Fellows,

I just received a rejection notice from ALFA for my CN wizard even thought I tried to do what the coaching people suggested and have been role playing for over 10 years, and I was wondering if there's any word on persistent worlds other than ALFA? I really liked the idea and was hoping to participate, but perhaps I'm too old or something, because he gave me no reasons why he rejected me, just did. And I know that happens and all, so I was just curious if anyone knew of any other worlds that were being developed who might be willing to let me be on the team.

I hope age has nothing to do with it. I was accepted about a year ago, but I hear things are harder now. I think they are setting limits on the number of certain class. They don't want a whole world of mages afterall. If you are a mature role-player (and I supect you are) I suggest trying again with a different class and/or race.

I really don't know what their standards are but I know other role-players who are excellent and didn't get in until the 2nd or 3rd time.

In regard to your question about another world based on NWN, no not at this time but I would guess others would be formed after the game is released.

Good Luck!

Sure, there are plenty of other groups planning on making persistent worlds using NWN. Just use a search engine. I haven't researched any of them, but maybe Crawl will come along and post since I know he's been looking at some other places...

[This message has been edited by Blackthorne TA (edited October 25, 2001).]

An ALFA rejection is not final.
Simply rewrite the bio and try again.
Why would you wish to belong to a world game where every slob was let in?
If you have been playing for 10 years, then you know the value of having great players alongside you.
Do not give up, simply do better.
ALFA is the single best project out there. If you were to join another group, you would have to write one anyway. Why not take that energy and try one more time to gain admittance?

You might want to take a peek at http://www.neverwinternexus.net/

Yeah, if you don't pass your driving test do you say "that's it, I'm never trying again?"

There are other persistent worlds being formed. Many of them are pay for play, and the next largest (nwnonline)had 6 servers up compared with ALFAs 40 last time I looked.

Think originality. They've seen a gazillion 'my fanily were killed by orcs..."

Thanks to everyone who replied. I appreciate the good advice that I received and the thoughtful comments ... with the exception of Erran whose reply was both offensive and insensitive since he has no idea what my application looked like and contained nothing about 'my family being killed by orcs.' To the rest of you, thanks for the thoughtful, respectful, and useful advice. To Erran, perhaps consider that the person posting these messages might genuinely be curious for help, and not insults, and may actually have an IQ higher than the average life expectancy and genuinely have tried to be original and interesting. Thanks.

Whoa, aren't you being a bit too harsh here? No one accused you of not having an original or interesting character, but I guess Erran's conclusion derived from the fact that ALFA usually doesn't reject such, since that is actually what they're looking for. The line "killed by orcs" is simply the most common one that appears in character histories, but he never said YOU had such, it was just an example of what not to write. He tried to help, same as everyone else. I don't see him insulting you anywhere either.

[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited October 26, 2001).]

Erran and I have already spoken offline and he apologized for being flippant, so all is cool. And, no, I don't think I was being harsh based on my perceptions of what he wrote. But as I said, all is fine now.

Back to the original question then.

I'm in ALFA, but I think I'll play more in the Land of Argyle, mainly because it's a great world with compelling history, and we players get a lot of influence when it comes to building the world.
I don't know if I agree that ALFA is the best world out there, but it's certainly the largest. I'm really looking forward to playing in ALFA, but I'll probably play more in Argyle.
I've seen a couple of other promising worlds as well, but these two seems like the best to me.

So, if anyone doesn't seem to get into ALFA, there's plenty of alternatives. Should you happen to choose Argyle, make sure to register as a gnome... They're great. ;)

Argyle?, sound interesting, do you have a link?
thanks

A link you want?

Well, if you don't wanna search for it, and don't wanna go looking for it on the official Bioware boards, then this is what you're looking for:
http://www.lonerhino.com/argyle

May we expect a dramatic increase in players now? ;)

Edit: Be sure to read as much about the land as possible before deciding whether it's a place for you or not. :)

[This message has been edited by Namuras (edited October 27, 2001).]

i will read as much as poss, and thank you for the link, we dwarves are very lazy sometimes.....

Hmm... originality?
How about my familyhas been killed by AN orc.
How's that for originality? Instead of plural
we go for singular. Only one orc. Now that's original. Hahahaha. Am I going crazy? I've been rejected 3 times already and my brain is tired from writing bios. They're good. Hahahaha. Oh, I think I need some prozac.

But seriously now, I don't get why I keep getting rejected. Is there a rule where you have to live in America or sumthin'? Or is it
that they do not let me in because I'm too young (I'm only 16 - yeah, that explains my childishness). I have 5 years experience in D&D. Isn't it enough? Ideas anyone?

So now I know the secret rule :)!
I'm from Europe (Holland) and have been rejected 3 times before getting accepted...

And I don't think your class is a factor in you rejection, for you may change it as much as you want.

Also age shouldn't be a factor. I know a HDM who's only 16 or 17 years old.
Maybe a good idea to let go of your character totally and make something completely new up. Might work...it worked for me. Three rejections with a CG human sorcerer, and accepted with a NE human rogue.

Good luck!

[This message has been edited by Magnus Magicus (edited October 30, 2001).]

If you are from a country other than America, you should preface your bio with a note saying so.
I believe that many times, they simply mistake a total command of the English language for stupidity.

And age is not a factor, as Thorin is a HDM (Silverymoon) in ALFA and he is only 16.

Good luck.

Bain is looking for a Euro/America brawl aren't you? Just because someone is American doesn't make them stupid. Stereotyping is a form of ignorance.

I applied twice with druids and have twice been rejected, its been a while so maybe I'll try again this time with a rogue.

Uhm... Shadow Assassin, that's not even close to what Bain said.

All he's saying is that when Engish isn't a person's first language, it is more understandable that his/her grammar may not be perfect. Someone from the US shouldn't have such problems.

In any case, there is already a field on the application that asks for the applicant's location.

I'm English and there are people in Japan and stuff that can speak better and write better in English that i can, u may have taken your country back, but we stil control u all through Englishism. Propaganda through language, now see Bains gone and depressed me, SHAME on you Bain.

Well, to clear things up, I'm from Malaysia and my grasp of the English language is adequate enough to be able to converse or write in it. I don't want to boast but I've never gotten lower than 92% in an English test my whole life. I don't know if that's good in America or Britain or whatever but that's pretty good here. I even read Shakespeare and Dickens willingly, just to improve my vocabulary. This post is not about flaming anybody, ok?, it's just to clear things up for people that my cha's bio was written in perfect English.

I hope I did not offend anybody and I understand that you didn't meant to offend anybody either. It's just I get really worked up if somebody comments on my English, but of course you didn't know that.

Cheers :)

Darien reread Bains 2nd sentence. It states, and I quote: "I believe that many times, they simply mistake a TOTAL COMMAND of the English language for STUPIDITY." End quote. He was taking a jab at us Americans, which I do not appreciate. As I am relatively sure I have a higher I.Q. than Bain, and am not controled by prejudice and ignorance.

Given the context of what he was saying, I believe he actually meant to say "...the lack of a total command of the English language..."

It seemed to me he was saying that if you don't speak English well you should indicate so in your bio so they will be less likely to think you are stupid due to your lack of skills in the language.

Well i'm awefull at english and may be looked upon as stupid, but hey who cares?!.

I have fun and thats all that matters.

Bain Croix wrote:
"Why would you wish to belong to a world game where every slob was let in?"

Bain Croix, that was an awfully Snobby comment.

I understand what you mean, but there is only one fair way to judge people for acceptance into a role-playing community and that is by observation in a RP environs.
Otherwise ALFA will just alienate and split the online gaming community into ex-Pen & Paper guys and Computer RP'ers.
Schism killed A/D&D last time 'round. Let's not let it happen again huh?

Let me start by saying who I am. I am a 35year old rpg'er. I have played since I was 15. I haven't yet been accepted by ALFA but I will be someday I hope. My rejection was due to my poor applications and lousy spelling.
Now to the Point.
By rejecting some players based on their apps they make being accepted worth more. My first app. was a joke. It took me 2 min. to make and was awfull. I just figured they would "see" that I had played for 20+ years and deserved to be in ALFA.
I was wrong and you know what? I am glad they rejected that app. When I re-apply I will take it more seriously and do a better job.
Now the questions.
By my rejection how is that creating a schism?
Who are you hoping will get in that is being rejected?

I noticed that some people have difficulties getting into ALFA, while for others it comes naturally. On the community boards many people can be seen that proudly state the fact of their acceptance after 8 attempts. No, problem - they attuned to the ideal of ALFA player - it is all I can think.
I typed up my first application to check what kind of player does ALFA looks for - a person that wants to bring up something absolutely not like the others, who combines the abilities of 3E in the most innormal ways, or your average roleplayer, for whom the initial originality of a character is not so much a factor as his actions. Well, my visually focused app of a halfling necromancer (heh) got rejected. It gave me an idea, and my next application was one of a human priest with a very believable, well written and researched story. I knew I will get in, and I did. I very much hope that most of ALFA's contigent would be people who want to just have good nights of good roleplay, and if subjects out of the definition get in, then, as people say - they will not be in for long.
Just my idea - I would not hesitate to apply twice, but on the eights time one might think he needs some new ideas. :)

ALFA applications are to select the best, or most suitable, few (1000 is few) gamers for the ALFA project.
My point is: You could have a Chimpanzee apply over and over until it was accepted. How does that make that Chimpanzee one of the best few?. Surely rejection should be final, otherwise the cut loses it's integrity.

This is'nt a flame, just a dilemma I am having a hard time with :-*
( I have been neither rejected or accepted yet )

Linael

In answer to your delema.
The reasons for rejection are varied.
Some rejections, I am told, are due to the class you have chosen to play. To many drow, to many CN thieves, to many red wizards. 1000 players are a small group.

Firstly, I think it's ridiculous to assume that an application such as alfa's could somehow weed out the *best* roleplayers from those that apply. How exactly does the character description and one vague open ended question about what a roleplayer should be allow alfa to choose the best roleplayers out there? Alfa chooses the players they want, by whatever whatever quirky little intersting ways they seee fit. They surely don't choose them from any real information. Saying alfa has the best RPers around is a bit like putting the cart before the horse don't you think? Perhaps we should all wait to see what alfa becomes after it actually comes into existance when NWN is released to make that claim.

Excellent.
Alternatives will have to spring up to feed the massive demand for NWN persistent worlds. The question is...

A. Will we pay for the privelidge? (sic)

B. How much would that be sir?

Linael of the Mists.

I was considering playing on ALFA or an alternate online world. But since I have a crappy internet connection, I'll be leaning more towards playing over the LAN. Even though there's a mere two or three DM's that'll be working on it, I'm sure it'll be well worth playing (both of the DM's I know are really good). So if anyone is in the Midwest/Des Moines area, feel free to join :)

Well I just wanted to thank everyone who added constructive and useful replies to my query about ALFA. I reapplied a second time and tried to do ALL the things that were suggested, but it's been quite a while so I'm not very optimistic.

If anyone knows of any other quality worlds out there that might be formed, please let me know if you would. I'm a mature, dedicated, team-playing player and I'm pretty sure that a world would be glad I was in it. I'm (if I do toot my own horn) in demand by a number of guilds in my DAOC server world, so I hope that's a good sign.

I just really would like to join a persistent world and unfortunately I don't seem to be able to convince ALFA that I'd be an asset.

Thanks again, and please send any persistent world links to me at jscottdc@aol.com. Good playing!

What is ALFA?

ALFA is a persistent online NWN world... http://www.alandfaraway.net/

Hmmmm I have a problem with this whole application thing. Seems to me like they are doing it backward. As many have said, how can one use an answer to a vague question and a biography to judge someone? Actions speak louder then words.