Contacting DMs
Any player can get in situations when there will be need of an assistance from a Dungeon master (DM). Remember to always keep your requests polite and be patience when asking for assistance.
When player witnesses rule violation
- If possible, take screenshot or note the time and names of those involved.
- Ensure that it is indeed a rule violation by rereading the rules in your Journal.
- Player can try to send POLITE short tell to offender. Some players can be new to server and not aware of all server rules. If you disagree on interpretation of rules, it is often wiser to submit the case to DMs, rather then argue at length in tells and spoil the game for both of you.
- Try to contact a DM in game.
- If you can't get one in game, send it to a DM via the PM on forums or e-mail Arelith.dm@gmail.com. Do not post about the incident publicly on forums!
- "Please include the character names of whomever was involved, including the rule-breaker, the victim(s) and any witnesses; also, any screenshots you have of the event typically help." DM Watchtower
- 6. If you have exhausted that path and do not feel as if the situation was handled fairly, send a PM to the active DM group in the forum.
Consider before you contact a DM
(supplied and confirmed by Jjjerm, Former Arelith Owner and Admin)
https://i.imgur.com/zKr50HD.png
In game
This is preferred and fastest way to contact DMs that are currently online. Send a polite short message on DM channel.
Either switch to DM channel on left side of window where you type text or use /dm before the text you wish to send. For example:
- /dm If anyone has a moment, I have a token request.
Players will not see the text appear in Chat window, since only DMs can see what is written on DM channel.
It is preferred to include reason for request in your short message.
- "I've found a bug", "I'm stuck in a wall", "I'm looking for a PrC Token"
But when asking on the DM Channel
- Bad way of trying and get DM's attention: "Anybody there?" or "Anyone got a few minutes?"
That way DMs can deal with the requests according to their urgency and how long each requires. For example: "Stuck in wall", rule breaking and "quick question on alignments" would likely be handled before "PrC quest".
If player gets no reply, then it is recommended to try again in 10-30 minutes. Keep in mind that no DM can be online at that time or that they can be occupied with some other of those 74 players on server.
- "If you have a legit DM question, like token, alignment change, "I am stuck", "My fixture is stuck in the wall" and such, just keep trying, every ½ hour or so. It will not be considered spamming the DM channel. It's our job to fix those issues. If we are on, we'll normally answer if we got time or not." Qizzia
Be patient. Especially if asking for Prestige Class quest, it may take few days before they are completed. Contact over forums is encouraged for most issues you are unable to reach out for a team on a particular day.
Requests for PRC tokens
- Revised by Titania
PRC Token requests are only needed for assassin, harper, palemaster, and shifter. It is highly recommended you send a PM to Active DM Team on the forums, rather than ping in channel/e-mail. PRC Tokens are usually completed within three days. If you do not receive a approve, deny, or follow up questions in that time frame, please resend the PM requesting for an update, or ping the channel.
Shifters take slightly longer, as they are kept to limited amount, but we do our best to have these done within the week.
Not this way (bad example)
- written by Iron]
"Well since Jack put this out on the public, I suppose I should respond publically in the vain hope that others will learn from this and avoid doing such childish actions:
During my first day back,
- I am running a quest of goblins assaulting Cordor with two parties of at least 8 ppl each.
- I am punishing a kobold and his human companion as they can't understand why they are not allowed in Wharftown
- I am finding the bloke that spelled Dracula backwards and explaining to him why he can't have that name.
- And
- Jack has a chest that won't close.
So, as a DM, I am trying to see what impacts the server the most: Is it the 16+ folks that are scouring the city looking for the elusive portal that the goblins are getting through? Or is it the 5+ folks in Warftown that are trying very hard not to kill the kobold and his human friend because they 'simply don't get it'? Or is it the bloke that is running around in cordor with a 'famous name' impacting the 10 or so folks that are shooting me tells about it?
or is it the lone individual in a room that is being impacted by a chest?
it's all about time management folks, I try and give the most bang for the buck. I try and impact as many people as I can with the limited free time I have on the server to make this place as enjoyable as I can.
In the midst of running a quest, dealing with jollbles the kobold and Alucard the half vampire, I get this tell:
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] DM DM HELP I opened a chest and then wrote something with the chest still open and now it won't close, the items probably will disapear if we reset or crash.
And about a minute later I get this one:
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] help
and then this one a minute later:
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] OMG YOU NEED TO HELP
and a minute later:
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] HELPHELPHELP
And another minute:
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] don't ignore me this is srs
- Jack Skeptikism: [Tell] HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
So I have not responded to him just yet as I was dealing with kobolds, vampires and goblins. However at this point, I can see that this person doesn't understand patience as I do. I have found that giving my children time outs usually work in teaching them patience. Any kind of sympathy I had for this bloke and his plight evaporated as the numerous tells started coming into my window.
Understand that you and me, for that matter have to deal with a set list of priorities. if it is impacting the server AND numerous folks, I will deal with it first. If it is not, then you are on the bottom of the list.
If you learn from this child's plight, and do not spam me with numerous tells over a period of less than five minutes, then I will get to you as soon as I can. And if you allow me to respond to your tells in a resonable time limit, we can effectively communicate.
Or you can be a child and I will give you a time out. Your choice, of course.
Iron"
(The player from example earned temporary ban.)
On forums
What?
Any uncertain issues, possible rule violations, belong to Private Messages (PMs). Do not post any of those on open forums.
Questions are best posted in Questions & Answers forum where also other players can provide assistance.
Don't expect a reply from a DM at the same day. You may get lucky, but DMs are people too, they have their lives and may not be online every day.
How?
Keep it short, truthful (facts) and simple. Screenshots or quotations are often better then long descriptions.
List of all DMs registered on Arelith forums can be found on list of Active DMs. It is required to be logged in to the forums to see it.
The best way to contact a DM is sending a PM to the Active DM group.
