The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

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Mr_Rieper
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The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Mr_Rieper » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:32 pm

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There was a short discussion on my Discord server that I wanted to turn outward to the community, because I feel like I'd like to hear other people's opinions on it. It affects the server quite dramatically, and influences area design just as much as area design influences us.

The question is: What decides which areas we loiter in, as players and characters?

For a long time, that area was Aristotlus Street, outside the Nomad and just before the main gate. Now, it's still outside the Nomad. There are several other popular gathering spots as well, like the well in Wharftown. The most concentrated spot of activity in Guldorand is the area in front of the main gate, as well as (surprisingly) the inside of the Logjam. I say surprisingly because it's one of the few areas I consistently find characters sitting down and talking, for no apparent reason other than the atmosphere.

A lot of other people have complained that Cordor feels too big and empty, but I don't think that's the real issue. There are points of interest that every settlement or area has, and they are places we regularly travel between. The messageboards, the Temple shops, the blacksmiths, the merchants who buy our gems and valuables, the Banks, the drinking fountains and the innkeeper NPCs for food.

Why is it that we choose to stand outside the Nomad rather than sit inside? Is it because we are afraid that we might miss people wandering past? Or is it because the NPCs, rather than make the area feel fuller, make it feel rather claustrophobic? That's my theory, at least. Both the Nomad and the Shanty feel smaller than the Logjam because of seated patrons and people wandering too close, or talking too often.

So here's my question to the server. What, and why. What are your favourite spots to loiter/afk/hang around and if you had to be honest with yourself, why do you prefer to loiter there? What can be done to make the settlements feel more spaced out and have more interesting places to visit?

New players, feel free to throw in your first impressions as well! Those first impressions are worth their weight in gold.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Nitro » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:41 pm

I can only speak for personal preference, but the two main areas of Cordor lower my FPS by a decent chunk, probably from having so many NPC's/fixtures in one area, so the outskirts are naturally more pleasant for me to go to. Same with the new bendir, absolutely gorgeous and well designed, but absolutely tanks my FPS.

As for the nomad, it's a bit of a pain to hang out there are times. Walls blocking line of sight can be a bother for conversations, NPC's wandering aimlessly get in the way and look weird and someone holding a lengthy conversation with the bartender can be rather distracting when you're chatting with some folk you just met about random going ons.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Iceborn » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:42 pm

For me, it depends. I linger in transitory areas - the Hub, common roads, etc - when I want to hook on some chance RP, with characters I may not know or deal with already. Depending the lightness of the theme, I may linger there, or invite the characters to something a little more private, and the level of privacy ranging from something more cassual worth of a bar (The Spider's Web, The Restful Mind), or specific locations in the modules that are apt for the moment, or that have something essential for what I'm planning. Something that I can use as tool for the narrative, regardless whether my character is aware of what may or may not happen.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by HindianaJones » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:51 pm

Shameless plug of The Fool's Clover:
I love hanging out here because it gets a good mix of older and newer characters. It feels like there's always something going on, has a really light atmosphere and this smouldering dark side to it too. The quality of RP really strikes me as outstanding, and that's probably the most attractive thing. It's cool that you kind of see a massive variation in characters who turn up here, but they all have this sort of similar sense of dastardly justice. Best bit is - there seems to be players of all timezones that rock up here.

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Cortex
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Cortex » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:53 pm

I don't loiter.

I wander.
:)

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Daedin » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:02 am

I have to say, I don't remember the last time I actively loitered somewhere. If it ever gets to the point where I have nothing to do but stay put, that is usualy a good excuse for me to log off.

There are, of course, character concepts that can rely heavily on not traveling a lot, specialy settlement based characters like guards and politicians. Which..is a good reasoning for why Cordor is designed the way it is.

At least that's the way I always interpreted it. There's a lot of room for a lot of stuff to happen, and those in charge of town actualy need to walk around in order to make sure everything is still in place.
On the other end, shady and evil folk also have plenty of nooks and niches to hide and conduct their evil business away from prying eyes.


As far as area design for settlements in general? I really like how Brog works right now.

You have essentialy one line of movement that runs west to east and that crosses most of the important town features within that space. One almost always finds someone going to and fro, not just lingering around, even if there's places to do so, the Vergadain's Hall being the perfect example.
Every other feature of the town is not too far away, yet there're a lot of places to go to if you want to, specialy if you're a dorf.

chris a gogo
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by chris a gogo » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:17 am

Players congregate in places where most others will pass though.
This allows them to get role play and find groups and build/create relationships with other PC's while they are idle.

So the street in Cordor rather than the Inn because the street gets more characters going to many locations,the Inn less so the street is the better choice.

In Myon it was the portal area because everyone had to pass through that area.
Old Bendir it was at the gate,not played in that region for awhile so i can't comment on recent activity there.

When you find others in an Inn or away from the main transitional area's the pc's generally know each other already,so when you encounter them your breaking into an existing group which is harder than joining a group at it's creation/start of relationships.
Last edited by chris a gogo on Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

Seven Sons of Sin
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Seven Sons of Sin » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:23 am

I think it boils down to high traffic areas. Areas where you are likely to see/meet someone, and get some kind of interactions.

I think, often, one of the successes of any non-Cordor settlements is when you can show up and there are people hanging out. It's a kind of snowballing effect, because you see people there hanging out so you know that if you go there people will be hanging out, so then in turn you go there, even when there is no one currently there, because will eventually come hang out with you.

Honestly, Cordor gets a bad rep. Because some of my favourite times of the server is when I can walk into X and Y and see familiar places and go, "yooooo suuuup!" and then RP spirals from there.

The difference between Cordor, and those other places, is that it's usually been built up by a cohort of players who want some new faction/settlement to succeed. So they're usually all of a like mind. Whereas Cordor hinges on a kind of ... I don't know. It's like the bottom of the barrel. You go there when there's nowhere else?

Or if you're a Guard. Poor Guards.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Cortex » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:32 am

Seven Sons of Sin wrote:Or if you're a Guard. Poor Guards.
they gotta baby sit those rejected from everywhere else
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Tourmaline » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:51 am

If you remember high school there were always places where crowds of kids would hang out, usually in high traffic areas by entrances so they could check out who's coming and going. And adventurers are basically high school kids, so..

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caldura firebourne
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by caldura firebourne » Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:41 am

IIRC when the main gate to Cordor was "closed for maintenance" people did actually hang out in the Nomad.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Aelryn Bloodmoon » Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:08 am

caldura firebourne wrote:IIRC when the main gate to Cordor was "closed for maintenance" people did actually hang out in the Nomad.
This was actually a thing. As much as I did not enjoy the extra transitions every time I wanted to go in and out of Cordor, I did enjoy the fact that it funneled the flow of traffic in a way that caused people to not miss each other.


The psychology discussed in this thread is one of the reasons I genuinely enjoy there being a hunger/thirst/fatigue meter. The necessity of eating, drinking, and resting will inevitably draw people to certain areas. (The well in Wharftown was mentioned, and it's a great example).

When thirsty, animals (and people) go for water. It creates organic meeting points for RP.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Trojan Woman » Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:50 am

Kwezi hangs out at The Cathedral in Andunor. It goes through a flow of people over the course of a few hours. They are mostly drawn by either doing a circuit of the shops or looking for a tinker. For me as a player, its the perfect rate for marking books. I sit getting on with my work and take a roleplay break whenever someone stops by. It really helps with what is potentially the most boring chore ever. Thanks to all those who stop by for a chat and break up what on a Sunday can be a seven hour making marathon.

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susitsu
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by susitsu » Mon Apr 24, 2017 11:41 am

If I'm AFKing and I'm playing a character with a trickery diety that needs piety, I like going to Mayfields. All I need to do is come around and shift my character slightly here and there.

And everyone hates Mayfields.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by If Valor Were Inches » Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:30 pm

From what I notice, people congregate either by wells, or the most likely route where people will intersect, which is outside the nomad. If something is going on in the inn nearby, then they may pull towards it, as they know people will be there.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Irongron » Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:50 pm

I have considered putting the Cordor dung cart out there, clearing the through fare of the daily manure, in addition to an npc adventurer complaining of the smell

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Nekonecro » Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:57 pm

caldura firebourne wrote:IIRC when the main gate to Cordor was "closed for maintenance" people did actually hang out in the Nomad.

Actually around the same time Anden started working the bar inside. Having an active Barkeep tends to draw people in too.

Otherwise I absolutely hated having that gate blocked, it was rather irritating to go the long way around each time.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by JediMindTrix » Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:52 pm

Cortex wrote:I don't loiter.

I wander.
Best way to go

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Seven Sons of Sin » Mon Apr 24, 2017 11:04 pm

Wander life best life.

I don't know why people think standing around is going to be somehow more rewarding than walking around.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by susitsu » Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:16 am

Seven Sons of Sin wrote:Wander life best life.

I don't know why people think standing around is going to be somehow more rewarding than walking around.
I don't know, sometimes they like to gather up people to roleplay with via poaching in high traffic areas of the server.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Orian_666 » Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:56 am

Yea gotta agree with Nekonecro on this one, ever since Anden got the Nomad and the Social Club (Fools Clover) became player owned, the Inn/Bar RP has seen a great increase. On a good day and if i'm online long enough i'm getting 3+ RL hours of RP behind the bar in The Nomad.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Kuma » Tue Apr 25, 2017 4:25 am

Irongron wrote:clearing the through fare of the daily manure
A scythe WM should do the trick.

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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Iceborn » Tue Apr 25, 2017 4:34 am

Seven Sons of Sin wrote:Wander life best life.

I don't know why people think standing around is going to be somehow more rewarding than walking around.
Not really a matter of "more rewarding" for me. Sometimes I simply linger in transitory areas while I am doing other things OOCly that I can put on hold, or I'm too busy to actually play (or put all my attention in the game) and I just stealth in those areas to have something to read between comings and goings.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Durvayas » Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:49 am

Trojan Woman wrote:Kwezi hangs out at The Cathedral in Andunor. It goes through a flow of people over the course of a few hours. They are mostly drawn by either doing a circuit of the shops or looking for a tinker. For me as a player, its the perfect rate for marking books. I sit getting on with my work and take a roleplay break whenever someone stops by. It really helps with what is potentially the most boring chore ever. Thanks to all those who stop by for a chat and break up what on a Sunday can be a seven hour making marathon.
A suggestion I've found works wonders. Since you have a sign out front, hit that sign with an endure elements spell or something with a similar VFX, it'll draw people in even more.

Edited for wiseguys like Kuma.
Last edited by Durvayas on Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Psychology of Aristotlus Street

Post by Kuma » Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:55 am

Durvayas wrote:hit that sign with an endurance spell or something with a similar VFX, it'll draw people in even more.
Durvayas wrote:endurance spell [...] VFX,
Durvayas wrote:endurance
Durvayas wrote:VFX
Image

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