Hi, a few words about the players

[formalism]

Was going to post a review at TMS, but I saw that AR removed the review option, so I'm forced to come here, though I know that my comments will hardly be amenable to a playerbase that, by its very presence in the forum, is largely already biased towards AR.

Came back to play after taking a break for a year and a half; I was attracted to the new features and decided to give it a shot, but I've decided not to stay. AR is too bloody for my tastes. With characters like Marlene and Sireph killing everything in sight (the former even niche pking) without a valid reason, and the immortals doing nothing about it, I don't believe in the veracity of the statement that AR is a balanced mud. It wouldn't be nearly as bad if players actually rp'd their kills, either before attacking or after attacking (I think that's a crucial qualification, rp'ing after a fight is just as satisfying as before the fight), but too many simply take the hackneyed stance of either staying silent, as if that makes them mysterious and "truly evil," (something that went out of style when Naugroth was going around gangbanging everyone), using the ignore command on you, or just saying something very flippant that is highly dubious roleplaying. And I don't think that the simple binary logic of good/evil legitimizes attacking without either provocation or some excellent dialogue between the combatants before fighting begins (at least among non-caballed players, or those who were not already enemies from prior fights).

I've been playing the game off and on since Tyrone was slaughtering Knights left and right, but I've noticed that as I mature I can no longer take the constant, mindless, non-rping, hack-and-slash playerkilling. When I was younger -- in fact, because I was young -- I would throw myself into murderous rages that allowed me to weather the bad times so that I could one day "get that sonafabitch that killed me." And I could be quite good at it. But I no longer have that kind of energy, naivete, or just plain youthful cruelty that propelled me further into the game in an effort to avenge myself. I think this maturation is a good thing, for me at least. I am also quite willing to entertain the possibility that I just have thin skin, though if you knew some of my past trashy characters you'd know that I was once quite the asshole. Or perhaps maturation means becoming somewhat more sensitive to the gaming experience of an actual person on the other end of a computer screen, rather than merely reacting to a series of grammatical utterances scrolling away into oblivion, all of which hilariously represent some stupid hick who deserved to die for your pleasure.

I absolutely know for sure that I could become better, in order to avenge myself or make everyone else's life hell too, but I don't think this is the kind of person I want to be. There's less stress in playing a good old fashioned game of Dungeons and Dragons.

There are definitely RP elements out there, I admit. I appreciated Grunky's style the most, though some admirable rp'ing came from the Knights (Runath and Yranpheal are especially good guys, and I would have liked to have known Prastin a little better). And I really must commend the immortals, despite what I believe to be their indifference to mass slayings, on their building, developing, coding, etc. The new combat system is truly mindblowing, and they should be proud of this accomplishment. I even liked the things they did with MUD school! For some reason I had a blast doing that one little lame quest in there. Anyways, I hope the immortals one day get players that are willing to meet them at the level of commitment that they obviously engage in when contributing to the mud. Right now, the playerbase is very small (I read one player saying he used to see it get in the 100s; I don't think this is true, I've never seen AR go beyond 80, and that was many years ago), and I honestly do not foresee the numbers improving anytime soon. This is sad, because the immortals put so much work in.

Anyways, I've gotten off topic a bit. I've posted this "review"/"complaint" in the hopes that it might spark some desire in either the players or the immortals to want to improve the overall personality of its playerbase. It would be counterproductive for a player to just leave without saying anything, since that doesn't help the mud or its administrators. I won't pretend to say I've been objective, but perhaps I was informative. Who knows? I'll be leaving now. Good luck.

[Trillian]

Sorry to hear you're leaving. Also, back in 99ish, it topped 100 easy (7th grade for me).

[Jamus]

Marlene and Sireph both killed me without a reason. Crap.

[Davairus]

1) Marlene

Marlene is low level. We have PK LIMIT at low levels, that prevents people from excessive killing there. You cannot run rampant as a lowbie, because you'll quickly max that limit out. At level 25, that limit is only 10 pks. After that, the players damage begins to suffer badly.

[Louis]

How about we sic Eldorian the cyborg on the bad apples again?

[Jamus]

I like AR, and I've been playing for 2 years. If that counts for anything. AR is cool.

[Grayden]

I think the rp went down when i got sent to iraq, i talked to everyone even if they just slaughtered me or the oposite. I have been playing for like 5years but when the numbers get to high it is harder, a two sided sword. I agree i love d&d. I love desk. I love lamp. <---lol

I will return when i get back from iraq dont give up on ar yet.

Grim

[Zireph]

Ok. I spose I will submit my little notes in here.

Sireph is a Gnome. I made him to prove that gnomes werent bullshit. Still havnt yet, because I havnt realy killed anyone worth killing in basic eq but I am currently working my way slowly to fifty. I know the fact that he is a gnome is no excuse, but I made the char with that specific intention, and I thought he had a worthy rp to dance around the rules a bit more than a normal player killing whore...Dks or shaman and whatnot...would.

Number two I think is quite clear. I dont like to rp. I am crappy at rp because I dont want to. The pking aspect of the mud is just so much more appealing to me. There are some people that I love to interact with. That are just fun to talk to. But most people are lousy and boring, so I do funny things that I think are funny, and thats the extent of my rp.

And Davo, I am glad that you see or someone else sees some improvement, but I dont want to promise you something that I dont want to do. I dont want to have a char like deiminos. I dont want to pk and have a rp that takes all day to play out. I get eq, I rank, I train like a muther, all because I want to pk someone else.

Formalism, I appologise if my actions caused any sort of frustration without giving my reason of killing you. I dont know who you played, but I am sure that if you had asked the gnome why he had killed you, he would have given you a justifiable reason.

I dont like to think that my actions send players away. I am sure that when I kill someone new, they get a wee bit frustrated. But generaly when I can tell the player is a noob, I assist them in re equiping or getting better eq, even after I killed them. I hand out random eq that hides in my sack...I am not the asshole that will kill anything and everything without reason, and then not talk. We leave that to Louis. IE Hauser.

Now louis I am not pointing fingers or nuthin. I think you enjoy the Pk experience aswell. I am just saying that I at least attempt to keep a talking attitude, because I dont enjoy the silent killer type. I just have more fun goofing around.

I feel that I am mostly defending myself to davo, but I wanted to at least get across that I am playing a game to the best of my ability, and your right. I dont care about the guys feelings on the other side. But I do try not to be a mindless killer, but I also love this game because of the pk aspect and only the pk aspect. The only reason I put any thought at all into rp is because it is required. You obviously have a mutual feeling on both aspects, and there are certain people who love the rp. I think its all part of the game.

[Davairus]

774/774hp 439/607m 370/370mv 10687tnl 421113xp 23092g>
who
[ Gnome ] Vagut the Forest Pupil
[ Avian ] Pelfrad Dredab the Caretaker
[ Elf ] Zalkon Ryln the Believer
[ Elf ] Ellard Adair the Templar
[ Avian ] Trium the Hated
[ Human ] Araym Niven the Demon Slayer
[ Human ] Renvall the Caroler
[ Minot ] Ekim the Hostile
[ Stone ] Brambleton Thisselhopf the Master of Warders
[ Human ] Lare the White Belt
[ Drow ] Draven Baalraag the Tori
[ Human ] Artumius Entrie the Tateken
[ Human ] Jazzeal the Master of the Soul
[ Human ] Attolicus Ceasar the Greater Crime Lord
[ Human ] Keebu Kinetik the Greater Golem Maker
[ Stone ] <PK> Ramod the Ranger Knight
[ Elf ] Geleaux the Bow Bearer
[ Human ] Golom the Scullery Man
[ Undea ] <PK> Githnaru Tzumnae the Plagued, Soul of Eternal Suffering
[ Beast ] Vilhelm Umatour the Bowyer
[ Drow ] Joram the Dishonorable
[ Slith ] Vakath Komas the Swashbuckler
[ Fire ] Dikumud the Trainee
[ Half ] Yondalla the Assassin
[ Human ] Mithaniel Marr the Templar General, Knight of Valour
[ H-Elf ] Kalzaris Rastalone the Guardian of the Forest
[ Avian ] Sakuro Minmitsu the Master of Kyusho
[ Slith ] Kurdt the Lieutenant
[ Fire ] Vingorth the Dark Priest
[ Storm ] Rharc Asyba the Cardinal of the Air
[ Duerg ] Daewar the Sharper
[ Avian ] Deakin the Snatcher
[ Human ] Tabitha Lightfoot the Mistress of the North Wind
[ Gnome ] Aurian the Master Channeler
[ Human ] Brenthen Kaori the Wizard of the Mystic
[ Gnome ] Kkyle the Medium of Magic
[ Human ] Usmle the Paladin Knight
[ Fire ] Zdurukuk the Hostile
[ Dwarf ] Phostan Mistupsio the Divine Healer, Squire of Yilhet
[ Fire ] <PK> Ranec Bandersnatch the Master of Iron
[ Avian ] Crymson Mirrorshade the Ogoshi
[Hit Return to continue]
[ Elf ] <PK> Kelly the Shepherd of the Misguided
[46 Human Ran] <PK> Everand Nevinishrall the Keeper of the Glade
[ Dwarf ] <PK> Neonin Ninpri the Master of Steel
Players matched: 44
There are 48 characters on, the most on since startup was 79.


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Players near you:
Raizak The Infirmary
Fahazuli Battle Arena
Cyndane The Common Road
Arakkhan The South Square
Coligne Potion Shop
Xerties A Small Burnt Field
<PK> Kersh Inside the West Gate
<PK> Jacob Inside the West Gate
Deianeira Chamber of Rituals
Seidal The South Square
Gaiden Chamber of Rituals
Shinoko The South Square
<PK> Teaquachtran Chamber of Chivalry
Muricelle Inside the Monastery
<PK> Yilhet Inside the West Gate
Ein Inside the East Gate
<PK> Thalia Inside the West Gate
<PK> Hrothgar The Common Road
<PK> Kiranoth The Common Road
Tarlmen Secluded Camp
Kaznodies The South Square
Aeilron Chamber of Chivalry
Alucard The South Square

[Zireph]

Gosh. I wish I was any where close to decent back then. Could always find someone to rank with and kill I am sure.

[Andur]

[ Stone ] Brambleton Thisselhopf the Master of Warders - Killed him once
[ Stone ] <PK> Ramod the Ranger Knight - Fought him once, draw, before we were 50.
[ Undea ] <PK> Githnaru Tzumnae the Plagued, Soul of Eternal Suffering - Was good friends with, fought twice, never killed each other.
[ Human ] Mithaniel Marr the Templar General, Knight of Valour - Killed him once in a single round.
[ Dwarf ] Phostan Mistupsio the Divine Healer, Squire of Yilhet - Killed each other once.
[ Fire ] <PK> Ranec Bandersnatch the Master of Iron - Leveled to 50 with him once.
[ Elf ] <PK> Kelly the Shepherd of the Misguided - Killed her several times.
[46 Human Ran] <PK> Everand Nevinishrall the Keeper of the Glade - Killed him twice, at least.
[ Dwarf ] <PK> Neonin Ninpri the Master of Steel - Leveled with him some in the 40's.

Players matched: 44
There are 48 characters on, the most on since startup was 79.

Cool list. I love those old WHO lists. Really brings back some memories.

[Nick]

Who the hell were you Andur...Klemerotogme?

[Andur]

No, but I did know Klem.

[Sethronu]

yo formalism are you alfonso?

[Cidero]

Alot of things have definately changed from way back in the days... I think the roleplaying has definately drastically dropped. Along with that is also the player base. Those old who lists definately show that. It was easy to level up to 50 back then cuz their really were tons of people asking you to group all the time! If you thought running into another group now while trying to level up is bad, you should have seen it back then. I used to play alot back then. I also am with whoever posted this here and trying it out again. The Immortals definately have changed alot of things. When it comes to the areas and what not, it is awesome(Although I am having a tough time finding everything, since I am from some time ago)... I havent played long enough to say much else though to some detail, so to some it up... The player base and roleplaying has dropped for sure, but the MUD itself is improving. I give it up to you Immortals for doing a good job.

[Davairus]

Its gotten FAR easier to RP well with things like backgrounds, ecast, Herald taverns, nobles, pets, esay, even autogrammar to just ease typing.. stuff like the recent surge in cabal applicants in the 30s has brought up some renown squires already. Each month the Mystique gets bigger than the previous addition - they went from a 5 page beginning to 25.. RP certainly hasnt been on the decline. None of this even existed back then..it was just cabals and tattoos thats about it. So I'd like to give our players a pat on the back too. I've been extremely impressed with the amount of people using ecast..

[marsd]

Though I can't say I'm a vet/really good PKers, i've toned down trash pking random people, and I've actually bothered to RP with various chars. I think a few others are too, but there are still many players around for example quote "PKing to me is like a sport", etc etc and PK for the thrill of it.

[_Clifton_]

If there's one thing that defines AR and it's playerbase, it is it's love for PK. When I first started, it was a trend towards trashing and ganking, and completely owning for a hard-on by teenaged, pimply-faced boys. It's a refined, unique, and complex system that's fairly difficult to grasp. That being said, AR allows for amazing RP and character interaction. Sure, a lot of it is silly stupid stuff, but if the participants are enjoying it *cough*, what's the big deal right. RP that fits the theme of AR is always a plus. Ecast, emote, esay, it's all pretty cool.

[Davairus]

Just added "sayto" so that its easier to speak to people in crowds. Also, the emote part of esay now allows capital letters too.

[theobserver]

I dont agree that rp has declined since the Good Ol Days (tm) either. It may be that the best then, were better than our best right now but on average it was just the Ye and Thou form of rubbish.