Possibilities & Potential

[Taven]

I wanted to make a thread about two specific things: Possibilities & Potential

Something I want to address right off the bat is the longevity of Armageddon. The game has been around an extremely long time; there are people who have played it for over a decade. This means that what was possible in the game, how plots were run, and the game's potential have all drastically changed since Arm's inception. I specifically want to look at things in a relatively recent context of the last couple years.


Possibilities


Overall, I feel like there has been a very high growth of a character's potential in the last couple of years. Nearly a year ago , Xalle posted a call for a Byn Lieutenant. Not very many people applied, since many of them wanted the opportunity to advance in the game to that rank. Further, there have been other military clans that have seen high-level promotions as well (though perhaps a long time coming). All of this is a pretty good indicator that your character can advance to extremely high ranks, and that possibilities have opened further in this regard.

We've also seen an increase in different types of ranks (re: Byn) that are designed to allow characters more possibilities and potential. This is really new, so I think everyone will be waiting to see where it goes. Additionally, GMH went through significant changes to allow PCs more flexibility, when life oaths were abolished for the majority of House members. Furthermore, Merchant Houses have also seen an increase in possibilities such as adoption, giving more rewards and benefits to dedicated GMH characters who have earned them.

Nobody can say how it's going yet, but gith were opened as a playable race on an application basis. This not only allows players access to a new mindset and culture, it also explores and plays with the idea of having antagonist PCs. I would argue this is being done in a more organic way then previous attempts (Re: Spies/Tyn Dashra), so I think the results will be worth noting. In a year, I'd be curious to hear from those involved as to how it went, both from a gith and a tribal perspective.

I feel like characters on the whole have more opportunities to be involved, have influence, and see the results of their efforts.


Potential


I think Armageddon has seen a lot of advancement towards it's full potential in the last couple of years. Staff have been absolutely incredible at adding new things and making positive changes. I also think that staff has been very communicative with players. Awhile back we had a pretty big discussion thread where I kept track of player suggestions and concerns as well as staff responses. Staff did an incredible job at addressing everything.

Here's a list of all the news, world, and code updates from 2015: (Quote to enlarge)

Gemstone buyer/seller added to Tuluk.
Contact will now start at master, barrier will be given a starting skill boost
Dead drops added across Tuluk - contents don't save through reboots.
Levy drums now work. Templars can summon loyal patriots to training or duty.
Five new NPCs have been created for a player driven plot.
New NPC trader stationed in Luir's.
New room descriptions for Tuluk to show passage of time
Implemented bug fix for origin reset during character creation., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Minor bug fix to Sorcerer sub-guilds., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Updated three tribal camps with the tribal camp relocation code.
The Akei'Ta Var have returned.
Script written to allow for environmental changes to object in the room., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Code update to allow for ATV to point to their starting location., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Minor bug fix to 'clean ash' to allow it to work., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Staff can now fulfill description change requests while character is offline. -- Nessalin.
Significant changes to save zones and zone resets!, Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Taking Builder Applications - Closes April 18th
Added some changes to lay the foundation for adding Builders., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
Tuluk closing to PC play on April, 27 2015.
The Gaj apartment building experienced a few minor renovations.
Thirty rooms added to Allanak.
Builder channel added to facilitate communication.
Various bug fixes for builders implemented., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
'Point Tuluk' will now load characters in Morin's Village, Submitted by ArmageddonMUD. -- Adhira.
The remainder of the Tuluki closer tasks complete.
New Apartment Complex Added to Red Storm - Silo Apartments Southern part of Wall, Submitted by Eukelade. -- Adhira.
Food: Update of 51 taste messages, 61 scent messages, and 9 descriptions., Submitted by Yashti, Eukelade. -- Yashti, Eukelade.
10 New NPCs added, new shopfiles and multiple items sorted for NPC Merchant Auto, Submitted by Taijan, Nergal, . -- Welda.
Clay Mining Village added near Allanak
Food: Update 129 Scent Messages, 109 Taste Messages, 44 Descriptions -- Yashti & Senga.
Added link to help file for interactive Allanak Map, Submitted by Player. -- Nathvaan.
Help file for spell updated, Submitted by Eurynomos. -- Nessalin.
Added 1 Room and mention of several virtual areas in Morin's Village, Submitted by Eurynomos. -- Eurynomos, Xalle.
Sheathe / Draw message for some NPCs will now only display sdesc, rather than st, Submitted by Adhira. -- Nessalin.
New tool type - Loom - can be a required crafting tool., Submitted by Xalle. -- Nessalin.
New code allowing room based messages for crafting when bonus/negative is applie, Submitted by Nessalin. -- Nessalin.
Leaders are not automatically bankers, anymore., Submitted by Nessalin. -- Nessalin.
Banks now charge for services based on balance., Submitted by Nessalin. -- Nessalin.
History page updated to reflect Tuluki activity., Submitted by Nergal. -- Nergal.
New Rooms, NPCs and Pottery Shop added to Allanak, Submitted by Eukelade. -- Adhira.
Banking Tweaks.
Subguild Grebber can now forage food., Submitted by Seidhr. -- Nessalin.
The Labyrinth Starter Shops are now live, with 88 brand new items. -- Mordiggian.
It is now harder to find clean water when foraging for food, Submitted by Nergal. -- Nergal.
Seven additional colors added to Allanak's custom tattoo artist! -- Eukelade.
Script implemented to handle a new job for PCs., Submitted by Nergal. -- Nessalin.
New Block of Allanaki Rooftop Completed/Live, Submitted by Eurynomos. -- Eurynomos, Adhir.
8 Wine/Ale Sip Descriptions Updated -- Nessalin, Nomos.
Harness/Unharness removed -- Nessalin.
Death helpfile updated, Submitted by Nyr. -- Nyr.
Black beetles now targetable with 'drov'
New helpfile added: Fire Ant
More rooftops added to Nak complete with NPCs, flying rooms and correct mapping., Submitted by Eukelade. -- Adhira, Eukelade.
3 npcs, 10 new items, and a small cockroach stand added to allanak rooftops -- Eukelade.
Added rentable tents and shacks to Luir's Outpost, Submitted by Nergal. -- Nergal.
Update to doorguard script to facilitate Arboretum revamp and future projects. -- Nergal& Nathvaan.
Minor updates to character creation to fix a crash bug and a typo., Submitted by Nathvaan. -- Nathvaan.
The newly renovated Rennik Arboretum is in. Entrance on Meleth Circle. -- Renenutet.
Added 'Lore/History/Legends' to Sun Runners documentation, ported from previous , Submitted by Eurynomos. -- Jave.
Changes to climb/follow/falling -- Nessalin.
Updates to various shops in Luir's, what they buy and sell, etc. Ongoing WIP -- Nergal.
25 rooms added to world for GMH plot -- Nergal.
5 NPCs, 17 objects, 15 crafting recipes for GMH plot, by builder Eukelady, Submitted by Eukelady. -- Nergal.
Admins can now update forage values without coder help. -- Nessalin.
Changes to foraging and mining -- Nergal.
23 objects added for "New GMH Items" project -- Nergal, Taijan.
Tablelands role call posted on the GDB.
Food items will now have a basic decay mechanism., Submitted by Nessalin. -- Nessalin.
3 new drinks added to the Rennik Arboretum, Submitted by Renenutet. -- Nessalin.
80+ player/staff submitted objects, 13+ new NPCs, and new rooms for world plot -- Mordiggian.


Here's how things are going so far in 2016 (and we're only three months in):

Change to employee structure in GMHs -- Nergal.
Rewrite of Borsail Estate: 50+ new rooms, 30+ new items, 10+ new NPCs
30ish objects, 10 rooms, 6 npcs + modifications for Tablelands Plot, Submitted by xalle. -- Xalle.
Addition of new rank to the T'zai Byn., Submitted by Eurynomos. -- Eurynomos.
+3 new raw items for stilt lizard skinning. +8 new items to craft from stilts.
+4 new items to craft from turaal. +1msc. pan now craftable.
Help Bastards is live.
39 help files updated for subguilds
80+ rooms, multiple NPCs added to Allanak area. -- Eukelade.
Spiders have had their skinnable tables fixed.
Added 8 Grey Linen crafts, making the length at least somewhat useful.



That's an incredible amount of improvements and changes. If there was ever a time that I felt Armageddon had its most potential, it's now.

But I also want to bring up something else that has to do with potential: Positivity and Drive

Attitude is extremely important, both for making a community a welcoming place, and inspiring change. If people feel like something is possible and like what they're doing is appreciated, it makes them more motivated. This applies to both players and staff. A discussion community can't exist without criticism, but criticism can be constructive, focused and positive, as opposed to bitter and jaded.

We also say "be the change" on the GDB all of the time, so much that it's become nearly meaningless, with no nuance to it. But I want to propose an idea: Be the change in the community. Give back. Contribute. There's some great ways to do this. You can respond to staff submission calls and submit new items. The next time staff does a call for builders, apply. The next time the staff does a call for helpers (IE, now), apply. There's so many things that we can do as players to help the game and better it for everyone.

I know there's some people out there who will read this and not get my intended message. I know that some of you can't assist and help. But there's a lot of you who still could. It's to you that I say: Why NOT? If you dedicate your time so intensively to discussing this game for hours on end, why NOT contribute? Why NOT make it better? My challenge to you is this: Put aside your negativity, stop sitting and complaining, and start making a difference. I'm DOING. You can join me.

[Kryos]

Having recognized this same pattern of behavior and change, I've done the same.  I always tend to be a bit of a bull in a china shop, and regardless of that aspect of myself I agree with you, Taven.  I just hope everyone keeps the ball rolling.

[SuchDragonWow]

Nice post, Taven.  I applied for Helper.

[SuchDragonWow]

Now that I can type on a keyboard, I'll add, I find the notion of a community for a game to be a great thing.  In fact, Arm would only be strange if it didn't have a community. It's simply the dynamics of human behavior that not everyone is going to agree or get along.  The best we can do is be civil to one another, at least as responsible as you would treat your own profession.  That does mean some snark and passive aggression is going to slip through, but if you can't shrug off a little bullshit, then you should probably reevaluate your social tolerance (or give up on the discussion forum).

Is there possibility in Arm?  Hell, I don't know.  The game is hard.  I think one of the hardest, but best, things we can do, is to not take it personally when things don't go our way.  It amuses me, but when I first played this game, I had a joke with myself that this was a government experiment on social Darwinism.  It really has nothing to do with competition, though.  It's about characters in a story, not players in a game.

[Lord Templar Trump]

If we work together we can make Zalanthas great again.

[Taven]

If we work together we can make Zalanthas great again.

I disagree with your campaign for Red Robe. Are you implying that Allanak is not great presently? The Highlord's shadow is not merely great, it is magnificent! However, we can all work together to make the Highlord's City even MORE great.

Already, plans have gone forth in this regard!

• Allanak has expanded, rooftops given new heights, that you may be closer to your Highlord!
• The premier House of Borsail has been completed! It is regrettable that the last one was dumped  in a fiery pit of lava, but the new one is even more glorious!
• His domain ever expands as more rooms were added that you shall have to seek out and discover, His Shadow willing!
• In an effort to keep those who have power in power, it long-ago revised the most luxurious apartment buildings to only cater to the most plush and wealthy of merchants
• Likewise, those who most closely serve His will by serving the nobles and templars can now lay on their backs in glorious comfort!
• But those who seek to be far more can, under His Gloriousness, with the opportunity for player-created Minor Merchant Houses!
• And many more things, for His Gloriousness' triumphs are too numerous to mention!

So what is left for common Amos to do? Let His Gloriousness' majestic Shadow inspire you. Go forth and earn your ranks! Go forth and serve His will! Let your PCs aspire to be the best that they can be, and murder, corruption, and betrayal willing, they shall reach new heights as they never have before!