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Comments
From a character perspective, Synthus is ruined for what I intended him for. He was supposed to be a happy-go-lucky guy that hung out with friends, ran a shop, maybe even sailed a bit here and there with a ship. Now though? He's consumed with rage and fury. He will not stop trying to take back his home until he either has or until he has died his final death. That's gonna screw with his head for years, because it's becoming easier and easier to justify a "take back home by any means" approach with him via the in-game lore and events.
From a player perspective... fuck this event. It's been two weeks and I'm already burnt the fuck out on it, and I feel like I don't want to touch another event for at least three months. I still appreciate that there's a ton of work going into it, but fuck it. I really hope there's never another event like this again. Being ripped away from your main hub of interaction is shit, being unable to access mechanics because trying to enter your city just *poof*s you to the resurrection cave is a shitty lockout, not being able to actively fight for your home is shit, taking two steps down the goddamn highway and running into Tide EVERYWHERE is annoyingly stupid, being able to unwind once an IRL day is a stupid mechanic, the whole shadow shrine mechanic is stupid and as far as I'm concerned broken, spawn immunity for tide creatures is stupid, and blackout stuns on ogres are beyond stupid.
I can't wait for things to go back to normal, but I'm really concerned that they won't after this event. If that's the case, like you, I'm probably going to retire from Achaea as a whole.
And then I subsequently got involved in a crusade where everyone was dying. Talk about meeting the talk of the town, too! I got vortexed in by Gattan'bahar and died in two hits.
Lots of things to catch up on, especially since how plots and events seemed to happen really quickly over the span of just a day! Can't wait
Hurried to resign as head of the White Wave and pass it on to @Lii.
Trying to come to grips with self doubt, and hoping my few friends won't drop me.
Halos hates what's happening.
But I love it it's so interesting.
Hundreds of characters, myself among them, has parts of ourself die when Bal'met killed our Gods. We had invested our energy, our time, our money, into something we enjoyed, and felt built for us an acceptance some never aquire in RL.
I understand better then most the feelings those like Ygia, or my Cyrenian children, feel about an event of this magnitude. But I came to understand that though as players it sucks, as we feel ourselves constantly pounding our heads, asking what can we do to fix it, our characters live, breathe, die, in a world that is unpredictable, unforgiving, and like our own, relentless.
These events can break characters. These events can redirect where you go, who you are, how you interact or even return to the world.
But everyone should understand this. The developers don't seek to destroy the game, they don't embrace ideas that could cost them players because it's fun for them. They do it to challenge us to advance, progress, lol or as Mila would put it, keep us constantly seeking to grow.
Having been through a number of these, all I'd ask, as a person behind a character that some like, many hate, and few talk to. Look at it from a perspective of a narrative. Enjoy the plots and subplots.
Accept that life never goes how we believe it will. And don't just walk away. Everyone we lose, we lose as a whole. This family, this community, needs everyone that brings a story into it.
Be it one of hatred, love, sacrifice or chaos.
For ultimately, we are the story of achaea, and our decisions set the path. So don't walk away upset, but simply carry on with your story, be it merchant, fighter, prophet or traitor.
For events will come and go. Don't let them force your story to end forever.
That's all.
-Shawn
I don't even remember in which helpfiles it's quoted, but the main jist is that Achaea is a game of an unfolding story, which is to say, things aren't meant to remain static - not for the world, and certainly not for the characters within it. Conflict (I don't mean just pk, I mean all forms of conflict) is the driving force of the narrative, because it's what introduces the situation that forces choices upon players. I could unload a spiel about the hero's journey and yadayada, but, the main point is that if you created your character to simply remain as one particular little niche identity forever, you were definitely setting yourself up for disappointment. Now, I will say, I don't think anyone could have predicted things going as they did for Cyrene, but that's part of the point - in all situations, things can very suddenly and drastically change. That's the whole point of a narrative.
Now yeah, your character is likely to be infuriated (aka, very driven) for a long while over the situation. That's to be expected! What sort of things can Synthus now explore that he never could? In what ways can he contribute, not just to the situation, but to his fellow refugees? In what ways can he barter with others (other cities, rogues, the Tsol'teth themselves!) to make things easier for him and his? What is he willing to sacrifice to make those things a reality? How does the morality of that effect him? Where does he find cheer in troubled times?
I think the last question might be one of the most important ones. It's easy for a happy go lucky character to be such in the best situation. But what about when it's challenged? That's when the true test of personality comes out. There are many, many stories where people who were kind, gentle, understanding remained so even through the worst of times... and there are as many or more that it forever changed how a character was, and they had to take on an entire new lifestyle. And there's plenty on that spectrum in-between, too.
I know everyone is pretty stressed out and worn down. But remember to take some breathers. Play sometime else for a while. Go outside. Treat yourself to a movie, or grab a dinner with a friend. Do something that isn't Achaea for a few hours. Then re-visit it mentally, without even logging in. Try to figure out where things stand, and where your character stands, and most importantly, what decisions can you help your character make so you're having fun.
Speaking as someone who started a wee little priestess who wanted nothing more than to help people and raise a family, and who had the majority of that lost to her, trust me: If you're willing to try, you'll find a world of possibilities at your feet. Not every possibility is going to work. You're not always going to be happy with the choices. You're going to experience nostalgia, and wish for the 'old days'. You'll doubt, you'll worry, you'll wonder if you did the best thing you could really do. And maybe you didn't, and those choices come back to haunt you and push you in a new direction, or at least push you to better your current. And maybe you did, and you'll be able to inhale a fresh breath of air, look back, and have the ability to now see the road you walked led you to somewhere better.
In the end, you just have to know you did your damnedest, had fun, and made an amazing story for yourself and others along the way.
What greater thing could we hope for?
That love soon might end You are unbreaking
And be known in its aching Though quaking
Shown in this shaking Though crazy
Lately of my wasteland, baby That's just wasteland, baby
Clueless much? I don't think anyone has said that. Just that this event sucks majorly.
I know (personally) I am getting a little fatigued by the event, but I think that is mostly in that my org is doing nothing but trying the same things that are not working. I give kudos to the people in Hashan and Targossas for deciding to try something different. Here is to hoping more find an IC reason to do the same.
In staying on topic: Israyhl learned today about the different lines of Tsol'teth, and has been able to infer why the Tsol'teth are so bent on processing and why the "no procreation" law is even a law for Cyrene.
I'm personally enjoying the moral dilemmas people are facing. I just hope it doesn't devolve into endless bickering. Which is understandable given what has happened, but there should be a limit.
I'm an insular person, and I play someone who can be just as insular, but I've been able to interact with so many people from other cities. It's been great.
It is interesting seeing people try to rationalize their moral, ethical, and political dilemmas in the face of being a displaced populace. Even more so in being a displaced populace that reacts strongly (for good reason) to all things the Tsol'teth touch. It is an evolution of Cyrene's identity and I do not think that its position as the "haven of neutrality" will hold water even should the city be regained. It has chosen a side in all this, and in doing so aligned itself against those who have chosen their side. If Cyrene regains its status as a city-state (or even not and exists in its quasi-state) I will remain interested to see what face it will play on the world stage.
This is one of the best and most interesting Events I've been around for, it most certainly does not "Suck majorly".
I've had my fair share of bitching and moaning about Achaea in the 15yrs I've played it, most of it unjustified frustration, but the people complaining about what is going on here are taking everything too literally and too close to home. Losing access to Cyrene for a very short period of time is nothing in the big scheme of things, especially as I've seen it create much more interaction with Ashtan and Eleusis and will give all Cyrenians an excellent chunk of backstory. You also don't have to feel compelled to fight the Tide, it's clearly not having any affect on the story at the moment, so do what you can and then take a break. Hell, go do an E Lord quest and frame it as getting stronger to fight the bad guys or something.
Someone said above that Achaea is advertised as a changing and dynamic world and that just happens to be what's going on, with a well thought out and excellent Admin driven event. An event which won't make everyone happy all the time right off the bat. My only complaint is aimed at some of the flimsy excuses for teaming I've seen from certain players who should know better, but a cup of tea to calm down (I'm English, it's what we do) and a Mark or two later and it's all backstory.
Nicola, Mak and the team I feel are doing an excellent job and should be applauded. I've been harshly critical in some areas recently, so credit when it is due, the Garden are doing a great job.
As for me, to fit in with the title topic, I hit 800 kills today. Shame it was on an 18yr old for a bounty, but there you go.
Jir is so fucking depressed though, oh my god.
The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."
(Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
As for me, I joined Hashan, and I also remembered that depthswalkers can displace.
I've seriously been looking sadly at icewalls (flying over or tumbling past) for weeks, maybe even months.
Have faith in the volunteers!
You have scored a WORLD-SHATTERING CRITICAL hit!!!
You have slain a massive, black and white war beetle, retrieving the corpse.
You have learned a new Attainment ability: Polymath.
Your soul cries out in ecstasy as it reaches new heights of power. You have advanced to level 100.
You have died many, many times to lag.
You have reached the illustrious level of The Dragon Lady.
You have received 25 Bound Credits!
A huge pile of sovereigns spills from the corpse.
The purple tendrils of gaseous smoke dissipate and retreat into the ground.
Reaching down with a massive hand, Sartan lifts your head and draws a taloned finger across your throat, the wound closing as He does so.
Mathonwy's voice quietly thrums in your mind as he tells you, "Tell me when and where, and dress well because it will be your funeral."
This will one day be quite enjoyable.
so, half a dragon, yay I guess
I've also massively enjoyed the event... not the bashing, but the pulling together of all sorts of players. Everyone has their opinions on this aspect, but it's been a nice little recruitment drive for Ashtan
Plus I'm pretty sure some of those Hashan raids have been the most destructive player incursions of the last handful of years.
https://ada-young.appspot.com/pastebin/pKCouzj2