Getting Murdered

[greasygemo]

I think hiding in someones closet and waiting for them to sit down to a slice of ginka pie before you swoop out, dagger drawn, is pretty fun sounding to me... plus it leaves you an awesome opening to do things like, Way Victim, psi Enjoying your last meal? or, a nicely prepared emote like, say (emerging from the shadows behind %amos back, pressing a knife to the base of ^amos spine) Welcome home. Before you type backstab amos. :p

[Nyr]

Greasygemo:  That can be fun, yes...but what Delirium is talking about is way more fun, at least to me.  Bonus points if you can get someone close to the target to betray them.

[spicemustflow]

One of my favorite kills was somebody I totally hated murdering OOCly, but it involved deception, teamwork, a friendly chat with brandy, and a casual ear-whisper before the fatal blow.

Nobody seemed to believe I actually did it, either. They blamed it on the much more badass-sounding fella that wanted him dead...

I think that might be what Nyr meant. The roleplay surrounding a bait and switch, lure, deception, etc, is more fun than using >hide >backstab.

I thought that might be the case but I wanted to confirm. While being a cool & suave assassin is very fun, I prefer stalking my victim at night and knife on their pulsating carotid artery. Depends on the player and the character. (I look forward to the time I actually pull out a hit).

I don't mind being killed (and have been killed a lot, once so suddenly that I thought it was a bug or something) as long as it makes a shred of sense for the other guy to do it.

[Desertman]

master assassin shadows you into your apartment somehow and knifes you to death, lolraider beats your head in in the wilderness, generic desert elf shoots you with a terradin arrow, etc etc etc. I feel like everything in Armageddon, is about predicting if the situation is going to get you murdered. You can't trust anyone, even if they seem trustworthy, because as soon as you get into a locked room or anywhere vulnerable they are killing you.

You live in a world where thousands of people literally thirst and starve to death every single day right infront of your character's eyes. Every single person in the world is desperate to just see tomorrow.

Of course you have to worry about every single person you know deciding if you are their next leg up to making it another day. Be happy they don't eat you, because that is a VERY common thing your character would see happening often depending on where you play too.

And if they don't, you're on edge the entire time, and probably thinking they are playing it cool so NEXT time they can cut your throat when you think you're safe.

And I love this aspect. Real friends in a world of vicious starving desperate murderers is a very rare thing. When you do find a real friend IC, it makes you value them A LOT more. I prefer this.

You could even go to people's houses and apartments and not fear being murdered, even if they were better armed and armoured. And the times it -did- happen, the RP surrounding the kill would often be examined by admins to make sure it wasn't a twink murder.

I don't see the difference. This is exactly how it is in Armageddon for all of my characters. I can honestly say I have never once been apartment-locked-killed in 14+ years of playing this game. (Jail cells do not count.)

You have to be more careful man. If you think you can trust them. Don't. If you know you can trust them. Don't. If they are somehow invested in your character living and it will profit them in some way for your character to continue living....THAT is when you trust them. Not before then.

In summary, I am often afraid to get attached to PC's here, or branch out to trusting others for meaningful RP, because it seems so often and likely they gank you for no apparent reason.

Please see previous comments about starvation, thirsting to death, murder, rape, slavery, torture, cannibalism, and pretty much every other "evil" thing you can think of being as common place in Zalanthas as your neighbor mowing his grass once a week on Earth.

There is always a reason. The very fact anyone exists at all in Zalanthas is a reason to kill you and take your boots.

Thoughts?

Stop following elves places. (just joking)

Play in Tuluk. (also just joking, sort of)

I'm not trying to be a dick my man. I promise. I know I'm probably not telling you anything you don't already know. But, you just described everything that makes me enjoy this game....

[Clavis]

I think hiding in someones closet and waiting for them to sit down to a slice of ginka pie before you swoop out, dagger drawn, is pretty fun sounding to me... plus it leaves you an awesome opening to do things like, Way Victim, psi Enjoying your last meal? or, a nicely prepared emote like, say (emerging from the shadows behind %amos back, pressing a knife to the base of ^amos spine) Welcome home. Before you type backstab amos. :p

see that's what I'm talking about stuff like that I find more refreshing and less frustrating when your the victim then just a sudden storm of code. Especially when some of the things wouldn't be possible, or would be more difficult to carry out. or the sudden mantis head flaring after a successful master backstab.

One of my favorite kills was somebody I totally hated murdering OOCly, but it involved deception, teamwork, a friendly chat with brandy, and a casual ear-whisper before the fatal blow.

Nobody seemed to believe I actually did it, either. They blamed it on the much more badass-sounding fella that wanted him dead...

I think that might be what Nyr meant. The roleplay surrounding a bait and switch, lure, deception, etc, is more fun than using >hide >backstab.

lol, so love that.  

[Morrolan]

Protip: Mundane humans who know their place in society live longer. Guaranteed.

Bingo!

It is nice that the docs dictate the social mores. Good roleplaying, however, should more often than not work to either enforce those mores, or specifically work to undermine them.

Example: My byn runner mouths off to an Aide. A couple of weeks later, the sergeant says that his good buddy has it on "good" authority that I have been leaving the gates. He wants his share, and the Byn share, of the profits. "But I wasn't leaving the gates!"

"Pay up, Runner, and get ready for your whippin'."

What happened? A social network went into action to make my character's life miserable. And now I have to collect 300 coins to pay off the sergeant, who also had his pockets lined by the Aide (who was once also in the Byn).

And then the local law enforcement is keeping an eye on my Runner, because he is a troublemaker. But this makes me look for others who do not get along with these people, to watch my back.

But what is really setting this off? My character didn't recognize the power structure. He didn't already pay off the sergeant with part of his ill-gotten gains. He didn't pay a breed to spill soup on the aide's shoes, instead of doing it himself.

In the end, maybe someone gets knifed over this, but it is the lead-up that really counts.

P.S. More bribery. More interaction. Your reputation is the only thing that keeps you safe, most weeks. The reputation of the organization you might belong to does the same. They save your life, so protect them with your resources.

P.P.S. If you are in a leadership position, when people come to you with problems like this, hand the problem back to them.
Empoloyee: "Bynner Amos was insulting me publically!"
Employer: "Can't have that. Get together with Malik and solve it. Here's 200 coins to cover any costs."

P.P.P.S Yes, I am suggesting that nobles and other "higher-class" leaders act like managers, not supervisors. Not always, but set a personal line for the kind of problem that is "below your pay grade" and stick with it.

[Marauder Moe]

Murder, corruption, betr- IT'S THE FIRST ONE!!!!

OP sounds like they're experiencing the game correctly.

When you make a character you doom them to one of two fates: a tragic, untimely, and probably violent demise or a disappointing retirement.  It is the things you do beforehand, though, that are most important.

[kayza]

Whoops wrong thread!

I'm easily confused.

[Rhyden]

One of my favorite kills was somebody I totally hated murdering OOCly, but it involved deception, teamwork, a friendly chat with brandy, and a casual ear-whisper before the fatal blow.

Nobody seemed to believe I actually did it, either. They blamed it on the much more badass-sounding fella that wanted him dead...

That was the coolest death scene of all time and I felt honored my character was murdered so epicly. <3

[Is Friday]

Hold on, I'mma let you finish, but X-D was the greatest murderer of all time.

[Synthesis]

Hi. I don't usually say much here and when I do it's pretty short and generally unhelpful, but I wanted to start a discussion.
It's about getting murdered, and how it seems like it's always going to happen.

Like.

I feel like everything in Armageddon, is about predicting if the situation is going to get you murdered.

Like.

You can't trust anyone, even if they seem trustworthy...

Like.

In summary, I am often afraid....

Like.

Anyway, here's a tip:  if you're -that- afraid of being sold out, and you absolutely can't stand the idea that you don't have trustworthy friends, just play tribal elves, dude.

[Dar]

I think I'm yet to ever be murdered by X-D's characters. I've only known one whom he drove for sure though, since a previous character of mine was in the clan his was. Most of the time, I evaded murder, was by being not totally stupid and recognizing the positions both mine and his characters were in, during the time of our meetings.

Counting the last five of my PKs. I would say the very last one was akin to stealth,stealth,stealth/backstab, and the previous four were more of yap,yap,yap,whisper,yap,wink/the victim dies variety. And granted, the previous four were much more enjoyable then the last one. But ... there simply "has' to be a place for them as well. While scheming is infinitely more enjoyable (for me), I believe there always has to be an element of wanton violence somewhere close by. Far too many people seem to be bent on outliving their enemies, hoping they will die all on their own and they would 'win' by default.

I'm kind of curious about the mud scarecrow mentioned. This mud ... did it have permanent death? An RPI environment where people could place their game ambitions/fears over friendships and relationships towards other players? (Players, not characters).  

Out of what Scarecrow mentioned, I do find the whole "abusing the crim code" part a little questionable though. Any PK where you basically allow the hardcoded NPCs do all the work leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Generally, if you really 'do' want to play a character where you know for a 'fact' that there are some people out there with complete loyalty to you. Try delves. The tribe will be loyal to you, the rest of the world will hate you. But let's be honest ... the rest of the world hates you regardless.

[RogueGunslinger]

This is now the "How to play Armageddon without dying... to X-D" thread.

[Is Friday]

Play a dorf that makes friends with other dorfs.

[Supified]

There is skill to not getting murdered, I havnt had anyone succeed for over four real life years.  One can learn to see what signs and situations to avoid.  I would probably be a better rper if I let my char fall for things more often.

[RogueGunslinger]

Play a dorf that makes friends with other dorfs.

Whatever you do do not join his resistance.





Whatever you do do not resist his resistance.

[kayza]

Never getting killed by a PC is not something to be proud of.

[DustMight]

It's sad to say this, but if your character is the victim of a PK, their story was already written and is a footnote to someone else's story, and in the end, even their story will be a footnote in the greater story of the game.

Well said.

[Scarecrow]

Thanks for all the comments. I feel less bad about being murdered now.
When I can, I'll still probably try that loner desert elf tribal though, heh. 

[Schrodingers Cat]

Remember it's always more fun to be the murderer than the murdered.

[Maso]

Desert elves are not loners! That's kind of the point.

Love it when one of my chars get's properly murdered, way beats dying to some stupid dumb mistake (as per usual). Everyone dies. It's almost better when chars die young, I start to get worried when they live too long because there's more chance of it actually being sad when they die.

(Still hate you, RGS >.> Only kidding)

[Akaramu]

I prefer storing characters to them getting PKed, at least then my romantic, tender little self can let them live happily ever after after I've stopped ruining their life. 

As I once said: Creating a character is taking an unsuspecting VNPC, and ruining their life.

[Patuk]

Creating a character is taking an unsuspecting VNPC, and ruining their life.

Don't mind me while I sig this.. It's way too true with the way I treat my characters 

[Fathi]

I vastly prefer dying to other people than to my own stupidity.

Regarding my preferred OOC methods of murdering people, I definitely have a few, even if I don't do it that often. I truly believe that most of the time, I have managed to give my victims an entertaining scene before the final blow, but sometimes it can be difficult for a number of reasons. And sometimes it has probably seemed rather senseless to the other party, which I OOCly regretted. But on the other hand, my characters aren't all Bond villains who lay out their evil plots step by step while they've got their victim tied to a chair.

For example, I once played a member of a tribe that had some very particular views about killing, including a specific ritual that involved sharing and drinking the blood of a kill with your beloved kinsfolk. Y'know, so the babbies would grow up strong or whatever. The blood had to come from somewhere. Said tribe occupied a rather dangerous part of the world where it is usually a bad idea to trespass, so when I came upon an unaffiliated random dude doing just that, I hunted him down and slowly stalked him with lots and lots of totally awesome RP and thinks and feels and hidden emotes and cool shit that he NEVER SAW.

He did see a few arrows and then a couple spears to the face, but it occurred to me later that he probably felt like he got randomly ganked for his crappy newb loot. I felt bad. I'm sorry, random guy. I just needed your blood. And I couldn't take enough of it to suit my purposes without killing you.

I try my best to be a conscientious player whether I'm killing people or not, and I think the vast majority of our playerbase follows a similar guideline.

Anyway, the best way to avoid getting killed by X-D's characters is to be either his boss or his protege.

The best way to avoid getting murdered in general is to be useful.

[Lizzie]

XD is a cuddly sweetikins. Also, he giggles LIKE A BOSS.

Assassination > Mob-critter-death.

No matter which side of the death you're on.