15 years ago on WoTmud
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 11:30 am
Fifteen years ago, I logged into the game with a cup of coffee in my hand and asked my normal question at the time: "How's everyone doing? Having fun in Randland? Need anything before I run bug reports?" The Future Fade was on the living room rug watching Blue's Clues and munching on some cereal. It was a normal day in our household, and the start of another normal morning on Wotmud. I hadn't turned on regular television - after all, one never ever got in the way of Blue's Clues. That would be sacrilege.
All comm lines exploded, and it was through WoTmud that I got my first report that something terrible had happened in New York City. Randland was a standstill, the Wheel had definitely stopped turning, players stopped being personaes and instead became very real people as we all started checking in on each other. We knew what players were in New York; we knew we had players whose family members worked in the area; we knew which players were assigned at the Pentagon; we knew who was somewhere in Pennsylvania. Somehow the phone lines were open between California and New York, so until we lost telephone access I was placing calls and leaving messages for players, and also for players who had family there that they couldn't contact because the phone lines were at a fast busy signal.
Through the day, the players of WoTmud strengthened their ties and showed that despite petty in-game bickering, beefs over scalps, arguments over unique items, and the drama llama that goes with roleplay, we're actually a family of gamers. Families don't always get along, but a good family bands together and gets serious when there's a crisis. On this day, fifteen years ago, we all got serious.
Today is a somber day in the United States of America. There's a lot of focus on remembering the terrorist attacks that took place. My focus is on being thankful in the aftermath, and for what came out of it all.
Thank you for being part of my family for over fifteen years. Stay safe for another fifteen more, at least, please.
Less than three,
Vivienne
All comm lines exploded, and it was through WoTmud that I got my first report that something terrible had happened in New York City. Randland was a standstill, the Wheel had definitely stopped turning, players stopped being personaes and instead became very real people as we all started checking in on each other. We knew what players were in New York; we knew we had players whose family members worked in the area; we knew which players were assigned at the Pentagon; we knew who was somewhere in Pennsylvania. Somehow the phone lines were open between California and New York, so until we lost telephone access I was placing calls and leaving messages for players, and also for players who had family there that they couldn't contact because the phone lines were at a fast busy signal.
Through the day, the players of WoTmud strengthened their ties and showed that despite petty in-game bickering, beefs over scalps, arguments over unique items, and the drama llama that goes with roleplay, we're actually a family of gamers. Families don't always get along, but a good family bands together and gets serious when there's a crisis. On this day, fifteen years ago, we all got serious.
Today is a somber day in the United States of America. There's a lot of focus on remembering the terrorist attacks that took place. My focus is on being thankful in the aftermath, and for what came out of it all.
Thank you for being part of my family for over fifteen years. Stay safe for another fifteen more, at least, please.
Less than three,
Vivienne