BIG Political changes

[Negs]

Good gawd. I've heard this from people after every single major update. Every one. And yet, AO's still here. It's still kickin. It's still fun. And it's still, of course... just a game.

Change is good people. Whether you agree with this specific Omni-takes-Bor move or not, it's something different. I, for one, sure as hell wouldn't prefer things to always stay "as is". It gets boring as hell. Even if I don't agree with a change, I'm happy to see it. It forces me to get more creative, to look at things differently. To do something different. Like it or not, that's a positive thing.

Knee jerk reaction by my part, definately guilty by that. I have a few plans up my sleeves as a calmed down on the ride home from work.

[Ashval]

There's nothing "different" about this...it's Borealis rather than Newland City. *bites tongue on rest of diatribe*

[Talidro]

Exactly my feelings Veld. Exactly.

[Decavolt]

You're right. Other than the fact that today Borealis is controlled by Omni and yesterday it wasn't, nothing is different. Oh wait, there's 4 Holes too. And lots of player excitement (good, bad or otherwise). Hm. Maybe things are different.

Maybe you're all right. Maybe it would be better if nothing ever changed and everything was always the same, every day, every log in. Or maybe we should play some other game where we are god and all the decisions are in our hands. We should only have surprises that we agree with so that we don't have to get creative with things.

[Ashval]

You're right. Other than the fact that today Borealis is controlled by Omni and yesterday it wasn't, nothing is different. Oh wait, there's 4 Holes too. And lots of player excitement (good, bad or otherwise). Hm. Maybe things are different.

Maybe you're all right. Maybe it would be better if nothing ever changed and everything was always the same, every day, every log in. Or maybe we should play some other game where we are god and all the decisions are in our hands. We should only have surprises that we agree with so that we don't have to get creative with things.

When someone's "creativity" changes things, I will stand and applaud. Until then, I'll question this oddly similar attempt to spark things. I've posted my thoughts on the official forums. I truly hope after all this time with AO being out...I'm proven wrong. Silverstone tarnished my views on this sorta thing for now.

[Suue]

If the goal was to create a buzz, I'd have to say that it was pretty much a huge success. When was the last time you saw so many DJ's (a group on numerous occasions condemned for not actually 'playing the game') have so many different views in such a short time frame that revolve around Anarchy Online itself?

Someone needs to set up a pre-order option for Lost Eden ASAP. I wanna place my order now!

[Tarryk]

I, for one, agree with the positive 'tudes; I can't find any reason to cry over this. It's an awesome and much-needed shake-up.

Rubi-Ka is still Rubi-Ka, and it is a place of war between the factions, and that war was getting flat-out carebear-style STAGNANT from Alien Invasion. Just as I appreciated the DMZ shake-up when the Sentinels arrived, this is another war-in-a-blender scenario that's way overdue.

There's nothing "different" about this...it's Borealis rather than Newland City. *bites tongue on rest of diatribe*
...
When someone's "creativity" changes things, I will stand and applaud. Until then, I'll question this oddly similar attempt to spark things. I've posted my thoughts on the official forums. I truly hope after all this time with AO being out...I'm proven wrong. Silverstone tarnished my views on this sorta thing for now.

Okay, anger.

Dude wow, sorry about your goldfish, man. You're right though, there's nothing "different" about this, Rubi-Ka is still here. I'm not (and I don't think many others are) stand-up applauding the creativity of this, because creativity isn't a factor.

Change is good, and things have been getting just BORING on Rubi-Ka as of late.

And on top of it all, I really don't see how someone's ability to roleplay on Rubi-Ka is in ANY way affected for the negative. I'm actually getting pissed to think that anyone sees this change and feels like raising a stink over it. It's no wonder the devs stopped making changes for as long as they did. All the hardcore players polarize themselves and start to whine and bawl and stomp their feet every time Funcom pulls a f*&#ing teabag out of hot water. Jeezus.

[Ashval]

I think you're missing my point, Tarryk. I'm all for change and I agree that Rubi-Ka has become stagnant as heck. I'm just of the opinion that this story hook has been used before and used poorly. (Silverstone, Omni guards in Newland, etc.) In the past, Funcom has been ham-fisted in forcing these changes on the players and not let them have a say (through roleplay or in-game acheivements) on world events. As a player who was heavily involved in the roleplay scene during those times, I'm skeptical about the same technique being used again.

If I'm proven wrong and Funcom keeps a storyline going that is responsive to player actions...then I'm a happy camper. I pay my $14.95 and have for a long, long time. I certainly have my right to remind Funcom about past mistakes, even though I love them to death.

[Vallikat]

Lets not forget that the name of the game is ANARCHY online.

[Tarryk]

I think you're missing my point, Tarryk. I'm all for change and I agree that Rubi-Ka has become stagnant as heck. I'm just of the opinion that this story hook has been used before and used poorly. (Silverstone, Omni guards in Newland, etc.) In the past, Funcom has been ham-fisted in forcing these changes on the players and not let them have a say (through roleplay or in-game acheivements) on world events. As a player who was heavily involved in the roleplay scene during those times, I'm skeptical about the same technique being used again.

If I'm proven wrong and Funcom keeps a storyline going that is responsive to player actions...then I'm a happy camper. I pay my $14.95 and have for a long, long time. I certainly have my right to remind Funcom about past mistakes, even though I love them to death.

For starters, I'm not even so much as insinuating an arguement against your right to state your opinion. I'm simply arguing the opinion itself.

Secondly, it is true that Funcom has forced changes like this one before, but then again they DO control the foundational be-all of both factions. Omni-Tek insurgency isn't usually open for players to decide. And if they did ask the purist Omni-Tek roleplayers if OT should invade Borealis, I can pretty much gaurantee they'd be all for it.

For as much as you and many others apparently dislike getting storyline changes "shoved down your throat", I have an equal distaste for seeing the same reaction to every single change that's ever happened in the game, every single time. People claiming that they're having content shoved down their throats, between long bouts of complaining that there's no content.

Oh but the type of content is what matters, yes yes, of that I'm sure, but no-one's going to be happy, and a carebear change sure as hell wouldn't stir up the pot. Sil himself has stated that one of the primary reasons for this change was to judge player reactions to such a change in preparation for LE.

I'd call the test a success. The players are still whiners and refuse to accept any change unless it has been argued to death in a panel of paying players so it can be ultimately agreed amongst all consensus of central RP figures that no decision can ever be reached because everyone's idea of a "good change" on Rubi-Ka is completely different and the only way to make a change that everyone agrees with is to make a completely unaffecting carebear change that anyone with a sense of adventure would look at and just say "You put a new tree in Newland. WHY??"

Given the choice, I'd rather FC forced severe changes like this one. Gets people riled up and things get hopping again.

And, as Sil has said, player reactions are being watched very closely, ESPECIALLY in-game. Don't like it? Lodge a protest. Get a platoon of heavy-hitters and RPers, and raid Borealis right back. Look at it as an opportunity to roleplay, not a reason to stop.

[Lykeios]

I think both parties have hit the nail on the head for me... TK 'n' Suue (and others) on the one side yes change = good makes it more fun.

Veldron (and others) yeah it does seem rather forced and also quite rigid.

The thing I'd love to see (yes time for ideal world scenario here) is that pretty much everywhere, with say the exception of ICC/Newland (Full neutrality) and Tir/Omni Trade (sided) examples btw, could be over-run by either of the 2 factions or "liberated" by the neutrals allowing everybody in.

Not however by means of a patch so in other words total anarchy, fluid control of cities and (game mechanic wise) deployment of guards.

Would make it much more fun and keep everybody on their toes as it were...

[Ceryn]

You know, I've spent some of today going back and forth in borealis, and yes, I got killed a few times, but it isn't really THAT bad.

Again, it is a shame that we lose it as a venue, but we adapt. There's lots of places to see out there.

I think the biggest issue really was the total no warning that there was.

[Tarryk]

At any rate, I'm off the discussion for now. The narrow-brained reknobs over in the official forums have pretty much made sure I'll never look at this topic without getting seriously pissed off.

As for the change, I'll rest my case that I believe it's a good change. Arguements against notwithstanding, I still play AO regularly and don't see that it's been affected to any degree, other than a couple route changes.

[Lykeios]

At any rate, I'm off the discussion for now. The narrow-brained reknobs over in the official forums have pretty much made sure I'll never look at this topic without getting seriously pissed off.

Pretty much covers why ya don't see me posting too much on the main AO forums. There are occasional sparks of wit, humour but generally it's *wah wah* *throw rattle* *wah wah* *spit out dummy* *wah wah*

... and thats just the forum moderators

(*note joking before any green named people come to kick my backside*)

[Psyloche]

My strongest objection is it stops some social interaction, and its cutting up some of the travel lines who is established.

On the other side, its few things who can BE altered in anarchy online. neutral cities is simplest, since it dont destroy anything. Athen and rome is key cities, the old capitals tir and omni1 is bad as NUTS as newbie towns, and, this game is MADE for things as this patch, combat, anarchy, clan versus omni, conflict.

But, im happy its happening RP changes, whatever they are.

[Suue]

TK 'n' Suue (and others) on the one side yes change = good makes it more fun....

Me and TK agreeing on an issue?

....


FREE BOREALIS NOW!

[Talidro]

My point in agreeing with Veld that this is in no way different than the time when Loren Warr ran Newland, is the simple fact that this is no different. Once again a neutral city has had "management" changed on us that is detrimental to our clan friends. This is old, and been done before. Im not opposed to change, but make it fresh and new in some way. Changes within a MMO shouldnt be recycled, at least not this similar to a previous change.

[Suue]

Actually, as per the storyline, management has not been changed in Borealis (unless I missed something, which is always a possibility.)

The Omni-Tek central command has issued a new directive to all Rubi-Ka departments and operations today that authorises new measures and security spending to aid in the defence against the alien threat.

With the ICC already authorising the deployment of the Goliath class battle stations in orbit around Rubi-Ka Omni-Tek is increasing its military readiness in order to support their arrival. All departments are authorised to increase defence related spending by up to fifty percent.

In addition the central command has given the Unicorn Company forces wider powers to commandeer any company assets where appropriate to bolster the defence of those assets.

The Unicorn Company has already begun this necessary work by reinforcing the defence of the vital communication facilities in Borealis. Unicorn forces have moved into the area and are securing the area from potential threats. Employees are instructed to co-operate fully with the Unicorn and Omni-Pol forces as they conduct these vital security operations.

The result may be similar, but it's not an exact copy of the prior example. Borealis is still a neutral city, just like it was before. Neutrals, the only people who really should be able to walk around, still can. It's the Clan members who are having issues, being you know... war criminals and such in the eyes of the corporation.

If you look at it even more objectivly, that really is one big frikken dish sitting there in Borealis. Anything that big has GOT to be important! Anything important, during a time of war, has got to be protected.

[Negs]

Get a platoon of heavy-hitters and RPers, and raid Borealis right back. Look at it as an opportunity to roleplay, not a reason to stop.

We have been

Thanks to some awesome Omni and Neut crats this afternoon, clanners were able to come into Borealis again with the guards calmed.


I had to leave for work at about 2:30, but at log off I counted 15 clanners (yes low level ones too ^_^ )


To be honest what I would really like to see is that Yes we were able to repel them out of borealis, however, omni tek sticks to their goals and creates a HUGE looming presense as they trench down at the dish.

Just stay out of the city!

[Myz_Lilith]

I can understand people that are irritated that these changes seem clumsy, basic and heavy handed. Compared to the carefully developed scenarios lovingly crafted by RP gamers, well... they are. But I think with a game of this scale, any offical changes to the status quo have to be broad and simple strokes. Things that work well with a small team of dedicated roleplayers can't always be translated to a global platform, where you have players with widely differing playing styles, online time available, and levels of enthusiasm for staying true to the established storylines.

While it may well be that it would be a lot more exciting to have more of a flowing narrative to ingame changes, or even have the whole map in a constant state of flux, it'd bring a lot of continuity problems for anyone that doesn't play every day (or close as...) Even experienced players who left it a week or two between sessions would end up having to ask a load of irritating newb questions every time they logged on "So where am I now? Who are those guys? Why did I just die?" You run the risk of ending up like one of those TV dramas that has a plot so complicated that 20 minutes of each show gets dedicated to the "previously, on..." bit.

Changing the allegance of a couple of territories may not be hugely creative or original, but at least it's not going to end up with the equivilant of viewers giving up on the show because they've missed a couple of episodes and get bored of continually trying to play catch up...