Hobbs_Burrows

There is definite debate as to the effect of this decision – some believe that it’s merely a reclassification and things continue as normal but others view it as fundamentally damaging to the future of its community. I happen to fall in the latter. But whatever the effects, intended or otherwise, this decision is based on deeply flawed reasoning. 1 ’With their downfall of a nation’ – is this not the model that LOTC has adopted over the past few years? These communities are intended to rise and fall. Whether they are rising or falling at the time is just a matter of taking a small snapshot of a communities entire lifespan of the server. This should not be used as a stick to beat them with when the server is designed to have communities like these in constant flux. 2 ‘Hamfisted origins that never went through the LT vote’ – Why should a community of players now face punishment for the actions of corrupt admins over half a decade ago? There has been incalculable corruption throughout this server and there is no reason for one group to be singled out over it. Regarding the LT vote, many people can recall a time when an LT did not even exist, and it certainly shouldn’t matter that a community did not get the approval of a team whose members are long gone. 3 ‘Lack of distinct culture or value as a subrace’ – these are matters of opinion, not fact, and are easily disputed. If this level of logic and reasoning is being employed by those with responsibility on this server, then I worry for countless other communities who are at risk from these people.

As someone who has built Halfling villages before, I will offer some general advice which would be wise to follow as the village is built. This won’t be in any real order, just things in the order that I think of them. I think the most important thing is to have an area which can be described as the hub of the village. This is where almost all gatherings generally take place – as in reality very little time is spent inside one’s burrow which effectively becomes merely a safe place to store personals and entertain guests in private. The two most important elements to this hub are the inn and the storage burrow, which should be located very close to each other. A nice bonus is an area to gather outside in this hub, such as some seating underneath a tent. This hub should be located either centrally or at the entrance of the village, it depends on what works best for the land. For a Halfling village, less is often more. It is tempting to pre-build an expanse of burrows or cram as many as you can into an environment which appears like a slum. But don’t underestimate the value in allowing the community to organically grow. A village which has been built gradually by its citizens is often more fondly remembered. Slightly following on from my previous reference to slum-like dwellings, I think it is important to retain an open, countryside feeling. Halflings like to have space away from neighbours rather than be crammed in. I don’t think it’s aesthetically pleasing to walk down every road in the village and not be able to enjoy the sights of the village because dirt blocks your view from all the burrows crammed right up to the road. This applies to trees, which should be kept to a minimum within the village in order to retain an open feeling. Conversely, it is often appealing for the village to be surrounded by trees to promote the feeling of seclusion and peace. Avoid allowing people to construct their own lavish burrows thus neglecting the actual village. Remember the first iteration of Dunshire, where people were let loose with creative mode, without a plan, and built luxurious burrows for themselves without even an inn or storage burrow. Burrows are always of secondary importance to the hub of the village. Have lots of hidden secrets and easter eggs throughout the village, and use the underground space nicely. A water feature, be it a river or a lake, is a village staple. Farms are a tricky one to balance. On the one hand, we are an agricultural race and it feels right to have bountiful, sweeping fields of crops and farm land. On the other hand, these things take up a lot of space. In Branborough, we had large wheat fields a short walk away outside the village, and had some very small fenced off farms dotted throughout the village. In Dunshire, farms were on top of some burrows. So there are solutions. It really depends on the plot, but I would suggest not placing huge priority on farm space. Let people contribute, but make sure one person has the overarching vision of the village to act as the driving force. Too many cooks will spoil the broth, and leave you with a mish-mash of peoples individual thoughts and fancies. And finally, enjoy it and don’t stress. Halfling builds always turn out to be the best on the server. And even if things aren’t quite right once built, you can always change it and improve it.

Denying 45.9% of people? People have willingly sought out this niche, fairly hardcore themed server and you turn 45.9% of them away? I think you need to seriously evaluate your priorities and outlook

Just some pictures of Aegis undead that I picked randomly

Ernie considers how often cows have been used as barmaids in numerous Halfling taverns, and wonders with some concern at the ‘unknown’ parentage of Miss Pervinca Applebrook

Ernie watches, through the porthole window of his burrow, the Pumpkin Raiders stagger into Brandybrook Village, wounded and despondent, and notices that one less person returned among their number. With a heavy heart, Ernie carves a pumpkin, and leaves it in the front garden of the Applefoot burrow the next morning.

Scenario questions are utterly pointless. I spent years on the villain application team and wrote several of my own scenarios for iterations of the application form. Even when we were ‘examining’ established players, scenario questions were a pointless exercise that tell you nothing meaningful about the applicant. Imagine how pointless it will be to put new players through that. Scenario questions only examine someone’s story telling abilities. It offers no reflection on any scenario that ever has or will ever happen in game, and certainly not the way that the applicant will actually behave when they are in game. Keep the application as easy and as basic as possible. It’s the old players who are dull, irritating, and lacking in imagination and drive. You have to pass the flame on to the new generation, not turn away people for the sake of a pointless secondary school-tier creative writing examination.

I think the attitude of ‘if it doesn’t exist it can’t be inactive’ is so terribly destructive and completely against what this server stands for. Weirdly enough, I would rather things exist.

Orcs and Halflings are unfortunately in the same boat. The people in charge of the server have made the conscious choice of deliberately making life difficult for certain groups. And then they’re surprised when those groups eventually want to never log in again. It’s something I will never understand. It is completely bonkers that Orcs and Halflings are going into a new main map for the server without any land.

Staff members aren’t above the law, they are just volunteers. They should have the same rules applied to them in the same way. That is to be publicly named, shamed, and punished when they break rules. Imagine someone being allowed to be judge and jury in their own trial, and for it to be conducted in SECRET. The fact is they love to give it out, but can’t take anything back.

Exactly, and it is much easier moving from a freebuild/hybrid style map to a charter map (if freebuild/hybrid goes so wrong it needs to be changed). However, if we made a completely regioned map and had a charter system it is almost impossible to change it once it (inevitably, as history and precedent shows) it goes wrong.

Very well said. There is no credible argument for the entire world being regioned, and not having a hybrid system. Take this thread for example, there is no evidence and no argument put forward by the regions supporters. A more hybrid system with freedom just works, and we have shown why it works time and time again. Important places can get protected by regions, but people also have the freedom to interact with the world which is an essential, non-negotiable, ingredient for a good roleplay world.

My main issue with people who want a region over the map is the fact that they are not the people who will be affected by it. They, generally, are established players. They are in the right discords, friends with the right people. If they want access to land to do anything, they can probably get it. Otherwise, they will likely have no interest in it anyway because they have everything provided for them in their own personal spawned in mega city. Whereas new players, and people like me, belong to no group. Imagine what we are faced with when we log onto the next map and find the entire world locked off to us by a region. No food, no supplies, no house, and no fun. I would be surprised if any new player stayed around on the server for more than an hour if this is the direction we are going in for the next map. It is selfish, and destructive. It has been clearly established that freebuild is not Atlas’s problem. But you blame everything on it anyway. No evidence, no argument. Just ‘middle finger to freebuild’, ‘**** freebuild’, or ‘freebuild is cancer’. Atlas’s problem is the large amount of regioned cities spread to the corners of the map dividing everyone up. Freebuild areas have been the one shining light of creativity and centralisation on the map. Let’s also mention the pathetic insults and personal attacks thrown around in the thread. I wonder if these people had their way, there would never be any creations on the server. These are negative people who take away rather than give. They are exactly the kind of people I would expect to want to deprive their fellow players of the freedom to enjoy the server’s map because the sun shines out of their own behind. Why bother spending several weeks hand-crafting numerous giant ents and planting over 1000 saplings, when someone who hasn’t done a worthwhile thing in his life thinks they look like penises and would rather have an empty untouchable wasteland in their place. Why bother making the best looking town on the map, as in Halsworthy, when someone thinks every other player should be deprived of the same opportunity because he has never travelled there. I have seen every single map on this server, and even helped develop 2. But I understand that the server is completely cyclical. After the disastrous region/charter systems of Asulon/Anthos we came to a collective realisation that it was a terrible system, and we needed the freedom to interact with the world free of restriction and regions. Of course now people are advocating for restriction, forgetting the past times where it has resulted in misery and dysfunctional map designs.

And this is an argument for why the map should have a region placed over it? And people should have to go on the forums and fill in OOC paperwork just to be considered for the privilege of being allowed to interact with the world? Where are the glass houses? Where are the sand penises we are always promised? People generally take pride in their creations on this server, and the things they create are an absolute credit to Lord of the Craft. Denying them the basic freedom to play the server is pointlessly selfish.