What is the best thing about Armageddon?

[James de Monet]

I was thinking about Kryos's posts about the world and player's motivations, and about why so many seemingly normal, and varied, people are all interested in this arguably uncommon hobby, so I decided to make a poll about it.

What makes Armageddon an awesome game for you? You can pick two options, and change your votes if you want.

I am certain my poll options could use a little balancing, but this seemed a good place to start. I deliberately left "RPI" off the list, as I kind of assume that is a major factor for everyone. To some degree, it is covered by the "Realism" option, however.

Feel free to discuss your choices here, but please refrain from saying 'I didn't pick X cause player complaint, player complaint, staff gripe.'  We can have a productive discussion about what's good and not so good without attacking people! (he said, like a starry-eyed GDB virgin)

[James de Monet]

I broke out exploration from PvE, because I feel like the mappers and the scrab hunters could be two different people.

[Rahnevyn]

I wish you'd edit the poll to let us select as many options as we want to vote for - even narrowing this list down to two options is too hard!

[Kalai]

This was a very hard choice. 

[James de Monet]

I wish you'd edit the poll to let us select as many options as we want to vote for - even narrowing this list down to two options is too hard!

This sounded like a good idea, Rahnevyn, but apparently number of votes per user is the one thing you can't edit once a poll is made. Huh.

[RogueGunslinger]

Scope and realism. You can be whatever you want to be, and the world forces you to be that thing as realistically as you can.


I almost picked permadeath, but I think Realism covers for it well enough.

[Rahnevyn]

If you wanted to make a new poll, James, I can lock this one. Up to you.

[QuillDipper]

Permadeath and Efficacy. You can die, your story -will- end one day, but it has the potential to extend even beyond your last breath. I think that is amazing. So many games, if a character dies, they're just gone. People don't talk about them much, or they respawn so no one has to. IN this, when someone dies, you will -never- interact with that character again, and it is up to you and your own character how they react to this.

[FreeRangeVestric]

Setting, I think? It's a hard question to answer.

[James de Monet]

If you wanted to make a new poll, James, I can lock this one. Up to you.

Thanks, but it's okay. I don't want to force people to revote, and allowing unlimited choices would probably mean people voting for everything they liked about the game. I like all those things. I want to know what's best about the game from players' perspectives, what the biggest draws are. This forces them to do that, even if they don't read the first post.

[manonfire]

Even split between permadeath and PvE for me.

[Barsook]

This was a very hard choice. 

[James de Monet]

Oh, for myself, I said accomplishment and plot. It is my characters' successes that drive me to keep playing, but it is being part of a complicated and interesting story that makes the journey worth it.

Now, I could get those two things in just about any RPG, but the it is the way that they are made so much sweeter by permadeath and how harsh and real the world is that makes Armageddon prime rib in a hamburger world.

[TheWanderer]

An Armageddon without permadeath would lose my interest immediately. Second vote was for plot - almost lost to PvP, though.

[Symphony]

Mudsex. Why is it not on the list? 

[Dresan]

 I enjoy RPing and I am a sucker for a good story.

However, the truth is I like to win. My definition of 'winning' is hard for me to achieve in Armageddon, and and it only often last for a sweet delicious moment. In all the years I've been playing one...only one of my character has won Armageddonmud in my books.  He was on top of the world for only a couple days before his enemies finally managed to brutally assassinate him. Awesome death some might say but I miss him so much.  

I find truly 'winning' this game is a wonderful but brief fleeting experience. I love that, especially with so much loss and agony at ever corner, along with permadeath its always made this game worth playing.

[Fujikoma]

Why is choppin' mothafuckaz up with bone swordz not on the list?

[James de Monet]

Mudsex. Why is it not on the list? 

Heh, I think that response can safely be filed under several options, depending on why you like it.

• The feels - Social
• The fact it is part of the narrative - Realism
• The fact it is possible IG - Scope
• The conquest - Accomplishment
• Using people - PvP
• The way it twists things - Intrigue

Etc, etc.

[Symphony]

Mudsex. Why is it not on the list? 

Heh, I think that response can safely be filed under several options, depending on why you like it.

• The feels - Social
• The fact it is part of the narrative - Realism
• The fact it is possible IG - Scope
• The conquest - Accomplishment
• Using people - PvP
• The way it twists things - Intrigue

Etc, etc.

Jerking your chain, boss. Great poll, by the way.


- Symph

[Rahnevyn]

I finally voted for plots and intrigue. You'll find other games / gaming experiences that can outshine Armageddon in some (not all) other categories on the list, but I defy you to name any multiplayer game with more compelling, intriguing, and immersive storytelling than you can find here.

[Cale_Knight]

It's plot/intrigue, but only because of permadeath.

Permadeath is what makes everything else in Arm relevant. It makes every decision meaningful, and every risk an actual risk.

[James de Monet]

Jerking your chain, boss.

So...PvP, then?  

I knew you were probably kidding, but it illustrated a point!

Why is choppin' mothafuckaz up with bone swordz not on the list?

Probably another joke, but for the same reason I took the last bait, PvP + Setting!

[slvrmoontiger]

Mudsex. Why is it not on the list? 

Heh, I think that response can safely be filed under several options, depending on why you like it.

• The feels - Social
• The fact it is part of the narrative - Realism
• The fact it is possible IG - Scope
• The conquest - Accomplishment
• Using people - PvP
• The way it twists things - Intrigue

Etc, etc.

Too many options for so limited a selection allowed. I vote mudsex for all of the above especially the etc etc.

[Is Friday]

I voted permadeath and "realism", because I believe we have some of the best players in the MUD scene. (And the worst, heh.)

[Desertman]

Voted perma-death.

Everything else on the list loses A LOT of its meaning without it.