QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:14 PM) 386712
You have no idea. Longevity doesn't make someone not a moron.
You're right, it doesn't. However, please do consider that there are people with more experience with this matter than you whose opinions are just as valid that you are summarily dismissing. I too was a guild secretary a long time ago and very involved with novice training even though I hated it with a
burning fiery passion. I have also had many accounts on many MUDs and MUSHes, and I know what I personally like when getting started in a new game. I have stated previously in this thread as to what I feel is important, so I will not go into them here.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:14 PM) 386712
Failing to comprehend what I'm saying doesn't make me wrong. But perhaps I lack the ability to fully describe what I was trying to say.
Failing to get a consistent, coherent point across doesn't make you right. I would highly recommend several things to make sure that you don't sound idiotic on the internet. First thing is proofreading. Please make sure your grammar and spelling are accurate. Avoid tricky homonyms, watch those commas, and make sure you don't drop a word or two. No matter how confident you are that you didn't miss anything, go through it again. All we have to make opinions about you are the things you say, and bad writing casts you in an extremely negative light right off the bat. Clear writing, on the other hand, will immediately put you in a more positive light. Second, treat each post as a mini essay. If you are writing something of considerable length, make sure it is easy to read and understand. It should be in a logical format and be well-reasoned. Avoid fallacious arguments and make sure you are have evidence or reasoning to support your points, as they
will be challenged. Thirdly, keep your tone neutral or, at the least, civil. Talk very little about yourself and your opponent, instead deal with their points. Boasts about your own qualities and insults about your opponents' faults will only make you look like a braggart with an overinflated ego, not a reasonable person who is willing to debate. Lastly, make sure your points and reasoning are consistent across your posts. One of your major points, that RP is irrelevant in novice training, has remained far too mutable in both support and detail. This detracts from the credibility of your argument, as you sound unsure of your point.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:14 PM) 386712
In any case, the mechanics of the game are limiting to RP in many ways, denial of that is naive. That is not to say RP cannot exist regardless of that, nor does it mean I don't actively play a role within my character. But you can't simply decide you're going to be a strong, well-trained Knight of the Light that smites the foes of Terentia unless you take both active efforts in RP'ing to that point and also working through the mechanics of the game to achieve suitable levels to accomplish those feats for RP purposes.
Your previous posts have claimed that RP is irrelevant and should be an extension to in-game mechanics. This statement, which is more agreeable to me (and I suspect a portion of the playerbase), implies that mechanics are a facilitator for RP. However, the mechanics do not cover every possible aspect of roleplaying. While in-game mechanics do require a certain level and a certain number of skills for you to believably play a strong warrior, RP such as Tully's does not. Tully, who played a very influential character, uses very few of his non-combat skills to maintain his RP and was quite a low level for a considerable period of time while he was still fairly influential. It does, however, take a high degree of RP skill to ignore the mechanics in favor of a more appealing or distinct role.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:14 PM) 386712
What I am saying, is that without the basic knowledge of how to progress through the mechanics of the game, my character could never grow to be what I want it to be in the terms of RP. There's nothing wrong about that, it's a factual part of any game. But then, yourself, like many are more concerned about acting holier then thou, talking down to new players and telling people they're wrong then anything else.
I do agree with this, Verithrax should have given evidence to back up his point that you were "wrooong". However, while his tone may have been holier-than-though, following up with a strong implication that he's a moron and that he has no idea is more insulting and harms your credibility.
EDIT: Sorry, didn't see your next post, which deserves a reply.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:23 PM) 386724
I didn't personally attack anyone.
You strongly implied Verithrax was a moron. This is a personal attack.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:23 PM) 386724
Either way, people apparently don't care, they're too concerned with doing things their way, wether right or wrong and adverse to any change to effectively make a difference. Basically everyone that's posted on this subject seems concerned with one thing, themself and how right they think they are and it's a little sickening. Lusternia will eventually grow and more people that actually concern themselves with new players will eventually stay and rectify this problem, or it will collapse. I'm thinking the former is more likely given IRE's history of success as far as MUD's go. All I really tried to do was to give a different perspective, as someone from the outside and someone that is new and all anyones tried to do is pick it apart and throw it back at me in thinly veiled attacks at my own character and some less veiled.
While I agree that the stagnancy you are implying is a long-standing issue with this game, your posts are just as self-centered and egotistical.
QUOTE(Serge @ Feb 27 2007, 07:23 PM) 386724
You want to retain more novices, start asking them what they want from the game and what you can do to keep them coming back. Not that I think many players seem to care, because they've all dealt with many novices and are so experienced as secretaries and undersecretaries and training novices. Clearly they know better, hence how we have this problem to begin with. Right?
They don't stick around long enough for the administration to ask questions. All we have to go on are the people who have had successful experiences and people who see successful and unsuccessful novices. As everyone has a different opinion, it is up to the administration to reach a general consensus as to how to deal with these players.
Please don't. My e-emotions are fragile and I may end up deeply hurt. 
