Author Topic: An Open Letter to the BM Community  (Read 11463 times)

Foxglove

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 734
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #15: June 26, 2014, 03:14:53 PM »
Case in point: When Eponllyn was migrating north to flee the ice advance, we ordered all of our people to bring siege engines in case something happened and we needed them. We didn't plan on needing them, but you never know. When we got to Oligarch and started talking to the ruler of Westmoor, he insisted that we came north specifically to attack them, because we ordered all of our people to bring siege engines. WTF?! How does the ruler of a potentially hostile foreign realm know that our army was ordered to bring siege engines with them?

Because a couple of Eponllyn nobles came to Westmoor and joined us because they didn't agree with Eponllyn's hostile attitude to the Southern Alliance, and Westmoor in particular. They said, "Hey, Eponllyn is planning to attack Westmoor". Combined with some other diplomatic stuff that was going on, it was more than enough to persuade Thomas and others that Eponllyn had hostile intent.

There was no 'spying' or "sharing realm messages with hostile foreign powers". Just an old fashioned defection by dissidents.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2014, 03:56:34 PM by Foxglove »

Lorgan

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1185
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #16: June 26, 2014, 03:20:32 PM »
I do not mind the occasional ferret it makes the game fun. I would not mind losing a battle due to such treachery. It makes the game fun in my opinion. I would honestly rather lose most battles to to information leaks if it was the cost of being open and inclusive. It is just sacrificing one form of fun for another to me. I am even naive enough to believe that by maintaining a friendly, inclusive realm people who come to cheat you may just be won over. A guy can dream right?

^^^^ Muy Importante.

Keeping your plans secret from your realm is the reaction of control freaks with trust issues.

Deytheur

  • Noble Lord
  • ***
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #17: June 26, 2014, 03:51:02 PM »
Because a couple of Eponllyn nobles came to Westmoor and joined us because they didn't agree with Eponllyn's hostile attitude to the Southern Alliance, and Westmoor in particular. They said, "Hey, Eponllyn is planning to attack Westmoor". Combined with some other diplomatic stuff that was going on, it was more than enough to persuade Thomas and others that Eponllyn had hostile intent.

There was no 'spying' or "sharing realm messages with hostile foreign powers". Just an fashioned defection by dissidents.

That's not exactly what happened but this isn't the thread for it. They didn't join Westmoor until after we had Oligarch and we banned them and you knew about it before then. Also I'm sorry to say they lied to you because we weren't planning to attack Westmoor.

Foxglove

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 734
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #18: June 26, 2014, 03:55:48 PM »
That's not exactly what happened but this isn't the thread for it. They didn't join Westmoor until after we had Oligarch and we banned them and you knew about it before then. Also I'm sorry to say they lied to you because we weren't planning to attack Westmoor.

No, we had at least one noble from Eponllyn join us while you were still in the south. But, as you say, we don't want to derail this thread into a history discussion. Plus, with hindsight and since the ripples from it are still being played out in the game, maybe it's best to keep the info in-game.

Zakilevo

  • Guest
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #19: June 26, 2014, 05:51:00 PM »
I haven't left... Just taking an extended break. With three boys and a new baby on the way I felt I had to prioritize my time. The baby is now here and just about old enough for me to start up again! Or perhaps I am just unable to resist that little itch I get whenever I skim the forums much longer...

Heh. I remember when Indirik here got his new child. Made him quite busy 8)

Indirik

  • Exalted Emperor
  • ******
  • Posts: 10849
  • No pressure, no diamonds.
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #20: June 26, 2014, 06:27:29 PM »
They still keep me busy. :D And probably will for at least the next 16 years.
If at first you don't succeed, don't take up skydiving.

Ravier Nebehn

  • Knight
  • **
  • Posts: 46
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #21: June 26, 2014, 06:45:45 PM »
Well I deleted my character when I felt I was too attached cause I felt I was starting to take things too personally.

Gotta say starting fresh does help a lot with that. Just delete/pause and move on to a new younger character on a different realm full of people you haven't played before.

You sure your accident hasn't scrambled your brain too? :P

But seriously, this. This! It links to another point in the Atanamir thread which is we have to stop seeing people as "the enemy". Before I played in two realms with Tony here, I saw him as "the enemy" because he was prominent as a Ruler of Sirion and as such wouldn't give him the time of day. Now I play with him in Westmoor and in Sandalak and I actually see he's a nice bloke who's trying to make things interesting.

In nearly three years of playing, the biggest thing to try and do is just jump in to new places and see where it takes you. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised. And if not.. try again! I've got one noble free at the moment and to be honest, I'm not sure where I'd put him/her. Atamara is the only island I haven't played yet (bar Colonies and that was only briefly in Outer Tilog).

Also, on the topic of being busy.. I know the feeling, though not children (my new wife and I are considering that *next* year) - I emigrated to the US to be with her this January just gone and it's taken years of planning and paperwork. And there's still at least another 3-4 to go.

Indirik

  • Exalted Emperor
  • ******
  • Posts: 10849
  • No pressure, no diamonds.
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #22: June 26, 2014, 06:58:21 PM »
But seriously, this. This! It links to another point in the Atanamir thread which is we have to stop seeing people as "the enemy".
I highly recommend this, as well. I've never gone back to a realm after a character has been killed or moved on. And so far, I've only really been disappointed once. Getting to know new people, and new situations and viewpoints on the political situation, is pretty cool.
If at first you don't succeed, don't take up skydiving.

jaune

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 725
  • Suck my socks!
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #23: June 26, 2014, 08:42:59 PM »
I highly recommend this, as well. I've never gone back to a realm after a character has been killed or moved on. And so far, I've only really been disappointed once. Getting to know new people, and new situations and viewpoints on the political situation, is pretty cool.
I'm always sitting on same area with my chars :D Chars change, realms change... but I will be there. Central Atamara i havent been for a while.
~Violence is always an option!~

Qyasogk

  • Noble Lord
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #24: June 27, 2014, 10:30:41 PM »
Of course, a lot of this is player driven. Most realms I have been in over the last few years seemed to be obsessed with relying on a small, trusted, inner circle for very valid in character reasons.

It's all player driven! I think sometimes people forget that realms are really a reflection of their rulers and their histories. A realm fighting for its survival against multiple enemies, spies and assassins, is going to be a lot more paranoid and dark than a realm that is at peace and harmony with all of its neighbors. A friendly ruler will run a friendly realm. An isolated recluse of a ruler will not be running as friendly of a  realm.

Stue (DC)

  • Noble Lord
  • ***
  • Posts: 266
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #25: June 29, 2014, 09:15:30 PM »

I think the reason, the blame in a sense, lies with all of us. For not being proactive members of a community, for not playing fair. I include myself in this. That many of our players seem to see the game as a private clubhouse, or a way to carry out personal vendettas, or else use untoward or outside methods in an attempt to 'win'. I see this as the most pressing affliction of our community.


in my opinion, being "constructively proactive" means playing in-game and stay away from other means. as you will be ignored most of time as almost all important communication went ooc, you can be "proactive" in different way - to fight for forums shutdown and to push titans to fight against ooc clans. that "proactivity is hopeless, though as after some considerations forums stayed alive and ooc clans are the most protected bm asset...

Miriam Ics

  • Testers
  • Noble Lord
  • *
  • Posts: 298
  • Myrnia (EC) Mattias Cat (BT) Luarin Ariana (DWI)
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #26: July 03, 2014, 11:19:41 PM »
They still keep me busy. :D And probably will for at least the next 16 years.

Make it 30, or, probably, forever. You just need to find time for your interests.

I try to be at the game as much as possible and when I cannot, I leave my chars doing nothing at some safe place till I can play again.
I need to say the last years didnt allow me to play as before but I have good times anyway.
I learned to enjoy the small things and don't expect too much but I am lucky to be in realms that give me good times very often.
"Resolve to serve no more, and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces."

Mac Tir

  • Knight
  • **
  • Posts: 46
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #27: July 04, 2014, 12:55:11 AM »
huh.

It's funny. For all the talk about the us vs them thing, ultimately it's about player/character separation. I've played against a lot of players on the ''other'' side, but not hated them. Case in point, players of the Indiriks, Ecthelions, Kronagos', even ''of Astora'', who just killed my main character, all fun to play with. My family even declared a blood feud against the ''of Astora's'', and half of my characters aren't planning on doing anything just because it doesn't fit with their character personas. But with some of mine it serves as an interesting thing to play through.

Ironically, the only family who I truly have thought of as ''the enemy'' since I've started playing is the ''of Umbar''

Eirikr

  • Guest
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #28: July 09, 2014, 07:22:17 PM »
EDIT: Moved to other thread... got created while I was posting.

Anaris

  • Administrator
  • Exalted Emperor
  • *
  • Posts: 8525
    • View Profile
Re: An Open Letter to the BM Community
« Reply #29: July 09, 2014, 07:40:31 PM »
This thread has now been split, with the spying discussion moved to its own thread.
Timothy Collett

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire...is your heart." "You are what you do.  Choose again, and change." "One of these days, someone's gonna plug you, and you're going to die saying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan