Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

Halister Marner · **Site Programmer** Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 2225

This was sent by EM Bennu, and is being posted here for the benefit of the community at large.

I am deeply saddened by the current negative emotion sweeping the Atlantic Role Playing Community.

I know that things are seemingly dark right now in ways that to some may seem deeply foreboding or otherwise harsh.

I am an outsider looking in, this much is true. However I hope that as your Event Moderator you can look upon my words as a neutral third party that cares for each of you in a way that I doubt you can or will ever truly understand.

If I could ask one favor of each of you, I would simply ask that you stop and take a moment to look at why you Role Play, why you have sought out the wonderful community of Atlantic. For the most part, I know the answer, it is the same reason I role play, the same reason I am an Event Moderator.

Role Playing is about Freedom. No matter who you are behind the screen, you are able to shed that and enter a world wholly different and in most cases much more free and welcoming than any other.

I would ask that you remember that.

I would also ask that you remember that every other person that you see is after the same thing, the same freedom. Just because you seek the same freedom and the same feeling does not mean that you need to take it from one another.

I watch the ARPC forums daily, although I am not allowed to post there. The current level of drama has slowly been building over the past few months, and I am deeply saddened. Each of you have an opportunity here, to move in a positive direction, to move into a direction that looks more to the future of Atlantic and the ARPC and less about the glory of the past. I just ask each of you to stop and take a fresh look at things, take a step into the future. The best of things do not have to remain behind, if you can put aside differences and look to one another as equals with a common goal I think that you will find that the best of times, the grandest of memories are in front of you, never behind.

Role playing is about impromptu interaction with others, not writing a script and demanding the whole world steps into the role that a select group of people demands. Open your society, open your community to new blood and fresh ideas, never shut someone out. Boldly and wholly open your hearts and ideas to a new and fresh point of view. If that means that you loose a bit of power, your character slips into a less grand of a role, or you let someone else win the day, is that too high a cost if the community and shard as a whole is enriched?

I have seen this same argument in many, many communities before now. People demand power over others, drive people away, force people into Role Playing/Interacting in a way that promotes their own personal interests. It never ends well.

Role playing is about freedom. Not about scripts, demanding a certain outcome or course of events.

Roleplaying is meant to be impromptu interaction between players as equals.

I know our relationship, that being Role Playing Community to EM has not been all that I hoped it would be when I first came to you. But it saddens me very much the way things are heading currently for you. I have been told that I am one of the most "RP Centric" EMs in Atlantic's history, yet we very rarely interact. Maybe that is my fault, maybe I am too intrusive at times, maybe my style leaves a feeling of distaste in the mouth of some. However, please know that nothing I do is for me, my own glory, or my own vanity. Everything I do when I log in is for you, my players, my community and the shard as a whole. As I said, I do not think you will ever fully grasp the love I have for our world of Atlantic. Maybe one day.

The holidays can be a sad and depressing time for many people, hopefully this current malaise will blow over and this current wave of negativity will pass with the long winter. The ARPC has a long and important tradition on Atlantic spanning its roots back to the very beginning of Ultima Online with the battles of the Ebon Skull, the proud city of Wintermoor, grand knightly organizations like the OSS and yes, even Orcs. But again, I say that your best years do NOT have to be behind you. The best memories, the best interactions can be in front of you. Open your community, be more open, more inclusive, less dependant on scripts and predetermined outcomes, and embrace impromptu interaction and free flowing interaction with eachother and strangers.

Your current issue revolves around trying to center up role playing around a central hub. I think that is a fine idea, but why pick one and set it in stone before it is even attempted? Try one on for size, see what people think, see how the interaction goes. If I may be so bold, Skara Brae has recently taken to Holiday celebration and will be the center of many of the months EM interaction (at least from me), I invite you the ARPC to try out Skara Brae for a month. If your character would not normally interact there, start a peasant from scratch. Let your RP interactions with others this month determine your characters path. You will find many people there this month I think, from PvPers and Rares Collectors to people who Role Play constantly on Atlantic but have barely even heard of the ARPC as a whole.

I can not tell you what to do, as I said, I am your EM I do not own you or pretend to even want the power to tell anyone what to do, ever. However, I think that if you each took a solid look at yourselves and your goals you would find that each of you is more similar than you think in motivation, desire and thinking.

Remember, role playing is about freedom and interaction with others. Role Playing is not about scripts, not about rules and regulations, not about playing politics or power games with others. It is a relaxing and enjoyable hobby, and should remain that. Simple rules are the best, organization is a necessity but drama is not.

My job is your enjoyment and your entertainment, I am here for you and will do anything I can for each and every one of you within the bounds of my own rules and regulations. I do not know everything, I only know what is in my own heart and right now my heart is very deeply saddened by the way things are headed here.

Start fresh, start anew and wake up to find that this is not the sunset but a new morning and a new generation of ARPC that can grow from fresh ideas and fresh interaction with strangers.

With kind regards and a hopeful heart,

Your EM Bennu.

Wynn · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:12 am Post subject:

Very well said . Thank you for all you have and will do for us. You have been always open and willing to help in anyway possable. I have always enjoyed rping with you. Much of what you have said we are going to work on. Thank you for the insiteful advice. It is always good to hear it from someone looking in. Many people have left due to our not seeing outside the bubble. Hopefully in the near future this will be fixed. Thank you so much for taking the time to send us a letter and letting us know. what problems need to be fixed.
_________________
What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.
-- Anonymous

Inkari Northwind · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:23 am Post subject:

I am man enough to say that moved me. He's an old role player himself, who loves every aspect of it. This was everything we all needed to hear. Its sad it had to come from someone we can't bring in as apart of our community. I hope you know the door is always open if you have a private account...hoorah Razz

_________________
"Life is but an Image, Of what honor truly is"
-Inkari Northwind

AKA Kurbda' PwNub

Dealthagar · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:23 am Post subject:

Thanks for posting this Hal. And thanks Bennu. For lots of reasons.
_________________

The Three Truths of Singularity
Do something to the best of your abilty or don't do it at all
Feel to the fullest of your ability, cutting yourself off from your emotions leads to spiritual death
Control your being, your existance, your destiny.
www.adriandrake.com

Merci d'Rue · Babbling Loony Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 2810

Can't tell you how much this means! As well as the things you have done for us.

I thank you.
_________________
May destiny guide you...

Marius · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:30 am Post subject:

Well Put EM Bennu, Very well Put!!!!!!!!
_________________
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
George S. Patton

Molly · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:40 am Post subject:

Thank you so much for your words of hope and encouragement. I know I will keep reaching out to new people to join us and break down some of those walls we have put up.
_________________
Grand Duchess Molly Kaldhel
Oracle of Truth
The House Gauntlet
Sanctus, Luna, Malas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXoGDbJ5nLU
_______________________
"In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."
-Margaret Thatcher-

Wynn · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:02 am Post subject:

Joanna Weaver · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:34 pm Post subject:

Thank you, EM Bennu and Halister. I only hope that it is taken to heart. So much of it rings true. The best of times don't have to be behind us.
_________________
"Art and architecture must combine to create something larger than either." ~ Robert Campbell

Pia Longlimbs · Adventurer Joined: 18 May 2009 Posts: 61

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities