Return or Retire?

Rodhel

Played for quite a bit around this time last year. At that point I had quit city / house and changed class before life had a meltdown and I couldn't play anymore.

Been thinking about coming back - have been checking in every few days - but I'm not sure whether I should just retire and start over or try and pick up the pieces? Anyone who has done this recently and may have some advice? I guess I could just start talking to people and settle in somewhere else?

Klendathu

Start a new character with a new class in a new city. If you enjoy it, keep it. If not, burn it, try another. You only get one life, enjoy it.

Omor

Retiring makes you lose 25% of the credits you've purchased. I think, might be 50%. So, if you can, I'd recommend returning over retiring.

Nazihk

Unless your meltdown was absolutely spectacularly over the top in a "people still post the log of it" kind of way, the odds are that nobody cares anymore. Probably nobody remembers it. 

You'd probably be perfectly fine with just keeping this guy instead of burning half your credit value on a retirement.

Rodhel

Nah, it was a RL meltdown that meant I had to stop playing. Bad timing tho as I had just started switching cities/houses etc so ended up rudderless. All good tho, I think you're right about saving all the credit investment.

Nataliia

Honestly it's about having fun. If you feel like your current character is something you could slip back into the skin (or fur or scales or whatever) of, go for it! If you start playing and it just continues to be awkward and you aren't feelin' it, then maybe starting over is the best answer. I had characters that I'd spent a ton of money on that I hadn't played in ages, tried to play again, but could just never quite get back into that wound up a better option as retirement value despite the loss that I could put toward a new character I had the potential to actually enjoy. Maybe take into account if you want to be the same class and race and all that as well, because if you're just going to change things and take a hit anyway on lessons or what have you, then it still might be better to scrap it and start from ground zero (with a nice cushion from retirement credits).

Milabar

I came back after a year or two this time,  and I set a goal,  get to dragon cause I've been slacking off at 91 for 6-7 years.  And I stick to that.  

I've recently started rp towards my goddess faith and that's helped me stay rather then retire and start a new myself.  

Just ways I've stuck to the main and haven't retired myself and examples of ways it can work to come back after hitting that bottom

Good luck either way and welcome back

Ailea

After retiring my previous character, I can understand the difficulty of trying to answer this question. Some people are choosing to retire for a fresh start to get away from their previous characters for a myriad of reasons. What I ended up doing personally was making out a pros and cons list, including the situations I was facing insanely. In the end I decided to retire my character and attempt to start fresh. 

No one can really make this decision, but you. And as it has been mentioned before, playing a game is about having fun. If you're not having fun maybe look at it from a different angle. Retiring is a permanent option. I would strongly recommend taking time to think over it and what would be best for you and your enjoyment. As well as reading over the retirement scroll. 

Jinsun

Nazihk said:

Unless your meltdown was absolutely spectacularly over the top in a "people still post the log of it" kind of way, the odds are that nobody cares anymore. Probably nobody remembers it. 

You'd probably be perfectly fine with just keeping this guy instead of burning half your credit value on a retirement.

"sartanic obscenities"

Jayden

I stopped playing Jayden (my only character) for a few years sometime in early 2009, came back for a tiny bit of time in early 2013, didn't get back in until early 2016. This time, it really stuck, and Jayden's actually made a minor something of herself for the first time in her life. The things she carries from her early years give her an interesting flavour that's so uniquely her, and I can't imagine having retired her for something new, nor am I likely to ever.

Honestly, I decided to take this no-skill, cityless, friendless nobody of a character and try to make her into something at least relatively decent. I found enjoyment in that transformation and struggle, but if you find it nothing but aggravating, it may not hurt to try some new things, perhaps on a new character. If you like what you find, then perhaps consider retiring the old and investing in the new - I can only speak to myself, however.