Alright, I'll be more specific, because I do know that people participated in Seal challenges, especially War, which requires teamwork and organization. I'm saying as a whole, the Serenwilde organization unit dropped the ball. Having a few scattered alts and seeing people in other places posting to news, holding referendums, trying to rally people to different things, really throwing their support behind things, making a big deal out of Ascension, it was really different to read through Serenwilde's news and finding... nothing. Not a single thing. Not a congratulation to those who participated, not an update on how things were going, not even documented discussion on who we were going to support at the end (which I'm told was a discussion handled on a clan that is used for combat discussion at the last minute).
So yes, on the whole, from my perspective, looking at all the information I have, Serenwilde as a whole was uninterested in Ascension.
Yeah, given all of the complaints you have the point that is being made has still been unaddressed.
Where have you been during all of this? Why didn't you do any of these things that you think has been lacking?
I'd like to see the next one be about Muud and the Sleeping Child. The event can be about liking the Child back to sleep. The challenge would be 'who can make the best lullaby'.
Muud already tried to rise! But it was way way way back in the past.
Viravain, Lady of the Thorns shouts, "And You would seize Me? Fool! I am the Glomdoring! I am the Wyrd, and beneath the cloak of Night, the shadows of the Silent stir!"
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
Also I think you guys are taking an IC post a little too personally. It's written to be colorful and interesting more than anything, and it's a colorful way to describe how no one put up a fight. I think if you guys read it again after you chill, you'll see that it didn't actually actually criticize any org's decision.
No, it was written by @Estarra to be a harsh jab at nearly every player in the game that she produces, which is a shame. It's not the players' fault that the way this competition (and the game environment in general) is set up to encourage this result; if only one side of a diplomatic axis wins Seal competitions, and especially when there is an uneven distribution of Seals on that axis, there won't be a competition. It was obvious going into it that it was going to be a pretty dull ascension, though there were rumours of one / two orgs just deciding to try to kill people it was pretty clear that they would have a small force and be pretty easy to stop (exactly how it turned out).
In more detail: Glomdoring went up RPwise to try to support Leolamins, but with 1 Seal, it wasn't going to happen. Good luck getting Leolamins to run to / claim the staff once he has insanity. His only shot was getting the staff first and hoping for diplomacy; Magnagora obviously wouldn't use its Sealbearers for him, and neither would Gaudiguch. Falmiis was in the same situation, and even 2 Sealbearers (if they had decided to team together) just aren't enough. It is set up as a team sport. You need a team and friends helping you out, if you fight for it you need Sealbearers to get the staff and bring it to you.
The only orgs that had a shot this year, based on Seal distribution, were Gaudiguch and Magnagora (even though Magnagora was in rough shape with Marcella getting shrubbed, they had a case to make to get other Sealbearers to support them and could have pulled together a winning coalition). Magnagora opted not to fight, preferring instead to focus on a more long-term path that will produce better results for them in the future. Game over, case closed, Ascension over.
The problem is that combat experience (and all sorts of experience, really) still heavily favors the South. When they decide to pull together, they can roll over the North.
Sounds like sleeping was the better option by far! I do feel for the other seal holders (such as Leolamins and Ixion) who because of politics didn't even get a chance to compete. Which kinda sucks, but I do get the 'let's not screw ourselves for the next year' aspect of it.
Congrats Cyndarin!
Moving forward, a shake up of some events would be great. Change life so no one's old triggers work and everyone cures manually. Now -that- would be a competition!
Falmiis was in the same situation, and even 2 Sealbearers (if they had decided to team together) just aren't enough. It is set up as a team sport. You need a team and friends helping you out, if you fight for it you need Sealbearers to get the staff and bring it to you.
You have no idea how frustrated I have been in the last two weeks with how often I got asked by mostly non-coms why I wasn't going to go for it or got accused of being a coward for it.
Where the hell were these people when we were trying to get more Seals so that we could get the support? Are these people even going to show up to the event?
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Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
edited March 2016
Xenthos said:No, it was written by @Estarra to be a harsh jab at nearly every player in the game that she produces, which is a shame.
I guess if you insist on interpreting the post that way, we're just not going to agree. I read it and chuckled slightly, but my situation is uniquely different, so I will acquiesce to that much. I didn't perceive any spite or player directed jabs, rather it read as a colorful take on a boring Ascension and the decisions player's characters made. Which is exactly where I think you, and others, are going wrong. It's an IC events post, it's not about you, the players. It's about the characters and a game.
Moving forward, a shake up of some events would be great. Change life so no one's old triggers work and everyone cures manually. Now -that- would be a competition!
Changing Life triggers doesn't do as much as you think. Back when I was winning it (before I won TA), I worried that they might do exactly that... and wrote an alias (makeltrig) that takes in as the first argument the herb to cure with, and the second argument the line. Enter that, and it creates the new trigger for me, no extra work needed. Its only real effect is in slowing down the coders by a few seconds while they initially read the new lines and enter the alias, while impacting everyone else much more.
If you really want to make a difference in how Life works, overhaul the event entirely. Changing the lines just won't do it.
Note: All my triggers did was set up a variable for what the herb to cure with was, they do not actually hand over the cures. I dislike full automation of anything.
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EveriineWise Old Swordsbird / BrontaurIndianapolis, IN, USA
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
This is a point too--I would agree that maybe we're just getting tired of the same thing year after year.
@Falmiss: You're right. I could have been the one organizing groups for War, or providing credit incentives from my own personal stock of credits for those who entered Seal competitions, or set up a referendum for who we were going to support, making the decision myself. But if I'm to take the blame for not taking action, then I'm going to share it with everyone else who didn't, too.
Everiine is a man, and is very manly. This MAN before you is so manly you might as well just gender bend right now, cause he's the manliest man that you ever did see. His manly shape has spurned many women and girlyer men to boughs of fainting. He stands before you in a manly manerific typical man-like outfit which is covered in his manly motto: "I am a man!"
Daraius said: You gotta risk it for the biscuit.
Pony power all the way, yo. The more Brontaurs the better.
To be honest, I don't really care about credit incentives or referendums or whatever. What I really would appreciate is an extra body when we're taking the event and, in the end, that's what the seals come down to.
(I'm the mom of Hallifax btw, so if you are in Hallifax please call me mom.)
== Professional Girl Gamer == Yes I play games Yes I'm a girl get over it
Yes, but you won@Celina. You can't frame literally everything as everyone else just not having the right attitude.
Even from a character's perspective, there isn't any reason to participate in an Ascension like that. Fight! Fight! To... what end? You can't take the staff, you can't do anything to stop your enemies from taking the staff. Showing up scores no victories for the light/forest (and ha- Serenwilde's Light being that they don't like civilization - Serenwilde is a civilization, we have a city, it's just made out of wood yo). My character actually would like to see the seals fixed, so there isn't a victory to be had in just being generally disruptive with no goal. It's just about the worst conflict of the year to promote team work or perform combat training, so that's out the window. I'm not sure what our characters were supposed to be motivated to join the fray for? Spite? Just to stick it to Gaudiguch, even though that 'sticking it to' almost certainly will hurt us more than Gaudiguch, who gets the staff either way?
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EveriineWise Old Swordsbird / BrontaurIndianapolis, IN, USA
To be honest, I don't really care about credit incentives or referendums or whatever. What I really would appreciate is an extra body when we're taking the event and, in the end, that's what the seals come down to.
And these are the things I do care about. Difference in perspective.
Everiine is a man, and is very manly. This MAN before you is so manly you might as well just gender bend right now, cause he's the manliest man that you ever did see. His manly shape has spurned many women and girlyer men to boughs of fainting. He stands before you in a manly manerific typical man-like outfit which is covered in his manly motto: "I am a man!"
Daraius said: You gotta risk it for the biscuit.
Pony power all the way, yo. The more Brontaurs the better.
I would like it if TA's could not compete at all in events. Like Domoth's are locked out at times for certain orgs. Make the events about the Mortals, not who can amass the most TA's on their side to help them achieve Victory. Obviously this does not apply to all Seals, but again. Down with TA's in Seal Events.
I am sure there will be all sorts of reasons by people who feel this doesn't matter, but it's my opinion.
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Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
edited March 2016
Right, which is where I think you are reading too far into it. It's not a thesis on the politics of Ascension 2016 or social commentary on player decisions. It's 100 words on a boring event.
Also: TAs can only compete in War. They are ineligible for all the others.
Also 2: Am sad I can't win another 2000 credit seal. But sparkly powers ooooh.
I would like it if TA's could not compete at all in events. Like Domoth's are locked out at times for certain orgs. Make the events about the Mortals, not who can amass the most TA's on their side to help them achieve Victory. Obviously this does not apply to all Seals, but again. Down with TA's in Seal Events.
I am sure there will be all sorts of reasons by people who feel this doesn't matter, but it's my opinion.
"Hey, you! You won, now you can't play the game at all during certain periods of time." Not really fair. TAs cannot directly compete in the challenges-- they cannot win. That is enough restriction, imo. If you want a solution to Seal distribution, you need one that doesn't ban people from participation entirely.
I would like it if TA's could not compete at all in events. Like Domoth's are locked out at times for certain orgs. Make the events about the Mortals, not who can amass the most TA's on their side to help them achieve Victory. Obviously this does not apply to all Seals, but again. Down with TA's in Seal Events.
I am sure there will be all sorts of reasons by people who feel this doesn't matter, but it's my opinion.
"Hey, you! You won, now you can't play the game at all during certain periods of time." Not really fair. TAs cannot directly compete in the challenges-- they cannot win. That is enough restriction, imo. If you want a solution to Seal distribution, you need one that doesn't ban people from participation entirely.
How is that any different than "Hey you, your org holds a certain Domoth, so your entire org cannot participate during certain periods of time!"
Saying they cannot play the game at all is also over exaggerating the statement.
I would like it if TA's could not compete at all in events. Like Domoth's are locked out at times for certain orgs. Make the events about the Mortals, not who can amass the most TA's on their side to help them achieve Victory. Obviously this does not apply to all Seals, but again. Down with TA's in Seal Events.
I am sure there will be all sorts of reasons by people who feel this doesn't matter, but it's my opinion.
"Hey, you! You won, now you can't play the game at all during certain periods of time." Not really fair. TAs cannot directly compete in the challenges-- they cannot win. That is enough restriction, imo. If you want a solution to Seal distribution, you need one that doesn't ban people from participation entirely.
How is that any different than "Hey you, your org holds a certain Domoth, so your entire org cannot participate during certain periods of time!"
Saying they cannot play the game at all is also over exaggerating the statement.
It's not exaggerating at all, since during that period of time that is what pretty much the entire game is doing. It's not a Domoth. There is no comparison to a Domoth.
Welp, time to hitch Cyndaquil to the aegistrain and ride that puppy to demitown.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
I think you hit the nail right on the head. I think it's pretty glaring that this being the first time something like that has ever happened is a sign that Lusternia is not in a good, healthy place overall. And there's multiple reasons for that. But predictably, no one sees that, and it's much easier to point fingers at half of the game (or even your own org, surprisingly).
Nothing's going to change for next year, because no one really wants Lusternia to really be a better game for everyone.
I spent a good part of the last week trying to make something work out with Synkarin, despite a bit of push back. I wake up at 5am this morning to be asked by Ixion if we would help him. I get pressured by everyone (none of whom actually stayed logged in for the event, or ever have to fight btw) to help Ixion instead. I make an emergency, executive decision (which will probably bite me later) to go with what everyone wanted. Then when it came to the event Ixion tells me they're not going to fight for it.
Cool, annoyed at how boring the event is but I understand why they chose not to fight (btw Mag and Glom, Gaudi would have turned on you in an instant if they needed to).
Then the news post comes in for the ultimate insult. What am I even supposed to think about that?
Gaudiguch had no organized plan for turning on anyone. But of course there was talk about if other orgs didn't play fair and apparently someone in Gaudi was prepared to betray other orgs, you know just like appearently every other org had at least one person.
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
I think you hit the nail right on the head. I think it's pretty glaring that this being the first time something like that has ever happened is a sign that Lusternia is not in a good, healthy place overall. And there's multiple reasons for that. But predictably, no one sees that, and it's much easier to point fingers at half of the game (or even your own org, surprisingly).
Nothing's going to change for next year, because no one really wants Lusternia to really be a better game for everyone.
I disagree with your analysis; the North had plenty of people and could have made it a challenge. They simply had no route to success. There was nothing that they could do, and so many just did not bother. This was a baked-in result based on Seal distribution.
I contest that there is the potential for 'a challenge' when there is no route to success. You can't challenge a competition when you are not a competitor.
I contest that there is the potential for 'a challenge' when there is no route to success. You can't challenge a competition when you are not a competitor.
Making something challenging doesn't necessarily mean "introducing a chance to lose," simply "making it more difficult to win". You guys absolutely have enough players that you could have made it a challenge. You don't have as many players interesting in doing that for absolutely no purpose whatsoever (which is both fair and reasonable).
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Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
edited March 2016
Uh.
POLITICS and DOMOTHS, and their recent history, is a much better measure of participational health than a one off lag fest that has already been discussed by players to be more about politics than PK this year.
The only realistic commentary you can make about Ascension this year is whether or not Ascension is actually an interesting event after 10 years of the same thing.
@Xenthos has been making good points over a clan, this Ascension was a victim of lop sided seals, not "Lusternia is Dying (for the 6th or 7th year in a row)." Politics and domoths and bubbles are actually very diverse, and have been for a while. Seren is taking Glom to school in Faethorn (even with Gaudi interference) pretty often. The North wasn't interested because the North couldn't win, even though the North had an overall good showing in placement, just not a lot of actual winners. Sometimes the ebb and flow doesn't make an interesting event.
This year it was going to be Mag or Gaudi, as they were the only ones with multiple staff runners. We knew it going into it, and so the event was dead and done before it even started. That aspect means we can and should change it up so that anyone with a seal has a reasonable interest in at least trying.
I think we need a shakeup in events, because 10 years is enough of the same thing. That doesn't mean Lusternia is Dying, it means Lusternia needs some variety.
Edit: Kelly and Celest won literally 1 year ago today. Before that it was Glom. Stop being dramatic.
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
I think you hit the nail right on the head. I think it's pretty glaring that this being the first time something like that has ever happened is a sign that Lusternia is not in a good, healthy place overall. And there's multiple reasons for that. But predictably, no one sees that, and it's much easier to point fingers at half of the game (or even your own org, surprisingly).
Nothing's going to change for next year, because no one really wants Lusternia to really be a better game for everyone.
Or if you try to shake up the status quo, the current "winners" of the game like to put you down or tell you you have "scrub mentality" or just "get better".
Lusternia's not dying! The new generation of players proves that.
Viravain, Lady of the Thorns shouts, "And You would seize Me? Fool! I am the Glomdoring! I am the Wyrd, and beneath the cloak of Night, the shadows of the Silent stir!"
If players are uninterested in the biggest event of the year, and (as the post implies) totally uninterested in the intended overarching roleplay of their org with respect to said biggest event of the year - there might be problems, and those problems might not be "players dropped the ball". Especially when it's what... half the game?
I think you hit the nail right on the head. I think it's pretty glaring that this being the first time something like that has ever happened is a sign that Lusternia is not in a good, healthy place overall. And there's multiple reasons for that. But predictably, no one sees that, and it's much easier to point fingers at half of the game (or even your own org, surprisingly).
Nothing's going to change for next year, because no one really wants Lusternia to really be a better game for everyone.
Or if you try to shake up the status quo, the current "winners" of the game like to put you down or tell you you have "scrub mentality" or just "get better".
It's an ugly thing.
I don't recall doing that. I even gave @Falmiis credits for placing 6th in Harmony after bearing up really well despite all we threw at him, and realizing that I mucked him up out of fifth for no reason when the Magnagoran person gunning for 5 decided to QQ with 10 minutes left without telling anyone.
I also praised his dedication and desire to succeed.
Comments
Yeah, given all of the complaints you have the point that is being made has still been unaddressed.
Where have you been during all of this? Why didn't you do any of these things that you think has been lacking?
No, it was written by @Estarra to be a harsh jab at nearly every player in the game that she produces, which is a shame. It's not the players' fault that the way this competition (and the game environment in general) is set up to encourage this result; if only one side of a diplomatic axis wins Seal competitions, and especially when there is an uneven distribution of Seals on that axis, there won't be a competition. It was obvious going into it that it was going to be a pretty dull ascension, though there were rumours of one / two orgs just deciding to try to kill people it was pretty clear that they would have a small force and be pretty easy to stop (exactly how it turned out).
In more detail: Glomdoring went up RPwise to try to support Leolamins, but with 1 Seal, it wasn't going to happen. Good luck getting Leolamins to run to / claim the staff once he has insanity. His only shot was getting the staff first and hoping for diplomacy; Magnagora obviously wouldn't use its Sealbearers for him, and neither would Gaudiguch. Falmiis was in the same situation, and even 2 Sealbearers (if they had decided to team together) just aren't enough. It is set up as a team sport. You need a team and friends helping you out, if you fight for it you need Sealbearers to get the staff and bring it to you.
The only orgs that had a shot this year, based on Seal distribution, were Gaudiguch and Magnagora (even though Magnagora was in rough shape with Marcella getting shrubbed, they had a case to make to get other Sealbearers to support them and could have pulled together a winning coalition). Magnagora opted not to fight, preferring instead to focus on a more long-term path that will produce better results for them in the future. Game over, case closed, Ascension over.
Where the hell were these people when we were trying to get more Seals so that we could get the support? Are these people even going to show up to the event?
If you really want to make a difference in how Life works, overhaul the event entirely. Changing the lines just won't do it.
Note: All my triggers did was set up a variable for what the herb to cure with was, they do not actually hand over the cures. I dislike full automation of anything.
@Falmiss: You're right. I could have been the one organizing groups for War, or providing credit incentives from my own personal stock of credits for those who entered Seal competitions, or set up a referendum for who we were going to support, making the decision myself. But if I'm to take the blame for not taking action, then I'm going to share it with everyone else who didn't, too.
== Professional Girl Gamer ==
Yes I play games
Yes I'm a girl
get over it
I am sure there will be all sorts of reasons by people who feel this doesn't matter, but it's my opinion.
Saying they cannot play the game at all is also over exaggerating the statement.
It's an ugly thing.
I also praised his dedication and desire to succeed.