The Saturday Games

[Anonymous]

So all the past arena matches held in Allanak have just been hack'n'slash fests then?

To me, hack'n'slash is running around with a pack of buddies killing everything in sight. Not (somewhat choreographied even) selected battles between contestants, held in series over periods of weeks allowing people to build up personalities, favorites and so forth.

But this is all just idle talk since there hasn't been any indication of staff interest. You're not going to see any Saturday Games, so relax.

[moab]

I think the staff stated (in many past threads on Saturday) that they are d@mn busy on Saturdays.  And why have someone put in coding time or anything on a project other than Armageddon?

Rather, one of us geeks should put up a mud, give everyone rights to edit stuff and go at it like the demigods we would be.

:-D

[marko]

To me, hack'n'slash is running around with a pack of buddies killing everything in sight. Not (somewhat choreographied even) selected battles between contestants, held in series over periods of weeks allowing people to build up personalities, favorites and so forth.

By your definition, no they were not hack'n'slash.

A lot of people put a lot of effort into those games.  Some imms spent hours upon hours setting them up and running them.  The only thing is that they were to the death.  The winners became favorites.  

I don't see the purpose of this post.

I tend to get annoyed at anyone that disparages (or appears to) the efforts of others when they have attempted to make the game better for those around them.

[spawnloser]

Okay, maybe these so called 'Saturday Games' wouldn't be as hack 'n' slashy as other muds...but what is the point?

If it was to further story through this House's gladiator fighting this House's gladiator, why not have it during an RPT?

If it isn't story advancing, though, it's just a combat-fest...or hack 'n' slash.

Look, I'm not saying that it wouldn't be fun.  Hell, if they IMMs would let us do it, I'd be all up on this...I just know that it's been said, as others have, that the IMMs are pretty busy on Saturdays.  Why add to their load, as they would have to have some involvment in such a project...unless it truly added to the game as a whole.  What they're normally doing on a Saturday is improving the game for the rest of the week.  I'm content with that.

[Anonymous]

Of course the arena matches held in Allanak during normal uptime were not hack'n'slash. So why if they are transposed to Saturday do they suddenly become hack'n'slash like previous posters are asserting? That was the point I was making.

Look, people, step back, take a deep breath and read what you're writing. I came on the board to post a simple idea. Instead of just saying you'd not participate and don't see how the idea would add anything to Arm, you've gone on some sort of pack vendeta to try to make me wrong. I don't appreciate it, especially the veiled (and not so veiled) insults, so knock it off.

[Anonymous]

Just to be crystal clear, my previous post was in response to marko's latest post.

[mansa]

So all the past arena matches held in Allanak have just been hack'n'slash fests then?

They have been for the political schemes killing off certain players and thieves.  
They have been for the burglars robbing you while you go watch the event.
They have been for the thieves stealing from you in the crowds.
They have been for scouting out possible employees.
They have been for betting and gambling and making lots of money.
They have been for arresting certain shady people who show up for the fun.

If you remove all of that, and just have people killing each other, and NOT being able to affect the REAL GAME at all, it just becomes a poor substitute.

All my examples CANNOT happen on a 'saturday arena match' because you cannot log in with your character to make it happen.

[marko]

Just to be crystal clear, my previous post was in response to marko's latest post.

Huh?

I said I like the idea in principle and all I asked was for a further explaination of it.

Instead of just saying you'd not participate and don't see how the idea would add anything to Arm, you've gone on some sort of pack vendeta to try to make me wrong. I don't appreciate it, especially the veiled (and not so veiled) insults, so knock it off.

I'm not understanding... I really am at a loss.  I wish to see a fleshed out proposal that takes into consideration all things and shows that I am clearly missing something - 'cause, apparently, I am.  I suspect this would be complicated to do you say it'll be easy - so I'm waiting to see how it'll be easy.  I don't mind being wrong.  I often am.  I'm wrong about a lot of stuff so I'm hoping I'm shown where my lack of understanding is.  

Anyway, mansa et al make a great point - if everything about the games are stripped away and it's just arena matches why don't we just go to some H&S mud and take it over (or one of the other RPIs...heh).

[spawnloser]

So all the past arena matches held in Allanak have just been hack'n'slash fests then?

[stuff that the games are for]

If you remove all of that, and just have people killing each other, and NOT being able to affect the REAL GAME at all, it just becomes a poor substitute.

All my examples CANNOT happen on a 'saturday arena match' because you cannot log in with your character to make it happen.

This was the point I was making...if it's not part of the game, what's the point to putting the effort into this?

[Anonymous]

First all all, there's RP for RP's sake. Still in the Armageddon-like setting with templars, Arm creatures and so forth. Many people here have stated how much they love to RP and that the character (or even keeping the character alive) doesn't matter so much as the experience.

Secondly, it allows a for a full and complete set of gladiators without detracting from the player population during uptime, which has been a concern often stated in the past.

Thirdly, it could have an influence on the normal uptime characters in many of the same ways the occasional during-the-week arena matches do. They'd get to pick favorites, talk about who is going to win the next rounds, someone could even run a betting service. The nobles could issue secret instructions to the Templar of the Games, etc.

Anyhow, I'm going to leave it at that. Thanks for your opinions and concerns. It seems that the general consensus is that it wouldn't be worth doing, so that's that.

[Ktavialt]

This alternate Saturday-only world would not BE ArmageddonMUD.  It wouldn't answer my cravings for that damnable "what happens next"?

I think that's the best reason for not implementing the idea.  It's not going to be the same _game_ in no way at all.

So? If the staff had the time to do it, why not? So what if it won't be the
same game? Don't log in. It isn't like it will somehow screw with the other
93% of the time that the mud is up and running the regular way.

Probably too much of a hassle to setup, but if it were, I think it would be fun.

- Ktavialt

[mansa]

This alternate Saturday-only world would not BE ArmageddonMUD.  It wouldn't answer my cravings for that damnable "what happens next"?

I think that's the best reason for not implementing the idea.  It's not going to be the same _game_ in no way at all.

So? If the staff had the time to do it, why not? So what if it won't be the
same game? Don't log in. It isn't like it will somehow screw with the other
93% of the time that the mud is up and running the regular way.

Probably too much of a hassle to setup, but if it were, I think it would be fun.

- Ktavialt

It's another game.  It then becomes two games.  Why don't we all play something else to kill each other instead of an Armageddon clone?  Like CounterStrike or WoW or Diablo II or Starcraft?

[Cale_Knight]

I would totally be in for a Saturday Armageddon Starcraft league.

[Delirium]

Starcraft..

I'd be in.  Fuck yes.

Now to find the CD...

[Ktavialt]

It's another game.  It then becomes two games.  Why don't we all play something else to kill each other instead of an Armageddon clone?  Like CounterStrike or WoW or Diablo II or Starcraft?

Because some people would prefer an Armageddon clone than Counterstrike
or WoW or Diablo II or Starcraft? I don't see what the real big problem is
with the concept, it could be fun.

That said, I'm also saying that doing this 'Saturday Games' would probably
be too time intensive for the staff to get started and coordinate. I mean there
are probably ways to get around this such as having some players be given
the ability in an incredibly restricted way to animate npc's and do admin stuff
but even setting up that would take probably a good long time.

- Ktavialt

[spawnloser]

Starcraft..

I'd be in.  Fuck yes.

Now to find the CD...

This statement so matches what I would have to say that I'll just do this.

Oh, and Ktavialt...I'm sorry, but I DOUBT they would give any players the ability to do any admin stuff.

[Cuusardo]

Me and JGG used to do Saturday Diablo 2.  We played other times during the week too, and it was quite enjoyable.  I would have loved to have gotten more Armers into it, but oh well.  It was nice to play a brainless graphic game once in a while to relieve the stress of having to read all that text and wonder what's going to happen next.

Go graphic!

[Tamarin]

I got into diablo2 with ninjamansa for a little while.  Good times.

[Moofassa]

I pwn starcraft.

[Bogre]

Hmm...anyone play Battlefield 2?

We could get together and have a Arm Squad.

[Cale_Knight]

I have Diablo II (plus expansion set), Starcraft, and Warcraft III (no expansion set). I'd be up for playing any of those on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

[Ktavialt]

Oh, and Ktavialt...I'm sorry, but I DOUBT they would give any players the ability to do any admin stuff.

Wow, when you use caps all of a sudden I realized how stupid my comment
was... oh wait, no I didn't...

I think they would. Keep in mind that while I say that the 'Saturday Games'
is a neat idea, I realize it would probably take a whole lot of coding to get
it created, and probably has a snowball's chance in hell of happening, and
even my preference would be for the time spent doing other things. However,
given that it could have been made where very restricted, narrowly-tailored,
immortal-type commands could be given to a character just to keep an arena
thing going, I don't see why they wouldn't.

- Ktavialt

[bloodfromstone]

First and foremost, I think the original idea is one that has some merit, but would take too much work and upkeep to actually go through. It is downtime for a reason, after all.

Secondly, if it did happen, it should be connected to the rest of the game in no form or fashion. Nobles and templar should not arrange anything for it, should not gain anything for it, should not lose anything for it. If other characters aren't involved, neither are they.

And lastly, why does everything devolve into name calling and insulting? I know it's in the minority on this post, but c'mon. We're all playing the same game for the same fun, right? I wish people could chill and enjoy.

[The Anonymous Kank]

I realize it would probably take a whole lot of coding to get it created

Everyone keeps saying this and it's not true.

Let me list what would need to be done then.

1. Copy Arm to a new directory tree.
2. Remove all characters and character-related information, save for one immortal.
3. Remove all zones except for the Allanak zone containing the arena. Copy useful objects into this zone and delete the rest.
4. Delete all the unnecessary rooms in the remaining zone and lock the arena gate.
5. Flesh out the arena as necessary with separate compounds for each stable of gladiators (don't want gladiators from different Houses getting too friendly with each other).
6. Allow each compound a viewpoint on the arena to watch other gladiators fight (just some object that relays text messages; they already exist).
7. Add a spectator login option and define a bunch of spectator characters (this is probably the point that needs the most work). The spectators will simply appear where they were last logged out, namely in the stands.
8. Create the Templar of the Games character.
9. Populate the arena with some soldiers for the Templar, beasts in cages available to be released, a few NPCs to add flavor (e.g. gatekeepers and trainers), various armories of weapons and armor. Remember you don't need to do everything at once. If gladiators start requesting exotic weapons and such, they can be added in as needed.
10. Have the Hall of Kings let each gladiator point at his or her House to be moved to the associated compound. (Okay, so you need to keep one room of one extra zone).
11. Set the timers for hunger and thirst to some huge number so that they effectively don't tick down before the year 2050.
12. Fire it up early on Saturday on 4050 and start accepting gladiator applications.

There may be a couple of details left off this list but I'm sure it could be done in one week by one persistent person with coding access.

[spawnloser]

Oh, and Ktavialt...I'm sorry, but I DOUBT they would give any players the ability to do any admin stuff.

Wow, when you use caps all of a sudden I realized how stupid my comment
was... oh wait, no I didn't...

Why are people taking things personally?  I capped something for emphasis and you take it as if I'm trying to change your mind about something?  Chill, man.  I stated my opinion on the likelihood of this happening, and stand by it still, that was all.  Ask them yourself, if you would like.  I don't care enough because I still don't see the need to go through this all...as you've said, lots of coding?  Please, put that towards improving the game for us to enjoy for more than 8 hours of the week.