xDK

What a great topic! It’s genuinely interesting to dive into the psychological impact of RP, especially as it correlates with the idea of identity formation. I am personally I big fan of the way that David Riesman compartmentalizes how different identities are formed in today’s world, compared to back in the day. The main idea I have put below here: Tradition-directed: People who adhere to long-standing norms, guided by traditions passed down through generations, prioritizing conformity over personal preferences. (Think of a baker’s child who grows up to become a baker) Inner-directed: People guided by internalized principles and personal values instilled during their upbringing. (Think of people going to war back in the day, because of the way they were taught morals by their parents) Other-directed: People whose sense of self and behavior are heavily influenced by their social environment. Highly attuned individuals, adapting their identity based on external feedback. (Think of people today acting different on social media from real life) The idea being that in today’s world with people grown up with social media essentially derive their sense of self based on their group membership. This is particularly interesting when you view how conformity has spread across the server. This is a form of social identity where affiliation with in-game groups, factions or nations, provides people with a framework for social interaction, and a source of pride and self-esteem. In the context of RP, I think that this can lead to a situation where player characters and their personal identities begin to intertwine. The desire for social adherence and belonging drives players to conform to in-game group norms, which can influence their real-life behaviour and idea of self. When players deeply engage with their characters and the in-game world on this level, they may have emotions and reactions as if these events were happening to their own identity (because in a roundabout way, it is!). This emotional engagement can blur the lines between in-game experiences and real-life feelings, especially for individuals whose sense of self is still developing. TL;DR: In the modern world people view their identities through external feedback and different group settings. This means that your character is literally a part of your identity. Not an extension of it, but the identity itself. So when your character gets attacked, then you will not view it as “your character being attacked”, but rather an attack on your identity.

Gramercy, yonder prattle doth chafe my senses with such ungeasoned parlance! ‘Tis woe enow when one’s co-mates prattle of ‘exes’ and ‘girlfriends,’ their speech bereft of aught kenning to this realm. Would they but eschew such modern frippery! Aye, forsooth, I am afeared that each ‘maw’ and ‘hue’ doth rend the veil of our fair mumming. I beseech ye all, let us restore our speech to words more fitting and let not our revels become a witless mummer’s farce.

I would say that the minimum Pixel size should be 1080px on the shortest side. Note that this is not a requirement, just a way to make sure nothing is pixelated. Usually of it looks good in the test application, it will be okay no matter what.

Hello everyone! I am excited to finally announce some cool new things coming your way! As we want to ensure that our platform evolves to better serve the players. Here’s what’s happening from a website development point of view. We believe in the power of the community's talented artists and want to showcase your creativity in helping us design our new store page. Instead of relying on AI-generated art like what has been used for a placeholder till now, we are turning to the server's incredible art community to bring the store page to life. How to Participate 1. Create Your Design: The store page layout has been created, however now we are looking to have a unique feel to the store page in relation to the “VIP cards” that will showcase each tier (Coal, Iron, Gold, Diamond, Bedrock, Ender and Aether). Below you can see a way that these new cards will be displayed, And also a way for you to test your design by uploading your assets. The VIP Cards The VIP Cards consist of 3 different image assets. 1. The Background Cover Image. 2. The Title Text Image. 3. The Item Highlighted Image. (The VIP Cards will be displayed in a grid and when clicked they will be expanded, like when you hover over the card below.) Why we are not sharing images of the store page layout I am purposely keeping the new store page layout details private for now to allow you full creative freedom. Without predefined constraints, so all you need to focus on is the VIP cards. Should you wish to know more about the store page layout and other details, do not hesitate to reach out. Spoiler of the 3 different assets and their respective specifications: Application for testing your design /* Universal Box Sizing */ * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; } /* Container for the card and upload section */ .container { display: flex; gap: 20px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 20px; flex-wrap: wrap; /* Ensure responsiveness */ justify-content: center; } /* Styles for the card */ .st-card { width: 400px; aspect-ratio: 2 / 3; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; border-radius: 20px; transition: transform 0.6s ease, box-shadow 0.6s ease; transform-origin: center center; position: relative; z-index: 5; /* Added z-index */ } /* Hover effects for the card */ .st-card:hover .st-wrapper { transform: perspective(900px) translateY(-5%) rotateX(25deg) translateZ(0); box-shadow: 2px 35px 32px -8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); } .st-card:hover .st-card-title { transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(120%) translateZ(200px); opacity: 1; } .st-card:hover .st-card-item { opacity: 1; transform: translate3d(-50%, -65%, 150px); /* Increased Z value */ } /* Wrapper for the cover image */ .st-wrapper { border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; transition: transform 0.6s ease, box-shadow 0.6s ease; z-index: 1; box-shadow: 0 0 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); /* No shadow initially */ } /* Cover image styles */ .st-cover-image { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; pointer-events: none; } /* Card title image styles */ .st-card-title { width: 100%; /* Adjust as needed */ transition: transform 0.5s, opacity 0.5s; opacity: 1; z-index: 5; position: absolute; transform-style: preserve-3d; top: 20%; /* Adjust to position the title appropriately */ left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(150%) translateZ(200px); pointer-events: none; } /* Card item image styles */ .st-card-item { width: 100%; /* Adjust as needed */ height: auto; opacity: 0; transition: opacity 0.5s, transform 0.5s; position: absolute; transform-style: preserve-3d; top: 50%; left: 50%; transform: translate3d(-50%, -30%, 150px); /* Increased Z value */ z-index: 3; /* Increased z-index */ pointer-events: none; } /* Upload Section Styling */ .upload-section { padding: 20px; max-width: 400px; width: 100%; } .upload-section h3 { margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: center; } .upload-section label { display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; font-weight: bold; } .upload-section input[type="file"] { display: block; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 15px; font-size: 14px; padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; } /* Responsive design for smaller screens */ @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) { .container { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .st-card { aspect-ratio: 1 / 1.5; width: 80%; } } Upload Your Files Cover Image: Card Title Image: Card Item Image: 2. Submit Your Entry: Send your design to [email protected] with the subject ‘Store Art Contest [Username]’ by November 17th November 25th. Please send files as attachments not embeds. Original files for your chosen art program must be included. AI generated content will not be accepted. Important: You have to create minimum 3 VIP cards, so that we can see the consistency across multiple assets. 3. Share Your Vision: Include a brief description of your design inspiration/idea and key takeaways. Prizes 1st Place: Art will be featured on our store page, and credits will be given. 55000 Crowns (enough for Aether VIP, can split) or 10000 Mina. The Lord of the Craft exclusive forum rank for 6 months. Creative Wizard forum tag. - 2nd Place: 22000 Crowns (enough for Bedrock VIP, can split) or 3000 Mina. Creative Wizard forum tag. - 3rd Place: 11000 Crowns (enough for Diamond VIP, can split) or 1000 Mina. Creative Wizard forum tag. Timeline Announcement Date: October 26th - 2024 Submission Deadline: November 17th 25th - 2024 Winner Announcement: TBD Should you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to me through the forums or through discord :) Things currently being worked on Upcoming Features and Improvements Updating the Forums to the Newest Version We are currently working on updating the forums to the newest version (Something which hasn't been done since 2017). It can be difficult to improve quality of life, when you are working on things that are going to be depreciated in a newer update. So in order to make it easier for web developers both now and in the future to make new features, or improvements to anything, we are going to go through with a large update of the underlying framework. Will this break stuff? Absolutely! However, in order to make things better going forward, we will have to do this now rather than later. There will be a new announcement post going into details regarding this. New Homepage We are in the early stages of developing a new homepage to increase its usability and make it a central hub for our community, instead of just a page that you use to get to the forums. Our aim is to introduce features that will be valuable to both new and existing members, enhancing their overall need for the homepage. To achieve this, we will be collaborating closely with other staff teams, listening to their needs. While also actively seeking input from the community. Your suggestions and feedback are crucial, so please share your ideas in the feedback section of the forums. This collaborative approach is needed to help us design a homepage that meets the information for new players and the needs of our existing players. New Editor Button for Enhanced Post Styling In our efforts to make the user experience better, I am excited to say that I am working on a new button for the editor used in forum topics and posts. This new button will enable users to apply gradient text, without having to do so from google docs or manually change each individual letter. Additionally, I will add interactive animations to both text and images, that will allow for more creativity when it comes to formatting your topic. I am also adding image styling tools that are going to give you customization options for the formatting of your images, and a lot more. These improvements will be designed to provide players with an easier internal toolbox for creativity when designing their posts. Fixing the Status Update Widget We are also in the process of addressing several issues with the current “status update widget”. One major fix is the pagination within the widget, making it so that you no longer need to visit individual user profiles to navigate through comments. Additionally, we are attempting to resolve issues related to rich text formatting. Currently, long texts with rich formatting options enabled, will disrupt the layout of the post adding a new line for almost every letter. However, these fixes can only be implemented after the website's underlying framework is updated, as they rely on newer features that replace deprecated ones. I appreciate your patience as we work to fix the functionality of the status update widget. Spread the Word: Share this announcement with fellow community members who might be interested in the art contest and upcoming features. Finally, if you have any suggestions for improvements to the forums or website in general, don't hesitate to reach out or put your feedback in the [Feedback] section. We are already planning some other major and minor updates in the not too distant future, so you can look forward to that. Happy Creating! xDK | Web Developer

I am fully aware that I am technically staff, however I did want to add my 2 cents. Do you think that the division has gone too far? I really do not think that our community's divisions are irreparable. There is division over small issues, which is not abnormal in any community that is made up of diverse characters. Most of these issues are resolvable through open communication and understanding, as can be seen from this announcement. How do we fix the clear distrust of staff and community? From the player perspective, each time something is decided upon and not explained, it feels suspicious, as if the staff does not want scrutiny. This lack of openness can only provoke players into thinking that the staff doubts its own decisions. Being more transparent will help fix this. If the staff show its reasons and invite community feedback, then respect is given, offering a better ground for positive discussions. Openness shows that input is valued and support for fair, justifiable actions. Why do you or your friends feel targeted by staff? I had a notable staff tell me, “if ur criticisms aren't dumb no I won't make fun of u but so far everything u ever complain about is worthless”. Reactions like this make players feel like their opinion means nothing. This would also provide for an uncomfortable environment, hindering discussion of suggestions or criticisms that get laughed off or are completely ignored. It makes the players lose their confidence in giving feedback, thinking that the staff are unapproachable. Showing respect and openness to the concerns of the players can help build trust within the community.

As this is all about the forums and website in general, I will try to provide some thoughts and possible solutions from both a technical and a design standpoint. Problems: Over-emphasis on Forum Popularity: The current reputation system seems to inadvertently encourage popularity contests where posts and replies are rated in the amount of upvotes they receive rather than by their content or relevance to a subject. Poor Differentiation between IC and OOC: This has caused metagaming and toxicity in the mixing of in-character and out-of-character interactions in forums, which affects the premium roleplay experience that we are striving for. Less In-Game Interaction: The ease and convenience of the forum roleplay, in many ways, have replaced meaningful in-game interactions, thus lessening the richness of the live roleplay. Proposed Solutions: Revision to Reputation System: Hide Reputation on IC Posts. We could change the forum settings so that reputation points/upvotes won't appear on IC posts. It takes away some of the exclusions based on popularity, and it allows people to not be worried about the likes of his/her post. Improving the Segregation between IC/OOC: Make it easier to clearly differentiate between IC and OOC areas on the forums, both through the visual "look" of each sub-forum, but also with clear guidelines at the top or pinned, to remind users how they are to act in each area. More Advanced Moderation Tools: Better reporting tools that would easily facilitate users flagging posts that clearly cross over the lines of IC/OOC or contain metagaming content. While also providing moderators with better analytics to surface problematic trends faster and enable them to act on those as quickly as possible. This could also be done in a way where the person flagging a post will have to get a response to their report, so that it doesn't just appear to vanish into the void. Incentivizing In-Game Roleplay: Have the forum be more integrated with in-game notifications and forum calendars, so that it may remind players and encourage them to take part in live events, instead of discord servers having to shout out when in-game events might take place. Secondly you could also have in-game rewards or recognition in the form of awards or medals for participating in key in-game roleplay activities, essentially replacing the forum reputation for IC interaction, with a form of award system that rewards people for actively engaging in in-game live events. I really like the point about taking 'forum rep out of the RP equation.' By changing the way we display and make use of reputation metrics, the attention will shift back toward actual roleplay and not toward OOC popularity. I fully recognize that technology in and of itself cannot solve cultural and behavioral community issues. However, with some planning and foresight in how we design our forum, we can slowly begin to create more positive interactions and make it easier for players to engage in IC roleplay. I would like to hear from you and other people about the proposed changes. Collaboration and transparency of the Tech Team with the players will be important in building an environment where "fun" is an experience that is a given. Please, for more ideas and/or concerns, do not hesitate to post them.

Check out the original post, which explains the rules in depth. Or just drag and drop the cards around until you figure it out!

I coded a prototype of the Realm Rivals game made by @PestyWarlock /* style.css */ /* General Styles */ .game-body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #ecf0f1; } /* Status Message */ .status-message { position: fixed; transform: translateX(-50%); top: 10px; left: 50%; background-color: #34495e; padding: 15px 25px; border-radius: 5px; display: none; z-index: 1000; font-size: 18px; transition: opacity 0.5s ease; } .status-message.show { display: block; opacity: 1; animation: fadeIn 0.5s forwards; } @keyframes fadeIn { from { opacity: 0; } to { opacity: 1; } } .status-message.info { background-color: #3498db; } .status-message.success { background-color: #2ecc71; } .status-message.warning { background-color: #f1c40f; } .status-message.error { background-color: #e74c3c; } /* Modal Styles */ .modal { display: none; /* Hidden by default */ z-index: 500; /* Sit on top */ left: 0; top: 0; width: 100%; /* Full width */ height: 100%; /* Full height */ overflow: auto; /* Enable scroll if needed */ } .modal-content { background-color: #34495e; margin: 5% auto; /* 5% from the top and centered */ padding: 20px; border: 1px solid #2980b9; width: 80%; /* Could be more or less, depending on screen size */ border-radius: 10px; position: relative; } .close { color: #ecf0f1; position: absolute; top: 15px; right: 25px; font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; } .close:hover, .close:focus { color: #e74c3c; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } /* Buttons */ .btn { background-color: #2980b9; color: white; padding: 10px 20px; margin-top: 15px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .btn:hover { background-color: #1abc9c; } /* Realm Buttons */ .realm-buttons { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 10px; margin-top: 20px; justify-content: center; } .realm-button { background-color: #1abc9c; color: white; padding: 10px 15px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .realm-button.selected { background-color: #e74c3c; } /* Available Cards for Deck Building */ .available-cards { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 15px; margin-top: 20px; justify-content: center; overflow-y: visible; } .card-selection { color: #fff; border-radius: 5px; padding: 10px; width: 150px; text-align: center; position: relative; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); } .card-selection.selected { border: 2px solid #2ecc71; box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(46, 204, 113, 0.5); } .card-selection img { width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 5px; } .copy-controls { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; margin-top: 5px; } .copy-controls button { color: white; border: none; padding: 5px 10px; cursor: pointer; border-radius: 3px; font-size: 16px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; font-weight: bold; } .decrease-btn { background-color: #e74c3c; } .increase-btn { background-color: #15730e; } .copy-controls button:disabled { background-color: #95a5a6; cursor: not-allowed; } .copy-count { margin: 0 10px; font-size: 16px; } /* Game Container Layout */ .game-container { display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: center; align-items: flex-start; padding: 20px; gap: 40px; } /* Player's Hand (Left) */ .hand1, .hand2 { width: 100%; /* Adjust as needed based on your layout */ border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); /* Flexbox Layout */ display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; /* Allow cards to wrap into multiple rows */ gap: 10px; /* Space between cards */ justify-content: center; /* Center the cards horizontally */ /* Remove fixed max-height and overflow to prevent scrollbars */ /* If you still need a height constraint, ensure it's sufficient */ } .hand1 h3, .hand2 h3 { text-align: center; margin-bottom: 15px; } .hand1 .card, .hand2 .card { width: auto; /* Reduced width */ height: 200px; /* Reduced height */ color: #2c3e50; border-radius: 5px; padding: 2px; /* Reduced padding */ margin: 0; /* Remove margin as Flexbox handles spacing */ text-align: center; cursor: grab; transition: transform 0.2s ease; } .hand1 .card:hover, .hand2 .card:hover { transform: scale(1.05); } .hand1 .card img, .hand2 .card img { width: 100%; /* Ensures the image fits the card's width */ height: auto; /* Maintains aspect ratio */ border-radius: 5px; max-height: 200px; /* Ensures the image doesn't exceed the card's height */ } /* Game Board Container */ .game-board-container { width: 60%; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } /* Phase Indicators and HP Display */ .phase-indicators, .player-hp { display: flex; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; } /* Hand Section Containers */ .player-hand-section, .bot-hand-section { width: 20%; /* Adjust as needed based on your layout */ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; /* Center the title and hand horizontally */ background-color: #34495e; padding: 10px; /* Adjust padding as desired */ border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); } /* Add styles for the phase indicators */ .phase-indicators span, .player-hp span { background-color: #1abc9c; padding: 8px 15px; border-radius: 5px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; font-size: 16px; } /* Highlight the active phase */ .phase-indicators .active-phase { background-color: #2ecc71; font-weight: bold; } .phase-indicators span:hover, .player-hp span:hover { background-color: #16a085; } /* Game Board */ .game-board { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 100px); grid-template-rows: repeat(6, 150px); gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .grid-cell { background-color: #7f8c8d; border-radius: 5px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease, border 0.3s ease; } .grid-cell:hover { background-color: #95a5a6; } .grid-cell.highlight-move { border: 3px dashed #2ecc71; } .grid-cell.highlight-attack { border: 3px dashed #e74c3c; box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(231, 76, 60, 0.7); cursor: pointer; } /* Highlight for Move Targets */ .highlight-move { border: 2px solid blue; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.1); } /* Highlight for Attack Targets */ .highlight-attack { border: 2px solid red; background-color: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.1); } /* Highlight for Card Placement */ .highlight-placement { border: 2px solid green; background-color: rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.1); } /* Deck Container */ .deck-container { background-color: #34495e; padding: 15px; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; width: 100%; } .deck-container h3 { margin-bottom: 10px; } .deck-container #draw-card-btn { width: 100%; margin-bottom: 10px; } .deck-container p { margin: 0; font-size: 16px; } /* Unit Styling */ .unit { position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; transition: transform 0.2s ease; z-index: 1; } .unit:hover { transform: scale(1.05); } .unit img { width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 5px; } .health-display { background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5); color: #ecf0f1; padding: 2px 5px; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px; } /* Action Buttons for Units */ .action-container { position: absolute; left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%); padding: 5px; border-radius: 5px; margin-top: 5px; } .action-container .btn { padding: 5px 10px; font-size: 14px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .action-container .btn:hover { background-color: #1abc9c; } /* End Phase Button */ #end-phase-btn { display: block; /* Ensure it's always displayed */ pointer-events: none; /* Disable pointer events initially */ opacity: 0.5; /* Optional: Reduce opacity when disabled */ background-color: #e67e22; width: 150px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } #end-phase-btn.enabled { pointer-events: auto; /* Enable pointer events when the button is active */ opacity: 1; /* Restore full opacity when active */ } #end-phase-btn:hover { background-color: #d35400; } /* Responsive Design */ @media (max-width: 1024px) { .game-container { flex-direction: row; gap: 20px; } .hand1, .hand2 { width: 25%; /* Adjusted for larger touch screens */ } .hand1 .card, .hand2 .card { width: 50px; /* Further reduced width */ height: 75px; /* Further reduced height */ max-height: 60px; /* Adjust image max-height accordingly */ } .hand1 .card img, .hand2 .card img { max-height: 50px; } .game-board { grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 80px); grid-template-rows: repeat(6, 120px); } .deck-container { width: 100%; } } @media (max-width: 768px) { .game-container { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .hand1, .hand2 { width: 90%; /* Full width for small screens */ justify-content: flex-start; /* Align cards to the start */ } .hand1 .card, .hand2 .card { width: 40px; /* Further reduced width */ height: 60px; /* Further reduced height */ max-height: 50px; /* Adjust image max-height accordingly */ } .hand1 .card img, .hand2 .card img { max-height: 40px; } .game-board-container { width: 100%; } .game-board { grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 60px); grid-template-rows: repeat(6, 90px); } .phase-indicators, .player-hp { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 10px; } .phase-indicators span, .player-hp span { width: 80%; text-align: center; } .action-container { flex-direction: column; } .action-container .btn { width: 100%; } .deck-container { width: 90%; } } @media (max-width: 480px) { .game-board { grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 50px); grid-template-rows: repeat(6, 75px); } .phase-indicators, .player-hp { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 10px; } .phase-indicators span, .player-hp span { width: 80%; text-align: center; } .action-container { flex-direction: column; } .action-container .btn { width: 100%; } .deck-container { width: 100%; } .unit.has-attacked { opacity: 0.5; /* Make attacked units semi-transparent */ cursor: not-allowed; } .unit.has-moved { opacity: 0.7; /* Example: Make moved units semi-transparent */ cursor: not-allowed; /* Prevent further dragging */ } .highlight-base-attack { border: 3px dashed purple; box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(128, 0, 128, 0.7); cursor: pointer; } /* Highlight Player's Base Tiles */ .grid-cell.base-player { border: 2px solid green; } /* Highlight Bot's Base Tiles */ .grid-cell.base-bot { border: 2px solid red; } .unit.attack-disabled { opacity: 0.5; /* Make disabled units semi-transparent */ cursor: not-allowed; /* Change cursor to indicate disabled action */ } /* Add to your CSS file */ .action-mode-display { font-size: 1.2em; margin: 10px 0; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #000; border-radius: 5px; background-color: #f0f0f0; } /* Add to your CSS file */ .action-choice-area { margin-top: 10px; } .action-choice-btn { padding: 10px 20px; margin-right: 10px; font-size: 1em; cursor: pointer; border: none; border-radius: 5px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; } .action-choice-btn:hover { background-color: #0056b3; } } /* Existing Mobile Warning Styles */ .mobile-warning { display: none; /* Hidden by default */ position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; background-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 0.95); /* Semi-transparent dark background */ color: #ecf0f1; z-index: 2000; /* Higher than other elements to ensure it overlays */ flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; align-items: center; text-align: center; padding: 20px; box-sizing: border-box; } /* New Class to Show Mobile Warning */ .mobile-warning.is-mobile { display: flex; /* Override to display flex when 'is-mobile' is added */ } /* Optional: Prevent scrolling when the warning is displayed */ body.mobile-warning-active { overflow: hidden; } (Entirely in HTML, CSS and Javascript. Will there be bugs... yes!) (Does NOT work on mobile) Enjoy :) Select 2 Realms Confirm Realms Build Your Deck Choose 9 Unique cards, with up to 3 copies of each Total Cards Selected: 0 / 27 Confirm Deck Player's Hand End Phase Phase: Draw Player: Player Round: 1 Player HP: 9 Bot HP: 9 Deck Cards Remaining: 27 Bot's Hand Cards in Bot's Hand: 0 Information: Original Post:

Outline a the specific rules/standards that the mods expect people to adhere to on the forums, and reasons for why something is bad while other things are okay. Actually be specific about the rules, don't just make rules that are like "low effort roleplay not allowed" or "be nice to people". Lastly, be more aggressive with warning points for anyone breaking the rules, dont make exceptions in some places and not in others.

I want to first of thank you for this topic, as it has me reflecting a lot on aspects that I previously took for granted. I will attempt to answer your question, but it’ll take some clarification. I think the tier system, as it is now, is fundamentally flawed. It was implemented to create a mechanical balance, particularly in response to the “powergaming mage” issue, but in so doing, I think it has oversimplified what could be a more nuanced progression system. One of the key takeaways regarding the tier system, especially with elemental void magic, is how the concept of "mastery" is defined. If you hit Tier 5, it's often regarded as if you have "mastered" the element in its entirety. Take fire evocation, for example: hitting Tier 5 is equated to suddenly mastering all aspects of fire, including explosions. "You did it, you beat the game!" The same goes for all the other elemental evocations. They suddenly become infinitely more powerful. Doing such makes everything before Tier 5 a means to an end, rather than a journey of character development. I think the druids already figured out the concept of mastery way back in Aegis. Even when a druid reached the utmost heights of their craft, they never would declare mastery over "all of nature." Instead, they created “sub-genres” related to their magic, reflecting exactly where their area of expertise was (vine druid, tree druid, flower druid etc.). I feel a similar redefinition could help with void magic. Instead of making lower tiers feel like a rush to the top, the tiers could/should be about the process of learning and specializing any given magic. For example, in water evocation, Tiers 1 to 3 could deal with learning to become a “master” with water in its rawest form. From tier 3 and onwards the magic should focus on a gradual mastering of “sub-genres” (ice, steam, mist, rain etc.). This would create for a much more individual character experience, where every tier would stand for a meaningful step in the development process of the mage, not just for a countdown toward "complete mastery". Now on TAs! People should not be required to use every single one of the slots to have a TA. Instead, they could reach some threshold at which they are able to teach the fundamentals, while teaching true mastery or specialization would require you to know more. I think that this would allow for teaching abilities within a spectrum while still preserving the idea that “true mastery takes dedication”. All in all, there is probably more talented people who would be able to come up with a system whereby progressing through tiers is just as, if not more, rewarding as reaching tier 5.

I think that to create a more interesting progression system, you could peg Tiers to the number of slots invested into them. For example, if someone puts all their slots into one magic, they can attain the highest tier in that and honestly master it. Those who spread their slots across multiple magics might be lower tiered in each. The tier system would, therefore, be more than a means to an end, but rather an indicator of the seriousness/dedication that a character has within any given magic. It would also bring back a degree of depth and individuality in that the player would have to make important decisions on how to distribute the slots based on what kind of mage they intend to become. What that would really mean is, by tying Tiers directly to slot investment, some feeling of mastery that I believe has been lost, could be returned. It would make the journey to Tier 5 feel like something more than a matter of time, and put more of an emphasis on specialization. Not everyone is supposed to run around as a Tier 5 evocationist, Tier 5 mages should be way more rare than they are currently.

I played a Void Mage for 8 years (2012 - 2020) Oh boy... I have been in a position where I have experienced the changes that I think have been affecting the community roleplaying voidal mages the most. From a rich, character driven system to one increasingly rigid and restrictive, I will try to highlight what I think is some of the most key changes, in both lore and mechanics that have shaped voidal magic over time. One of the most infuriating aspects of playing a Void Mage since around 2017, was the constant shelving, unshelving, and rewrites of different voidal magics. This had me in what I like to call "character development whiplash," where the ever changing "correct" way to roleplay void magic, caused small continuous disruptions to character story arcs, either from impacting myself or those around me. In the case of a void mage, even the community was divided on what was possible/impossible, which caused confusion and inconsistency in mage roleplay (This is where a lot of the “powergaming void mage” memes are from). Without any stable foundation, it's tough to build a consistent narrative of a void mage character when the rules appeared to shift by the minute. The introduction of the tier system was a big leap from the more organic development of powers in earlier times of voidal magic. A void mage's powers, prior to the tier system, could be related to how “infamous” they are and how much respect they have within the community. This created the dynamic where there would be people, who were perceived to be stronger by virtue of experience or reputation. The tier system reduced that smooth progression to just a simple, time-based metric. In 2-3 months, any evocationist could be Tier 5. It removed the feeling of having truly earned power and made the journey to mastery not as meaningful. This was the result of the system cheapening the complexity of voidal magic, rendering it mechanical instead of a storytelling experience (e.g min-maxing). The last and most important change that made me stop playing a void mage was the introduction of pre-defined "spells" in the lore itself. It really fundamentally changed the creative freedom that defined voidal magic. Before this, players were allowed to interpret their magic in a certain way and make it very personalized to the personality of any character and any specializations they might have had. For example, my character had a very specific take on Hydromancy (she was an ice mage) and that let me have some really creative and personal sort of combat and roleplaying style, that served as a storytelling device about who my character was. Eventually, the spells made combat quite predictable and repetitive. A pokémon duel, rather than genuine story driven encounters. In my opinion, this shift from a fluid, community driven system to one bound down by rigid mechanics and frequent rewritings has weakened the roleplay experience over time. While it may have been changes in service of balance and consistency, creative freedom and character driven narratives that made voidal magic compelling in the first place were lost in the process.

I feel like the replies to this topic focuses too much on the ableism coming from an individual, rather than seeing it as a systemic problem. The issue that I believe the author is shedding light on, isn't about whether or not a player can avoid being ableist in how they portray mental health disorders. It's about how the use of real world medical diagnoses within a fantasy setting feeds into the larger systemic issue of stigmatization. Stigmatization The action of describing or regarding someone or something as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval. Individual ableism refers to the single acts, speech, or attitudes that demean or discriminate against persons with disabilities. These can be personal prejudices or biases a person could show, either intentionally or otherwise. Systemic ableism is embedded in policies, lore, and culture within the community, where people with medical diagnoses are portrayed as disadvantaged. What is most important, is that if something is systemic, it doesn’t require anyone to be individually ableist. This is because the system perpetuates the whole society in terms of stereotypes being created, or negatively viewed narratives. If disorders are associated with corruption or the consequence of ones actions, then this lore may support a negative stereotype within the community, that these conditions are “wrong” or “avoidable”. It's not just a question of individual responsibility, it's about the lore of the server creating and perpetuating stereotypes. People should be more concerned with the ways the lore may be inadvertently contributing to bigger problems rather than how the story is portrayed. This change feels like a no-brain solution to avoiding all this, it wouldn't even take anything away from the existing lore. Unironically this is very well put, and I feel like this is what @_AzureLexi is doing.

+1 This change is based for a number of reasons. 1. For one thing, using real world mental health disorders as an explanation in a fantasy setting runs a real risk of reinforcing that these medical disorders are a “consequence” of your actions, which is incorrect and can be a form of systemic stigmatization that could lead to a real inner stigma of an individual. 2. We tend to also associate these conditions with a form of “corruption” for using voidal magic, this could lead to the idea that having these real world medical disorders are "wrong", which is also a form of systemic stigmatization. 3. Another thing is that, it is putting an ethical responsibility on players to correctly portray these medical conditions, since the players may create misinformation around that portrayal. I don't have a problem with the downsides/consequences of these magics, and it should be less about removing those downsides and more about not using real world medical diagnoses to explain the potential consequences of these magics.

1. Clear Definition and Communication The rules regarding metaplay, OOC plotting, and other discouraged actions should be clearly defined with examples of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. This clarity is going to automatically make it easier to enforce the rules and teach players what is expected from them. Share with the community what these changes are for, as often as possible. Use the forums, in-game announcements, and Discord to reinforce the importance of preserving RP integrity and how that is being worked toward. 2. Reinforcement Through Enforcement Consistent enforcement of the rules. The rules should be applied to all players equally and without bias or fear of harassment. This includes metaplay and other OOC-driven choices, and any other behavior that breaks RP. I agree with the idea that moderators need to publicize the major rulings (preserving privacy) to show the community that the rules are not just recommendations. Provide moderators with the tools and power to step into situations where OOC behavior impacts RP negatively. For example, grant them the ability to monitor OOC communications directly impacting in-game events. I suggest removing nation discord links from the main discord and begin centralizing discord communication on the main LotC discord server, to also centralize the moderation of communication. 3. Incentivize Roleplay Establish systems that reward both players and communities for participating in quality RP. This may be in the form of in-game titles or resources available only through RP-driven means. The story team is already doing this to some degree, the main issue is that RP items in an OOC culture means little, so perhaps also have focus on OOC awards like titles etc. in exchange for participating in good RP. Encourage great roleplay by highlighting examples of these through official channels. Do community spotlights, RP event summaries, and special mentions in server-wide announcements for players engaging in good RP. 4. Cultural Shift Through Leadership Set good examples by encouraging leaders of nations and other high profile players by rewarding them for RP being upstream from their actions, urging their nations/communities to not metaplay. Ascend and reward leaders on a regular basis who excel at creating an immersive environment in RP. This can be done by lessening the burden of OOC things like tile upkeep or taxes, furthering the circle of engaging RP. 5. Systemic Changes to Support RP Tweaking of the game mechanics that currently reward OOC behavior. For instance, review systems including tile upkeep, war participation, or resource management to ensure that they promote RP rather than grinding or OOC scheming (or make these things RP engaging). Get rid of the OOC burden of administrative tasks from the nation leaders by automating or making them less taxing (I admit that I don't know the specific solution to this). This allows leaders more opportunities to engage in in-character governance and less in OOC management. Finally, be open to further change, if necessary. Cultural and systemic change is a continuous process, and thus staying responsive toward community will become necessary.