This makes me miss the old days. *daydreams somberly*

I actually kind of somewhat maybe miss Rhysus.

when I saw the author of this thread, I almost kinda somewhat-but-not-really gave a flying

I still think Karma should die.

It's okay, I think the moment passed.

Why are we resurrecting old threads that are dying after being dead and buried?

I dunno, but I'm glad we have. This one is a really interesting read...

Perhaps someone should start a thread with links to interesting old discussions though.. rather than just bringing em back from the grave.

Because this thread still brings up extremely valid points and well thought out, helpful suggestions, although some of the background assumptions are outdated due to the addition of Glomdoring and the overall watering-down of the overall Lusternian conflict system.

Lusternia remains an extremely static place. The only real changes that are made to the game that have lasting effects on gameplay are those made by the administration (introduction of new areas/skills/classes, changes to existing ones) and those are few and far between. While I agree with Rhysus's postulation that this cyclical steady-state system is inherently flawed because things that don't change aren't fun (which is why I've stopped playing WoW and, to a lesser extent, Lusternia), it is nevertheless a successful platform for the sale of a MUD and will likely remain this way. Additionally, while the administration has taken steps to reduce feelings of "burnout" amongst players, I believe that it was taken too far, removing entirely things that could have merely been changed and significantly decresing the potential enjoyment the game has to offer.

I could not disagree more, although I do think the player base suffers from a sort of old fogies syndrome.

eh? What's that, sonny?

Shut up, gramps, and eat your meds or I'll have them unplug you.

I still think there's room for the admins to harness the creativity of players to fill in gaps in canon. Consider this:

IC: When the Akashic Records burst, some of the motes soaked into the minds of adventurers, or seeped into the surroundings. Sometimes when someone sits down to write an account of history, they're not inventing, they're channeling a true account, which will be revealed as the actual history.

OOC: Prestige winners, or bardic winners, or both, which fill gaps in the histories are reviewed by the admins. If they fit canon (both as currently published and as planned), they may be adopted as canon.

Example: Suppose that the admins have not yet written an account of, say, some part of Marilynth's youth, or how Ellindel met Glinshari, or the story behind the gods that became the Dead Voices of the bard's guilds. Some player writes a story about one of these things. The prestige or bardic process selects it as exceptionally well written. Now the admins give it a read-over and decide that it does not contradict anything written or planned, and it becomes flagged as canon.

Now we all know the actual account of how Marilynth grew up, without the overworked admins having to write it from scratch, and in a way that'll satisfy players who want to exercise their creativity in a way that has impact in the world. And gradually the history becomes far, far richer than it could ever be just based on the (admirable and voluminous) efforts of admins and builders and gods alone. It's kind of like a far more selective version of a Wiki approach to culture, but with strict admin editorial control, so leveraging the best of collaboration without the worst of it.

Er, we've been doing that for a long time now--that is what prestige books are (see HELP CULTURE). The winning books of the library contests are considered cannon, subject to the notes of the divine scholars. All these winners show up in the World Library.

P.S. I'm surprised no one has posted anything about the latest Elder Wars history!

Wait what???

So Illusions of Kethuru is now "true" as much as is possible for a book of speculation to be true?

Wait-- my book about Rowena is considered canon?

I am not complaining, it would be really nice... And would definitly make more RP opportunities to open.

It was awesome! I like knowing who created the Wolves. So working for something I plan on writing IC.

I liked learning more about what the Fates were exactly too, so yay Divine!

And noone thought to post the contents in the Serenwilde news? Some of us can't read Divine

seren news? pah.. post it in the elders history thread

Please please?