Why do you play?

[MeTekillot]

I play to amuse myself. I find it amusing, in a morbid sort of way, to wipe someone's character out, or to have one of mine wiped out, by something utterly out of my control, whether it's an assassin with a fortuitous stat roll and mad skill levels, or a mage who had two days of RL free time to practice, or a warrior who's got my number and got me in a locked room, or a Templar with five half-giants, or getting tossed into the Arena against increasingly insurmountable odds.

I like to create emotional bonds between my characters and other people. I like to roleplay the quirks and failings of a person different from myself, being able to observe from a mostly subjective view, while still invariably injecting a little bit of my personality into them so I can sympathize. I like for my characters to make friends, to have lovers, to want revenge or to get one over on someone they don't like for reasons that often align with my own.

I play to enforce the theme, whether it's being an oaf that vNPCs look on with disgust as he carries out a public friendship with a Gemmed or non-human, or kicking a drunkard in the head to steal their food, or holding someone at knife point to steal all their coins, or stabbing someone to death to sell their things for food, water, spice, and whores. My characters have their prejudices and their conspicuous lack of some certain prejudice, whether they love magickers but still hate elves, or hate everyone of any race beside them while also believing nobles aren't as great as they say, or being dead-set on doing the right thing with an extremely twisted moral view on what is 'right'.

I like to be able to get a 'WOW' factor for me and other players, such as having a long-played warrior who can take on ten tarantulas toe-to-toe, or a magicker who can snuff out your best friend before you even notice while batting you around the dunes, or charging in and one-hitter-quittering someone immediately after a flashy emote. I like other players to have fun, or if not that, entertained, failing that, compelled emotionally. I like to have a reason to react to the game and to make other people react to what I am doing, too.

[Large Hero]

I play in an attempt to create, between myself and at least one other player, that feeling you get when you share a song, or a book, or a poem, or any piece of art, with somebody and you both click on some aspect of it. A shared understanding about something through art. That feeling you get when you jive with another human being about something existential. You both "get it." You're both digging on the same feeling and nodding.

It's about the collaborative creativity. I play here because this place has the best playerbase, right now. I'm here to create something with you guys, specifically.

The code I use to interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this now a MUSH, and I'd still play.

The setting in which I interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this is now Wild West MUD or Game of Thrones MUD or Conan MUD and I'd still play (those three sound pretty fun, too).

The character creation options I have with which to interact with you don't really matter to me. Staff could tell me I can now only play half-elven merchant acrobats and I'd still play, because you're here.

[Harmless]

I like the above posts.

I play to live out a life in a world different from my own. The more different and compelling that life is from my mundane existence, the better. The more struggle that my characters have to endure and survive, the more I am reminded of my own struggles.

I play to gain a greater understanding of what life is and what it means to exist as a human. I play to relive my childhood and feel young again. I play to share in the joy of others' successes and also to take part in their defeat.

I enjoy playing part of the time on either side of a long running conflict. I enjoy seeing the world change over time and to see the history of Zalanthas unfold. I don't necessarily have to play an important role in that history. I usually play a side-character kind of role but enjoy myself immensely.

I enjoy playing a character who feels unique: not one who people aspire to become, but a character who people are interested in figuring out and interacting with. I admit I play to soak up compliments people lay onto my characters. I enjoy knowing and seeing things my characters miss. I enjoy knowing that my character is in for some deep losses or sacrifices and playing them out until the bitter end.

I enjoy having staff around to monitor me and let me know what things I can and can't achieve or shoot for. I enjoy the massively multiplayer pen-and-paper RPG feel that armageddon offers. I enjoy the game most when all playing styles and character concepts are supported and given room in the game. I enjoy that players have the power to permanently kill each other so that the game world is directly affected by player and character choices.

[Desertman]

I'm not really actively playing right now.

I put some thought into this question and I really can't figure out why I keep playing.

There are a lot of things I really don't enjoy about this game anymore not related in any way to being in the game.

I think maybe I keep playing out of habit when I do play.

I've played for so long now it's just sort of a go-to time killer that's become part of "what I do".

The game has its ups and downs for me these days, but there's no denying the downs really outweigh most of the ups for me most of the time now.

If I had to compare it to sitting around a tabletop playing a standard session of D&D I think it would be a lot like this:

Me: "So, we've been playing this campaign for almost 20 RL years.".

DM: "That's right.".

Me: "I feel like it's about time I'm allowed to accomplish something that matters.".

DM: "Do your best.".

Me: "How about this?".

DM: "No.".

Me: "Well, how about this then?".

DM: "No, and you need to stop asking.".

Me: "I guess I'll just keep doing the same things then and never think outside of the box I've been given.".

DM: "Good. That's what I want.".

Me: "Ok then.".


That pretty much sums up my play experience for the last handful of years.

The same old things can still be fun, but man, after this long the same old things start to get a little thin.

[boog]

I play in an attempt to create, between myself and at least one other player, that feeling you get when you share a song, or a book, or a poem, or any piece of art, with somebody and you both click on some aspect of it. A shared understanding about something through art. That feeling you get when you jive with another human being about something existential. You both "get it." You're both digging on the same feeling and nodding.

It's about the collaborative creativity. I play here because this place has the best playerbase, right now. I'm here to create something with you guys, specifically.

The code I use to interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this now a MUSH, and I'd still play.

The setting in which I interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this is now Wild West MUD or Game of Thrones MUD or Conan MUD and I'd still play (those three sound pretty fun, too).

The character creation options I have with which to interact with you don't really matter to me. Staff could tell me I can now only play half-elven merchant acrobats and I'd still play, because you're here.

[Chettaman]

I'm 26 now and I believe I started playing when I was 17. Almost Ten years now. And I've changed in a lot of ways. But I know that I play for interaction. That connection Large Hero's talking about. I effing love to show off in this world that I can show off in. I'm totally going to LARP one day, I swear it!

Excluding my very first character that I didn't roleplay well at all, stopped playing in actuality and then began again with some idea ... uh, an Assassin with absolutely incredible agility, most definitely. I still didn't know the possibilities of this game world. I didn't know how to do anything for a long time. But he was a rinther. And I genuinely was trying to find my way out of the narrows when... a PC mugged me. I ran, jumped down a well to my doom and someone... or something finished me off in a very descriptive manner. (that character died in literally less than ten minutes played) That hooked me! It was like a challenge. I knew that I could of survived, I knew that I just needed more knowledge.

Gah... Gunnerblaster told me this game was cool and he told me these awesome stories, while I'm stuck getting lost in allanak or sitting in the bar or mining obsidian and getting killed by scrab over and over again. That was pretty much my roleplay until I decided to make (ten characters later) a merchant. Instead of risking my life with the skills I didn't have I stayed inside and used the skills I did! - but I couldn't do it alone, because I still didn't know enough about this world and scrab were fuckin' my worst damn enemy. So this character joined a clan. Salarr! Where she did a whole bunch of fun stuff that didn't involve combat and a had a whole bunch of very normal adventures. And she did actually get involved in combat and that was cool too.

But she died. I went straight back to warriors now that I knew how much fun clans were I tried to jump right back into the saddle! - this one died too after like a day played. But... He was different from the rest of the warriors. He had a history. He had odd quirks. He was unique to everyone else. I had learned to roleplay. Two characters later I made another merchant. An old, person. Which I'd also never done before and the roleplay was completely unique. I could do and act ornery and no one would mind much. I could do a so much and it got me addicted to the thoughts and ideals other people had. I had discovered the exploration of other's through self discovery.

I went right back to warriors. Heh heh. This character, though was /the/ most different character I'd ever made. He joined a group and became a guard. And what did he do? He guarded. Like the other guards. He didn't go out and hunt and he didn't go to the bars very often. He stood out front of the house, of the crafter's quarters and guarded. He nodded to those who passed and that was all he ever did... You might say it was boring as hell and you would be right. xD But for some reason... I enjoyed it. Any interaction with him was like,
"Oh... you're on guard, uh... Well. keep up the good work!" he'd nod and they'd go on their way. It was hilarious in a zoomed out view sort of sense. I dunno. I play for interaction.

And then... I made a ranger. Who lived in the wild. It was a challenge, after I'd grown accustomed to clan life. I lived in the grass lands to make it easy for my first time. I learned that life outside the walls was alright if you were smart about it. Then.... there was like a string of warriors and they were all well thought out and this and that, but they all fell to their dooms mostly. So I went back to the clan life!

I joined the byn for the first time-ish on like character 28. And had an effing blast.
Next I joined kurac for the first time and had an effing blast! I even got to play with my best friend and it was as much fun as I knew it would be. The bynner was the turning point of my arm career, I think. After that weird tribal fighter, I learned how to combat things. I learned how to survive in dangerous situations. "Flee" xD 28th character...

So much cool stuff happened after that. The knowledge of the wilderness, the knowledge of how to survive combat, the knowledge of how to roleplay, the knowledge of real life experiences and IC experiences together. I could be anyone and survive. I could have any stats and survive. I could have any guild and do and learn anything.
Somewhere along the way I had decided to be a mostly solo-roleplayer. I think it was around the time I got a grasp of how the code worked... no. It was both me grasping at the code and depression. (which I'm over) And while I used to do solo all the time with previous characters and enjoyed the heck out of it ... I enjoyed it for only a short time when doing it exclusively. Recently I've discovered that solo-roleplay is used to flesh out my characters and not to have fun, which it can be! But I miss playing with other people. I know that playing with others is where I shine the brightest!

Also. I play to escape. I play to escape the real world where I have no connection to others to play in this one where people are all enjoying the same thing. In the real world, I've got to be an uncle. I've got to be someone people can depend on. Even if I can't have an actual conversation with the people I'm with. I've got to lead my family and other families and friends to "peace" within themselves, because even if they're older and mature, they're struggling to find that peace in everyone else. Gah... I play to escape into a world where worrying about and leading others who want things they already have is only an act.

[little chicken woman]

The skills system is unparalleled and fully fleshed out and the storytelling is awesome. Also I love the Arm and House Kadius.

[Lizzie]

I know why I used to play. But most of the things that attracted me to the game no longer exist and have been either not replaced at all, or replaced with "more of less." Get back to me after all the changes to the guilds are completed and I'll chime in with why I "do" play - if I still play at that point. At this point, I play because I haven't bothered to see if there's anything better out there. That might change. Depends on what comes up with the game changes.

[Jihelu]

For sex rp and backstabbing.

[Miradus]

I tend to play more in the winter when the weather is bad. Not so much when I can get outside and do things.

That being the case, I haven't been playing much. And I am wondering a bit why that is. Even when I clearly have some downtime, I don't seem to be driven to log in and do much.

I think largely I am driven by exploration. I love complex engines, systems, and structures and figuring them out. I am not driven so much by social interaction. That said, once the system is explored then social interaction has to be the next step to engage my interest. And I haven't seemed to gain traction there on any meaningful front. (Not casting blame, just pointing out a personal phenomenon.)

[Asmoth]

I tend to play more in the winter when the weather is bad. Not so much when I can get outside and do things.

That being the case, I haven't been playing much. And I am wondering a bit why that is. Even when I clearly have some downtime, I don't seem to be driven to log in and do much.

I think largely I am driven by exploration. I love complex engines, systems, and structures and figuring them out. I am not driven so much by social interaction. That said, once the system is explored then social interaction has to be the next step to engage my interest. And I haven't seemed to gain traction there on any meaningful front. (Not casting blame, just pointing out a personal phenomenon.)

There does seem to be a lack of exploration in the game once you've played a while.

[RogueGunslinger]

Roleplaying with you guys, and the code that allows for quite a bit of variety.

[Miradus]

There does seem to be a lack of exploration in the game once you've played a while.

It didn't even take all that long.

There's still a lot of things/places for me to explore but I've covered most of everything that can reasonably be done without additional support. Like parts of the Tablelands, for example. I can't take anything less than a 30 days played ranger/warrior into certain areas without risking certain death ... and once I've invested 30 days into a character I don't want to lose them to some of these ridiculous insta-death rooms/mobs that I found with lower-time characters.

And the culture of Arm doesn't really let me group up with random people and "go adventuring".

I mapped over 7,000 rooms in tintin and called it good. The blank spots stopped getting filled because I can go only about 5-10 rooms before I'm killed by falling in a hole or walk into a dead-end with (literally) 18 gith.

At the end of the day, the game isn't very explorer friendly. Which was part of the initial allure, I will confess, in that I was thinking that I'd be able to see things other people hadn't seen because of the danger. However when I'd bring up something I found neat that exists out in the wilderness, literally every other player KNEW it existed and would tell me all about it.

Response: "Oh, that's the *insert horrible monster* lair. Don't go there. There's a queen and about fifty soldiers. No treasure but there is a water source down in the bottom of the pit, surrounded by elite warrior monsters hungering for noob flesh."

And I'm thinking, "You craft necklaces out of flowers and sit in the Gaj all day. How do you know all this?"

In dozens of attempts I was never able to find any cave, dungeon, or pit so interesting that I could convince someone to go back with me and look inside. They either knew all about it and that there was no possible reward to be gained worth the risk, or they weren't interested in exploration.

[Pale Horse]

There does seem to be a lack of exploration in the game once you've played a while.

It didn't even take all that long.

There's still a lot of things/places for me to explore but I've covered most of everything that can reasonably be done without additional support. Like parts of the Tablelands, for example. I can't take anything less than a 30 days played ranger/warrior into certain areas without risking certain death ... and once I've invested 30 days into a character I don't want to lose them to some of these ridiculous insta-death rooms/mobs that I found with lower-time characters.

And the culture of Arm doesn't really let me group up with random people and "go adventuring".

I mapped over 7,000 rooms in tintin and called it good. The blank spots stopped getting filled because I can go only about 5-10 rooms before I'm killed by falling in a hole or walk into a dead-end with (literally) 18 gith.

At the end of the day, the game isn't very explorer friendly. Which was part of the initial allure, I will confess, in that I was thinking that I'd be able to see things other people hadn't seen because of the danger. However when I'd bring up something I found neat that exists out in the wilderness, literally every other player KNEW it existed and would tell me all about it.

Response: "Oh, that's the *insert horrible monster* lair. Don't go there. There's a queen and about fifty soldiers. No treasure but there is a water source down in the bottom of the pit, surrounded by elite warrior monsters hungering for noob flesh."

And I'm thinking, "You craft necklaces out of flowers and sit in the Gaj all day. How do you know all this?"

In dozens of attempts I was never able to find any cave, dungeon, or pit so interesting that I could convince someone to go back with me and look inside. They either knew all about it and that there was no possible reward to be gained worth the risk, or they weren't interested in exploration.

Hazards of playing in a "small" game (it's ginormous for a MUD, yes.) with players who may have been here for decades and have had the chance to "see it all."   

I'm with you, in a way.  I initially played dozens of characters to go out and explore, explore, explore.  Once I'd seen most of what I wanted to see, I switched to the social aspect.

I'm far more satisfied, now; my interests have changed.

I'll chalk up my own reasons as "role-playing."

[RogueGunslinger]

Exploring is like... stage 1. Stage 2 is competently living in all the dangerous areas you've explored. Stage 3 is taking other people out to your dangerous home to murder them.

[Asmoth]

Exploring is like... stage 1. Stage 2 is competently living in all the dangerous areas you've explored. Stage 3 is taking other people out to your dangerous home to murder them.

One of the funniest ways I ever killed anyone was.

Hey, I'll catch up, go in that wagon and wait for me...

They enter the wagon, ding.

[WarriorPoet]

Bone. Fucking. Swords.

The community is amazing. Combative and insane but great. The collaborative storytelling that goes on here is something unique. Keep it up you goons. I like it.

[LauraMars]

I play in an attempt to create, between myself and at least one other player, that feeling you get when you share a song, or a book, or a poem, or any piece of art, with somebody and you both click on some aspect of it. A shared understanding about something through art. That feeling you get when you jive with another human being about something existential. You both "get it." You're both digging on the same feeling and nodding.

It's about the collaborative creativity. I play here because this place has the best playerbase, right now. I'm here to create something with you guys, specifically.

The code I use to interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this now a MUSH, and I'd still play.

The setting in which I interact with you doesn't really matter to me. Staff could announce that this is now Wild West MUD or Game of Thrones MUD or Conan MUD and I'd still play (those three sound pretty fun, too).

The character creation options I have with which to interact with you don't really matter to me. Staff could tell me I can now only play half-elven merchant acrobats and I'd still play, because you're here.

nailed it

[Case]

I play kill a man

and character

[TheWanderer]

To gain staff's trust and then betray them in horrific fashion, subsequently teaching them that Armageddon doesn't end when you quit out.

I bet they think they can sort out the good from the bad. That nobody would pull an act for three years and counting for something so nonsensical.

that's when I get ya.

^{_{*disclaimer: unfunny joke written while restless in bed. don't dock me, bro}}

[Vwest]

My life is boring -- I married my husband early, had a child and that about sums up my accomplishments in life. My day consists of cooking, cleaning, tending to a child and being tossed over various pieces of furniture so that I can qualify as a loving wife for another glorious American day. It isn't a bad life, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good life, either.

So, I guess I'm one of those people, playing an internet fantasy game to escape a ho-hum real life.

Also, to gank nerds, mudsex and troll the forums. All things that keep me logging in.

[Bogre]

To CMWBS.

I really like developing concepts and playing them out.

Exploring and finding secrets and history.

[Desertman]

My life is boring -- I married my husband early, had a child and that about sums up my accomplishments in life. My day consists of cooking, cleaning, tending to a child and being tossed over various pieces of furniture so that I can qualify as a loving wife for another glorious American day. It isn't a bad life, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good life, either.

So, I guess I'm one of those people, playing an internet fantasy game to escape a ho-hum real life.

Also, to gank nerds, mudsex and troll the forums. All things that keep me logging in.

Eh. This is a good life. No matter what someone accomplishes they always feel like they have accomplished not enough or what they have accomplished is meaningless.

I've worked every day of my life since I was out of high school. I've never not been taking care of someone else. It's just what I do. I make good money, have no debt, a loving wife (that spends her days playing video games, cooking, cleaning, taking care of our cat, and being tossed over various pieces of furniture), and hobbies.

You know what I think?

It isn't a bad life, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good life, either.

This is just being a normal person I think.

[Asmoth]

My life is boring -- I married my husband early, had a child and that about sums up my accomplishments in life. My day consists of cooking, cleaning, tending to a child and being tossed over various pieces of furniture so that I can qualify as a loving wife for another glorious American day. It isn't a bad life, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good life, either.

So, I guess I'm one of those people, playing an internet fantasy game to escape a ho-hum real life.

Also, to gank nerds, mudsex and troll the forums. All things that keep me logging in.

Sounds like a good life to me as well and if you ever get rid of that pesky husband... Lmao

[Desertman]

The vast majority of people aren't Gaston.

The vast majority of people are the villagers.

Village life is pretty good.

[WarriorPoet]

Maybe Belle would have gotten hot for Gaston if he had presented her with the warm dripping-heart of the Beast. Women say they don't like it, but they do.

Be the change you want to see.

[Desertman]

Maybe Belle would have gotten hot for Gaston if he had presented her with the warm dripping-heart of the Beast. Women say they don't like it, but they do.

Be the change you want to see.

You are preaching to the choir Sir.

[Vositus]

Bone. Fucking. Swords.

The community is amazing. Combative and insane but great. The collaborative storytelling that goes on here is something unique. Keep it up you goons. I like it.

To CMWBS.

I really like developing concepts and playing them out.

Exploring and finding secrets and history.

[FantasyWriter]

I'm not really actively playing right now.

I put some thought into this question and I really can't figure out why I keep playing.

There are a lot of things I really don't enjoy about this game anymore not related in any way to being in the game.

I think maybe I keep playing out of habit when I do play.

I've played for so long now it's just sort of a go-to time killer that's become part of "what I do".

The game has its ups and downs for me these days, but there's no denying the downs really outweigh most of the ups for me most of the time now.

If I had to compare it to sitting around a tabletop playing a standard session of D&D I think it would be a lot like this:

Me: "So, we've been playing this campaign for almost 20 RL years.".

DM: "That's right.".

Me: "I feel like it's about time I'm allowed to accomplish something that matters.".

DM: "Do your best.".

Me: "How about this?".

DM: "No.".

Me: "Well, how about this then?".

DM: "No, and you need to stop asking.".

Me: "I guess I'll just keep doing the same things then and never think outside of the box I've been given.".

DM: "Good. That's what I want.".

Me: "Ok then.".


That pretty much sums up my play experience for the last handful of years.

The same old things can still be fun, but man, after this long the same old things start to get a little thin.

This is word for word how I feel these days.  I feel like I've done all that I will be able to do.
I've never played a Sorcerer and won't get to, I've never played a Templar (and after playing two characters that were close to two of them I don't think I will ever want to).

I have one goal from several years ago that wasn't accomplished due to a character death that was by far the worst Arm experience that I've ever had. MAY get to do that with my current PC.

I want to play a successful silt skimmer captain (got to be first mate to one once, but as usual, I went AFK and got ganked by an NPC).

That's about it for my Arm bucket list.

[Asmoth]

Slight derail

Skimmers are awesome in concept, but by design they are retarded.

You have a chance of falling off and instadeath if you're not sitting, but when you're attacked by super monsters, if you're sitting it gives them a huge bonus to hitting and hurting you.  Not to mention I -think- getting attacked sitting down automagickally stands you up, so if you survive and the captain pilots off, you could fall to your death.

If they made skimmers not so "One fuck up and you're dead!" I'd be all for it.

[Delirium]

You don't auto-stand if you are sitting.

You auto-stand if you are resting.

I play for the stories, and the secrets, to explore, and yes, to chop mothafuckas up with bone swords.