What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

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What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Nordue » Thu Jul 16, 2015 5:58 pm

  • Hello WQ Community,

    If it is all right with the Moderators, I think this topic could be an interesting place for discussion about what people like to see in a Pack Central Pack. This might help both people looking for a pack to have a better idea of what they want, and pack owners looking to attract potential members.

    So, how would you describe a pack you want to be in? I will help start off the discussion by providing some thought-provoking questions:
    • 1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
      2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
      3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
      4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
      5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
      6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
      7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
    Tell us what you want in your ideal pack!

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Thundo Puffs » Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:17 pm

I'm not sure of this is the correct place to put this topic, but I shall be happy to reply to it. The mods may move or delete it as such.

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
I enjoy medium sized packs. Not too small, and not too large. I enjoy the sense of community in smaller packs, but they can make the rp more difficult due to the lack of members. Larger packs I'm not too fond of... that is if I join later down the line. Larger packs will always have that one group of members who are best buddies and will act superior to others (from what I've seen). There is nothing wrong with it, but it make others feel... lesser.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
I haven't played WolfQuest for over two years now. While I wouldn't mind a pack holding games, I would much rather stick to one site for all activities.

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
Let's just say I dislike all of those fancy "tables" people create with size 9 text that strains your eyes to read. I also prefer long paragraphs over a couple of sentences in a roleplay.

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
Of course! I think there're fun and something different.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
Both are immensely important. The first thing I do before even reading a thread is click on the link to the site. If the site is not to my liking, I disregard the pack entirely. However, let's say I love the way a pack looks, but then discover that the member's characters are Marry-Sues, or their grammar is poor. In that case I would still not join.

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
It depends on how you define active. For example, a roleplay can be slow but the chatbox very active. If I'm close to the site, I can handle periods of inactivity, but overall activity is a must.

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
Nah, not really. I'm drawn to more fictional-based packs, but as long as the layout and members are cool, I'm all for it regardless of theme.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by valkea » Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:21 pm

Moved to General WolfQuest Discussion.

Pack Central's more for pack threads rather than discussion threads. This thread would probably get lost in all the packs in Pack Central as well, honestly. Probably get more replies over here. Previous threads dealing with Pack Central have been here, as well, though I think this one is different enough to remain open instead of being merged or locked in favor of any others that may be floating around.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Rytemk Aato » Thu Jul 16, 2015 8:31 pm

Nice Topic, I'll try to answer all of them as I can't think of any of my own questions to add.

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
I prefer medium sized packs, definitely. As Thundo Puffs said, I also enjoy the sense of community but too small a pack and it gets slightly old if you can't create more interesting RP without getting new people with new characters so it can be difficult. Large packs can be nice too but the more people there are, the less connected everyone is to each other and newcomers can be prone to falling out of the link soon after joining.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
I still play the game although it's once a week and I only go on for in-game rp with my first pack. The second pack is based on another website and honestly, I prefer using WQ, even if I were to limit myself to the RP thread and leave the game because it doesn't feel as isolating as a pack site does.

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?

It really is actually. I like large paragraphs but nothing too far over 9 lines per post which is what I try to do myself since (in my experience) it allows a nice sized, readable paragraph allowed the person to input the necessary rp without getting carried away. I can be very particular about how people RP but I'm also not the type to persistently care about that, if you're having fun or just content with what you're doing, it'll show in your text and that's what I ultimately care about. In-game RP is nice as a change but I'm much, much happier knowing I have the RP thread to go to for RP that isn't obstructed by the Lexicon filter or small text boxes.

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
I don't recall ever experiencing one or what it exactly involves (I feel like a noob now) but I have nothing against finding out and being involved in one I guess.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?

Presentation tends to indicate to me the dedication within a pack so I'll always look out for it, whether it's a pack website, thread or both. If I like what I see there then I'll look over the members and see what their like from previous conversations if I don't already have an idea of what the people are like. I like very welcoming people who are going to accept new comers and get them involved.

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?

I always like an active RP and it's my driving opinion as to whether or not I'm comfortable with the activity as a whole. If the thread or separate topics on a site is/are rather inactive I'm OK with it though I do prefer to establish some comfortable familiarity with whoever I'll be supposedly long-term RPing with.

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
It doesn't have to be, the level of uniqueness can come from experience and time so even if a pack were to change somewhat, I'd likely be happy with it, maybe more so. I am naturally drawn to the unique and original ideas but I might not necessarily want to join, even if I initially think I do. Sometimes I find the generic is nice because there aren't as likely to have pre-concieved concepts of how things will work out of a pack.

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Jeames » Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:29 am

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
I guess small or medium-sized. Big packs are too much for me; if 30 to 40 members or even more would post at least once a day, I would fall behind on the roleplay due to work and time zones, and then I would most likely not feel like roleplaying there anymore and quit.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
Pack website I guess. I don't like rolepalying online. I want to have some time to respond to the other person. And the roleplay online is simple while roleplay posts on sites need to have a lot of writing and details. I prefer that.

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
Yeah, the bigger the literate roleplay posts, the better. If they are very big you can tell the roleplayer has put effort in his post. c: (I like effort xD)

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
If it's a fun contest, yeah. Like a banner contest or a new ''Who's online?'' contest. At least if they give enough time for the people who participate to actually draw an entry.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
Well the members are more important to me. Members who come online often on the chat box to chat and who are nice to each other, for example. Yeah, I also like a pack to look nice but that's more of a bonus. If the site layout or pack layout looks nice and the members treat each other like family then I gotta say I have found a place to call home, sort of. xD

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
I think the pack needs to be active, people logging online every day, but the posts don't have to pop up every day. In my opinion members should show interest in the pack but they can take their time with posting, at least once a week or something. Because not everyone can post everyday due to a job or school or whatever.

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
I don't mind, I like both. As long as the other members are fun to hang around with. c;
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by sparky_wolf » Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:45 am

I haven't been in a PC pack for quite a while, but these questions are interesting!

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
I personally prefer a pack somewhere in the middle. Too many members and it's difficult to get to know other members, too little and the pack can be inactive. So a pack with moderate activity and a moderate number of members is ideal for me.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
I definitely would rather pack activities be based on a pack website, mainly because I don't really play MP anymore. Pack websites allow for games, activities and extended roleplays, which really bind members together better than what can be achieved solely on MP or a pack's WQ thread.

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
Text-based roleplay is certainly important to me as it is the main reason I used to join packs; it was a great chance for me to utilise my vocabulary and interact with other pack members. I loved multiple paragraph roleplay particularly.

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
Pack contests can be quite fun, although art ones are often common and I'm not artistic so I don't participate. Unique pack contests are great, add a lot of life and a bit of friendly competition and activity within a pack.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
The members are more important to me as they must be interesting and fun to interact with, however, design and organisation are definitely a contributing factor to the initial appeal of a pack. I'd say that design draws new members in, and the quality of members keep you there.

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
Moderate activity suits me the best; a few members posting in topics and the roleplay at least once every day or two. Low activity packs tend to make members lose interest and quit, whilst high activity packs are difficult to keep up with.

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
Personally, I find somewhat generic packs to be okay, but packs with a unique theme or even small twist tend to catch my attention and spark intriguing roleplay on the pack website. The quirky thing can even be a simple object in the pack's territory.

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by FoxyWolfy » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:54 am

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
From a pack leader's perspective, I would prefer a smaller pack with active members than a huge pack with semi-active members. Then again, if a smaller pack's majority of members go inactive, rp comes to a screeching halt. So, about 20-40 active members is good enough for me.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
I think pack websites are isolated. I prefer to have a pack's main activity stationed on the WolfQuest website and Multiplayer, as that is where the majority of possible members are and it is the easiest method of communication.

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
As long as a roleplayer is actually getting into the rp and not just throwing stuff out there, length doesn't really matter to me. I do prefer for a player to express their characters thoughts and feelings rather than just spitting out action. Personally, I rp in shorter bits, but I get my character's perspective out, and that's what matters.

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
I have not really looked into those as I don't see their purpose in packs that don't have a website. While they look entertaining, I don't think every pack needs them to be interesting.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
I think a presentation that is pleasing to the eye is a nice plus to a pack thread. It is more attractive to potential members and gives an overall feel that the pack knows its stuff. I was honored to have Riv design my pack's thread, and it looks great. However, I think the overall community and member involvement is also important. A perfect thread with uninvolved members will turn me off more than a rougher thread with inviting members.

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
As long as the rp is interesting and the characters are within sanity, I will stay interested no matter the activity level. Also, the community is important. My pack has an amazing community and we stay involved even though our main in-game rp is semi-active right now.

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
It depends on the roleplayer's preferences. I would rather have a down-to-earth, interesting semi-realistic rp than a outlandish one located in a bizarre setting. Although the latter sounds very fun, I think realism is a bit more relatable. However, if a community in a potential pack is welcoming, I will be interested no matter what the theme.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by paperpaws » Sun Jul 19, 2015 12:13 pm

Interesting topic; I'm sure this could be useful for both people looking to join and create a pack. Like sparky_wolf, I haven't been in a PC pack since forever, but I do remember what made me enjoy being in Undine Falls way back when, so I'll let that influence my answers... :>

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
  • I personally prefer smaller scale packs. I recognise that this is for a large part because of my personality, but I also believe that smaller packs tend to grow to be closer-knit than large ones. On the downside of that, though, it might feel a bit trickier at first to fit in..
2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
  • Hmm, I believe pack website activities leave more room for personal input and originality, which in turn contributes to getting to know your fellow members better and bonding with them. That said, playing WolfQuest Multiplayer with your pack could definitely be fun every now and then, but it wouldn't really appeal to me as the main focus of a pack.
3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
  • Not really. I never participated in roleplay, yet had a lot of fun in my pack.
4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
  • Yeah! Much like with the pack activities, I feel like contests allow you to get to know fellow members better. It's always really cool to see various people's input and creativity. On top of that, depending on what type of contest, contests can spark real life activity.
5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
  • I feel like the community/members of a pack form its main foundation, so that definitely matters most to me. An appealing layout is nice, but I wouldn't be too bothered about an awkward website. That's something you can work on together as well.
6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
  • I'm admittedly someone who is prone to losing interest when activity dies down. I'm not one for initiating conversation or new activities. At the same time, I wouldn't immediately leave the moment activity isn't what it used to be.. I'd just be hopeless at attempting to crank it up!
7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
  • Can be generic, because, as I said before, the members matter most to me. An unique team could aid in sparking interest of potential members, but there's nothing wrong with a pretty standard pack. I personally tend to find that a pack creator's drive, dedication and enthusiasm regarding their pack is more likely to catch my attention than the theme of it.

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Spookykitty » Mon Aug 24, 2015 11:55 pm

I wonder if most people are attracted to "successful" packs (example being ones that are already active with lots of members). If it's true, then it's rather sad, because then it makes it as if there's only room for one or two packs to gain members, and the small packs still trying to get off the ground may feel doomed.

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Dorken » Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:28 pm

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
Too many members means there's a lot of people I'll never be able to interact with. I like to keep things small.
2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
I would like to see more packs that use WQ or other games like it to host their roleplays at least in part. Practically everything you see around here feels more like an advertisement for any given unrelated wolf RP forum (that's not a bad thing, though).
3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
Is there any other kind? lol
4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
Never participated in one, so I wouldn't be able to say.
5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
Members always come first, but an unorganized and thrown together looking pack tends to scare me away.
6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
Things don't always have to be moving at the speed of light, but some little events that carry it along are nice. Sitting around and having our characters say a few words to each other and then fall asleep is hardly any fun.
7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
The more unique, the better, but even the most generic pack can have potential so long as it stays active.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by AmberZeWolf » Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:36 pm

A rare occurrence to see in packs would be realistic ranking, which is just parents and offspring, or just two leaders and one with offspring, which would make more sense since you can't have mates in multiplayer. I don't know why there aren't packs that have systems like that, and I don't care about role play, I'd prefer if we were living realistically. I don't mind a bunch of members or a small pack. Though bunch of members would mean more activity I'd guess. I don't mind contests but I prefer them to not have contests.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Phasoli » Thu Dec 17, 2015 8:32 pm

1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
-I mostly enjoy packs who are a group of closely knit friends rather than a large dynasty of more than 10 players.

2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
-I prefer a pack that is more active on the game itself, so we can interact and do all that awesome wolf pack stuff. With the new game's new pack system, this should be a breeze!

3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
-No, not really, but I do enjoy roleplay every once in a while, even if it's minimal.

4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
-I've never really been in a consistent pack to ever be in a contest, so that'll be a no.

5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
-Layout has no importance, as I seek friendship rather than beautiful font.

6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
-I like a pack that is fairly active. I understand people have lives outside of wolfquest, so the pack doesn't have to be on 24/7

7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
-I enjoy uniqueness, and I am all about creativity. Generic packs are acceptable, I guess, so long as they're interesting. I do like a touch of imagination, though, and a pack can still be creative and realistic.
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by Skor » Thu Dec 17, 2015 10:51 pm

If it's alright to have this thread here, perhaps it would be alright to have a sort of interest check/pack ideas thread, too? I think it'd be good for people to see how the community responds to an idea, a pack theme, a contest idea... whatever people decide to post, really. See if it's received positively before they put the work into making it official. And maybe it'd allow a few other pairs of eyes to look 'em over and make suggestions, or catch issues or holes, or something that might have been overlooked.

ANYWAY back on topic.


1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
Seems like everyone's leaning towards small.. which is probably a good thing considering the reality of the forum's activity. But personally? Smaller groups might form closer relationships, but if you have a small group that's been more or less the same people for a while, I think it's a lot harder for new people to get in. It's the nature of the beast, really.. and besides that I think it's kind of dumb luck if you wind up really gelling with online strangers and become good internet friends? It seems like small packs have their own sort of atmosphere, their own friend group.. I think it might be harder to find your place there.
NOW it's totally unrealistic, it was a thing back in WQ's prime but not now anymore, I suppose, but I think a big pack, 30+, with more transient members, might be fun. Maybe not for finding long time best friends, but maybe that's not what they're for... not to mention there's usually subgroups within the pack anyway.. it reminds me of like a conglomerate of sub-packs, like allied packs that actually interact and they just happen to have a common theme/setting.
2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
Why not both? A website's the standard, it keeps people more connected (that whole 5 people at a time limit on multi), and it seems more or less essential for any active, successful, long-lasting pack. But it feels wrong to have a thread and advertise yourself as a "wolfquest" pack if you completely ignore the game.. especially considering the sweet new update to it... idk I guess I feel like packs should come from the game/forums and not the other way around?
3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
I know many like it, and it's a nice option, and it's what a lot of packs are based on, and it's what a lot of people are looking for. Having characters in a fictional pack is the first step to roleplay, so it makes sense to actually use those characters and actually use the pack theme/setting/etc.. and again the only way to include more than 5 people at once is on a forum, and I suppose I do prefer forum-post based RP. I like to keep it simple, though.. just text is fine, tables seem gaudy and unnecessary, a little bit of insight into a character's mind is good.. but I don't need the novel that explains how their entire existence culminated in this one action every post, and certainly not 3 paragraphs giving the description of their appearance every time they do something? idk, man, especially with people being busy and not too dedicated to a child's game in the first place, I think expecting people to keep up with multi-paragraph posts and respond in kind might be a little unrealistic for many.
It's not at all required, but it's an easy group activity that defines many packs and it's a lot harder, I think, to become successful without it because it's the go-to thing that everyone participates in. If not that, then what will your members be logging on every day for?
4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
Ehh I was always too young and lazy to join in them BUT NOW that it seems too late I think they would have been really fun. I think it's important that they try and include a variety, though, unless they have some sort of theme they're sticking with? It's easy to run an art contest but not everyone's talents lie in visual art! Branch out, do some more stuff.
5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
The presentation is quite literally the first impression. I probably don't know most/any of the members, anyway, until I spend time interacting with them once I join the pack! It doesn't have to be a life's work or anything, but a little thought shows that the ones running it are dedicated enough to spend time on it, and competent enough to set basic things up. If it's hard to understand the first post, the thread, the website, if I keep getting lost because of bad organization, then I probably won't enjoy myself that much!
6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
Every pack probably has periods of inactivity... as long as it picks back up, eventually. Or as long as there's still stuff to do, something to keep bringing me back. I think it gets bad when the leaders and staff start becoming inactive and uninterested, because they're like, the guiding, driving force that made and runs the pack, and it's really hard (without some super dedicated and amazing members) to keep things going without them.
I guess it depends.
7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
It depends on the pack's purpose. I love unique twists and quirks and gimmicks, just because I find them fun, but a generic pack can be enjoyable too, especially if the members are all good friends, I suppose?
Snow130 wrote:A rare occurrence to see in packs would be realistic ranking, which is just parents and offspring, or just two leaders and one with offspring, which would make more sense since you can't have mates in multiplayer. I don't know why there aren't packs that have systems like that, and I don't care about role play, I'd prefer if we were living realistically. I don't mind a bunch of members or a small pack. Though bunch of members would mean more activity I'd guess. I don't mind contests but I prefer them to not have contests.
I think the funny thing is that realistic fictional wolf packs are actually a pretty bad template for larger human groups.. who would have guessed? :roll:
Really, though, even people who want smaller packs are generally thinking around 10, 15 on the larger side?
So that means one, probably two leaders (who would, realistically, be mates, but for sake of rules..) and 8-13 other members? Are they... all pups from past litters? Litters usually aren't that large, so you couldn't say they're all yearlings who aren't old enough to leave yet. Almost all pups disperse and leave to find their own mate, which means that even if the members stay constant, you'd have a pretty consistent change to new characters happening all the time.. or you stay forever frozen in one time period, with characters never aging, which means, since it's realistic, you'll be doing an awful lot of the same for quite a while.
Characters are another thing, I guess. People grow attached, and enjoy specific characters, and they want them to be unique. They like having unique attributes and pack jobs, especially for RP. But realistically they'd all be doing more or less the same thing, and that's not what most people want.
I guess this kind of setup would work, maybe, if someone was running a multiplayer based pack and managed to get it going? But I don't know how much interest there is in the actual game.. the original fans have grown up and beyond it, for the most part.

I think it'd be cool if someone tried a pack (probably RP based?) actually set in Yellowstone, based off of those first "packs" that were reintroduced/released into the area? IIRC they were usually groups of unrelated individuals? Kind of like captive packs, I think that's part of the reason the packs were larger (didn't follow the 2 parents + offspring structure) aaaannnd there was probably more tension between members? I think it'd be interesting, it'd provide a sorta-realistic explanation for all the unrelated members, it'd give you a familiar setting with a twist.. try settling an ancient wolf habitat where none have lived in years (with all that implies for prey/other predator populations), everyone trying to get their bearings while simultaneously struggling to get along with all these strangers.. and who the heck are these other new wolves doing around here, trying to claim this land?

I'm not active in WQ or packs or anything sooo forgive any ignorance on my part in this post, but finally? I don't know how it is, if it's mostly the same people joining most packs, or if most packs have unique members, but I think it'd be cool to have more of WQ's current, smaller packs actually interact.. somehow, assuming it wouldn't end up with a lot of people in both packs just having their two characters meet and interact.. kinda defeats the purpose. PLUS those who use the same character in several packs, hmm..
The different settings might make it a little difficult for some, but still. Are they gonna manage a truce, fight over food and land, ignore each other completely?
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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by SilkenGalaxy » Fri Dec 18, 2015 9:33 am

Skor wrote:If it's alright to have this thread here, perhaps it would be alright to have a sort of interest check/pack ideas thread, too? I think it'd be good for people to see how the community responds to an idea, a pack theme, a contest idea... whatever people decide to post, really. See if it's received positively before they put the work into making it official. And maybe it'd allow a few other pairs of eyes to look 'em over and make suggestions, or catch issues or holes, or something that might have been overlooked.

ANYWAY back on topic.


1. Do you like a pack with lots of members, or a smaller-sized pack?
Seems like everyone's leaning towards small.. which is probably a good thing considering the reality of the forum's activity. But personally? Smaller groups might form closer relationships, but if you have a small group that's been more or less the same people for a while, I think it's a lot harder for new people to get in. It's the nature of the beast, really.. and besides that I think it's kind of wonderful luck if you wind up really gelling with online strangers and become good internet friends? It seems like small packs have their own sort of atmosphere, their own friend group.. I think it might be harder to find your place there.
NOW it's totally unrealistic, it was a thing back in WQ's prime but not now anymore, I suppose, but I think a big pack, 30+, with more transient members, might be fun. Maybe not for finding long time best friends, but maybe that's not what they're for... not to mention there's usually subgroups within the pack anyway.. it reminds me of like a conglomerate of sub-packs, like allied packs that actually interact and they just happen to have a common theme/setting.
2. Do you want a pack that plays WolfQuest Multiplayer, or a pack that does activities on say, a pack website?
Why not both? A website's the standard, it keeps people more connected (that whole 5 people at a time limit on multi), and it seems more or less essential for any active, successful, long-lasting pack. But it feels wrong to have a thread and advertise yourself as a "wolfquest" pack if you completely ignore the game.. especially considering the sweet new update to it... idk I guess I feel like packs should come from the game/forums and not the other way around?
3. Is text-based roleplay important to you?
I know many like it, and it's a nice option, and it's what a lot of packs are based on, and it's what a lot of people are looking for. Having characters in a fictional pack is the first step to roleplay, so it makes sense to actually use those characters and actually use the pack theme/setting/etc.. and again the only way to include more than 5 people at once is on a forum, and I suppose I do prefer forum-post based RP. I like to keep it simple, though.. just text is fine, tables seem gaudy and unnecessary, a little bit of insight into a character's mind is good.. but I don't need the novel that explains how their entire existence culminated in this one action every post, and certainly not 3 paragraphs giving the description of their appearance every time they do something? idk, man, especially with people being busy and not too dedicated to a child's game in the first place, I think expecting people to keep up with multi-paragraph posts and respond in kind might be a little unrealistic for many.
It's not at all required, but it's an easy group activity that defines many packs and it's a lot harder, I think, to become successful without it because it's the go-to thing that everyone participates in. If not that, then what will your members be logging on every day for?
4. Do you enjoy pack contests?
Ehh I was always too young and lazy to join in them BUT NOW that it seems too late I think they would have been really fun. I think it's important that they try and include a variety, though, unless they have some sort of theme they're sticking with? It's easy to run an art contest but not everyone's talents lie in visual art! Branch out, do some more stuff.
5. Does the presentation, a.k.a the design/layout/organization of the pack matter to you? Or are the members more important?
The presentation is quite literally the first impression. I probably don't know most/any of the members, anyway, until I spend time interacting with them once I join the pack! It doesn't have to be a life's work or anything, but a little thought shows that the ones running it are dedicated enough to spend time on it, and competent enough to set basic things up. If it's hard to understand the first post, the thread, the website, if I keep getting lost because of bad organization, then I probably won't enjoy myself that much!
6. Does the pack have to be active, or can it be slow at times and still interest you?
Every pack probably has periods of inactivity... as long as it picks back up, eventually. Or as long as there's still stuff to do, something to keep bringing me back. I think it gets bad when the leaders and staff start becoming inactive and uninterested, because they're like, the guiding, driving force that made and runs the pack, and it's really hard (without some super dedicated and amazing members) to keep things going without them.
I guess it depends.
7. Does the pack need to have a unique theme, or can it be generic?
It depends on the pack's purpose. I love unique twists and quirks and gimmicks, just because I find them fun, but a generic pack can be enjoyable too, especially if the members are all good friends, I suppose?
Snow130 wrote:A rare occurrence to see in packs would be realistic ranking, which is just parents and offspring, or just two leaders and one with offspring, which would make more sense since you can't have mates in multiplayer. I don't know why there aren't packs that have systems like that, and I don't care about role play, I'd prefer if we were living realistically. I don't mind a bunch of members or a small pack. Though bunch of members would mean more activity I'd guess. I don't mind contests but I prefer them to not have contests.
I think the funny thing is that realistic fictional wolf packs are actually a pretty bad template for larger human groups.. who would have guessed? :roll:
Really, though, even people who want smaller packs are generally thinking around 10, 15 on the larger side?
So that means one, probably two leaders (who would, realistically, be mates, but for sake of rules..) and 8-13 other members? Are they... all pups from past litters? Litters usually aren't that large, so you couldn't say they're all yearlings who aren't old enough to leave yet. Almost all pups disperse and leave to find their own mate, which means that even if the members stay constant, you'd have a pretty consistent change to new characters happening all the time.. or you stay forever frozen in one time period, with characters never aging, which means, since it's realistic, you'll be doing an awful lot of the same for quite a while.
Characters are another thing, I guess. People grow attached, and enjoy specific characters, and they want them to be unique. They like having unique attributes and pack jobs, especially for RP. But realistically they'd all be doing more or less the same thing, and that's not what most people want.
I guess this kind of setup would work, maybe, if someone was running a multiplayer based pack and managed to get it going? But I don't know how much interest there is in the actual game.. the original fans have grown up and beyond it, for the most part.

I think it'd be cool if someone tried a pack (probably RP based?) actually set in Yellowstone, based off of those first "packs" that were reintroduced/released into the area? IIRC they were usually groups of unrelated individuals? Kind of like captive packs, I think that's part of the reason the packs were larger (didn't follow the 2 parents + offspring structure) aaaannnd there was probably more tension between members? I think it'd be interesting, it'd provide a sorta-realistic explanation for all the unrelated members, it'd give you a familiar setting with a twist.. try settling an ancient wolf habitat where none have lived in years (with all that implies for prey/other predator populations), everyone trying to get their bearings while simultaneously struggling to get along with all these strangers.. and who the heck are these other new wolves doing around here, trying to claim this land?

I'm not active in WQ or packs or anything sooo forgive any ignorance on my part in this post, but finally? I don't know how it is, if it's mostly the same people joining most packs, or if most packs have unique members, but I think it'd be cool to have more of WQ's current, smaller packs actually interact.. somehow, assuming it wouldn't end up with a lot of people in both packs just having their two characters meet and interact.. kinda defeats the purpose. PLUS those who use the same character in several packs, hmm..
The different settings might make it a little difficult for some, but still. Are they gonna manage a truce, fight over food and land, ignore each other completely?
This post pretty much covers everything I would like to see in a pack. And the suggestion of a pack based around wolves being reintroduced into an area and having to get along, that's a stupendous idea!

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Re: What Do You Want in a Pack Central Pack?

Post by paperpaws » Fri Dec 18, 2015 9:37 am

Skor wrote:If it's alright to have this thread here, perhaps it would be alright to have a sort of interest check/pack ideas thread, too? I think it'd be good for people to see how the community responds to an idea, a pack theme, a contest idea... whatever people decide to post, really. See if it's received positively before they put the work into making it official. And maybe it'd allow a few other pairs of eyes to look 'em over and make suggestions, or catch issues or holes, or something that might have been overlooked.
Just letting all of you know that this has been decided against in the past, just to prevent any potential drama over 'stealing' ideas and whatnot. This thread probably serves best as a place for people to gain inspiration without directly risking getting conflicted over what ideas they are 'allowed' to use.

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