I think since my last visit, the general
sensible (by which I mean non-bickering, non-insult trading) consensus, is clearly that
AOS was the key factor that spoiled the game in many of our opinions.
For my own part, I embraced
all aspects of the game as was. PvP, PvM, crafting, roleplay (which I actually enjoyed back then), adventuring, community interaction...
My main reasons for leaning towards a Felucca-only ruleset, was simply based upon my recollection of my own immersion in the game at that time, along with the larger community interaction I enjoyed.
I have in some of my previous posts, defended certain aspects of PvP (combat and theives), to a certain degree. Perhaps this was based upon my own "non-grief" approach to playing the game. Frankly, I didn't see the point in knowingly spoiling someone else's enjoyment of the game. After all, that's why we play games is it not? Escapeism, to immerse ourselves in a fantasy setting, to find enjoyment in something that's not perhaps available in our
real lives.
The game I enjoyed and felt most "immersed" in, was pre-AOS. PvP was indeed a part of the game I participated in, though only if there was a point to it (roleplay, guild wars,
genuine 1v1 challenges/duels, etc...), it was still just a part of my game, no more than a quarter of my overall activity.
I think the biggest single challenge, other than to roll back to a pre-AOS age, is simply
how to retain a workable element of PvP, which keeps everyone happy. This seems to be the single biggest cause for dispute in this thread.
Let me give you some insight into what I like
(ed)/enjoy
(ed) about PvP.
Before I moved fully to Europa, I thoroughly enjoyed factions PvP on Great Lakes. Unfortunately, my ping on GL was poor, which meant I died a lot, but I adapted by creating a character that wasn't essentially reliant on speed, but stealth. I used this character to scout for the rest of the
team. Although this perhaps isn't what some would call "true" PvP, I enjoyed it simply because it was a
group effort to capture town sigils and a
group effort to defend them. Essentially, my "fun" when it comes to PvP, lies in PvP with a point to it. Not items, nor kudos, simply a
reason to participate, just like a group PvM encounter against a "tough" monster or spawn. This of course was in more recent times.
I've simply never seen the point to large groups of players ganking one or two players, unless those one or two are
willing participants. I've never seen the point of "hanging out" at Yew gate, just to wallop the first person that comes through the gate. Simply put, I've never seen the point of PvP,
without a point!
If PvP in a "classic" shard can be implemented for a reason
other than it being a cause of grief for those who aren't particularly into it, then I'm all ears to
good suggestions.
For what it's worth, I had a red character for a while. Some players misunderstood at the time, that because I had a red, "murderer", PK.... that I must have been one of the "bad" griefer types. Far from it. For me, turning a character red was fulfilling a "role". One in which was an "evil" alter-ego if you will. I only participated in PvP with my red, against willing participants. On many occasions, other players would wonder why there was a red player near to them, that wasn't immediately whacking at them. Usually my response would be that if they wanted me to attack them and instigate a battle, then I would be happy to oblige. If they didn't, that was fine too, they or I could walk away. Sadly, reading through not only this thread, but some of those externally linked in an earlier post, that maybe I was in a minority in my play-style.
I even recall at one point, being part of a "red" Highwayman's guild. We would
role-play holding people to ransom on a stretch of road. Passers-by could pay our "levy" and we would let them pass. To be fair, it was something daft like 100gp or some regs, nothing "serious". Some people would respond negatively to our "demands" and complain or bicker (took it far too personally in other words), we would simply let them on their way, rather than have any hassle. Some would be happy to pay our pitiful toll, pleased that they had managed to meet these
unusual role-players they'd heard about. Others, would seek to hunt us down and bring us to "justice". It was all a
game. Unfortunately, some of the newer recruits to the guild didn't share our "ideals" or "style" of play and began to sully our reputation by griefing and harassing other players needlessly. It's at this point I decided that things were heading in the
wrong direction, whereupon I left the guild. Sadly, some idiots had spoiled what previously been simply some fun and gamesmanship.
If that's clearly the case though, that people
can't be held to account for their actions, that rampant and unabated non-con PK'ing were to rise it's head again in a "classic" shard, then I agree with those who have already suggested as such... it wouldn't last very long. It would spoil the game for those who aren't into PvP, it would also spoil it for those that are, but are for a point or a reason. I didn't experience the negative side of it perhaps as much as others have, though I have seen enough of it over the years to understand completely where you're coming from.
Mindful of that, for any "classic" shard to be successful, given the diversity of players, it's got to have
some form of
consent-only PvP. Hopefully that in itself, would keep the idiots, griefers, "rotten apples", away from the shard, letting the rest of us simply enjoy
the game.
Even if a shard was created, where there was no PvP, either permanently or until they could work out a proper, working system, to manage it properly, I would still be there in a shot. It's the pre-AOS,
skills over items era, that I want a return to, more than anything else.
As for the free servers, I've played on them too. I played on one for over three years, though it only had a small population, it had a great community. Everybody played the game for fun and if there was ever anyone who came along to grief or cause problems, *poof* they were gone. The players policed the shard themselves for the most part. There was always a GM around, there were "senior" trusted players around, and they would react swiftly, when the community called.
Although you can't make
direct comparisons to the "free" servers ("free" versus "paid" for being one aspect, certainly when it comes to subscriptions), when debating this subject, we can't deny that some of them, do have very good aspects to them that
would be worthy of consideration in an "official classic" server.
Well, another wall of text rolleyes:
Back to you now
great post
