Bring in New and Old blood to MUD

[briana]

been here since the 8th grade. I'm 27 now. It's changed a lot both good and bad but, it's actually quite similiar to how it's always been.

Only notable thing I can really discern is the really sick good players are gone for one reason or another, and the playerbase that is left is a little too strict. I don't think any game without pictures should take over a year to get into a clan I'm not saying let everyone be a wolf brother, but, it's to the point where we have a lot of people holding other's back and it's not cool.

I have a male channeler and he's a dark friend. If I had super good friends I'd probably be close to remorting but, I don't because I'm a casual player and all my friends with chosen alts don't play anymore. I can't quest my way there because there's not enough and I was told I have to find another player that doesn't play very often, and generally doesn't have any interest in me as a player.. to dictate my future with my char.

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really? Bring back old ways, make clanning quests mobol based like dragonsworn and old kin quest (bump the difficulty as needed), weapon diversity needs to be looked at (see old bone club for awesome original combo weapon), deactivate certain zones because we just don't need them and get small.

As far as marketing I think we should make an effort to make flyers and go to local libraries and even school library. why not.

[Orino]

Other things I would like to see:
- Zone sense for everyone (not just gaidin/fc/raken/trollocs)
- Ability to talk crossrace eliminated entirely (no ordering by trollocs, no SS drawl or bellow to LS, no fades talking, etc)
- If more people played, I would like more quick access to full basic kits, but only obtained by smobbing. No more solo stabbing smobs for gear.
- Mob rip exp loss is stupid.

[Mantorok]

I've seen a lot of brand new players around, and been trying to make sure they hit the ground running. But I've also seen a fair number of people who haven't played in years popping in for various reasons.

Did anyone try something new in the last couple weeks to get attention? Or can any new or returning players chime in on how you came to be with us?

[Stonl]

So I recently came back after really stopping in 2006ish. I was a Illian Companion Council Member in the day and would like to think I was SOMEWHAT known in the MUD, even if I did mostly keep to myself all tucked down in Illian.

I have tried to come back before, but the problems I keep running into are vast and definitely ones that turn off new players that didn't have the luxury of someone holding their hand and telling them what to do like I did back in '01.

I was unable to log on for awhile while I was deployed, and because of that, Stonl was deleted. When I came back immediately you are hit with stating. Yes, it is better now then it was back then, but holy crap it is a time waste like nothing I have ever experienced and it doesn't have to be. It seems like the only thing that kept it alive back then, as now, is that people already put the time in for those stats so it would be unfair to make it easier. I spent all yesterday stating and got something semi-playable and couldn't bring myself to stat any further. Newer players just won't deal with this. Why is this still a problem after so many years?

There are a lot of small problems and really, some of the communities attitude doesn't help. In this thread alone we have a couple of people basically shooting down ideas because it has always been difficult. Making huge barriers to entry is not going to bring any new people and the fact that the books are no longer coming out means free publicity is also over.

Changing the clans does seem like a good start. There are more clans now then when I left, yet I have only seen a handful of them active. I had always wanted a Child of the Light alt when I was active, but my commitment to the Companions never really allowed me to play another character. Now that I am back, I would love to get back into the Companions, but it looks like it would be easier to clan CoL because they are the only ones on...

Getting some easier base requirements to get in so people can start playing the game as a clan member (one of the big draws to the game) seems to be a good start. I am not going to waste my time waiting for a month to get into the Companions only to be turned down. I already did that 15 years ago when it took me a solid 9 months of courtship and being in the "Illian Watch". Don't give rank 1-3 access to the clan chest or something. These are not radical changes and it would make the over all feel for new and returning players a lot better.

Last time I suggested changes I got called a carebear and basically run out of the game. There where maybe 30 active LS players at any given time then. Now it seems to be about 10... The mud has to change or it will finally die.

Edit: Leveling up. Is this really still a thing? why isn't there a 2x or 3x exp on all the time? There is only so much one can kill the same trees over and over. It has never been a fun thing to do. This isn't an MMO where it is about the journey. Levels are basically meaningless at lvl 30 anyways, so why not make getting there easier and less of a chore for new folks? I am already dreading starting the process again.

[Elysia]

Stonl,

I just checked your stats and...

Let me tell you about this neat new feature we implemented last year. At level 3, tell guardian prerolledstats. Voila, you'll have better stats than what you're playing right now. And yes, this info is shared upon initial logon at level 1 into the Circle. And in several other places.


* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh > tell guardian prerolledstats
Ok.
The Guardian tells you 'Tell me kit if you need a kit.'

* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh >
The Guardian tells you 'You opted for a prerolled Hunter. Enjoy!'

* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh > stat
You are a 17 year old female human hunter. It's your birthday today!
Your height is 5 feet, 2 inches, and you weigh 120.0 lbs.
You are carrying 0.0 lbs and wearing 0.0 lbs, peanuts.
Your base abilities are: Str:17 Int:12 Wil:10 Dex:17 Con:17.
Offensive bonus: 8, Dodging bonus: 2, Parrying bonus: 4
Your mood is: Wimpy. You will flee below: 18 Hit Points
Your armor absorbs about 0% on average.

[Andrelis]

There are like 3 Companions that are really on. Sarryn, Kerryk, and myself. ( I have been busy trying to master a different clan so haven't been playing my companion) You can send any of us a mail and we can put you up on the boards and probably get you planned again if you wish

[Sarryn]

Stonl my friend your in luck. I unlike the majority of the remaining base am quite nice. I can wholeheartedly understand your reluctance to apply to the clan and wait and all that. I have faced this many times myself. I deleted some 20 odd characters. All of my own accord for a personal reason. (Ok it was love...or what I thought was love lol, safe to say that girl was a wench and a playaaaa) I had masters in gaidin, lancers, dha'vol etc aswell as many other clanneds. I never did anything bad on any of them. But do to the nature of some certain people on this game, when I came back after the break they denied me being in the clan. Basically just childish hatred of another player really. It's sad but many of the clans I was in are controlled by tyrants with vendetta's. I applied to many of my old clans. Didn't even let the majority know who I was before. But the people in control denied me. I spent months on certain ones trying to get back in. Which in itself is sad because others left the same clan to join other clans and there alts got right back in. It's absurd to me that stuff like this happens and better yet is allowed. But that is wotmud for you.

Honestly any clan I'm in now after coming back was a chore to get in. I had to play different talk different out of fear of being denied simply for who I was. I thought about just giving the game up after this kind of treatment. But that's just giving in and throwing in the towel. So I persisted and done OK. Still facing the same struggles though even now. Absolutely pathetic IMO. But eh what can you do.

That being said mail me and if we can find a time to be online your as good as clanned bud. If you need a character I might even be able to help there aswell.

[Stonl]

Stonl,

I just checked your stats and...

Let me tell you about this neat new feature we implemented last year. At level 3, tell guardian prerolledstats. Voila, you'll have better stats than what you're playing right now. And yes, this info is shared upon initial logon at level 1 into the Circle. And in several other places.

Fair enough. I probably would have just taken those stats, if I had known. I had played this game so much I knew most of the initial stuff that I didn't read the opening scrawl and missed it. That is on me. I'm glad something like this has been entered into the game because stating has always been the biggest thing that put off a lot of my friends from playing the game. I remember a time I would have jumped for joy at a 17 17 17 hunter...

This does bring me back to another point. Leveling in this game has never been about the journey. When I played the quests were about money or Clan Points, not EXP. The actual leveling system was 100% a grind and just detracted from the game. I always hated having to get my levels back after I would flee into a lion and get mob ripped or something equally embarrassing.

And even now, if I wanted to keep my name, I would have to delete my character to get those stats and they are not MUCH better then my current one. Do I want to loose even the couple of hours I have put into leveling for that? Not really. I am not super fast at it and it is by far my least favorite part of the game.

As for the offer from the Companions, I am grateful and will get in touch with you guys. I wasn't really trying to put anyone on blast, just the population is a lot lower then I had ever seen it and because of that the players are spread across more clans then there are people at any given time making it even MORE of a chore to get clanned where you want.

All in all, I haven't come across the negativity that was so prevalent last time time I tried to come back (Several people have welcomed me back and some even remembered me!) and basically got laughed out for suggesting the MUD update some of it's really old ways. I get people like tradition, but games have to evolve and change for the better or they die.

[Petra]

But do to the nature of some certain people on this game, when I came back after the break they denied me being in the clan. Basically just childish hatred of another player really. It's sad but many of the clans I was in are controlled by tyrants with vendetta's. I applied to many of my old clans. Didn't even let the majority know who I was before. But the people in control denied me. I spent months on certain ones trying to get back in. Which in itself is sad because others left the same clan to join other clans and there alts got right back in. It's absurd to me that stuff like this happens and better yet is allowed. But that is wotmud for you.

Honestly any clan I'm in now after coming back was a chore to get in. I had to play different talk different out of fear of being denied simply for who I was. I thought about just giving the game up after this kind of treatment. But that's just giving in and throwing in the towel. So I persisted and done OK. Still facing the same struggles though even now. Absolutely pathetic IMO. But eh what can you do.

That being said mail me and if we can find a time to be online your as good as clanned bud. If you need a character I might even be able to help there aswell.

Not to derail this thread, and arguing with this truly partisan view has proved futile in the past, but I think it's unfair to pretend your version of what happens in the game is the accurate one. The game is generally populated with friendly people who like to help out. Yes there's a bit of a prevalent jaded nature in some of the older players, but they still enjoy the game, and are generally out to help others enjoy it too. Most clans are way too unorganised to have tyrants, or vendettas. If you think there's some illuminati conspiracy at large, you really think you're more important than you are.

The biggest problem? That's the exp thing that Stonl is on about. It's a grind. Most anyone who has played the game a while dislikes the time-sink it is. Yes it's required to have some sort of value of dedication, but it's not required at the current ratio of time/reward.

That said, when there's good PK, when the right people are on at the same time as me, I still enjoy this game as much as any other game I play.

[Stonl]

The biggest problem? That's the exp thing that Stonl is on about. It's a grind. Most anyone who has played the game a while dislikes the time-sink it is. Yes it's required to have some sort of value of dedication, but it's not required at the current ratio of time/reward.

That said, when there's good PK, when the right people are on at the same time as me, I still enjoy this game as much as any other game I play.

I honestly can't imagine anyone would be against this suggestion. Who is super tied down to the current leveling system? The only purpose I can think of is that is forces newer players to learn areas, which isn't a bad thing. However, I feel if newer players want to learn, this would be easier to accomplish if you were a higher level