Astral Nodes and Toxic Behavior

Tyrus

For the past week or so I've had the displeasure of having to hear about and/or deal with drama over astral over-linking. These people are often wrongly accused and still threatened, or griefed, or otherwise harassed because players have chosen to be overzealous in their policing of the nodes.

I think it is fostering an unhealthy environment where it will drive several well-meaning players away and still leave behind the offenders. Is that what people want? Make the game even smaller than it has been? It is causing combat, sure, but it's not a healthy combat situation. It mirrors that of why we have Avenger in the first place.

People need to consider that this is a game, first and foremost. Try not to take it so seriously with accusations. I thought once to report with adding a LastLink for astral nodes to help catch or deter the true offenders, but I was told this idea was shot down, even though we have something like LastHarvest. If this is true, why?

Anyway, this is me saying, ye Enforcers of Astral Nodes need to tone it down a notch. Keep your zealotry levels to motes, please.

Ayisdra

In the past, admin have decided that astralnodes and related linking matters should player monitored and that we should be careful about our linking. Most us of probably agree that a LastLink would be helpful (more so when things like LastHarvest are a thing), even if it may not exactly be true (in case someone getting mobs for orrery with nearly dead-nodes).

There is also the problem is there is no IG help or line that node recharging is based on the remaining power in the node, its all player told. So when you have a hidden system that isn't even obvious you get people who will over link normal nodes not knowing. Then you have people who will on purpose overlink as a means to 'stop X group from hunting' (although this might be more rare these days)

Enforcers aren't in the wrong. When the main/only endgame area (that isn't demigod-locked like grimkeep) is limited to astral, people have a right to be zealous about making sure the area doesn't take a month to recharge.

Tyrus

No, they don't have a right to be zealous, especially when they assume innocent people to be in the wrong (and when they don't even look to their own people as possible offenders). And then potentially drive people out of the game with a "thump first and ask questions later" kind of mentality.

Talkan

Why not handle it in game? If someone from your organization or alliance is the one being overzealous, you probably have channels to utilize to stop them.

If it's from the enemy organization, well this is a chance for content! If the person(s) you're referring to are attacking whoever is overlinking - or whoever they THINK is overlinking - go up and fight them! Conflict is a good thing, and Lusternia needs more of it. I don't think it's any coincidence the population of the game has declined while organic conflict mechanics have also declined.

Who cares who's right or wrong? Throw your weight around! Fight off the enemy! Teach them not to mess with your fellow alliancemates.

Daemel

I do agree with Tyrus on the matter that this zealous aggro behavior needs to stop. However, there are various factors to consider but yet they all contradict each other in the same vein that also conflicts with my agreement. I agree because it feels to me that it breeds the mentality to strike at those who cannot fight back or defend themselves fairly and I don't like that one bit regardless if they're in the wrong or right. Though Lusternia -is- suppose to be a game of conflicts and I do see and agree on the rejected report for astral monitoring was a good judgment call, otherwise, it would just be another boring day in Lusternia in my opinion. We all know astral isn't the only place to hunt, but it is pretty much one of the very few places people can bash mindlessly and that...is boring too as there's no stimulation to keep you aware of your surroundings due to breezy curing, toys and other gimmicks that keep you alive for possibly hours on end believe it or not. That is not saying it is impossible to die either.

The other side of this is that there's really nothing wrong with hunting a node or two past motes and there's nothing wrong with the mentality of "preventing x group" from hunting the plane at least in moderation, not excessiveness that exacerbates into trolling. Conflict is necessary and what drives the game to unlock possibilities of new player content and I'm one of the last few who enjoys conflict over bashing for hours. (At least I think I am!) I completely get it and understand that it's not everyone's forte, as even I -sometimes- aren't interested in conflict, but that's not a daily thing for me to feel that way. All in all, keep the conflict rolling, pk folks, but ic'ly explain/request your interactions with the person(s) in question, then proceed to determine the next steps will be, don't assume just because they're at the node.. This is just my even-handed two cents on the matter.

Enero

Tyrus said:

For the past week or so I've had the displeasure of having to hear about and/or deal with drama over astral over-linking. These people are often wrongly accused and still threatened, or griefed, or otherwise harassed because players have chosen to be overzealous in their policing of the nodes.

I think it is fostering an unhealthy environment where it will drive several well-meaning players away and still leave behind the offenders. Is that what people want? Make the game even smaller than it has been? It is causing combat, sure, but it's not a healthy combat situation. It mirrors that of why we have Avenger in the first place.

People need to consider that this is a game, first and foremost. Try not to take it so seriously with accusations. I thought once to report with adding a LastLink for astral nodes to help catch or deter the true offenders, but I was told this idea was shot down, even though we have something like LastHarvest. If this is true, why?

Anyway, this is me saying, ye Enforcers of Astral Nodes need to tone it down a notch. Keep your zealotry levels to motes, please.

If this, in any shape or form, is addressed to me or my character, then I have neither threatened, nor harassed, nor griefed anyone, just because of over-linking of Astral nodes. In fact, the only instance, where I have taken action of any kind, regarding over-linking of Astral nodes, was when I contacted you ICly, specifically for the reason not to put unnecessary pressure on someone who possibly did nothing wrong. If you have been lead to believe that anything was said or done to anyone just over an Astral node, do contact me ICly, or OOCly and I will rectify that.

That being said, I wholly support making LastLink a thing, if for nothing else, then Orgs being able to keep track on their own and sort these matters within their own Org and ICly, because it is a matter that should be addressed. Someone's ignorance and selfishness, not being able to tell themselves that "OK, I guess I won't be bashing Astral today because the nodes are toast", is in no shape or form, "fair" for the lack of a better term, towards rest of the player base, who mostly stick and adhere to the unwritten rule, not to link past motes.

Kalliope

Hasn't astral always been a fully open pk space? Seems like good astral etiquette is mostly just a do unto others sort of arrangement. I am sort of surprised to learn people expect peace up there to begin with! Let alone while ruining nodes...

Uilani

Ayisdra brought up a very good point regarding the lack of official in-game information about how power nodes regenerate. See CHANGELOG 2572.