Of course you were, I just thought it was funny enough to quote again after all this time

Why? I loved it the first week. I actually decided to save up to get one of the artifacts that got dropped for me, when I hadn't ever considered getting one before cause it was so fun to play with.

Seems that's the kind of reaction it's supposed to create, not the disappointment fest that's happened every week since.

Nevermind. Realized I can ask in another thread... ahem.

Because it floods the game with many powerful, if but temporary items, some of which can be used to annoy others. It severely breaks the immersion of the game. It was implemented solely as a marketing gimick with no real IC premise ("Oh they robbed the shop!" is barely a reason) and it aimed at doing one thing-- giving shiny things to people so that they will buy more.

I feel the same way about free lessons/credits/artifacts for logging in, Crit Thursdays, and any other regularly scheduled "eye candy". Having these things periodically I think is a good thing (a Great Hunt every once in a while, or the double-XP weekend in August), but having all of this stuff happening at the same time to me means that people are coming not to play the game and participate in all that it has to offer, but for the "free stuff".

That being said, I understand that this was a corporate decision, and hold no ill will towards our own lovely admins .

I have a completely different viewpoint. Sure, folks might come for the free stuff, but then, once they're here, they get to experience the game and participate in all it has to offer - when otherwise they might not have. And that can only be good.


(plus, I really like the free lessons! )

But its a proven fact that if X people come for the free stuff, then Y% of them will stay for what the game has to offer. Companies wouldn't do that if that wasn't the case.

The real question is whether or not these marketing schemes are working for Lusternia. From what I've seen (and I believe there was an Admin mention somewhere on the forums), enrollment is up by a decent margin. More people = certain developments are justified (i.e. Gaudi/Halli... hoping for Jojo/Ackle). The end justifies the means, no?

Player activity is definitely up. I know back at the beginning of the year, I'd look and see about 130 people on around peak. It dips and rises occasionally, but we are most definitely up. We regularly see 180+ people on at peak times (I haven't seen us break 200 yet, but we get close quite often!). That's on at one time, around 8-9pm eastern time. On a weekday. This is pretty fantastic.

This is definitely a good thing, because it means more players, which means more people to interact with and people to participate. Which only increases the enjoyment for everyone. More people means more justification for new guilds. Once the new cities are filled out nicely and we see a still increasing playerbase, one that could justify looking at more org(s), we may someday see the return of Ackleberry. I'd love to see it, personally! New orgs means new roleplay, means more opportunities.

As my two cents, I'll comment on the given topic - I agree with Noola. People might come for the shinies, but it's how you get them in the door. If we can get 10 people to walk through that door, I'll bet we can get at -least- two or three to stay. And that only, ONLY means good things for Lusternia.

(And, don't say the bandits came out of nowhere. They've been here before!)

Probably been asked before, but if I was to use feathers in a design, what things can you use? I'm guessing trill/angels? anything else?

There's a bunch of birds in the Kiakodan Nature Reserve that can be used as comms. Eagles on astral as well.

Oh I forgot about those. Thanks.

Just realized it was a silly question, until I thought about it.. seagulls would work too?

There's the crow feathers from Glomdoring too.

If you can fly, there's kestrels on the highway near the moors.

Edit: I'm guessing rocs might work too.

There's also Hallifax's pigeon vermin.

There are snow eagles, too.

(no idea if that helps)

Don't remember how they are spun for Lusternia, but how about the cockatrices just south of Glomdoring (accessible right off the highway). Aren't they like chicken-dragons? Would love to see cockatrice pets BTW...

Eh, still seems to me like the shinies aren't a means to an end, for many, they are the end themselves. But that's just my opinion too.

How does one approach their patron about guild expansions in a manner that's actually, well, IC?

(Note, especially, that as far as the Illuminati is concerned we aren't actually 'expanding', moreover 'excavating', so I guess I just have to hint that I found blueprints around the Pyramid suggesting that we can find feature x in location y? :S )

Yeah, I have no idea. I always feel really really awkward speaking to Patrons about stuff like that. Cause, I feel like it should be done IC, but sometimes I can't think of an IC way to put it that doesn't sound dumb. Course, I always feel like a spaz when speaking with Divine characters in any case.

Msg'd the patron, the patron told us to talk to guild tutor, sent in the builder mob, talked to the builder mob, guildhall refurnished. Started OOCly, finished ICly.