End of Year Discussion Post

[animusmods]

It's the beginning of the end of the world of 2012, Animus! The game has been open for about eighteen months, and since it's the end of the year, let's have a discussion post. Here's how this is going to work: this post will be divided up into subcategories, and you guys can discuss among yourselves and with us whatever you want about the topic in question. Tell us things you want to see, tell us things you want us to stop doing, tell us things we're doing right if you want!

Please remain civil in your discussions; we will be watching the post and will step in if things get too heated anywhere. Respect each others' opinions even if you don't agree with them. Anonymous commenting is currently enabled, but will be disabled if abused.


Topics: Questions | Plot | Gameplay | Activity | Miscellaneous

Comments

[attheclocktower]

I'd like to start this off by saying that this is only a suggestion/potential idea and I welcome any and all discussion/modification to this idea because I realize that... yeah.

Basically something I've noticed and seen discussed with a few people is that while the game hasn't devolved into slice of life - you've done an excellent job keeping it from becoming that! - there is a certain element where things are becoming... routine. If that makes sense. Events and things like experiments, games and Ruana's post help, but in the end after the events are over characters can go back to their routines - whether or not they actually do so.

Some of this does come down to the playerbase and what they decide to do with their characters, I'll definitely admit that - like if I hadn't had burnout during the October event and been able to play more with Xion's twisted side she probably would be coping with things a lot differently, but... I still think that overall things have gotten a bit status-quo-ish for the overarching plot. Or maybe that's because I can't see the bigger picture, I don't know.

I realize this is really vague but... I thought it might be interesting to have something that would shake those routines up. Something that would change how the characters interact with the Tower or each other, how they view themselves or the admins or their worlds or something. It can be the characters thinking they're making progress only for something worse to happen, or something drastic to change in the Tower itself, or just some massive paradigm shift of some sort.

I understand though that there are a lot of problems with this - what I'm talking about is threatening to tread onto the ground of massive gameplay changes which would be difficult to facilitate and even more difficult to get everybody on board with, and it's difficult to make big, potentially game-changing stuff like this that you can opt out of.

That's why I want to open this idea for discussion, even if it's coming up with other ideas, or even just everybody disagreeing with me. I'm personally okay with things staying/progressing as they are for now, but I just want to help with ways of keeping characters guessing and having lots to do with them and... yeah.

[warriorscribe]

I don't think it's possible for a game to not develop a baseline of status quo unless every single event was an earthshaker, which can be exhausting to write and moderate and alienating to newbies trying to settle in. It's in human nature to develop a routine, so you're going to see routines emerge and stick, long term and short term. It's been part of real human survival for millennia, so fictional people, human or not, in a survival situation...

Anyway, I get the feeling the plot will shake things up on its own as it continues. Just my own vibes regarding it. But I like that the plot is leisurely, it's got a good pace to settle into.

[attheclocktower]

That's fair enough, though I will add I wouldn't think/expect/want this should become a regular thing, just... every once in a while. Maybe once a year, twice at absolute most. Perhaps even less.

And yeah, alienating newer players who are still getting used to the current aspects of the game is something I was concerned about. It... wouldn't be fair to change everything on them just as they're getting settled.

I wonder if there's maybe something that could start affecting the older characters. Not just the death count/penalties associated, but psychologically, or something like that. It could be opt-in. I dunno it was a sudden thought that occurred to me just now.

[warriorscribe]

That would be interesting to see! Though it depends on how feasible it is for the plot, whatever that entails. Only mods know. (And I do like the opt-in idea. Animus life wears on my character's psyche just fine. <_<)

[animusmods]

I may be able to move up a specific Plot Point, if there's enough interest in shaking things up!

[warriorscribe]

Personally, I'm fine with things moving forward as they are, and getting to that plot point when the plot gets there. But no complaints if enough people say otherwise. :)

[thousandcurses]

I think there might be, especially after the Ruana thing. She set the stage for a worldshaking plot point, for sure, so it wouldn't seem too out of pace, IMO.

[attheclocktower]

NGL, possibly unrelated but I am morbidly curious to see what happens when someone does lose their soul in Animus now. If we're talking about things we'd like to see someday.

[temptestament]

I'm also kind of curious about that, actually.

[caliginous]

casting my vote in the "no ty" column due to finals/holidays/work in december. january to february would be a lot easier for me personally, at least.

[always_lies]

Yeah, I'd be interested.

[technologic]

I'm gonna say maybe this month isn't the best time for a Plot Point, due to exams and holidays and such.

[reddeadvirtuoso]

I'm gonna go with Jayes and Erin and say not this month-- people are gonna be on vacation the latter half, but there's also family/holiday/blah blah year end rl stuff they'll probably be dealing with, especially if someone's working in retail. I wouldn't mind moving the plot point up to a sooner date, just not in December.

[rewindingly]

I'm okay with anything! But I know December is a busy time for a lot of people...

[derping]

I'd say moving it up to this month would be a bad idea, but having something come up in January or February would be great!