ATTENTION - Code of Conduct

Cobra

Dear Achaeans,

  I write this for a couple of reasons, first, I want Achaea to stay somewhat the place I remember and second, because no one else has in some time...

  Here we go.  Most of you don't know of me, my name is Cobra and I am 467 in Achaean years.  I have been "in love" with Achaea long before most of you.  But for real life reasons...I had to step away and this is something most of you will have to do.  Fear not!  18 years later, Achaea exists and all my feeble attempts at being cool are still here...SO.

  You'll log onto this "game" and you will think, awe, how cool is this...Exactly!  How cool it is, (Thank you @Sarapis), and I feel exactly the same way.  However, due to Achaea's nature, some of you may find it not so easy at first,  Most "games" have you in mind...The player...you are the HERO!  Not in Achaea...You have to BECOME a hero...Achaea doesn't assume you are anything but a bag of meat.  

  That's what makes it SO cool...we all start out the same...Random placement, age 18.  Your choice will be your very own.  No one here is trying to stop you from being the best at whatever you want to do. (Well maybe some are.) However, there comes a time when someone will get the better of you and get the upper hand.  

This is where the...Code of Conduct, begins.  

  I am going to call it CoC for short and forevermore, please feel free to refer to the Code of Conduct as such.  Now, as guild/house founder of the Shadowsnakes, I would walk each and every member of mine through this but I can not possibly do this on my own.  So.  It is now up to ALL of us to uphold a certain respect for what we are doing here in Achaea.

  What are we doing in Achaea you ask?  Everything we can't in real life.  It's simple, you role-play to be something you are not in real life.  Am I right?

  Now, here is where the CoC comes into play...

  First, because no one else is stopping you, then you therefore should not stop others.  What do I mean?  Let's say I kill you and your entire family.  Over and over again...what do you do?  Run to the nearest God and complain Cobra killed you over and over....NO.  You don't.  You settle this the best way you can in the ROLE-PLAY environment of Achaea.

  Second, let's assume YOU kill someone over and over again....What do you do when they start to complain?  Threaten them?  Be nasty towards them...NO, you give them ADVICE!  You help them be better players...WHY?  It's simple, the better the players the better you are and the more fun you will have.  

  Third, if you feel the need to COMPLAIN, walk away from Achaea...go yell outside, beat a pillow to death and then you come back and ROLE-PLAY your way into or out of the mess your in.  Seriously, I have seen so many IDIOTS here, it's not even funny.

  Forth, and maybe this should be first....consider Achaea your second life.  If you ever had the chance to "Out of Body" into someone else...THIS IS IT.  So don't mess it up!  Whining and complaining messes it up...You may THINK your, real life month in Achaea, MEANS something...but it doesn't.  I logged into Achaea in '95.  It is still here.  So, if you fudge it up the first few weeks, DON'T SWEAT IT!  I am 467!  

  Fifth, and this is something I learned just today.  HAVE PATIENCE.  Really.  It could take you 2 - 3 years of solid game play here to even make us bat an eye at you.  

  So before you think you are going to log on and conquer Achaea...you won't for a LONG time and before you run to the nearest ear and whine and complain...don't.  Achaea has been here longer than you.  The players here, are more extreme than you, and it's going to take A LOT of hard work to make any of us...care.  Trust me, the true Achaean players are hard core.

  I could go on but I want to leave the rest of the CoC up in the air.  Now that the ball is rolling, if you have DECENT advice and insight to Achaean dynamics and great ideas for a player Code of Conduct.   Please post it here so we are all on the SAME page.

Sincerely,

Cobra

Katzchen

Everyone spread the word of how wonderful CoC is.

Shunsui

Make this an ig help file

Shibumi

I submit to awesomeness. 

Kresslack

Katzchen said:

Everyone spread the word of how wonderful CoC is.

You did it again. Perhaps intentionally this time.

Cobra

Dear @Katzchen, @Shunsui, @Shibumi, @Kresslack and the rest of Achaea,

  As you can tell I am not an artist when it comes to putting words together on paper, rather on a computer screen...IF there were to be a in-game version of the CoC.  Let's get all our ideas out here, brainstorm a bit and bring something great to the Divine.  Otherwise, if you have a suggestion on how to behave in Achaea as a great role-player then I would love to hear it as I am sure we all would.  (If this does in fact make an in-game help file I would love to have my name included...always fun to add a bit of Cobra to the realm...)

  Otherwise, these are just my tips that I tell any new Shadowsnake.  This is how I want them to behave, why?  Because it's way better than pouting...Trust me, NO one likes complainers...Not even the Gods of Achaea...not even the person complaining.  Feelings and emotions can build up real quick in Achaea, especially on that long, astral ship voyage.  You may need to step back and re align yourself because there is no 5 senses here...only what's in your mind.  Which as we all know...Can play tricks on you.

  For instance,  

Katzchen said:

Everyone spread the word of how wonderful CoC is.

  I can't tell if this comment is, sarcastic and rude...or polite and nice.  Do you mean the CoC is wonderful or are you being mean?  Personally...My first thought was that you are being mean...and I wanted to respond to you in an inappropriate manner.  However, due to my understanding, I am going to walk away and let it go.  

Shibumi said:

I submit to awesomeness. 

  On the other hand, @Shibumi's comment I can honestly say, MADE MY DAY.  Thank you!!  

- So what did I learn?

  If I allow my first reaction to flourish I will probably make a mistake, I have no way to tell, the tone of your voice, your body language or your facial expressions...all these things are missing in Achaea, which is why MUDs are so damn cool.  But this is where your feelings could get hurt and you should resort back to either this CoC, or heck, make your own up.  I sure did.

  Also, thank you @Katzchen, I am going to take what you said to heart and feel that you DO think this is a wonderful idea, so I can feel good about it.  

  This all hit me last night, new players are going to have a certain idea when they enter our beloved Achaea, (due to advertising), probably completely unaware that there are murders lurking in every shadow.  Most games are not like this.  Most games do not make you feel this way.  You just, save, turn it off, restart...who cares?  In Achaea...you care very quickly because, it just doesn't end...You don't TURN IT OFF.  My newest pass time, is watching the Achaea Live Scroller thing on the main home page.

  Seeing EVERYONE, do their own thing...people are dying, others are being born, people are leveling up, some are killing each other...Constantly.  

  

 When I decided to return to Achaea, it was with a 100% solid decision never to leave again.  So I am here to stay and have a vested interest on how it's going to operate.  

  I am going to add a Sixth CoC here and that is simply...

  Sixth,  If you even THINK about complaining to a GOD.  Forget about it!  Try to imagine them as God is for most in real life...someone that can not DO anything for you.  You would NEVER complain to your boss?  Would you?  In fact, make it a point to NEVER speak to the Gods.  Seriously, you'll end up like every other shrub. 

  "Oh, Nancy, is always five minutes late...I can't believe it..." (imagine the most annoying whining voice...)  That's you! If you go to any authority figure and start to whine to them.  Arg...Make it stop!  Your boss would probably Fire you, and give Nancy a raise, just because she doesn't ruin his day.

Sincerely yours,

Cobra

Echald

While I cannot speak for @Katzchen, I am sure that she honestly appreciates the CoC and will enjoy your latest lengthening of it.

Katzchen

Echald said:

While I cannot speak for @Katzchen, I am sure that she honestly appreciates the CoC and will enjoy your latest lengthening of it.

Yeah... I think that joke was rather self explanatory. :P

In all seriousness, yes, agreed, wish more players would behave like this.

Trevize

1. What happens in Achaea, stays in Achaea. Except during meets. Or regarding Cain's laptop.
2. Death isn't important. Don't get worked up. Get even.
3. Characters and players are not the same. Treat other players with respect. Unless they prove they don't deserve it at all.

Cobra

Trevize said:

1. What happens in Achaea, stays in Achaea. Except during meets. Or regarding Cain's laptop.
2. Death isn't important. Don't get worked up. Get even.
3. Characters and players are not the same. Treat other players with respect. Unless they prove they don't deserve it at all.

Dear @Trevize, 

  These are great Codes of Conduct, thank you for your addition.  All others are welcome to add to this list as well.  This can and should be the goto place for anyone wondering why their last character is hated or shrubbed. (Could seriously rename this topic, "How not to be Shrubbed...") but, that's a little forward.

  Keep them coming!

Sincerely,

Cobra