Someone is going to anyway...

[Aphetoros]

Better just get it over with.

If you wish to discuss the decision, or ask questions about what this will mean for your character, please begin a new thread. Thank you.

Variant system. 55.22% 37
None, more free-form without a system. 44.78% 30

...discuss.

[Reese]

Gregg can't innocently be a Brewmaster then?

D'aw.

[Rigley]

It was pointed out in the closing post of that thread that even though there was a majority, it was slight. Clearly there is a division in the playerbase, and it is a rather large one. Because of this an executive decision was preferred instead of following the votes, since it was basically about half and half.

Just to clarify.

EDIT: Also something such as a brewmaster should easily be possible in the free-form system.

[Grakor456]

Kretol, myself, and several GMs had the time to discuss the results of the poll and how we're able to move ahead with this. After a bit, Kretol made an executive decision, so we will be going to go ahead with no system and just be more free-form from the get-go. The votes are too close to really go with the majority blindly in this case, and had the votes been in a more clear victory with the variant system (for example, 70-30) then we would have clearly gone with that. However, the playerbase seems roughly split 50-50 (the votes stayed rather consistently within 10% of each other.)

Yeah. This was addressed.

[Aphetoros]

Oh, I know it was, I simply thought it was prior agreed the votes would let the choice be made, however it doesn't affect me as much as the other 55.21% as my activity is going to... drop, if that's the proper word.

[Reigen]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Funny that I thought the day before that, "they'll do what they want anyway." Am I bitter? A bit. I can remember being told over vent how the votes would be the deciding factor. People were given enough time to vote, but new people also came in that had no idea what the prestige system was, and most likely thought, "Hey, free form has free in it!" [Not to insult new people, I woulda done the same thing had I just joined. Free = AWESOME]

I'm just more upset that people can do do whatever and not have to work for it. It's "Oh, I'm going to start off as top level awesome!". There's no devolpment in that, then again I suppose I'm not giving people enough credit. Am I bitter my posts are now obsolete and I can just go "Hey, restart. I'm totally a cryomancer now!"? Yup. And now people can do what I put my time and effort into forming without even having to apply to it. It's no longer 'special' to the character, which is what the variant system would have allowed. I made Cryomancer for Reigen to change her, to make a story and it no longer matters. I know I'm going to rageface at the first person running around using what I put a long time into making.

I can only hope with the free-form, that GMs still be on the look out for people abusing this, because it will be abused so hard. "No restrictions? Hey, friends A-B-C, we're going to play important people out in duskwood. I know what I'm doing will be iffy, but you guys won't report me now will you?"

"But Reigen, GM's can turn invisible and see what's going on!"

Inb4: "You guys watched without our permission, you're so invasive to our privacy! OMG so restricting!"

[At that, I can only hope the GM's go 'lol u mad?']

[FlyingSquirrel]

Eh. The decision was always theres. Am I disappointed? No, because, fel, there are more then 7 GMs, aren't there? Don't their votes count?

[Aphetoros]

They already did vote. In the thread.
With everyone else, I do believe.

[Grakor456]

Oh, I know it was, I simply thought it was prior agreed the votes would let the choice be made.

It was, though at times plans have to change. The thread and the poll were both very helpful in fleshing out the advantages and disadvantages of each, and in a way the poll did end up dictating how we have chosen to proceed. While the variant system was in the lead, the lead was small enough that the problems and complaints expressed in the thread out-weighed the small lead in votes. The problems and arguments within the thread made it clear that the variant system, while a neat idea in theory, would have been extremely difficult to implement in a way that is fair for everyone involved.

At least, those are my thoughts on the process. If Kretol has more to add, I'm sure he will when he has time, as he was the one who made this decision.

[Kretol]

For those that are choosing to do so, please do not purposely kick up drama for the sake of doing so. While you can indeed blindly say that our minds were set from the beginning, the reasoning has already been supplied. If folks cannot be reasonable and attempt to see things from another perspective and just wish to point at majority rule and any change from it is some result of dictatorship or some other ridiculous claim... Well, I'm sorry. For those that choose to elaborate on their thoughts, thank you.
Please bear in mind that things can change based on various factors, such as abuse, a better idea, determining a good line for variants, etcetera. For now, though, we'll try out the free form system and see how it goes.

(Posted from teh phonez)

[Roxas65]

I've missed most of this discussion and I can't remember what the heel I read when I did follow it. Can't even remember what the eff I voted. Could somebody just quickly explain the limits to the free form system?

[Aphetoros]

I don't believe anyone knows.

[Anski]

Why can't everyone just relax and go with the flow? ._.

[Roxas65]

Why can't everyone just relax and go with the flow? ._.

I'd rather have people fighting for what they believe in rather than just taking it, no matter what it is.

[Grakor456]

I've missed most of this discussion and I can't remember what the heel I read when I did follow it. Can't even remember what the eff I voted. Could somebody just quickly explain the limits to the free form system?

A lot of this will be better defined as we continue on and we run into individual problems, and a lot of this is somewhat subjective. Characters that currently exist should all be fine, barring model changes (fel-sworn) and Demon Hunters.

Don't go too far away from your chosen class (and especially don't go into a class not available to your race,) don't be OP, and don't be meta-gamey. Also, claiming titles that imply significant power (Archmage, Archdruid, whatevah) is bad, except possibly as ranks within a guild.