After Reading the Newsletter

Tael

So I disappeared for a while after getting frustrated with things (largely a product of having too much free time) and discovering that the second year of grad school means having considerably less free time.

I didn't initially intend to be gone permanently, so I kept an eye on the newsletters and I'm really impressed. It seems that a lot of the things people were talking about endlessly (and, we thought, fruitlessly) have come to pass. Dragons gone and, more incredibly to me, Shallam blown up (or something)!

But newsletters don't say much. "No dragons, no Shallam" is pretty much all I know. How are things? How is the game's population looking? Do things seem healthy? Can anyone elaborate on what's been going on and where it's left the various factions? I left just a bit after Matt said he was taking the reins (EDIT: I think this would be the end of August?).

I'm thinking this might be a good time to come back. I miss plenty about the game and plenty of Achaeans and I'm at a good point where I have some free time (also, critically, not too much that I end up frustrated and impatient).

Sena

The fate of dragons is up in the air for now. Ashaxei died, but her father was brought back to life, so there's potential for either things going back to normal or getting something new for 99+. Also, current dragons are unaffected, there are just no new dragons being made for the moment.

Tael

Ah, I assumed this "demigod" thing was a replacement for dragonhood.

Otha

'Demigod' was a temporary thing (<24 hours) for those who were online for the event, from my understanding.

Sena

Tael said:

Ah, I assumed this "demigod" thing was a replacement for dragonhood.

It was just a temporary thing for the event. Players involved temporarily had 25 in all stats, access to every class and general skill, as well as god powers like zap, divine fire, etc. while on Nishnatoba.

There have also been a lot of changes in the Garden. Aeyr, Agatheis, Apollyon, Daedalus, Hermes, Indrani, Kastalia, Keresis, Matsuhama, Melantha, Mithraea, Miramar, Oneiros, Pandemonium, Pentharian, Selene, and Tarah have died. Aeon may or may not be dead, but he at least gave up his power, Lupus is sleeping indefinitely, Lorielan left, Shaitan absorbed Apollyon's essence and became Sartan again, Maya gave up her divinity, so she's mortal now, and Sarapis is tending to the Fire Behind the Flame so he's gone indefinitely. Aurora and Deucalion have returned, replacing ex-Shallam's lost gods.

It's a pretty big list, so there may be some mistakes here.

Edit: Also, Thoth took over for Maya in returning people to life. Now instead of praying for salvation you "embrace death".

Synbios

Sena said:

Tael said:

Ah, I assumed this "demigod" thing was a replacement for dragonhood.

It was just a temporary thing for the event. Players involved temporarily had 25 in all stats, access to every class and general skill, as well as god powers like zap, divine fire, etc. while on Nishnatoba.

You know, I bet a person who read this line would have thought, "- man, that is the bestest best thing to ever happen. Why wasn't I around when that happened?!" before slitting his/her wrists in depression.

Those types of events that induce despair for those who were not there when it happened are the best events.

Jiraishin

@Synbios The person you described was pretty much me.

You're still right, though.

Sarapis

Tael said:

So I disappeared for a while after getting frustrated with things (largely a product of having too much free time) and discovering that the second year of grad school means having considerably less free time.

I didn't initially intend to be gone permanently, so I kept an eye on the newsletters and I'm really impressed. It seems that a lot of the things people were talking about endlessly (and, we thought, fruitlessly) have come to pass. Dragons gone and, more incredibly to me, Shallam blown up (or something)!

But newsletters don't say much. "No dragons, no Shallam" is pretty much all I know. How are things? How is the game's population looking? Do things seem healthy? Can anyone elaborate on what's been going on and where it's left the various factions? I left just a bit after Matt said he was taking the reins (EDIT: I think this would be the end of August?).

I'm thinking this might be a good time to come back. I miss plenty about the game and plenty of Achaeans and I'm at a good point where I have some free time (also, critically, not too much that I end up frustrated and impatient).

Just FYI, I didn't take the reins. I'm just involved again. Tecton is still the producer of Achaea.

Synbios

Jiraishin said:

@Synbios The person you described was pretty much me.

You're still right, though.

I hope though that they make another awesome event soon. These are the kinds of things that make it worth logging in.

Katzchen

I really wish they'd let us know what's happening with dragons... it's rather depressing to have a handful of levels to go, and not knowing whether it's worth it to push for it, or to just give up because it won't happen anyway.

Eld

Katzchen said:

I really wish they'd let us know what's happening with dragons... it's rather depressing to have a handful of levels to go, and not knowing whether it's worth it to push for it, or to just give up because it won't happen anyway.

I think you can be confident that there will still be something comparably cool there.

Katzchen

Eld said:

Katzchen said:

I really wish they'd let us know what's happening with dragons... it's rather depressing to have a handful of levels to go, and not knowing whether it's worth it to push for it, or to just give up because it won't happen anyway.

I think you can be confident that there will still be something comparably cool there.

Not really. One person's idea of something worthwhile is very different to another's. Lots of people in achaea go nuts over pets and pay heaps for them, I cannot be bothered with them.

Eld

Katzchen said:

Eld said:

Katzchen said:

I really wish they'd let us know what's happening with dragons... it's rather depressing to have a handful of levels to go, and not knowing whether it's worth it to push for it, or to just give up because it won't happen anyway.

I think you can be confident that there will still be something comparably cool there.

Not really. One person's idea of something worthwhile is very different to another's. Lots of people in achaea go nuts over pets and pay heaps for them, I cannot be bothered with them.

Perhaps I should have said comparably powerful instead of comparably cool. Even if a lot of what you like about dragon is the flavour, rather than the skills and such that come with it, how strongly would you have to dislike the flavour of whatever replaces it (assuming similar power) to make it not worth it to work through the last few levels?

Katzchen

Eld said:

Katzchen said:

Eld said:

Katzchen said:

I really wish they'd let us know what's happening with dragons... it's rather depressing to have a handful of levels to go, and not knowing whether it's worth it to push for it, or to just give up because it won't happen anyway.

I think you can be confident that there will still be something comparably cool there.

Not really. One person's idea of something worthwhile is very different to another's. Lots of people in achaea go nuts over pets and pay heaps for them, I cannot be bothered with them.

Perhaps I should have said comparably powerful instead of comparably cool. Even if a lot of what you like about dragon is the flavour, rather than the skills and such that come with it, how strongly would you have to dislike the flavour of whatever replaces it (assuming similar power) to make it not worth it to work through the last few levels?

More to make it worth the levels I've already gotten through, and I do have 5 and a bit to go to 99 anyway. Yes most of what I like about dragon is the flavour and useful skills rather than the attacks.

Katzchen

The odds are slim that they will bring in something 'cooler' than dragons, but if they did, would you not feel rather annoyed that you had no chance to become this new thing?

Personally I just want them to bring dragons back. Fairer to current dragons, and people who've been hunting slowly towards dragon for a long time.

Tvistor

Hi Tael. I was just wondering yesterday where you went.

Mhaldor's doing all right. It definitely took a step towards the more militant approach we talked about with Xenomorph as Tyrannus. Still no active Divine apparently, but Sartan might become active now that New Years is over.

Eleusis just been doing its thing.

Ashtan just been doing its thing.

Shallam got destroyed by aliens and they're now holed up in New Hope while planning how to rebuild, plus all their Gods were killed to be replaced by Deucalion and Aurora.

Hashan just been doing its thing.

Cyrene just been doing its thing.

Kakotas

@Sarapis Some of us older ones have missed you around even if just as a character.

Tael

Tvistor said:

Hi Tael. I was just wondering yesterday where you went.

Mhaldor's doing all right. It definitely took a step towards the more militant approach we talked about with Xenomorph as Tyrannus. Still no active Divine apparently, but Sartan might become active now that New Years is over.

Eleusis just been doing its thing.

Ashtan just been doing its thing.

Shallam got destroyed by aliens and they're now holed up in New Hope while planning how to rebuild, plus all their Gods were killed to be replaced by Deucalion and Aurora.

Hashan just been doing its thing.

Cyrene just been doing its thing.

Hi Tvistor, this is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to find out. Thanks and hailshaitansartan.

Asmodron

Tael said:

So I disappeared for a while after getting frustrated with things (largely a product of having too much free time) and discovering that the second year of grad school means having considerably less free time.

Ah see there is your problem right there. You have a life outside Achaea :P.


But for serious now, I was very much the same.  I left Achaea because I was frustrated with stagnancy, boredom, and generally unsatisfied. During the recent events I was drawn back like a nail to a magnet and enjoyed every bit of it. Hoping to see where this goes too .

Tael

If there's anything I've learned over the years, it is that too much free time is worse for me in Achaea than too little. I get impatient with waiting for other people to get things done because they have less time than me and soon I'm unhappy with everyone and everyone is unhappy with me. Nearing the end of the last stint, there were a few things that I still think were worthy of being unhappy about in hindsight, but I think the pattern holds for the most part.

I'm hoping that having a bit less time will keep things going more smoothly now.