Community Now vs. Community Then - Discuss!

[catry]

Though this thread is mainly aimed towards those who've been here longer, everyone's welcome to post based on their experiences =D

The community, as it gets bigger and more diverse, has clearly gone through a variety of shifts. What do you like about the community as it is now? What do you have about it? What do you think could change? What do you miss about the way it was? What do you think of the community now versus when you joined?

Personally I'm not much too fond of the new community; it doesn't fit the game in its current state in that the game really requires a lot of patience now (especially since we've lost ANOTHER GM x.x), and there's just too many people who either lack patience or who are at the end of the line, versus way back when I started when everyone knew the game was young and anticipated every update quite enthusiastically. More and more it seems like misunderstandings are boiling over and not much is left but complaints, arguments, and unhappy players. Still, if Outspark can keep things moving I think the community will definitely thrive for the better, and as long as my friends are still around I plan on sticking around too :D

So share your opinions here, and let's try to keep it civil! =P This isn't an oldies vs. newbies thread kthnx >.>

[notFire]

The community now isnt actually all THAT bad, I mean, I have some fundamental issues with the way people interact, but all in all, its what we were asking for.

Way back when, we wanted more players, we wanted open PVP, we wanted the game to grow. And it has, everytime I log in (which isnt often anymore), I see more and more people I didnt see the time before, new guilds I hadnt seen before. Its what we wanted, GROWTH!

On the flipside, with growth comes seperation. A seperation from the old and the new. I find the community now fragmented, as the game has no way to bring people together other than grinding and the occasional quest that may require someone's help, I find that (and I say this as someone who was exceptionally social in the early days of the game), people as a whole are not as social as the first few months of the games life. They stick to guild and level lines, they stick to the same groups they come to know and familiarize with, and this is normal. But I also think Solstice has lost its "manifest destiny," its drive to grow into something for us all to enjoy, where instead I see people drive only for the levels, only for the PVP, and no longer for the social growth.

This is mainly the fault of Outspark. The events nowadays are lame (I have atteneded a few, and they just dont feel the same). The guild system is a joke as there is nothing to do as far as bringing the guild together (guild quests, guild leveling), and what happened to the Heros of Xen? It was always said a new class of Heroes would be voted in one day, a new group to rise and show their worth in their class. I remember one of my favorite days of the game being the day I was called as one of the Heroes of Xen to fight Alastor, and we fought, with the community at our backs, monsters that were many levels above ours. Those type of things just do not exist in SoS anymore.

The difference between old SoS and new SoS, as I said before, we have no Manifest Destiny. Why do we play? Why do we log on every day? Are we really satsified with what we've done after we set up our shops and go to bed for the night?

I cant answer those questions for everyone else, but for me, I find that the answers now are not the answers they used to be.

Great post, Kit!

[RL_Man]

When i was playing this was a great community. People super friendly and gave out advice on pvp, training tips, even sharing maps to aoe. Shouting before going into a map to aoe was common courtesy. I hear from friends who play this game still that its gone a lil south with people ksing, messing with others mobs when their aoeing, and droping aoe mob on other players clerics to kill them so they wipe out. People threatening eachother in pvp arena is childish. I got killed plenty of times in pvp dont take it so personal people. BAMF aint as bad as people think their pretty friendly if you get to know. PVP is players killing eachother so dont complain if you do get killed even the higher ups dont have perfect records. I loved this community when i was here lotsa friendly faces and people had a pretty good attitude.

[Ryokosha]

I liked the old community more because they were more individual. I mean like Rodaa and thrakx. Even if the forum didn't have nicknames displayed you would always have known who wrote the post. Now for me it's more like "Random Complainer A" "Random Complainer B", ... , "Random Supporter A", ...

[Hebitualiar]

Yuu, Kit ^^, Great to see you actively posting around. I, personally, can say that I used to participate more in the forums and the community-life than I do now. Maybe my job is getting in the way but I would say that it's more because I don't feel so excited about the game anymore. What I loved about the old community that I had some idols there, the ones form each class who were the strongest or the friendliest or the most fun to talk to. Besides, with not so many people around, you could memorize almost all of the active players. What I really really liked was that respect we seemed to share... >.> But that's just my point of view from my position at that time.
What I like now, however, is that I still see many of the old players around and, surprisingly, being as antisocial as I am, I still have managed to meet new people.
*tried to add something here for the last 10 minutes and failed*

...oO

[zues8844]

I used to like the SoS forums a year ago. Everyone was all helpful and friendly, whenever I asked noob questions I got helped, even made a few friends with the SoS go-ers.........now I don't ask questions for fear of someone laughing at me o_o

Tensions seem to run high on occassion o_o

[Yisa4ever]

My two cents...

oddly enough, the old community was better. Everyone knew each other, everyone knew who the highest lvl class was and everyone was in the same boat. We didn't know what was beyond the next map, we made frequent parties to see what was beyond. There was no one above the other so everyone respected one another and the part I like best: they truly competed against the other players.

The community now isn't that bad; there are quite a few people so I'm always seeing new faces. It's a good thing, since it shows that this game is evolving in some ways. Just... some of them aren't as friendly. What's worse, many of them are starting out so they need the money so they charge things at outrageous prices, especially xens.

I know I've been to a few maps and more than once I've been asked by a rude aoer if we couldn't just go aoe somewhere else. It would remind me of the old days where we all shared the maps. And of course, a couple of my buddies were discussing this: no one wants to party anymore. It's all about the aoes now....

So yes, I do miss the old community. In fact, I think many of our older players who had quit remained as long as they have because of the community. I'm not saying it's all bad. There are some players who are still around and helping out. Just you kind of don't see much of that anymore...

Oh and one more thing I like to add: do players really need to shout insults to each other with yellow eggs and let the whole world know? We're a community, if you want to settle something, settle it by whispers. Otherwise, take it out in pvp. It's one of the things I think this community lacks now: respect for each other as players and as people.

[dylanangel]

My two cents...

oddly enough, the old community was better. Everyone knew each other, everyone knew who the highest lvl class was and everyone was in the same boat. We didn't know what was beyond the next map, we made frequent parties to see what was beyond. There was no one above the other so everyone respected one another and the part I like best: they truly competed against the other players.

The community now isn't that bad; there are quite a few people so I'm always seeing new faces. It's a good thing, since it shows that this game is evolving in some ways. Just... some of them aren't as friendly. What's worse, many of them are starting out so they need the money so they charge things at outrageous prices, especially xens.

I know I've been to a few maps and more than once I've been asked by a rude aoer if we couldn't just go aoe somewhere else. It would remind me of the old days where we all shared the maps. And of course, a couple of my buddies were discussing this: no one wants to party anymore. It's all about the aoes now....

So yes, I do miss the old community. In fact, I think many of our older players who had quit remained as long as they have because of the community. I'm not saying it's all bad. There are some players who are still around and helping out. Just you kind of don't see much of that anymore...

Oh and one more thing I like to add: do players really need to shout insults to each other with yellow eggs and let the whole world know? We're a community, if you want to settle something, settle it by whispers. Otherwise, take it out in pvp. It's one of the things I think this community lacks now: respect for each other as players and as people.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I am one player who tries to get to know all new and old. I loved the old community and miss a lot of players who have gone but hold out hope that one day they will return.

[ScarletBunny]

When I joined this game a year ago there were a whole lot less rude people playing <.<
I miss it D:

[Convent]

Probably been too long for me to form too much here, but although the community is still pretty good right now, it's more of a respect-for-fellow-members rather than the you-know-everyone thing we had going back in the spring of this year.

I'm not complaining though, I like this respect-for-fellow-members thing a lot! It's great we've still got that, but it'd be cool if there were always mass gatherings in Essene and Brynhild of everyone all over Solstice just chatting. It's great we're getting bigger but it'd be cool if we could still keep that closeness some of us still remember from the beginnings of open beta (and even closed beta!)

[Euphie]

I miss the old small community very much, and everything that happened along with it.
:3

[kevinata]

i dont know if you guys would like to know the point of view of a new player but id like to make this post anyways.

1.) i like the current community because it is almost just like real life.

2.) some nuwbies like me are traying hard to make those connections with older players but you guys dont seem to allow that connection to be even established.

When i was new, i tried to make frends with some higher lvl people who i wont name, so i went to PvP to socialize. But the moment i stepped out, i got kiled by a girl wearing a demon head and nurse outfit -.- and i thought "wow this is really awesome -.-"

I also tried talking to higher lvl people. Lolz what do they do? they ignore me like im crap.

So id say, how can the old community be better than the current one? They dont show it in game or in the forums.(you guys arent really that nice). some people here can be identified as frendly, but hostility mostly comes from the older people who just turn their heads when a lower/younger player try to talk to them.

This might be the cause of "aoe is the way" but another can be "if u get killed in PvP, lvl up thensd go kill them". So this isnt really helping


another thing is when nuwbs ask questions, we dont really get our questions answered. While some do answer them , most just go and say, "this has been adressed before, do your research and dont post again till your the most knowledgable person in this game ever" ok i exagerated a bit but u get my point, no one is going to do research about sumthing they can just ask a simple questions about. You guys can be as vague as the GMs.

3.)oh and about ideas, when nuwbs post their ideas about the game older players go " this is stupid, do you really think this will work?" or " OMG we have another stupid guy in the forums" or " >.> how may times do we have to repeat this?" when they perfectly know the guy is new and wouldnt realy know that you adresses the idea before.

i hope i have shown you how a "new" player sees you "older" players. The community can only improve of the older players would set up an example. So far not many of you have set up a good example.

LOLZ when i was new the first BIG thread i saw was " Shame on you Oustpark" and "Rats like sinking ship".
So what am i supposed to think about this game/forums?

NOTE: i havent quit yet because of the sole reason that this game is almost like *the game this game is most compared with* and i dont want to pay for that game. But i am close to quitting because its so boring.


Sorry if itsounds like a "new" vs "old" player complain, i didnt mean it to sound like that. I just wanted to tell you guys about how a "new" player might see/ feel about you "older players".

* not all new players feel about you guys like i do so....

[dakidda913]

so i think that the newest post holds the most weight. I came in the game half way between the new and old community (Around May) and yea the community is falling apart. I agree with kevinata. Most of the highest levels don't give us the time of day(will not mention any names) the old community was close. as close at it can get. but they don't want change so they disregard newbies and some think they are better because they are an oldie. to me that's just as bad. The oldest people here, are the ones who can change the community. But most of you guys just stay with in a small group and don't expand. You guys are the FOUNDATION, the new players build upon the way you act. thank you.

[xyangster]

I came in around February, so maybe that could be considered the "old community." I solo'ed a lot though, so I'm not sure I ever was all that aware of, much less part of, the closeness of the old community.

I enjoy the community as it changes -- I've gotten to know more players, and I really appreciate that. I've never felt that older players make a significant effort to approach newer players: none have ever approached me to socialize, nor do I really make much of an effort to get to know those newer to the game than myself. I end up getting close to those I bump into while grinding -- and I'm sure that's true for a lot of people -- which means I end up socializing with those of similar lvls.

If the community as it is now seems fractured, I can't say that I'm all that surprised.

[catry]

I don't think it's entirely not wanting change, but also a bit of exasperation on the part of those older players who really are at their wit's end (a good portion of them) from seeing the same complaints and questions repeated over and over with no real effort to see if they've been addressed before. The slow progression of the game and the endless repetition is really getting to some of the older players. Needless to say, more and more are setting bad examples for the newer players who in turn return the favor and thus we have a never-ending cycle z.z

[RL_Man]

Hmm...I'll say some things that goes through a high lvl character's mind when a relatively new/lower level character talks to them.
1.) Power level me or let me leech for a lil while you wont notice the experience i take up.
2.) You got any old gear you can give me free.
3.) You aoe so your rich cant you give me some kron.

I know thats pretty cynical but its happen to me on more then one occasion. If your friends ever shouted for fun that your quiting and you get like 100 pms from strangers asking for free stuff i think you know what i mean.

During pvp most KOS (KILL ON SIGHT) players turn off all chat except party and guild because people just complain too much and say derogatory things.

I started SoS in April 17th 2008. There were already 5 Assassins by the time I was about to hit rouge. I didnt start out when all the others of the old community did but I made my way up. I like the old community more because of preference. When i was lvling up people talked friendly and shared more is all and you knew who was bad and who wasnt. Community was small so people knew eachother. For me if you talked about the game i was more then happy to help and chat Levonta and Hugu Lngtime can attest to that. If you asked me for power lvling and so forth i ignored you. Now im not saying everyone in the old community was a perfect angel and all that. Its far from that. There were scamers before, during, and after i started. New community now is just more people. More people means more ideas clashing but it will become a melting pot of sorts of what is commonly accepted and what isnt. Just enjoy the game people thats why your playing. I'd rather be hated for who i am then loved for being fake. This last part is a bit off topic but ima say it even thought its been said a million times but i'll say it once more. SoS should work on improving the game not the cash shop. I know thats what pays the bills but no one will be paying them if theres nothing worth playing for.

[tazsbigtoy]

I started in April or May. I will have to say I notice a difference in the community. Part of it may be just that some of the people I got to know are no longer around, and some of it may be that as a newer player at the time I didn't know what was going on and I missed some things. I remember partying in Chant with RL_Man and sharing the map with another party. We white egged funny insults back and forth with friends in the other party. I don't see that happening with groups now. If groups tried it, someone would probably complain and white eggs would disappear out of the shops.

Vyk, Rikan, and Kay all used to have yellow eggs spasms and shout the most ridiculous things. We either tolerated it or encouraged it. Now when anyone tries it they get shouted off, and not nicely either. I see a lot more abbreviated profanity, gtof, stfo, ect. now. Perhaps it's just because we are larger now, we tolerate less in others. As for befriending the new players, it may be that I only meet the bad ones.

When I first changed to priest, I couldn't go to Bryn or Essene without being hit up for kron or rare items. Not nicely either, no introduction, no sob story, just a rather rude demand for Kron or ywm, or xen stones. And saying no did no good as these characters would follow you around or whisper you usually in all caps. They would soften the request though by adding PLZ!!!!! to it. It would never have crossed my mind to ask a stranger to give me kron, items or gear. I think I turned my whispers off everyday for the first two weeks I had the yellow robes on. Anyone who has asked me a question or for advice, I have tried to help. We have 3 rogues in our guild getting close to 90 and I've watched as people demand aoe parties or pleveling, not ask for a party or for help, but demand to be aoed or pleveled. When I ask later if they knew the person, usually I am told, never seen him before or met him yesterday, or seen him around but don't know him. So if the high level people aren't really friendly, it might be because most of them have probably been treated like this even more than I have. It seems to me that a lot of the new people have the attitude that since higher levels have achieved a higher level there is an obligation for us to give that to them. That's just the way a lot of the lower level players are coming across.

I miss the older community too. I think the new community will evolve though, I think we are mainly seeing growing pains.

[techno-viking]

so i think that the newest post holds the most weight. I came in the game half way between the new and old community (Around May) and yea the community is falling apart. I agree with kevinata. Most of the highest levels don't give us the time of day(will not mention any names) the old community was close. as close at it can get. but they don't want change so they disregard newbies and some think they are better because they are an oldie. to me that's just as bad. The oldest people here, are the ones who can change the community. But most of you guys just stay with in a small group and don't expand. You guys are the FOUNDATION, the new players build upon the way you act. thank you.

^.....this.....^

[ck191049]

Here's some input from another newbie, at least i think I'm a newbie, i started in September 2008. :D

I haven't been playing as long as most people in this forum, however, I have played other games similar to solstice. I must say that Solstice is one of the BEST communities that I've ever had the joy of playing with.

I understand that as the game expands and reaches out to new people that there will be divisions, most obviously right now is between the old and the newer communities. But whose responsibility is it to reach out and bridge the gap?

Is it the newer players? should newer players be more respectful of one another. Should they not bug other players constantly with a need to plvl or be given freebies?

Is it the SoS veterans? Should older players be more understanding to newer players? Should those from the old community reach out to newer players to show them the community that they've come to know and love.

I think its both. If Sos ever wants to prosper as a community it must come from both ends.

As far as new players go, I understand that as the community expands there will be more bad eggs(Pun with yellow egg spam non-intended). However, I must say that a majority of new players are indeed really great people. It's up to the new players to do there own hardwork. I know that the first group of individuals who reached lvls 100+ must have worked very hard to get to their levels and earn there kron, and it is silly to think that new players should have the priveledged of being plvled and given freebies by people who worked very hard to do so.

As for the older players, please reach out to the newer ones. If a newb is asked to be plvled or is doign something else inappropriate like using thousands of yellow eggs to spam messages, instead of replying with a rude comment, be constructive. instead of saying "Hey i worked hard, grow up and do it yourself!' say something like "I won't plvl you or give you my gear, but i'll show you where to get it, and let me tell you the best maps to train in" I know that not every newbie will respond well to these comments, but keep in mind that for every yellow egg shout bashing a bad newbie, and for every mean comment made within a map, there's another good newbie somewhere reading these thinking "How can the older players be this mean to the newer ones"

I understand that this seperation might exist for a long time, it might never go away. But keep in mind, that as long as we refer to the SOS community as an older and a new one, the seperation will always exist. It is good to be nostalgic of the days when you first started, even I'm nostalgic and i just started playing :p but don't let it prevent you from loving the community that exists now. Keep in mind that regardless of what has happened there is still ONE solstice community, not two, and its time we started treating it like that.

[Twilight_Wanderer]

I was one of the people who picked up SoS back in Feburary 2008 and looked away from it until around April when I really started to get into the game, which would place me in sort of that gray area that establishes the older community from the newer one. From my experience playing, I'd say that this community is pretty well established despite some of the differences given in examples by everyone before me in this thread.

Going up to a random person and starting a conversation isn't any harder than it was back then. Yeah, you may come upon that one person who appears stuck up, or just another beggar, but who's to say that one person speaks for the rest of the players in game? You have to be willing to take that risk in order to see if you could end up meeting another new friend. You have nothing to lose really, so why not go for it hm?

I personally know how hard it is to be on one's own, too scared to talk to anyone because of sounding nub-ish or just plain ol' shy and,I gotta say, I seriously wanted to give up. But, after a while, I began to come out of my shell and met a bunch of new and wonderful people through parties and guilds. I've even gotten to met some of the higher ups and older people of the community through some of my friends which was pretty exciting for me. :D

Keep in mind that regardless of what has happened there is still ONE solstice community, not two, and its time we started treating it like that.

^ Very well said. ^

We're all a family now, with faces old and new. We all chose this game and none of us should ever be pushed to the point to where we want to get rid of people, no matter what they have done. What's past is past. That's what I was taught. So let us not dwell on the past. Instead, we should work on making this game's future as bright as it can be for all of us here now and for those willing to join us later on down the road. :D

[Tatsumiko]

I'm inbetween the old and new I guess o.o
I don't think I have problem with the old or new community. Newbies that asked for plvl I told them where to train. Newbies that asked questions I answered as best as I could. Newbies that DEMAND me to plvl I also told them where to train and ignore them when they asked for plvl again.

As for the old ones, it's easy for me to socialize with them (mostly tempy and cleric XD)
Some are tolerable, many are quite nice, in fact, very nice.

So, I can't see much different between the two community. Larger community means more people, which means both bad and good people are more plentiful. It's not only the bad eggs that increases in numbers.

P.S: I dunno what I've just wrote writing btw >_>

[tankofinsanity]

The community is rotting like a zombie in daylight

If anyone remembers, Solstice used to boast about it's awesome GMs. critiques online gave solstice a high rank in gaming even though it's graphic and gameplay is lacking because GMs host a lot of events. now? the events are just embarassing, and more and more GMs are quitting.

In the old community outspark listens to the community, although it takes them forever to act, but in the end they actually got the tiny pots, and got rid of xen from lucky balls. With Thrakx gone I doubt outspark would listen ever again.

Now we are getting less and less GMs and events, old players are leaving and new players are not joining, and we are being moved to worse and worse servers while outspark use the better servers for games with more potential like blackshot

And right now you might think "hmmm it's not as bad as you say"

but it's because right now it's winter break and almost Christimas, everything is enjoying a "holiday spirit" boost right now

after the holidays are over, and a lot of players have to return to their lives

we will see how the community really is

[opensunflowers]

i joined in march, and i guess i "missed out" on the "awesome" community that everyone apparently can't let go of.

the community has always been great for me.
i don't know what everyone keeps talking about, how it was "better and more friendly" than it is now. maybe they just hang out with the wrong people.

my opinion is that the community now is the same as the community then. the community now is just a bit larger, though with the same characteristics.

i don't know, i can't stand these types of threads that keep trying to divide the community into the "oldies" and the "newbies" o_O;

[dylanangel]

With Thrakx gone I doubt outspark would listen ever again.

Its time to let that go. You need to quit giving him so much credit really. We have plenty of other posters who will challenge the GM's and Outspark if they see fit.

and we are being moved to worse and worse servers

Did I miss something here. I recall 1 move

i joined in march, and i guess i "missed out" on the "awesome" community that everyone apparently can't let go of.

the community has always been great for me.
i don't know what everyone keeps talking about, how it was "better and more friendly" than it is now. maybe they just hang out with the wrong people.

my opinion is that the community now is the same as the community then. the community now is just a bit larger, though with the same characteristics.
I agree. I have been with Outspark since October 2007 and yes the community was great but I have yet to meet the horrible community that keeps poppin up in these threads. Its kind of disheartening to hear the way some players explain the "old" community as rude. I have NEVER met a rude stuck up old player. Maybe its in the way you *not you taney just saying* approach them that makes them this way. I dunno

i don't know, i can't stand these types of threads that keep trying to divide the community into the "oldies" and the "newbies" o_O
Same here. These threads are getting old and make the division worse if there is one

[Daft_Brat]

The community from way back when was great, there was direct communication between GM's and players with the GM's actively involving different players in the search for bugs and discussing problems. The divide in the community is not just about new people and old people it also reverts back to Outspark as a whole. The community can't stay stable when the staff members that we grow used to having around and getting to know are constantly switched out. We are missing the times when GM's knew players on a one to one basis. I don't think the newer part of the community ever really got a chance to encounter and enjoy that and that's what I feel is really lacking. The foundation isn't the older players, it's the staff who run the day to day gaming that the community needs to feel comfortable with. Yes, rider still pops in every once in a while and will never really leave SoS completely, but the community has had a rough time since first Break and then Cretz left. We need stability starting from the GM's before anything else will firm up.

Meh, that's just my 2 cents.
Der is Noop!

[techno-viking]

I agree. I have been with Outspark since October 2007 and yes the community was great but I have yet to meet the horrible community that keeps poppin up in these threads. Its kind of disheartening to hear the way some players explain the "old" community as rude. I have NEVER met a rude stuck up old player.


I personally find some (not all) of the 'old' high lvl players rude and/or cliquey, but i put that down to them being gaming elitists, which you will find in every multiplayer game you play. best way to deal with them is just ignore them or point and laugh when they throw one of their epic tantrums ;)

[comp4ssion]

Been around for several months now, so I'm not exactly "noob"....

...But there were at least half a dozen of each third class before I got here, so you definitely can't call me old school...

Fair warning, this is gonna be a little long-winded.

I think everyone who's on the "It all comes down to GM involvement" bandwagon is headed more or less in the right direction. When I first got here, Awakening happened about twice a month...GMs would pop in and shout silly stuff every now and then just to let us all know they were there...Now there isn't much happening other than the occasional server boost (for which I'm grateful, don't get it twisted) and a couple of recent PTP events that, for lack of a better and more diplomatic way to put it, could have gone better. It's in that regard that I concur with those of you who say that there's something missing these days and that something does need to be done.

lnfern0 once said "The n00bs today are the 1337s of tomorrow." Funny he should say that when I'm still a 3x aco with no clue as to what's going on in the world of Xen, and funny I should remember that now that I'm a 7x Cleric and GM of a guild that embodies that very philosophy. Just because someone's n00b doesn't mean they won't be a good addition to the community, and just because someone's level 11x+ and old school doesn't mean they'll be missed when they quit after being repeatedly ganged in PvP by the mid-level noobs they've constantly been treating badly.

Just FYI, these are both hypothetical examples and are not intended to represent either the majority of cases for either demographic, nor any specific set of individuals. (In other words, don't bother flaming.)

What I'm getting at here is this: If you don't like the way the community is changing, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And that remark isn't intended to be scathing or inflammatory in any way; it's merely meant to point out our one and only obvious remedy to this "problem." When I was newb, I was taught a lot by cool older players. Well, some have retired, some are inactive, and some are so rich and high leveled that paying them all back is impossible. So what do I do? I pass the favors on to the newbs. Little things like the following:

-walking them to Judy
-helping them get juice so they can get a pet
-healing and buffing them in the Trisects
-teaching them stuff like game mechanics
-coaching them on combat techniques
-buying them potions
-leading them to important places and NPCs
-counseling those who are about to change class
-introducing them to people

(Sentimental stories with attached morals soon to follow...)

I recall one recent evening in which I introduced two level 1xs to Kusogaki the wizard when he was on his way to lost Brynnhild. We all walked through the sewers, Kuso and I pwning random sewer critters with the newbs tagging along going OMGWTH U DO LIKE 1200 DMG WOW U R AWESOME....And to be honest, it was fun!

What? Higher leveled players having fun with newbs?? BLASPHEMY!!

But think for a second about what's going on here...Those newbs will never, as long as they play Solstice, forget that day (and quite likely their first, as they were level 18 and 19) when they walked around in the sewers on a quest for an ancient family skill that the Skill Master knows behind a Cleric who could heal any wound and a Wizard whose big flashy skills repeatedly charbroiled Darkwings so badly that only Alastor's dental records could identify the remains.

How awesome is that?? Did that happen to you on your first day? No? And yet you still love the game and its community? Just imagine how awesome those two newbs think this game and its community are.

After we reached Judy, the two newbs expressed their eternal gratitude and unadulterated awe of the magical prowess of the wizard that came along for the fun. They also sincerely thanked the Cleric who kept them from dying on the way. I told them to keep training, and that I would like to see some improvement next time I bumped in to them (after congratulating them on successfully reaching Judy, of course). The Squire solemnly vowed to become a powerful Warrior one day, and the little Apprentice referred to Kusogaki as his role model!

It's like a perfect reverse from my first trip to Chanthery Gorge. I saw a shout from who was then a level 67 Knight (but is now 9x and semi-retired) for a "chant party." Had no idea what it was (I was level 20 and VERY newb at the time), but it sounded fun. So I asked if I could come along. Right out of the east gate of Essene, he stopped and said "Whoa! You're only level 20!" For a moment I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, thinking this old school pro would promptly reject me in favor of a more capable healer. Instead, I was pleasantly (if nervously) surprised by what came next:

"Stay close behind me. Don't walk in front of me. And I'll protect you the whole way there."

He did. I arrived in Chanthery Gorge in one piece. There were a total of seven there counting this Knight and I, including (thank GAWD) two higher level healers. One of the Neophytes in the party (now a Rogue and not too far from Assassin) said "Welcome to Hell." With a smiley face. And the party took off from the entrance (to which we all now refer as the SZ) and dogpiled the nearest Squee!

These nefarious desert creatures hit for more damage than I could heal. I started to get a bit discouraged...the other healers kept them healthy and had buffs; why was I here? I gave voice to my concerns and a Disciple in the party said "Don't worry, you can be our mascot." I smiled and continued following the party around, trying to heal and help them as they killed. (One even asked who it was dealing one point of damage. It was me.)

We returned to the safezone and a Scout asked me "Compassion, can I trouble you for a Fist Up buff please?" I was honest in my response: "Sorry, I don't have buffs yet." His response? "Don't worry. Stay close to your party and keep working hard, and they'll come." A little more killing, and it was time for the party to disband. The Knight who brought me along asked if I had fun. Of course I did! He then said this: "You did really well out there. I want to see some improvement next time I bump into you."

This is a cycle that I've established. I took the lessons of the cool older players, applied them, and are now passing them on to the next generation in the same fashion in the hope that said cycle can continue.

I really hope that anyone who is concerned about the state of the community can find it in their heart and spare time to attempt to do the same. Watch as the community grows and bonds. And when things get better, hopefully I'll be an old retired Priestess still around to wag a Speech cane saying "I told you so!"

We have a wonderful community here. Let's keep it that way. :)

[kevinata]

OMG compassion, your experience was totally different from mine >.>

1. there wer some assasins hanging around in byrn trisects, i ask them some questins about the game. at first they ignore me but i still hanged out for a lil while then one of them said" pls go away you' re too nooby to be around us". >.> i didnt know if that was a joke or he was serious but if it was a joke it wasnt funny.

2. I have already mentioned about my first PvP experiences but i want to say, its still happening even tho i lvled up wayy higher than 21 >.>

Sry if i sound like im acccusing the older people of being cruel, i didnt mean it to be that way. And i know there are some great older players like u opensunflowers and dylan, and several others but overall the older people hast been nice to me.

I thank joe90, indigosunset, knivel, los and those mid old people who were/ still are nice to me when i was lvl 20s.

[foxmasterd]

I agree, from what i've seen in the past the community was way more patient and stuff, even though I've not been here from the very beginning I can tell that with all the GM's leaving and the updates becoming further and further apart, the community is doing quite the same..

[MetallicaX]

***PERSONAL OPINION, does not reflect any specific events/people.***
Back then -
Every day was a new adventure, new things happening all the time. New friends made around every corner. PvP was few and far between, but was fun to mess around in. Everyone knew each other, and the economy was balanced. People waited in large groups in new maps for parties, moreso for adventuring than leveling. Level 66 players were respected; and when 3rd class was released, anyone at level 96+ was considered a god. Few beggars; many people who helped noobs in need. AP gear was rare, and was "top of the line" gear even at +1/6ap. Maps were rarely crowded, and aoe was only for the higher-ups. SC gear was usually for show; and boosters cost 1500 sc for 3 hours. All around, an enjoyable place to be.

Now -
AoE is commonplace. AP gears have gone to +1/6ap being crappy for higher levels. Prices for good gear and xens are through the roof for some classes; some items have gone down (i.e. YWMs). Cape of Love is seen on every AoEing SC-user's back (yes, i use one myself.) and a horror mask on every rogue/archer's face. PvP has caused friendships to crash, and is horribly imbalanced with Sparkcash pots (able to spam +300hp? pff, come on) and a class imbalance. Lots of arguments, lots of people who aren't very good at playing the game, lots of people who are inconsiderate towards others in (literally) every way. Boosts that cost 7000(?) sc and last a month. Level 66 is considered "Low-mid level", and level 80 is a "Mid-level". 96 is commonplace. People gain levels like mad, many who give up after hitting 96. Bugs go unfixed, not a lot of areas to explore, few quests that have any longevity (not to mention, any long quest is often like doing a chore rather than having fun), and lots and lots of broken promises. Game has become Sparkcash based. (/end rant)

Again, This is my opinion; there's no need to criticize me, or tell me i'm wrong on something.

[tazsbigtoy]

hmmm, I just reread my previous post and I want to clarify a few things. I was basically trying to point out the differences I saw and felt in the community I remember when I started playing and the community I see now. I was also trying to comment on a previous post and explain why a higher level player might not extend the open arms of welcome to new lower level players. I may have came across as anti-new player, but I am not. If we don't attract new players, the game will die. I have made friends among newer players, I've answered questions, helped people find places, items, and npc's. I am not rude about it, and I don't make fun or belittle someone about a question.

I have done the sewer walk with people. I have done escort duty to get lower levels to Jot for a class change. I have helped escort lower level players to Chant for a party.

Our community is evolving. As it gets larger, it loses the intimate feel and it's a bit more chaotic. It's still a good community though. There are great players on the game and on the forums. We still have a lot of people willing to share knowledge and several up and comers who look eager to learn and pass on what they learn. It's funny, but we tend to emphasize the negative of today and the positive of yesterday. We gripe about the bad today and talk about how things were better then than now. Human nature I guess. This is still the friendliest, most interesting online community I have been involved with