to do so... and it is depressing to see our forum littered like so.

I mean, the times when the server is down for more than a whole week just makes one depressed. It seems to imply that no one even lives with the server anymore (Or at least how I always imagined that the server sat next to AG's pc). Just before the last server outage... I actualy was begining to have some hope. I'd take Dashel (always a blast to play) and with the 2-3 of us, force some RP session. But that weeklong server outage seemed to pop that bubble.

And the stucked clocks is just brutal to any new PCs... At lvl 1 a slinger is one of the most feared villians in the glades... and they can appear in the glades at night. It seems to prevent soloing (even the higher levels) to any significant degree as well... resulting in those brave few souls who join the Vast when its 0/0 player count in hopes others will come have little to do.

This is just my opinon... but I always felt it was the people... not the DMs that made this place great. Sure the DMs built the stage... handed out some scripts every now and then... but it kind of felt like it was just us and other PCs. It was the players themselves that made this place great. In all seriousness, Most of my favorite moments on the Vast... they were all PC driven without a dm in sight. My planting seeds with Keth'ryl... Cooking with Keldorn... the elf that fell down the Well. Although I still hold a special place that first time Vincent dare braved the Vesper road by himself ("You run fast boy!" lol)

Something else I noticed... is that most of us Vastors have such an intense loyality to this server that is simply amazing. Myself included... I seriously feel GUILTY (It seems silly even when I think about it) whenever I play on another nwn server... That is how much I respect and love this place.

Worst of all? I can't help but feel like all that time and effort I put into plotting this awesome event will never come to fruitation...

...

...

ARGG!!! *Goes Incredible Hulk*

Why bother keeping it a secret and a surpirse?

I had hopes of finally hosting the very first Mage Fair of the Vast. But now it seems immpossible to do so now. Yet that trip we did the other night gave me some hope... that maybie... just maybie... we could unite for one last fair.

If it will be our Swan song so be it... But I'll be *$@$ed if I let this server go out without our Mage Fair!

*Points in the completely wrong direction*
To the Quest Planning Forum Cave!

[Dracharla]

Thank you all for your thoughts, I agree with alot of what you all have said.

two quick things

1.) more people post your thoughts! You won't find a better time, and be honest, because well its the best policy.

2.) that being said, please don't go negative or be overly critical. (No one has done this yet, but I just want to nip any potential flame wars in the bud before they have a chance to blossom) We're all a community here.

[archimedes 13]

I just wanted to add that this server has been one of the best gaming experiences I have had and the best online community I've been a part of. I think this is a good conversation to have, and I am glad people are genuinely concerned about the health and vibrancy of the server.

I personally hope to be back gaming more regularly soon.

[JeKylL351]

I also feel the same way about the server. I have met some very important friends here, and hope to continue those friendships. I think it is rare to find a place that truly FEELS like home in the online environment. This feeling came from our commitment to the community, and the desire to see that community grow. I truly hope we can continue to do so. But if the server continues along its present course, no one will stick around to care. I fear many of our truly good roleplayers have left, never to return.

Personally, I would rather hear confirmation that the server is shutting down for good, rather than linger, expecting words of encouragement that may never come. I think the community as a whole has been more than patient, and deserves some sort of feedback.

[Bernissus]

I subscribe to what Dracharla has said, and to the feelings we all seem to have about our great experiences on the Vast. For me, it is essential that we get clarity about what is going to happen with the Vast. Please, DM's, let us know your thoughts about the future of this server.

[okoserce]

As someone who was a long standing member for a bit my hearfelt apologies go out to the players who are attempting to keep the vast afloat. I have since spent most of my time checking out other servers but always feel a bit of guilt as the vast was always my home. The frequent blackouts and minor bugs/nuiscances did a number on me. The rp and minor story development that the players have attempted to develop has been top notch and for that I'm greatfull and to Onomat for doing his best to keep the story going as best he can without AG but it seems that everything has stagnated and we seem to only be limping along and with a skeleton crew to boot. And as my home in a way I'd love to see this place flourish again.

[L3]

Before I found the Vast I really was quite disillusioned by online gaming. Poor typing sped and tendency to watch the keys and not the screen aside I really hadn't found any servers that held any appeal to me whatsoever as a platform on which to build a three dimensional (figuratively speaking) character. It wasn't the first server that I tried but it was the first server I considered to be an online RP home. I have heard similar sentiments from others as well. Although for the most part recently I have been RPing at another server, (One similar in some ways to the Vast in it's better days, and also I think largely influenced by it) the vast wil always be the first server I really felt a sense of community on.

All the server politics and little things aside it gave me an outlet while my writing had hit a brick wall and I was recently moved far away from my old pen and paper groups and yes I even learned to appreciate types of characters I had never found interesting before. (believe it or not before the Vast I never thought of halflings as good for anything byut a laugh or two and maybe worth interacting with insofar as checking them whenever stuff went missing) So my RP has grown in scope because of it and I have found a character type that I am comfortable with in a level I hadn't achieved before.

As I said I rarely get in to the Vast these days as it seems when I try it is either down or empty, and as I said I have found an experience much like what it used to be on another server, as have some other Vasters when they need their fix and the server is unable to probvide for whatever reason. I truly hope whatever has happened to the vitality the server once enjoyed, can somehow be rectified.

At risk of getting personal, (but with no malice intended; I know... ..imagine that) I truly hope if it is some persional problem that has caused the current seeming stagnation of the server, that the problem is something that can be resolved by those involved without too much pain or difficulty. We've heard odd rumors I won't go into on this post but I hope that is all they are... ..rumors. Whether you know who any of us are or not many of the players here consider each other and even the DMs friends, (a reason things are often taken more personally then they should be at times here) and we are pulling for you to make it through whatever it is. If the server passes the way all things must eventually I think I speak for most here when I say you have our sincerest wishes that any difficulties you are having will pass as well. The Vast is a big part of many of us as it has allowed us to connect with many people we will never likely meet but who share a vision with us to one extent or another and have played together at making those disparate visions into some sort of unified virtual realism.

I do hope the Vast makes it. I will continue to pop in time to time as I can. Whether or not the server survives though I feel I've been far too long in not saying Thank you to those who built it and kept it goind so long as they did.

Thank you for the work you put in here and know even some of us who may seem slightly disgruntled from time to time still appreciate it.

[Amirsyl]

I'm not sure where to start other than by saying that this post has stirred a lot of feelings and emotions in me that I could take hours to write about. The Vast has meant a great deal to me and there has been no where else that I have found any sort of satisfying role play like I did here on this server. Even though NWN is just a video game, the Vast was so much more. I genuinely cared a great deal for this server and everyone involved in making it great.

Forgive me if I talk about anything that has already been talked about. I have been out to sea on an aircraft carrier for nearly eight months and webpages are too painfully slow for me to browse what's been going on here since I've been gone. So, forgive me if I seem a little lost.

With that said, I am also concerned about the future of the Vast. I am because I intended to come back. I am days away from being able to do so. It was my hope that NWN2 was going to push our community into the future. I held onto the another hope that other NWN RPers would move to ours here as other servers folded. But not ours. Not the Vast. It's still my hope that the Vast will see it's normal anual increase of activity in the summer. It's happened year after year.

What worries me more than anything is the absence of AG on the boards. I am actually concerned about what may be going on for him in real life. Frankly, this is not like him to be so absent from the forums at the very least. Now, I have no idea what is happening with him in his personal life. Not a clue. I know the DMs have kept thier realtionships with the players as a fairly stable and professional. I understand that and I feel a certain distance is a good idea there, especially when emotions about characters can run high when things turn bad. It's just a good idea in my mind and I've had no feeling in my time playing here in the past that my relationship with the DMs was anything put all business so to speak.

But dammit, over the years I have to say I could not help but care for AG, Taraxa, Psi, and Apollo etc etc and so forth in what happened to them in thier personal lives. This server's future is one thing, but the future of teh people involved is another and I have to be honest. I'm a little worried about it's creators because the complete absence is not a good sign to me. Remember, I've not been IG for over 8 months and I have no idea if AG still pops in now and then. I think the first step for me as a player is hearing from one of the creators. Just that would make me feel a whole lot better and then I'll start thinking about what I can add to the server's future.

Bluntly, I'm worried. Again, I have no idea nor any clue what is going on with AG or Taraxa. I just hope everything is alright. I know a certain distance is preferable. But I can't help but care.

As for the server, I have much more to say. The only thing I know as a player that I can do, or any other player can do is to log in when we can and keep planning those events. DM or no DM, that's all I can think of right now. This server's bounced back from a few things in the past. Perhaps there's another platform in the future for the Vast but hang in there together until it shows itself.

Two sents from a player out of the loop.

Take care guys.

[archimedes 13]

That's a nice post, Amirsyl.

[DonniFuhay]

I am new to role playing and was introduced to the Vast as my first virtual world. I am slowly learning to role play by the good examples of others. I am continually fascinated by the details and well organized world that has been created and by the role play of so many great characters. My low level of play has never directly interacted with a DM but that has not lessened my enjoyment.

I just wanted to take the time to say that I echo the sentiments of the long time Vast players who have posted here. It only takes months to form an attachment to this wonderful virtual world.

Character: Dyer Moore

[Algernon's Ghost]

There is some discussion related to this in the DM forums. At this time, I cannot say more than that about it, except that it has just begun.

For my part, real life needs attention. That's also all I can say about that for now too, but I'd guess that whatever the rumors are, they are not true. I'm ok, Taraxa's ok.

Regarding NWN2 - and I thought I was at least relatively clear on this in some other distant post, but that doesn't matter, I suppose - the module will not be translated into NWN2. Bad platform for PWs, and beyond too far too much work.

Feel free to carry on your discussions here.

[L3]

Good to hear you're both okay then. Hope all goes well and things look up for the server soon.