Atabahi changes?

Thyra

I'm a new Atabahi player and I noticed in one of the newbie threads that the lycan guilds would be changing. I can't find any more information on the subject however (unless I'm just not looking hard enough). I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction or just fill me in on what these changes might be.

And while we're on the subject, are these changes so drastic that older guild members are discouraging new members by ignoring them, or is that just the norm for that guild? I've noticed that no one really talks on the channel, and some of the novice aides have their tells turned off (which is great, because what new player needs help?). I used to play as an Atabahi a few years ago and it was nothing like this, so I'd really like some insight on what might be going on.

Daskalos

The plan as announced is going to be the dissolution of the guilds in favor of some new way of handling the class. Past that, nothing is really out there, but the Lycan guilds are generally fail which is why you haven't gotten much response (and why they're being nuked).

Haern

The pack system revamp has not been unveiled yet, but rest assured we are working hard on it to give the lycanthropes their unique place within Aetolia.

Aarbrok

I dont know how the guild is now, it was active and energetic a while back.....

I understand that since I left none of the scrolls have been updated as myself and Xemnas still recieve messages in regards to combat training and guild advancement.  I found that rather disenheartening as its a fun guild.  I hope that is not what is going on and maybe it was just a couple scrolls.

Nonetheless, there was alot of work put into updating the educational curriculum and mine and a few others time and I would hate to see that be all for naught.

Thyra

Really? Wow, that's disheartening. I had some really good RP with my old Atabahi. Hopefully they won't completely abolish the class since I love werewolves. Oh well. I guess I'll just continue on my own until the changes. Thanks for the info, Daskalos.

Maghak

There is no intent at this time to abolish the class.

Unfortunately, the announcement of the overall lycan revamp has been taken as the tolling of doom's great bell by some established players, and there is a reluctance to invest time into a guild that will supposedly be blasted to bits. While not entirely beyond understanding, it's not a constructive attitude to have.

Xiuhcoatl

Yo combat secretary of atabahi, I don't read the forums except for when I'm super duper bored and there's nothing going on in the computer hardware sphere(290x just launched but I've read like 8 reviews on it).

There's not much going on anywhere in Aetolia currently, no big events or god things, no war, ylem events kinda meh, no order wars and the like, and no players making drama. Most high level Pkers are off busy with school/work so there doesn't seem to be much TIME TO BE A POKEMON/PK MASTER! Also this months promotion kinda blows massive dongers, so nobody is raising them up to party.

It's getting smashed eventually, however with Aetolia's time period eventually might literally be 5-10 IRL years from now. No joke, Starcraft Ghost might come out before the guild get nukes. You can send me a message if you want into the guild or the like, however there's no promise I'll not be AFK.

Angwe

...Yeah. The Sentinels are active and fun! So....

Roux

The changes coming to the class are going to be good one for the class and the rp behind it (I think) what with new animals brought to the table and the ability to spread it without having to beg or bribe. The only unfortunate thing is that Maghak's right, with the announcement, a good chunk of people in both lycan guilds just up and lost their drive, or left entirely.

That being said, all it takes is a few dedicated players and the guilds could easily turn into a fun place to be again. I've got a baby bear tucked away somewhere and they're seeing updates and a revamp etc and so forth, so it's all in the attitude of the players to make or break whatever last moments are left for both guilds. Seeing the Atabahi do the same would be pretty awesome, a last hoorah which could be lasting for quite some time longer and would make all those little wolfies happy again.

Slyphe

Xiuhcoatl said:

There's not much going on anywhere in Aetolia currently, no big events or god things, no war, ylem events kinda meh, no order wars and the like, and no players making drama. 

I wouldn't say this is entirely true. Just recently (within the last handful of days) we've seen the Grecht begin visiting every city, Duiran has been visited by horrific aberrations, Bloodloch has seen attention with rebuilding by Iosyne, and Spinesreach had an enormous revolt that ended up having the Chairwoman's office blown up.

These are just events off the top of my head too. There's been quite a bit going on lately actually - and those things I mentioned were only god-driven events. Toss in things like the ball held recently in Enorian for example and you'll find that there's actually a lot going on for people to do and partake in.

Jensen

From a pure pvp stand point there isn't much conflict. For everyone else there's stuff happening

Daskalos

Slyphe said:

Xiuhcoatl said:

There's not much going on anywhere in Aetolia currently, no big events or god things, no war, ylem events kinda meh, no order wars and the like, and no players making drama. 

I wouldn't say this is entirely true. Just recently (within the last handful of days) we've seen the Grecht begin visiting every city, Duiran has been visited by horrific aberrations, Bloodloch has seen attention with rebuilding by Iosyne, and Spinesreach had an enormous revolt that ended up having the Chairwoman's office blown up.

These are just events off the top of my head too. There's been quite a bit going on lately actually - and those things I mentioned were only god-driven events. Toss in things like the ball held recently in Enorian for example and you'll find that there's actually a lot going on for people to do and partake in.

Poor Eno We makes our own events. Don't need no stinkin' gods! (just kiddin we want funs). 

Ivoln

Making your own events is never a bad thing! Hell, the Spireans put in AN ENTIRE BUILDING before anyone could whip up a new Chairwoman's office.

Moirean

I got fidgety. >_>

Toz

I keep telling them to not leave her unsupervised, and nobody listens.

Daskalos

Leaving Moirean unsupervised is like giving Toz a case of coke and telling him NOT to drink it.

Phoenecia

Ivoln said:

Making your own events is never a bad thing! Hell, the Spireans put in AN ENTIRE BUILDING before anyone could whip up a new Chairwoman's office.

Player-run events are really fun, if a little hectic. All it takes is some dedication, planning, and creativity. Ditto for making changes changes to your city. If you think something could stand to be added to make things more fun and interesting, suggest them and they might just get put in. You never know what's possible unless you ask.

Moirean

@Thyra: Here is the original announcement, btw: http://forums.aetolia.com/discussion/338/the-month-of-february-2013

Toz

@Daskalos Yeah, down to 2 a day for the last 4 days. Going to lose my mind, but I'm trying.

Back to wolves/bears: Given the way the announcement read (or at least the way I read it), why spend time investing in a guild when said guild has been slated for removal? And given it was announced back in Feb. it's hard to imagine there NOT being an aura of gloom overhanging things. I think that honestly the trouble is more that it was slated for removal/the removal was announced and now months later they're still there. They're going to stay in a state of limbo, because there's no reason to try for 'one last hoorah'. Nothing you do can save the guild, it's out of players hands. So, there's not very much incentive at all for players to invest in something that's going to fade. Actually, there's no incentive at all, and I think that's very much a constructive attitude to have. What's worse is pouring your heart and soul into a guild that won't matter a year or two down the road because it'll be gone and getting burned out either before it goes, or BECAUSE it goes. Save that energy for, if you really want lycan RP, after the change.

Moirean

The issue is that they are still guilds. Newbies, returners and those who don't read forums are joining the guilds, without knowing about the impending deletion, and it colors their experience towards the game - negatively. This can't be good for the game's retention overall, especially since lycans really should be one of Aetolia's signature features. Very few MUDs offer a really cool shapeshifting system that's as well designed and as mechanically robust as Aetolia's, but the concept is a really widespread one, ranging from high-fantasy (Beorn!) to gothic horror...seems like it should be played up even more, given that sort of lack in the market compared to the interest that's out there. Just the other day I was talking to another MUD player who was asking about Aetolia and the only things he had heard about the game was "Vampires and werewolves" - but the concept of lycans alone was enough to pique his interest.

Piper

What Moirean said times one thousand.

Areka

What this could do in turn is push an intiative to start really delving into packs/pack culture/organization in preparation for the upcoming changes, and to get everyone involved in that process and make that what the guilds are, the congregation and coordination of packs/training for packs. 

Roux

See, this idea that the effort put into the guilds will suddenly not matter once the guild is gone is, I think, the worst one to have. Because it's not true. Whatever group cohesion is or was developed will be easily maintained after the guilds are dissolved, because of Packs. Even if the lycans all scatter to other guilds, whatever newcomers you manage to build and develop, the relationships, the trust, whatever rp reasons you wish to put here as 'reason', then that will ride through, and you'll still have this base of lycans who all work together because they were so united as a guild.

Moirean

Eh, I can see where the leaders are coming from. If Spinesreach or Carnifex suddenly got dissolved without warning, I'd be shattered - half of the stuff I do as an org leader is making physical things, like new rooms, NPCs, training schemes, etc, and if all that time was wasted because nobody told me it was coming? I'd probably be devastated and quit Aet for a bit if not completely. That being said, having a head's up means that you can focus on more intangible things, like Roux is talking about, RP and relationships and traditions and stuff. On the other hand, I can understand why the motivation to do that sort of stuff might be killed - maybe some sort of assistance can be tossed to those orgs to help them in the interim, like a partial upgrade to the pack system before the full changes are released?

Aarbrok

My Advice is find a pack or like minded individuals you like to play with as that is where the RP is essentially headed, having Lycanthrope class and being in a Lycanthrope guild are two different things, Albeit I had fun when I was in the Atabahi, those days are far behind me now, but it does not mean the Roleplay I had needs to die with it,

I am in Spinesreach a bit lately, if you see me about in Lycan you can always poke/snarl/judge me and I could make for some fun discussion (shameless plug)

Iosyne

All I see in this thread:

Did this answer the question? Yes · No

Did this answer the question? Yes · No

Did this answer the question? Yes · No

Did this answer the question? Yes · No

Thyra

Even with the impending doom of the guilds, I still think that the leaders need to be involved with the newbies, because as of right now a total of one person (whom wasn't even a full guild member) has spoken to me or bothered to answer a question when put over the gnt channel. Like @Moirean said, it gives newbies a sense that the elders don't really care at all. I'm here majorly for the RP, and have even gotten my boyfriend into the game (though he's still trying to figure out what guild he likes). 

When I came back to Aetolia, I chose Atabahi again because of the pack structure, and that is was like having a family right off the bat, albeit a family that won't hesitate to leave you with bruises and scars if you do something wrong. But a family nonetheless! But what I've gotten is nothing but silence. 

I'm not really sure what the pack system is about, because it wasn't around when I first played (if he's still around it was when Albert was a secretary for the guild). If I could devote myself to a pack and not the guild, then that would be peachy keen and I'd love to hear more about them. Though I definitely will be keeping my eye out for @Aarbrok for a little interaction!

@Iosyne am I supposed to say yes or no to all of them??

Iosyne

@Thyra - no, I was just commenting humorously on seeing that question in every reply. 

Aarbrok

TBH, in my experience @Kelliara was a great source of RP when I first started, shes a very interesting character when you can get her cornered and show eagerness for stuff. She can be super stern, but she is also very understanding to situations and things.

You just kinda got to snag her and show her your sincerity to the Pack lifestyle, if my guess is to be a good place to find her the balcony south of the Spirean Archives is usually a good place, just walk up and do the respectful Doyen stuff, and I can guarantee she will not turn you away, shes a strong character who has been through alot with the guild...shes had a hard time replacing some folks myself included for certain work and duties needing to be done, and I will be first to admit I left in a way that was a bit....disrespectful in a lycan sense.

Ride through til the changes and new avenues will come!

Sejast

Man, I should have found this sooner.  Fair warning below is heated discussion not meant to be insulting or inflammatory to any one individual.  I do, however, show some passion for the subject being discussed and it will show.  If you can't handle passionate personal opinions, please... don't read any more.

In the most respectful way possible...  I think every one of you is missing the point.

I log in day in and day out (practically) to be a part of the Atabahi.  I don't care that I am nearly the only one of the Rout roaming about more often than not.  There is a whole city surrounding the guild as well.  I help the Rout when there are new wolves around.  Whether the guild will exist in one day or one year, I am spending the time to craft relationships and create a history for my character.  If your favorite golfing buddies were going to move to a new country and you would never be able to play with them again once they left, would you just stop playing with them because you don't want to put effort into something that is going away?  Did you stop learning because you were graduating school because what's the point of learning if there is no school to be a part of?

The world changes.  People change.  Organizations change.  They come and they go.  Hell, a guild being abolished is a hell of a chance for one grand RP if you ask me.  I plan to be there for it if it does happen.  It will be a defining moment in Sejast's life that will surely mold his transition into the next phase of his life.  Is this not the reason we play these games?  I apologize if I am pushing buttons as I mean no offense to anyone but I completely fail to understand the point of it all.

Own every ounce of what is to come for your character in any form.  I'll be there, even if I have to run it alone.

Moirean

I can definitely understand that point. However, leaders also spend a lot of time planning for the future, be that by creating projects/schemes to make things run well over time or creating physical stuff to leave a mark for their org. Think of it this way - that time I spent trying to help you last night was an investment of my time towards your future improvement in combat. If you just vanished and never played again? That would kinda make me bummed. Now project that feeling out, where it's an org getting the time investment, not a single person.