So Long And Thanks For All The Fish

[valeria]

For many years, Armageddon has been the well that I've come back to, to refresh my creativity for writing, or just because I'm bored of other games and want some escapism. I've met my husband and many very good friends through this game. As an old Arm friend recently put it, Arm has been "a crucial ingredient in my own unique life stew," which I think is very beautiful and far more poetic than anything I could ever come up with myself.

I've dipped in and out over the years, much more "out" than "in" for the last few, and my most recent dip in has made me realize with a lot of sadness that Arm just doesn't quite fit into my life anymore.  I've never posted a farewell message because for me it was always an "until next time" rather than a farewell. This, I believe, is farewell. Despite the context, I don't leave in bitterness, but in joy. My life has become in many ways a richer and more beautiful thing than I ever imagined it could be, and my heart has moved on to different creative forums, such as writing and TTPRGs.

To every single wonderful person I've met through this game, in-character or out: Thank you. To everyone who has worked their absolute ass off at portraying a memorable character, creating plots, answering reports, doing the scutwork of item balancing, creating entire zones for player fun, coding, or even just hemoting some crucial detail that puts your character in a compromising position, for the many volunteer hours that everyone who will have read this message has put into this game, thank you. It's been a blast.

- val

[Barsook]

Good luck on your next leg, it was fun playing with you!

[HazelHomewrecker]

I want to piggy-back off of this, because it's convenient.

After all of this today, I'm not sure ArmageddonMUD is the right game for me anymore. There was a time, in the not so distant past, that I felt fairly safe playing here, that staff had the best interest of our players and our safety in mind. Now, after seeing victims be silenced for taking an initiative against their abusers, whom the staff allowed a graceful exit from the game, has irreparably damage my perception of our leadership. Not only that, but entire threads of people pouring their hearts out in hopes of their voices being heard are being moderated, furthering the chasm-like rift that's been growing these past years. I was speaking to someone today about how I thought the reason I'd quit armageddon some day would be because of staff action, and that at the current moment I was appalled by my fellow players--but now? Seeing this? I can wholeheartedly, and without a doubt, retract that statement.

I saw players rise up together in a show of solidarity to Bebop and Delirium, and despite my problems with a select few, that was impressive to me. However, under the guise of rule breaking, staff saw fit to dump gasoline on the proverbial dumpster fire, making me realize my expectation was actually correct.

It pains me to have to leave after putting so much of my time recently into the game, that I worked with some of the better staff we had (Shabago, Katima, etc) to produce the Vru'Rihali people only to leave just two weeks after. This has been my lasting mark on the game, and I hope that in the coming days, months and years, those of you who still linger here can continue to find fun. I just don't, not anymore.

For those of you who still wish to communicate with me past this, feel free to add me on discord @Hazel#7188.

You all have been wonderful to me. -- Hazel.

[Windstorm]

I'm sad. I'm hoping the right things come from this.

I want to give the staff a chance at it.

EDIT: Hoping for the best, Valeria! Sorry for being negative. I hope you find a great outlet for your creativity going forward!

[valeria]

I would really like people to please not coopt my farewell thread with negativity A lot of posts have been moderated today, I don't want my fond farewell to get caught in the crossfire.

Also Hazel, I have no idea if we played together, but I loved your creative energy and wish you all the best with it in the future.

It was fun playing with you too, Barsook!

[Barsook]

I'm sad. I'm hoping the right things come from this.

I want to give the staff a chance at it.

It was fun playing with you too, Barsook!

<3

[wizturbo]

Safe travels Val, was fun playing with you!

[Seeker]

Val,

You were a treat.  I never once knew who you played, and that was probably just the way we both wanted it.  But just knowing that you were in the mix made me feel better about Arm.

You were thoughtful, kind to other players in discourse and unshakably fair in your opinions.  I enjoyed your perspective, your consideration and your contributions.

I would sit across from you at any other game at any other time with pleasure.  Thank you again.


Seeker

[perfecto]

(with a beaming side-long grin)
"You're Welcome.."

(after taking one last lingering stare at your boots)
"Bahh.. Keep em.. You earned em."

(lifting a single dust-covered hand in parting before wandering off through the endless dunes)
"You were the Gotdamn Cat's Pajamas!"

~Perfecto

[Harmless]

Valeria, Thanks so much for playing this game for so long and sharing your writing with us. Keep being an amazing author and never lose your creative spirit.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on how to fix the situations this game has run into as well. Your ideas are all sound and really always have been. We appreciated you and will never forget the impressions your characters left on us whether it was your amazingly written visual descriptions or your compelling choices you made in your roles to keep the plot machine churning in the dusty world of Zalanthas.

Go now to the Undying Lands of Valinor and rest... and should you decide to jump off your great vessel before arriving in order to swim back to this place, may the tides not carry you away in the storm.

[Greve]

I would like to be banned and excluded from any further participation in this game. Remove the temptation. I have so little faith in this crop of staff, and in the current state of this game, that I am comfortable disavowing myself of it for good. I would like to be exempt for all time, just so that I don't fall into the misguided trap of wondering in six months if there was something cool going on that I had missed out on; because time and time again, the answer to that was: no, there wasn't.

[Wday]

I would like to ask if you are leaving the game or banned from Arma.  Please know I am not staff, not part of this abuse force sex plots at any point in this game.  So please stop emailing me and other people that know me and even other GAMES saying I am a piece of shit because I know someone from 20plus years ago you may not like now.

I have dealt with INIXSHIT here and force myself into the game I know very well.  I am not here for everyone I just want to play a damn game and it not be like real life.  I have rolled with punches and had issues with players and staff like all others. But when I get messages from other people not even playing games! Hear from phone calls from old friends the shit slandering done, just because you are not happy with the game and culture.  Grow up move on and deal with your own life issues and not here in Arma please.

Yes I am pissed and my feelings is hurt. But can we jsut let those that leave go and play the fucking game as it was meant for us to do?
Also I am not quitting and I will be forcing myself into all the plots and things. I am here for as long as I can log on.  I am easy to spot in reading my typing,  so if you don't like me and my character then by all means come after them icly.  Or simply do your own thing in game and life.

[Bast]

I am a better RPer for having known and played around you Val. Gonna miss you!

[ShaLeah]

Role playing with you was fantastic.
Spending the weekend with you talking about that roleplay, drinking, eating, laughing and swimming? Priceless.

I hope you share your gift with the world in other ways.

Love you.

[valeria]

Ya'll are making me ugly cry today.

Safe travels Val, was fun playing with you!

You were absolutely fantastic the time that I'm for sure that I played with you, and I'm sure you'll only have aged better with time. Thanks for making the game fun!

You were a treat. 

Thank you so much.

(with a beaming side-long grin)
"You're Welcome.."

(after taking one last lingering stare at your boots)
"Bahh.. Keep em.. You earned em."

(lifting a single dust-covered hand in parting before wandering off through the endless dunes)
"You were the Gotdamn Cat's Pajamas!"

~Perfecto

omg this was perfect, thank you

Valeria, Thanks so much for playing this game for so long and sharing your writing with us. Keep being an amazing author and never lose your creative spirit.

Thanks for playing with me. There's not a chance that I'll lose my creative spirit. I get fanmail now! It's absolutely insane. I get to open comments in the morning telling me how fantastic of a writer I am, and there's nothing like that to motivate you to keep creating.

I do honestly think this is farewell, but I have a terrible track record at predicting the future. You can never tell what the future will hold and anyone who tries to convince you otherwise is probably a con artist.

I would like to ask if you are leaving the game or banned from Arma.

I don't think I'm banned? Nobody has told me that I'm banned.

While the event that instigated this farewell was is what it was, and is more for other people to speak about than me, it was really just the inciting incident. The point at the start of a story where someone throws a complete curveball at the main character and they take a sudden left turn into a different sort of adventure. The only thing that happened to me personally was that I put a lot of thought and time into something constructive to say about a bad situation, made what I hoped would be a helpful post, and then had that post thrown into the moderation void. It made me take a hard look at how I was spending my time and where I was putting my emotional labor.

The reality is that I've been taking longer and longer breaks from Arm and playing shorter and shorter periods for several years, and when I do play, I'm putting a lot of energy and creativity here instead of into my writing. Like many, many players, I throw my heart and soul into my characters, which means that there's less heart and soul for other characters in other creative pursuits.

As for the rest, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, but it sounds like you're going through a rough time and I sincerely wish you good luck in dealing with it.

I am a better RPer for having known and played around you Val. Gonna miss you!

Thank you! I had a lot of fun when we played together, and I wish you so much fun and creativity in the future.

Role playing with you was fantastic.

Love you.

Same so much! Wow was I young in those days. Just thinking about leaving work at 5 pm after a full day's work and then driving across entire states to arrive somewhere at 2 am, AND to find that you and another wonderful player were waiting up for me! Playing with you was a joy, but having you invite me into your gorgeous home and being such a welcoming and wonderful host is not a thing that I'll ever forget. My best to your family.

[Brytta Léofa]

val, don't know if we've ever played Arm together. I have fond memories of chatting in minecraft and seeing your amazing creations out in the hinterlands. Thanks for that.

Hope your life grows ever more awesome and fulfilling whether or not there is Armageddon in it.

[valeria]

I have fond memories of chatting in minecraft and seeing your amazing creations out in the hinterlands. Thanks for that.

I think of Laura's server quite frequently when I'm up to new Minecraft shenanigans. Particularly a sign at the edge of the desert biome that read 'Welcome to Allanak,' but also a bunch of the really cool bases that people came up with. So many fond memories!

[Delirium]

Val, you know I love you and think you're amazing but I'll say it here anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing you keep kicking ass at writing and ttrpgs and whatever else you put your brilliant mind to. See you out there in the wild.

- Tater

[valeria]

Val, you know I love you and think you're amazing.

no u

Thanks for the kind words! See you later, alligator.

[wizturbo]

You were absolutely fantastic the time that I'm for sure that I played with you, and I'm sure you'll only have aged better with time. Thanks for making the game fun!

Not looking to blow smoke up your ass, but honestly I think you bring out the best in everyone's roleplay.  Looking back at my character(s) that interacted with your PCs, it was clear to me that when you were around it was like some kind of 30 foot radius aura that granted everyone a bonus to their own roleplay.  You encourage people to bring their A Game, both by setting a great example, but also because of the collaborative style of your roleplay.  You don't make scenes all about your PC, you really are great at encouraging even shy players to shine.  I'm not a newbie on the roleplaying front, but I think I played better around you, and I'm guessing I'm not alone in that opinion.  You'll be greatly missed!

[Krath]

I do not play social roles, ever. So when I decided to app the first and only noble/social PC on my account, I was pumped because it was going to be something new, and would help me expand my "roleplaying" ability...Wrong, I absolutely hated it.

That being said, from the moment you joined the house as a noble cousin, it was a rewarding and enjoyable experience for me. You truly turned something I viewed as a lemon into lemonade and I have always appreciated you for that. It gave me a different way to view things from a player's standpoint. Thank you for carrying me through it, the coaching, friendship, and memories. #ValeriaForStaff2023

[wizturbo]

#ValeriaForStaff2023

+1

[valeria]

Thank you for carrying me through it, the coaching, friendship, and memories.

I'm sorry it was lemons and glad it turned out lemonade <3 I loved the shit out of our scenes. My interactions with your character were definitely what turned a lower-c character into a Character. You rocked at bringing the conflict, and every good story needs conflict.

(too many compliments)

Don't make me ugly cry. I just built on the example set for me when I first came into the game.

And I'm honestly taking a lot out of it. My commenters often compliment me on my characters, how they're deep, engaging, have their own voices, things like that. i learned all that here, from all of you.

Edit to add: ALSO if I can't even play a couple days a week without my writing taking a hard hit, there's no way I could ever staff effectively. Plus, you can bring stories to life and make the game an enjoyable place to play without being on the other side of the curtain. Just read Wizturbo's post for how 

[Aruven]

Late on this. Take care of yourself Val, I wish you the best and appreciate the interactions over the years.

[valeria]

Late on this. Take care of yourself Val, I wish you the best and appreciate the interactions over the years.

Thank you! Same to you. There were some glorious moments for sure.