Something Good to Say

[worldstrider]

Since I have been here I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. It started out bad when I first began and then got ugly. I was one of the "new wave" of people who had the temerity to try my own ideas at a point where the server population was changing and the long-term old players were watching their dominant influence began to shift some and really not liking what they were seeing.

The reaction was swift and brutal: insults, hate mail, kos's with no warning or reason, forum flames, in game flames, harrasment and threats--a couple of times even by an admin (who is long since gone). This was all within my first two weeks here and was done by the many factions leaders and long-established players. I was told, "You will ruin Junkers", "People like you are ruining the server", "We're going to make sure you don't last", "You'll never be part of the community"...ad naseum...you get the idea.

Basically, it was offensive that someone would come in with their own role play direction rather than follow someone else's that had already been established. In essence, "Your characters must be like ours--not different." I had no intention of breaking rules or the role play of others I simply wanted to play my own idea of a particular type of Junker and not someone else's. I had always been a Junker on any server I played and it just never struck me to play anything else.

So the battle ensued--the angry people with pitchforks did indeed stoke the fires and poke me and for awhile I thought most here were obsessive lunatics. After a bit, I started getting some quiet pms supporting me. Players who said they wanted to do things but never were allowed of felt they could and were rooting for me. At the same time, I began to find out a lot of the "older" players on here were quite young. So I stuck to my guns and gradually shoe-horned my way in.

In all this, I had so many problems with so many factions I began to make an effort to cross rp with them as little as possible (and I still do in some ways). I often found that "interacting" with a faction meant sending them an "advance script" which they would edit or else they would be quite angry and demand an argument. To me, that removed any spontanaity or mystery and really de-funned things. Not once in the time I have been here have I ever demanded someone explain their rp to me or said, Explain how you got that ship or why you can do that, etc., etc. if I came close to doing that, it would always be in-character with a way out for them if they didn't want to answer. Other than being consisitent and fair in my own RP I felt it was my responsibility to adapt to that of others in-game and in-character as much as was possible. Not everyone felt this way. I won't go over the various woes and problems but many a protest capaign was started that required ridiculous amounts of time addressing. I'm generally a good debater and am stubborn so I was able to bull through most of it but it wasn't how I wanted to be spending my 'fun time" (I have a wife and three kids and work at home).

In all this, one of the "big" factions I stayed away from touching the RP of was Zoners. They were big, had been here a long time and I just didn't want another large group whining or fighting everytime I breathed. I didn't asssume they were that way but I also didn't want to experiment to find out.

Well in another recent situation, I suddenly needed a capital ship (as a Junker) to replace the one I had previosuly been allowed. This was one of the big "no-no's" that's inflamed people since I arrived. "Junkers just don't use capital ship ever, no matter what their role play." "You will turn all junkers into cap harlots." The only group with a suitable ship that I could choose from in the new mod was the Zoners. "Oh no" I thought. I considered scrapping the RP that I have been trying to fully develop for a YEAR and decided, "What the heck--what's one more group peeved at me?"

I sent a PM to "Chairman Mal" as my char and with a little ooc background and didn't have an expectation either way. The next day I see the Zoner players are having issues and arguing with one another and that Mal was taking a break--my impeccable timing as usual. I figured at that point forget it.

Surprise...a couple of days later I got a pm saying go ahead but don't make any trouble;)

Now this was a very pleasant surprise and I thought, "Ok--well in word it's approved..now let's see what happens when I do the deed." So I got the ship and found that the Zoners all knew about it. No one asked me an out-of-character question or interogated me regarding my motives and no one demanded a full disclosure of every RP secret I had. They responded 100% entirely in character in the entire process and have continued to do so.

This has been--with no doubt or exception--the most solid and pleasant RP faction I have encountered in my entire time here and the experience has been nothing but good. Thisisn't the typical comment you hear from me regarding a faction and while my Rp is not heavily to be entwined in theirs and I haven't dealt with "all Zoners", the ones I have dealt with are most solid.

So kudos to the Zoners and more importantly as players--thanks for being so helpful and such good sports. On an unrelated note, also thanks for the trust woth the barge admins.

Tink

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[masternerdguy]

wall of text win.

so your saying we are shifting again?

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Send the fat kid in to see if its a trap

[Drake]

wall of text win.

so your saying we are shifting again?

*Thumps masternerdguy* Read.

I agree that for every RPless Zoner powertrader, there's at least one good, friendly Zoner RPer out there.

Well, maybe one good for every two RPless powertraders.

I enjoyed my time as a Zoner, maybe I'll go back one day.

[masternerdguy]

*Thumps masternerdguy* Read.

I agree that for every RPless Zoner powertrader, there's at least one good, friendly Zoner RPer out there.

Well, maybe one good for every two RPless powertraders.

I enjoyed my time as a Zoner, maybe I'll go back one day.

im sorry my eyes get lost on those i tried to read:(

I am considered making a new char of mine a zoner, but then i decided pure freelancer is better. Why? Because sooo many people think zoners are all powertraders.

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Send the fat kid in to see if its a trap

[worldstrider]

I'm remaining a Junker and I am not referring to "all Zoners" out there--but TAZ for example have been without exception very well played and not one Zoner I have encountered has gone, "lolwut?"--to use that annoying phrase as an example.

My point is, so far, the TAZ and those close to them have been the most mature faction I have dealt with. Though I enjoyed dealing very much with the Corsair Elders before.

I made the wall of text post because I have been here over a year and this is a notable standout to most of the interplays I have had with "big groups". Nice to be able to genuinely post something nice.

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[-Zulz-]

The reaction was swift and brutal: insults, hate mail, kos's with no warning or reason, forum flames, in game flames, harrasment and threats--a couple of times even by an admin (who is long since gone). This was all within my first two weeks here and was done by the many factions leaders and long-established players. I was told, "You will ruin Junkers", "People like you are ruining the server", "We're going to make sure you don't last", "You'll never be part of the community"...ad naseum...you get the idea.

Basically, it was offensive that someone would come in with their own role play direction rather than follow someone else's that had already been established. In essence, "Your characters must be like ours--not different." I had no intention of breaking rules or the role play of others I simply wanted to play my own idea of a particular type of Junker and not someone else's. I had always been a Junker on any server I played and it just never struck me to play anything else.

"We're going to make sure you don't last", "You'll never be part of the community"

I got exactly the same sentenses from people on my first 2 weeks on the server. They liked to portrait themselves as 'mature members of discovery', but were behaving like they were at their height of puberty. Frankly, I think those who treat new people with arrogance are the people that are making others not even try to 'fit in', 'obey', and generally give respect to this community in the first place.

The result is the increasingly hostile tone within discovery... you reep what you sow.

[worldstrider]

I would like to keep this positive as much as we can. My point is to point out that in the midst of the dysfunction, some people are still simply playing instead of arguing and fighting and the like.

It takes only two people to maintain a particular rp. Start looking for those who will and stop focusing on those who won't. my amazement with big factions upset is they have far more than two and more than most others have combined. All they have to do is play and respond and it will shape the server. Arguing and fighting does not make it "better".

We do reap what we sow and I am watching all the back and forth now and seeing a lot of, "Let's get 'em!" While they do deserve "getting" it isn't with anger filled posts and oorp behavior--it's in game with our characters played realistically and well. That's what will "fix" things.

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[Galacius]

Here here! Tink my feelings mirror your own, from the hellishness of wanting to be different and being hammered down for it to the quest for a cap ship, and I am using his example on how to go about it.

I am slowly finding people that make me want to stay, who no matter how uncommon your rp, as long as it isnt stupid they will be cool with it and not want to lynch you. This I find is paramount when dealing with the bloodthirsty mob.

Also I cannot say how much I like taz. They did not sanction did not even go psycho on me when I had a l'ane and didnt know better. They pulled me into a private group had me explain my rp, showed me the mistakes I made with the rp, told me how I should avoid issues (when for example a indy there was quite rude about it) and how to fix them. Its people like that that will listen to you first then help you fix things if its wrong that make this server worth playing over the people who dont even question just start screaming at you or just sanction.

[Lucend]

My first couple of weeks on Disco were ... interesting to say the least. I was wondering around aimlessly, looking at all the sights and sounds of the Sirius Sector. I hadn't played Singleplayer yet so as you can probably guess it was quite interesting.

When I arrived in Omicron Gamma, I just gave my spiel about how I'm just exploring and have a nice day. The Corsairs around the planet didn't behave the way most people did, they threatened me! Oh the nerve! Long story short, they took me in, clothed me and fed me and taught me the ways of the RP. This is one of the reasons I encourage new people to join factions, not because indies are the spawn of Satan and must be purged, but because they can make mistakes and the faction will be more responsive than random people with their finger on the report button. You don't even need to be in the faction for long but just get the gist of the community.

Also, <3 the TAZ and Junkers as a whole, even when I chase you in my AFA, I shoot you with dandelions and candy.

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&quot;The thirteen saloons that had lined the one street of Seney had not left a trace. The foundations of the Mansion House hotel stuck up above the ground. The stone was chipped and split by the fire. It was all that was left of the town of Seney. Even the surface had been burned off the ground.
Nick looked at the burned-over stretch of hillside, where he had expected to find the scattered houses of the town and then walked down the railroad track to the bridge over the river. The river was there.&quot;

Osaika Moto, the Fall and Rise of a Kusari Farmer

Juan Lucendez, √ Corsair

[DAnvilFan]

Tinkerbell, as somebody who had a very very hard time starting out on the server and receiving a wad of cash from you, not to mention some very helpful advise, "Kudos to you," I say. You're one of the most level-headed people on the server and I hope you'll stick around for a while.

I started avoiding you a bit once I began roleplaying as a Zoner because after encountering some very aggressive Junkers, I assumed our factions were not on very good terms. But you're always welcome on Zoner turf and although I can't speak for everybody at the Zoner Trading Consortium, I'm sure most of us would be glad to give you a hand with most everything you need.

I would agree that even at present, most players are very hostile to new and radical ideas. Mention one concept that doesn't align with the status-quo and you can expect some very unpleasent feedback.