And just like that

Archive of the Sojourn3 General Discussion Forum.
Ragorn
Sojourner
Posts: 4732
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am

And just like that

Postby Ragorn » Mon Jun 30, 2003 1:57 pm

This one would have been locked too. Can't say anything bad about the way things work. Edited away, away, away.
- Ragorn
Shar: Leave the moaning to the people who have real issues to moan about like rangers or newbies.
Corth: Go ask out a chick that doesn't wiggle her poon in people's faces for a living.
Turxx
Sojourner
Posts: 641
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2001 5:01 am

Postby Turxx » Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:41 pm

.
Vandic
Sojourner
Posts: 280
Joined: Wed May 02, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Nashville, TN USA
Contact:

Postby Vandic » Mon Jun 30, 2003 9:41 pm

Okay, now I'm curious, so e-mail me about what you were going to say.

-V
thanuk
Sojourner
Posts: 1902
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:01 am
Contact:

Postby thanuk » Tue Jul 01, 2003 3:29 am

Every couple of years, a bunch of sojourn players go ahead and make their own mud. "Things will be different here!" "We're gonna do what those guys refused to do, and make things better!"

One time it was duris. Another time it was some mud that went up for 3 months and is gone now. Its all part of the cycle.

You hang around here long enough, and you start to notice the cycle. Soon, there will be a great deal of big changes on sojourn, to attract the other players back. Over on the other mud, whichever it may be, people will start to get fed up, probably like 5 months from now, and they'll slowly but surely trickle back home. Or they'll move on. Its just the way things go.

I beat this game a long time ago. I have no doubt that I could start playing again tomorrow and dominate. There's no question there. I haven't played in 3 months because I dont have time to play all the time, and mudding isn't a game you can pick up when you have a few extra minutes. In other words, this aint your friggin playstation son. Alot of time goes in to this game on every side. Yeah kia can be a dick, yeah shevy isn't always changing things the way YOU think they should be changed, but such is life. If you're gonna cry about it, then go cry by yourself; we can do without you. If you expect these people to take extra time away from their jobs and families in order to prolong your unpaid patronage, then your a friggin idiot. Thats the way the cookie crumbles folks.

so if your gonna go quit and play another mud, or just stop playing, good for you. Write your goodbye letters, leave your email around for some folks to holler back at you, and fade yourself away. Don't come in here all high and mighty and lay down your attitude on these people, who volunteer and give and give and give and give just so you can shit on them a little more on your way out the door. They don't need you. They'll be plenty more.

As for me, ill be a lurker in my spare 5 minutes around this bbs for a while, and when i find myself with tons of free time again(like say, winter) ill be back. And when I come back there will be a bunch of friendly faces around to say "hey man, howve you been?" and it will be great. And thats what keeps me coming back. Its knowing that when i log on shev will bullshit with me for 10 minutes, and actually know who i am. Its knowing that a bunch of characters i never heard of will throw me tells about the character i grouped with with them 5 years ago. Its nice. very, very nice. So enjoy it for what its worth, and cut the complaints and bullshit to a minimum. Get off your high horse, and appreciate what an enigma sojourn really is; in the world, in the internet. Sojourn is an enigma. Its a home-base. Its friggin cheers man, everybody knows your name. If you cant love it for that, then leave it. If you can, then appreciate what you have before you shit all over it.

That is all.
Mysrel tells you 'have my babies'
You tell Mysrel 'u want me to be ur baby daddy?'
Mysrel tells you 'daddy? No, I think you have the terminology wrong'
You tell Mysrel 'comeon now we both know i would be the top'
Mysrel tells you 'can be where ever you want to be, yer still getting ****** like a drunken cheerleader'
Ragorn
Sojourner
Posts: 4732
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Ragorn » Tue Jul 01, 2003 10:33 pm

What I was going to say was, it's the "my way or the highway" attitude that has orbitted Sojourn for almost 10 years that has been our biggest deterrent to building a player base.

If you go back over this board for the past couple of years and read all the threads, you'll see a fairly significant trend. Ideas, concerns, complaints, and suggestions have all been put to rest with "If you don't like it, play a different class (or do a different zone, or go play a different mud, or whatever)." You need only go back in this thread one post to see what I mean. I strongly disagree with Thanuk when he says "...there's be plenty more [players]."

For years, there was simply no competition to Sojourn... Soj was simply the best game in existance, and people suffered through more than their share of punishment to play it. Remember when shouting more than once in five minutes would get you silenced? We took a lot of abuse as players, but we kept playing because Sojourn was hands down the best game in the world.

Is it now? Is it? If the Forgers player wiped the game tomorrow, and all of your friends quit playing, would you roll a level 1 and start again? Do you play for the game, or for the community? Players have more options now than they did 7 years ago... graphical MMORPGs are slicing their way into the gaming market share, while companies like Blizzard continue to belt out multi-platinum selling online games. People who played Sojourn for the game are probably long gone, playing Everquest or DaoC or something. People who played for the community are trickling away over time, and there isn't much of an influx of players these days. Text games just don't draw the masses like they did in 1995. And you can establish a community anywhere, Sojourn doesn't hold any special magnetism in that regard.

And so the old system of "this is my house" isn't working anymore. When you tell people to enjoy Sojourn the way it is or find a different game to play, more people are taking the second option than they did in the past. I wish the Staff would embrace the player base and work with them, instead of trying to keep them at arm's distance. There's very little honest, open communication between the Staff and the common player. I don't mean OOC chatter, I mean a Staff presence on the BBS, answering questions and addressing issues. Petitions being answered. Help files being brought up to date and made accurate, or even better, actually telling the player more about the game than a vague description. For example, nobody playing for the first time wants to be left in the dark about what Petrify Save actually does, and it's not plainly obvious that it does anything at all. Even I don't know, although I hear it has something to do with stone skin. But we don't know, do we? Nobody is telling us how the game works.

Sojourn's seen spinoffs before. Duris, Exile, Homeland (gasp, I said their names), probably others. This is where people go when they're given the option to "take it or leave it." Whatever. If someone thinks they can build a better Sojourn, let them. I hope they can, because I like quality games. Maybe they'll establish their own community, or maybe they'll disband and their players will come slinking back to Sojourn and treated like traitors. Who knows, and really, who cares? If Sojourn's players get irritated enough, they'll find a different place to play their games. I would imagine that's what you're trying to avoid.

Two pages from a player who left Sojourn for these reasons.
- Ragorn
Shar: Leave the moaning to the people who have real issues to moan about like rangers or newbies.
Corth: Go ask out a chick that doesn't wiggle her poon in people's faces for a living.
User avatar
Shevarash
FORGER CODER
Posts: 2944
Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2000 6:01 am

Postby Shevarash » Wed Jul 02, 2003 12:45 am

Thanuk -

All hail the Mullet King. That is all.


Ragorn -

Seriously, if you're going to take the time to write a post like that, you could also take the time to log on and read the news sometime. Helpfiles, for instance, have been updated again and again in recent months. :)

And lastly, I don't have a "my way or the highway" attitude. I'm sorry if you think I do, but I'm not going to defend it - my actions speak for themselves. Anyhow, no hard feelings. Sorry you don't like the game.
Shevarash -- Code Forger of TorilMUD
moritheil
Sojourner
Posts: 4845
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 6:01 am

Postby moritheil » Wed Jul 02, 2003 1:23 am

*hug Shevy*

Rags is probably better off putting time into his marriage anyway :P

Thanuk is - hm, I dunno. Are you consolidating your sway over mullets everywhere, Thanuk? :D

Seriously. Nice posts.
Yotus group-says 'special quest if you type hi dragon'
Shevarash OOC: 'I feature only the finest mammary glands.'
Silena group-says 'he was so fat and juicy..couldnt resist'
Ragorn
Sojourner
Posts: 4732
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Ragorn » Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:06 am

Yeah. Nevermind. What do I know, really? :)

Soo... what exactly DOES surprise do, anyway? And why are assassins still mentioned in the FAQ? :)
- Ragorn
Shar: Leave the moaning to the people who have real issues to moan about like rangers or newbies.
Corth: Go ask out a chick that doesn't wiggle her poon in people's faces for a living.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Postby Sarvis » Wed Jul 02, 2003 5:36 am

C'mon Rags... you know as well as I that it doesn't do anything. ;)
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Postby Corth » Wed Jul 02, 2003 3:53 pm

The pbase is a small percentage of what it once was. On toril, it was common to see upwards of 300 people playing during prime time. When soj 3 came up, 150 was a good night. Nowadays, 75 people on at once is notable.

I dont think it helped that most of the European mudders were turned away from the mud. I think its ridiculous that even when some good ideas were proposed about ways to allow the euros back onto the mud, the ideas were either ignored (emails not returned) or turned down for administrative (bureaurocratic) reasons. Apparently preventing even the slightest chance of multiplaying was worth losing a significant percentage of the pbase.

I can't put all of the blame on the gods, or even most. I think that muds, in general, are simply dying out in the face of graphical MMORPG's. I have to say, however, that I don't believe the gods of Sojourn have taken any of the steps necessary to counter the trend. I hope that the long-awaited advertising blitz is succesful, but it really is starting to sound like another empty promise.

Corth
Having said all that, the situation has been handled, so this thread is pretty much at an end. -Kossuth

Goddamned slippery mage.
Nilan
Sojourner
Posts: 689
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Nilan » Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:42 pm

Just Play the Game and have FUN!!!!!

Nilan
Kurtok
Sojourner
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2001 5:01 am

Postby Kurtok » Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:15 pm

The reason why the playerbase keeps getting smaller and smaller has nothing to do with anal admins or dick players or Europe being blocked or some other mud. The reason why stares you in the face everytime you log on; its looking at you right now: this is a TEXT game. As has been mentioned, there are lots of other flashy, zingy games out there that people obviously enjoy more than this one or else they would still be playing text games. We are the last people that will ever enjoy this game. This is the game's last run. Our kids will never play this game. Our nieces and nephews will never play this game. Little by little, other things will take up our time: family, school, work, new interests, old interests, etc., and then we'll be gone too. When we're gone, this game is gone. Its truly phenominal how long this game has been around and what it has done. How many other electronic games do you know that actively last more than a decade? It will be amazing to see how far this game will go. But, one day, it will be gone. Most likely a day sooner than anyone wants.
So, I'd highly recommend Nilan's advice and enjoy this game. Every moment of it. Don't pass up experiencing any part of it. Because, one day, we'll be sitting around remembering this game, maybe even shed a tear, wishing that we could see R.I.P. and the login screen just one more time.
Turxx
Sojourner
Posts: 641
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2001 5:01 am

Postby Turxx » Thu Jul 03, 2003 2:28 am

youre right about one thing, its a text mud, i know why im not playing tho and i know why some others arent playing and it has nothing to do with the fact that its a text based mud
Llaaldara
Sojourner
Posts: 998
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Dobluth Kyor

Postby Llaaldara » Thu Jul 03, 2003 4:10 am

Turxx wrote:youre right about one thing, its a text mud, i know why im not playing tho and i know why some others arent playing and it has nothing to do with the fact that its a text based mud


Agree. That's not it. I play a vid game but burn out after a couple of weeks or a month. Soj I've been playing for years. Can't say that about most games I've played. Some looked really good visually too.

Diablow 2. As great as it was. Fun for 2 whole months.
Everquest. Fun for zero minutes. That was annoying.
Baldur's Gate. Fun for a week, then got tired of walking everywhere.
Soj, fun for ten years. Still boot/log on more days of the week then not.


Go figure.
Ragorn
Sojourner
Posts: 4732
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Ragorn » Fri Jul 04, 2003 3:49 am

Turxx wrote:youre right about one thing, its a text mud, i know why im not playing tho and i know why some others arent playing and it has nothing to do with the fact that its a text based mud


The fact that the other thread was about "why people are leaving for other muds" sort of proves Turxx's veiled point.
- Ragorn
Shar: Leave the moaning to the people who have real issues to moan about like rangers or newbies.
Corth: Go ask out a chick that doesn't wiggle her poon in people's faces for a living.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Postby Sarvis » Fri Jul 04, 2003 5:12 am

Maybe, but you can't deny other video game types are cutting into mudding's popularity. I've been spending a lot of time with Neverwinter Nights lately, for instance. Everquest was very much like sojourn, and happened to appear while sojourn was down... how many people never came back here from EQ? How many others will try the new Star Wars MMORPG and like it more?

*shrug* The main draw of a text based mud is the price... once people have a bunch of cash they don't know what to do with, there are other games. Even if they aren't as "fun" they are different, and sometimes people will choose difference over quality... as long as the new thing isn't completely terrible.

Just saying I wouldn't dismiss other games as a problem, more like they are one part of a tapestry...
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire
moritheil
Sojourner
Posts: 4845
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 6:01 am

Postby moritheil » Fri Jul 04, 2003 2:26 pm

Sarvis wrote:Just saying I wouldn't dismiss other games as a problem, more like they are one part of a tapestry...


You're right. No hatred needs to be directed there. Objectively, however, the loss of players from Soj is a problem, unless I miss my mark. . .
Yotus group-says 'special quest if you type hi dragon'

Shevarash OOC: 'I feature only the finest mammary glands.'

Silena group-says 'he was so fat and juicy..couldnt resist'
Karikhan
Sojourner
Posts: 471
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Karikhan » Fri Jul 04, 2003 3:02 pm

I agree with the just enjoy the game idea .. but ..

Most Sojourners (there are gonna be a few exceptions) do not gravitate toward the graphiocal muds .. and thats what they are .. graphical muds ..(see evercrack credits)

we prefer our type of mud, the Sojourn/Toril and her Children ...

we love the game and its nuances .. we love to use our imaginations, and text offers us more options than graphics (what if my elf had plastic surgery and removed the points from her ears (eww blasphemy) ... couldnt do that on a graphical mud but i sure as hell can edit my character description on a text based ...

we go to duris for the pkill (most people go for a few months , get the bloodlust and come back)
we went to basternae and exile while sojourn was down ..

why have we gone to homeland?

To me it's oldschool Toril ... the players I havent seen for years, the people i used to group with years ago (hugs glarec, et al) ... it's immorts who take your ideas seriously and seem to really care about them (god please dont think im saying soj immorts dont care ... im sure they do .. but it doesnt SEEM that way(in some cases, not all)) Wise people say that perception is more important than fact .. it's true .... with fewer staff, the immorts on homeland, not only our our old playing buddies, but they KNOW where the problms lie and they fix them or let us know when they will be fixed (hell one thing wont be added til 2005'ish .. but at least we KNOW!) ... it just FEELS different ... i guess wait a few months and see, but for now, it makes you feel great to see your ideas implemented within days of your suggestions , if your ideas are garbage, to have it explained why ... i guess i dont need to go on and on ...

we who love sojourn will never leave ... we love the zones, we love the people, we love the mud, period ... hell we even love Malar (eww did i say that?) and Shevy!

anyway i still love sojourn, my mage here still remains my favorite character, and i could never totally leave my friends, and u guys know i'm a phonecall or a icq away from a zone (ask targsk .. i logged on to zone with him and spanked mightily, ask multitudes of others, i will log on for spellups or resses, or whatever else im needed for ...)

we are absent but not totally gone and it IS nice to log on, ooc hihi and get a ton of tells :)

I love you guys

-Jen


[Sha] Ambar- Unholy Priestess - OoN (Ogre)
Vahok
Sojourner
Posts: 525
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2002 6:01 am
Location: guelph,ontario,canada

Postby Vahok » Fri Jul 04, 2003 5:02 pm

Pointless observation...does it seem to be mostly evils who, um, left?
Meatshield
Karikhan
Sojourner
Posts: 471
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Karikhan » Fri Jul 04, 2003 6:16 pm

nope .. it's a pretty even mix i think
moritheil
Sojourner
Posts: 4845
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 6:01 am

Postby moritheil » Fri Jul 04, 2003 9:27 pm

Karikhan wrote:anyway i still love sojourn, my mage here still remains my favorite character, and i could never totally leave my friends, and u guys know i'm a phonecall or a icq away from a zone (ask targsk .. i logged on to zone with him and spanked mightily, ask multitudes of others, i will log on for spellups or resses, or whatever else im needed for ...)

we are absent but not totally gone and it IS nice to log on, ooc hihi and get a ton of tells :)

I love you guys

-Jen


[Sha] Ambar- Unholy Priestess - OoN (Ogre)


A call or an ICQ, but apparently not an IM :P
Yotus group-says 'special quest if you type hi dragon'

Shevarash OOC: 'I feature only the finest mammary glands.'

Silena group-says 'he was so fat and juicy..couldnt resist'
Sarkhon
Sojourner
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2001 6:01 am
Location: New York, NY

Postby Sarkhon » Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:57 pm

I don't think all of you are seeing the big picture here. Although Soj is a text game, that is really only part of the problem. When it comes down to it, the real reason for the annual decline is quite simple: the vast majority of Soj/Toril's core players grew up and assumed some form of responsibility after completing high school, college, or graduate school.

It's funny when you think about it, in that the generation of players that truly got sucked into Sojourn were either teens or college students who were entirely reliant upon text -- the web had no graphics, ansi BBS's were the main form of communication, and Tele-arena was a minor trend. Taking the next step to an international MUD was just a logical progression, and one that appeared "normal" for those who had already immersed themselves in that form of online culture.

Problem is, once those players grow up, it's awful hard to replace them. Right now, the majority of teenagers will gravitate towards a graphical game -- not because its graphical per se -- but because its what appears "normal" to that generation of players. It's the same challenge that once profitable ansi BBS's faced, and there's really no cure for getting caught behind in technology.

On the bright side for Soj's immediate future, there arent many options for other gaming outlets (from a powergame perspective, at least). Everquest is on the verge of death; Star-Wars (by all accounts) is a COMPLETE disappointment; and AC/DAOC still suffer from lacking that special something (fun?) that will preserve a playerbase.

Here's to hoping Sigil or Blizzard can cure the spiral, because I for one would still like one last hurrah at a fresh game to invigorate some old buddies. Though most of us would probably only play a couple hours for every couple nights, I'm sure we'd make the most of it ;) Nilan said it best though, just enjoy the game while you have it -- even if the game stays up for many years to come, those longterm friends whom you truly wish to slay with will inevitably not stick around forever.
Karikhan
Sojourner
Posts: 471
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2001 6:01 am

Postby Karikhan » Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:05 am

OMG Die Mori :P

you know how to reach me dorkus :P

(plus the fact i check the BBS at least twice per day)
Gerad
Sojourner
Posts: 591
Joined: Sun May 13, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Postby Gerad » Sat Jul 05, 2003 5:24 am

May the journey never end.
<I>When a man lies, he murders some part of the world
These are the pale deaths, which men miscall their lives
All this I cannot bear to witness any longer
Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?</I>
Turxx
Sojourner
Posts: 641
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2001 5:01 am

Postby Turxx » Sat Jul 05, 2003 6:31 am

i think there is any number of prollems and reasons why the playerbase is low, why some people arent playing, there are alot of reasons, it seems tho that none of them are being adressed
Lalisa
Sojourner
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2002 6:01 am

Not sure the lack of players is due to text only

Postby Lalisa » Tue Jul 15, 2003 5:52 pm

This game being a Text-only game, cannot be the only reason players are leaving.
In case you don't know, there are a lot of MUD's out there, and some even have players. The one I play on has 600-700 players at peak times.
600-700 people play that game at the same time...that is a lot :)

So no, Sojourn being a text based game, is not the only explanation.
Gerad
Sojourner
Posts: 591
Joined: Sun May 13, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Postby Gerad » Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:39 am

There are few people who can take this for what it really is, a game.

That is easy to say, I know of only three people besides myself that can appreciate this. Touk is one, Gormal and Thanuk are the other two. Hope you guys dont mind me 'picking' on you ;)

That is NOT to say that there are not others!

These people realize that it isnt a life or death situation when bad stuff happens or when people have arguments about mud stuff. And they also tend to not argue, or at the least they keep it real when they do.

Sojourn has been around since like 1992 or earlier, and every time there is a big issue, sojourn keeps on going... its like a freight train that you cannot stop. It just chugs along, and I feel like everyone here is a friend, that I can come back any time and always have someone to chum around with.

When sojourn isnt fun anymore, I take a break... I think that if a certain person had taken a step back, this whole thing might not have happened.

But it is always the same, what doesnt kill sojourn makes it stronger. The player base might slow down for a bit, but it usually does during the summer anyway. More people come, and more people go.

With the onset of all the MMORPG's, sojourn stands alone in one right, and that is the people that play it. I can post on here without getting responses like "OMFGWTF SHIUT UP n00b!!!11!!!!1!! STOUIPED" and I dont have to really worry about people doing stupid stuff on purpose when things are important.

The people are what keeps this mud good, not the rules, not the spells, not the levels, not anything.

Its all in the players.

-Gerad
<I>When a man lies, he murders some part of the world

These are the pale deaths, which men miscall their lives

All this I cannot bear to witness any longer

Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?</I>
Sarell
Sojourner
Posts: 1681
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am
Location: brisbane, australia

Postby Sarell » Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:47 pm

sojourn's not just a game gerad! it is a place where a man can cut his hair into a mullet, hold his head proud, come out into the open, and be ridiculed endlessly... see, just like real life!

but seriously, I think it being a text based game isn't a bad thing, those text based books do pretty well. Let's advertise where people can read! :)
amolol
Sojourner
Posts: 688
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:01 am

Postby amolol » Wed Jul 16, 2003 10:24 pm

ok guys simple and strait...

the gods are working on stuff for the mud and working with players. if you dont belive me tog ooc once in a while and watchy every one HELP me with my spelling... heh

seriously though the gods are trying to better soj and frankly we would have a better pbase if every one werent putting the admin down all the time and saying that there was no reason to play here ect...thinkabout it...im a new player thats never mudded b4...i log on gonna look around and i see all the players cursing the gods and always complaining... i log out and delete

on another note thx admin for rewriting the help files and doing the new player god interactive rp sessions i did part of on the other day...it was fun thats the kinda stuff i enjoy. for the rest of you wankers *bird*

letec -deputy wanker/admin
i dont know what your problem is, but i bet its hard to pronounce

myspace.com/tgchef
Asup
Sojourner
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 5:01 am

Postby Asup » Fri Jul 18, 2003 7:06 am

Most people like graphical games better because it doesnt require them to think or use there imagination...ya sure resident evil had puzzles but I look at that game and think "Who the hell would put a moving statue in a police station that triggers a secret passage which unlocks a door to a figurine that lets the moon reflect at this angle?" And not only that but alot of graphical games are just short and visually stunning.. I mean about 3-4 years ago me and my best friend started the "If we cant beat it in 24 hours. Its a good game" and I mean I think we found two games that took more then 24 hours to beat.. System shock 2 and half life..(This of course is excluding games where 36 hours is a minimul req. for playing.. Like ff series games) And when I first discovered the mud it was nice becuase no matter what zone I just help stomp in I could do it more because I I wanted the other things in it.. and when I was done with that 3-4 more zones where already created.. so the mud in turn always presented something to do.. Something to challenge me.. Where as no matter how many times I stomp the hell outta of the MGS games it will -always be the same- And like said before.. If we wanna change something it can be changed on demand.. I dont have to wait for some smchuk coder to have to map the coordinates for color or model it and shape it. so it can be implemented into use for my new graphical hair do..
avak
Sojourner
Posts: 672
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:01 am

Postby avak » Tue Jul 22, 2003 4:51 pm

Since this game is unnervingly important to me, I just wanted to add my thoughts.

First of all, very little of our current pbase "problems" have anything to do with the text-based nature of the game. Take for example, dungeons and dragons and all of its off-shoots. I checked to confirm this...there are plenty of ppl still playing. In fact "3% of the U.S. population between the ages of 12 and 35 (approximately 2.8 million people) play paper-based tabletop roleplaying games (TRPGs) at least once per month." Yeah, so a few hundered of those might get into a MUD...ya think? That in conjunction with anecdotal evidence from the pbases of other muds should be proof enough that it is Sojourn, not the genre, that is struggling.

So what is the problem then? I guess I don't know for sure. I think alot of people have had a lot of really good ideas and suggestions though. Its too bad there has to be so much bitterness and borderline megalomania. See, that is one of our biggest problems...us...the pbase itself. How often do we really see true newbies? The pbase is so far out of balance in so many ways its just incredible. How many ppl that are now elite started when they were little kids sitting on phone books to reach the keyboard? We did they get sucked in? I remember when I started ('95) I sucked so hard it wasn't even funny! And the cool thing was that I had a whole big group of buddies (from the mud) that were just as pathetic. Yes, there were elites, but not every single other player!

Okay, I could ramble for pages, but I think I'll just make some suggestions:
1) Work harder on the influx of new players. The outflux of players (young, old, and uber elite) is going to happen till the game rolls over and dies...just a fact. This is the most critical aspect of our preservation. I only wish I had the easy answer.
2) Figure out how to balance the pbase more w/o a pwipe. Maybe that means some kind of retirement incentive...maybe elites could spend some time on the admin side doing menial tasks...right now we (as a mud) just figure out ways to make them more elite.
3) Balance the mud economy. Maybe that would help with the overall balance. Somebody posted an incredible train of thought about the mud economy, but where is it now? Its down the list somewhere...under the "why doesn't my spell/class/weapon/etc do more for less" and "the admins suck" posts.

Like I said, the key is new players...everybody says that, but why isn't it changing? So, I hope I sounded constructive...I really want to keep playing this game for another decade or more.

Avak
Todrael
Sojourner
Posts: 1454
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2001 6:01 am
Location: MI, USA
Contact:

Postby Todrael » Tue Jul 22, 2003 6:56 pm

Avak, those are some great ideas, and I agree completely. However, I too do not see the exact solution that might be implemented to correct the problems. I'm sure Sojourn will find a way to survive despite any difficulties it encounters, and hopefully these eq changes will be a step in that direction.
-Todrael Azz'miala, Ravager
Get Toril Guides and Maps at Todrael's Lair
Get Item Stats at TorilEQ
thanuk
Sojourner
Posts: 1902
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:01 am
Contact:

Postby thanuk » Tue Jul 22, 2003 9:17 pm

Sarell wrote:sojourn's not just a game gerad! it is a place where a man can cut his hair into a mullet, hold his head proud, come out into the open, and be ridiculed endlessly... see, just like real life!



Just cuz miax retired, doesn't mean you get to make fun of him.

To complete the pointlessness of this post, I'd like to point out that Gerad is a wanker.
Mysrel tells you 'have my babies'

You tell Mysrel 'u want me to be ur baby daddy?'

Mysrel tells you 'daddy? No, I think you have the terminology wrong'

You tell Mysrel 'comeon now we both know i would be the top'

Mysrel tells you 'can be where ever you want to be, yer still getting ****** like a drunken cheerleader'
Daz
Sojourner
Posts: 1942
Joined: Wed May 08, 2002 5:01 am
Location: newark, delaware
Contact:

Postby Daz » Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:35 am

Miax retires and fox announces the new schedule for a fall show called 'The Mullets'

you think im joking look it up in google :P there really is a show coming primetime this fall called 'the mullets'
Shevarash OOC: 'Muma on Artificial Intelligence - Muma OOC: 'someday the quotes really will just become AI and then i'll talk to the AI and be like, hey you come from me, but it will get angry at me and revolt and try to kill me or something heheheh. like in the movies''
Gerad
Sojourner
Posts: 591
Joined: Sun May 13, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Postby Gerad » Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:55 am

thanuk wrote:
Sarell wrote:sojourn's not just a game gerad! it is a place where a man can cut his hair into a mullet, hold his head proud, come out into the open, and be ridiculed endlessly... see, just like real life!



Just cuz miax retired, doesn't mean you get to make fun of him.

To complete the pointlessness of this post, I'd like to point out that Gerad is a wanker.


I love you too nukie
<I>When a man lies, he murders some part of the world

These are the pale deaths, which men miscall their lives

All this I cannot bear to witness any longer

Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?</I>
Ionari
Sojourner
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Portland OR

Postby Ionari » Sat Jul 26, 2003 7:44 pm

Asup wrote:Most people like graphical games better because it does not require them to think or use there imagination...


Finally someone said it out loud. The key to Sojourn 3 (and its predecessors) lies in your mind and ergo, your imagination. Just like reading a book which has sold over 1 copy or 100 million copies, every person experiencing this book or this mud will see it in a unique way.

From the way the rooms are described, to the way the PC and NPC mobs look, act and interact, only you can make this place a thing of beauty.

Those people with little imagination and mental creativity can have their graphical games. Those who are no longer challenged by Soj3's constant changes (albeit slower than they might hope for) and growth, leave over time and some of them return in one form or another.

I would hate to think how everyone's mentality about this place would be if it had never resurrected after each successive pwipe that has happened over the years. If the mud had never returned, none of you would be complaining so much. You would feel robbed of a part of your life and that would be painful indeed.

Sure you have a lot of friends in RL. Sure you have a lot of friends here. Any maybe you are lucky enough to have those friends fall into both categories. The point is, you have created a life here for not only yourself, but for your friends here - and strangers alike. How many people who have been here you never talked to or saw? How do you think your being here impacted their gaming experience?

I could ramble on and on but I hope you get the gist of my point.

Io

--
Dexil tells you 'Hey can you throw a well at me?'
Dakul tells you 'Could you throw a well at me?
Perzan tells you 'think you can toss me a well?'
A moonwell is too heavy.
Olit tells you '2000hrs on each of your 5 corpses'
Dugmaren responds to your petition with 'It'd be less spammy if you just deleted again.'
Lilithelle says 'to divine most peoples fates you need to read palms or tea leaves, but in ionari's you just read the corpses'
Larem group-says 'they just don't make druids like they used to :('
Maeli group-says 'ionari believes in taking one for the team'
Kribble group-says 'ionari believes in taking three or four for the team'
Klandan group-says 'Even when not necessary, Kribble'
muma
Sojourner
Posts: 681
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Seoul, South Korea

OH IOn!!!

Postby muma » Sat Jul 26, 2003 8:55 pm

Ionari wrote:
Asup wrote:Most people like graphical games better because it does not require them to think or use there imagination...


Finally someone said it out loud. The key to Sojourn 3 (and its predecessors) lies in your mind and ergo, your imagination. Just like reading a book which has sold over 1 copy or 100 million copies, every person experiencing this book or this mud will see it in a unique way.

From the way the rooms are described, to the way the PC and NPC mobs look, act and interact, only you can make this place a thing of beauty.

Those people with little imagination and mental creativity can have their graphical games. Those who are no longer challenged by Soj3's constant changes (albeit slower than they might hope for) and growth, leave over time and some of them return in one form or another.

I would hate to think how everyone's mentality about this place would be if it had never resurrected after each successive pwipe that has happened over the years. If the mud had never returned, none of you would be complaining so much. You would feel robbed of a part of your life and that would be painful indeed.

Sure you have a lot of friends in RL. Sure you have a lot of friends here. Any maybe you are lucky enough to have those friends fall into both categories. The point is, you have created a life here for not only yourself, but for your friends here - and strangers alike. How many people who have been here you never talked to or saw? How do you think your being here impacted their gaming experience?

I could ramble on and on but I hope you get the gist of my point.

Io

--
Dexil tells you 'Hey can you throw a well at me?'
Dakul tells you 'Could you throw a well at me?
Perzan tells you 'think you can toss me a well?'
A moonwell is too heavy.
Olit tells you '2000hrs on each of your 5 corpses'
Dugmaren responds to your petition with 'It'd be less spammy if you just deleted again.'
Lilithelle says 'to divine most peoples fates you need to read palms or tea leaves, but in ionari's you just read the corpses'
Larem group-says 'they just don't make druids like they used to :('
Maeli group-says 'ionari believes in taking one for the team'
Kribble group-says 'ionari believes in taking three or four for the team'
Klandan group-says 'Even when not necessary, Kribble'


Ionari, I love you. Marry me :!: :)
Es gibt keinen Löffel!
Miax OOC: 'Your blood freezes as you hear the rattling death cry of Shevarash.'
Daz
Sojourner
Posts: 1942
Joined: Wed May 08, 2002 5:01 am
Location: newark, delaware
Contact:

Postby Daz » Sun Jul 27, 2003 7:50 am

Miax does same-sex mud marriages now.

On another note, i've never read a single line of text for any description of anything in this mud unless i was doing some long-ass boring quest :P tog brief is my permanent friend.
Shevarash OOC: 'Muma on Artificial Intelligence - Muma OOC: 'someday the quotes really will just become AI and then i'll talk to the AI and be like, hey you come from me, but it will get angry at me and revolt and try to kill me or something heheheh. like in the movies''
thanuk
Sojourner
Posts: 1902
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:01 am
Contact:

Postby thanuk » Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:48 pm

Daz wrote:Miax does same-sex mud marriages now.

On another note, i've never read a single line of text for any description of anything in this mud unless i was doing some long-ass boring quest :P tog brief is my permanent friend.


Saturday. 8 p.m. Your going down, my friend. Going down to chinatown.

J-E-T-S
JETS
JETS
JETS
Mysrel tells you 'have my babies'

You tell Mysrel 'u want me to be ur baby daddy?'

Mysrel tells you 'daddy? No, I think you have the terminology wrong'

You tell Mysrel 'comeon now we both know i would be the top'

Mysrel tells you 'can be where ever you want to be, yer still getting ****** like a drunken cheerleader'

Return to “S3 General Discussion Archive”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests