Constructive suggestions on how to "bring life to the EU dead zone"

[O-louth]

Background for the suggestions
For a quick read, jump straight to suggestions below
A large group of us EU players sat down yesterday and tried to come up with ways in which the server can help bridge the gap between the very DM active American Time Zones, and the currently very less DM covered EU time zones. We understand fully that it can be hard to find new DMs, and that DMs have real lives too. So I sincerely hope the DM Team and community at large will see this as ways to improve something which is currently not working, until a more permanent solution can be found (Currently busy DMs getting time again, or a suitable candidate based in EU can be found).
Disclaimer
Most of the remaining EU player base have played for 5-10 years minimum. We know how to entertain ourselves, how to utilize the setting to tell stories, and we are highly familiar with how the server works and operates. In short, we know you guys do what you can, with what you have at your disposal (time, energy, imagination etc.) This is not attacks, it is our ideas for how to ensure a continued EU player base.

Identifying the problems
The current setting promotes joining DM Factions, and coming up with your own plots, which the DMs can then help push further on occasion, but it is up to the individual player to "create the story".
With no DM, we can use the setting, use scripted quests, exploration etc to advance our respective plots and storylines. We can use the crafting system to create loot, and we can try and solve the current scripted puzzles on the server. And we can create rivalries, create conflict between each other, and use that to push our agenda.
But to resolve the conflicts, or for our plots to have even the smallest impact on the server storyline, we need a DM.
Currently, EU players log in to Discord in the morning, and can read about how the americans fought dragons, earned knighthoods, had epic explorations into closed off sections of the server. Over time, the lack of progress in personal plots, conflict between players, and the inability to be part of the server story and the server plots, kills off the motivation.

We can stay up late during weekends on occasion, or log in very early. But that is not a sustainable solution for most of us. We want to be part of the server. Otherwise, why play on a Persistant world server.

suggested solutions

• More dmless encounters when possible. We have plenty of named NPC villains you lot could use. Let us fight some, both good and bad, and have the results matter. You could spawn "Robert the Purple Dragon" on a dmless encounter, and add a chest with "Loot tokens", which can be traited in if completed. We can send the dm who made them a PM with a screenshot, which pcs took part (so you know we dont solo it). It wont even require scripting.
• Put a placeable there, saying "Fun for the EU dudes" or "Reserved for the Scarlet dragons" or whatever. I have seen it in the past, even with persistant chests, so it could survive a reset.
• Lower the standards for faction advancement, PRC earning etc. a bit for those who you know are not playing in the mainly covered time zones. This allows us to progress stories, without all the frustrations.
• Return the "Book a DM" and "Scheduled events", so we know when you have time to give us a little love (A sunday morning for you, can often fit perfectly for an evening event for us)
• Make clear which DMs / storytellers are active, and time zones, so we know who to contact, and who we should not pester (Zool was overwhelmed the other day, when he logged in to fix a script, and we all spammed him). That can be avoided with some transparency and shared info.

It only builds frustrations when you PM someone, hear nothing back, log in, see no one, and that continues week after week. If a dm or storytellers intends to create a dmless encounter, put it on the forum, or let us know a bit in advance, so we know it is there. Then we will do our best to utilize what you give us, and ensure the EU playerbase remains strong and devoted.

[A Former User]

I have noticed that since I have moved back to the US there is a DM on almost every night but it would be days-weeks without seeing one in the EU TZ. Unfortunately I’m on night shift so my playtimes hit the prime time for US and the mornings for EU so I don’t see those guys much anymore

[Puffy]

Suggestions and feedback reviewed, with changes implemented.