Visaeris is back...and so are his detractors!

I wish Rafael would come back.

I sent him a big message in all caps on Achaea with words to that affect.

Oh wait, you weren't trying to make a bad ironic punny joke?

Don't worry Daganev, my last post was referring to Silvanus wishing Rafael was back, all is still right with the world.

Oh come on we've tried that before. Besides, the Moondancers would have a fit if that was proposed; the whole Tainted Fae event is still fresh in everyone's mind (whereas the Little Fae Girl is blamed mostly just on individuals and not Celest as a whole).

Rafael should totally come back, yeah.

And I'm going to laugh so hard if these people who think they're getting leadership positions, like, don't.

Oh, and Asarnil? That picture with the the people going "stupid map", I have no idea wtf it's about, but it's sooo funny.

Elryn's comments about conflict bring up an issue that is a matter of some concern.

Some MUD players want to play a lot of conflict, and would love perpetual war. Some want no conflict, and just want to craft, trade, quest, explore, build families, etc. Most fall somewhere in between. (And many people are slippery: they might say they want a certain level of conflict, but if they got it, they'd complain about being bored. Give them a bit more than they say they want, and they get engaged and excited, stay more and buy more credits. But go a little too far, and they get fatigued and walk away. It's a delicate balance for the administration.)

All three (soon four) organizations have people from all points in the spectrum. However, it seems plain that there are some trends, some skewing.

It seems to me (seen from the outside only, I have no alts) that Magnagora has a disproportionally large number of people who lean towards the "more conflict" end of things. That's partially because such people are more likely to be drawn to those guilds and that city in the first place, and partially because the city tends to encourage that tone. Even if you're not going to act on a "fight or be kicked out!" threat, that you made it will inevitably make a bunch of people who aren't in for that kind of thing quit (either quit the city or just abandon that character).

I know even less of Celest, but what I see suggests they have a contradictory mix of people at both ends of the spectrum, and that gulf is part of what keeps Celest from figuring out what it's doing.

Serenwilde has a disproportionate number of people at the "less conflict" end of the spectrum. It naturally attracts people who want a fairly peaceful life with only just enough conflict to spice it, but in limited doses. The idea of endless war makes them flinch and think about walking away. They'd rather focus on building their manses, running their shops, designing their crafts, building their families, doing their quests, maybe a bit of hunting now and then.

The one bad thing (from an administrative, "health of the MUD" perspective) is the idea of making too many of them perpetually unhappy by forcing them into an endless war with Glomdoring that they have no way to avoid. It'll be an even more delicate balancing act than usual to ensure that this conflict eventually settles down to something that the Serenwilders who want to be part of it can be part of, but those who don't want to, can mostly stay out of without violating their RP, or can participate in via things they don't mind (like supplying or healing the troops, doing relatively safe quests, etc.).

IRE games have historically balanced a strong PK system with a strong selection of non-PK-related, non-conflict-based activities like crafting and questing. Lusternia has furthered this trend; it has as much PK support in its system as other IRE games, but it has stronger crafts (everyone gets a trade skill) and far, far superior quests. So I'm sure they'll find ways to make this work.

I'm hoping, and this is still assuming it's the Glomdoring, that the players and the patrons can alleviate these fears.

Although, there is a lot of reason for the Glomdoring to hate cities. Just because Rowena's tainted, doesn't mean she can't remember how everyone just ignored her and Mother Night's warnings, and how the Basin plunged ahead into the foolish Project Cosmic Hope. Hell, it was Rowena, not the Moon Coven, that was at the meetings, begging the cities to hear her pleas.

The Moon Coven just screwed the cities over, and took what Rowena and the rest had suffered and struggled for, and are living off borrowed fame.

I imagine it'll get worse. A lot of people believe there's going to be an influx of Seren warriors bandwagoning to the Glomdoring. You're right, it will be a delicate balancing act, but no more or no less than it currently is with Magnagora and Celest.

Well, I don't think anyone can say that that balance between Magnagoran and Celest has been an unqualified success.

Giving Celest's current situation, if Raf came back, he'd take one look and say 'OMG liek Celset is da ' and go tainted like most of our other good fighters. Or go Serenwilde.

That reminds me. Magnagora will be pleased to know Celest enemied Tuek today. That oughta shake the 'alliance' up a little

EDIT: Watch your language. ~Shiri~

Why? o.o

Forcing someone to drink absinthe.

ahaha

As I was saying to Erion, Glomdoring had better at least have a 'CHELP GUIDO', because otherwise I'll have thrown away 300+ hours of my life for naught.

CHELP GUIDO

Raving lunatic who spent his entire life trying to get this place together only to suicide a week before events were set into motion to make it. Not really worth remembering.

See HELP BARRY

You guys are going to shatter my poor, fragile teen psyche.

I just wish Azeal had a chance to know Guido.

HELP BARRY

Kill this rodent on sight. A furrikin-sized rat, he is nothing more than a pest.

Communites of the Glomdoring, see CHELP GUIDO