D-elf magicker stuff

[Bestatte]

Instead of everyone posting a one-time thread, each seperate, in the ask the staff folder I thought I'd start a "respondable" thread here.

To the person who asked about "no d'elf magickers," I would direct you to Bagharva's post. He didn't say no more. He said special app only. That means yes, there will of -course- be more d'elf magickers, but for whatever reason, you now have to get permission to play one.

My question now, is - is there a reason for this that perhaps we should know? Have d'elf magickers been played irresponsibly, and the staff wants to make sure the player can handle the role before allowing it? Or - are there just too many of them and they want to keep a temporary limit on them?

Or is it something else?

[jhunter]

Yeah...why make everyone else have to special app them if those who are already doing it aren't doing it right? (If that is the case.)


I've already expressed how I feel about special apps in another thread, it's something I -HATE- to do. I'd much rather just be granted the opportunity to play such things and do it correctly so I don't lose the privilige.

Doesn't bother me that templars and nobles are special app only, because I have zero desire to play either, I'd enjoy playing any of the basic options before I would those.

[Gilvar]

There may be an overabundance of them, in a generally low population 'race', if 4 out of the 5 current desert elves are magickers that seems weird. Just as weird as if 75 out of 80 current humans in Allanak were magickers.

But I guess we will wait and see/not-see.

[wizturbo]

I'm guessing its the overabundance issue.

[jhunter]

There may be an overabundance of them, in a generally low population 'race', if 4 out of the 5 current desert elves are magickers that seems weird. Just as weird as if 75 out of 80 current humans in Allanak were magickers.

Right, but how come the number of pc ones only factor into this...there are supposed to be npc and vnpcs representing their portion of the total population.

I mean, just because four out of the five pc ones are magickers doesn't mean that suddenly the percentage of magickers through the entire d-elf population is out of whack.

I think this is messed up that the entire population isn't taken into account in these cases...just the pc population.

[mansa]

It does matter when everyone playing in a tribe is a magicker.

There can be only one.  Otherwise, it's just becomming another conclave.

[jhunter]

Then if that's the case. do something about them. Not make everyone else change because of them.

[Armaddict]

Me, I just don't like the extra hassle of special apping.  Anyone who says it's not much of a hassle is a liar.  Not to mention the extra time -not- being able to play arm.

I don't agree with the above opinion of 'fixing it instead of making the rest of us change.'  What the hell does that mean?  Come up with an idea and post it.

I just didn't like the idea, but it sounds like there's at least some reasoning for it.  I'd hope that a different way around it was found sooner or later, for anyone who -had- wanted to play a d-elf magicker, but now doesn't

[jhunter]

I don't know, the fact that most of a tribe is magickers...is not my problem.


I feel the same way about special apps...alot of extra trouble when I could just make something on my own. I would've played a d-elf magicker...but not if I have to special app it.

[Bestatte]

I don't think it's that much of a big deal. With so many other options - no one's saying you have to special app to be a magicker, and no one's saying you have to special app to be a d'elf. It's only that combo that they are concerned with (for whatever reason).

Regarding the VNPC population, those VNPCs don't storm the gates of the city and start casting spells on people as soon as they walk out. The VNPCs aren't the ones that will kill your PC, or give him defensive spells if you're buddies, or start churning water out of the middle of the desert, or whatever.

If too much of -whatever- is caused by an overabundance of a specific type of PC, then it's the staff's responsibility to make sure things are held back for awhile until it settles down to normal again.

I really don't think it's something big enough to gripe about at the present time. If after a few months, it looks like there are no d'elf magickers at all, and it's taking weeks for any new ones to show up because they won't let anyone play one without a special app, then I'd say hey - what's going on?? But for now, I just don't see a problem with the policy.

[grog]

Play a non-magicker d-elf and enjoy that for awhile.   If the only combo you want to play is, d-elf magicker, maybe you should ask yourself why?

[jhunter]

Why? What difference does it make, it's personal choice like any of my chars.

I've played d-elves before, they're fun I was considering making the next one I play a magicker is all so I could try something different with the same race, Now, if I have to special app it I won't get to try it because I won't go through the annoyance of having to deal with it.

[wizturbo]

If you won't go through the annoyance of sending an email to an immortal with your character concept, maybe ya don't want to play the character that bad.  I don't see why this is such a big deal.

[jhunter]

Doesn't matter -what- kind of char it is...I personally don't want to go through the annoyance for -any- role. That is the biggest reason why I don't want to play a noble or templar.

If it wasn't for the special apping on those I might consider it, but for me personally -no- role is worth the trouble.

[Dakkon Black]

Neither do I, it's not that important to me. There are many many races around. I'm happy with others if I can't take a week to spec app a d-elf. Not to mention I appriciate the time that the staff will now have to take to review all these apps, all in the name of keeping this game, for our entertainment, running the way they see fit.

[Pungee]

Yet another example of GDB overkill. All they said was that you had to special app the D-Elfie magickers through them, thats all. They aren't restricted or anything, you can still get hold of them. It just takes a little longer now and they get to coach you on what they're looking for. So now we have what? 5 threads about the same thing? Come on guys, suck it up and just live with the changes. Staff does things for a reason.  

[samsara]

Armageddon is a game of waiting along with checks and balances to keep it's feel intact and abuse minimal. We have accounts, we have to get character applications approved, once we're in game, our characters wait much of the time. We wait to meet people, to join clans, for gates to open, sun to rise, weather to blow over, movement delays, resting, healing, and many more things. Some people don't like some or all of these things, they are here to play, not be patient, and yet, we've all accepted the burden of such as a price to play such a great game.

We don't play in a void (most of us), but instead play in a world in which certain things need to be balanced. Unfortunately many of these things needs nudging or pushing and luckily we have immortals to do it.

Communication is not a bad thing, especially with those that mold, shape, and caretake the world. Special apping is just that. I seriously doubt that it will take that much more time to special app a desert magicker. It's a different email address, another person checking them, and I'd assume there's not an incredible amount. Are you more frustrated by the extra waiting time or that you can't play yet another race/class combination without permission.

I'm all behind these small tweaks, perhaps even temporary to keep the game world's feel. And by the simple fact that we're all still playing, I'd guess you all are too.

[Dan]

For me it is the simple fact that I have never special apped, and don't really know how to. Im sure it is easy, but it involves a few more things. Like knowing the range of weight in ten-stones for d-elves so that you can add that before sending it in, along with their height. That sort of thing. Mayby I am just lazy?

[jhunter]

Are you more frustrated by the extra waiting time or that you can't play yet another race/class combination without permission.

Both.

I like making my chars and knowing 100% that the pc is my creation within the boundaries already laid out.

That is also why I never apply for roles needed by others...someone else has already decided to limit my choices of how my char will be even further than the game already does.

It's more about loss of choice and control over what sort of char I can make within the system that has already existed and worked just fine.

[mansa]

In order to special app a character, you just need to know these items:

Your account name,
the race and/or guild you are requesting to be allowed to play,
a brief summary of your proposed PC's background, and
if applicable, a statement of what you would try to achieve with the PC.

That's it.
You don't even have to have a description written up, yet.

Here; Take a moment and read this:  http://www.armageddon.org/general/special.html

[mansa]

It's more about loss of choice and control over what sort of char I can make within the system that has already existed and worked just fine.

If the system is working fine, the administrators of the game wouldn't change it.  Therefore, it is broken now and is being changed so that it is not broken.

[jhunter]

I think it's more of an issue with those who are abusing the system not being punished for it...not that the system itself doesn't work.

[mansa]

Think about it this way...


Desert elves are a singular clan.  Like House Oash, or the Byn.

The immortal(s) in charge of Desert elves are now saying that the positions for Magickers within the clan is now closed.  Unless you have a wickedly cool character concept, in which you have to email them about it, Your desert elf magicker will be denied.

[Gilvar]

It does not say special app. It says 'permission'. If you feel your entitled to play a desert-elf magicker just  do these:

Open a web-browser, go to whatever you do your email through, compose a new email and then the following:

Dear Bhag and Gesht:
I feel I should be able to play a desert elf magicker. The concept I have is this: Blahblahblah, and it doesn't seem to be done in the world, at least from what I've seen and I think it would be fun. I would be a member of this tribe, and this old, and this gender. If this is okay, please write back to me. If not, could you enclose a reason why? Thanks. -Your name-.



The facts are there were many desert elves out there doing strange stuff. While its not entirely bad on its own, a cumulative problem arises from many instances of strange play. Like an elf riding a kank for one of the few logical (very few) reasons is -strange-, but not nescessarily outlawed and bad and they should be stripped of their karma. But when suddenly there are 10 elves, each somehow fitting this very rare strange reason, it becomes a cumulative problem.

So while a few desert elf magickers, each in their own virtual tribe isn't bad per se, when almost everyone is a magicker in a virtual tribe it makes it not only harder to watch... (try having one or two imms monitor the consistancy of the tribal role-play of more then 10 desert elves, let alone making sure they coincide with magick role-play). That's why hard-coded tribes started being encouraged. Its an atmosphere thats easy to monitor, cultivate and mold.

Not everyone can be a special case. And playing a virtual tribe has become somewhat of a special case. Playing a magicker is always a special case, but also a bit higher up the karmatic ladder. If you feel your case is special enough you can ask for permission. And I think that's what Bhag was asking.

Many other issues that make sense, disportionalizing the player-base to the virtual playerbase. Examples used, 4 out of 5 players being templars, half-giants, or muls. These are rarer things and thats PART of the reason they are not open to all. Its helpful to everyone that a realistic population of PCs is maintained so the vision of the world doesn't become diluded.

if you know a better way to cull the tide of lone, magicker, desert-elves feel free to post, as I think any helpful feedback is helpful.

[Ix Machina]

Also, when you special-app through a specific immortal (in this case, Bhag), you generally don't have as much a wait time, and are likely to get a response much faster.

Mansa is correct, you don't have to write out a novel to special-app a pc, just follow the prelim-format.

Most of the items in a prelim are a given:

Your account name (you have this)

The race and/or guild you are requesting to be allowed to play (d-elf, whatever magicker guild)

** A brief summary of your proposed PC's background, and
if applicable, a statement of what you would try to achieve with the PC.

This doesn't mean you need to write a novel. Simply a few details that show that you've thought this pc out at the beginning beyond cookie cutter dwarven warrior #576 with focus of becoming the greatest warrior in the known world.