Character Retirements

Borran

I thought for sure there would be a discussion about this already. 

So I've thought about retiring Borran a few hundred times, but I can never pull the trigger. Not because of my sentimental attachment, but just because a few if my high value purchases would be lost completely. I spent over 1,200cr on death talismans that I would not get any value back from, a pet that I put 1,000+ credits into.. not to mention the unique items that are no longer available. I just can't throw $500+ away in good faith that the next character will be better.

Has anyone else wanted to restart but can't? Has anyone retired and regretted it? Any great success stories that lasted longer than a couple weeks?

Achimrst

I thought about it after Bluef retired, but then she told me about it and I decided why waste all that I have invested in this character monetary wise. I mean honestly though, if I retired and made a new character I would just be playing catch-up on getting artefacts that my old one did. That didn't sound fun to me.

Viho

Talking about retiring just to stay in the same game?

Totally not worth it, imo, unless you have a killer bad rep and you're genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf.

Or you have 19 billion fucking alts because you wanted to PK as other classes before multiclassing was a thing and didn't want to move your main. I consolidated around 5 alts like that in Aetolia. 

Kez

I see no compelling argument for retiring to make a new character to play the same game. If you want to try something different, there's no reason you can't do it with the existing character.

Elynithara

I retired a character with a fair amount of unique items/artefacts. Had a pet and housing too, so a lot of value that just disappeared altogether, but having the opportunity to switch to a new game was enough for me to go through with it. If your gameplay is stagnant and you're at a point where you're just logging in out of habit and not because you have anything to accomplish, then retiring and starting over is not the worst thing you could ever do.

Lots of people overlook having a blank slate. Even if people know that I'm a retiree, I can still take this character whichever direction I want without any preconceived notions clinging to my reputation. If I simply quit guild/city in my old game and went someplace else, I'd still be that character and my friends would still be my friends and my enemies would still be my enemies. Forming relationships - whether friendships or rivalries - is one of the most thrilling aspects of a roleplaying setting.

Nazihk

I recently retired a big-name character in Imperian to move here. Event rewards, non-retireable auction artifacts, all that jazz. No regrets. Like it much more over here.

The way I figure it, if I retire the character I waste about 50% of what's gone into him and, yeah, that sort of sucks. On the other hand, if I either dislike playing the character or don't play him at all, I'm wasting 100% of what's gone into him and that sucks even more.

The big thing you need to know first is what exactly is going to be different about things the next time. For me, that was easy: I'd be in a new game that has 150+ people instead of one that has ~30ish people, and that was what I really wanted.

For you, I dunno. Have you irreparably closed off avenues of play that you really want to pursue now? Do you have a particularly famous/infamous reputation that you find weighs you down? If so, will going to an alt help reduce that, or will it follow you around as people find out whose alt your new character is? Is getting a second start on this Borran not feasible for you? 

Mishgul

Carmain has a huge load of baggage attached and I kind of have to fight the feeling every other week when something silly happens because of a bad choice I made 10 years ago. Grab.

Elynithara

Nazihk said:

The big thing you need to know first is what exactly is going to be different about things the next time. For me, that was easy: I'd be in a new game that has 150+ people instead of one that has ~30ish people, and that was what I really wanted.

Exactly this. Some years from now, Achaea might be the only one left.

EDIT:
And not because the other games are bad, but because you want to play games with other people. Joining a house and no one is around to say anything is pretty disheartening. Joining a city and no one is around is even worse.

Patroklos

Mishgul said:

Carmain has a huge load of baggage attached and I kind of have to fight the feeling every other week when something silly happens because of a bad choice I made 10 years ago. Grab.

Baby, come back to Eleusis. I promise we love you long time. Much easier to make Flowerdor from there too, prooooooomise. 

Shayde

Mishgul said:

Carmain has a huge load of baggage attached and I kind of have to fight the feeling every other week when something silly happens because of a bad choice I made 10 years ago. Grab.

You're not allowed to retire! >:(

**I mean you can, but you can also expect me to bitch and moan all day on fb messenger.  

Zulah

I've considered it more times than I can count on Zulah. Even recently had someone say I should retire and never come back to improve Achaea. That right there is a reason people do it. You've defined a character and to some people thats all youll ever be known as. Doesnt matter your city or class to them youll always be that one choice you made they didnt agree with.

Mishgul

Zulah said:

I've considered it more times than I can count on Zulah. Even recently had someone say I should retire and never come back to improve Achaea. That right there is a reason people do it. You've defined a character and to some people thats all youll ever be known as. Doesnt matter your city or class to them youll always be that one choice you made they didnt agree with.

Yes. Though the main reason I can't retire Carmain is all the friends I've made. I would not be able to keep an alt a secret at all because I am just way too much of an extrovert

Kiskan

Elynithara said:

Nazihk said:

The big thing you need to know first is what exactly is going to be different about things the next time. For me, that was easy: I'd be in a new game that has 150+ people instead of one that has ~30ish people, and that was what I really wanted.

Exactly this. Some years from now, Achaea might be the only one left.

EDIT:
And not because the other games are bad, but because you want to play games with other people. Joining a house and no one is around to say anything is pretty disheartening. Joining a city and no one is around is even worse.

It might happen, but god I hope not.  The other games can fulfill a really important role in catering to different playstyles that sorry, Achaea just absolutely can't - because it's one game, and certain things have to be one way or the other.  I think a lot of people might make it work, but a lot of people who lean more towards those other playstyles would just leave IRE period, or, at best, become very occasional/situational players.

EDIT:  it also just creates a lot of discord when those players all come together (as we've seen lately).  It's one of those cases where diversity is actually a terrible thing.

Elynithara

Well, I think everyone agrees that the ideal scenario would be logging into any IRE game and seeing 150+ people online.

Korben

Zulah said:

You've defined a character and to some people that's all you'll ever be known as. Doesn't matter your city or class to them you'll always be that one choice you made they didn't agree with.

x100.

Datrius

To be honest, I wish we had the oppurtunity to retire characters and bring their value to our current character. I've made some alts to play around with that qualify for retirement, but I have no interest in starting all over again.

Trey

Korben said:

Zulah said:

You've defined a character and to some people that's all you'll ever be known as. Doesn't matter your city or class to them you'll always be that one choice you made they didn't agree with.

x100.

x100? That must be a hell of a tail to tell.


















(couldn't resist)

Anedhel

For the record, retirement was pretty great for me! I got rid of characters I never played, got a chance to meet new people I wouldn't've ever really gotten to know (except as enemies). 100% worth it. 

Achimrst

Due to this thread I have decided to retire an alt. You're welcome.

Szanthax

I'm retiring with @Zulah. We both moving to uh... A place. Thanks for all the fish.

Vender

Szanthax said:

I'm retiring with @Zulah. We both moving to uh... A place. Thanks for all the fish.

heh i think I'll take my chances here rather than the possibility of listening to vogon poetry.

Aethele

Nooooo retiring for you! Sniffle. Not when I just came back!

Sarapis

Vender said:

Szanthax said:

I'm retiring with @Zulah. We both moving to uh... A place. Thanks for all the fish.

heh i think I'll take my chances here rather than the possibility of listening to vogon poetry.

Racist against Vogons. Shame on you. They have to express their (admittedly somewhat simplistic) feelings too!

Szanthax

Aethele said:

Nooooo retiring for you! Sniffle. Not when I just came back!

oh my gosh I can't retire... I'd play for like 13 seconds and everyone would know "Perlickmyass" was Szanthax...

Bleak

Why retire? Just switch city and class and start a new adventure. Done it 3 times now. Great fun. Meet new people, fight your old friends, get enemied to your husbands city... Amazing. 

Vender

i like that when you do switch cities here, you do the city tasks again to get familiar with the city instead of having to go through lots of scrolls

Xaden

Vender said:

i like that when you do switch cities here, you do the city tasks again to get familiar with the city instead of having to go through lots of scrolls

It's great! I still have a Targ city task to do: Join a Targossian House.

...i'm the head of novices of the Dawnblade...

-insert table flipping asc-mojii here-

Datrius

So in accordance with Heartwood tradition, now that I'm Hunstmaster I have to retire, right?

Sarathai

Datrius said:

So in accordance with Heartwood tradition, now that I'm Hunstmaster I have to retire, right?

Retire or go dormant, yes.

Datrius

But what if I don't want to?

Taraus

You said your leadership position was only temporary, right?

Just stall & wait until they make it permanent, THEN go dormant. Duh.