The Allanak Problem

[wizturbo]

I'm not talking about revealing the secrets of the universe here.  But big events that just about anyone would hear about if they were around in-game there isn't any harm in publicizing a bit.  The staff announcements section can easily have important information buried, or obviously never mentioned at all...  Anyway, just an idea.

[tapas]

I would make two easy changes.

1. Make sure everything ends up on the history page. That includes weird spires of sand that show up over night and and skirmishes on the salt flats. Seriously. I still don't even know what happened in Luirs. Like come on.

These are all great hooks to get people involved and keep the game from looking dead. Put it all in a place where people can easily find it. Take a look at the Arx website just to see how well it's served. Recent events are on the front page.

2. Make in game rumor posts available out of game. Let people hear rumors from the city even if they're not in the city. That way it'll be easier to connect to player plots.

[Fredd]

2. Make in game rumor posts available out of game. Let people hear rumors from the city even if they're not in the city. That way it'll be easier to connect to player plots.

I'm all for this, or taking it a step further, connecting all the rumor boards. Traders trade. They also sit in taverns and talk. Each city should have a tag next to the post so we would know where it originates. But at least this way the big news gets around like it should.

[Black Flag]

I just want Hiring posts on the Website.

This way when my character eats it, I can roll up something that somebody needs!

[triste]

I just want Hiring posts on the Website.

This way when my character eats it, I can roll up something that somebody needs!

I am all for role calls like that; one of the best roles I've played recently was from a role call here [sorry if the the feeling was not mutual fam]. We could definitely afford to expand our tooling around role calls / job listings, such as allowing players to post a role call anonymously [or not] on the site. I made a script that did this for another game in discord, I'm sure staff here could come up with a good solution using the request tool. Only risk is the list becoming stale or the like.

[tapas]

I just want Hiring posts on the Website.

This way when my character eats it, I can roll up something that somebody needs!

This is a good idea and another thing Arx does very well. There's 100+ characters for anyone to jump into. Complete with a history involving other characters and a decent skillsheet.

[Kyviantre]

+1 Would 100% love to be able to post in the Player Announcements section:

Needed, someone who can make armour to join indie outfit.  EST timezone preferred, any class/subguild, northern play area.

Join Kadius today!  We are looking for tailors and basketweavers.  Travel required, politicking taught, any timezone!

Wanted in GMT.  Any players, any time!  Human tribal role.  Please come be both my family AND my new friend!

Like dark times?  The Guild is looking for a special someone.  Must be gregarious and RP focused over skills.  High playtimes a plus.  Social role.  More info available on request.

[Blink]

I would make two easy changes.

1. Make sure everything ends up on the history page. That includes weird spires of sand that show up over night and and skirmishes on the salt flats. Seriously. I still don't even know what happened in Luirs. Like come on.

Yes, a thousand times YES!   When I came back to the game a couple of years ago after a long absence I had trouble finding any information on the Garrison or what had happened in Luir's.  I didn't want to try to find out IC and in doing so reveal my noble house aide as an ignoramus.

2. Make in game rumor posts available out of game. Let people hear rumors from the city even if they're not in the city. That way it'll be easier to connect to player plots.

I hate to be the only naysayer on this but I guess I have to be.    I do think that IC  happenings/rumours/events should stay IC.  If you play in Morin's you should feel isolated because you are isolated.  If you play in Luir's you should feel distanced from Allanak because the two settlements are supposedly a long way away in IC terms.  You shouldn't know everything that is going on in Allanak unless you travel there regularly or have a network of confidants there who keep you updated. 

I guess I'd be okay with the idea of having hiring posts on the website.

[triste]

2. Make in game rumor posts available out of game. Let people hear rumors from the city even if they're not in the city. That way it'll be easier to connect to player plots.

I hate to be the only naysayer on this but I guess I have to be.    I do think that IC  happenings/rumours/events should stay IC.  If you play in Morin's you should feel isolated because you are isolated.  If you play in Luir's you should feel distanced from Allanak because the two settlements are supposedly a long way away in IC terms.  You shouldn't know everything that is going on in Allanak unless you travel there regularly or have a network of confidants there who keep you updated. 

I guess I'd be okay with the idea of having hiring posts on the website.

You aren't alone on this, this is more or less my exact position which is why I only backed up the hiring posts.

Global gossip board posts hamper RP in a lot of obvious ways. As soon as this was brought up I thought of one of my escaped slave characters and how it was neat, even with Allanak being such a huge city, being unable to access the gossip board. It prompted roleplay like asking people for tidings, and helped instill the feeling an escaped Allanaki slave should have of being unable to even get close to Allanak or its happenings. Inversely, I've had other characters paid to spread gossip, and global gossip posts would also kill that vocation.

When someone in this thread mentioned lore earlier and I replied about lore and literacy and kudosing people who shared it, a new player messaged me musing about making a lore master concept. We want to generate RP like that, not kill it.

[Saiseiki]

In my opinion,

A lot has changed, but the story of the world is lacking in the publication of world events, so to the public face it seems like very little has changed.

I would push to have more public knowledge of ongoing events in the game from 6 months ago.   If a noble, 6 months ago, did something cool, I'd want it to be shared somewhere, even if they were still alive 6 months later.  I mean, other than logging in and reading the IC rumor boards - how else am I to know that there was two public trials, a political assassination, house fale is now top tier, and the eastside elven tribes now run the guild.

I could get behind this, or whatever timeline the staff thought appropriate.  I think it would go a good way toward combating the appearance of Nothing Going On.  It might also give some idea of the way the meta-game is trending (more political, more outright war, more Big Magick, etc.), albeit with a large delay.

[Inks]

It is all cyclical. When you have especially harsh or violent Templars/ Law Enforcement OR Especially effective public assassins/ murderers it tends to reduce PCs, especially fringe PCs (rinthi, nonhumans) out and about. Have seen this pattern on and off throughout forever. Not currently playing in Nak but I didn't notice a lack of plots or PCs when I last played there at all.

[Fredd]

I'm still sticking with my previous assessment. Luirs has become the new Hunters Paradise. They have access to everything they could want, plus the resources of both the north, and the south.

Add into it "="THE STEALTH META UUUUUUWUUUUUUUU" And why come to the city?

I'de like to state, for the record "stealth meta" is kinda a lie. It's always been like this. There have always been OHK assassins in Nak, and Burglars that will clean your whole apartment, and tons of them. In the way to long i've played this game, there has never been a period of 'no stealth meta' in the cities.  Sure, miscreants are stupid strong because they are both pickpocket and burglar with Ranger fighting skills...For some reason. But let's be honest. It's still the same folks playing the stealth game they like.

[Dresan]

As I wrote in my final report to staff. I believe my last character was the final one I would ever make in ArmageddonMUD.

I  played this game on and off since Luirs was turned into ruins by mantis (15-20years??), once upon a time its a game I felt I could recommend to people looking for an engaging story, however there is a reason there are more muls and sorcerers then elves in the game. To be clear, since i am working from home so I have a lot of time to invest in any game. The staff were supportive with my last character and I have nothing but kudos them and for several players I played with. However, in my opinion I finally saw the pettiness of those overt 'plots'. Essentially most people have nothing better to do then to try to kill each other over petty reasons.

Its turning this game into a PvP game. One where I don't see sorcerers and muls as a fun RP experience, but rather just another super assassin waiting to take away the fun I am having with others by killing them or me.  Don't get me wrong, I love PvP games, but armageddonmud is not balanced for it.  Its karma classes and sponsored roles make the playing field way too unfair. Even the fate of balanced PvP muds is pretty much burn out of population.   

The game(not just Allanak) doesn't necessarily need Tuluk. However it does need engaging plots that attract and engage your sponsored roles/high karma roles so they have something better to do then engaging in petty murder plots. Unfortunately at the moment, I feel these powerful class combos or sponsored positions have nothing to do then kill each other. And when they can't easily kill someone they begin killing the people around them who may not have chosen a powerful stealth/combat combo.   

Unfortunately, I know the amount of effort it would take to run engaging world plots or have Tuluk become a menace that people need to work with staff to stop is probably more effort/work for staff then they can currently handle. That is just life.  Arm was supposed to be an RP game with amazing stories and engaging scenes, but the pettiness of the 'murder plots' that seems to be originating from boredom has driven me away. Mostly because I rather not roll a karma PC combat combo just to add to the problem or just have my time and effort wasted when someone comes to add another notch to their belt by killing my character for no good reason.

[Inks]

You are one of the best players this game has/ had Dresan. My respects. o7

I have played mundanes that have barely ran into another mundane in the entire wilderness. Somehow ran into 3 sorcerors and about a zillion rukkian empowerments. I see your point.

That being said. I have played mundane laborers with crafting subs that have beaten arses before. You'll be back.

[Aruven]

Its turning this game into a PvP game.

(Good stuff in here....) 

Unfortunately, I know the amount of effort it would take to run engaging world plots or have Tuluk become a menace that people need to work with staff to stop is probably more effort/work for staff then they can currently handle. That is just life.  Arm was supposed to be an RP game with amazing stories and engaging scenes, but the pettiness of the 'murder plots' that seems to be originating from boredom has driven me away.

I couldn't say this quite so eloquently. This is really my crux. Of course PvP is the shit. I love it. But the balance was fraying at the edges awhile back.

Players have been creative in filling in the gaps with some interesting stuff--Kudos for sure. I've been playing more recently.

I still maintain that sometimes you just need that staff echo to put everyone on edge. Even if that's all that comes into the room. (Also for players interested in the storytelling aspects: We can do a lot to bring a scene to life also.)

[worldofsand]

I think my last six characters were PKed, all of them either by total strangers I had never met or by people I had no idea were going to kill me and still cannot piece together a reason. This really has become a game of "gotcha!" It's a witless PK-fest bereft of story.

[Fredd]

I think my last six characters were PKed, all of them either by total strangers I had never met or by people I had no idea were going to kill me and still cannot piece together a reason. This really has become a game of "gotcha!" It's a witless PK-fest bereft of story.

I feel like there are reasons, and you aren't aware of them.  Staff tend to frown on PK without reports.

[worldofsand]

I'm sure you feel like there are reasons, without knowing the first thing about any of those cases or who my characters were. I'm sure you do.

[Fredd]

I'm sure you feel like there are reasons, without knowing the first thing about any of those cases or who my characters were. I'm sure you do.

Just like you didn't know your killers or their reasons.

[worldofsand]

Sure. I don't. They may all have had elaborate schemes to take me out, all six of them, on six consecutive characters spread out across two RL years. But here you are, as a person with no known involvement with any of them, and you're laying down your life in some bizarrely misguided fight against the very ordinary sentiment that I posted. It makes me wonder if you had anything to say in the first place or if you were merely fishing for karma or playing a sycophant in some other way that warranted no recognition whatsoever. Announce your agenda or be discounted on the spot.

[Fredd]

Sure. I don't. They may all have had elaborate schemes to take me out, all six of them, on six consecutive characters spread out across two RL years. But here you are, as a person with no known involvement with any of them, and you're laying down your life in some bizarrely misguided fight against the very ordinary sentiment that I posted. It makes me wonder if you had anything to say in the first place or if you were merely fishing for karma or playing a sycophant in some other way that warranted no recognition whatsoever. Announce your agenda or be discounted on the spot.

Ha. 

How about you consider the fact that when someone that knows you, wants you dead, they use someone you don't know.

But hey, sure, 6 pk's across 2 years. They sure must all be completely random. You couldn't have had enemies that hated you, but pretended to like you.
Nope, it's everyone's fault, they are picking on you, right?

[Brokkr]

Sure. I don't. They may all have had elaborate schemes to take me out, all six of them, on six consecutive characters spread out across two RL years. But here you are, as a person with no known involvement with any of them, and you're laying down your life in some bizarrely misguided fight against the very ordinary sentiment that I posted. It makes me wonder if you had anything to say in the first place or if you were merely fishing for karma or playing a sycophant in some other way that warranted no recognition whatsoever. Announce your agenda or be discounted on the spot.

Okay.  I'll bite.

What is your agenda?

Given that your last six characters did not, in fact, die due to PK.  And certainly did not span two years.

Heck, your last two accounts don't even span two years.

[Gentleboy]

Oh no, my thread is devolving. Guys, please. This isn't a thread about what is wrong with the game. Nor is it supposed to be about just grievances.

I want to hear about the golden age of Allanak and not just how to restore it, but instead how to move beyond it. Veterans, what's a good bit of Allanak for us to think about?

[SpyGuy]

For me the good about Nak is it does the social stratification really well.  Nobles and Templars are better than you and don't try to hide it.  I just feel that it's a double edged sword since being a Noble is such a limiting role and is a real stretch to RP with many character types.

I say this too often but if I had a magic wand I'd remove the noble roles and replace them with a couple more PC templars and more GMH family roles to make sure 'high class' RP still had a place.

This isn't a complaint about any current nobles and I've seen fantastic ones in the past.  I just feel that leading a crew of gemmed (ie Oash) could be easily done by a Templar or party dude could easily done by a Kadian or Kuraci. 

[Nao]

This isn't a complaint about any current nobles and I've seen fantastic ones in the past.  I just feel that leading a crew of gemmed (ie Oash) could be easily done by a Templar or party dude could easily done by a Kadian or Kuraci. 

This, especially the gemmed part. A circle with 6 or so gemmed + aides are a lot to handle for one or two nobles who may not even play that much. Split up between three templars the templars would actually have minions they can control, the gemmed could have a lot more things to do between those three templars and maybe the gemmed quarter wouldn't be so empty because everyone spends the majority of the time in the Oash compound. After having played there for a bit, the circle really isn't doing anything for the game.

You could even keep Oash open and just virtualize the circle.