The Known Lands - D&D PnP on the 'puter

[Cosian]

The Known Lands - An NWN2 Persistent World
by Cosian 03/03/2009 [Edit 3/6]

This review may be a bit premature since I have only been playing in The Known Lands for about 3 weeks. But, with that caveat, I'll press on.

Overview

PW Name: The Known Lands
Running Since: 2006
Current NWN2 Version: 1.22
Server Type: Medium Heavy Roleplay
Wiki: http://knownlands.com/wiki/tiki-index.php
Forum: http://knownlands.com/
IRC: #knownlands on Stratics
Server Size: Currently 20
Areas: 160
Quests: over 100
Playerbase: Unknown. Appears to be over 100 on the roster with 10 to 20 on during peak periods
PW Team Size: Estimate 10+ Active
Audience: Mature Roleplayers looking for a PnP experience
Content: Mature .... I would give it a PG-13 to R Rating...Sexual references..
Death: Semi Permenant

Technologies and Customizations:

In addition to TKL Custom content, the following systems and/or customizations are in place

Models and Effects

Adonnay's Elven Weaponry
Always Summer: Alternate Clothing and Armor
Antenni - Lineage Armor
Ashura's VFX
Barrel of Monkeys and RunnerDuck - Shirtless Saga vol. 2
Cyric the Dark - Elven Darkleaf Armor
Cyric the Dark - Dark Armory
Escrimator's Hand Axes
Heed's Boardable Ships
Kivinen's Item Placeables
Nzdawghaus - Wicked Leather
RWS Bridge Pack
RWS Cave Entrances
RWS Deep Chasm Tileset
RWS Deep Halls
RWS Deep Sewer Tileset
RWS Tower Rooms
RWS Tower Pack

Systems

Charlie's Item Modifier
DMFI Player & DM Tools
Heed's ActionSit
Heed's PC Tools
NWNX 4
Text Macro Tool
TKL Cardgame
TKL Performer
XP Craft

Prefabricated Areas
JAD - Deepsnow Areas
JAD - Dwarven Stronghold

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Review

TKL incorporates policies and systems designed to recreate the PnP DM run fantasy adventure. Start with a nicely done world background with ample supporting lore, add a player application and entry process that requires applicants to really flesh out a character, mix in the concept of fixed party groups with permenant party DM's, sprinkle in a rule set that includes limiting non-DM XP gain to 1000 per week, and you have an environment that comes pretty darn close to recreating the PnP D&D experience.

Getting my character into the game took upwards of a full week. You submit an application and on that application you select one of the weekly party teams to join. Your app is reviewed by the entire TKL Team with the DM of your party giving it a very close look. They may ask you to provide some additional detail or flesh out certain things. The process, though somewhat timeconsuming, ensures your character has a background that will work within the greater weave of the TKL setting and filter out the tourists to boot. If you want to jump into a PW and run around grabbing quests and leveling up, this one isn't for you. If you want to play a diabolically evil toon that just doesn't have much roleplay potential with the rest of the group, you'll be denied.

Now once in, I found the RP to be about the right balance between creating an immersive environment and keeping it light. I would classify it as Medium Heavy. Players are allowed reasonable latitude for OOC action and no one yelled at me because I was running instead of walking when they felt walking was more appropriate at that moment. I found it easy to integrate with the group and there were plenty of folks to help me along and get grounded in Silverbridge; the city where everyone bases from. It's a mature and talented crew here, from the players, to the DM's, to the development team. At the same time, it's not a stuffy bunch and there is plenty of humor and fun to be had. I mean really....who doesn't get a kick out of collecting deer penis to create a special powdered commpound for the local clergy now and then.

The main focus of the sever is the Party Teams. There are upwards of ten teams with membership of 5 to 10 players and one or two DM's in each team. There are teams in pretty much every timezone. Two new teams have been formed in the past few weeks. Your team will have a set weekly play time where you will run together as a party with your DM(s). It is during these sessions, the occasional DM'd free for all session, or roleplaying in an adhoc session with a DM, where you will get most of your XP and top quality items. You are limited to 1000 non-DM XP per week. This ensures that folks that start playing together level at about the same rate. I would also mention that each team has their own private forum where you can interact with your DM both in and out of charater. Yep, just like the old PnP days!

Suprisingly, and as opposed to some RP PW's I have been in, there is still a lot to do if you are on alone or playing on a non-Team night. There are many quests to run, and many scaled encounter areas. The scaled encounter areas are nice and provide a challenge whether you solo....yep that is quite dangerous here...or run with a couple friends. It's pretty deadly running alone out of town as a new toon. Quests can be retaken once per week. Again, you can only get 1000 XP per week but you can still line your purse and get plenty of fighting in. Also there is ample opportunity for some ad-hoc DM action on those non-Team nights.

Death and Dying rules are built around the '-10 HPs mean death'. You bleed once below zero HP but can be stabilized with bandages, or, you may self stabilize with a good saving throw. You get a number of lives equal to your CON. Each time you die, your death counter is reduced by one. Your CON will go down by 1 as well unless you are brought back using a full RESURECTION. If resurrected you do not lose CON, however, your death counter goes down all the same. You simply have to have a chance of permenantly dying in any real RP system. This system seems to provide a reasonable 'pucker factor' when you are surrounded by paralyzing ghouls, while still giving you plenty of lives to work with.

The fact that gold has weight makes things interesting. Essentially you'll need to convert it to gems or high value-low weight items which can then be stored. Certainly it's more realistic, but at the end of the day, my jury is still out relative to what it adds to the game. Essentially you just have more busy work converting and unconverting funds. Perhaps it adds to the roleplaying environment. It does serve to foster more trading, negotiating, and 'perceived value' scenarios.

On the surface magic, magic items, and wealth seem limited. That said, the DM's dole the goodies out quite frequently and in reasonable quantity. Further, you have pretty good chance of getting the items you want or need by keeping the DM advised of the status of your character and what he is looking for. Of course I suspect they are a bit more generous with new toons due to the fact the encounter areas are quite deadly for the 'noob'. I feel pretty well off with my 3rd level character....yet maybe that's because there are really not alot of things to buy and I seem to have plenty of 'cake'. Merchants have very little in the way of magical items unless they have recently purchased something from another PC. In general, I think the lack of merchant items available enhances the roleplaying and player to player interaction.

The crafting system is customized. Virtually all the recipes are TKL unique so experimentation will be needed or you will have to find the recipe. You get 40 'hours' of crafting per week. The amount of time it takes to craft is based on complexity and your skills. There is a chance of crafting failure destroying your materials. You need additional feats in many cases to craft certain items. The high value raw materials are rare. You get non-DM XP for crafting. It all fits in well with the roleplay experience. No one is going to be a high volume manufacturer of items. Since you only get so many hours per week, crafters and scribers need to plan out what they are going to do that week. Crafted items are desirable and generally rank as the second most powerful items in the game. DM's give the best items. Quest items and merchant items rank low on the totem pole as far as value, desirability, and usefulness go.

The Known Lands incorporates a custom resting system that limits the effectiveness of resting depending on where you rest. You can full rest in an inn or similar safe area. You can get a moderate rest anywhere else not classed as a no rest zone. The moderate rest will allow you to regain spells, feats, and heal up to 10% of your HP's in damage (more if you apply bandages before resting). A moderate rest will also restore up to 1 ability decrease (more if you use a herbal remedy before resting) A full rest regains spells, feats, heals all HP, removes ability decreases, AND resets your bleed DC check. As mentioned above, when you take a hit that drops your HP below zero, you start to bleed. There is a default roll at DC 16 to stabablize bleending. However this stabalize DC check goes up by 2 each time you are dropped below zero HP's without getting a full rest in. Characters of level 1-3 can rest every 3 in game hours and everyone else can only rest every 6 in game hours. This equates to about 30 minutes or 1 hour of real time respectively.

The server ran well with 20 on and I experienced no lag while in an area even if there were a number of people there also. However, mass world transitions did cause terrible lag and if you have a big party jumping into an area you better hope there is nothing waiting on the other side of the transition. It appears they have limited the number of people that can be transitioning so that helps. Other than that, I found few bugs and it is evident they have enough people supporting it that bugs that do appear are quickly documented and fixed.

In summary, I have really enjoyed my time here in TKL. It's a professional and talented team with a very active DM crew. It's as close to PnP as I have experienced in NWN2 PW's thus far. I'll be staying for awhile.

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So in my weekly session, our party has stumbled into a ruined temple and have steadily been going further and further down.....since we can't get back up due to a cave in. Aaargh! We'll find out whether I get out alive or not....at some point

[dunniteowl]

Cosian, thanks for that review (as well as your other review.)

If you know of anyone else out there playing, running, DMng, admin-ing a PW environment of any sort, please, let them know that we would welcome and value their reviews of the PWs they are involved in now, or were involved in in the past.

And tell them I said, as long as they come kind of close to your level of review balance, then this would also be something of real value to the PW potential player who comes by to read them.

I am looking to have this sort of thing expand. I would very much like Player Reviews, Admin/DM reviews, and also some PW Team Designer Notes from as many PWs as possible operating in NWN2. I think one of the things we fall short on in the Community (here as well as on the Official Forums) is information that is presented to the potential player or new DM/Team Member that provides them with enough information to get interested in a specific PW.

You can't contact a PW if you don't know about it and if you have to join it to get information on it, then that's not a very effective recruitment tool, is it?

Thanks again Cosian, those are great reviews in terms of how they are structured and presented.
*(in my best Will Smith voice as Hancock)
Good Job.

regards,
dunniteowl

[styraxian]

I agree with dunniteowl - very objective review with lots of good information. Keep them coming if you can!

[SCARLETTHORN]

I agree. Cosian, that was a very informative review. Almost makes me want to look them up at this moment and submit an app.

Thanks for the input.

[Cosian]

Yep Yep! The whole concept of the fixed Teams that play once a week along with limiting the NoN-DM XP creates a scenario where I don't feel like I have to be logged in 24/7 busting out quests whilst trying to 'keep up with the Jonses'. It works with my schedule to be sure.

They also have some pretty cool areas in Silverbridge that lend themselves to RP. For example, they have this pretty impressive theater in one of the areas. Now take that coupled with Brockfannings TKL Performer ... a perfect 10 on the Vault when I looked last..... and you have people giving concerts.

That TKL Performer is one of the coolest RP gadgets I have seen.

[Baron_RWS]

I can add to this review as I was one of the Beta players before TKL went live. 1st thing to note is TKL was put together by a couple of ex-Avlis players.

Lasher and Deider were both Avlis players and DM's as was I, they both had their own opinions as to how a PW would best reflect the tabletop experience and I think they have pulled it off magnificently.

TKL manages I think to bring the closest tabletop experience to computer gaming at least that I've ever experienced.

I strongly reccomend TKL as a nwn2 PW.