Conquest of the Horde

So as I've been contemplating on the RP Hub ideas and making the sample builds for them that same feeling of doubt has been itching at me. This is something that I had to think about the last time I spoke about the Neutral Hub ideas, and if I recall correctly it was also one of the main reasons I failed to actually carry out my plans;

Will the hub work?


To me, the RP hub is a solid idea. To me I can easily see how well it would work out for planning events around and injecting RP into a single spot. I'm of the impression that this could really be a good opportunity to create RP and events.

But...

I have the feeling my thoughts might be idealistic. I've done events before, and usually this brings a similar response: Log on for an event, complete, log off. While the hubs might offer a new venue and some attractions set only to them for a period, I can't help but fear that that is something only temporary. Even if it were to be the C.O.G. Base where there is a heavy importance on the residential aspects I'm not sure if the draw of a community-like hub would be longlasting. It certainly doesn't help that both of the running hubs in the lead on the polls (and in my interest) have a strong dependency on the actions of the players involved-- good if there are people involved, disastrous otherwise.

This isn't a concern for lost effort on my part. I've built test sites for these on the test server, and many different builds which will likely go unused in places like Duskwood and Westfall. I personally don't mind the work, since I like building. My real concern is for the players who will be pushing for the success of the hub. I don't want to see people's work on characters or guilds squandered.


To reiterate, my fear is not to make a hub which has a lot of interest and events, then dies out; my worry is that I'll make another Mimiron's Anchorage, save with small influxes of people when there's an event. Mimiron's was really a painful thing for me, since it was something I dearly wanted to create RP with, but due to timing and other errors on my own part it fell through. I really don't want to end up with another situation like that on my hands.

So I think it's likely best to just ask forwardly, with all of that stated. Do you think a hub can succeed? Do you think that you would personally be involved in it? Do you think that calling for such involvement would indeed be harmful to the rest of the RP on the server? Is this worth pursuing; a single spot with events set in it, or should I simply stick with events which are spread around to different locations and different targeted groups?

I'd like to know. Post comments below, or hit the poll above.

The only problem I have for it is that there already is a neutral RP hub, and those that would pledge to RP in your spot rarely RP in the neutral hubs already available. /shrug

As with everything, timing is always crucial. The success of -anything- on CotH rises and falls depending on timing - will the day time usual's use it, or maybe our night owls. Is there a certain location trend going on at the moment (Everyone loves Dalaran/Booty Bay/Ratchet/Ect. and are people hurting for rp?

Timing is everything.

The only drawback to building certain RP hubs is that the more specific it is, the more you limit who will likely show up there. A non-custom hub example is Ironforge. The reason why RP there is rare is because unless you are there for something specific (looking for a smith or getting utterly smashed on booze), people will rarely make the trek up there. And I know that's not a cross-faction location, but the same principle applies elsewhere. At the anchorage, your target is engineers, and maybe a non-engineer rolls in once in a while but you have to really give them a reason to show up. To keep a place like that running, it needs attention, in the form of not only announced events, but unannounced as well. If you make people feel like they'll miss something by not showing up, they're more likely to be there. It's why people will fall back on a place like BB, because worse come to worse there will be people.

All that said, I'd love to see hubs pop up to vary the RP a bit. I love many of the new locations you've added (ie the mini Horde Camp/City as well as the Chapel in Tirisfall) and would like to see some things sparking even in these. Perhaps use them as a trial and if you can get some consistent RP in one of those then you'll know the time is ripe for a new hub! Or heck, add a smaller hub like those that fits the theme, like maybe not a full blown version of the anchorage like before but a smaller camp or outpost just to see who you can get to show before you make a full out city. And as people show up the camp can ICly grow into a full blown city, similar to how a lot of modern cities started.

*Pets Rigley*


*Headshot. Plops over.*

*Gets back up as a DK* Anyways... I feel that the idea of the Neutral Hubs may only depend on the people who wish things to be built for them; That's the problem with the un-successful Hubs. They're built. But they're built only for a certain type of people in mind. Truthfully, I'd suggest to try and make a Hub that is flexible; A hub for any type of RP, whether it be good, evil, or... Well... In between?

The mad voices rambling around in my head won't allow me to explain much of it further, but basically I am suggesting that if you want a successful (In my mind) Hub; Make something that at least 20 people of this server agree with, or even- Wait, the mad voices actually have an idea.

Make a Hub, which the voices would like to call a 'Community Hub'... Open a post where people are allowed to voice their opinions on what they'd like in a Neutral Hub. Then find a really large, unused area in the world (The Scarlet Enclave for instance), and split it into, let's say 'Districts', each 'District' containing some of the things suggested. Also, this Hub will have a freaky storyline; It's ruled by a bunch of people who are magically maddened to the point they think 'everything is alright, all the time!'. Meaning that good, evil, and neutral can coincide in this hub, as the leaders will have sections of the hub dedicated to them. Events can still be held here because of following reasons;

1. It's ruled by a bunch of insane people... Why wouldn't there be problems to solve and things to discover?

2. The Guards have MPD... One moment they're like 'Hey no fighting' the next they're like 'Oh no it's fine', so good vs. evil fights can still exist so long as they don't COMPLETELY destroy the town.

3. This'll show that Rigley is


4. The Hub has a large labor force of unused workers. And a bunch of insane slavemasters whipping them for no reason at all. DESTROY SOME STUFF IN AN EVENT, give them something to do for all their whipping!

5. Ironically, the evil population has brought with them stolen goods; not so much good for the good population, as the stolen goods just so happen to sometimes be relics of good need...

6. The Hub Civil War between Good and Evil will spark much... And it will bring the Neutral people in because, I mean... The leaders of both parties are insane guys who are like 'Welcome to the War Effort. Here's one gold so you can go and blow up their frontal command outpost.' (Because everybody loves blowing s*** up, right?)

The good thing? Influence of the hub will not cause you to go insane. And the half of the hub that -ISN'T- in an eternal civil war will be a nice relaxation spot with shining beaches and wonderful resorts, soft beds, fluffy pillows... And even a comfy rock or two, for our good barbarians! Essentially, this hub-concept would be a mostly comedic idea over all, but hopefully it would spark much RP, as it would have something for everyone; An insane therapist who also has MPD, and as such doesn't give a s*** on one side, and is a caring individual on the other, Guards that are like 'Oh, it's an event? Sure, you can pummel each other', a Mayor that says 'Well, since I'm the only candidate in the entire town, might as well increase secur- Oh, cake!', and a Blacksmith that is like 'You want weapons? I'll give you... FOAM SWORDS. HARHARHAR. Not really. The Armory is in the basement.', and a town crier that is always saying 'Yes, my precious, we hates those nasty hobbitses. Filthy little thieves, they stole it. They stole my precious.'... Don't forget the church leader who is like 'Welcome to Service, here in our basement we have several hundred thousand random relics which are displayed all too conveniently to be stolen. We're not expecting a robbery anytime soon.' or the Warlock leader who is like 'Welcome to Hell... Here in our basement we have several hundred thousand random relics which are displayed all too conveniently as trophies of our robbery of the church... I mean, what? We aren't expecting a recovery of the relics that are totally not there anytime soon.'

I apologize if I've offended anyone with this suggestion. You may virtually slap me across the face with a sledgehammer made of titanium.

But yah, that's my suggestion... If it's taken into consideration, woohoo. If not... Then... Well... I'm not sure... I didn't plan that far.

*Begins dancing spontaneously*

Good day.

PS: Copy and Paste the song links... I don't know how to do that stuff, sadly.

(11-21-2011, 06:50 AM)FlyingSquirrel Wrote: [ -> ]The only problem I have for it is that there already is a neutral RP hub, and those that would pledge to RP in your spot rarely RP in the neutral hubs already available. /shrug

This.

I touched very lightly on this possibility in my above post, but I am indeed somewhat wary of this happening. While I'd love to put my ideas to use, I really don't want that to come at the price of throwing out other hubs.

On another note I think the carnival and COG hub were pretty inclusive; Though COG was based on engineering the idea was also a general town. There's even an entity within which is supposed to represent the civilian non-engineer population, which will be more evident when I get around to posting the screencaps I have of the trial builds.


I'm honestly very uncertain, though. I can see both the good and the bad, and they're constantly pushing against one another as well as my own desire to create something like this.

I would say that perhaps a good alternative would simply be to pick a spot and try to generate RP there, and change out every month. Might be a bit more plausible, though I'll miss the aspect of the custom hub.

Rigley Wrote:Do you think a hub can succeed?

No. The reason being the amount of people that frequent CotH. We are spread too thin across the variety of people, factions and scenarios we can roleplay. A major reason being that RPers always tend to want to be special and unique, which in the end always shoots you in both feet. Another big problem regarding this is touched on the third question.

Rigley Wrote:Do you think that you would personally be involved in it?

Most likely not. CotH and some of it's inhabitants have burny me one time too many so I avoid taking part in RP that attract the masses to avoid OOC drama and waste of my time. Though this doesn't exclude the possibility of me taking my RP to the hub if it would fit.

Rigley Wrote:Do you think that calling for such involvement would indeed be harmful to the rest of the RP on the server?

Yes, definitly and that is because CotH is too small. No matter the event, the rest of the server tends to be drained for the duration of an event. And people tend to loose interest as soon as it is over, mainly because people on the realm are too used to getting spoon-fed with good RP. Not ever needing to react or think as their character.

Rigley Wrote:Is this worth pursuing; a single spot with events set in it, or should I simply stick with events which are spread around to different locations and different targeted groups?

It doesn't matter -what- you come up with, no single spot will ever interest or allow everyone to come around or do so more than once. Why? The trend to rather turn down RP and hang around OOCC instead of actually putting your character in an akward place or situation.

And for those who do take part of most things, they will make an entirely new character for your hub and cripple the idea from the foundation.


Here are some of the options or variations of your idea I think will best suit CotH and we players;

• A hub with a focus on interactive participation and not events, where IC passivity will have a more dire consequense than taking action and where the bold are rewarded... or get really hurt.
  
  The one thing that attracts most character, or should at least, is money and not those grand amounts that allow you to live like a blood elf. Just enough to feed your family and make sure you can afford that medicine your mother so dearly needs.
  
  The common threat that kept the Alliance and the Horde in line is now gone and the coming threat has not yet been revealed so lorewise we are on CotH in the time when the war between the two factions flare up. This spot might perhaps be one of the last places where diplomacy was attempted and trade was performed before warfare erupts?
  
  BUT such interactive enviroments -will need- more than one moderator. I am a fan of the story following the actions of the characters and I know the time and effort it requires.
  
• Go with what you want as long as it will is shown interest from the players. It is even more important as a DM to be selfish cause lack of motivation forces RP and that is never fun.
  
• Host a story and not a hub. Form a beginning and allow players to run that scenario and place to an ending with their actions. Perhaps starting with the first mentioned option but ending in full out war declaration?
  

But most important of all, do what -YOU- fancy and like to do, other players interest and enjoyment will follow!

I think a hub that would be designed to give any race motivation to be there, any social class, to the lawful and the chaotic, the good, the evil, the commoners and the high-powered, unlike the bay, dalaran, azshara or shattrah, would be the best CotH-custom project to implement.

(Either that or a GM-backed global event to make an existing place fit the above description.)

I'm interested to see how such a place would work, Dave.

Shattrah/Dalaran/Other/NewPlace Peace conference and festival for a month.

Free IC teleports to it from major cities, free food, opportunity for adventure, employment and power advancement.

If pushed by staff and made important IC, sounds like a hubmaker.

For example.

(11-21-2011, 12:22 PM)DaveM Wrote: [ -> ]I think a hub that would be designed to give any race motivation to be there, any social class, to the lawful and the chaotic, the good, the evil, the commoners and the high-powered, unlike the bay, dalaran, azshara or shattrah, would be the best CotH-custom project to implement.

(Either that or a GM-backed global event to make an existing place fit the above description.)

I... don't really know of an idea off the top of my head that could accomplish this, if I'm to be honest.

I believe I am leaning towards not carrying through with these custom hubs, though. The more I consider them the more flawed they seem to me, and honestly I fear they would do more harm than good.

I think the best resolution might be to just focus on different areas monthly, or so on. I'll have to see.

The word trend or hype is something that comes to my mind when talking about the use...or absence of use of rp places. There are a number of reasons why some places are used an others are not. Or to how some places suddenly become well visited only to die out shortly after. It's hard to predict which places will become popular and which won't. It however has to do with choices people make. (There some social scientist inside me rambling now, discretion advised.)

One golden rule is that people who are looking for rp generally will go to places where there are already people present and possibly rping. Generally (at least for me) a group of three or four people somewhere is enough to attract others.

So the trick is, get a group of people (if only a small core) to rp here. The greatest blessing a lonely place can get is the presence of a guild. Places like Stromgarde in the ol' days the catacombs or Nagrand nowadays with the presence of guilds where actively rped in. The first more than the latter, but still. So basically the place needs to be attractive for guilds. There are some limitations however. Neither the place or the guild should not be too exclusive, or in the case of the catacombs the specific ´group´ shoud be a popular one, because people will think their character wouldn´t go there for whatever reason.

Ultimately, there´s a distinct component of luck involved. Nevertheless continue you construction efforts. Because I admire them greatly.

Want my idea?

Horde island -- battlefield -- Alliance Island

OR

Faction 1 isle -- battlefield/neutral -- alliance isle

(11-21-2011, 03:05 PM)Aphetoros Wrote: [ -> ]Want my idea?

Horde island -- battlefield -- Alliance Island

OR

Faction 1 isle -- battlefield/neutral -- alliance isle

Could potentially set Isle of Conquest up for that. I just worry about inevitable drama PvP stuff would bring.

Bah. We'll settle drama the old fashioned way. *grabs bat*.