Tuluk Closing to PC play -- discussion thread

[BadSkeelz]

Actually a thought. Will the northlands become a gicker/raider paradise?

It's been said earlier (page 2 or 3, I think?) that Staff will be monitoring the Northlands and anyone who isn't RPing there "appropriately" will be dealt with.

[RogueGunslinger]

This made me cancel my storage request I put in last night. This could change so much about the game I'm in utter, ecstatic disbelief. It's like when you grudgingly repeat a joke over a couple years, expecting nobody to laugh, then suddenly uproarious applause and cheers rings out in adulation of your humor and wit. Okay not really like that at all, but still, this makes me feel vindicated.

[Naruto]

Actually a thought. Will the northlands become a gicker/raider paradise?

I don't think the staff will allow that, since Rath said one could expect a hoard of hg Tuluki soldiers anytime around Tuluk.

[BadSkeelz]

Does this mean noble clans with combat divisions will actually get to open them?

With only virtual conflict and npcs to fight,  they would have even less stuff to fight than they ever  I'm thinking.

I'm wagering you're wrong. I've played in the AOD when Tuluk was a thing and equally populated, and all our PVP interactions were varying levels of clusterfucks. I'd much rather fight NPCs and Staff animations.

If Borsail Wyverns open again, I hope Staff makes the mul outpost more of a thing. That'd be kind of sweet I'm thinking.

[Malken]

Actually a thought. Will the northlands become a gicker/raider paradise?

It's been said earlier (page 2 or 3, I think?) that Staff will be monitoring the Northlands and anyone who isn't RPing there "appropriately" will be dealt with.

If it means getting dumped into Allanak with a northern accent and a tattoo  as well store since you'll be dead within days and if it means getting dumped in Luis then you'll wish you were dead two days  in hehe

Bump me to karma 12 or give me death! !! 11!

[Delirium]

Does this mean noble clans with combat divisions will actually get to open them?

With only virtual conflict and npcs to fight,  they would have even less stuff to fight than they ever  I'm thinking.

That is incredibly wrong. Internal conflict is a thing.

[Naruto]

Does this mean noble clans with combat divisions will actually get to open them?

With only virtual conflict and npcs to fight,  they would have even less stuff to fight than they ever  I'm thinking.

Virtual conflict? I so want to see Tor Scorpions vs Borsail Wyverns.
Plus don't forget the effect of the Rinth on the Naki politics. This change will definitely boost Rinthi pop as well.

[Jihelu]

I like and dislike this at the same time.
I like the idea of having to figure out "Well what the fuck do I do now" in character. Making up the reason would be pretty good. Very good actually.
This is the staff indirectly giving me a plot, and I really like that.
Though I will miss Tuluk for the obvious reasons.
The area.
The people.
My character missing his friends.
All that.

Pro's: I get a reason to adventure!

Con's Ripperino.

Point of this statement: Think of it as a big adventure you don't get a large say in but might be fun.

[Barsook]

Pro's: I get a reason to adventure!

Same here, I really need one outside Tuluk.

[HavokBlue]

Actually a thought. Will the northlands become a gicker/raider paradise?

It's been said earlier (page 2 or 3, I think?) that Staff will be monitoring the Northlands and anyone who isn't RPing there "appropriately" will be dealt with.

If it means getting dumped into Allanak with a northern accent and a tattoo  as well store since you'll be dead within days and if it means getting dumped in Luis then you'll wish you were dead two days  in hehe

Bump me to karma 12 or give me death! !! 11!

kill all northmen those fuckers are all spies

virtual spies

[seidhr]

Arm is about the journey instead of the destination.  It's about the situations you find yourself in as a character and how you react to them, and how others react to them.  Some of these situations we can choose for ourselves, others we cannot - whether that's being forced to leave Tuluk or living in Tuluk (or Nak) and a powerful person decides to dislike your character.

I just wanted to say that all of us on staff have empathy for those of you who are being adversely impacted by this announcement, but for those of you who are able to move, I think it presents some really interesting opportunities as well.  

[deathkamon]

Not trying to get too IC exposing at all, but isn't there a bounty in the South still on Northies? Also, Tuluk is home to the easiest creatures for noobs to hunt. Where will all the creature parts go to if some noob is trying to make a quick living? Will they have to travel all the way South to Luirs?

[Nyr]

I have read that FAQ, and I cannot help but feel Question #3 was dodged.

I'm happy to respond, because this was something answered by a lot of the answers, but not put in one place.

If Tuluk is doing well (which Staff seems to tacitly agree with, by phrasing the question that way), it's difficult to see this decision as being made in any other light than "Staff are tired of staffing Tuluk and trying to 'fix' it." Posts that "it isn't you, it's us" and your own infamous quotation Nyr of Tuluk being something that's "Tolerated" by staff don't do a lot to dispel this notion.

What was it specifically about Tuluk that Staff found so draining that it was decided to close the City entirely, rather than run it on a skeleton crew, "Red Storm" it or other alternatives?

EDIT: I guess I should say I feel like Question 3 should have been phrased Tuluk is doing well. Why do this at all?

It would be disingenuous for us to say we're tired of staffing Tuluk without taking into account the bigger picture.  We like it.  I'd go so far as to say that oftentimes those of us that were champions of the region (players and staff doing our best to turn around previous misconceptions or outright bad roleplay) probably did get tired of constantly trying to convince people "no really you guys, Tuluk."  That's tangential, but it is relevant.  We don't think it needs fixing in a documentation/structural sense; we've definitely done a lot of work there.  We do think its existence as a place for PCs to play in is not going to work right now, not and give the whole game the attention it really needs.

It's more difficult to discuss Tuluk and whether it is "doing well or not" when it is still being played actively, when things are still raw, when the news is still fresh.  That is part of why this question might well be a "dodge" right now:  we will not be focusing that much on the negatives in this thread, at least for the next couple of days.  We're currently spending more time working directly with the affected players/getting things situated there.

Skeleton crew:  Assuming you mean it will still be staffed but minimally, then we must determine what minimal staffing is.  Would anyone want to staff an area determined to be the "skeleton crew" area?  Most teams have multiple areas going in multiple directions; this one would be grunge work and no fun.  We could rotate in and out quickly perhaps to minimize it, but this creates a whole different burden on staff.  Finally, somewhat related, but three people running a city-state as staff as a matter of course is already pretty minimal.  More could be done with more people focused in the same area.  We want to get to that and give it a shot, so we did not opt for a skeleton crew.

Red Storm it:  Assuming you mean it would not be staffed anymore than, say, Cenyr or Red Storm or any outpost area might be staffed (presently at least) then we must determine what is acceptable.  Do we simply let people set up their own fiefdoms inside Tuluk because we don't want to deal with it anymore?  Would players choose to play there solely because we've said we're not going to staff there?  How bad can that get when we start going down that rabbit hole?  We ultimately decided this would be a bad idea.

Why do this at all?  I have spoken to a few staffers about this, and while I won't call this consensus or me speaking for all of them, it seemed as though the initial reaction was shock, then denial, then acceptance, then some sort of eyes-glazed-over glee at the prospect of a staffed and played to the gills consolidated city-state, or of being able to "think bigger" about the independent areas.  So many project ideas and plot ideas have sprung up in the aftermath of this decision that it has been a bit overwhelming.  It may come as a shock to (some?) players, but we sincerely enjoy making a world that players enjoy, a world that is brought to life and is made better by player reactions and proactive work to develop even more plots.  There is more bang for the buck in putting more staff in one basket, more players in one basket, and then doing things for those players in that basket so that it overflows and affects the smaller (but still important) other baskets in the game.

[Naruto]

on April 27, we will be closing Tuluk for PC play and making it virtual.

What is a Tuluk?

PS: Not trolling. I already forgot about it. 

[Nyr]

Not trying to get too IC exposing at all, but isn't there a bounty in the South still on Northies?

What does this mean for the war effort?
We've talked before about how we want to see more nuanced roleplay than enemy city-states that duke it out constantly.

However, further IC stuff will be discussed as it comes up.

[Jihelu]

Question that might have already been asked/stuff:
Will there be any sort of small Tuluk based outpost near the north/areas like it in Luirs (If there aren't already) so you can still get Tuluk specific things.
Souvenirs and junk, or the now npc house goods like instruments/things based only in Tuluk.
Or is there no real "Tuluk" Only stuff and I'm over thinking the regional amount of goods one side may have.

[Rhyden]

I think this is a great change and look forward to battling the hoards of northern zombies.

[Naruto]

I think this is a great change and look forward to battling the hoards of northern zombies.

Why would there be northern zombies?

[Adhira]

Question that might have already been asked/stuff:
Will there be any sort of small Tuluk based outpost near the north/areas like it in Luirs (If there aren't already) so you can still get Tuluk specific things.
Souvenirs and junk, or the now npc house goods like instruments/things based only in Tuluk.
Or is there no real "Tuluk" Only stuff and I'm over thinking the regional amount of goods one side may have.

Short answer - Yes.

There will be a solution to this. More will be revealed in about 2 weeks time.

[Jihelu]

Okay, thanks!
I'm almost certain this has been answered but I can't seem to find it.....What happens if you don't leave Tuluk the day it is closed off? Does the character die/become inaccessible or do you spawn in and you need to ask someone to tp you out or something.

[seidhr]

Question that might have already been asked/stuff:
Will there be any sort of small Tuluk based outpost near the north/areas like it in Luirs (If there aren't already) so you can still get Tuluk specific things.
Souvenirs and junk, or the now npc house goods like instruments/things based only in Tuluk.
Or is there no real "Tuluk" Only stuff and I'm over thinking the regional amount of goods one side may have.

Certain things will be available in certain places that will remain accessible.  Other things may become impossible to acquire.  I expect there will be a certain degree of playing by ear for this, though we are keeping a list of to-dos for things we deem necessary.  Someone mentioned inix earlier in the thread, that's one thing that we had already thought of, for example.

[Talia]

I've been super-busy at work and so haven't had a chance to reply here--but as mentioned, sponsored roles within Allanak will be increased in number at some point. Clan caps will be revisited. I can't answer about noble house guard role position stuff because, to be honest, we still need to make sure that job roles in clans are not boring and pointless. It's something I'm thinking about and will look at with my team, but don't expect an answer on that immediately. (There is so much other stuff that is higher-priority right now.)

[QuillDipper]

Sounds like a good opportunity for clerks in the AoD.

To actually speak, I like the change. Tuluk was intimidating and I felt obligated to play there. My first character started there and died in no time flat, but I'll always remember my first steps into the city.

My concern is mostly in the general Northlands. Playing around a virtual city sounds awkward. But that's just me. I was pissed at first that this was done OOC but after thinking it over in glad it's now just openable if minds change.

[aeglaeca]

Is there going to be an IC exodus event for PCs to react to (plague etc.) or is this entirely business as usual?

[Rathustra]

Is there going to be an IC exodus event for PCs to react to (plague etc.) or is this entirely business as usual?

Yes.