Armageddon Player Events: Whole Bunches of Nothing
Apr 13, 2020 12:15:06 GMT -5
pinkerdlu, mehtastic, and 1 more like this
Post by punished ppurg on Apr 13, 2020 12:15:06 GMT -5
For those not in the know, this past weekend involved a series of player-held events. The "Blood and Glory" RPT as posted on the GDB had a total of 12 different events scheduled over 4 days. Connected player count ran as high as 81 during peak. Surely, this was the best Armageddon experience ever. Right?
Not so fast! This event holds many teachable moments on why exactly the Armageddon narrative is stagnant — especially now that these events are the low-calorie substitute for any true development or even direction in the game world.
Armageddon has been stealing themes from George R.R. Martin for the better part of a decade now. Unfortunately, one thing they haven't lifted from ASOIAF is GRRM's storytelling conglomerate of characters being the whole of their actions, in perpetuity. This is an elementary storytelling mechanism, similar to Chekhov's Gun: if something is included in the narrative, it should be, in some sense, important. Shy away from filler and distraction, and provide narrative movements of substance to your readers. GRRM, for need of example, approaches this concept through the mechanism of the characters themselves. This is what adds weight to the diplomatic intrigue, and provides dramatic consequence for when he eventually kills a character off. Nobody is intrinsically safe: everyone is the sum of their actions. Every conversation has consequence. These principles make for an engaging interpersonal narrative regardless of the dramatic scope of the story.
I must ask what, then, is the consequence of ostensibly the most successful RPT in the past five years? What has been gained, what has been staked and lost in this uniquely constructed arena of interactions? If I answered, "Nothing." How suspicious would you be?
If you managed to read through that scroll, good for you. You understand now that this RPT was little more than a vanity project. Looking at the GDB we find that the first mention of this RPT is from February 28th: over a month ago.
33: [Fri Apr 10 10:21:51 2020] The Opening of the Blood Market!
34: [Sat Apr 11 10:19:53 2020] The Blood Market Continues!
35: [Sat Apr 11 13:42:45 2020] The Great Merchant House Kadius
36: [Sat Apr 11 21:50:56 2020] Arena Gossip! Bloody Blood Market!
37: [Sun Apr 12 12:00:37 2020] Steel Talons stacking corpses!
-
Message 33: [Fri Apr 10 10:21:51 2020] The Opening of the Blood Market!
Gossip is buzzing about the recent opening of the Blood Market. Lord
Controller Lysander Borsail gave a speech at the Dragon Temple
before turning it over to Lord Inquisitor Sahtuk Valika who led the
rather large crowds, both commoner and noble, in a dedication to the
Highlord which included a sacrifice and blessing.
The very next morning the vendors began to display their wares and the
Falecium was opened with a brief speech by the Lord Controller once
more before handing it over to other Borsail members to say a few
words themselves.
The Market has been bustling with rare offerings from various vendors
including Kadius, Salarr, and Kurac. Along with the increase in traffic
along Arena Road there has also been a drastic increase in the number
of soldiers patrolling the area who have been making harsh examples of
anyone bold enough to attempt theft during the event.
Rumor says that there is even a tattoo artist in the Falecium and that
there is some contest involving getting one of the designs!
-
Message 34: [Sat Apr 11 10:19:53 2020] The Blood Market Continues!
The second week of the Blood Market saw even more performance artists and
vendors start jostling themselves a space on Arena Road to take advantage of
the crowds. Lord Controller Lysander gave some sort of history presentation
before a Kadius-led storytelling contest. The Kadian auction followed, and
it is whispered that there was one piece which only the nobility were
permitted to bid on, hidden away in a place called the 'Red Room'. Some
commoners huddled to gossip together swear they heard the word 'gold'.
This third week of the Festival, pages in Borsail livery circulate the
taverns and Arena Road to loudly announce that this week is dedicated to the
Highlord's Army, and all those who serve it and the glory of Allanak.
Of note is a boxing contest being held in the Highlord's Arena, which is
rumored to have a special prize for the champion and runner-up. Only humans
will be permitted to fight in the main bracket, but if there is enough
interest from sub-humans, a separate bracket may be arranged as well.
The main event of the week is an Arena spectacle, put forward as a joint
effort between Borsail and the Templarate. This event is accepting
volunteers who would like to fight side by side with the Steel Talons and
re-enacting one of Allanak's glorious battles against northern heretics.
Those who wish to participate in the combat events should be at the Arena
Gates an hour before start time. The Arena Bell will sound twice as
early warnings, and three times to signal the event's beginning.
Finally, there is an after-party hosted for all and sundry in the main
pavilion. As in the first party, kegs and casks of alcohol will be provided
for free by the generosity of the Lord Controller and House Borsail.
-
Message 35: [Sat Apr 11 13:42:45 2020] The Great Merchant House Kadius
Amidst the red-stained crowd of those rejoicing in the excitement of the Blood
Market word spreads of artisan opportunities within the Great Merchant House
Kadius. Those deemed suitable will bask in a future of riches and growth
opportunities in providing the finest wares and art-works to His Highborn and
His people with too the chance to leave an immortal mark on the world of luxury
and fashion. It is said that those with skill in clothworking, sculpting, and
jewelry are foremost desired but cooks, wine-makers, leatherworkers, luthiers,
carpenters, potters, perfumers, and more are ever too considered.
Those within the Great Merchant House Kadius gain competitive compensation,
lodging, food, water, access to countless materials, and the finest artisan and
mercantile training in His Known World in a variety of specialities. Seekers
seeking position are encouraged to find the minds of Overseer Green Kadius,
known for her leggy appearance and wine-dark hair, and Merchant Jaznah Kadius,
known for their gold skin and shadow-inked appearance.
It is said that the Overseer is most oft about late in the week whilst the
Merchant is about far earlier. Orders too, it is thus told, go through the
Merchant but word can be left with the Overseer should availability allow.
-
Message 36: [Sat Apr 11 21:50:56 2020] Arena Gossip! Bloody Blood Market!
Stories from the arena are just about what one would expect to hear, a
lot of bloodshed, pious delivery of justice and a considerable amount of
liquor being consumed. Of particular interest is the event that included
historical reenactment of the destroying of Tuluk by the Highlord and a
spitting volcano. What was most telling about this though is how the
enemies of Allanak were named, and crushed, with some special exposure being
brought to the House Kurac, who refused aid to Allanak, yet are somehow
still allowed to flourish under His protection. It was blatant enough to
cause some whispers, many of which have now made it to the taverns.
-
Message 37: [Sun Apr 12 12:00:37 2020] Steel Talons stacking corpses!
"Uh huh. Steel Talons and that Templar, Kair Kasix, it was! Damned near
covered the Arena floor with corpses! They had some Byn and a few
independents with 'em, even some Atrium feller! But it was the Talons
that was putting in red work. That sergeant of theirs out there, swinging
that big flail of his like a fuckin' whirlwind, splattering them Tuluki
sonsabitches! Crowd was goin' fuckin' nuts! I bet half the whores in
Allanak is bow-legged after they got done celebratin' their victory!
They're still carrying bodies out, a week later. Thinkin' on givin' up
grebbin' and joinin' up, I am. Be a good life, servin' the Highlord and
kicking out rinthi teeth with a fine unit like that..."
34: [Sat Apr 11 10:19:53 2020] The Blood Market Continues!
35: [Sat Apr 11 13:42:45 2020] The Great Merchant House Kadius
36: [Sat Apr 11 21:50:56 2020] Arena Gossip! Bloody Blood Market!
37: [Sun Apr 12 12:00:37 2020] Steel Talons stacking corpses!
-
Message 33: [Fri Apr 10 10:21:51 2020] The Opening of the Blood Market!
Gossip is buzzing about the recent opening of the Blood Market. Lord
Controller Lysander Borsail gave a speech at the Dragon Temple
before turning it over to Lord Inquisitor Sahtuk Valika who led the
rather large crowds, both commoner and noble, in a dedication to the
Highlord which included a sacrifice and blessing.
The very next morning the vendors began to display their wares and the
Falecium was opened with a brief speech by the Lord Controller once
more before handing it over to other Borsail members to say a few
words themselves.
The Market has been bustling with rare offerings from various vendors
including Kadius, Salarr, and Kurac. Along with the increase in traffic
along Arena Road there has also been a drastic increase in the number
of soldiers patrolling the area who have been making harsh examples of
anyone bold enough to attempt theft during the event.
Rumor says that there is even a tattoo artist in the Falecium and that
there is some contest involving getting one of the designs!
-
Message 34: [Sat Apr 11 10:19:53 2020] The Blood Market Continues!
The second week of the Blood Market saw even more performance artists and
vendors start jostling themselves a space on Arena Road to take advantage of
the crowds. Lord Controller Lysander gave some sort of history presentation
before a Kadius-led storytelling contest. The Kadian auction followed, and
it is whispered that there was one piece which only the nobility were
permitted to bid on, hidden away in a place called the 'Red Room'. Some
commoners huddled to gossip together swear they heard the word 'gold'.
This third week of the Festival, pages in Borsail livery circulate the
taverns and Arena Road to loudly announce that this week is dedicated to the
Highlord's Army, and all those who serve it and the glory of Allanak.
Of note is a boxing contest being held in the Highlord's Arena, which is
rumored to have a special prize for the champion and runner-up. Only humans
will be permitted to fight in the main bracket, but if there is enough
interest from sub-humans, a separate bracket may be arranged as well.
The main event of the week is an Arena spectacle, put forward as a joint
effort between Borsail and the Templarate. This event is accepting
volunteers who would like to fight side by side with the Steel Talons and
re-enacting one of Allanak's glorious battles against northern heretics.
Those who wish to participate in the combat events should be at the Arena
Gates an hour before start time. The Arena Bell will sound twice as
early warnings, and three times to signal the event's beginning.
Finally, there is an after-party hosted for all and sundry in the main
pavilion. As in the first party, kegs and casks of alcohol will be provided
for free by the generosity of the Lord Controller and House Borsail.
-
Message 35: [Sat Apr 11 13:42:45 2020] The Great Merchant House Kadius
Amidst the red-stained crowd of those rejoicing in the excitement of the Blood
Market word spreads of artisan opportunities within the Great Merchant House
Kadius. Those deemed suitable will bask in a future of riches and growth
opportunities in providing the finest wares and art-works to His Highborn and
His people with too the chance to leave an immortal mark on the world of luxury
and fashion. It is said that those with skill in clothworking, sculpting, and
jewelry are foremost desired but cooks, wine-makers, leatherworkers, luthiers,
carpenters, potters, perfumers, and more are ever too considered.
Those within the Great Merchant House Kadius gain competitive compensation,
lodging, food, water, access to countless materials, and the finest artisan and
mercantile training in His Known World in a variety of specialities. Seekers
seeking position are encouraged to find the minds of Overseer Green Kadius,
known for her leggy appearance and wine-dark hair, and Merchant Jaznah Kadius,
known for their gold skin and shadow-inked appearance.
It is said that the Overseer is most oft about late in the week whilst the
Merchant is about far earlier. Orders too, it is thus told, go through the
Merchant but word can be left with the Overseer should availability allow.
-
Message 36: [Sat Apr 11 21:50:56 2020] Arena Gossip! Bloody Blood Market!
Stories from the arena are just about what one would expect to hear, a
lot of bloodshed, pious delivery of justice and a considerable amount of
liquor being consumed. Of particular interest is the event that included
historical reenactment of the destroying of Tuluk by the Highlord and a
spitting volcano. What was most telling about this though is how the
enemies of Allanak were named, and crushed, with some special exposure being
brought to the House Kurac, who refused aid to Allanak, yet are somehow
still allowed to flourish under His protection. It was blatant enough to
cause some whispers, many of which have now made it to the taverns.
-
Message 37: [Sun Apr 12 12:00:37 2020] Steel Talons stacking corpses!
"Uh huh. Steel Talons and that Templar, Kair Kasix, it was! Damned near
covered the Arena floor with corpses! They had some Byn and a few
independents with 'em, even some Atrium feller! But it was the Talons
that was putting in red work. That sergeant of theirs out there, swinging
that big flail of his like a fuckin' whirlwind, splattering them Tuluki
sonsabitches! Crowd was goin' fuckin' nuts! I bet half the whores in
Allanak is bow-legged after they got done celebratin' their victory!
They're still carrying bodies out, a week later. Thinkin' on givin' up
grebbin' and joinin' up, I am. Be a good life, servin' the Highlord and
kicking out rinthi teeth with a fine unit like that..."
If you managed to read through that scroll, good for you. You understand now that this RPT was little more than a vanity project. Looking at the GDB we find that the first mention of this RPT is from February 28th: over a month ago.
I have no personal issue with Fancypants here, and it seems like he did the most work of organizing this entire spectacle with whatever sponsored role he has. If this has been in planning since mid-February let's say, aiming for the Easter weekend: shouldn't something of more substance happened during it? I think it's a massive failure on the staff team's part to not have some sort of new chapter ready to roll out with this hotspot of activity. Furthermore, when we look at the events that took place over the RPT, we see more of the same old tried and true events: an auction, arena fights, high-class snooty gatherings. There's nothing groundbreaking here. This brings me to a fast conclusion: Armageddon's "story" is only tolerable if one has a personal stake in it. The staff team and sponsored roles are relying heavily on the crutch of Crackageddon, the sheer time sink engagement of characters in participation, to provide pseudo-content in substitution of actual storytelling and narrative arcs.
Let's consider the two most prominent events that happened over the RPT and discuss why they mix as well as oil and water: auctions, and combat.
First, the auctions. Overwhelmingly these auctions are a vanity piece of the Merchant House sponsored role at the time. The GMH team storytellers load up some old, forgotten design in the database that hasn't seen the light of day in 15 years, and all of the sponsored roles in Allanak huddle together to bid with their stipend while rubbing shoulders. To some players this setting is nauseating; and even if one had a stomach for such a circlejerk, chances are that they can't find the means or the impetus to financially compete with Allanak's nobility. At the end of the day, what do we actually have? Some people pay freely acquired coin for a "unique" item, and the GMH gets to squawk about how great it is. Nothing of consequence has transpired. Furthermore, all of the combat characters merely sit aside and watch: what business do they have outbidding nobility? This would be tolerable if the items on bid had some sort of mystique to them — say, a copper dagger — but the policies of the staff team AND the construction of the game's lore itself prevents such interesting things from falling into the hands of sponsored roles, let alone the playerbase in general. For the average player, there is nothing to be gained from going to one of these auctions: it's a menagerie where pieces move around and are set back away once everything is done.
Now, the arena. This is the combat-focused character's time to shine. But this, too, is a negative-sum event in the narrative. Realistically speaking with Armageddon's combat system, he who has twinked the most wins; so there is no semblance of skill or investment in these fights. We can usually tell who is going to win before they even come to blows. And the auction-goers from before certainly can't participate, seeing as their guild choices are incompatible; so they sit aside and watch — at least giving the same patience to the fighters during this event as was given to themselves for theirs. Aside from the risk of death, there is no narrative weight to this encounter. It is, ultimately, another menagerie. There is no reason to pay attention unless you are involved somehow.
These complete vanity projects should not be accepted as a substitute for actual story. They shouldn't be praised as the solution for the game's stagnation. In fact, I would suggest that these two events are so banal that they should be happening without the backing of an RPT hyping everyone into thinking they are more than what they actually are. An impromptu auction or sudden arena fight, at the very least, has the element of surprise; and doesn't suffer from pomp weighing it down.
There's an interesting thread on the GDB that I wanted to address. Specifically, Draugr's reading comprehension failures.
First off: If you "despise having to police the GDB for content or to monitor what you all choose to discuss," then you shouldn't be an admin for the community. Quit. Get some help. 
We'll go point by point.
1. Not only is this a demonstrable lie, but it also conveniently avoids the point that Friday is trying to make. When Draugr states "Staff supports players that take the initiative to run these events," he doesn't complete the sentence: "... if staff want to." I certainly can't "pony up the time and effort" even if I wanted to, because I am not one of the chosen sponsored roles — I don't have the support, and I don't have the unique position of chasing social clout by hosting these vain distractions. Furthermore it avoids Friday's #1 point of "Events are catering to leader PCs who have already accumulated a lot of meta-influence and coded riches." This is a fundamental failure in the design of the setting of the game; and no single player will be able to rectify this.
2. Draugr is bold in calling this content. I would call it backdrop. There's nothing unique about the same arena fights and auctions we've all been to for 10+ years. This drivel about "We cannot guarantee" anything is just atrocious to read: it's like an HR intern found the GDB and is doing damage control for a failed product. How about you try and guarantee that the staff team pays attention to where things have fallen flat, and attempt some sort of iterative improvement? Why don't you try to raise the stakes from effectively null? If the sponsored roles are delivering content that isn't worth logging in for, why did you choose them? Why don't you pick better?
3. The unpaid volunteer argument. I suppose that a government-enforced stay at home quarantine during the Easter holiday just isn't a good enough environment to run an event. We need to think of something better.
But the bitter truth of it all is that things just can't get better than where they are now. This is the height of Armageddon's ability to tell a story these days. At the very least, there wasn't some meaningless player death like the last RPT. At the least. I'll give them that: they're not cocking up their events to ruin thousands of hours of investment. That's a very small victory.
TL;DR: All in all, I think Armageddon would be better off if it didn't heavily favor this crutch of vanity RPTs. I could liken it to episodic content; or like the carnival packing up and moving town. Well! You had the experience of being there; and at the end of the day, that's all you have. Nothing more, and possibly nothing less. Good story this ain't.
