Right my humble thoughts and proposed solutions to the wipe

[Pendar]

Below you will find my humble thoughts on the character wipe and how best we can approach it. As the gm’s have stated we need to reach a majority consensus on how this is best done and how to proceed.
Were as I could always see the sense in the starting all over again with no history and all new characters most people I have spoken to in game and on messenger seem to want to carry at least one character over. As such I must assume that the majority of currently active players do not wish a complete restart of history or a plot twist that would irreparably sever on going stories and relationships.
I am also lead to believe that it is really to late in the process to start everything over again as buildings will remain, land marks be the same etc. “we will not be the first settlers there”.
I also have a sense that entirely removing years of game play, history and character development may ultimately make the game poorer certainly it would alienate some of our biggest contributors as far as role play goes.

So we have a few options.
1. Continue as if nothing has happened this is a messy solution at best. Who are you? Leave me alone. Oh it is you my husband, didn’t recognize you.
Galim make me an axe. Errr sure later, say about 2 months.
Pendar you’re a guard stop that orc. I don’t have a sword. Stop him any way. Please stop umm mister orc.
Looking at a few of these interactions option 1 does leave us with some rather difficult rp situations for at least a few weeks.

Next option would have to be to something like a plague or divine intervention wiping away memory, possessions and talents. This is also clumsy as we then have a town guard with out a piece of amour between them. A grey rose running a town with out a coin between them etc etc. Everyone going uuhh what happened I feel weak I don’t remember you or how to fight or smith. I do how ever remember I hated Moskher now he is weakened maybe I could take his life or his lady. The plots continue, hatred and loves continue. How ever it is all some how watered down and feels false.

Third option.
Something causes us all to flee the island for a year or two. We could have something like an ogre invasion of note. Upon returning building would be dilapidated and in need of repair. People would band together to begin rebuilding, It will give people a goal to strive towards and argue over. New leaders may emerge or old ones slot straight into the gap they left. Couples and friends could have split or traveled together for that time
Reintroductions would be easily enough rped a year or two is a long time and people have changed a little.
We still have the issue were skilled people are no longer skilled and that’s always going to be a pain in the backside. I don’t really see a way around that one.

Okay those are a few of my thoughts, the idea here is to condense are options and find a few that may work. We are never all going to agree nor reach the entire gaming populace via the forums. Please share you own let’s get this rolling and try and find the best possible way to take advantage of the new map and awesome features we are getting to play with.

Part two of this message,
what I feel the community needs before the wipe and reassignment of stats that comes with it.
A break down of skills and what attributes we need to do them. For example druidry what perception and intelligence is required anything else we should know.
The fighting system what are the stats going to do in combat. It is not great when you build a new character and find they don’t have the makings of a good fighter or druid etc. How ever to build an established character incorrectly and be unable to continue him/her in there profession would be most unpleasant.
Keep adding people but let’s get the information we need and come to a solution that works for most of us and at least does not alienate/ruin it for others.
Brian

[Dyluck]

I know you've all been taught to be humble in this day and age and all, but how about we try to make our characters a little more heroic for once for the coup de grace?

What say in a final showdown with the undying sworn enemy of this here lovely island of ours, who has tormented us time after time; the one and only wretched lich of the Bone Lord whom we all know as Drakhen Vorkalion, who finally has amassed powers that will erradicate us from existance and rid him of our interference in his quest to call Moshran, yadiyadiyada, we take a break from this run-on sentence.

So anyways, with a most dire of dire need to save ourselves from imminent extinction and destroy Drakhen Vorkalion once and for all, we all offer up the very fabric and essence of our being; the very persona and abilities that makes each and every one of us who we are in our own unique way, into a mighty-holy earth-shaking concconction by some legendary mage (oh I don't know, let's say Dyluck for example ), holding the sum of the strength and resolve in the hearts of every person who desires to destroy the evil abomination and save ourselves. We all send our hearts in prayer with this mighty conjuration and of course destroy our enemy at last, making heroes of ourselves.

Of course, we all sacraficed all our abilities and talents into our mighty Community Spirit Bomb, which with whatever powers Drakhen Vorkalion had, left our precious island in an enormous wreckage, many dead *sob sob*, and the end of almost all plant life, leaving the island virtually uninhabitable.

And so the survivors, and whoever the hell didn't want to go anywhere else, board a couple of ships to another kingdom, taking with us whatever meager possesions we could. Thus, we arrive at our new home, learning what new skills and techniques it has to offer, and bringing with us stories and histories of our people and our heroic exploits, the greatest of which brought us to our new neighbours, to who we sometimes like to gloat that we probably saved their asses too when we thwarted the wretched Lich.

Thus, begins a new tale of our adventures and challenges that await us in our new home! Play as yourselves, your quirky neighbours, or some other traveller to the new land!

I'm serious, you know.

[Korg Blacktooth]

I would like to say that Dylucks idea is actually a really good idea.
I mean with a new map, some people starting from scratch and some people keeping there names and who they are would work great.

The ones that keep their names and who they are could be the survivors of the big defeat. I think it is a really good idea and could be the last final big rp event before the whipe. Hell everyone knows there hasn't been to many big rp events lately and so many people who have been in them miss them.

Just my thoughts on the idea.

Korg

[Pendar]

Sounds perfect
My opinion is only humble due to the fact I really havent been playing that long and often my solutions have holes that more seasoned players can pick out.
Only thing is we wont be leaveing trollsbane,varshikar etc are all built into the new map as i understand it.
I do how ever like the rp excuse for a loss of a skills.
Nice one
brian

[Estralis Seborian]

Dyluck's idea is good, however, it is "too late" for the last sentences; the new map will show the same island like now, with the same towns (a lot changed, but you will recognize them).

However, it is way bigger. Thus, playing refugees from another island is not an option. But the rest sounds nice, although I think it won't happen.

[Dyluck]

Oh, I thought it was going to be a brand new map. Guess I wasn't paying attention. Scratch that last part then, I guess.

Oh and I never thought about whether or not to actually play it out as a 'final quest'. I was just thinking of it as a background story in the new world really.

[Gibble Thibblebum]

I also really like Dylucks idea, the RP reason is great. I also think it would be awesome to have the big, last RP event before wiping the characters, maybe the GMs could dissable the crosses so people really die (since we are losing the characters anyhow and have nothing to fear) so then the survivors, the great HEROES who actually defeat the lich and his minions (or the cowards that hide in corners to avoid them, heheh) are the only survivors who then rebuild this land (albeit without the skills that made said defeat possible).

As an RP reason for the larger map, it could easily be said that the great spiritual energy required to destroy the Lich leveled mountains and caused great earthquakes that raised land from the sea (real biblical stuff you know).

Would be really cool RP after the change too, having tales of heroics to tell all the new people for a while.

Gibble Thibblebum
~Farmers Union~

[falco1029]

But there will still be conflictions. Who does what, mainly. No one will agree on that, at least not on time for the wipe, though it IS a good idea.

[Jeremy Gems Willowbrook]

Dyluck's idea is good, however, it is "too late" for the last sentences; the new map will show the same island like now, with the same towns (a lot changed, but you will recognize them).

However, it is way bigger. Thus, playing refugees from another island is not an option. But the rest sounds nice, although I think it won't happen.

It could always be RP'd that people DONT recognise it as the old Island.
As I have said in Aristeaus thread on the General board. (Character wipe questions)

[Dominik Windslasher ~]

I don't think we need rp to explain why the land is bigger. We can rp as if it was always like this.

[Ghásh Wargclaw]

Like Pendar said when he started the topic I agree that I would also liketo know what attributes you need to be able to do various things, so you don't end up creating char after char just to realise that he doesn't live up to your expectations... Sort of a exageration, but you know what I mean... I hope

[Dyluck]

Oh and just to expand on my idea a little, for those who want to play their old characters, it's not like we all HAD to be goodie-two-shoes who willingly offered up our powers to break the babbling bucket of bones and save the world. Some people could have just been victims of Drakhen's slimy minions who took people by force and had their energies drained by the lich. Some of the more evil oriented people could have even joined Drakhen only to end up having their backs stabbed (literally), and had their powers siphoned away by the lich for himself. That might even explain where Drakhen got his new powers and how we figure to use that same power to beat him. Maybe top it off with a spiffy caption like:

A time of darkness dawned upon Illarion, when evil learned to harvest the powers of light strengthened and nutured within us; the same powers that we would eventually learn to use and banish the darkness back into the abyss.

[The Returner]

I think anything that happened before the char wipe is best forgotten, many players will refine storylines anyway. It'll be like a whole new start, we should take advantage of it that way instead of finding reasons to explain it and such and so, no plagues, no continuing as normal, no governments or guilds (RP board, and guild board should also be wiped)Just a clean slate.

Thats my two cents.

[Kincent Nolatri]

Spify, Not bad at all Dyluck

[Kincent Nolatri]

I think anything that happened before the char wipe is best forgotten, many players will refine storylines anyway. It'll be like a whole new start, we should take advantage of it that way instead of finding reasons to explain it and such and so, no plagues, no continuing as normal, no governments or guilds (RP board, and guild board should also be wiped)Just a clean slate.

Thats my two cents.

I should have put this with my last post, But you put it up when i was typing sorry

This is by far the best answer in my mind, People who still wanted their old characters could still get them and role play the same personaltie and past if they wanted to minus what happen since the came to the isle, Hell the could even build their character with the same events over again and end up with the same character if they wanted to!

[The Returner]

A whole new start is more logical then explaining why everyones suddenly the same strength, wearing the same clothes, in an island thats increased in size exponentially, poor, and doesn't recognize anyone. It would be complete and utter chaos, as people work feverishly behind their screens to rebuild what they had (and they will, you know who you are)

[falco1029]

Oh yes, and being strengthless before coming to the island no matter what makes MUCH more sense to begin with

[Fooser]

Yes, and they should also say something like this:


"Thanks to all players for helping out and cooperating, your time and effort has no value though, thanks to all the people who worked on guilds, and the chronicle and whatever else, that is now useless also. And lastly, to all GM's, who did quests and building with players for absolutely no reason."

[The Returner]

Oh yes, and being strengthless before coming to the island no matter what makes MUCH more sense to begin with

Actually, it does, and technicly, you don't come strengthless, unless you set "Strength" to "0"

[Garett Gwenour]

Not really.
My characters are involved in extremely fun roleplay, i don't want that to be dropped because all the things ive done and other players have done that have been leading up to this roleplay was a complete waste of time as we are not finished.
Not many people will completely change their character's strengths and weaknesses. If you want to start over you as the individual can, you can make a whole new character and drop your other characters. No one is preventing you from doing this.
However I for one would like to keep my characters and their history.

[The Returner]

Yes, and they should also say something like this:


"Thanks to all players for helping out and cooperating, your time and effort has no value though, thanks to all the people who worked on guilds, and the chronicle and whatever else, that is now useless also. And lastly, to all GM's, who did quests and building with players for absolutely no reason."

This is an alpha test game, if it ever went to beta, thats likely what you WOULD hear, plus theres always the chronicle, which was an OOC undertaking not an IC one for any memories you wish to re-live.

[falco1029]

Oh yes, and being strengthless before coming to the island no matter what makes MUCH more sense to begin with

Actually, it does, and technicly, you don't come strengthless, unless you set "Strength" to "0"

You damn well know what I mean by strengthless. I mean having no figurative strengths. Not literal muscle tone. I don't see it making any more sense than an easily rpable thing.

[The Returner]

Not really.
My characters are involved in extremely fun roleplay, i don't want that to be dropped because all the things ive done and other players have done that have been leading up to this roleplay was a complete waste of time as we are not finished.
Not many people will completely change their character's strengths and weaknesses. If you want to start over you as the individual can, you can make a whole new character and drop your other characters. No one is preventing you from doing this.
However I for one would like to keep my characters and their history.

Some people, like me, Want to refine their existing characters. Especially ones who have been around for the last half-decade waiting for this chance, AND this charwipe. Plus, any rp you had will likely be dropped anyway, if you want a complete and utter chaotic transition that will likely end up with several dozen more players from years ago leaving, then vote for this solution.

[falco1029]

Why redefine a character instead of making a ne wone, no real advantages to it....they can have the same basic history.

[Garett Gwenour]

I don't see a dozen people supporting your idea. I see people who rarely play this game and have no current roleplay going on trying to force what, in my opinion seems like the majority, of us don't want to do.

[Fooser]

Exactly, most people I've seen arguing for this are
A) Rarely ever on
or
B) Returning, after saying this game was boring and smelled



And apparently Returner believes starting over with no structure will end with no chaos at all.

[Wiergraf]

I too am a player from "years ago", and I would hate to see my character's history destroyed. Wiergraf has evolved into quite an entertaining character for me to play, and his personality is based on the past actions he has been in. I also have quite a lot of things planned for Wiergraf, and I would hate for him to restart at a moment like this.

[Pendar]

Aegohl, wrote

As said, they can't be the first settlers. The cities cannot be removed. If you come up with an explanation of how those buildings are there, well, that is up to you.

At first, the staff had come to a decision that we would leave it up to all of you individually, but that has been argued against by quite a few of you. You want a collective explanation, and so, what I am saying is: Make that decision, or else it may be taken out of your hands.

So it seems unlikely that we are going to get a spiffing clean new start anyway. Obvisouly we do have the two strong and varied points of view. People who wish to keep characters and history and those who wish a complete restart.
Generally those who desire a complete restart are characters who have been absent a while are newer or havent been clocking as much game time lately.
~~this is a thumb suck i confess so please dont pounce me with I play everyday. So your entire theory is void~~. I can see the logic in a restart how ever it seems unlightly.

Most of the current player base I have spoken to seem to desire to keep there characters. This is also logical as two weeks is not enough time to really play out the end of loves,lives,nations and orginisations anyway. Indeed i would say many characters were created with a long term goal and have developed through hours of game time into something really unique and special to the players. It is obviouse why many of us would like to see our characters survive.

so at such an impass it is unlightly we are ever all going to be happy. The only thing is that those who want a wipe are more than welcome to create new characters making an effective complete wipe for them.
As it seems we wont be getting a fresh start any way. Perhaps we could either ask the GM's to reach a quick decision on that or pick a stance our selves and begin creating an outline that will enable all players to have at least a common idea.
Thus far dylucks idea seems the best to float to the top lets keep the training moveing.
Brian

[The Returner]

I don't see a dozen people supporting your idea. I see people who rarely play this game and have no current roleplay going on trying to force what, in my opinion seems like the majority, of us don't want to do.

And notice each one has a join date months and years beyond yours. If you don't know the history, the "new players" made descisions in the past, these descisions made alot of the old players leave, and also several GM's and Admins.

I've been a DM before, I know a logical solution to these things, I know what happens when your idea is voted on, I've seen it happen before in other games. Its not pretty.

[Cliu Beothach]

I am one, and I argue it.