Hrm.

[Alnir]

Awesome. -...- Awesome -...- Game. I may have only lasted a few hours, But I'm now working on my second character. Roleplay was awesome. Maybe this time, I'll be able to survive longer than seven hours.

[Halaster]

Being one of the imms who answered your wishes early on, I'm glad to know we've hooked you.  :twisted:

[Alnir]

Yeah, The only thing I don't like is the time inbetween character applications, where there is nothing to do, but watch each..and every..single..minute..pass by on your little computer clock :X

[Halaster]

Yeah, that can be not-so-fun, but at the same time, it will help you learn to appreciate your characters even more.  If you know that you can die permanently, AND that it make take a bit of time before your next character, it will help you consider your actions and think "Is this realistic for my PC to do?".

Plus, after you've played the game a while, you'll find yourself sometimes getting attached to a character.  Once he/she dies, you sometimes really do want a break for a few days before you can get into another character.  Not that everyone is like that - some folks can jump into the next character and start writing it while the previous one is still dying in the desert, heh.

Anyway.. enjoy.  If you get lost, I recommend typing help faq or contacting a helper.

[Tamarin]

I almost wish there were a mandatory week-long wait or until-next-downtime wait before getting another character.  That way, people would stop fucking around with their characters.

[RunningMountain]

We never learn.

[amoeba]

I almost wish there were a mandatory week-long wait or until-next-downtime wait before getting another character.  That way, people would stop fucking around with their characters.

This is a really odd comment.  A length of that span would negatively, as in dramatically impact the game.  Then you would really have to like solo playing.  I hope you are being facetious.

** Alnir, glad you enjoyed your time.

[xX_Cathedral_Xx]

I almost wish there were a mandatory week-long wait or until-next-downtime wait before getting another character.  That way, people would stop fucking around with their characters.

I don't know about you all, but does this idea seem really really good to anyone else? If this was to be implemented, you're damn right you would not see anymore suiciding because of statistics, and there is a possibility that it will make people think before they act while in-game. However, there would be an extreme possibility that many players would twink to "cheat" death, doubtful it would be much higher than it already is at the present time though.

Have the Staff ever considered this type of alternative? Is it feasible to code in, and maintain from the Immortal's point of view?

In my opinion, this could be accomplished by keeping the current system in-place for the various Armageddon accounts until that account has reached a certain number of characters. This limit should have been atleast large enough for the player, or newbie, to become fully aware of the MUD, atleast enough to play half-decent. After this limit, of say seven characters, the account would then be turned into the one character application a week deal.




                      - Cathedral -

[RunningMountain]

No way. Making someone wait over a week to play again is cruel. Especially if they just die by chance and had another concept sitting in case something happened to that loner they were playing.  And just because someone has a lot of characters doesn't mean they are bad players, I had over three hundred characters on one account before and it wigged out on me and started reseting the character to 173 or some shit, regardless making me wait a week for a character application would be pointless.

It would probably make me just leave the mud because I play a lot of loner characters that get involved in lots of combat situations and die a lot, so you say punish players for that?

-RM

[amoeba]

Okay, so peope are not kidding on the week long wait. :shock:  My opinion, it is elitist and extreme. It presumes that the players are irresponsible and have to have abitrary restrictions placed upon them too hold them in line.   It would serve no purpose but to alienate players, myself included.  I'm finding myself resisting the urge to explain the depths of my feelings on this.  On the plus side, I don't think it stands a ghost of a chance getting implemeted.

On a side note. Alnir wrote a nice comment about how he enjoyed the game. His thread shouldn't be hijacked for a side discussion on an unrelated topic. Further dissusion on this should be forked into a seperate thread if desired.

[Marauder Moe]

A week long wait?  Yikes.  No way.  We shouldn't punish people for dieing, especially not newbies.  A whole day waiting for the app to be approved is punishment enough.  :-p

[bloodfromstone]

Glad you're liking it, Alnir! My first character bit it really fast, too, but was still a hell of a lot of fun. I'm still fairly new, and have gone through a few more characters before I got one that stuck, but damn was it worth it. I think I'd cry if my current died.

[Hexxaex]

It might be better to have a longer wait for characters that are peoples tenth or up maybe, and if they were less than a day old or some specified amount of time.  This way, meaningful, 15 day+ characters don't give the player a delay, especially if a new concept was already planned.  And also, newbies can die for the first 10 or so times without a delay.  After all, they are just learning.  Then the people who have 70+ characters, and never keep them for very long can't run through 10 in a week.

[Tamarin]

It might be better to have a longer wait for characters that are peoples tenth or up maybe, and if they were less than a day old or some specified amount of time.  This way, meaningful, 15 day+ characters don't give the player a delay, especially if a new concept was already planned.  And also, newbies can die for the first 10 or so times without a delay.  After all, they are just learning.  Then the people who have 70+ characters, and never keep them for very long can't run through 10 in a week.

Bingo.

Although I was only really 10% serious in the first place.

[Alnir]

I died again. So if I get accepted for my third character, It will be two dead in one day. I'm so ashamed. I died stupidly too. I was having fun with him too..He was less than two hours, and he didn't reincarnate, or nothing like that like my other character did when he died the first time. I thought I would be able to ressurect, but It wouldn't let me at the menu. Oh well. I'll be back, and better

[Tamarin]

The ressurrect doesn't happen at the menu.  It happens instantaneously.  If you see a menu, you're dead meat, my friend.

And welcome to armageddon.

[corona]

I almost wish there were a mandatory week-long wait or until-next-downtime wait before getting another character.  That way, people would stop fucking around with their characters.

I don't know about you all, but does this idea seem really really good to anyone else? If this was to be implemented, you're damn right you would not see anymore suiciding because of statistics, and there is a possibility that it will make people think before they act while in-game. However, there would be an extreme possibility that many players would twink to "cheat" death, doubtful it would be much higher than it already is at the present time though.

Have the Staff ever considered this type of alternative? Is it feasible to code in, and maintain from the Immortal's point of view?

In my opinion, this could be accomplished by keeping the current system in-place for the various Armageddon accounts until that account has reached a certain number of characters. This limit should have been atleast large enough for the player, or newbie, to become fully aware of the MUD, atleast enough to play half-decent. After this limit, of say seven characters, the account would then be turned into the one character application a week deal.




                      - Cathedral -

Wow, I think that wouldn't be a good alternative, even the certain number of players you suggested. There -are- people who have been playing since atleast 95 and they have probably already reached the 'limit' you had in mind. I think it would do more harm than good in the game, I know I would probably devote my time permanently to other things if that is what was implemented. Not always is someone suiciding, and your suggestion of making the players  'think before they act in game'.. dude.. we're not suppose to be tree hugging hippies.. it's a cutthroat world. And least we forget that it's a game and providing the players do abide by the rules, I don't see why people should be limited to one character a week. I played the game a year and a half in 98-99.. and after a few years break.. I came back in.. 2003? I can't say that all of my pc's have lived over a rl week and honestly.. I think it would never have it's advantages, but more disadvantages, as we're trying to get the player base to grow.
It would only add irritation and frustration to do something we all enjoy. Why cause this grief and hardship on the mud? :roll:


On a side note, Alnir.. welcome to the mud! Enjoy it and look forward to seeing you ig!

[Bakha]

I don't know about the week long wait. The game needs the disposable PCs. They're the ones that keep the staff entertained. Without them, we couldn't have the annual Armageddon Darwin awards.

Okay, just kidding. But an annual Darwin awards on Armageddon would be pretty funny, if it could be accomplished without going IC.

[Rhyden]

But an annual Darwin awards on Armageddon would be pretty funny, if it could be accomplished without going IC.

Heh, that'd be amazing. I'd sooo win first place.

[/derailment]

Week long wait? Puleaze. As if waiting a day (or more) isn't enough! And besides, some characters die off so quickly, the PC pop. would be low as 5-10 during peak hours.

I can see the reasoning behind the extended application process but it would cause more problems than solve them.

[Saikun]

I agree with Bakha, more or less. Life is cheap on Zalanthas, and that's reflected in the player knowing that if they die, they can probably get a new PC in the game in a matter of hours.

And while it's highly commendable to have a PC last for years and years in real time, and grow old... those rotting corpses along the road aren't going to get there by themselves. Somebody has to play the people who die the horrible deaths that make Arm the place it is.

Won't somebody please think of the poor, hungry scrab?

-S

[RunningMountain]

Hah, exactly, gotta feed the vultures.

[amoeba]

Won't somebody please think of the poor, hungry scrab?

-S

Oohh.. I have a new tagline

[Bogre]

Life is cheap? Heeeccckk no, to my characters, life is the most expensive thing in the world....


But my characters' life cheap to everyone else? Probably so.


Are other characters' life cheap to my characters? Hells yeah.

[Ktavialt]

Don't feel dumb, I used to die so quick all the time. I must have had
at least thirty characters that lasted 1-3 hours.

But try not to do THAT many, like I did It isn't too hard.

[John]

I think it took me until I hit 40 or 50 before I managed to stop dying, so no need to feel stupid

Can I ask what hooked you (if it isn't IC?)

For me, it was having a templar execute me in the street, and having my supposed new found friends betray me :-D

[The Dude]

I don't care how experienced you are with Armageddon, your filthy, stinking, 'rinth-crawling scumbag isn't going to last half as long as Jane Schmoe's likeable, good-looking, soft-spoken (female) House aide.

A character's most basic foundations determine their lifetime as much as or more than anything.

[Delirium]

I don't care how experienced you are with Armageddon, your filthy, stinking, 'rinth-crawling scumbag isn't going to last half as long as Jane Schmoe's likeable, good-looking, soft-spoken (female) House aide.

A character's most basic foundations determine their lifetime as much as or more than anything.

Tell that to my current character.  :lol:

[Alnir]

I think it took me until I hit 40 or 50 before I managed to stop dying, so no need to feel stupid

Can I ask what hooked you (if it isn't IC?)

For me, it was having a templar execute me in the street, and having my supposed new found friends betray me :-D

If that was directed to me, then..
The complete awesomeness of the desert environment, Lack of a major restriction to PK (As SoI was..Never going back their.)
Friendliness of the staff, and their willingness to help. (Again, SoI was the complete opposite, Immortals treated me like trash, and seemed unwilling to want to help me.)
Harshness of it all..
Neat animals.
Kanks
And the final thing that really, Really hooked me to the game..
Hardcore elves.

[Armaddict]

Ehm...I started playing this game back when every character used to take anywhere from 1 day to a week and a half to be approved.

No way I want the application process to go -back- to that, it blows.

[HardCarbon]

I don't care how experienced you are with Armageddon, your filthy, stinking, 'rinth-crawling scumbag isn't going to last half as long as Jane Schmoe's likeable, good-looking, soft-spoken (female) House aide.

A character's most basic foundations determine their lifetime as much as or more than anything.

Tell that to my current character.  :lol:

Heh... I wonder what the relative casualty rates are  scumbags vs. Aides.

[Swordsman]

Alnir: losing a short-lived character to a stupid mistake is nowhere near as bad as losing a long-lived character to a stupid mistake. Heh.

Swordsman

[RunningMountain]

Aides win by a blowout..

[HardCarbon]

Aides win by a blowout..

Dying more or living longer?

[corona]

Aides win by a blowout..

Dying more or living longer?

Probably a little of both, depending on what they get themselves wrapped into and which nobles they piss off. Others are just graceful about it. *shrug*  

[HardCarbon]

Aides win by a blowout..

Dying more or living longer?

Probably a little of both, depending on what they get themselves wrapped into and which nobles they piss off. Others are just graceful about it. *shrug*  

Heh.. I was thinking being an aide is in the 'short but merry life' category since anyone who doesn't like your boss will probably find you a much easier target to take out their frustrations on.... (among other risks..)

[Anonymous]

I know how you feel, and how!  All three of my char. have died through player (me) stupidity.
I will feel I have arrived when I finally get to die purely from natural causes!

[Whira's Luck]

I don't care how experienced you are with Armageddon, your filthy, stinking, 'rinth-crawling scumbag isn't going to last half as long as Jane Schmoe's likeable, good-looking, soft-spoken (female) House aide.

A character's most basic foundations determine their lifetime as much as or more than anything.

I'd have to disagree with that also. My second longest-lived character was an relatively unattractive, dirty, sweaty, foul-mouthed combat-type who went into combat quite a bit. They saw many a likeable, good-looking soft-spoken aide die very quickly.

A character's most basic foundations have an effect on what they do, and while one may live a less harsh life than the next, it's no guarantee for living a long life.

The highest rates of death that I've seen falls into one category: biting off more than you can chew. This pertains not only to galavanting off into the wastes to face down a mekillot, but also mouthing off to Important People, which includes superiors as well as nobility and templarate, without understanding that these people might prefer simply disposing of their problem rather than continue to be irritated by it.