ATA: Ask Them Anything

1246

Comments

  • Accipiter said:
    Do you guys find the 'you can only do stuff that is directly related to orgs you patron' as limiting as people on the forums seem to find it or do you have enough to do that storylines that would cross into inactive roles aren't needed?
    My short list for my patroned orgs and my order alone can probably fill up a full year or two of work. There is absolutely no reason to feel limited given that!

    Moreover, I am not sure if we are interpreting this 'clause' the same way. Any of us are free to write or contribute to world events or to join forces to do a dual org event. If you mean that we cannot interfere in inactive orders, that is hardly an issue for concern given how much potential each individual godrole has already.

    What percentage of story related things are player created that you run with and how much do you get to make up from scratch?
    I would love to do more player-driven stories in general, but I find most players give up within a few days after they get no big reaction. Other times, the player run stories are blatantly breaking some 'rules' (see my post about org reqs for some examples) or do not really need our help at all.

    Despite that, there are still plenty of player-created stories out there. This entire war, for one, was initiated by the players. The Targossas saga that Twilight mentioned earlier came about from responding to player actions. There are a lot of other plot threads that most players are not even aware of that were entirely player initiated.

    To actually answer your question, I would say somewhere between 70-90% of the story originates from players, though this number sometimes looks skewed because the big world events get much more attention than sabotaging an enemy city might.

    Mindshell said:
    Is the smiting over shouts exasperation or are you guys having fun with it too?
    I have never been angry on an OOC level at anyone I have punished or exploded IC.


    Oceana said:
    Are there any common reasons why Gods would disappear? I imagine there are all sorts of personal reasons, but if there are also game-related reasons, is there anything players can do to avoid the loss? Or rather, what are the things players should not do if they want to keep their Gods alive and kicking/zapping?

    (This is a very roundabout way in saying I love You Gods and thank You for Your work! It matters so much).

    Aegis covered most of this, and it is worth keeping in mind that at least half of burnout is something you cannot directly influence or stop as a player. Volunteers have lives, their interests shift, they might hate someone else in the Garden (though this has not happened in real life years, it is still a possibility). Over on the Aetolia forums, one of their producers or volunteers answered a similar question by pointing out that while all these uncontrollable variables exist, the remaining causes for burnout come from interactions with players.

    If players spend all their time complaining about a god role; if their politics are dedicated to ignoring or circumventing their patron on a regular basis; if every conflict with a god is turned into an OOC grudge; if the main method of god interaction for some players is to just constantly disparage a volunteer in clans, discord, or forums; if attempts at stories or denizen interactions are routinely ignored because players in an organisation would rather sit AFK or go bashing; or if trying to make an organisation stick to roleplay values is met with repeated 'but I don't want to', it is unsurprising that some volunteers burn out extremely fast. At this point, players are clearly communicating they do not want a god, they want an administrative secretary, and that is not a role that people are going to want to do for free.

    Clearly, the point is not to hold your gods and volunteers as infallible and never question them. If you have a real, OOC concern with a volunteer, then you can e-mail a producer. Most Gods allow some amount of respectful questioning IC. But the next time a God does something you do not like, spend a few minutes wondering what the roleplay reasons for it might be, instead of immediately assuming they are wrong and out to harm you or that you know better and they are just nowhere as clever as you.
  • AustereAustere Tennessee
    General question for any of you:

    Not just in this thread, but in general, I see a lot in regards to accepting defeat and being willing to lose and roll with it. Do you think when you were players, you were as willing to accept defeat and let it shape your character as much as you wish players would now? Do you think of defeat and loss as an integral part of player enjoyment? At least from a personal perspective, having been on the losing end of things for 7 months now in Ashtan, I admit I become more and more meh about it lately.  What would your advice be to a player that was becoming disillusioned with their current perceived place on the bottom of the "winning" board? 

    I'm not sure on the wording for some of these questions, so feel free to rework them or just spitball personal thoughts. 
  • edited June 2020
    Phaestus said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    MMOs
    FF14, WoW, ESO or something else?

    Who's the best (well-written, generally speaking) character from any MMO? And go.

    Disappearing from Achaea for now. See you, space cowboy.


    smileyface#8048 if you wanna chat.

  • @Pandora how difficult was it to transition her into the Wayward Heir and was it your idea, the the admins, or a combination therein
  • Saonji said:
    Phaestus said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    MMOs
    FF14, WoW, ESO or something else?

    All of them and many more, at one point or another. ESO (while I don't play it currently) will probably always be my favourite.

    Who's the best (well-written, generally speaking) character from any MMO? And go.

    Razum-dar will always hold a special place in my heart.
  • Phaestus said:
    Saonji said:
    Phaestus said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    MMOs
    FF14, WoW, ESO or something else?

    All of them and many more, at one point or another. ESO (while I don't play it currently) will probably always be my favourite.

    Who's the best (well-written, generally speaking) character from any MMO? And go.

    Razum-dar will always hold a special place in my heart.
    Pfft.

    Solus zos Galvus all the way.
    I didn't play ESO too much to uncover a lot of its story. I was just listing off the common MMOs most people play these days. =)

    Disappearing from Achaea for now. See you, space cowboy.


    smileyface#8048 if you wanna chat.

  • edited June 2020
    Still catching up!


    Eril said:
    Question for all the Gods.

    If you absolutely had to pick ONE city, which would be the hardest to Patron and RP for you personally.

    Mhaldor. I just couldn't be how Sartan is all the time.
    Jurixe said:
    How do you deal with interactions and relationships that the person who played the godrole before you established? I've seen some gods do a blank slate, and others try to continue. Similarly, how often do you write notes on interactions - is it every single interaction with a mortal, or do you only write down the important things?

    Thankfully, role progression - in terms of interactions, relationships, organisations, etc - is relatively well documented. That being said, I am a stickler for details, so my notes are a bit more detailed. Some might call them ridiculously extensive, but I personally call them organised.

    How do you guys handle the stress of dealing with player feedback, both IG and OOC? 

    The team. It might sound cliche, but their support is absolutely fundamental. 

    If I have a particularly stressful time, toblerone sales dramatically increase. So does tea consumption.
    Mathonwy said:
    Alright folks, I hope you brought your blue books 'cause it's essay time!

    Without giving anything away about your mortal characters, was there a moment when you were first playing Achaea that got you hooked, and can you describe (again, as vaguely as need be) what that experience was like for you?

    I don't think that there was a defining moment. I logged in, after playing a text adventure game on Psion Series 3, and just never left.

    Similarly, without giving anything away and please be as vague as needed, was there a moment where you realized you wanted to step into a Godrole? How difficult was that decision? 

    There wasn't a defining moment for this, either! I just knew that I wanted to contribute to something that made me happy, and so I took the plunge. It wasn't a difficult decision, whatsoever.

    What has been the most unexpectedly rewarding part of your tenure in the Garden? What was one aspect you imagined you might do more often than you actually do?

    I never thought that I would become so invested in an organisation's growth and progression, or their successes and achievements. I think my enthusiasm during the CTF is well-known, but this extends to absolutely every aspect of Targossas.

    I imagined that I'd be doing a lot more administrative tasks than I actually do, and for that I'm grateful. It gives me time to do more creative things!

    What is your favorite moment of Garden collaboration you've experienced since taking on the role? 

    It's not a 'favourite', because the favourite definitely gives too much away, but I really enjoy each and every Itinerant Bazaar.
    Yen said:
    Can you share some of your feedback from the Reckoning?  Things you found enjoyable?  Surprising?  Things you might have done differently?

    The thing I enjoyed the most was the interaction between players and their respective choices, especially in regard to references. 

    In terms of what I'd have done differently? I would have smacked Targossas far sooner than I actually did.

    I was surprised by the winner, if I'm honest. It was an absolute travesty that Chief Inspector Wavel El-Mellon Cloussoi the Third did not win.
    Krizal said:
    What made you pick the godrole you play?

    I literally made a pros and cons list. It was long.

    Aurora won by a large margin. The role appealed to me on so many levels, and the hard-core factional aspect was definitely a big part of it. 

    Do you ever wish you could undo parts of your godrole's past? Anything in particular?

    I wish that the role had been fleshed out, at the very beginning. The Morning Star had so much potential, and it just never got expanded upon in any meaningful way. 

    What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

    I would not spam a denizen with random words, in hopes of getting a reaction. QUEST. HELP. MISSION. TASK. CHEESE. 

    The urge to deliberately implement random trigger words grows exponentially with each passing day. 

    Do you miss PK?

    Miss it? Was I meant to stop?
    Lyndee said:
    For no one in particular: is mortal war extremely boring to watch from on high? What about combat in general? day-to-day roleplay?

    Absolutely not! I am a hardcore cheerleader for Targossas, and this war has only encouraged that. I'm just glad that @Sartan doesn't rip out my heart for being so obviously biased and incredibly loud about who I want to win. Not too frequently, anyway.

    I'm not overly interested in combat in a general sense, but the tactical aspects are certainly interesting. The war has caused people to test new ideas and try new methods in order to succeed, and that's been most enjoyable.

    To say that day-to-day roleplay is underrated is an understatement, to say the least. Learning the quirks of a character - what makes them tick, what they enjoy, what encourages them, what makes them have odd obsessions (I'm looking at you, @Sothantos) - is really fun, and allows for a better connection with the character in question. 

    Do you prefer roleplaying as your god character or animating denizens more? Why?

    I love the interactions and general presence that Aurora has, but denizens allow me to be absolutely anything at any given time. I don't think I have a preference.

    If you're a patron, what sorts of traits make mortal org leaders good to work with versus terrible? Do you think of mortal leaders (oocly) as volunteers, too, or no difference to the rest of the playerbase?

    I think I speak for everyone when I say that we take the commitment of mortal leadership seriously. There are moments where it will be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility that many just don't understand until they're in the position themselves. They set an example for the rest of the organisation, and that's something that should be taken seriously. It requires a lot of patience, involves a lot of administrative tasks, demands a lot of time, and is often a thankless job. It also takes a special sort of person to take on that role, and to do it well. 

    In terms of traits, I think that a good leader should be willing to take risks, have new ideas - whether big or small - for the faction/organisation, put the faction
    /organisation's best interests above all else, uphold existing factional/organisational themes, and should promote a sense of community. 

    There is a difference between a mortal and a mortal in leadership - to me, at least - but only in as much as they're held to a far higher standard.
  • edited June 2020
    Saonji said:
    Pfft.

    Solus zos Galvus all the way.
    I didn't play ESO too much to uncover a lot of its story. I was just listing off the common MMOs most people play these days. =)
    Approved. Solus was by far my favorite character amongst.. probably all of the games I play.
    "Tradition is the chain by which fools are bound."
    Kinilan said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?

    Have you learned anything in your time as Gods that made you reconsider a previously held opinion about something in game?


    Other types of games, MMO's mostly, though I haven't played any other than FFXIV for the past... six years?
    Other than that, things like Rimworld, Terraria, and sometimes I drag Aegis to play minecraft.

    As for learning anything in my time in the Garden that made me reconsider opinions... well, I'll just echo Phaestus here. Ships, the wilderness, and heraldry are NIGHTMARES.
  • Kinilan said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    Warframe, WoW, Assassins Creed, God of War, CoD, Spider-Man (It was amazing!), Total War:Three Kingdoms, and I am sure there are a few more I am forgetting.

    Have you learned anything in your time as Gods that made you reconsider a previously held opinion about something in game?

    My opinion on Mhaldor and Evil in Achaea changed a ton while researching the role and after interacting with some of the players early on.



  • Rhivona said:
    Approved. Solus was by far my favorite character amongst.. probably all of the games I play.
    "Tradition is the chain by which fools are bound."


    "Remember us... Remember that we lived..."

    Never thought I'd catch major feels over an Ascian. He was just such a well-written character all over, I'm sad we only got him for Shadowbringers. Especially since he massively broke the mould for what you were expected to think an Ascian was like.

    Disappearing from Achaea for now. See you, space cowboy.


    smileyface#8048 if you wanna chat.

  • ArchaeonArchaeon Ur mums house lol
    Sartan said:
    Total War:Three Kingdoms, and I am sure there are a few more I am forgetting.

    no warhammer?
  • Archaeon said:
    Sartan said:
    Total War:Three Kingdoms, and I am sure there are a few more I am forgetting.

    no warhammer?

    Is it any good? I have only played Space Marines, which I loved, but I only recently got into the Total War series due to Three Kingdoms. I used to play Romance of Three Kingdoms back in the day a ton and was very excited when I heard about the new game.
  • Aurora said:
    Still catching up!


    Eril said:
    Question for all the Gods.

    If you absolutely had to pick ONE city, which would be the hardest to Patron and RP for you personally.

    Mhaldor. I just couldn't be how Sartan is all the time.
    Jurixe said:
    How do you deal with interactions and relationships that the person who played the godrole before you established? I've seen some gods do a blank slate, and others try to continue. Similarly, how often do you write notes on interactions - is it every single interaction with a mortal, or do you only write down the important things?

    Thankfully, role progression - in terms of interactions, relationships, organisations, etc - is relatively well documented. That being said, I am a stickler for details, so my notes are a bit more detailed. Some might call them ridiculously extensive, but I personally call them organised.

    How do you guys handle the stress of dealing with player feedback, both IG and OOC? 

    The team. It might sound cliche, but their support is absolutely fundamental. 

    If I have a particularly stressful time, toblerone sales dramatically increase. So does tea consumption.
    Mathonwy said:
    Alright folks, I hope you brought your blue books 'cause it's essay time!

    Without giving anything away about your mortal characters, was there a moment when you were first playing Achaea that got you hooked, and can you describe (again, as vaguely as need be) what that experience was like for you?

    I don't think that there was a defining moment. I logged in, after playing a text adventure game on Psion Series 3, and just never left.

    Similarly, without giving anything away and please be as vague as needed, was there a moment where you realized you wanted to step into a Godrole? How difficult was that decision? 

    There wasn't a defining moment for this, either! I just knew that I wanted to contribute to something that made me happy, and so I took the plunge. It wasn't a difficult decision, whatsoever.

    What has been the most unexpectedly rewarding part of your tenure in the Garden? What was one aspect you imagined you might do more often than you actually do?

    I never thought that I would become so invested in an organisation's growth and progression, or their successes and achievements. I think my enthusiasm during the CTF is well-known, but this extends to absolutely every aspect of Targossas.

    I imagined that I'd be doing a lot more administrative tasks than I actually do, and for that I'm grateful. It gives me time to do more creative things!

    What is your favorite moment of Garden collaboration you've experienced since taking on the role? 

    It's not a 'favourite', because the favourite definitely gives too much away, but I really enjoy each and every Itinerant Bazaar.
    Yen said:
    Can you share some of your feedback from the Reckoning?  Things you found enjoyable?  Surprising?  Things you might have done differently?

    The thing I enjoyed the most was the interaction between players and their respective choices, especially in regard to references. 

    In terms of what I'd have done differently? I would have smacked Targossas far sooner than I actually did.

    I was surprised by the winner, if I'm honest. It was an absolute travesty that Chief Inspector Wavel El-Mellon Cloussoi the Third did not win.
    Krizal said:
    What made you pick the godrole you play?

    I literally made a pros and cons list. It was long.

    Aurora won by a large margin. The role appealed to me on so many levels, and the hard-core factional aspect was definitely a big part of it. 

    Do you ever wish you could undo parts of your godrole's past? Anything in particular?

    I wish that the role had been fleshed out, at the very beginning. The Morning Star had so much potential, and it just never got expanded upon in any meaningful way. 

    What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

    I would not spam a denizen with random words, in hopes of getting a reaction. QUEST. HELP. MISSION. TASK. CHEESE. 

    The urge to deliberately implement random trigger words grows exponentially with each passing day. 

    Do you miss PK?

    Miss it? Was I meant to stop?
    Lyndee said:
    For no one in particular: is mortal war extremely boring to watch from on high? What about combat in general? day-to-day roleplay?

    Absolutely not! I am a hardcore cheerleader for Targossas, and this war has only encouraged that. I'm just glad that @Sartan doesn't rip out my heart for being so obviously biased and incredibly loud about who I want to win. Not too frequently, anyway.

    I'm not overly interested in combat in a general sense, but the tactical aspects are certainly interesting. The war has caused people to test new ideas and try new methods in order to succeed, and that's been most enjoyable.

    To say that day-to-day roleplay is underrated is an understatement, to say the least. Learning the quirks of a character - what makes them tick, what they enjoy, what encourages them, what makes them have odd obsessions (I'm looking at you, @Sothantos) - is really fun, and allows for a better connection with the character in question. 

    Do you prefer roleplaying as your god character or animating denizens more? Why?

    I love the interactions and general presence that Aurora has, but denizens allow me to be absolutely anything at any given time. I don't think I have a preference.

    If you're a patron, what sorts of traits make mortal org leaders good to work with versus terrible? Do you think of mortal leaders (oocly) as volunteers, too, or no difference to the rest of the playerbase?

    I think I speak for everyone when I say that we take the commitment of mortal leadership seriously. There are moments where it will be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility that many just don't understand until they're in the position themselves. They set an example for the rest of the organisation, and that's something that should be taken seriously. It requires a lot of patience, involves a lot of administrative tasks, demands a lot of time, and is often a thankless job. It also takes a special sort of person to take on that role, and to do it well. 

    In terms of traits, I think that a good leader should be willing to take risks, have new ideas - whether big or small - for the faction/organisation, put the faction
    /organisation's best interests above all else, uphold existing factional/organisational themes, and should promote a sense of community. 

    There is a difference between a mortal and a mortal in leadership - to me, at least - but only in as much as they're held to a far higher standard.
    Targossas war strategy 2020: use rory targ smites w/death AoE 4 kills
    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."
  • edited June 2020
    Shirszae said:
    Inspired by the response about Orders being in a sense the Divine's playground, I am curious. Is there anything you wish your Order did more of in particular? Whether because the chance does not often comes or is not seized, or whatever other reason there might be? I know the question is perhaps a bit personal in a sense, but I am curious. 

    This likely applies to more than just me, but I wish my order would take some of the lore, stories and structure I have dropped on them over the years and run with it. There is so much potential for great stories and fun there just waiting to be explored.

    Edited slightly.
  • Phaestus said:
    Saonji said:
    Phaestus said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    MMOs
    FF14, WoW, ESO or something else?

    All of them and many more, at one point or another. ESO (while I don't play it currently) will probably always be my favourite.

    Who's the best (well-written, generally speaking) character from any MMO? And go.

    Razum-dar will always hold a special place in my heart.
    Raz is the best so I love you.
  • Sartan said:
    Shirszae said:
    Inspired by the response about Orders being in a sense the Divine's playground, I am curious. Is there anything you wish your Order did more of in particular? Whether because the chance does not often comes or is not seized, or whatever other reason there might be? I know the question is perhaps a bit personal in a sense, but I am curious. 

    This likely applies to more than just me, but I wish my order would take some of the lore, stories and structure I have dropped on them over the years and run with it. There is so much potential for great stories and fun there just waiting to be explored.

    Edited slightly.
    In what ways do you feel is best to explore these options? I remember in particular Ailea and Ysela doing their best to run with the lore (especially the protectorate). Is it more city integration or other sort of things? I ask bc I absolutely love the infernal lore you fleshed out, and it makes Evil so much richer! 
  • Kinilan said:
    What other types of games do you enjoy playing?
    WoW. CoD. Destiny. Assassin's Creed. The Division. Animal Crossing. 

    Have you learned anything in your time as Gods that made you reconsider a previously held opinion about something in game?
    Ships are the devil.


  • I see several CoD mentions - do you guys okay the battle royale?

    I'm curious, how many wins do you each have? :D




    Penwize has cowardly forfeited the challenge to mortal combat issued by Atalkez.
  • ArchaeonArchaeon Ur mums house lol
    Sartan said:
    Archaeon said:
    Sartan said:
    Total War:Three Kingdoms, and I am sure there are a few more I am forgetting.

    no warhammer?

    Is it any good? I have only played Space Marines, which I loved, but I only recently got into the Total War series due to Three Kingdoms. I used to play Romance of Three Kingdoms back in the day a ton and was very excited when I heard about the new game.
    i think it's great, and i have been playing TW since like... shogun.  there's something great about most factions, there's a huge variety, and you can kill 1000 ratmen with one spell as a space lizard mummy
  • Aegoth said:
    Sartan said:
    Shirszae said:
    Inspired by the response about Orders being in a sense the Divine's playground, I am curious. Is there anything you wish your Order did more of in particular? Whether because the chance does not often comes or is not seized, or whatever other reason there might be? I know the question is perhaps a bit personal in a sense, but I am curious. 

    This likely applies to more than just me, but I wish my order would take some of the lore, stories and structure I have dropped on them over the years and run with it. There is so much potential for great stories and fun there just waiting to be explored.

    Edited slightly.
    In what ways do you feel is best to explore these options? I remember in particular Ailea and Ysela doing their best to run with the lore (especially the protectorate). Is it more city integration or other sort of things? I ask bc I absolutely love the infernal lore you fleshed out, and it makes Evil so much richer! 

    Just inquiring as and engaging the various denizens and other players is a good start. @Ysela and @Ailea did try to run with it a little, but in most cases they were looking for direct answers to the big questions, versus trying to work their way through the mystery.

    In short, do some investigating. Inquire and try not to become the person who believes they have seen and done it all. Those types are prone to miss out on things because "it's the same thing as before"

    I am curious which parts you are talking about, so DM me the specifics.
  • edited June 2020
    @Aurora as a divinity in charge of a city that worships two Gods, what would you say is the biggest struggle you will or have faced in Targossas, and what do you foresee as being the biggest struggle likely?


    And final question for now is going to the boss man!

    @Phaestus how would you like to see your religion and faith best represented, and what area of your faith do you think is least represented currently?

    Also want to take a brief moment to thank all the Gods who have taken the time to chat with us and answer our questions!!!  This has been awesome, rarely find a reason to use the forums!
  • Does the Garden as a whole believe the Bal'met age worked as they intended?

    I ask because I've heard it said that part of it's needed reason was a lack of volunteers to fill the roles, and possibly getting more player interaction into the remaining orders rather then dispersed as it was.

    Secondly, if you could bring back any of those lost since, who and why?

    Excellent thread, and great responses from all.  Thanks for talking the time to answer such!

  • No questions, but thank you all for what you do, and for your answers.
  • edited June 2020
    Eril said:
    @Pandora how difficult was it to transition her into the Wayward Heir and was it your idea, the the admins, or a combination therein

    I would wager that the idea of Pandora growing up is not entirely unique. It would not surprise me if people were discussing it all the way back with the original volunteer, so it is not as if I came up with the concept out of the blue. Other people in the Garden suggested it before I did, and I just agreed it would be nice. Once I decided to be Pandora, it was up to me to put the exact concept and idea into words and something more concrete, but the entire Garden assisted in the process.

    As for difficulty, the difficult part was writing up a proposal that was satisfying to myself and the rest of the Garden, but beyond that I would not say it is harder than fleshing out any other role. People will cling to old Pandora, but that is their right and something they can add to their story whether they accept her growth or not. A lot of characters will also find issue with the way new Pandora is much less harmless but, again, that is their right and not something I worry myself with.  While there are a lot of challenges to being a 'neutral' god that is more openly antagonistic at times, that is less a result of the transition itself and more something I could have run into in a number of godroles.
This discussion has been closed.