Conquest of the Horde

Well, in my forum browsing I skimmed over some parts of this. I'd read it more but there were just a few comments I wanted to make, mainly in regards to favoritism etc etc.

I've wandered from rp community to rp community (from WoW servers to entirely different rp games) and when it comes down to it, the GMs will never be able to please anyone imo at this specific point. Sometimes a bit of favoritism stimulates amazing roleplay events that otherwise could not have happened without extra GM help. Or, to quote Clovis earlier:

Quote:Yes, I know we want a level playing field, but sometimes the designated villain needs to go super saiyan for the sake of the storyline. Same goes with the odd good guy. If everything is 'fair and balanced', then storylines will simply stagnate.

Then again, there is another side to this correct? Its not fair that a player gets special privileges over players (even if they are just doing it for enhancing rp for everyone). And not every player actually uses privileges to make the game more interesting for everyone else. To answer this problem you would think 'Well, GMs can make really awesome storylines and no one should accuse them of favoritism.'

But apparently not from Rosencrat's earlier post (and I'm truly disappointed the Ziggurat rp is now over). Even Gms will be accused of playing favorites or just helping themselves. If that's a case we've got a really problematic community going on here.

What I'd like to perhaps give as an answer to this situation is an idea I've presented at multiple gaming communities. So far, only the game I'm a Developer for has actually accepted it as something to establish when on track. A separate category of GM whose job is specifically to hold events, storylines, etc. Sort of like a DM (or EM for Event Master if you want). The EM can simply run events as he/she chooses to or promote the events of other players.

I know what someone's going to say. EM will play favorites. Not really. By submitting your storyline to an EM you have to realize the EM is really in control. The EM can set limits and also, will be required to promote that storyline to the entire server. You cannot have your set group of friends only, it becomes a free event.

I've actually written a lot on this EM concept in the past and as I've seen Rigley's calls for actually talking to him one on one about an issue I promise to personally take the time and send you a message discussing whether the team would take this into consideration at all (as soon as I get passed these next few midterms).

After giving it some thought, on all other points I concede to Jason whose wisdom sometimes baffles me:

Quote:What this means is you, the GM's shouldn't really give a damn if people are pissed off at you. Let them fire off their hormonal fury, because in the end it doesn't matter, and CotH carries on being its dandy great self. Honestly, has anyone else seen the kind of community other servers produce? I was disgusted.

Perhaps one might say I've been out of the loop (and usually I avoid the loop anyways) so I don't know the true state of things but regardless, this sums up my feelings.

I'm a bit concerned about the favoritism topic. I am not sure what favoritism goes on around the GM team, but overall it seems that GMs will do their best to be fair to other players, friend or not.

I am not sure if I am the only one but I knew I was directly called out as being favored by Rigley. I just wanted to debunk these two instances.

The Succubus:

Grakor was the one who said it was feasible to play a succubus. He was the one that said I could go ahead and make the profile. Hawk was the person who approved my profile.

The Succubus was a test character and Grakor and I had a talk before about if I was willing to let it go should things not work out well. Because of this I tested playing the succubus, talked to Grakor about my thoughts on the matter, then killed the character permanently. Rigley played no part in this situation.

The sapper:

I heard two rumors. One was that I had a sapper(which is true) and the second rumor was that I had a goblin sapper (which was not true).

A sapper is a category 1 prestige. Any grunt can make a character of theirs a sapper because it's a variant of the tinker class.

As an extra note there have been times when I got into arguments with players, and the player would turn around and say that I was using Rigley to help me out. Sometimes there were NO GMs involved in the argument at all and people still felt the need to call out Rigley for what went back and forth between me and the player. So I want to say this now: Rigley and I are not one unit. What I do or say is not the same as what Rigley will do or say. In fact, Rigley goes out of the way to avoid my problems on CotH. He doesn't do any of my profiles, or respond to my PMs to the GM-team, and usually doesn't interfere with my problems.

The most Rigley and I do on CotH is rp together. In fact, I feel a bit bad that Rigley has to treat me less than the other players, or not help me out because it may be seen as favoritism.

I just want to ask that you specify what favoritism is going on. I'm sure not all of it has to do with me and Rigley, but I am certain that some of it may be rumors, or don't have both sides of the story on the matter.

Personally speaking, I think it's less about IC stuff and more about how people are handled. Sometimes people get away with bending the respect rule if they are a GM's friend, or other rules in general, from what I've seen.

Also, Wuvvums, my concearns don't address you specifically, but more than a handful of people, actually. In all honestly I -do- think there may be some things that you say that others would get in trouble for, but really it's a suggestion to the GMs as a whole rather than you or Rigley personally.

Really, too, don't take offense to it because it's natural to do since you both know eachother IRL and all. I just can see how it could come off as biast towards everyone else.

Duraza, I know of another wow server that does just that, and honestly, that sole thing has made me wonder if at the end of my extended break whether I should come back to CotH or go to that server again. It's a fantastic idea that I can vouch for; in concept, and in motion which I've seen happen. With the help of the player base, there were some reall fantastic ideas.

The main one I was involved in ( there were several major storylines at once usually) was based in Dustwallow. Involved soulgems, necromancers, undead legions, and a skeleton with some crazy bow skills. Any way, you couldn't walk along a main road through the marsh without some sort of random encounter involved in the storyline. Reinforcements were called in from stormwind and Bael Modan, as well as detectives. Now I'm rambling, but tl;dr Duraza's idea is awesome.

But I don't think it justifies the rumors about us, and I do feel like it's really unfair to Rigley. Anyways, I think I do have something constructive to offer on another note.

Power and Fairness: GMs are given some special privileges over players. GMs are allowed to level to 80 without having to get a profile made. GMs can have prestiges without having to go through the process. GMs can also play as guards and can NPC them as well as the surroundings.

Is this fair to the other players? Maybe, or maybe not.

Is it a bad thing? Really depends on what the GM is doing.

GMs can do many things that players can not. But this gives us an opportunity to do new things on the server, with the GMs watching on and assisting with their special privileges.

For example: Player are not allowed to play an enemy faction. However, with the GMs help, players were for some time allowed to play Scarlet crusaders. Here was a case where a GM was using his or her special privileges to allow for an rp opportunity that usually doesn't happen. Sometimes a GM will do something that won't benefit players, but we can expect that they will use their privileges responsibly.

So I would say trust GMs, trust them with their powers. Maybe what they can do can be used to your advantage. If a GM is running an event where their group is getting strong, you could rp in their group, or take the opportunity to find friends and do a counter-offensive. What I am trying to say is give it a chance, go with the flow, you might get an opportunity to do something or help someone that normally wouldn't happen.

To GMs:

Carry through with your plans and use your gifts given to you by your position to make new rp opportunities. Perhaps you can even offer to collaborate with other players if they want help running an event or story line too.

To the players:

Trust GMs, they often have been given their position for a good reason. If you feel a GM was being unfair to you, or there's a power abuse going on, then don't be afraid to PM the GM team about your concerns. Also, if you think of some idea for a story line that might be fun, perhaps take it up to the GMs and ask how they could help you with your ideas. Who knows, they might give you a chance on it.

To everyone: Have fun and rp.

Quote:GM's can make prestige characters without going through the prestige process,

That not true.

Really? I didn't see a training thread for a character like Tzekel. I think I also saw Mr Bubbles playing a dark ranger in one event.

Okay. Fair to the players is something that I wanna address... Mostly because -you- are a player, Wuvvums. It's unfair to -other- players.

See what I mean now? I understand it, yes, and I understand Rigley has his own ways to go about doing things, but when it comes to how you are treated, I think it should be pretty standard. And as I said before, this isn't just about you and Rigley, even though it's starting to appear that way since it's becoming the main focal point of this discussion at the moment.

Saying there isn't any sort of biast just isn't true, there is, and it's not a the difference between Gms and players sort of biast, it's a player/player biast.

I just wanted to say that some of the biasness are rumors, and that it's unfair to pin down others for being biased based on that.

Wuvvums Wrote:Really? I didn't see a training thread for a character like Tzekel. I think I also saw Mr Bubbles playing a dark ranger in one event.

I believe Tzekel had a special way of training. That, and the dark ranger was made most likely solely for the event and not for the pleasure of the GM.

We are not withholding prestige from the players and making them for ourselves. That is a rumor I want stomped out right this instant.

Okay. I'm speaking from what I've seen, on the forums. I'm never in game. And what I see is this: there are people who are -very- outgoing and outspoken all over this forum, some people are outright aggressive to the point of ignoring rules on respect. AND, they get away with it. Saying it's a rumor is fine, as I'm sure there -are- some silly ones running around, but let's be honest here... you have special things other players couldn't get, and special treatment.

And you are not the only one. Hell, I wouldn't have even brought you up if you hadn't, to be honest. I really don't know your situation beyond what you've provided and what I've read on the forums.

Look away from this here post if profanity offends you.

Just noticed that after I finished it, funnily enough.

I have that grievous habit of ranting madly about things without remembering what I was ranting about.

...But my lady love has told me that more often than not there's some sort of genius woven into the tomfoolery...

So I post it anyways!

I think the favoritism nonsense is benign at best.

I know the current faculty well enough that while they're no doubt fonder of some than others, it's not like they aren't using common sense. Their jobs are a labor of love, they receive no pay, and even if they did it's often a fast-track to leaping off a bridge if your only affection is for your work.

...What am I sa- Oh yes,

I... My stance on the GM staff is that they're okay-doke and that the administration that oversees them, with their fancy red names, perfect literary conventions, and infallible affability knows best in who they want wielding their foul server sorcery.

I'm gonn' go nom my lollipop under the rainbow tree, in the pretty pink field of flowers only I can see.
My train of thought has not only crashed, it flew off the rails into a temporal warp.
Or a pool of opium, but the effects on one's mind are quite identical.

Lost, stop making your posts so fun to read.

c0rzilla Wrote:Lost, stop making your posts so fun to read.

Busy tripping the light fantastic in the paradise garden that is my lunacy.

But I might want to stop derailing this thread, mm?