Statements of the Week, 1999
January 10th
GM Fawn, on complaints that people weren't allowed to vote on the new amunet arrangements: "You vote each time you pay us for our service. Does McDonald's let you vote on the price of a burger? ...I admit it. I feel like an idiot. I cannot understand how anyone could mind PULLING instead of RUBbing an amulet. So I must be an idiot."
January 17th
Category: Suggestions & Ideas for Improvement
Topic: Discussion with Simutronics
Author: Aephir/Metaephor (GS3-AEPHIR)
Posted: Jan 15, 1999 23:14:09
I just wanted to say goodbye. I resigned as a GM in GemStoneIII this evening.
I've enjoyed my years of being a GM and enjoyed working with my fellow GMs and working for you (well most of you ;)
aephir signs off
First there was the initial shock, then the speculation began: over 200 posts by Aephir fans have hit the boards in the two days since he announced his resignation, running the spectrum from well-wishing to wrath at Simu and cancellation of accounts. To all appearances it looks as if this very sudden departure was due to one too many conflicts between Aephir and the rest of the staff--or a particular member of that staff. But whatever appearances dictate, it would not behoove us to point fingers or take action based on the very little we know.
Aephir is considered by many to be the best GM Gemstone had, but he was more than just good... he was a character, a unique presence, and he was also this editor's favorite member of the staff. We may thank him for critters that kill us, a town that's even harder not to love, societies that evolved, NPC's that enriched our world, and the lingering "Aephirisms" that will survive when he is gone. The echoing "I may not always have agreed with you, but I always respected you" stands testament to his character and skill; the game will indeed not be the same place without him.
We hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Aephir, we the players will always keep the door open for you... but we know some things aren't meant to be.
January 24th
Soulpieced exclaims, "holy crap!"
So. Bards finally have their instruments. Rangers can have self-cast lore. Wizards got a new spell with some of the effects of the ranger breeze and sorceror mind jolt; sorcerors are raising a ruckus on the boards about the condition of their profession. What do these things have in common? They all raise questions about professional boundaries, "niches" and identities.
The only professional abilities that are unique to a class are loresinging and meditation, the latter of which there has been talk of removing. From a mechanics standpoint, what makes one class different from another is that class's training costs and spell lists--indeed, the only concrete difference between a warrior and a rogue is training costs (yet those professions both have measurably different roles in the game). However, there is a push to make the professions more unique, a notion by many that blurred lines between the professions and lack of unique skills is unacceptable.
I'm the type of player that prefers extremely blurry lines and lack of unique skills. That's why I started playing this game in particular; but apparent view of what type of game this is (or what type it should be) runs from one end of the spectrum to the other. Though bards will be able to play instruments twice as well as anyone else, will be the only ones able to tune instruments or aid their spell circle by playing, and despite the fact that playing an instrument brings no one either experience or wealth (unless you're clever), many find the situation unacceptable and would prefer bards be the only class able to play.
Sorcerors are looking for a commitment from the staff in defining their class and sticking to that definition, whether this means unique abilities or a revised spell list. The staff continues to see fit to give professions spells that mimic those of another profession (or spells that accomplish more than one task, also of note), thus the new wizard spell Hand of Tonis which for 5 mana can disperse a single cloud or stun a single foe. Rangers can now profit from self-cast lore through rods they have imbued themselves. Why did rangers need self-cast lore? I'm not really sure. Just how well is a ranger "supposed" to be able to pick? As well as a rogue? As well as a warrior? Rangers never could and never will be able to pick their own boxes, self-cast lore or not, and why they needed the ability to handle the locks and traps of critters that are only 15 trains below them as opposed to 20 trains below is beyond me. Is it possible they wanted self-cast lore for the sole reason that they were the only class that didn't have it?
There's lines that can be drawn all over this issue. One could very well say that, similarly, the non-bards who want to play instruments want it for no other reason than the fact that currently can't. One could say "You want to play an instrument? Be a bard!" as well as one could say "You want self-cast lore? Be a profession that can cast it!"... or one could say that's ridiculous. That the lack of self-cast lore was a natural drawback of the ranger profession, regarding a spell learned in the character manager and one of the two things that make a profession unique--while instruments are another animal altogether, solely an intricate tool for roleplaying and character development. Denying other professions the ability to play an instrument would make as much sense as denying non-clerics the ability to kneel down and pray.
But there are games in which one may follow a deity only if one is a cleric. In deciding these issues we see that it's the nature of the game that's at stake. What type of game do you want this to be?
January 31st
Grendeg exclaims, "I propose a toast to Blades. May his deeds be immortalized, and his story told for a hundred years! Let his name never be forgotten in the mists of time!"
At what was originally to be a ceremony of bonding in Blades' tower in Icemule last night, the legend announced he would be leaving the lands and Titaniia who loves him will be following. It was one of the more somber experiences I have been a part of in my time here; I have never seen such a wealth of emotion, especially from all those we always thought were coldhearted and aloof. A good number of us will be taking it hard and will be in poor spirits for some time... no matter how happy we want to be as the two move on to what we hope are better things, the void they leave behind will never be filled. Blades and Titaniia are two of a kind.
My main interaction with the man was his cutting my hands off and stunning me at various intervals, and heaven knows Titaniia caused me no end of discomfort--but when all is said and done, they were two of the citizens of Elanthia of whom I was most fond. The cries of "But who will pick on us now?" were common in the tower last night. As with so many, I may have fought them but I always liked them. Who can take the place of a true legend?
So amid the heavy atmosphere of sighs and held-back tears we sipped brandy and shared stories, each of us trying to convey to our heroes just why we will miss them so much. It was a night of sadness that will stand out in my memory as a reminder of just why I adventure: for the people. Faced with such a loss we realize that it's the people who make our world bearable and that the only true asset we have in life is each other.
Blades and Titaniia, go knowing you have made my own life that much better in your time here. That is no small thing.
(Addendum: In the wake of the happenings we find that Titaniia hasn't left. I shall refrain from speculation and simply be glad she's still around to talk to.)
February 7th
I'd wanted to address Platinum last week but in lieu of Blades leaving I put it off. Now we find that a bit of the hubbub has died down, though I don't expect we'll see the end of it for quite some time.
Simutronics is a business, and yes they want your money. That's no crime. In the company's efforts to please all its customers (a task that would ostensibly lead to the most income), it ends up leaving quite a number of them rather put out. Create Platinum for those who have been begging for a mirror world, and those left behind are offended; enforce the policy better in "GS Prime" and many of the customers who keep the business going will have to hit the road. Simu caters to many types of gamers and trying to please them all is a very dicey prospect.
The gamers' problem is compounded by the fact that there isn't a single game out there comparable to GemStone III and DragonRealms. There are games with an excellent roleplaying atmosphere but no combat mechanics; there are games with an elaborate training setup but no emphasis on roleplay. It's extremely difficult to find a world with all the richness and history of Elanthia... and believe me, while the combat system of GS3 may seem outdated and the roleplaying atmosphere may seem about to fall apart, they're worlds better than those of any other game I've tried. I take a trip MUDding around the web once in a while to remind myself.
GS can always be better but the fact is it's good enough now to face very little competition. That means that if Simu isn't putting as much effort into GemStone as we'd like, many people would still rather stay than leave as there's nowhere else they can go. Yes, Simutronics cares about us, but with no one stealing their customers away they can only care so much.
So I support the advent of real competition for GS and DRealms, and as some of you know I am a beta tester for a much-touted game being developed. Simutronics is kind enough to link to my site so out of courtesy I'll refrain from mentioning it, but I'm always available for comment in person. I can't imagine leaving Elanthia for quite some time but I do believe that a little competition could very well be the best thing to happen to our lands in quite some time... if not the best thing ever. We'll have to wait and see.
February 14th
As may have been evident I was having a hard time coming up with something for this week. I'll go with the recent changes to enchanting, which probably caused the most stir of anything to happen in the past few days. The changes appear to follow a sort of "anything is better than letting an abominable system keep existing until we get a real fix in" philosophy and require more mana to be infused for an enchant. Many mages who were able to spend seven hours in the game at a time are unable to spend the ten hours now required for the same enchant and so untempering potions were created that the prepared items may be returned to customers.
On top of that, overtraining in mana share is no longer of any use in the infusing process. This caused a number of cries from folks that their cleric's hard earned training in the skill and the hours spent to get them where they are are now "worthless."
I have no words of comfort for those people. I would be astounded if something ever happened to cause all the hours I've spent in the game to become "worthless." As anyone who has explored this website can see, I love tinkering with mechanics and optimizing my character, but if that were taken away from me I wouldn't begrudge the time I put in here. While optimizing one's character for power or wealth may be enjoyable we see how it can quickly become a hollow pursuit.
Every hour I have spent in the game I value for the experiences I've had, the things I've learned and the friends I've made. This weekend I'm off to another gathering of GemStone players where we'll tell stories and gorge ourselves. It will be good and yet another worthwhile result of my time here. So until next time, kiddies... if you're playing the game in such a way that one change could make all the time you spent here suddenly worthless, I'd take a moment to reevaluate.
February 21st
Category: Rogues
Topic: Official Rogue Guild
Author: Aldrek (GS3-ALDREK)
Posted: Feb 20, 1999 00:04:08
Its open. Go have fun.
-Jim
After six or more years of intentions, the rogue guild is finally open. There's a couple of views one may take on this... first is the reaction of "Well, it's about time. This is a classic example of Simu taking way too long to get something out that should have been done years ago." Also present is the reaction of "Kuro did a lot of hard work, let's just be thankful for what we have. It's only a game anyway."
Do we have any reason for being upset when Simu does an arguably incompetent job of handling things? This is, after all, just a game... does that mean we should take whatever we get and be thankful? I don't know. I think it's most likely that--as with many things--a bit of moderation is in order. Be angry once in a while. Stand up for what you want. But never, ever go to bed upset.
If you'll pardon me, Juspera should be able to get into the guild any hour now... I'm going to go have fun.
February 29th
I had a bit of difficulty coming up with something to address once more but I think I've found it. I'd post this on the boards but (a) I don't think it would do much good and (b) I don't feel like dealing with the reaction of the person I criticize. At any rate, Juspera, future master of... something... is now in the guild and it's pretty swell. I'd heard there was a lot of drudgery but I find it less drudgerous than people were making it out to be, though ranks still seem few and far between.
But many of the inductees are more than put out at the mind-numbing repetition and pressing of keys for an hour just to get five reps, 1/26th closer to another rank when it takes 63 ranks to master a skill. I didn't think it was terrible but it's certainly discouraging and not much fun. Why do we have to do it? First, because they can't just hand us the skills, we have to do something (and I'm glad there's variety in what we do rather than practicing on critters all the time). Second, "The skills are boring and repetitious to teach you discipline."
Here is where I stop. To teach who discipline? Do we have skills here that were deliberately put in to be repetitious and boring? Because they are--for the player. Juspera couldn't care less, she likes it. I don't like it. I come here to be engaged and I am not engaged by pressing up-up-up-enter-up-up-up-enter-up-up-up-enter for an hour (here I am referring to garlic and melons). Once more, what was the purpose of introducing boring and repetitious tasks?
I come here to have fun. I don't want to hear that some things are all work and no fun. This is a game... we're supposed to be getting away from those some things. I would never ask that all the skills be handed to me with no work at all (indeed, I rather like washing windows and watering flowers) but when the vast majority of players involved are so consistently losing enjoyment in a task, for the GM in charge to press on with his own beliefs about the situation is a bit hard to swallow. One should not be heading into a game dreading the hours of drudgery ahead. That's what careers are for.
It is not the job of the game to teach any player anything. It is not the job of the game to teach players patience or any other moral--yet that appears to be what a certain creator of the guild has in mind. Teaching a character patience is one thing, but deliberately making parts of the game unenjoyable for the player? There's something wrong there. It is not the job of the game to teach any player anything. As some of you already know I disagree strongly with many of the philosophies of our hard working guild guru. Give me a guild and I'll give you all my thanks... but hold the lessons on morality. They leave a sour taste in my mouth.
March 7th
I hadn't updated this page on Sunday like I usually do because... I didn't feel like it. I still don't have much to say. Not much is going on for me; the game is still fun. On the boards there was some talk of addiction and of when playing the game causes problems, and I think the best indication that one's relationship to the game is poor is if you're not enjoying yourself but are playing anyway. Some things in life are fortunate enough to work like my web page--if you don't feel like it, you don't have to do it. There's responsibility inherent but nothing bad will happen if you take a break. So before I go, a reminder: the game is a game, and if you're not having fun, you don't have to play it. That's about it.
March 14th
Dateline 3/15/99: IN GENRE BEHAVIOR POLICY ENFORCEMENT
Roleplaying is what GemStone III is all about. In order to make sure this goal is realized, more tools have been made available to GameMasters and GameHosts alike to enforce In-Genre [also known as In-Character] behavior on the amulet.
Please take a moment to review the POLICY verb, page 3, as it applies to Disruptive Behavior and continued out of character activity. What this means to you is that out of character [OOC] speech, thought, or other actions can and will be curbed within GemStone. This re-doubled effort at enforcement will first be manifested by the increased monitoring of the thought amulet, and will then trickle down to activity in public areas. This initiative will still not include the private areas we do not monitor, such as latchable rooms, private homes, and the like. Please remember that by presenting yourself in a manner that is consistent with the medieval fantasy environment, you help to enrich the environment for not only yourself, but everyone around you.
END NEWS ITEM
It's never enough for me, but that doesn't mean I'm not grateful.
March 21st
All right, all right, it happens to the best of us--I just haven't been able to keep up with the website (or with the game, for that matter). But never fear, I'll be around.
I did stop by the boards yesterday and on the "Thoughts on Roleplaying" board was a post about how the trophy room of Thrak's was well populated with people who had no qualms about being OOC, and how unfortunate that was as new players had to go through there to visit R. Thrak. Someone thought it would be a good idea if the porch crew hung out there and roleplayed to be a good influence.
Lo and behold, there were posts from people you never see on the boards, about the idiocy of the idea and how the little Vietnam protest sit-in in their room wasn't going to work. How the folks who roleplayed were oppressive morons who took things too seriously. There then followed a slew of posts from "the roleplayers," (or alternatively, my friends) which I didn't bother to read. I didn't think I would enjoy them.
The moral of the day is... we, all of us, are more vulnerable to silliness than we think. Before we open our mouths (or a reply window) to respond to something inflamatory, let us think, Was that silly? and Will I sound just as silly if I respond to it?
Silliness is a delicate thing, my friends. It can be a tool for good, but it can also be a tool for great evil.
March 28th
As our low-effort statement of the week this week I present you with a post I made in one of the folders for rogues, responding to the notion that stealing from someone then running away was the proper method of roleplaying a theft:
What is roleplaying about?
Staying in character. Being realistic. Entertaining the people around you.
Folks tend to forget the last part.
If you can't stay in character without entertaining the people around you, you're not roleplaying well. You're just staying in character. If you can't be realistic without creating a more enjoyable world, you're not roleplaying well. You're just being realistic.
Let's think about the people who have gone down in history as our favorite characters. Mikhail, Thalior, the Bleeds, Blades... even modern-day legends like Lylia and our Mustafo. Why do we think of them so fondly?
I don't think all of them were the best at staying in character or being realistic--but all of them entertained us. We just plain got a kick out of watching them and interacting with them. Did I like Blades because he cut my hand off when I stole from him? No, I liked him because he made it fun for me. He made sure I knew we were playing. Roleplaying, even.
In the end, the thief that steals and runs away will be forgotten. The thief that leaves the player of the victim with a big grin on his face will be remembered. Fondly. As a good roleplayer.
April 4th
Once upon a time I read an essay describing the "pseudo-event" and its effects. Pseudo, if you recall, means "false." The false event. What in the world could that be? The essay was about how some things become events only when sensationalist media make them so. How the reaction creates an event, rather than an event creating a reaction.
This can be a guilty pleasure when presented in tabloid mags but it's not something I particularly enjoy seeing in the game. I have seen too many endeavors fall apart because people were determined to make issues when none were there. The Council of Twelve of River's Rest is my favorite example; it was a group of twelve folks who got together to RP and plan social gatherings for the town. The Council eventually disintegrated amidst extreme hostility, accusations that it was trying to run everyone's lives, and promises that if the council continued GM's would be called in to stop it.
The only thing the Council ever forced on the town was the torture of listening to me sing at the songfests it organized. It's hard to speculate on what would cause people to so violently react to something that didn't exist, but there's no doubt that the folks who did so quite handily made something out of nothing. The group for RP and social gatherings dissolved in a mass of flames, hatred and ill will. The reaction to something that wasn't there created an event.
If I were to speculate on what causes people to react violently to something that doesn't exist, what causes people to ignore facts and jump to the worst conclusion possible, what causes people to need to tear someone else's work down... well, that's as far as I can get. People need to tear others' work down. But why?
I doubt we'll ever see the end of pseudo-events. But next time you see folks hooting and hollering over something, ask: Did the situation create the fuss or did the fuss create the situation?
April 11th
There are noticeably more new adventurers in the lands since GS3 made it to the Zone. I've met some who were already good roleplayers, some who were perfectly willing to learn game mechanics but showed no interest in roleplaying, and some who were most content to meet efforts to teach with insults.
The prevailing attitude seems to be one of Gemstone being just another online computer game, and it's neat, and what's the best way to gain levels? Not the crowd the game started with and certainly not the crowd conducive to a good game atmosphere--however, there's nothing to be done but make the best of it.
I find it very awkward to try to teach someone about roleplaying when that person has no interest in it. I say my "It's more civilized to use the word 'trainings'" and "Do you mean, how long it takes you to swing?" but when it comes to elucidating newcomers on how one should take joy in being one's character in a medieval world, I fear I can't find a way to explain it without feeling completely foolish. So I stick to trying to be a good example.
After all, no one ever took me aside and explained the game to me. I spent my first months in the game clueless to the possibilities of roleplaying until enough good examples gave me the picture. And if I can be helped in that way, I dare say others can too.
April 18th
Our statement of the week this time comes from one of the more level-headed posters on the boards.
Category: Socializing & Roleplaying
Topic: RP'ing: Tips, Slips, & Near Misses
Author: Lylia (UBERWENCH)
Posted: Apr 14, 1999 00:35:40
Theirs know arguing that the homophones sum people ewes wen they talk allowed in Elanthia, as herd buy hour characters, wood B perceived as the same. It snot 2 hard 2 sea, though, Y it isn't the wright whey 2 dew things awl the thyme. It ken bee a oui bit hard 2 understand. Inn fact, it ken B a reel pane in the Neq to get threw it at awl.
Granted, I as a player know just what someone means when he types, "Do U know how 2 get there?" I'll even grant that Lylia "hears" this as, "Do you know how to get there?" But I DO tend to think that the person who's using such chatroom shorthand is: A) clueless about roleplaying, B) knows what roleplaying is, but doesn't give a damn for fostering it, C) probably about ten, D) lazy, E) mentally stunted, or F) some combination of the above. (I make similar assumptions about people who refer to everything as "kewl", use smileys, or end every plural in a Z.) This perception of mine causes Lylia to react differently to that person; I am nowhere near a good enough roleplayer to keep my own thoughts, opinions, and feelings out of Lylia's completely (and nor, arguably, should I---but that would be another post altogether).
All of us make some sort of assumption about others within seconds of making their acquaintance; it's no different online, it's just that the assumptions made here are based on grammar, punctuation, word choice, and spelling rather than clothing, hair, make-up, and tattoos.
And as is true in the real world, we should modify our behavior to suit the situation we're in. It's inappropriate to wear a business suit to attend a picnic or obvious body jewelry to work in a bank. It's good to floss your teeth, but very bad to do it on the bus on the way to school. Likewise, it's inappropriate to use chat-room conventions of speech in a roleplaying game.
Then again, I have a feeling that most of the people who tell Lylia things like, "U R annoying me, beotch!" are the sort of people who'd have no compunction about picking their noses and eating the fruits of their labors while stopped at red lights. Some people just live to be disgusting and annoying...our bad luck that some of them also own computers.
------Lauren, Lylia's player
April 25th
Do the acts of wearing black, listening to anarchistic music and playing computer games cause one to commit murder? We know they don't. If you're reading this right now, chances are you play violent computer games and listen to non-mainstream music, and you may even be wearing black. And chances are you'd never think of raising a gun to someone except in self-defense.
Can the acts I listed above indicate social alienation that can affect how likely one is to commit violence? Yes. But the fact remains that the culture many of us are part of is still seriously misunderstood by a large part of the public, members of whom are fond of stating that violent games and loud music cause young people to commit crimes.
One of the most important things a scientist must remember when examiming data is that one cannot infer causation from correlation alone. What does that mean? If one statistic correlates with another statistic, that means that when one statistic changes, the other changes in the same direction (positive correlation) or the opposite direction (negative correlation). If the alcoholism rates in Bridgeport increase by 50% the same decade the Native American population there increases by 50%, can we deduce that being Native American causes you to be alcoholic? Absolutely not. One cannot infer causation from correlation alone. If we did more studies, we'd see that in fact poverty is what most affects your likelihood to be alcoholic, and that the Native Americans in Bridgeport were more likely to be poor than the other ethnic groups living there.
Playing violent computer games does not cause someone to commit a crime. But is it an influence? Possibly. There is likely a positive correlation between playing violent games and committing crimes among middle to upper-class youth (the group that is likely to be playing games on a computer or game system at all). But without more data, there's no way we can know whether one causes the other. Could it be that if someone has an already violent personality, that causes them to enjoy violent games? That the act of listening to Marilyn Manson is--if anything--a symptom and not a cause of social alienation, and is harmless in and of itself? Certainly. But we won't know until we have more information at our disposal.
If you are reading this now, chances are you are misunderstood. Misunderstanding between social groups is a shame. If we want to prevent further crimes like the horror in Littleton, we must make sure that those doing the studies and making the decisions--who are by and large not young black-wearing D&D-playing alternative music fans--have the data they need. Speak up about your lifestyle when you get the chance. De-mystify roleplaying and unorthodox clothing to the adults in your life. Teach.
May 30th
"My account will be cancelled on July 19th if this event goes through. I wanted to play a roleplaying game where you needed to earn items through your characters' actions and artifacts were a long term goal, not something easily attained with a credit card."
"I will downgrade my account for now while I look elsewhere for a real roleplaying game, something this game once was."
"Simutronics is a bunch of bastards."
What's all the hubbub about? The $75-per-ticket Bazaar on the Foehn's Promise, Simutronics' next pay for play event. An artifact is guaranteed for everyone who signs up. What are people upset about? Are they upset just because they can't afford to go?
I'll tell you what I'm upset about. I'm peeved that the greatest tangible rewards in the game are to be had if the character acts antisocial or if the player has cash. What kind of society would we have if we got ahead based on how little time we spent with others, if we amassed wealth and security based on a random factor in another dimension we couldn't control? We'd have a society just like Elanthia. Where it's more efficient to hunt with your character on another account than to make friends to help you out. Where you can fry quicker on a hunt if you don't stop to help a dead person. Where you can be mean to everyone you meet, and you'll still get healed and raised when you die because there are always empaths and clerics who want experience more than anything else. And where your access to an artifact is determined by something happening in another universe.
This is no way to build a society. I will never leave the game because the rogue guild has only three skills; I will never leave because I have to wait two hours in line for an assist; I may leave because no one answers when I say hello and I hear more "shut up u moron" than "Thank you!"
If we want a pleasant gaming atmosphere, we can't keep giving rewards for the acts that don't make the society any better. We especially can't keep rewarding downright antisocial behavior. Folks are fond of saying "You are responsible for making your gaming experience fun," but I do not want to keep playing GS3 if half the people I meet won't talk to me and the other half are rude or abusive. We also like to say "Roleplaying should be its own reward," and yes, roleplaying can be fun... and look how many people are doing it. It's not enough for doing good things to be its own reward. If it were, a lot more people would be taking part.
If I were in charge, I would change things so only one Wizard FE may be open at once on a computer, to cut down on dual-account use. I would make the entire town area a node to encourage folks to socialize while they rest instead of sitting at a table alone. I would make fogging and healing a lot more dangerous so folks are less likely to rescue those who haven't done anything good for them lately. I would end Premium or move it to another server entirely. I would allow RPA's to be peer-awarded and give wealth, items and flat experience bonuses. I would make expansion a top priority and get "births" going in all cities, and provide incentive to move out of the Landing and stay out. I would abolish fame lists as they are and award fame and money to those who put in time in a community service program, picking up trash or teaching.
Some of these things are simple, some require further planning. I don't know if Simu will ever do any of them. I fear that I'm going to hear a lot more "shut up u moron" in the future.
* Quotes have been taken from Titaniia's Foehn's Airship Survey. Go here to take the survey or see the full results.
June 6th
I don't know about everyone else, but I was pretty satisfied with the "war" that happened over the weekend. It could have been better, but it could also have been a lot worse. Everyone was able to roleplay with the Bregandians on the net, though everyone wasn't able to help out with hunting them down. There weren't many puzzles to solve, but there was a bit of a storyline. I'd take another event like this without too many complaints. For those of you who missed it or want a look back, click on the link above (in the news) to see what I made of the over 30 logs I gathered. I'm pooped. That's it for this week.
June 13th
I made a comment on the boards recently that "the straws are adding up." And they are. Every day I see another sign that GS is turning into a game I don't want to play: another character named Deathslayerr Acidbomb hits the streets; another event scheduled where my character's chance to get an artifact is determined not by the character's behavior but by my own; another failed attempt to get people to stop saying "what ur rt wiht fal?"
I'm not trying to say I'm on my way out the door. I'm trying to say I'm concerned. I want to keep playing this game; I want it to keep being fun for me. There's a lot of history in my character and there have been a lot of good times.
Thankfully for me it's not all gloom amd doom. Simu does a lot of things I don't like, but they also do a few things I applaud. The Bregandian invasion, while it had its flaws, was a welcome event. The Lorekeepers are as active as ever. The little gifts to roleplaying (titles, a calendar) are wonderful. The straws are adding up... but I'm a patient camel.
June 20th
This week's statement comes courtesy of Esserae:
I saw a Sylvan sitting on the pier in River's Rest one morning, watching the sun rise and glimmer off of the golden ship docked just offshore. Lying on the pier next to her was a backpack full of small bottles, a basket of corks and a bundle of blank scrolls. She was writing furiously with a quill pen.
She looked up when I approached and smiled. "Good morning," she said, and I replied in return.
I sat down and watched as she continued to write. When she finished one scroll, she rolled it up, put it into a bottle and firmly pushed a cork into its mouth. She stood and hurled the bottle as far from the pier as she could. It hit the water with a splash, and began drifting...
She began to write another scroll. I sat enjoying the morning sun, the breeze and the sound of her pen scratching against the rough parchment for several moments. As she threw her fourth bottle into the water, I cleared my throat. She glanced at me inquisitively.
"I was wondering what you were doing..." I said, not quite sure exactly what to ask.
"I am writing the Gods, to tell them how much I enjoy living in these Lands--the friends I have made, the adventures I have had, the many wonderful gifts that have been given to me and to those I love. But I am also letting them know that there are still many things in the Lands that bother me--a growing lack of concern for community, the high costs of keeping a home or attending events, and my uncertainty whether it is worth it, this balance between the joy and delight I feel on the one hand and the frustration I am experiencing on the other. And I am asking them one of life's most important questions."
"What question is that?" I asked her.
"Whether we exist for them, or if they exist for us," she said, pushing another cork into a bottle and standing again.
I waited until she threw the bottle into the water and sat down before I replied.
"Perhaps we exist for each other," I said.
She paused, mid-scroll and stared off toward the golden ship, biting her lip. Then she turned to me and spoke.
"You may be right." And with that, she bent back down and continued to write.
"Why are you still writing, then?" I asked her.
She smiled at me again, a tear in her eye. "Because if we exist for each other, it is even more important than ever that I express to the Gods my dreams for the Lands and my fears for the future," she said.
I thought about this for the briefest of moments, then sat at her side. I leaned forward and picked up a blank scroll.
"Do you have an extra quill pen?" I asked her.
June 27th
The Spitfire is here. This is, incidentally, my first chance to check it out. (And you can check out a few humorous moments here.) Some statements of truth:
The Spitfire was not a promised event.
The Spitfire carries its own unique merchant items.
No one makes you go on the Spitfire.
No one makes you buy anything on the Spitfire.
No one makes you wait in a room 24 hours for a chance to get on a list.
Tattoos were not promised.
No one makes you wait in a room 24 hours for a chance to get a tattoo.
In fact, there's no way you could possibly have less--less money, worse items, fewer tattoos--than you had before the Spitfire came, unless it was your fault. You can, however, have more items to buy, more chances for an alter, more opportunities to speak to NPC's.
There will be other merchant events.
No one will spontaneously combust because there were no 6x crit-weighted swords on the Spitfire.
Koar, let me never cry because a good gift was not great.
June 11th
This week's statement comes to us from Mustafo's rogue boards.
By Imp on Tuesday, July 6, 1999 - 01:43 pm:
Default or not default... that is the issue.
In earlier times, roleplaying was the default mode in Elanthia. There weren’t enough critters, areas, spells, etc., to keep the powerhunters continually entertained. There was enough of a roleplaying population to serve as a consistent example of what the product was about.
Things have changed. Where once the powerhunter type would burn out quickly and find themselves with little to do and learn to either enjoy RP or leave Elanthia, there are now enough areas/critters to keep Joe Powerhunter entertained for years on end (with no end in sight as Simu continues to dump resources into keeping up with this player-type). Where once examples of roleplaying were easy to see, areas once common spots for roleplay are now so crowded (TS for instance) that even what roleplay does go on there is difficult-to-impossible to notice. Where once a small but dedicated group of roleplayers could influence many, the hundred-fold increase in Elanthia’s population has enormously diminished player influence (can you imagine a snert unable to find healing/raising/picking in todays GS?). Where once public spots were a frequent choice for initiating roleplay (in order to involve others) much of what roleplay is left is now carried out in private areas in order to avoid crowds/snerts... thus further diluting examples of roleplay. Where once older players would consistently try and initiate RP with newer players (look to Musty’s interviews for some examples) now the majority of roleplay is only initiated with people that one already knows... and the reason for that is simple yet profound.
“It is safer to assume the person standing next to you doesn’t roleplay than to assume that they do.”
That is an ugly sentence, let me be the first to say, but there is truth there. Don’t let the preponderance of people interested in roleplay at this particular website fool you, either, this is not a true sampling. At any given time in some random location, picking some random person, the chances of having your attempt to RP reciprocated are small enough to discourage much of Elanthia from even trying. Which, let me also admit, is an equally upsetting statement.
But don’t let me gloom-and-doom you, there could be hope. It’s my opinion that Simu needs to make some changes, and that the place to start with is the new-player perception that failure to RP is the default, and that actually roleplaying is the exception. Certainly I feel confident saying that for a new player entering Gemstone the evidence supplied by player behavior (particularly inside a town, which is where all new players start) quickly sends a stronger message of non-roleplaying than any attempts by Simu to the contrary.
The trick, to finding workable solutions, is to keep in mind that Simu will never do anything that actually discourages customers who don’t want to RP, that do like to powerhunt, that favor mechanics over atmosphere. That leaves only small, and very basic, changes. But the differences could add up. Add a character development section the character manager, strictly voluntary so that those who are uninterested don’t feel forced. Remove the ability to see the math involved in player casts/attacks in Town Square (making it a useless place to do DS/TD checks), those who want to can still do it just not in TS. Change the combat default to Combat Brief (instead of the other way around), letting players know numbers are available to those who want to set their flag but that numbers are not the entirety of the game experience. Change the Thrak to cover more RP issues, as well as more common courtesy issues. Change the level 0 to level 1 race (going to locations in town) so that there is some learning involved (roleplay oriented questions given out, answers picked up at different locations and brought back). The list could go on, nothing so major that non-roleplayers are forced out of GS, or even forced to change (sure I would like them to, but let’s aim for workable) ... but just enough that anyone who comes into Elanthia is given the impression that while all types of players are welcome here, roleplaying is the default.
August 15th
From Simu's Rogue Guild board:
"i was wondering how come the ms of critters change depending on what stance they are at,when its the same for warriors when they tackle them even if they critter was in stance defensive. hows that fair? i mean tackle is already better then sweep already by giving more rt and could also do demage. sure you could say we got cheapshots but cheapshots are pretty much useless against old critters. and i am not over hunting too.for example a warlock is like what 115 the most i am like 123 and i would have like no chance of cheapshot them even if they were in offensive it would still be really hard i would need like a 70 roll."
I paused at "123."
It's slightly appalling to me that someone without the language skills of a second grader can make it to level 123 in a "multiplayer roleplaying game." Even those for whom English is a second language are capable of punctuation and capitalization.
Although, taking into account the reason I felt I had to put "multiplayer roleplaying game" in quotes, I suppose the level 123 and the lack of language skills are intricately related.
September 5th
Nevrek's right, of course... this page has been up for a year now. Up for a year and only 6,000 visitors? I gotta start handing out cookies.
Lateley in the game there seems to be a crackdown on OOC behavior, OOC names and off-color language. I myself don't approve of the latter and think the former are sometimes misguided, though it is nice to see Simu enforcing policy.
There have been cases of people getting warned for using the SMILE command to have a runner dash up and hand over a message... folks with names that include a type of tribal fetish being asked to change them for no reason that I can see than that they looked silly... people getting warned for calling a critter "slut" when they were in the room alone with it... people getting warned for going OOC at a table where no one else could walk in. I don't know about you guys, but none of those things that got warned or changed disrupt my gaming experience, and it's a little disturbing to see them being cracked down on.
I'd far rather see policy crack down on NOT roleplaying (like standing around unresponsive for half an hour, or stealing without bothering to roleplay) than on roleplaying that isn't perfect. I'd rather see crackdowns on non-name "names" like Silverwarrior and Snugglekitty than on those that at least try to be given names. I'd far rather see language like "***SELLING*** scripted +20 broad u know u want it WTM!" banned than language like "Die, you son of a Krolvin slut." And I think it's ridiculous that people (players and staff) can go OOC aloud in public if an assist is going on but players can't do the same in a room alone.
I do appreciate Simu's efforts--but I can't endorse them wholeheartedly.
November 14th
I haven't much to talk about, as I haven't played the game with any regularity in months. I don't know if I'm going to cancel my account. (I will someday, obviously, but I don't know when.) It's not that the game has gotten that much worse since I started playing; if anything I've just become increasingly intolerant of what problems there are. It's due more to changes in my own personality than to changes in the game that playing is no longer relaxing for me.
Of course, if the game were a better game, I might still be playing--but that's true of every activity. I will come back when I can enjoy playing the game again, assuming I haven't cancelled by then. Either way I'm sure you haven't heard the last of me.
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