Okay I am going to weigh in here because for some reason people seem to care what I think so you get the Gareth two cents. I can argue both sides of this debate and again for some reason people seem to think telling me how they feel will change things but I have learned you need to speak up on your own, not through someone else and you all have done that.
Now I have allowed people to give their views and opinions here which would not be allowed on the Chesapeake shard forum and expect it to be civil which for the most part it has been but I do not feel it is fair to line up coworkers (EMS) and play let’s compare who is better and point out their individual flaws. Good lord I would not feel very good about myself if people put a big bright spotlight on me and then stood someone else like WarderDragon, Winfield, CatLord or any other community leader and said “well he is better then you because his storylines are professional and well yours look like a 5th graders.” That to me would be so degrading, hurtful and would just devastate me. We’re not here to compare EMs because
Number 1. They do not event moderate for the same shard community
Number 2. They are different people who believe it or not have feelings
Slasher of what was it? V...something? Umm pardon me but I have never seen Dudley or Drosselmeyer use it on Chesapeake so how is that over used? It was my first time ever battling one and winning. I find this point to be invalid because it was not used on Chesapeake before.
If I was Dudley *tries to get into Dudleys head* Chocolate….butterscotch…. Nickelodeon… Okay let’s get out of there! When I was planning the event which put bluntly people are saying “Stunk” I would expect around maybe 20-30 players. The event that was setup would have been perfect for that number and lasted much longer, allowing him more time to do interaction BUT when a icq message went out that was meant for a few rare collectors who assisted our township in defense and support things we do, a contact wide message was sent out reaching almost every Rare collector and players from Atlantic, Catskills, Baja, Pacific, Lake Superior, Great Lakes and of course Chesapeake and who was the jackass that fat fingered the message that went out? Well that would be GARETH (me). So if you want someone to blame for the packed in “who touched my ars” crowd and quickly ending event then you need to blame me, not EM Dudley because normally if I send out a mass similar to that I give him a email heads up. SO EM Dudley did his job right, he planned the event accordingly for Chesapeake players not half the East Coast.
Item wise was I disappointed? Yes I was because I like items that mean something to me. Items which remind me of the event and the work the communities did together. Would I have appreciated a township series item to commemorate the Patrols many townships took part in? The team work we all did? Yes but I also know that if we didn’t get something this time that Dudley and Drosselmeyer would have something for us later. Now sometimes depending on the item such as the Crisis Statue which I can use in RP I do buy those and items that I can use which pertain to my township which is why I had no problem putting myself in even more debt (sorry Lineman forgive me) by obtaining the Blue painting that had “Ethereal Void” in the name.
-Does the item have any shard history value for me? No
-Do I have a single clue what event it was from or the storyline? No
I bought it because I run the Ethereal Void Imperium and it said “Ethereal Void” on it. So I understand the collectors side of things but if that EM wanted it to be an item for only players of their shard to obtain then they might find what I did very annoying and frustrating. I use to believe that Dudley was anti items but that is not the case, I actually spent hours discussing the topic with Dudley and Drosselmeyer and what I walked away with was a greater understand that our EMS want Chesapeake players to receive keepsakes or really P.I.M.P items for their achievements and progression of events. Unfortunately this policy I feel hurts Chesapeake players and hope another way will be found for item distribution.
Now my biggest disappointment is when we do fishing tournaments and spend 4 – 8hours straight fishing and walk away with a Sons of the Sea sash (which I like but I have like five of them) or we get a plaque that gets moved to the Hall of Recognition (I am at work can’t remember the exact name) and side note, all of plaques in all of the NPC townships because to me it feels like for some reason they are a special unknown exception to the rule. (I can send you a location list)
Another disappointing area are design and decoration contests, I honestly spent days on my display and put everything into it and again received a scroll which went to the Hall of Recognition which I don’t think many players even know where that is. It would be really nice to receive even a simple little holiday bell that said “Gareth First Place Holiday Design Contest Winner” I added the name because who wants to own a trophy with another players name on it? I mean Slushy at least deserved a patch of ice of something! He had a face that only a mother could love (LoL)
Now if we are going to get into the event design, setup and execution I have to say that Dudley and Drossmelmeyer impress me (not do it better) “impress me” the most out of anything game wide in my 13years of game play. THEY BLEW UP A CASTLE! Do you know how many times I wanted to blow up someones castle because I wanted the spot?! THEY BLEW UP A CASTLE! And yes it had a little glitch which made the stealable items go bye bye but you know what they are always trying new things and pushing the limits of the game.
Few more examples
Three story Bean Stalk?!? Hello Fe Fi Fo Fum! And did you see that enchanted library?
Hidden Temple? Have you ever seen something more shiny? And how about the event that took DAYS to figure out how to do it…”the right way”
They blew up my pet! I mean the boat! Okay little opps there but it was quickly fixed and if I recall it was the first boat explosion and they gave us what we asked for. We said we want a massive sea battle and they gave it to us…and if im correct didn’t we get items? Harpoons? Every time I see that Harpoon brown heavy crossbow I remember that event…..because the event before Niva and I won first place in the Queens Race…no prize though.
I missed the final battle with the servant but I remember Mesanna coming over and fixing books making those kick butt Gargoyle ones…which had to be fixed again and gave us those awesome Necromancer Runebooks. I heard that event was awesome and by the way Rare collectors…..those books marked as (*) not on your life! Two were given out for each player there and from what I could tell there was no 200+ people at that event.
Captain Bloodrums Challenge anyone? Remember when some mean old man killed the white rabbit? and I totally grabbed an axe and busted Dudleys chest…I mean that wasn’t me *throws the axe into Niva’s hands* We went through the chocolate mounds and battled some kick butt beasts.
I can go on and on about event content and more because I have years and years of archived pictures and News stories not to mention a massive 5+ page directory mostly dedicated to the shard EMS. In Dudleys Two or almost Three years? (You old Fart) never before have we ever gone a single month with no events, not one single time! If the argument is he doesn’t do enough or hosts lame events then you really need to examine everything as I have. The one thing I wish would change is for the storylines to not have a prewritten ending. The only thing we affect as players is how we get there and it feels like a play so I would like to see alternative endings created.
I have written allot and I do encourage people to share their opinions and nothing I have written was to offend previous posters but this is how I truly feel and I do feel the Ems intention to give event prizes to Chesapeake players is a genuine and noble one but I also feel its outcome is a negative one and needs to be reworked, especially the contests and tournament one because some of us put insane amount of hours into them and yes people can say well then don’t partake in them. To that my reply will be “Just remember the professional designers did not compete” Which by the way I am mad that someone I feel designs better than I did not enter.
~Gareth
