Llesvelt targeted people who were already quite Collectivist in thought and deed, it is propaganda mainly aimed at affirming their already established beliefs more than anything else.

As a player, I am just happy someone read my damn book Even if they do not like it.

We should mobilize under the banner of spreading Beauty, Knowledge, and Harmony and take over the Basin! Even Cririk agrees!



That was really awesome, Shedrin! Makes me wish I was still an Aero...

No, no one gets to dictate what kind of RP you get in Hallifax, but I don't think it is out of bounds to be disappointed in that RP when it doesn't match or greatly strays from the history and description of the organization.

Note: I'm not saying that Hallifax has terrible RP, it is quite the opposite. I'm merely responding to the discussion of it being "authoritarian", in which Hallifax (read: its players and player leadership, including myself) has so far failed in being authoritarian on most things.

It is only through severe personal introspection that I am not closing this thread right now. I am severely disappointed by how visciously some individuals attack people's first writing efforts. Calling a written work someone probably spent a few hours making 'toilet paper' is just NOT acceptible and this will be the ONLY warning I give before I start closing and raising warn levels.

I am really happy that people in Hallifax and in Elostian's order are finally getting over their fear of writing things and starting to experience the enjoyment and fun that can be had from writing either literary or scholarly works within the game as a viable roleplay tool and actions such as these serve only to -severely- demoralise people. If you want to publically reflect on a book, do so in a professional manner, involving both the good things and the aspects which may be improved upon, I will not allow a public lynch mob like some of the people are doing here.

Don't make me see public assaults like this again.

I remember in Mag there use to be a group of writers that wrote critiques and reinterpreted the works of other writers from a Magnagorian point of view. They did it in a mature (and hilarious) manner and since its infinitely easier to write book reviews than generate new content it was a very quick way to generate additional culture for the city. It was pretty ingenious.

Found it. It is the Magnagoran Literary Review. I knew Aiakon and Nariah would be involved in this little scheme.

I could see Hallifax generating commentary and commentary upon commentary of their own works. Might want to look into it.

This of course allows the delicious circle of commentators being able to be force fed their own medicine.

This was easily one of my favorite RP experiences to date. I love when a Guildmaster has that air of "I'm your friend, but I still scare the poo out of you."

As for the book, I think all three of us were really struggling to find something truly "wrong" with it. Kio actually found it quite interesting, and has been trying to move more towards the Collectivist mindset.

Also, when Shedrin asked us to read the book as a group, then come as a group to answer questions, we all thought that it could have been a test in applying the principles of the book; therefore, we formed a squad and discussed the book, and while Shedrin was asking us questions, we were discussing possible answers in our squad.

I haven't read much on Hallifax, and honestly, I probably won't. History isn't something I'm interested IRL, and it seems to be more of a chore to do it in a game. But still, Kio certainly believes that a Collective, even when Authoritarian, does not mean another Magnagora floating in the sky. Quite the opposite, really. The Caste system is neat, but the idea of Collectivism seems to suggest not to enforce it. Instead, it seems to lead more to "what's good for the whole, is good for you, so if helping the lower caste helps the whole, help yourself, and if the lower caste having a voice helps the whole, help yourself." Authoritarianism seems to have such a negative connotation, when it shouldn't. It doesn't seem to be in-your-face, do-as-I-say rule, but instead here-are-the-laws, follow-them-to-the-letter rule.

Just as a side note, from what I've seen IG, Hallifax is much less Authoritarian than Collectivist. It's like a flying crystal embodiment of Mill's Utilitarianism. I guess why I say this is because everyone seems to be talking about the Authoritarian aspect, and not the social theory aspect. In my mind, the latter should be more important (and far more interesting) than the former. But that's just me!

Anywho, thumbs up for Hallifax, two thumbs up for Shedrin, and a nap when I get home from work tonight.

I'm a bit curious then. To what degree do you view your commentary as valid if you haven't read the source material?

Retracted as to not turn the thread from the current subject.

Well, for something you couldn't find much wrong with you spent quite some time collectively (pun intended) breaking it down from top to bottom.

I think the problem is that this book wasn't a particularly good selection for a book critique: the book is written in a way that doesn't invite open discussion concerning the topic, and such a hard line can only be assaulted by saying 'I disagree' in a more or less affrontary manner. Books that lend them selves much better to discussions such as these are those that postulate theory or experiments, where one can discuss the underlying hypothesis and lead to a discussion that will actually increase on the subject matter, rather than subtract from it, random examples of these are Ileein's work on solid air, Incabulos' work on the spheres, Saaga's work on living crystal or Orti's work on Chaos and Order to name but a few.



Well, Hallifax is very shiney on the outside, but in order to really comment on the city in any vaguely credible manner you really need to properly study the many hints and suggestions that are hidden throughout the city or are spoken of by the mobs. Hallifax is not a happy eutopia, unless you happen to be a high ranking Artist or Scientist.

That doesn't take away the fact that regardless of the roleplay the city is supposed to contain, being inside the city should be a worthwile and entertaining experience for everyone, which is why you won't see anyone trying to enforce the authoritarian aspect. It's a difficult balance to strike between being fun and being good roleplay, thus far, I am quite impressed with how Hallifax has managed it.