Kistulot

Similarly, I'm going to ask you this the same: when has this ever been a good way to start anything? I want to emphasize something: you have not as of yet offended me. Have I felt at times, many times, that you haven't been constructive? Yes. Have I been annoyed here or there? Sure. That's not the same as being offended and I can say that you have most certainly used proper civility to avoid me being able to point to anything you've done which I feel would be "objectively" labeled as offensive. (The quotes there are because I feel objectivity is overused, not to insult you, or any others. This parenthetical is not a CYOA, but because I am physically incapable of putting two sentences out at the same time and having them both be read at the same time.) If you had looked for even a moment you would see that I had already been there. If you have posted 7k times on a forum, and link to a part of it, I believe the expectation that you know it is only reasonable. If you don't, at that point, the ignorance doesn't feel like a defense--but that may be my personal opinion. This trend, I feel, does not come out of nowhere. I don't need to agree with your perspective, but if I'm attempting to do anything other than just drop a ten ton weight and act like that justifies everything, in other words, to discuss and convince, then I need to be able to show empathy. I feel it would not be shocking that I feel myself, and many others, do not see evidence of these traits in many of your responses. Considering that you just stated people don't appreciate your lack of visible empathy it feels kinda funny to say that you take issue with others not agreeing with another person's compromise. I will no longer be responding to your posts, as while I do not feel you have violated any rules, I feel your methods and goals from communicating do not align with what I believe to be constructive.

I believe we're being asked to act like adults here, right? If we're being asked to be civil in this situation, to be patient, calm, and understanding, then, might I ask, why would this not simply be the call in any situation? It does not, you are correct. However, the inverse, that disagreeing with what someone says and pointing out that their argument does not further anything in a positive manner and that while their points could be genuine they don't help anyone move forward in any constructive way, is not inherently wrong. In short: Perhaps it might be best to say that intended or not, some are entering the discourse with no desire to actually hear others, and in fact have resorted to pretending like the people involved are not aware of already visible solutions, or being so unhelpful that their responses do nothing to move anything forward but instead stoke frustrations. This is also, all perspective. At no point do I insist no one can disagree with me without being wrong. I do however feel that some responses, some lines of reactions, are not constructive, and appear to have no way that they could be: IE a thread about a request for something in game being responded to with a link to a forum thread made by the poster of the thread asking for something in game as if they are not aware that it exists. I do not see how that provides any significantly constructive input.

A thing I realize I only clarified on the discord that I'd like to note here, or at least I believe that's the situation: I attempted to appeal to Eildath's affect on the community because those with memorials had similarly impacted the community. I feel that not extending the kindnesses that were shown to members of the past is disrespectful to members in the present and the future. Expanding that? Cool. I'm down with it. In fact, I like it better than just honoring my friend. I don't think they'd ask for treatment that didn't help anyone else additionally... ...but I'm going to note if it keeps being stated that these things being possibilities are still at HC discretion... heck, give me your DMs, HC. I will happy politely discuss with you, over weeks if I have to, the benefits of this resolution while calmly and respectfully listening to the responses. If the discretion is "we didn't know them, and we don't want any blowback despite being able to make adjustments in the future, so, we're not open to discussing this" then it's not really the situation that's being described as open to discussion. I ignored this at the time, because things weren't being locked or otherwise threatened for moderation for not behaving in a respectful and civil manner, but the very tone of the initial council response, starting with "don't say I didn't warn you" comes off as not exactly encouraging calm, measured debate. Taking the original post in the most neutral light possible, it was a request for something to be explicitly decided--something that, apparently, behind the scenes already had been but for one reason or another we weren't made aware. I feel that this is kindof an important aspect to bring up, yet one that does not really feel as if it's being properly acknowledged. Therefore, how is one not supposed to feel talked down to? Warn us? At what point does a warning enter into this situation to begin with? The tone being set by the desire to go between jovial, jokey, silly "we're your best friends, eyyyyy" and "I am sorry I am not able to discuss this time be able" is insulting, and it's going to make anyone who cares about the topic discussed increasingly upset. It's not a neutral situation any more than insinuating if any members of the community can't behave then we can't have nice things. One of the issues with situations like this is that respect, and consideration, don't really need to go both ways and those who call for a certain apathy are always going to be easier to ignore their shortcomings because they aren't "causing trouble" by asking to be heard. It only takes reading a few other threads to see that the community has a very open bad actor problem, and chastising the people that get exhausted by their nonsense has to be a lot more work than it would be to deal with those problems in some appropriate fashion. Worrying about people getting upset by something and adjustments needed sure never stopped the game from getting new powersets that needed to be buffed, nerfed, or not taken for anything but thematics because they became unusable. If "reasons have been stated, move on" means there's no discussions of rationale, no examining of how the stated lines benefit people from Live and not from Homecoming's tenure, then I once again ask: is there a chance for open discussion here, or is this a situation where there was a decision made and the community's feelings do not, and could not, be held in lower regard as to the future of that situation? I want to be clear here to: this is not me stating that this is how anyone wants anything to be. This is me using evidence of what has happened, and expressing, in my analysis, what I believe that means. Choosing to reopen the thread but ignoring the substantive responses shows a desire to show something is being done to appear to listen while not wanting to engage with the subject matter, because otherwise, well, it's right there. Calls for civility and reminders of moderation tools existing implies a lack of civility, and the idea that moderation tools either weren't at the ready before or that people would be unaware that they exist. I realize it's also a "hey, don't step out of line" reminder, but I feel like we at least need to come at this from accepting that basic decorum has been a requirement of essentially every internet forum since their inception even if not officially stated. What's said, how it's said, and what is or isn't responded to are all things that deliver explicit and implicit messages. Others may not feel dismissed. I respect that. I can, however, provide evidence of carefully thought out posts which have seemingly only been responded to in the most broad of ways if at all, and I don't blame anyone else for not feeling the same that I do. I wouldn't anyway, because we're all different people with our own concerns, but I would request that examining how it would feel to put the effort into expressing these things, especially when, damn, it would be incredibly easy to just close the forum out of apathy, or to give in to catharsis and just scream into the void. I'm not saying those are valid options, but I'm saying that when one is attempting a civil discourse, and told to be civil, when they're seeing and perceiving a lack of civility, it makes them wonder why they even bothered when getting banned would feel like being more acknowledged than they have been in any substantive way.

It breaks trust in the people themselves, not the people who attempted to honor others. I appreciate that you do not feel this is dismissive. This statement, however, does not reflect my reality. The constant discussions of internal conversations shows me that one of my core frustrations is being outright ignored to the point where I'm starting to wonder if I've been deleting parts of my own posts.

I'm also going to note that while CoH is still a much smoother community than other MMOs, which tends to be the point, the forum does not represent the full population. There have been continued frustrations with the way moderation has been handled in this, and other threads. It feels difficult to claim that your post is not further indication of this trend.

I appreciate the condolences. Sincerely. I want to stress that in my frustration with how this situation is being handled, I do appreciate the genuine kindness and caring that has come from the community, and the community involved in the staff. Here's the thing: Why are these discussions solely internal? If there's time, and they won't be done for quite awhile (no one on the dev team works in December and I respect that) then this seems a perfectly good thing to open up to the actual people affected. I'm still not really satisfied with "yeah, I don't feel like addressing that but trust me it's gone and will go poorly" but I'm willing to just kinda move past that for now for the sake of discussion. Gotta make concessions or nothing ever gets anywhere. This however, shines a perfect light on the frustration I described. I don't see why this process benefits the GMS, the devs, or the community... especially not when it relates directly to the community and the GMs/Devs will already be honored like this with no objection. Kinda comes off as "we've got ours". I want to clarify that I was not blaming the GM who sent me here, nor do I feel any desire to call them out. I knew they would be following procedure. My issue is twofold. Why, if this policy was so clearly established, was this not simply something that we could see? You've had it cause issues before? I feel like that's the kind of thing a dev digest could explain to the community and be a quick point of reference. Otherwise, no offense, it's a very "citation needed" kind of situation. It also leads to a situation where a suggestion to make a request will instantly be shot down because of a policy that the response is "you want this? well we don't. sorry." That's not really something that anyone wants to deal with, much less in this situation. This is also a situation where the corporate CYOA language of "may have been better" and so forth just comes off as a bit disingenuous. Was this a bad choice or not? Can you even accept that as something we agree upon, or do you think this was a good experience? It is, at best, an attempt to save face that insults both of us. I do appreciate that you are directly addressing my concerns. I will say however, that I feel there's an issue here that needs to be directly brought up: there are at least four people in these threads, I'm not even going to bother naming names, who are either making false arguments and dragging it all down, or, and you can look across their other threads, kinda just there to be argumentative or unempathetic with other players. I feel like starting there might be a good decision. I also feel like reopening the thread but not responding to me is, essentially, in my direction, not reopening it at all. That, is dismissive. This as the only response to everything said feels like there's been no attempt to actually read anything I've said besides to tick off PR boxes. I want you to reread over that, the idea that it's a shame we've lost opportunities, and see how incredibly patronizing it is. If a bad actor speaks up, how does that limit the opportunities? If the people with power over the conversation says it does. None of this is without responsibility, and placing that in the community's hands to have no bad actors is, again, cowardice. Especially considering that basically the response to my response is "we've made up our mind" I do not actually see how anything that I've said has had any meaning. Openness to the community seems to be "we'll hear you, tell you how we feel, and if you're unhappy with it, we will lock the thread even if you obstain from violating any rules of conduct." Essentially, everything I said is only being proved more and more and more. There's still no malice. But there's no empathy, or understanding that this side of the game and the efforts running the game are not so separated as there is an attempt for it to seem. Why is there such a concern with if someone turns out to not be dead? Why is there such an insistence that a policy has been set and will not be reviewed yet a claimed statement of being open to listening to the community? Did you even read the discussion of our poster child for npcs based on player characters? Frankly at this point it would feel less insulting if you just told me you wanted me to shut up and you didn't care.

I must have hit a size limit, or something, because I responded to everything in your post! ;-; I'll respond to this over again. Apologies if it's not as good. Well, Squeak squeak squeak! Also, if they closed the thread for that purpose, I believe that not saying so shows a lack of confidence in their moderation, or a lack of respect for the moderated. Widower's response was to express what was already set, yes, but I really cannot see why one, it went that direction, and two, when none of the suggested ideas were addressed and the ongoing issue of how the thread was treated was not resolved anyone would bother to say more. Moving on to healing? I don't believe healing comes before the problem is solved, and for me, it hasn't been. It's like sticking a bandaid over an infected wound that needs a direct balm. Maybe a burn wound? I'm a writer, not a doctor. Honestly, would a wall satisfy me? No. We have a cathedral in Echo Plaza that's nothing but a development test project posted onto the live server, then we can have a process to make further memorial NPCs in the game. Also, frankly, memorials aren't for the dead. They're for the living. Eildath never asked for this, but the way that this whole situation has been treated feel inherently disrespectful to everyone mourning our loss. People have said "I'm sorry for your loss" plenty, and while at times I respect it, I feel like if you say "I'm sorry for your loss, but..." that it loses all of its meaning. People don't die every day, not on our servers, but even if they did... 30 people a month needing to be added somewhere? Needing a verification process is unnecessary if we focus on it being for the living. The community is here, and can discuss things. I would be happy to discuss this, and more, in private with those making decisions... but honestly, I was referred to here, so... It only feels right to leave it here, and allow other voices to speak.

Mmm-hm! this is an inspirational story, and honestly one I feel the devs may have wished you hadn't posted! It's outright encouragement to harass them until then change their minds! 😄 My issue is that this is not Cryptic. This is not Paragon. This is a group of people who received illicit code, set up an illegal service, and were uplifted by the community. Let's not split hairs here: it was illegal. Was I happy for it? Yes. It's subsidized by the players' donations, which I believe is a good thing! At the same time, I feel like there's not the same level of separation between us and these devs, gms, and community support agents as there was on live. Frankly, to twist a poor argument... I never met Kiyotee. They have absolutely no meaning to me... ...but I feel like the responses of someone who would rather take this opportunity to stomp something out rather than attempt to seek a way to make it reasonable are not people that should be listened to about something like this. People die every day, but they aren't all in this game. Even if there were 30 dead players a month (which, frankly, with our numbers, would mean they wouldn't need to be developing for very long) were a process designed for it all you'd need to do was just bip. bop. boop. Push. If they wanted to, that could be doable. A lack of desire to do so, and I already discussed why i feel their response was weak, is all that prevents it. Memorials are for the living. No one is harmed by a memorial that turns out to be unnecessary. So on. I already covered this. I believe that the Outbreak tutorial getting someone there is AWESOME, and I LOVE IT. I love seeing ascendant by the telephone. ...but neither of them, and I say this respectfully, were a part of HOMECOMING. That's nothing I'm actually taking issue with, to clarify, I'm simply using it to make a point. Yes, they assisted in making CITY OF HEROES what it is, but Virtue and Everlasting are not the same. We have different people, different circumstances, so on and so forth. The person I'm requesting--and that others are--directly impacted the game that is currently here. I feel that having proof in game that can be celebrated, and denying it, is at the very least a kind of favoritism that you can't erase by saying "we wont do it anymore." That just advantages the past. It basically says "I'm sorry Eildath didn't die before the game came out, or between Live and Homecoming." I can't be the only one who finds that response unsatisfying to put it mildly. Thank you. 🙂 To clarify, I may have posted a long response, but it was not out of anger, or disrespect. I feel you made very salient responses, and they gave me thought so I felt you deserved the same. Thank you for being a part of our community. You make it better.

To clarify, I was not calling the Council members or GMs trolls. I was saying that their behaviors were encouraging such behavior. I feel that this is important. If it ends poorly for me, I feel that reflects as much on others as it does on me, and I'm ok with that. If the desire is to act like a clean, crisp, opaque company then I'm sorry, but yes, it is their job to know what the policies are on things and have them clearly deliniated. Now, do I think this could be a learning experience and they could adjust this? Yes. That said, I think this is the equivalent of calling for customer support for a broken iMac, being told to go to the Apple Store, and you wait around to be helped after describing the issue only for someone else saying that your issue shouldn't be attended to and they're agreed with. Sorry, but that's really not what I call professional, or good community building. You are free, of course, to disagree as you seem very wont to do. I'm not calling it outright malice. I'm calling out the issues that I feel are harmful. Harm does not indicate intent: it indicates results. You have a very good point though, people are not trying to cause harm here. I believe that firmly. If I felt there was no point in having this discussion, then I wouldn't be having it... and that means I believe people can be reasoned with! 🙂 ...I basically just thought out loud, but you gave a thoughtful reply so I felt you deserved a thoughtful response! I don't go onto the forums long enough to really be able to comment on that, but I will say that I have had multiple people who do in private express that there are bad actors being ignored... and I believe we can see some in this discussion. If it's unresolveable, then as far as I see it making it clear as day to everyone is the only solution. That said? I want to try to make things better. I want to try to push for the changes this community needs to be sustainable. Because, frankly, getting NCSoft's okay isn't really enough to keep people around. We were here before it. We didn't care then. If the trust in the GMs and Devs dissolves completely, at a certain point, you get real competition. This isn't a situation where no one else has the ability to do so. ...plus, like... I believe the best in people, even if it may not seem it. I believe that pointing out issues is the only way they can be fixed, but it doesnt mean I think that anyone can't change their actions going forward. As said by others, I know the post is long but if you want to respond to it? Please read it. This isn't debate club. If you want to annoy people and not have an actual conversation, they're going to point it out, and they may not feel the need to do it in a defensible way like I am because I feel like the moment I make a single mistake my entire discussion will be derailed. I really appreciate your support in this matter. I could say more, but uh... Thanks. I appreciate you. Gonna be honest. I laughed. I believe they're implying that changing someone's behavior after 7k posts would be very difficult. I believe, however, it is possible, if the person desires to change. That said, consistency is worth considering in situations like this. This. This. This. I was requesting something after being told to try requesting it here. Silence. Someone else complained about the idea of someone requesting it and... I REALLY tried to take it in good faith, but the more that discussion went on the more it became clear, at least to me, that it was not, and THEY got a response while my response was effectively ignored. It's at best a mishandling. At worst it's, as I described in the subject title, feeding the trolls.

I would also like to note something: A majority of players do not use the forums. That's simply true. The forums as the primary considered method for interaction is not only archaic, but when the feeling of division is so dramatic, it discourages posting--much like when people who are acting in bad faith or simply not wishing to engage in an open way are responded to while people making heartfelt requests are suggested the wrong direction... ...then ignored.

It's not a bad idea. 🙂 Possibly something that might be good to have discussed as one of those possible alternatives by someone capable of talking for what might be done. 🙂

Hello, I would like to raise the issue that as raised in this post below... I feel there is a definite issue between the community and the people running homecoming. I realize this will come off as shit stirring, but please hear me out. The thread about the request received no GM reply. It was open for far longer. Additionally, I sent in a ticket first as advised by someone over on Discord, only to be told to post about it... ...while a policy was already up to not perform memorials. This is essentially the equivalent of being transferred around departments only to find out from someone saying that your premise was flawed to get an answer on your situation. It's infuriating. Additionally, it seems clear that those with authority are much more willing to engage with people who are shooting things down, and generally acting without empathy towards the greater community. This may be somewhat subjective, and it would likely be fair to find many examples that are otherwise... But to simply say "The question's been answered! :)" and close the thread when the topic of "we could look into something else" was brought up yet the response to it was utterly ignored feels much more like "We're done listening to you now :)" The response reads very loudly as "we said that to be diplomatic, but we're not really interested in discussing this further." If someone was seen as going too far, then that should have been stated. If there was no interest in continuing the discussion, that should have been stated. Closing a topic because the literal subject line was answered while not addressing any of the underlying, continuing discussion, only further emphasizes a desire to sit behind an opaque wall. Again, I'm disappointed by the no, but I'm more disappointed by the disingenuous reply, and the further handling of the thread.

It's also on the forums, which I don't blame some people for not wanting to visit.

To read the end result of this line of posts, unfortunately, you'll have to head over to here: This includes the GM response, and my response to it. If you agree, please respond appropriately. If you don't? I don't think I need to tell you that you're allowed to post whatever you want.

Gonna add that it's great that this was posted HERE and not in the thread that was about the memorial request, also that there was no quick place to view this decision yet apparently it's been made already. Esprit d'escalier.

As a person who didn't ask, but now has this answer to face? I'm very disappointed. Homecoming is a server based on its community. You're not selling this game to people for it being a cutting edge new MMO. The people who get curious would never stick around without things like MIDS to allow people to make builds in a game so opaque that without a community it's nearly impossible to figure anything out. The help chat channel is basically a requirement because even with the wiki, the in game tutorials can do nothing to make up for how the game was hard to understand from the start and nothing ever improved upon it. Favoritism is pretty easily solved by just adding people in as they're requested, or enabling some means for a person to request it in case of their untimely death. The complex questions of verification and privacy? People have faked their deaths before, yes. I don't see how hard it is to add an NPC that doesn't even talk and remove it if it turns out that it was a prank. I realize it's not completely nontrivial, but I also know that it's nowhere near say, balancing powersets. Consent is a pretty simple answer here: the ToS says anything created in the game becomes part of the game. It's not a violation of anything to thereofre use part of the game. Get it wrong? We're a community, aren't we? We can talk about it. We can discuss. Something that has bothered me about Homecoming for awhile in general feels like it needs to be expressed right here: The only reason that Homecoming has a population is because it was the biggest pirate server. The legitimacy granted is good for the devs, but I don't think any of us who were here in 2019, and built the communities that have made it worth being here, ever gave a damn. The clubs that fill with people, the raids that all gather up? That's the community. The mothership raids, the hamidon, the synapse babbage farms on torch... it's the community. Yet for some reason there's been inherently a relationship between the community and the Devs/GMs as though this were still live. I have so much respect for what's been accomplished, but I really feel like there needs to be some acknowledgement here: homecoming is not even making a profit. It's here because people love the community, and the game... but the majority of the work that keeps people here? Was in place before 2012. If it wasn't, then it was done before 2019, in which case it was truly a pirate server with no public presence whatsoever, and yet there's this lack of a feeling of traditional community conversation. "Soon" wasn't all that cute back by the end of the game in 2012, but here I see 0 reason why the kind of things discussed on the beta server aren't shared with everyone. Yes there are people who think Kin melee is overpowered and fire blast is weak. There are people who probably still think the tram lines being merged, and the PORTAL system made the game "too easy". But it would be a discussion between community devs and gms and the people who make anyone log into this game. I feel like there's a strong argument to be made that, for example, Veracor has done a not insignificant service to the game compared to. Well. A lot of people... Yet we all know the reason that he dropped off of doing things: because even the people making it so people gave a damn about content weren't being treated like a part of the process. Because things that people care about were being ignored. This isn't just about this singular issue. Honestly, it was a shot in the dark... but this response has killed the last of my ability to be quiet about these frustrations. I realize it's likely to get all sorts of nasty or unpleasant responses, but I don't feel like anything I'm saying is wrong and I'm doing it without resorting to harsh language or insults, so take that as you will. Is this the kind of response that may make Devs/GMs not want to help the game? Maybe. That, I apologize for...but I would entreat anyone who would go "this? This is why I don't want to bother anymore" to consider the perspective I'm laying out. Two years ago there would be no more validity to this server than if I'd ran the distributed source code. It feels to me like the true legitimacy shouldn't come from NCSoft, but from a respect and communication with the players, with an open dialogue, with an understanding of where we are, where we're going, and not a feeling of a brick wall that we can hope might acknowledge anything. AE has more new content in it than the rest of the game ever will, but it's barely been touched comparatively. Each addition to the base system enables the community to create more things for the wider player base, yet those representing those segments of the community have been excised from special positions not given more. TL;DR: The veneer of professionalism that's desired here has only ever hurt HC, and I don't feel like any of this is being done for any reason that benefits the game or takes it in a direction which respects and allows for it to have a long term viability.

Honestly, some kind of memorial site for all of the heroes who died in the rikti and praetorian wars? Reasonable. But it feels like something a little different for the players who made that lore matter and feel alive is something else entirely.

This has been immensely painful. I kinda didn't want to say it about the first post, but uh... the emphasis on not even knowing they existed feels... so... it hurts. I dont hold it against anyone, but it hurts. I admit, I'll be sad if it doesn't happen. They wouldn't care, but well... they were important. The Stormcage was an important place for a lot of people, and they were responsible in part for the pillow fort. They manned a spot at the bar that felt like it belonged to them. That place ended up on Massively, getting word of how cool you can make bases out to the wider world. They were a friend. They made life better for a lot of people... Even if you didnt know someone? Someone you knew interacted with them once, or someone you knew interacted with someone who logged on that day and stayed logged on because of them once, or so on. If someone told me that they wanted a memorial for a character of a fallen player and I didn't know them, the worst thing I would say is "I'm sorry I never had a chance to know them. Let's do this." I would... definitely encourage some empathy. Please.

I don't feel like I can respond to the further discourse here. A lot of it feels like it's gotten... A bit... I don't have a word, but the opposite of what I've been trying to do in the wake of my friend's death. Maybe it's selfish to make this post, but this effort has been explicitly an attempt to immortalize someone who i was told all day while holding a 16 hour+ impromptu vigil that their lives had been impacted and they wanted a reminder to exist in the game. No one wants a contest to prove anyone's worthiness for this. I stated I didn't really feel like one for me would be appropriate because when I think of Ascendant, and Ursula, I think of, and many others did, a very similar person. I don't think Ascendant left Virtue, but their memory is now on every shard. I would, sincerely, like to see something in game honoring all of our fallen. I think getting upset that some of the prominent members, or those who touched someone working on Homecoming or the secret servers beforehand is missing the point as is the suggestion for SG bases to be used in lieu of. By putting a character, a representation of the person who is gone, a character they played, a way they touched people, in a way that is there for everyone to see is trying to make sure that their memory lasts. It's trying to make it so... I never met any of the NPCs we have now besides Ascendant, but I feel the love and the loss of those people being gone. I feel good that I can hold that memory, and I feel like not enjoying that being in the game can be handled the same as not liking may other NPC: don't interact with them or only as much as possible for the reward npc in oro/echo. We're a community, and as things go, it's no secret CoH has a largely older player base these days. I don't need to spell out what this means. I would like to make a call for empathy, and togetherness about our shared losses, and about the ones that may solely be personal to us. It's the holiday season. Someone has passed. Those both feel like good reasons to try to have a positive outlook towards each other and try to hold hands on this, and in general. Maybe I'm reacting a bit dramatically, but I dunno. It hurts a little to see this thread go the way it has following the initial post. Okay, not a little. A lot. Please, in this time of loss, don't make it so losing a person in the community who avoided conflict and brought fun and joy is leading to strife and unpleasantness.

I think this is a very thoughtful reply to the general situation. Someone suggested using Echo Plaza for this, dropping down a bunch of npcs of the fallen's characters or some kind of special memorial area attached to it, and honestly, I think that's a good idea. Plaque(s)? Not a bad idea, either. There are other players that I feel deserve this. It's obvious that Punchy was very important to a large swath of the Everlasting community, and so was Synalon. I think when I'm gone, if City is still around, some people will be pretty sad but I don't think Argent Girl, the younger Miss Maxima (the former Ruby Masters), or anyone else I've had (like, say, Tunnel Vision) have had the same kind of lasting effect. I've done my best to contribute... but I dont think it's made the experience *different* for people. Some people though? Definitely have. Having a spot for all of the fallen ain't a half bad idea, and having some kind of policy isn't, either. What makes Homecoming special is very much the game, but imho what makes it feel BETTER than live is the way the community has been enhanced. SG bases are open with a code. SG bases can be SO MUCH MORE. SGs can be much bigger. The auction house isnt a terrifying nightmare. Can't argue that this could use a lookover.

The issue I have with that is, say, my badger has capped badges and I... dont really want to ever do that again. The winter ATOs being more expensive than other ATOs doesnt feel like a particularly helpful feature, and you cant use candycanes until december anyway. so...

Even if there wasnt some way to demarcate that we'd been there? A hall of memories could be neat, too 🙂

I mean there's plenty of room to drop an npc in the world in many places without it being more than 'making the world feel lived in'

Honestly, I wouldn't particularly mind this either? 🙂 Or they could just be somewhere in Echo Plaza. It is a weird place that doesn't really conform to ordinary reality... ...though that said we already have some memorial NPCs, so unless we really lean into that...

Hello everyone. This post is about somewhat of a serious, solemn topic. It's one I wouldn't have even made if not for how many times I heard a recurring thought yesterday and I'm trying to do my best to lead the charge in this situation as much as possible. Ursula Renee Mallory, played by @Eildath, was a very important interaction for a lot of people on Everlasting who roleplayed. She did content, too, everything from, well, every Trial, TF, and Raid you can imagine! (If I'm not mistaken she did lots of Labrynths, I was there for plenty of Hamidons, and she was always happy for the WST!) Yesterday the community found out that on the 7th of December, Eildath passed. It was a sudden, unexpected event. Those who knew them, hung out with them regularly, knew that over the course of the year they were experiencing more and more illnesses bad enough it prevented them from even wanting to use discord. Even still, whenever they were well enough they were there, a part of the roleplaying community on Everlasting, positive, warm, and welcoming to everyone they could be. More than once yesterday I heard so many people saying that @Eildath was helpful and kind to them when they didn't even know anything about the game. They were helpful with people needing to learn the mechanics, people needing to learn about the community, and as a social butterfly with angel wings, their character knew, or was recognized, by so many. Having her there, to many people, was something warm. Comforting. It was a little sign of the community being okay. It was the knowledge that even if you didnt play for a month, or a year, they'd be there and just as happy to roleplay with you... ...only now, Eildath is gone, and they wont be logging back on. Unfortunately, we have confirmation that this is not a prank faking-their-death sort of situation. Their facebook was found (used the same name, Eildath, and the same Sinistar pic they used on discord) and then, so was their obituary. They were 47 years old. Far too young to go how they did, when they did, and they had so many stories left to tell, so many more lives still to touch.. That's why I'd like to ask the Devs, and others to support the call, to add Ursula Mallory's heroic persona, Umbra Midnight, to the game as a memorial NPC. Sticking her somewhere visible yet out of the way in Pocket D would suit--maybe behind the bar in the PVP area of pocket D (she did spend no small time as a bartender for The Stormcage where she touched so many lives by remembering running gags, welcoming people, and being generally amazing) but an alternative might be in Founders Falls, on top of the ring surrounding Infernal and Numina, crouched down, glowering at Infernal. In her lore they had a not-so-serious beef (nothing that broke Infernal's lore, it was a response to a demonic possession, etc, basically showing up to an alert in the area) and I think it might be a cute way for people to be able to visit her, be told about her, without being in an area that might cause distress to those who miss Eildath and all of the joy they brought so many. Please, if you interacted with Eildath even just once, support this post, share it around. They loved this game, and they loved this community. Let's make sure no one ever forgets them. Let's make Ursula Mallory, Umbra Midnight? Immortal.