Emrath, Mortimor and others

[Rhynox]

Hi all,

Mortimor says roleplayers should try to infect powerplayers with
roleplaying. Sadly, the opposite is happening. Roleplayers are
virtually forced to leave what they used to do to get involved
in the powerplaying style, or risk being left behind by the MUD
and the other players. Just go check Gadez' work in the Theatre.
You may be the best roleplayer in Genesis, and want to roleplay
a situation against an enemy of your guild, but while you are
emoting and prosing the situation, on the other side you have
someone who is typing "x dwarf x dwarf x dwarf x dwarf". A good
roleplayer cannot make himself heard in this place.

A little old story I read once: "There is this monk that had to
climb a mountain to pray. He started very early in the morning,
taking him around 6 hours to reach the top where the temple was
situated. Halfway in the path, there was a well where the monk
refreshed himself before continuing. One day, though, he decided
to continue to the top without refreshing, thinking the Lord
would be pleased with his small sacrifice. Indeed, when he
reached the top and lifted his face to thank Him, a star pulsed
once. Overwhelmed, he decided to do the same every day, and
every midday a new star blinked in the sky.

One day, an acolyte was assigned to him. He was told to do what
the old monk did without exception. He slept with the monk at
his hut during the night, and on the following day they began
climbing the mountain. The acolyte was very young, and could
barely keep pace with the old monk. Once they reached the glade
the acolyte saw the water well and run to it, but remembering
what he was told he stopped, and turned to the monk. The monk
walked to him, past the well, and just as he was beginning the
second half of the path, walked back to the well and drank from
it. The acolyte picked the other bucket and drank from it. And
when the monk lifted his head to the sky, he did not see a new
star there. He saw two."

What this means? Everyone is free to roleplay the way they want.
Some want to become the biggest in Genesis, some the baddest,
some the richest, some the best actors. The same game enjoyed in
several different ways, all valid, some questionable, but all
available.

Rhynox loves to go to the forges. His dream is to become the
best smith in realms (something, I believe, he has achieved). In
fact, I still remember when Dauron told me in the forges that he
would not be surprised if I ever left the clan, but he would if
I were to leave the smiths. Mages went to him to ask for advice,
rangers went to him to ask for suggestions. I really loved that.
But in the last five months, whenever he went there to forge, he
would get ambushed, trapped and attacked. Oh, I know, combat is
allowed, he is neidar, he has enemies, and conflict is not kept
in the native area (although it should). I understand that. But
his strong point is related to the forges, what makes him a good
roleplayer is the forge, and powerplayers force me to make him
grow so that he can have a chance to retaliate attacks instead
of spending hours just forging.

I know, decisions. A good roleplayer would regardless continue
forging no matter how many times he is killed. And yes, I did
that. But you always hope they will eventually learn to respect
your way of enjoying the game. Sadly, they never do.

And yes, I know it is not all fault of the powerplayers. Rhynox
would spend more time there if there were an active wizard at
smiths willing to update and upgrade it, and if wizards were not
so interested in downgrading forged items again and again. It is
also my fault: I could always go like a tank there, forge for
some minutes, battle for some others, heal and start again, just
like any dwarf in any book.

Options, many options, but none that I like.

Emraht puts as example that a Nazgul could promote everyone.
Rhynox used to tease Eagledraco, asking him why didn't they
promote every single knight to Rose. After all, at one point it
appeared that every single member of the dragonarmies had a
dragon (gossips even said recruits were promised to be promoted
to officers within the month they were accepted!). This could
be a good example of roleplaying hindering abuse.

The mages are known to practice this voluntary hindering, at
least to a point. The Shadow Union, an extremely powerful guild
since years, have barely abused their skills. This is the way it
should be, I agree. But then you have the vampires, a powerful
guild that is more interested in growing than in roleplaying. Or
the ogres, where members collect trash magic items to exchange
them for the best club in realms, and some of the best armours
that only fit them. Ever seen an ogre roleplay? I haven't, and I
have met several (and battled a few as well).

You cannot force everyone to roleplay. Nor you cannot force
everyone to fight. But while you can refuse talking to someone
who is roleplaying, you cannot refuse a fight when someone
attacks you. That is where the powerplayers have the advantage.
Not roleplaying won't kill you.

Finally, back to that little story, I think a good roleplayer is
not the one who stays in character every single second he is
logged in Genesis, even when chatting in the newbie line, but
the one who knows when it is necessary to stop roleplaying. My
own definition, and the one I use to rule Rhynox. The system,
though, encourages competitive gaming, including growing and
killing. You either accept and run, or stay behind and are later
obsolete to even help your team mates, just like the knights and
the calians. At this point is where players leave.

By the way, good news block is back. Four years too late, and
not many knights left to use it, but good news regardless. And
at least it was not brought as a separate layman guild like some
other skill.

Rhynox' player