Goodbyes

[jared96]

As an older player .... I look at it from a different perspective. I played all through all the betas and my best Ryzom memories were during FBT. By the time the retail release came about, I needed a break. Waited 3 months to create my old character but to my dismay "Gloin" was fudged and nothing TS could do could bring him back.....after 3 months of waiting, I created the FyrosFreddy toon as a lark "until i got my old toon back".

"Back in the day", the PvP atmosphere that welcomed the 2nd wave players did not exist. no outposts, no one PvP'd w/ anyone w/o hitting the "Duel" button. When outposts were introduced there was a massive exodus from game....one that has gone unmatched ever since. "Jessica-keth" was brought in to save the day but to no avail .... the original Ryzom mindset for many was that it was not [insert the game names whose name may not be spoken here]. Making it [that game-like] was not the solution.

There were bright moments where the PvP inclined where very happy, power shifted back and forth but the interesting thing over the years was that the pattern never changed.... winners took power, losers whined, winners got bored or just tired of complaining.

As a neutral player I was proud to call both kami and kara friend....boss hunted with one side one day, dig SN's with other side the next. Hunted Sirgio w/ one side Saturday, Aen w/ other side on Sunday.

Then there was a period where a middle ground mindset set in .... Those on top decided that crushing the competition wasn't as much fun as helping them gain strength and present a challenge. For the most part it was leave the Lakes and Forest to kara and Desert and Jungle to kami.

I skipped over the part after the power pendulum swung 1st to kami and then to kara....after that there was a PvP lull and many players and even entire guilds who left w/ the introduction of OP's. Attacking diggers in PR became "bad manners" and it was a kinder / gentler world ..... The OP battles were competitive and after it was over peeps who were foes an hour before were off hunting together.

Anyone who has known Gloin / Freddy these last 7 years is aware that I come and go .... I play 6 months, take a 6 month break, I play a year, take 9 month break. Each time I have left, what has drawn me back is the 'live and let live" atmosphere I find in Atys. Wasn't always that way .... but the community for the most part lets each player play their own game w/o imposing their game style on others. The "tag" system simply put the mechanics in place for a style of game play that was the predominant mood of the community.

So while I always hate to see someone leave the game, I hope that some time in the future, our paths will cross again, and the freedom that the community has historically offered, manages to survive till that time comes.