Re-fertilizing Soil

[Hope]

I did some thinking today about the state of the story boards on the site and I feel there's been a real drought. A lot of our focus has been on the Dueling side of the scales but I think the effects have been obvious when we see the soil starting to dry out. What I mean by soil is the storybed that is the foundation of the RoH. The most competitive people don't need a reason to go out and challenge for an opal or a barony or to try to grind to Mage.

I know there's been a lot of efforts to make things more entry-friendly in the Duels but do we think we could start offering different incentives? I was thinking of having events like writing prompts for rewards. Ex: November is Nanowrimo so maybe anyone who posts a story for their character gets 1 Loss Forgiven in a sport. Maybe once in a half year there's a challenge where people write a short story for their character that's anonymous and people vote on their favorite and the winner gets a challenge grant.

These are just some ideas that crossed my mind. Do those of you who are in charge of sports think this is a good idea? Can we find alternative ways to get people involved? Can we water the soil a little bit and go back to the roots and better yet give people a reprieve from the duel-duel-duel and remember that writing is crucial to our success as a community too?

[Gren Blockman]

I would like to see some writing activities as well. I liked the Duel of Guns Short Story Competition and I think something similar might be a good idea for the other Duels. They don't necessarily have to be competitions, you can have activities where character participation is rewarded in some way.

[Sabine]

I have nothing to add really, but...

LIKE -thumbs up-

[Claire Gallows]

Seconding Gren and Sabine.

Also, I dunno how we'd want it to work, but DoM would be down to offer -something- as a reward. What, I'm not sure. But something.

[DUEL Specter]

Really like this idea and mirror Claire's thoughts.

Feel free to send a PM my way if you're looking to include DoM prizes in any future events. I'm sure we can work something out.

[JewellRavenlock]

Loooooooove

[Corlanthis]

I just want to be clear on what you're asking here:

You want dueling rewards for not dueling?

I can't really express the magnitude of how wrong that rubs me.

Also, you're making some pretty significant assumptions here in suggesting that the stories are the foundation of RoH, because no. No they are not. The duels are the foundation of The Duels.

I am all for incentivizing more story writing, but duel-based rewards should

not be offered to do that.

[Sylus Kurgen]

In its prime, a lot of DoS stories revolved around political wheeling and dealing. Which is why I've always believed a lot of the rules were as convoluted as they used to be, but some of our oldest players would have to confirm or deny that theory.

More than a few stories revolved around making deals and quid pro quo for Overlord protection, Baronial intercession, grants, and I think this was the untapped potential behind the now defunct Baron's Council.

[Sabine]

I think this just goes to show that things are changing. Stories and Duels are becoming more entwined as people show a desire to play out the political aspects of the duels and create stories around the holdings (Barones, Opals, etc)

Honestly, just dueling? Kinda meh after a bit. It's the interactions and RP that keep me coming back. I think it's what keeps a lot of people coming back and is keeping things afloat a lot of the time. Many nights there are not even people dueling, just RPing or a duel or two with a lot of RP action going on.

We have had quite a number of people drift over from RDI in the last few years and then new players who love to write.

Hope's player is a beautiful writer. Jewell has so many amazing ideas. Eden weaves her way into character's lives. Lirssa, another awesome storyteller and best cheerleader. This list goes on and on (Apple, Claire, Gren, etc)

To me this could be a cool incentive to draw in those who are more writers than duelists.

If you are already a regular dueler, then you've likely made headway and don't need perks.

If you are someone starting out in duels, struggling to rank up, don't like the grind... then some perks via writing could be neat.

Giving out small perks through the year would be a positive change. I think it could breath life into the history of the duels.

How many people know and play out the history of their barony, for example? How many understand the innerworkings of the poltical system set up within the duels?

I feel like having incentive to explore those things would create a buzz of excitement AND it would help people better understand the rules of the game. Not to mention the more they write and learn about the histories and politics, they may be more compelled to duel so that they can play out some deeper storylines based around the towers, opals, baronies, etc.

We have great turnout for events based around a specific idea/story. Which to me shows people enjoy the RP side of the duels. I could have never dreamed the Battlefield Park Squire tournament would have such a great turnout and SO MANY duels. But it did. For me, it's proof that people need to be engaged with RP and when that happens they feel a desire to duel and weave that into their story.

It's not like Hope said it should be a requirement of duelists to post. It's just an idea to give things a boost. I don't see what harm there would be in trying.

[Ammy Spiritor]

Carrot meets Stick.

Carrot is the RP, Stick is the Duels. The allure of role play writing will only hold so long, and how many will actually want to write forum posts? How many are just Live Role Play Players? RDI has the same issue of many wanting to just Live RP and not mess with forums or read. RP writing and story crafting takes time to craft and work and plan. If it is going to incorporate at all anything the character is doing in Dueling world that remotely touches beyond winning a duel, losing a duel or making out with others, like say improving their fighting style, or doing something noble with the Rank or Title they have, you need stability in the dueling system so Rank and Titles are not lost at a sneeze and are also obtainable before attention span is lost. Dueling and the dueling system offer neither.

Not to mention, how many of your active duelers like to write forum posts for RP? Incentivizing this with dueling rewards as a way to draw new blood in only creates a new problem. You've now given your current pool of players a possible palpable reason to feel irked and robbed of their hard work in the dueling rings losing often and winning little to chip away at gaining rank.

Work on stabilizing on your current issues in the dueling systems before adding in new problems. ROH is dueling. RDI is RP. I am with Corlanthis on keeping dueling rewards to duels, cause that's what dueling is all about, yes? Lots, and lots of hard work for a brief moment of glory and a small bit of reward that does very little to really help you in a duel?

[Claire Gallows]

Not to mention, how many of your active duelers like to write forum posts for RP? Incentivizing this with dueling rewards as a way to draw new blood in only creates a new problem. You've now given your current pool of players a possible palpable reason to feel irked and robbed of their hard work in the dueling rings losing often and winning little to chip away at gaining rank.

Work on stabilizing on your current issues in the dueling systems before adding in new problems. ROH is dueling. RDI is RP. I am with Corlanthis on keeping dueling rewards to duels, cause that's what dueling is all about, yes? Lots, and lots of hard work for a brief moment of glory and a small bit of reward that does very little to really help you in a duel?

Emphasis mine. Nobody said these rewards would only be applicable to new people. That's what things like the new duelist package that was being worked on is for. Rewards like this are no good unless applied fairly and equally across those participating.

I might be weird but the reason I duel is because of what it adds to my writing. For all of the dueling that I do (a lot, ya know) I write more and I am a writer/roleplayer first and foremost. I think the two are able to coexist and thrive off of one another so long as they're given the attention and due consideration they deserve. At the end of the day, this is ALL text based RP so why can't they coincide?

[JewellRavenlock]

I might be weird but the reason I duel is because of what it adds to my writing. For all of the dueling that I do (a lot, ya know) I write more and I am a writer/roleplayer first and foremost. I think the two are able to coexist and thrive off of one another so long as they're given the attention and due consideration they deserve. At the end of the day, this is ALL text based RP so why can't they coincide?

^ all these words

ETA: Everything Sabine said too. She gets a Gold Star for expressing my thoughts so well.

Although, maybe I should find that creepy?

[Andrea Anderson]

Work on stabilizing on your current issues in the dueling systems before adding in new problems.

What issues? Details. I'm not talking of environment, I'm talking of the system itself. What is the issue in the current system?

ROH is dueling. RDI is RP.

No. Both sites at the very core are about roleplay. The duels themselves are just a game mechanic to better support fighting outside of the old "I teleport behind you and stab you in the back." "I don't accept that." "Nuh-uh, accept it."

[JewellRavenlock]

ROH is dueling. RDI is RP.

No. Both sites at the very core are about roleplay. The duels themselves are just a game mechanic to better support fighting outside of the old "I teleport behind you and stab you in the back." "I don't accept that." "Nuh-uh, accept it."

If your attack isn't 25+ words, I refuse to allow it to hit my character! AND I'M COUNTING!

[Sylus Kurgen]

If it is going to incorporate at all anything the character is doing in Dueling world that remotely touches beyond winning a duel, losing a duel or making out with others, like say improving their fighting style, or doing something noble with the Rank or Title they have, you need stability in the dueling system so Rank and Titles are not lost at a sneeze and are also obtainable before attention span is lost.

That's what the Barons and Overlord are about...they protect each other to keep each other in power to do just that. All Loyal Barons means no one can step in to protect a Warlord from a test. What kind of deal with the devil does a Warlord need to make to break up a ring of Loyals? Or get support from a Renegade? These are all RP extensive. RoH IS about RP, the duels themselves are JUST a mini-game.

The Overlord as a title is ALL about prestige. The Barons have WEALTH, INFLUENCE, and a small amount of authority within their barony if the players behind them want to make use of it. Not over other players, mind you, but they can implement ideas to change roads or update matters. Imagination is the limit really. You're telling me that's not plenty of writing material?