I've never been to an island other than Ratha because I only have about two hours a day to play, if that long. Of course, playing two hours a day I don't expect to ever make it to circle 150(or whatever they raise it to next), but it's hardly fair that nearly an entire providence is blocked off from me due to the ridiculousness involved in getting there. It took me three days to finally get to Ratha to backtrain some of my neglected weapons. I kept logging on with 2+ hours left on the Skirr and couldn't ever catch it.
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 02:16 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 01:38 PM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 07:51 PM CST
Futility posts aside; It would be rally great if all those developed areas gms and coders past and present spent so much time designing were actually more accessible. I enjoy the islands, however, I too can't really commit to 3plus hours of waiting for boats and on boats. I also fail to see RP opportunity when the population these days pretty much dictates the trip will be solo. Am I to rp with myself on a boat all alone for two hours? Get real. if you read reviews about dr on independent sites THE single biggest gripe (other than price) is insane travel times. Why? Because travel times that are insanely long aren't fun. I STILL have never once heard a reasonable argument for why a degan trip should last more than fifteen minutes. It is a game, in the end.
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 07:54 PM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 08:11 PM CST
>> I too can't really commit to 3plus hours of waiting for boats and on boats.
What about a system that you can pay someone to escort you to the boat and then drop you off at your destination, while offline.
Instead of the informant idea that was a few posts back, why not pay a lookout instead? If you are logged out in the room when the boat arrives and have paid for the service, the lookout could 'watch' the seas on your behalf, then rush you onto the boat. You would then be dropped off at the first port of call the boat makes.
Travel times would be heeded and kept, and you'd do a hell of a lot better with a player boat/moon mage/astral guide, but if you only have 2 hours a day to play, it'd let you move about overnight, so to speak. Let's face it, if your character was that motivated to get back to mainland, they wouldn't harumpf around on the dock and pass up 30 chances because they're not in the right time window for an enjoyable cruise.
If it helps, have the captain of the ship then bill you (debt to the province of landing) for the service to escort you off, and then again for security for the trip (fee based on whether or not the ship was boarded/pirated/etc), to cover your protection while you were asleep.
Just some thoughts.
- Aristron
What about a system that you can pay someone to escort you to the boat and then drop you off at your destination, while offline.
Instead of the informant idea that was a few posts back, why not pay a lookout instead? If you are logged out in the room when the boat arrives and have paid for the service, the lookout could 'watch' the seas on your behalf, then rush you onto the boat. You would then be dropped off at the first port of call the boat makes.
Travel times would be heeded and kept, and you'd do a hell of a lot better with a player boat/moon mage/astral guide, but if you only have 2 hours a day to play, it'd let you move about overnight, so to speak. Let's face it, if your character was that motivated to get back to mainland, they wouldn't harumpf around on the dock and pass up 30 chances because they're not in the right time window for an enjoyable cruise.
If it helps, have the captain of the ship then bill you (debt to the province of landing) for the service to escort you off, and then again for security for the trip (fee based on whether or not the ship was boarded/pirated/etc), to cover your protection while you were asleep.
Just some thoughts.
- Aristron
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 10:00 PM CST
I can't think of any automated system that would work from a game lore perspective. M'Riss is a small island run by smugglers, how long would a lookout survive before someone ratted him out and he was killed?
The Degan was added years ago to make travel a little easier for the citizens who had to spend an entire day traveling to the mainland to circle and train. 2 hours was like a dream compared to what the players were going through back then. Times change and who knows, the Degan may get better sails in the future to shorten the travel times. We'll see.
The Degan isn't the only option for traveling to M'Riss now that we have player boats, moon mages who can gate the distance and the astral plane. If you only play a couple hours a day, gwething for a moon mage or person with a boat and offering them some plats should get you there within your alloted play time. I had one player tell me it took her less then 15 minutes to use the astral plane to get to M'Riss. If I was playing that would be the route I'd take!
GM Alvy
The Degan was added years ago to make travel a little easier for the citizens who had to spend an entire day traveling to the mainland to circle and train. 2 hours was like a dream compared to what the players were going through back then. Times change and who knows, the Degan may get better sails in the future to shorten the travel times. We'll see.
The Degan isn't the only option for traveling to M'Riss now that we have player boats, moon mages who can gate the distance and the astral plane. If you only play a couple hours a day, gwething for a moon mage or person with a boat and offering them some plats should get you there within your alloted play time. I had one player tell me it took her less then 15 minutes to use the astral plane to get to M'Riss. If I was playing that would be the route I'd take!
GM Alvy
Re: The Degan on 11/18/2010 10:13 PM CST
>I can't think of any automated system that would work from a game lore perspective. M'Riss is a small island run by smugglers, how long would a lookout survive before someone ratted him out and he was killed?
I would think a thief contact would be plausible, since there is one for locating a thief guild leader. Granted, that only helps one guild but you could always ask/RP/pay a thief to tell you.
Just to make it interesting, there should be a chance that a thug shows up instead of a contact.
~Sulakhan
"Under the sword lifted high, there is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, and you have the land of bliss."
~Miyamoto Musashi
I would think a thief contact would be plausible, since there is one for locating a thief guild leader. Granted, that only helps one guild but you could always ask/RP/pay a thief to tell you.
Just to make it interesting, there should be a chance that a thug shows up instead of a contact.
~Sulakhan
"Under the sword lifted high, there is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, and you have the land of bliss."
~Miyamoto Musashi
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 01:53 AM CST
>>So pay a moon mage to gate you there.
Some of you apparently find this very hard to believe but there aren't Moon Mages waiting around for you to want a gate to the Islands. I tried for two hours one Tuesday night during prime time hours while listening to classes in the Empath guild, my coin offer topping off at 100 plat and nobody was around to do it.
And in my week on Ratha backtraining in Sand Sprites I've heard three different Moon Mages responding to moon gate requests by saying they will flat out not gate anyone they didn't know under any circumstances.
Some of you apparently find this very hard to believe but there aren't Moon Mages waiting around for you to want a gate to the Islands. I tried for two hours one Tuesday night during prime time hours while listening to classes in the Empath guild, my coin offer topping off at 100 plat and nobody was around to do it.
And in my week on Ratha backtraining in Sand Sprites I've heard three different Moon Mages responding to moon gate requests by saying they will flat out not gate anyone they didn't know under any circumstances.
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 02:32 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 06:10 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 07:20 AM CST
Reply
I just leave an alt that I don't really use anymore on the Degan so I always know where it is. The actual travel time doesn't bother me. Just trying to catch that damned boat is kind of a pain.
~Minstrel Ascot, Bladesinger of M'riss
Reply
This is a perfect example of why it's broken. Finding a moony willing to gate isn't super easy and that's even knowing ones who can do it.
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 08:14 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 09:01 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 09:06 AM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 12:07 PM CST
What about someone with a boat (or a MM with a gate) setting up a weekly time that they would be around for people to do this (for a fee of course) That way someone makes some coin and helps out the community.
Of course anyone with a boat probably isn't worried about making money, but it was a thought.
Of course anyone with a boat probably isn't worried about making money, but it was a thought.
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 12:21 PM CST
A few weeks back, I offered to come out a couple times a week to buy gem pouches and gate people back and forth to Crossing if they wanted the coin in kronars instead of lirum. Never heard a peep from anyone. I'm around most evenings EST and would be happy to set up an arrangement for gating services in exchange for being able to buy pouches with my trader so I have a steady way to train my trader's trading. Win/win? I'd also be willing to set up gates for coin for people, under the right circumstances. It's not difficult with a beacon shard.
Chris, player of Mithyl and a stable of others
AIM MITHYLDR
Chris, player of Mithyl and a stable of others
AIM MITHYLDR
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 12:22 PM CST
Re: The Degan on 11/19/2010 01:58 PM CST