On a totally unrelated subject, yesterday I finally turned in my report on Balan'maal. It was going to be a newspost for the city information clan. It ended up being an IC book for the House library: the 'report' part of it is arrayed over six pages in a journal, with a notes page afterward, followed by eight pages of supplementary material (denizen speeches organized alphabetically by speaker and more roughly by keyword in Appendix I, experiment and dissection transcripts organized by location and alphabetically by subject in Appendix II, and cleaned conversation logs containing potentially useful information organized chronologically and marked with participants and topics in Appendix III).
I still have to write the newspost. Oops.
I am gonna make one of my subordinates give another Luminai the privilege of doing the full Balan'ukia report because my god, I can't believe I willingly wrote all that for a game so they can share my scholarly immortality.
I had fun. Balan'maal is a fun place.
________________________ The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."
(Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
Pretty sure griefing until all the soldiers quit counts
But it feels so bad
As well it should, to be fair.
War only works as a game mechanic if it is actually enjoyable by all parties involve, including the losers. Of course, it's hard to make losing itself fun, but the _process_ of losing can be (through fun fights and/or game mechanics that are enjoyable to participate in).
Maybe when the mechanics are such that there's no way to win without essentially griefing one side until they stop playing, it's a good time to think of what's best for the game we all want to enjoy, and take your foot off the gas as it were. Probably a better way to handle it is to come up with some sort of alternate objective to be used as your own victory condition (and not necessarily an "official" one, like in the Mhaldor/Targ war, but just an unofficial "ok, we've done good enough" objective), so you can declare victory before actually grinding the opponent into dust and driving away the players.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: To be clear, this is just my general thoughts about warfare in the game. I don't know anything about the Hashan/Eleusis fighting, so no judgement concerning either side is intended.
On a totally unrelated subject, yesterday I finally turned in my report on Balan'maal. It was going to be a newspost for the city information clan. It ended up being an IC book for the House library: the 'report' part of it is arrayed over six pages in a journal, with a notes page afterward, followed by eight pages of supplementary material (denizen speeches organized alphabetically by speaker and more roughly by keyword in Appendix I, experiment and dissection transcripts organized by location and alphabetically by subject in Appendix II, and cleaned conversation logs containing potentially useful information organized chronologically and marked with participants and topics in Appendix III).
I still have to write the newspost. Oops.
I am gonna make one of my subordinates give another Luminai the privilege of doing the full Balan'ukia report because my god, I can't believe I willingly wrote all that for a game so they can share my scholarly immortality.
You just used 'aye' in an ooc setting. Your character is leaking.
I totally use that OOC, to be fair.
Can confirm. He does.
Does he also use "verily" and "forsooth" in regular conversation? If so, I have the feeling he and I would regularly devolve into joyful bouts of pseudo-middle english (eg ren faire talk) in everyday conversations.
I'm also a SCAdian, and do Heavy Combat, so... still recovering from an injury, sadly, but it counts!
Niiiice. Next you're gonna tell me that you're a warrior of The Shire of Glynn Rhe, and then I'm gonna have to get actual combat instruction from you as well as Shield combat instuction.
I WAS in the Shire of the Mountain Freehold, but we moved (way) south and are now in the Barony of the Steppes, Ansteorra. So, sadly, no. And I'm not going to pretend I'm good enough to teach anything but the very basics (get your hip into it!).
You just used 'aye' in an ooc setting. Your character is leaking.
I totally use that OOC, to be fair.
Can confirm. He does.
Does he also use "verily" and "forsooth" in regular conversation? If so, I have the feeling he and I would regularly devolve into joyful bouts of pseudo-middle english (eg ren faire talk) in everyday conversations.
I'm also a SCAdian, and do Heavy Combat, so... still recovering from an injury, sadly, but it counts!
Niiiice. Next you're gonna tell me that you're a warrior of The Shire of Glynn Rhe, and then I'm gonna have to get actual combat instruction from you as well as Shield combat instuction.
I WAS in the Shire of the Mountain Freehold, but we moved (way) south and are now in the Barony of the Steppes, Ansteorra. So, sadly, no. And I'm not going to pretend I'm good enough to teach anything but the very basics (get your hip into it!).
I haven't in years, but my family and me used to be SCAdian! Shire of Sigelhundas, Avacal. It's a very fun experience, always loved the archery, I still have my bow, arrows and garb packed up somewhere.
Probably a better way to handle it is to come up with some sort of alternate objective to be used as your own victory condition (and not necessarily an "official" one, like in the Mhaldor/Targ war, but just an unofficial "ok, we've done good enough" objective), so you can declare victory before actually grinding the opponent into dust and driving away the players.
All my this.
I've argued for a long while now that the only way to effectively use the warfare mechanic is to treat it as a limited offensive campaign, with clear, preset goals and a clear duration.
Before you declare war, settle on a length of time, and pick goals for the war that, crucially, do not need to be agreed to by any other org. Announce these goals to the world, or keep them private, either way. Then you fight, give it your all for that limited period of time, and review or announce how you did at the end of it all. Create your own victory, instead of worrying about the acknowledgement of others.
People get way too caught up in this idea of a total victory, with one side making concessions to the other. And much as I think that the game could use more wars where there are clear roleplay consequences for losing, this obviously isn't feasible 99% of the time. Ultimately though, it doesn't seriously matter whether another faction thinks you've won, it matters how your side feels about the fighting, and how you roleplay around it - so use war as a way to roleplay wins for your faction, rather than try to use it as a way to enforce losses on others.
Your opponent's are never going to surrender. Declaring war without a victory condition you can control is a bad idea, unless you like the idea of a forever war.
So I went from mobile bashing to hawk-bait really fast in the morning yesterday, helped schedule a time when Ashtan had overwhelming odds in a Crusade, and helped bash for our really cool altar of Warfare- designed by @Kuririn. It's been nice to see the city kind of start to recover from the huge time and energy suck of the Tsol'teth, and the games. I'm not saying it was a crappy ending or ranting here, it just by god took a lot of energy out of me that I didn't notice until it was over, lol.
I don't think Hashan understands that I can shop one of three places without being bothered by soldiers (eleusis, Cyrene, and Ashtan), so I have (recently becoming unenemied to Eleusis for the first time in over 20 IG years) started shopping there. It never fails, it feels like, since I always am getting brazier attempts, meteors, and whatnot from the Hashani in the village. I don't really mind, though. I got to pull off my first real solo wall/tumble/litany last night and it fkn rocked. I think it was @Farrah or @Mezghar who used to do that to me all the time. It's really fun, and now I can see why it's a nice strategy.
Anyways, the presence of Aegis in the village* is really cool, and I'm doing alright with Ashtan. Hopefully I can find a fun time for a crusade that isn't 1:30 AM, 4:30AM, or 2PM EST since we're all cursed by sleep/work/etc.
I think @Sobriquet picked up on a good point, it would be nice if there was a way (via denizen, powers, etc) to balance fights that are so horrendously against your favor because of who is online and who isn't. While I agree that WEAKEN is a great one, it would be cooler to have some other options. Also! I notice that a lot of these skirmishes we're all having are fun because they're out of the city, and no one has defensive bonuses. Perhaps we could try to have like, towers in locations that cities could try to go for?
Almost like Crusades, but not begun by any players or even divine. Some random timer that summons a tower that gives gold/credits to an organization that conquers it. Everyone inside or within x amount of rooms is free pk, and no exp loss. Would be fun! Maybe. Please humor me. I want forts
The Divine voice of Twilight echoes in your head, "See that it is. I espy a tithe of potential in your mortal soul, Astarod Blackstone. Let us hope that it flourishes and does not falter as so many do."
Aegis, God of War says, "You are dismissed from My demense, Astarod. Go forth and fight well. Bleed fiercely, and climb the purpose you have sought to chase for."
And for some reason Eleusis always launches into war without any sort of conditions in mind or agreements in place. You would think they would learn from the Mhaldor episode....not that Hashan is anything close to as difficult as Mhaldor was, but still STAHP. Hehe.
I think that is the fundamental flaw(s) with the current system. There are still no real repercussions for losing, no way to assign who loses beyond public opinion, and no way to alter the goals without the other side using it to claim a victory.
It doesn't. Petrify is something like Pyoris attempts to clutch at life are futile. Says who died, but not the killer.
Sobi's says he killed someone, but not who was killed. Therefore, one is just as anonymous as the other (1 side). Now one could make the subjective argument that they aren't equal because one is more important than the other, or some such thing...
But in case you weren't arguing, your point is true. If it says who killed who, it is in fact not anonymous. :-D
Petrify is 100% not obfuscated. The clutches at life thing is someone wearing a revelation's guise, which acts like a deathmask and hides the killer (and overrides the deathsight).
Petrify/associated instakill whose name I don't remember is So-and-so returns so-and-so to the embrace of Nature or what not.
Found the Second Level of Nur today, I am probably not the first one to find it but I am loving that I am making progress is understanding Nur. By the way the Aldar rooms there were nice! Good job!
Oh. (Obviously i meant extirpate, but it is always called the petrify route that I know of) and yeah my face is red on the message. I always forget I have the guise/deathmask. My bad.
Small enough to fit within one's hand, this curious trinket bears a distinctly otherworldly demeanour, its construction giving no hints as to its enigmatic origins. Trailing script of a language indistinguishable sprawls across the borders and confines of the cube's glassy surface, the pellucid sheen housing the muted lambency of a dwindling golden mote within its midst. Reflections of worlds unseen waver in disturbing clarity upon its opposing side behind the light's shroud, casting a wreathe of mirage-like hues about the surroundings.
Small enough to fit within one's hand, this curious trinket bears a distinctly otherworldly demeanour, its construction giving no hints as to its enigmatic origins. Trailing script of a language indistinguishable sprawls across the borders and confines of the cube's glassy surface, the pellucid sheen housing the muted lambency of a dwindling golden mote within its midst. Reflections of worlds unseen waver in disturbing clarity upon its opposing side behind the light's shroud, casting a wreathe of mirage-like hues about the surroundings.
Small enough to fit within one's hand, this curious trinket bears a distinctly otherworldly demeanour, its construction giving no hints as to its enigmatic origins. Trailing script of a language indistinguishable sprawls across the borders and confines of the cube's glassy surface, the pellucid sheen housing the muted lambency of a dwindling golden mote within its midst. Reflections of worlds unseen waver in disturbing clarity upon its opposing side behind the light's shroud, casting a wreathe of mirage-like hues about the surroundings.
It weighs 8 ounce(s).
It bears the distinctive mark of Ayani.
It will reset to you.
FINALLY completed my nexus cube! So happy!
What’s this do?
Description: GAZE upon this cube and witness the heavens of the various planes (different for each plane you're on).
For a tree-obsessed fanatic, it is an amazing gadget. Kind of reminds me of the telescope in Valho Coast... but for the Yggdrasil.
Comments
I still have to write the newspost. Oops.
I am gonna make one of my subordinates give another Luminai the privilege of doing the full Balan'ukia report because my god, I can't believe I willingly wrote all that for a game so they can share my scholarly immortality.
I had fun. Balan'maal is a fun place.
The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."
(Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
War only works as a game mechanic if it is actually enjoyable by all parties involve, including the losers. Of course, it's hard to make losing itself fun, but the _process_ of losing can be (through fun fights and/or game mechanics that are enjoyable to participate in).
Maybe when the mechanics are such that there's no way to win without essentially griefing one side until they stop playing, it's a good time to think of what's best for the game we all want to enjoy, and take your foot off the gas as it were. Probably a better way to handle it is to come up with some sort of alternate objective to be used as your own victory condition (and not necessarily an "official" one, like in the Mhaldor/Targ war, but just an unofficial "ok, we've done good enough" objective), so you can declare victory before actually grinding the opponent into dust and driving away the players.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: To be clear, this is just my general thoughts about warfare in the game. I don't know anything about the Hashan/Eleusis fighting, so no judgement concerning either side is intended.
Results of disembowel testing | Knight limb counter | GMCP AB files
The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."
(Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
I don't think Hashan understands that I can shop one of three places without being bothered by soldiers (eleusis, Cyrene, and Ashtan), so I have (recently becoming unenemied to Eleusis for the first time in over 20 IG years) started shopping there. It never fails, it feels like, since I always am getting brazier attempts, meteors, and whatnot from the Hashani in the village. I don't really mind, though. I got to pull off my first real solo wall/tumble/litany last night and it fkn rocked. I think it was @Farrah or @Mezghar who used to do that to me all the time. It's really fun, and now I can see why it's a nice strategy.
Anyways, the presence of Aegis in the village* is really cool, and I'm doing alright with Ashtan. Hopefully I can find a fun time for a crusade that isn't 1:30 AM, 4:30AM, or 2PM EST since we're all cursed by sleep/work/etc.
I think @Sobriquet picked up on a good point, it would be nice if there was a way (via denizen, powers, etc) to balance fights that are so horrendously against your favor because of who is online and who isn't. While I agree that WEAKEN is a great one, it would be cooler to have some other options. Also! I notice that a lot of these skirmishes we're all having are fun because they're out of the city, and no one has defensive bonuses. Perhaps we could try to have like, towers in locations that cities could try to go for?
Almost like Crusades, but not begun by any players or even divine. Some random timer that summons a tower that gives gold/credits to an organization that conquers it. Everyone inside or within x amount of rooms is free pk, and no exp loss. Would be fun! Maybe. Please humor me. I want forts
Aegis, God of War says, "You are dismissed from My demense, Astarod. Go forth and fight well. Bleed fiercely, and climb the purpose you have sought to chase for."
I think that is the fundamental flaw(s) with the current system. There are still no real repercussions for losing, no way to assign who loses beyond public opinion, and no way to alter the goals without the other side using it to claim a victory.
You have recovered balance on all limbs.
Damn you @Admin and your deathsight changes -shakefist-
Sobi's says he killed someone, but not who was killed. Therefore, one is just as anonymous as the other (1 side). Now one could make the subjective argument that they aren't equal because one is more important than the other, or some such thing...
But in case you weren't arguing, your point is true. If it says who killed who, it is in fact not anonymous. :-D
Petrify/associated instakill whose name I don't remember is So-and-so returns so-and-so to the embrace of Nature or what not.
For a tree-obsessed fanatic, it is an amazing gadget. Kind of reminds me of the telescope in Valho Coast... but for the Yggdrasil.
raaaaaage
The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."
(Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."