Prestige Titles: My Opinions

[Stormgald]

First I would like to state that this was originally intended as a reply to Grakor's post, but due to the excessive amount of replies, I knew my post would soon be flooded by others, buried and left unread. And I just can't have that.

I believe that a Prestige shouldn't be a goal for people who just want to be all powerful and kill everyone elses characters in a combat RP. That being said. If I'm going to write a ten thousand word story, there should at least be one perk other than just playing the prestige itself (seeing as very little people will even read your 16 post story of no less than 600 words per post. No one ever likes your story as much as you do) because to be honest, anyone who is rolling a Prestige wants something out of the ordinary, and how out-of-the-ordinary would that be if your prestige wasn't as powerful as they really are in lore..? Is that so bad to want to be powerful for once? My God people...

I personally despise combat RP; but whenever I do participate in a combat RP, I make sure myself and my opponent are clear about certain things like roll bonuses. I'm a strong believer in courtesy. Hell, I would even have regular roll battles with my Demon Hunter against other base classes, but I guess I wont get the chance because people can't make up their damned minds.

I joined CotH because it was different. I was happy with the Sin'sholai and such events that occurred pre-restart because it made CotH different than retail. I like to think our characters have an effect on lore. If we don't have custom events like that then our characters make zero and I mean ZERO impact on lore. I loved the idea of CotH having its own splintered lore. I completely disagree with Grakor on that subject.

(I have never been heated before on the CotH forums and I don't mean to sound so, it's just kind of coming out. I am not angry, I am irritated.)

To get back on topic. I love prestiges and I would love to create one. And yes, I think it would be nice to have at least one toon that is more powerful than the average character. Is that a crime? Why is that so damned bad? I would have 29 other characters that aren't prestige that I would still play! And like I stated before, I despise combat RP, and I mean despise. Though, I still do participate in it when required and it can be enjoyable sometimes.

I guess I can safely say that the reason for my irritation is that this is the third (or maybe fourth) time prestiges have been cancelled since I've joined the server. When I saw that prestiges were making a comeback I got very excited as the system seemed fair. I sat down for almost two days strait and wrote a whole prestige story. And for prestiges to be shut down right after they are re-introduced? My god. (I realize they aren't officially shut down... Yet, but from what I've deduced from Grakor's post, they will be eventually. And now I don't even want to do a prestige post if they are to all be wiped at the next server restart. I wrote that story for nothing! I can never use that for anything again! I don't plan on becoming an English major or anything so I can't submit it as a sample piece! I wrote it specifically for CotH. I feel completely offended that the CotH team would do that, not saying that they would, but if they do.)

I have nothing but love for Kretol, Grakor and the rest of the team because they formed the gem that is CotH. I once said that I would never leave CotH, even if it resulted in my purchasing of the server. (I was kidding of course about purchasing it.) But I'm hanging on by a thread guys. I know many of you don't know me and wouldn't care, but I care. If I didn't I wouldn't have made this post.

Thanks guys. Hope to see this resolved and I will see you ingame!

[Zarquon]

Agreed, word for word. I am one of those dolts who actually can and used to play Retail, but abandoned it because Private RP servers actually allow far more customizations, and more importantly, the ability to have your character's actions be recognized and affect the world around you which I feel is an instrumental part of a dynamic and morphic world. The world changes. Things happen. It isn't frozen in -that one point in time-.

Once again, I would like to vaunt Brutal's tier progression system for Prestige Classes, for nothing more than the fact that it is so much better for development. The idea is one where everyone can aim for a prestige, and prestige is something that is obtained over months, and you can RP the 'mid-points', so to speak. Rather than the current idea of:

So you are nothing. Two months and ten thousand words later. So you are everything.

I think that more or less defeats the entire point of a Prestige System and is a fundamental flaw in it. Personally, I would like to aim for a Prestige, but I haven't even gave an application for one because I just feel that it will actually stymy and prevent me from RPing my character than develop my character. I always believe that for a world to be a world, it must be dynamic. When it is no longer dynamic, it isn't a world. The current Prestige System is an epitome of the 'One-point in time' idea, and hence it is nothing more than a projection of a flawed ideology that results, ultimately, in a flawed system.

Either you are, or you are not. A Prestige System that is not progressive encourages players to aim for the end, and not the journey.

[Wuvvums]

If I'm going to write a ten thousand word story, there should at least be one perk other than just playing the prestige itself...

...I sat down for almost two days strait and wrote a whole prestige story.

I don't mean to antagonize...

But it's not really that much writing, especially if you can get it out in two days. The actual time it takes to make a prestige is artificially lengthened by two posts per week, but this isn't the first time I've seen people finish all their prestige writing before even taking it.

Writing can be difficulty but it's not THAT difficult. I was writing books upon books for entertainment when I was 9. Should we really grant people the privilege of a certified unique/special character because they can make IC posts?

I just wanted to note... how easy it really is to have a prestige made if you think about it. Is it really that much work lost?

[Uthaniel]

I don't mean to antagonize...

But it's not really that much writing, especially if you can get it out in two days. The actual time it takes to make a prestige is artificially lengthened by two posts per week, but this isn't the first time I've seen people finish all their prestige writing before even taking it.

Writing can be difficulty but it's not THAT difficult. I was writing books upon books for entertainment when I was 9. Should we really grant people the privilege of a certified unique/special character because they can make IC posts?

I just wanted to note... how easy it really is to have a prestige made if you think about it. Is it really that much work lost?

I see where you're coming from, but look at my example.

English is not my first language. More than that, I learned english on my own. Even if I can write 600 words in one or two days, yeah, I can attest I consider it a lot of work, and it'd pain me to see it tossed away.

The workload is really relative. Despite how long it takes, to some people writing causes a much bigger strain than to others.

[Aphetoros]

It depends on how much you write, Wuvvums, and the eloquence of your words. And yes, it is work lost. Some people actually put thought into what they're writing (not saying you don't, just a general comment.)

[Zarquon]

Wuvvums,

Firstly, let us not pull off an ad hominem attack on the original poster, especially since by discrediting his writings, your argument also attacks the work of dozens of people who had previously done up their prestige. Reading through them, I personally think that those works do meet a certain standard, and much thought had been put into them; personally, I don't like to judge people's works down because I feel that it takes courage to post your work up like that for a community's scrutiny. Maybe you are a genius, or maybe many of us, or just me, are dumbasses who can't write novels at the age of nine. Maybe you could just pity us and give us a little break, yea?

Secondly, I am quite sure that if the writings and the efforts put in weren't up to standards, the standard bar could be pushed higher, or. . .

Thirdly, like I had said earlier, if you read Brutal's idea you would know that it encourages progression in the sense that it is arguably difficult to plot your character's story from start to finish. After all, you are talking about IC RP being a requirement as well, and no plans survive first contact with the metaphorical enemy.

Finally, I am sure that there is something more substantiative to criticize in the OP's argument than what I personally feel is but an iota of the main and more crucial points being put forward. Perhaps one could take a more holistic view of the matter?

I like you and I like your RP, but in this particular debate, I am afraid we are arguing against. I understand that the way in which I am quite opinionated might be deemed overtly antagonistic, but i can assure you that I hold nothing against you, merely against your argument and your stance.

[Wuvvums]

But for those who can sit down and complete -all- the prestige work in two days? I know some others have done it in three days, and I've known some who have done it in hours. Yes, for some people it'll take an effort but the writing is not that excessive for most.

/shrug

I just don't get the idea where you should feel entitled to being stronger than someone else because you wrote a thread.


Edit: Brutal's idea doesn't encourage progression but an arm's race. And from what I heard the consensus is that the server will never adopt it anyways.

[Uthaniel]

Oh god.
This is not going to end well.
...Again.

EDIT: That said, I think that writing a thread does not indeed give you an "excuse to be stronger." however, meeting the requirements the GM team decided for the undertaking of prestiges, in -theory- entitles you to, take a prestige.
Given the fact that that's their purpose in the first place.

[Reigen]

Not everyone is in it for the power, Wuvvums. Some of us are in it for the story and development it offers.

A post on average takes me three days. I've written four posts at about 8k words for all of them together. That's 12 days for four posts.

[Grakor456]

Refusing to post in the proper thread on the grounds of wanting to be special and seen just clutters the forums, and is poor form.

Locking this.

[Rigley]

The work of some is not equal to the work of all, is all I can say regarding this stuff. Last system we had people who put in the bare minimum, and people who went above and beyond for their threads.

I've honestly said just about all I can on this stuff. You can be an important character without having a fancy title, and in the end I think its the RP you have with others which will define your character for them, not a prestige thread.

I'm a bit busy aiding an event at the moment or I would try to respond in full. Apologies if the above is irrelevant.


EDIT: ...Well, I was expecting a post in before me, but that wasn't planned!