The Great Tree

Saxy · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:25 pm Post subject:

I wish I had the time to read all of the great posts in this thread. Heck, I wish I had the time to get caught up on all of the threads of TGT and actually PLAY Uru. I don't think I've been in the cavern since April or May. I'm not saying that I've left for good, because that's not true at all. I think I've just had to take an extended respite. I was putting off some important stuff in my life, waiting for (or trying to help make) something to happen in Uru. Finally, the proverbial dam broke in my personal life and there has been a flood of things I've had to tend to for the past several months (I'm still working on them) so Uru had to take a back seat. Plus, I'm an all-or-nothing-at-all gal. If I'm going to play Uru, I'M GOING TO PLAY URU. I don't think I can do it for only an hour per week and really stay in touch with what's going on.

It's not that I've disappeared because I didn't think anything was going to happen. I knew something was going to happen eventually, I just couldn't hold out for it any longer due to personal commitments. Maybe this is what happened to a lot of the other people who seemingly have disappeared?

Although I haven't been able to be around here much, luckily I've been able to cultivate my Uru friendships outside the cavern. Kev, MJ, Brian, and myself have been hanging out fairly regularly as of late, and I've seen Eleri a few times in the past few months. It's been great. I really feel like MJ and Bri are some of my best friends now. But if there is one online community I still call home, it's Uru... especially at TGT. There's no other forum I've been hanging out at. If there is going to be time to visit forums, it would be here. I'm glad to see so many of you have stuck around, too.

Anyways, I'm rambling now and am probably not contributing much to you great discussion. I just read some of what you've posted and it evoked the need for me to write this. I could go on and on, but to be honest with you, I'm putting off writing a paper to check up on the forums. I should get back to that...

I have confidence in Uru, but more importantly, I have confidence in this community.
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Not all who wander are lost... (MJ fixed my sig!)
KI: 38931

dcos · Great Tree Member Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1174

I must say the responses of you all and the unmittigated awesomeness of this episode have rather rekindled my belief in Uru again. No doubt it will wane again over time but until the next Cyan triumph I have my faith in our community to stick together over distance and time.

You all rock!

Durin Mephit · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:12 pm Post subject:

Threadsurrect.

Today's quote of the day:

"The factions that have formed among the explorers will have to set aside selfish ambitions and learn to work together toward a common goal."
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Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768

janaba1 · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject:

A very positive and wonderful resurrection... Very Happy

Quoted answer to the above "quote of the day":

Durin Mephit · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:35 pm Post subject:

For those who are wondering what Jana and I are talking about - for a brief time today, the next Myst Online Newsletter was posted to the Myst Online website. It has since been removed, reverted back to the November version.

Cyan's official statement on the matter is "The newsletter is still being work on."

The newsletter as it existed earlier referred to "potential next season"; I'm crossing my fingers that the delay is related to removing that "potential" word.
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Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768

Erik · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:07 am Post subject:

I still don't really know what to think of the Guilds...

It's very cool that it will be possible to work on things and to display things in the Cavern, to work with others on cool projects. On the other hand, I have some fears as well:
- I hope that the GoW won't interfere with the canon. If people write their own Ages with landscapes or something, there's nothing to worry about. But I fear for puzzle ideas and ideas for storylines that people want to play out in user-made Ages. I hope that won't ruin the immersion that has been there.
- Creating the Guild structure will take a great deal of Cyan's resources. I hope we'll still get big new Ages, like we got Minkata this year.
- I'm also hoping that there will be a good balance between what the Guilds can do and what they can't do. I hope Uru Live will not become a "Second Live", which is something I really despise.

So I wonder how the Guilds will be implemented, but I think even Cyan doesn't have a clear vision of that yet. I'm excited about the Guilds and the possibility to create content for URU and to have something to do between episodes, but this is also something that could ruin the immersion of the game when not implemented well.

I'm just hoping that Cyan won't neglect the canon and the story, in order to please the crowds quicker.

dcos · Great Tree Member Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1174

BladeLakem · Great Tree Member Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 514

I don't think that managing the Guilds is going to detract from content (new ages, areas, funcitons in game, etc). The two operations require very different skill sets.

I do think Cyan needs a person whose sole job is to actively communicate with the community, plan and manage the Guild structure and fan-content, and act as a liaison between the design team, RAWA and the community. I know gd does some of that, but it seems to me that he's busy with other things too.

As for story, I think that the Guilds will HAVE to affect that, because the IC concept of Guilds simply doesn't work if they don't have some effect. I expect to see two basic threads of story - the Guilds and the Bahro war. They'll interact, but I'm not sure how much.

I like the Guilds. One, it's a way for Cyan to interact more with their fan-base through the game (sorely needed, I think). Also, it gives a structure for which people can get involved. The Uru community has a repeated tendency of peopel going off on their own to do something when there isn't always a need to. There is a LOT of reinventing the wheel around here. Organizations with some canon-validity provide direction (even if in the 'I am not going to do it the way the Guild of Blah does it!') and an intuitive place for new people to look to for guidance on how to become involved.
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Durin Mephit · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

Whether Ages are Written or Discovered and how Cyan feels about it is up to Cyan, by my figuring.

Some Ages already exist that are meant to have a backhistory, and aren't "new". Some of them are interesting, and I hope Cyan won't thoroughly discard those places simply because the creator prefers to claim that he or she found the Age rather than Wrote it.

A few days ago I decided to capture a picture in each of the fan-built Ages I've been able to visit.

The results are here: http://rel.to/marten/WritersAges
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Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768

janaba1 · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject:

I'd really love to see those pictures, but this link leads to nowhere... Razz

janaba1 · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject:

Now I can see them, Marten, very nice... thanks for posting /cheer ... Very Happy

Did you know, btw, that you can conceive the whole complexity
of the "Itep Edor" ages, that are all written by different agebuilders,
by exploring those worlds, revealing the secrets of the ancient
civilisations and solving great puzzles, to get to many levels and
places/areas, also underground and everywhere... ? Wink

Edit:
I'll tell you something else, as you are my friends, and as
I've told you already about my friend, Katzi...
Takla Ma'kan is "her" age, and everybody (almost all together)
is day and night working on the completion of version 3 of this
age, that will soon be released... Very Happy

Lord Chaos · Great Tree Member Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 208

I too am leery of the Guilds, and always have been. If you look at history you see that guilds have been both a blessing and a curse: they hold knowledge so it doesn't get lost, but they also control that knowledge so that only the "blessed" receive it after an arduous apprenticeship.

Guilds in Uru are something else. On one side are groups that are doing things: CCN, TCT, the Cartographers, the Age Builders. On the other side are the folks who want to have Guilds to take all these projects in hand. I don't see where the benefit is for the ones doing things.

If I had to go through a guild in order to run the occasional party, for example, I'd never do it. Besides, who can control Cavern activities? The place is open to all, to set up anything they want. What can a Guild add to that? I'm just not sure.

The main lack I see is any real contact with Cyan. I agree with the statement that Cyan needs a regular contact person with the explorers; the story is in Cyan's hands and everyone else is constrained by that. With no story forthcoming from Cyan, what are we to do? Nothing, really.

There are many capable people out there. I have explored the Ages made by the Age Builders, and they bring fresh ideas. Kia's Aerie is especially lovely, with all of its trees and flowers and art. The capability is there, the creativity is there. What is needed is some notice of direction from Cyan: what do they want and what will they accept?

Erik · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject:

Lord Chaos · Great Tree Member Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 208

Erik · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:36 pm Post subject:

There have been mistakes, yes... But when you look at the customised KI pics, that's something that plays out nice.

I think it will be easier for Cyan to develop tools that will only be accessible through a Guild, than having to take every player into account. Ryan Miller said in the latest TCT podcast that things like notebooks/journals are something Cyan would like to give us and that that is one of the more easier things for them to implement by the way. Can't wait for that.

But I understand your scepticism... we'll have to see how this will play out... I'm not a 100% optimistic myself either. It's still unclear for both us and Cyan what the future holds.