Returning New Player

[The Warshaper]

Sounds a bit odd but yes I played several months back and had a blast. Died rolled a second character and couldn't find time to play. Now I'm dorking around on the forums again reading docs and finally got the itch to play.

I logged in and my old character whom I had abandoned  was still kicking it. I am afeared to log in though as his absence would be hard to excuse... and I am still a new player. Should I try to fit back in or delete??? if that's even an option.

[Barsook]

Welcome back.  I would store if you can't get into your PC or they are clanned.

[slvrmoontiger]

There are plenty of excuses you could use. A long illness. Went off to visit family. If you are clanned it becomes more difficult. I would suggest that you determine if you like and want that character and use that as your decision. A long term absence should never be the sole determining factor in storing a PC. If you can't get into the character or role they sure store it. If you are considering storing just because you can't think up an excuse for being around so long then I wouldn't store it. In the end it's all up to you. Also, no excuse really needs to be given. People are around at various hours and times, so you simply might not have run into anyone you know while you were around.

[valeria]

Do whichever you prefer.  Long absences aren't hard to excuse in Arm.  People tend to understand that they're usually at least a little OOC and roll with whatever you tell them.

[Lizzie]

Just bear in mind that if you ARE clanned, there might be clan caps on that particular clan. If there are, and your character has been presumed dead for the past few months, his "slot" might have been replaced already. If that's the case, one of you might be out of a job. If your boss is dead, and the new boss is the one who hired the new guy, then you should expect that your character's job might no longer exist. Sadly, this is an OOC thing, and makes it awkward at the absolute best, to have to roleplay out from all sides. "Oh I'm sure Amos was an awesome Trooper and had an impressive track record and produced and got us tons of contracts. But he hasn't been around for the past 5 years, and Runner Malik has, and has finally agreed to accept a promotion, and I've actually worked with him for all this time, I trained him myself, and he doesn't have any of the bad habits that Amos's boss had. So Amos is outta here."

You can't say you've been there the whole time and have just been a VNPC in the unit, because that puts the burden on the player of the boss to roleplay a relationship with your character that he just flat out didn't have.

[Harmless]

i would guess that there is a 90% chance you're totally fine to come back as normal if it has only been months. Think of an IC excuse like slvrmoontiger describes or just use the OOc command and explain also that you're a very new player.

[yousuff]

@Lizzie I'm sure clan caps are flexible for a few weeks. In a situation like that isn't it the clan leader's and staff's responsability to do something like arrange a dangerous rpt to kill a few people off? If it's the Byn or whatever, all that needs to happen is for staff to add a new contract from spiced up NPC Lady Borsail x who has a mantis fetish and wants the Byn to go out and capture some. Near guaranteed deaths there!

[Barzalene]

If you like the character enough to play it, keep it. (In that case, people oocly get that you have a life. So, even a flimsy excuse will do.) If the character wasn't doing much for you any way, toss it and make something that seems more fun.

[Lizzie]

@Lizzie I'm sure clan caps are flexible for a few weeks. In a situation like that isn't it the clan leader's and staff's responsability to do something like arrange a dangerous rpt to kill a few people off? If it's the Byn or whatever, all that needs to happen is for staff to add a new contract from spiced up NPC Lady Borsail x who has a mantis fetish and wants the Byn to go out and capture some. Near guaranteed deaths there!

The OP specified that he hadn't played in several *months* not a few weeks. Several months of inactivity equates to a few years of non-existence as a PC, in game-time. Also, my concern isn't specific to the Byn. It's not specific. It regards any role or position that has caps. Such as - bardic circles. Nobles' aides. The Byn. Promoted PC Kurac Sergeants. Templars' aides. SLK krathis.  If I'm a Kurac Sergeant and I'm only allowed to have 6 PCs in my unit, and two disappeared 3 RL months ago and are presumed dead, then I'm going to replace those PCs after a RL month or two. Then those two show back up out of nowhere, and suddenly I have 8 PCs under my command. I shouldn't have to be the one to take responsibility for killing two off. Those two who disappeared without a trace or even a note to the staff saying they're coming back, should just stay disappeared. It's an OOC situation, I shouldn't have to bear the burden of handling it IC.

[Barzalene]

I think almost every clan leader will be more than happy to work around a returning new player. There's no reason to create stress about a situation that will only arise with a very small minority of leaders. Most people will just welcome them back and roll with it, as will the clan staff who oversee those caps. Let's not scare people. I've been asked not to hire any more. I've never been asked to kill people. And whether or not other people have isn't a good topic for a new player. Let's be welcoming. Or lets fake it.

[JackGibbons]

The OP specified that he hadn't played in several *months* not a few weeks. Several months of inactivity equates to a few years of non-existence as a PC, in game-time. Also, my concern isn't specific to the Byn. It's not specific. It regards any role or position that has caps. Such as - bardic circles. Nobles' aides. The Byn. Promoted PC Kurac Sergeants. Templars' aides. SLK krathis.  If I'm a Kurac Sergeant and I'm only allowed to have 6 PCs in my unit, and two disappeared 3 RL months ago and are presumed dead, then I'm going to replace those PCs after a RL month or two. Then those two show back up out of nowhere, and suddenly I have 8 PCs under my command. I shouldn't have to be the one to take responsibility for killing two off. Those two who disappeared without a trace or even a note to the staff saying they're coming back, should just stay disappeared. It's an OOC situation, I shouldn't have to bear the burden of handling it IC.

But you won't be handling it IC, right? Unless staff has given you an IC reason you can use to explain your clan cap, which is otherwise an OOC mechanism.

Barzalene, were you saying that in that situation staff would generally not say "you're over your cap due to this guy so kick someone out" but would say "okay hiring freeze"?

[Barzalene]

The OP specified that he hadn't played in several *months* not a few weeks. Several months of inactivity equates to a few years of non-existence as a PC, in game-time. Also, my concern isn't specific to the Byn. It's not specific. It regards any role or position that has caps. Such as - bardic circles. Nobles' aides. The Byn. Promoted PC Kurac Sergeants. Templars' aides. SLK krathis.  If I'm a Kurac Sergeant and I'm only allowed to have 6 PCs in my unit, and two disappeared 3 RL months ago and are presumed dead, then I'm going to replace those PCs after a RL month or two. Then those two show back up out of nowhere, and suddenly I have 8 PCs under my command. I shouldn't have to be the one to take responsibility for killing two off. Those two who disappeared without a trace or even a note to the staff saying they're coming back, should just stay disappeared. It's an OOC situation, I shouldn't have to bear the burden of handling it IC.

But you won't be handling it IC, right? Unless staff has given you an IC reason you can use to explain your clan cap, which is otherwise an OOC mechanism.

Barzalene, were you saying that in that situation staff would generally not say "you're over your cap due to this guy so kick someone out" but would say "okay hiring freeze"?

That has been my experience.

[Talia]

It's fine to log in with your PC and figure out if you still want to play him. It should not be an issue fitting back into the clan. Your leader will most likely be happy to see you.

[BadSkeelz]

Or at least hang a lampshade on the absence, shrug, and throw you in to the action.

[Fujikoma]

I've seen a PC show up in a clan after months of inactivity. Dude turned out to be a major badass over time. I hate to think of how much would have been lost had he been stored, or if the boss had told him to take a hike.

[racurtne]

I don't think the clan cap is going to be ruthlessly enforced by staff if the player is returning. That's just ridiculous. Everyone should be happy to have the player return to the game, not blame them for pushing you over the cap by one player. Since the player-base effectively gained a player back, I think it's safe to say the clan cap would flex in this situation.  I seriously doubt leaders would have people come down on them for this situation. 

[chrisdcoulombe]

The best way to return from a long slumber is to attack the clan leader and try to claim their spot as your own.

[Asanadas]

The best way to return from a long slumber is to attack the clan leader and try to claim their spot as your own.

Amos, you killed the Sarge. You're the new Sarge.

[Fujikoma]

"I regret to inform you that the limits placed on our workforce has left no place for you in the company, Amos."

say (with a dark grin) Oh, I can think of a way to fix that -real- quick, Sarge.

[zealus]

Speaking of experience, being clanned is an easy way to make up excuses. Just complain about Sergeant/higherup/commander amos or somewhat that he keeps putting you on these mind-numbing jobs, and jump back in on the obviously more interesting things the PC sergeant/whatever thinks up.

Or just stab them, that works.