Dear Tecton

Sarapis

@Iphis That wasn't hyperbole. That was a lie designed to libel the administration.

You've previously been forum banned with your main alt for this kind of behavior, and the alt you're posting with right now has been shrubbed for months. Consider yourself permanently forum-banned across all characters. 

Tvistor

$10 says Sarapis was just jealous he didn't get a 'Dear Sarapis' thread.

Sarapis

Every day Achaea is alive is a Dear Sarapis thread.  

I gave it five years until MUDs were totally dead when I opened it in 1997, so it's all gravy now!

Iocun

I don't like being part of gravy

Chryenth

I don't think I like being undifferentiated from gravy.

I also want some gravy.

Aktillum

White gravy on country-fried steak.

Jonathin

I'd like to get this thread back on track by giving a whole-hearted thanks to the administration for all of the amazing work they do, day and night, to make my escape from reality wonderful. 

On that note, I'd like to thank all of the players that have made my 13 years playing Achaea wonderful, there are far too many to name.

I said this on the old forums, but Achaea has helped shape me into the person I am today. I learned to avoid behaviors that I don't like and to absorb behaviors that I do like. I've learned to question myself before saying anything (thank you forums) because it will inevitably be questioned, flamed, or otherwise. I've made lifelong friends in countries that I doubt I'll ever visit. None of this would have ever happened if @Sarapis hadn't created Achaea, if the admin hadn't made it a wonderful place to be, and if the players were not such a diverse group of men and women.

Also: Thank you to @Alyssea for giving me my 500th like.

Dunn

Ugh country fried steak....

FK

Penwize

I'll jump on the bandwagon, because it's a really shiny bandwagon and all the cool kids are doing it.

I've had few disagreements with the administration and they've always worked things out with me.  Things have generally come through in a very agreeable fashion, and I've only really walked away dissatisfied once ( bring back obfuscated vials refilling venoms, damnit! I don't care about the other non-curative fluids, but my venoms! ).  Everything else has been worked out (even if some took a little time and talking), and I've walked away happy. They've been fantastic to work with and have always been willing to hear me out at least, even on odd requests.  I've worked out some really great things with them that add a level of flavour and interest to the game for me that no other game has managed.  @Tecton has always been easy to work with, both when purchases are in question (ie, customisations) and in the general case (bugs, ACC, events).

Jarrod

Personally I've always had good interactions with any of the administration, both ICly and OOCly when problems arose. @Tecton reverting my Soulpiercer from it's songblessed state within a couple hours was awesome when I messed up, and doing it again when I quit the class was awesome. Even when it accidentally got tagged as a non-weapon and couldn't be used, he fixed it extremely quickly after I brought it to his attention. This among other things (changing arti-type, adding a hood to Robes, lending arties to check differences, etc) let me know Achaea will continue to do well, when the admin are willing and able to help so quickly.

More recently, I had a friend who wanted to upgrade their bow, it glitched and converted their darkbow into a second level 1 bow, and Tecton took the time to fix it and find out what the problem was right away.

Also, @Sarapis is always hilarious in how he deals with people. If you're nice and respectful, he's great to interact with. If you try to f- with him or his people though, you better be ready to get rocked.

Daslin

Honestly, @Tecton and @Sarapis both, amazing interactions ICly and OOCly. My favorite was when I changed to monk and I think it was the big S who sent the email but said something about good luck as monk. Small things like that made me smile. Tecton's speed at reacting to issues and other things is awesome. All of the administration have been cool with everything. So, I don't understand how people get that they're mean or whatnot.

Jacen

Iphis said:

Draqoom said:

 There is no favoritism, and even if there was such a thing, coming to the forums to claim so and then slight the company and producer of the game will not gain you any kind of favoritism points whatsoever.

 I've literally been shrubbed for disagreeing with these admin. Is that going to make me feel like being a yes man/instant adulator to them? Hell no, not happening. 

This is what you get for misusing the word "literally!"

Silas

I've had negative interactions with one or two particular administrators, which a couple of you might have heard about, and I've had my issues sometimes with the direction things were taking, but on the whole the admin team for Achaea has been top notch. Recently especially, the way the game has been reinvigorated has been great to see, and that's down to the people in charge.

Having Sarapis back is always great, but the team under him right now is one of the best I've seen since I started playing. Would trade them all for Clementius, natch, but they still do okay.

Yue

My letter to the admin would look like this:

ISSUE ME,

How does 'x' work in conjunction with 'y'? P.S. Thanks for promptly answering my last 20 issues with thoughtful, thorough answers. I will never publicly express anything but for you guys on forums. P.S.S. Thank you for correcting some of the all of the typos I have submitted so quickly and accepting or at least considering some of the almost all of the feedback given to you by your players.

<enter>
-Yue

Jules

Silas said:

I've had negative interactions with one or two particular administrators, which a couple of you might have heard about, and I've had my issues sometimes with the direction things were taking, but on the whole the admin team for Achaea has been top notch. Recently especially, the way the game has been reinvigorated has been great to see, and that's down to the people in charge.

Having Sarapis back is always great, but the team under him right now is one of the best I've seen since I started playing. Would trade them all for Clementius, natch, but they still do okay.

The first admin I ever really "liked" on the forums was Neraeos when he took over Golden Dais a few years ago.  He was very clear about his role and the rules for dealing with him - and those rules were very fair and evenly enforced.  I think the current Neraeos is fairly quiet on the forums, and that in itself is something I can respect (although he'll never get forum phase on that plan)!  I like the way Tecton treats people, and Ourania, as well.  From what I see around here, they are standouts in this respect.  

Jules

Horatio said:

If the admin shrubbed people over merely disagreeing with them, everyone that voted no in the Targossas poll would be rustling right now.

I totes voted "whatevah" because I guess the name isn't *that* bad for a city I don't even live in :P

Trevize

Sarapis said:

Every day Achaea is alive is a Dear Sarapis thread.  

I gave it five years until MUDs were totally dead when I opened it in 1997, so it's all gravy now!

I gave books five years, around then. Now my wife has a kindle. I don't know if I was right or not!

Xith

Tael

I've never had a problem with administration and every time I've ever brought a problem to them or issued or anything at all, it's always been handled quickly and pleasantly.

Bandwagons are great!

Tvistor

I have only had positive experiences (except all those times Mhaldorian Divine QQ'd).

I also secretly like Pandora because complaining is insanely fun.

Jules

Tvistor said:

I also secretly like Pandora because complaining is insanely fun.

More people need to understand this.  It's why I love Mudsexers, gaudy pets, terrible descriptions, The Jersey Shore, 'Murica, and the Great State of Kalifornia.  

Mishgul

9/10. Some active transparency such as the original purpose of this thread would be cool but the game is still fun and i still have my flower power so i cannot complain

Achilles

For most of my time in Achaea, Matt/Sarapis was the main producer.  Pretty cool that he's back, I'm one of the few players still around from 1997-98ish and nostalgia mode has really kicked in the last few months.  My dealings with Tecton has been mainly to the point (mainly artefact purchases) but he has always been responsive and professional.

I want to say I came back to Achaea in July 2011 and IMHO the game was struggling a bit by some major factional imbalances (most of which is not within their control anyways) that really hurt the game experience.  But some such as Shallam's multiple ideologies, inactive Gods (throw Mhaldor a bone here) have been solved and I feel like many of the solutions were plucked directly from the player feedback (and even forums!).

Still need to speed up those classleads (yes, the super big plot no doubt took the bulk of the time) but some things are often broken that they should be prioritized and fixed immediately before it causes players to lose confidence in the admin.

Ourania

1: Because you're all awesome and 2: RDJ.

Seftin

Dear achaea,

Thankyou for helping a severely dyslexic child grow in to a capable and confident reader and writer.

You have positively influenced my life in so many little ways that I can't begin to express.

Love Alex. The player behind the keyboard.

Wysteria

Following suit from @Seftin.

Dear Achaea, admins, and the players,

Thank you for helping this particular player get over their anxieties and giving them an outlet to relax, bash and have fun (even if it is paperwork or high-school drama issues). I've never had a problem with the admin and they always answer all my ISSUE MEs within mere hours (especially considering I live on the other side of the world to when they shouldn't be working). It's a great service and has kept me here for 2+ years so far.

Thank you

Tvistor

Thank you for letting me arbitrarily execute people. The other game I play (RL) had a lot of rules about PK and this has really been a breath of fresh air. 

Mishgul

I execute people irl all the time i have no idea what these rules you speak of are

Tvistor

Sometimes if administration catches you they put you in a 'saferoom' for your character's entire lifespan (characters are purged approximately every 60 years depending on server). 

Seftin

Tvistor said:

Sometimes if administration catches you they put you in a 'saferoom' for your character's entire lifespan (characters are purged approximately every 60 years depending on server). 

can't even afk in safe room either due to NPCs being aggro dependant on level