If you want EFU to be better, look no further than yourself

[ephemeral]

This rant might be a really bad idea, but it's something I've been chewing on for a while and I've finally decided to post it.

As has been pointed out in IRC and a forum posting or two, EFU population has been a bit low lately and plots have been a bit flat.  Fingers have been pointed, as will happen whenever people are concerned because something they care about is threatened.  That's human nature.

For anyone who doesn't like where we are right now, look no further than yourself.  It's easy to say "the other players are being boring and not pushing plots", or "the DMs aren't active" or "the metaplot isn't going anywhere" because nobody likes to look at themselves and think "maybe I'm doing it wrong?"

After playing EFU for a while it's easy to drift into a mindset of entitlement.  We've had years of fun, great interactions, and wonderful DMing with lots of spice and flavorful DM loot.  When you have a good thing for such a long time, it's easy to become complacent and just expect it to get handed to you.   Sometimes we start to treat a PC like a form with checkboxes: "Wrote journal with pretty words? check.  Made inflammatory sending to cause conflict? check.  Got to level 9? check.  Wrote kick-ass character description? check.  Subdued potential enemy? check.  Why aren't people being interesting and where the fuck is my DM loot?"

I imagine everyone has been guilty of this mindset of just skating by and expecting great things to happen.  Then, when people don't respond to you and you don't get your fantastic DM loot, you get pissed because you did everything right.  I've caught myself thinking these things several times.

Ask yourself this: "Am I entertaining to other players?  Am I entertaining to DMs?  Do I compel people to want to play EFU?  Do I spin plots that make people want to be involved in what I'm doing?"

Nothing in life is free.  If you want other players be amazing, try to be amazing yourself and show them how it's done.    Most people like to quest, but If they were here just to grind quests they wouldn't be here at all - they'd be playing some new lame-ass MMO with state-of-the-art graphics.  Don't think you're doing your duty by just checking all the checkboxes.   Work hard to involve people.  If all you want to do is be a total bad-ass and run around subduing people based on some flimsy background or character trait, that's fine.  EFU needs psychopaths.  But don't think you're doing some huge favor for the server.  Just subduing people isn't a story.

If you want DMs who do a lot of thankless work and aren't paid for it to throw your PC a bone, then entertain the fuck out of them.  Why a bored DM would log into EFU just to help a bunch of players who wine at them in IRC, I can't imagine.  But maybe if you entice them then they won't be able to help themselves but to log in and see what you're doing, and see how they can make your story better.    The DMs should be here for fun, not for obligation.

If you don't like what a DM or a player is doing, consider what the effect of your criticism will be before you give it on IRC or in the forums.  Do you really want this DM or player to just give up and leave?  Or do you want them to improve?  If they won't take your criticism and move in the direction you want them to, is it better they stick around then just straight up get discouraged and leave?  Even an imperfect player is someone to interact with.  I'd rather talk to an uninteresting PC than an NPC.  And every players has potential for improvement.

If you take issue with a DM or player, try to put yourself in the other person's shoes, and ask yourself "What is my motivation for being here?"  Get in a messy PvP and feel like the DM ruling was unfair to you? Ask yourself "Why is this DM taking the time out of their day to gather the minutiae of this PvP and try to make a call that's ultimately going to make several players bitch about them in side-channels?  Do they hate themselves?"

EFU isn't all fun. Making EFU fun for others is especially hard work.  When you put work into EFU you make a risky investment that might provide huge dividends.  With an MMO, you don't even get the opportunity to make the investment.   If the work-to-fun return on investment isn't enough for you, then OK.   But be an adult and consider that if you want improvement then you might need to change yourself.

[Nuclear Catastrophe]

I agree.

When playing EfU, remember the most important thing of all:

Everything bad is YOUR FAULT.

[putrid_plum]

Nice anon post

[rolaskatox]

Nice anon post

The fact that this post is anon speaks more about the server than it does about the person who made the post.

[Certified Retrievals]

OP has fair points that are being presented in a less than stellar way.

Since it's summer time, which is the traditional season for the airing of grievances in the EfU community (just prior to the renewal that Fall and Winter inevitably bring), I'll share some of my own thoughts on THE STATE OF THE EFU

There are a few prevailing attitudes I see which bother me even as a player. I'm concerned sometimes that EFU has put such an emphasis on accomplishing goals and being productive that people have forgotten why doing those things is important.

For most of my time playing EfU, the first thing I've considered before making a character has been a set of neat sounding goals which I then build a character around. This is a dreadfully dull way to build a character, and so often that once I've done so, gotten in game, and start trying to do the things I set out to do, I find that the character is a slog. And then I go and do it again with a different concept, and then give up and resolve to take a break or quit efu for months until some new inspiration strikes.

I would urge people (and remind myself) to try building a PC spontaneously. Go into character creation with no decisions made in advance. Go straight to portrait selection and pick one that speaks to you, then make that character. Build strictly for aesthetic. Don't worry about backstory or social predilections until you get in game. Let yourself experience landing in Sanctuary (or the wilds or whatever) for the first time as the character, instead of as a player. Act at all times as your character would act, build your beliefs about the communities in Sanctuary based on the interactions you have with those communities. For god's sake, talk to people about anything, everything, and nothing at all. Make small talk in the Square. Let your character think about something other than the things that are strictly required in order to get to  Level 8 in the fastest possible way.
Be more than just a gimmick or a set of goals or a strong or interesting build. If you chose a perk class don't even think about what perk you want until you go to take it, and take the one that makes sense for the character, not the one that is best mechanically.

Yes, this means that you might build a character that's less than optimal, and that might mean that you'll lose more often. But if you're playing your CHARACTER, instead of just playing the game, I think you'll realize that losing is just as fun, because getting to where you are hasn't felt like work.

Get attached to your characters; find the things that make them tick. Learn to love your character, or to hate them utterly. Let it be a joy to discover for yourself what horrible thing they're going to do next.

Remember the old adage about how you should be playing to have fun? The contrapositive of that is that if you're not having fun, you shouldn't be playing.

Consider that for a moment: if you're in game and you're miserable, you're only going to make other people miserable. If you have to force yourself to get in game because it feels like a duty, or that you have "work" you need to do before you can start having fun (eg getting level 8), then take some time and re-evaluate your priorities.

It's fine, really! Twelve years have shown that EFU will still be here when you get back, and we'll be happy to have you, and to see your awesome new character.

Going to throw a little disclaimer on here at the end that I don't think my way is the best way or the only way to make a character. Just that maybe it will be for you.
 

[zDark Shadowz]

Doing something, whether you fail or not, is effectively creating content. Although it may not always yield positive returns, making a positive feedback loop is how things happen.

And if players oppose you in game, it's all good, you've given them something they can do beyond killing NPCs in remote locations to express the ideals of their character.

I think? I'm almost over my own sore-loser-syndrome. Maybe. When I care about a character I'm prone to lashing out, but if the people that ended me put on a good show and let me be able to do my own show, then its a lot more satisfying and I just end up congratulating them for besting me now.

And if your character is just a floater character, something you made on a whim that's there to follow other peoples stories, that's fine too.

Everyone needs support, it's a crucial role. Just don't become dependant on that person you're supporting to always provide you with entertainment. Floaters need to keep moving, they'll sink if they don't find something to do.

Those are just my thoughts at the moment anyway. Toxicity can stay on competitive MMOs.

And I'm also guilty of doing/saying stupid things, so this can be one of the rare posts that I'm of sound mind in >.>

As a final note (just saying final to convince myself to stop appending more edits) I think even Tolkien pointed out in the last few chapters its dull to write about peace and happy times, and spent very few words describing the relative peace Frodo had after they defeated Sharkey. More content to be had with conflict.

"Be content with conflict."

[efuincarnate]

My two cents worth. It's a game. Have fun. If it is not fun, don't do it...and try not to be a dick while your having fun.  Be considerate of others. That includes the DMS. they are playing as DMs, so common courtesy etc. Simple.