I know that there are tons of clues around - I suspect that Tom (who is looking at Beluaterra from /within/ the framework ofrules) is near dismayed by our inability to read the clues correctly.
No, I'm more amused.
What I find a bit disorienting is that too many people are searching for some kind of "deus ex machina" - something that will solve all their problems. Sorry, no easy way out this time. There's things you can find out, but there is no "make all the evil go away" button.
However, for one who is looking at the situation from without this framework many clues cannot carry the information that is only imparted if you connect them to the underlying theoretic framework. I also know that 'at least one person' has figured the system (largely?) out - but considering that most realms seem to be honestly and actively coordinating and since I have not heard from it either this person does not believe in his theory or he is actively hiding his findings...which I find hard to believe.
I am surprised that despite cooperation all around, a
lot of information is either not moving around or moving around very slowly. Some people knew almost immediately about all of the regions blighted this far, but I know that others only found out a day or two later. I know that you all are trying to track the Daimon leaders, and I am making it really easy - lots of looting, which always generates a message to the region lords and knights, for example - and still you constantly lose track of some or all. I know that at least one person in the game still thinks that Darkest Hour of the North is in prison. He's been out for days. If anyone is surprised by this information - there's a piece of evidence right there that despite all the efforts, information sharing doesn't work nearly as well as you think.
It's ok - I was expecting most of this, though I am a bit surprised at the extent. It seems I don't need to think about stuff like delayed messages or such, players already do a great job at delaying and losing information. :-)
So I suspect that this invasions 'groundrules' will likely stay hidden despite Toms best efforts to reveal them. I am facinated by the flow of information, how it is perceived and what we distill out of it. I assume there is a fundamental difference in how the availiable set of information is perceived by its designers - and outsiders...and that this results in our 'inability' to read it correctly.
Note that I consider this invasion to be of excellent design quality. Many players seem to have a lot of fun - and this desperate struggle sure is epic. I would so very much love to be able to see Beluaterra saved...
Then work harder. I am fully prepared to sink it, and quite honestly, right now it looks really, really bad for the entire south. Since I can move through the blight, I can now choose my enemies, and instead of 9 realms, I can now fight either 3 or 6. Massive strategic victory for me, even in the (for you) best case, you can only give me 2/3rd the opposition now.
The "ground rules" are not so secret as you think, if you stop thinking in terms of "there is this one clue we must find and everything will come apart". Many of the rules have already been correctly found - like the succession of Nightfall - Midnight - etc. - this may not seem like huge news if you think in terms of "button to fix it all", but if you think of information as ammunition, it is a rather big bomb, as it tells you a lot if you think about it a tiny bit. The most obvious piece of info it contains is that they are not immortal, for example.
I also think there are many rules that you don't talk about, but have correctly guessed anyways. For example, that the Nightfalls, Midnights, etc. don't talk. Early on there were some communication attempts, but there haven't been any for weeks now. Anyone who wants to talk to the Daimons these days go through Overlord or his sons. Again, not a "click here to save humanity" clue, but still information, still a piece of "ground rules".
Many people by now have a good idea of what the conditions for losing regions, i.e. the Blight expanding, are.
So it's not like everyone would be totally clueless. There's a lot of knowledge around. Some of it isn't being shared much, and then there is quite a bit of misinformation as well. But I will continue to reveal clues, both through actions and through words. Really too bad that too many players have decided to simply disregard everything Overlord or his sons say as lies, lies and more lies instead of reading it and checking if there's anything interesting being said, because there is. But yes, of course most of it is said very intentionally to mislead you, or just to gloat, have some fun and make you SOOOO much want to kill that evil bastard. :-D
And I can't believe 1st Son could get out of prison by paying his ransom today. I was so sure he'd be banned or executed this time. I can't believe that all three sons are still alive. When I launched the invasion, and you had asked me how many sons had been killed by the end of January, I'd have guessed at least two, probably all three. I mean, that guy is personally responsible for the blighting of Villriil, and you
don't have standing orders in all realms to arrest him on sight? I'm totally flabbergasted. Ok, that just had to get out. I feel better now. :-)
