My Opinion on Firearms

[Norman Osborn 247]

((The following message was pasted from my comment in the Firearms discussion thread. However, I thought it fitting to copy it onto an Off Topic thread, as to ensure my message is heard instead of lost in the flood of other comments))

I am egregiously inactive on the forums, with me never even updating my character list. The only aspect of my forums account I am proud of, is Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter consuming two drumsticks in tandem. Alas, I feel as though I am compelled by my civic duties as an LotC’er to provide commentary on such a matter. I am pro-gun, yet I comprehend and appreciate the arguments offered by those of anti-gun sentiment. Allow me to rebuke such arguments.
 

1. The Potential For Guns To Be Powergamed: Virtually every pro-gun person I have had the pleasure of discussing this with, has resolved that guns ought to be reskinned crossbows- nothing more, nothing less. The same emote requirements for loading, the same velocity and speed, the same range and the same stopping power. Even if guns could aptly penetrate plate unlike a crossbow, we would happily accept a reduction in penetration in exchange for simply having guns implemented in a fair, balanced manner. The same attitude of compromise also extends to the concept of pre-loading. The reason for this is due to the fact all we desire, is to pursue a new flavor unexplored on the server thus far.
    
2. Guns Have Already Been Tried (Medesculers): To compare our vision of guns to medesculers, is simply incorrect. Medesculers were far more unbalanced than a reskinned crossbow. Furthermore, they were made to only be accessible to and enjoyed by mage RP’ers- whereas we desire for firearms to be enjoyed by the masses. Our vision of guns is drastically different from that of Medesculers, and to treat the two as the same, would be flagrantly obtuse and unfair.
    
3. Nobody Wants Them: If one looks at the poll attached to this thread, then it must be acknowledged that most do not want guns. However, it is hardly a landslide. 47 to 53 percent or 200 to 220 players. Just because anti-gun sentiments barely obtained a majority, does not mean the wants of 200 players should be neglected. Furthermore, the desire for guns is geographically distributed- human hubs such as Helena are pro-gun, while nonhuman hubs tend to be anti-gun. These two ideologies do not need to directly mingle, as they can remain in their own hubs. That separation-by-preference also extends to Canonist RP, Magic RP, Crime RP or any other sort of RP niche you may or may not enjoy. Why would a Sutican mage RP’er go to Oren?
    
4. Guns Are Too Modern: The argument I see spawn in such debates constantly. To say that LotC is a rehashing of LotR by nature, and should always remain that way, is quite frankly narrow-minded. 200 players want LotC to have guns, for purely aesthetic reasons (refer to Point 1). So what we want to roleplay the colonial era with our powdered wigs and flintlock weapons? That is the flavor we want, and even if other communities disdain it, they do not need to actively engage said flavor (refer to Point 3). If Oren can tolerate mages casting spells in their cities, places such as Sutica or Aegrothond can tolerate people going into their cities with flintlocks.
    

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

Edited April 25, 2020 by _SuitAndTie_

[Taketheshot 3834]

A fabulously explained piece of information, hopefully this will satiate the concerns of some people. 

[MeteorDragon 2809]

I’ll just throw two points out there
 

1: If it’s a reskinned crossbow, then just use a crossbow. Like, what’s the difference other than saying ‘I have a GUN!1!1!’?

2: The whole mage thing is kind of a weird point. It’s just a nation to decide what to do about magic, sometimes humans get magic and that’s cool! Though from your point you’re making it seem like it’s only Oren that’s against the whole mage thing. You neglect Renelia, Haense, Curon, Kaedrin, Sutica, Aegrothond, Asuimulei, Urguan, Haelun’or, Talus Grove, Talon’s Grotto,  etc. in the mage category.. well, you mentioned Sutica and Aegrothond so for the memes I’ll throw in Gehenna, Gate, Brandybrook, Al-Faiz, Resenyr, Vira’ker, Krugmar, and Courland. Though, it’s not like you can mention them all in one. So I’ll give you a little room for that. Even with that, my point still stands. The world at large isnt just Oren and Sutica so you cant base everything off of the two extremes

 

PS: Im a sutican mage rper and I send my mage to Oren some of the time soooo, oops : P 

[Norman Osborn 247]

22 minutes ago, MeteorDragon said:

1: If it’s a reskinned crossbow, then just use a crossbow. Like, what’s the difference other than saying ‘I have a GUN!1!1!’?

Flavor, my good man, flavor.
 

 

22 minutes ago, MeteorDragon said:

2: The whole mage thing is kind of a weird point. It’s just a nation to decide what to do about magic, sometimes humans get magic and that’s cool! Though from your point you’re making it seem like it’s only Oren that’s against the whole mage thing. You neglect Renelia, Haense, Curon, Kaedrin, Sutica, Aegrothond, Asuimulei, Urguan, Haelun’or, Talus Grove, Talon’s Grotto,  etc. in the mage category.. well, you mentioned Sutica and Aegrothond so for the memes I’ll throw in Gehenna, Gate, Brandybrook, Al-Faiz, Resenyr, Vira’ker, Krugmar, and Courland. Though, it’s not like you can mention them all in one. So I’ll give you a little room for that. Even with that, my point still stands. The world at large isnt just Oren and Sutica so you cant base everything off of the two extremes

I do agree that utilizing Oren and Sutica as the polar representations of this, does present it in a lopsided manner, and I apologize for that, even if I did not deem it necessarily to include every nation. However, I still think you’re neglecting the points displayed with those examples. The main point being that gun and anti-gun opinions are largely distributed on a geographical basis, therefore those who disdain guns can choose to not engage with those who enjoy guns.

 

However, if a gunman goes to Haelun’or and starts packing heat, people are going to have to respond to that RP. Just like if a mage from [Insert Magic Town Here] goes to Helena and tries to chuck a fireball at the Emperor, people are going to have to respond to that RP. Such is why I included the mage example of Oren tolerating mage RP’ers in their cities. If they can do it, why couldn’t the vice versa happen?
 

@LionbiletiIs the formatting any better now?

Edited April 25, 2020 by _SuitAndTie_

[Legoboy7984 2441]

no. guns.

[Norman Osborn 247]

36 minutes ago, Legoboy7984 said:

no. guns.

Would you be so kind as to elaborate why, Lego Boy?

Rest assured, I was originally in possession of much more rep for this thread before the forums died.

[monkeypoacher 6993]

On 4/24/2020 at 10:15 PM, MeteorDragon said:

1: If it’s a reskinned crossbow, then just use a crossbow. Like, what’s the difference other than saying ‘I have a GUN!1!1!’?

 

some people play this server to roleplay not to have the coolest most powerful character in a shitty freeform mmo

 

people are just saying that they wouldn’t make guns any more powerful in rp than existing projectile weapons; reassuring you that firearms aren’t intended to make us stronger in combat rp (which is a facet of the server which, for the most part, we don’t care about)

 

the sorts of early firearms we’re suggesting are actually worse than crossbows. with a crossbow, you know the angle your projectile is going. adjusting for gravity, you can reliably hit a target at medium range with a crossbow. not so with an early firearm; since the barrel is not rifled, the spin of the projectile and the angle it leaves the barrel is totally random. firearms are weaker in single combat than bows are. but it would be fun to roleplay them. that’s our angle.