An Honest Review of Armageddon Seasons
Jun 21, 2024 11:20:51 GMT -5
delerak, Prime Minister Sinister, and 4 more like this
Post by pinkerdlu on Jun 21, 2024 11:20:51 GMT -5
1 man. 7 days. 40+ hours played.
This is...
An Honest Review of Armageddon Seasons
Oh, hey. I didn't see you there. pinkerdlu pats you on the head.
I bet you're wondering how we got here and who I am, huh?
Join me for a little trip through memory lane, won't you? Come on, don't be scared. Stick close and I'll take care of you.
ooc: use 'jump portal' xD
Hold onto your chalton-leather boots! Here... we... gooooo!!! pinkerdlu shoves you into the portal and cannonballs in himself
(Open this youtube link and listen: youtu.be/EsyMdxLHoaw?si=XNEKi-v2KiQKmVb_ )
Ah snap! We're back in 2011 now. This is sic--
- Begin Backstory -
Okay, that's enough of that. Here's a quick rundown of my experience with MUDs and more importantly, Armageddon. I've always been a roleplayer; writing is one of my favorite hobbies, as I'm sure some of you can relate. I like connecting with people, telling stories and helping bring an interesting setting/gameworld to life. My earliest experiences were through various gaming forums. Play-by-post roleplaying games, Proboards roleplay forums, and so on. This was mainly before reddit and Discord. I also spent a lot of time playing/roleplaying in 'sandbox' MMORPGs, like Fallen Earth, or even in survival games like DayZ.
I discovered text-based games, ironically, through flash-game websites like Kongregate. I remember that I was entranced by the learning process. Each MUD felt like a whole new world to conquer; learning the syntax, the setting, meeting the other characters and slowly unlocking an alternative universe. Armageddon was one of the first MUDs where the setting and gameplay really 'clicked' with me. Alas, I was young and spent a good few years of inconsistent playtime, simply learning how to survive and navigate the world. That was 13 years ago, (2011-2024).
In all actuality, I spent far more time in the beginning playing Atonement RPI. The gameplay felt a little bit slower, more cooperative. Everyone was involved in the overarching storylines (metaplot) that staff seemed to actively be pursuing. There were many older and more mature players that put up with my bullshit (I was a killer/explorer archetype, going through my young PvP era). I really embraced antagonistic roles, always rocking the boat and trying to breath excitement into quiet evenings at the Grungetown bar and so on. Atonement was great, but that's an entirely separate discussion to be had.
I'd say that I hit my stride with Armageddon around ~2015. By that point, I was an active member of the Shadowboards, as I was tired of the gatekeeping of knowledge in the Armageddon community, and had already noticed various trends throughout the game, sometimes involving interaction between the unwashed masses (players) and their overlords (staff). I learned how to branch weapon skills on warriors, could navigate the map and make money, and also got a few minor rolecalls (Sun Legion Corporal, AoD Corporal, etc.) where I got to be a glorified grunt for other, better, special rolecall positions. I also engaged in various collaborative efforts and wacky misadventures with other Shadowboarders in different spheres and clans, which was honestly probably the most fun I ever had with the game.
I've only gotten better at the game since then, whilst developing my ability as a writer and roleplayer. I like to treat my roles rather seriously and treat it like a performance, putting a lot of time and effort into bringing my characters to life. If you know, you know. But this isn't about how I'm an awesome, infallible player... who's never had more than 1 karma... yet got accepted onto the staff team and gave that position of power up, too, after seeing the rather stagnant and sad state of affairs behind-the-veil, confirming my worst fears about the game's management. Or is it?
- End Backstory -
What you should understand about Armageddon is that people play it for different reasons.
RPIs as a genre serve as an intersection, attracting all 4 (or 8) player-types as categorized by Richard Bartle (professor, game researcher). It's a unique situation where an extensive, permadeath, roleplay-enforced setting... is populated by a fair amount of people that don't really care about or value the roleplay. At the very least, there are differing degrees of quality in roleplay that are clearly visible. What some deem necessary (capitalization, punctuation, expression, meaningful character development), others deem as optional. It's just a mask (or front) that they put on so they can go play text-based desert Skyrim and chop up chalton with bone swords. They put up with the roleplayers, and the roleplayers put up with them.
It has always been this way; however, even more so in recent years, I'd say an overwhelming amount of serious roleplayers have been scared away, ousted/betrayed/banned by the staff team, or... culled from the staff team. (Say what you want about Shalooonsh, he was a serious roleplayer and a better writer than 95% of the playerbase. I don't need to reiterate on why he's an absolute scumbag and how he was cheating, controlling and essentially directing the game while current active staff members, Halaster and Usiku for example, were still on the team...)
When these different player-types interact through the medium of Armageddon (via a combination of emotes and mechanical commands in a virtual world), you get some interesting emergent gameplay and sometimes, roleplay. You get experiences that would be difficult to replicate anywhere else. You can even get beautifully written scenes between yourself and other players, if you're lucky, or adrenaline-pumping moments where hundreds of hours of investment, in a character that you've embraced fully, are put at risk... or stolen away from you.
This review of Armageddon Seasons is going to focus on Armageddon as a ROLEPLAYING game. That means, anything that takes away or detracts from roleplay, will be treated negatively. Yes, even now, I wouldn't mind pulling out my inix, bone longsword and grinding my skills out in the desert. It's a cozy gameplay loop; one that I put way too much time into back in the day, mastering. However, is it beneficial to the roleplay in Armageddon, or the quality of storytelling/interaction between players? I would argue, no. It's a unique experience, which is fun and will attract a certain type of person, but I would argue that it's inferior and has been inferior to other games of similar mediums. It could be made better through modification and further hybridization of inherent hack 'n slash elements that remain imbedded within the game.
So let's get to the review.
Armageddon Seasons rating: (courtesy of pinkerdlu) 4.5/10
I've accepted now that Armageddon MUD was never meant to be a serious game.
I always had a different vision for what the game could be; the potential for powerful storytelling wrapped up in an old Diku skeleton that only needed a makeover to make it all worthwhile. In doing so, I would always write off/dismiss the preferences and experiences of the desert Skyrim enjoyers. Now it's clear that these players are the majority and that the staff are actively accommodating them, and shaping the game for their enjoyment. I am not the intended audience any longer for Armageddon. Serious roleplayers, are not the intended audience for Armageddon Seasons.
With this transition, they've fully embraced their role as a hack n' slash themepark with comedic humor and slapstick (think Bloodbowl) plotlines, with dirty, dark fantasy undertones.
This isn't a bad development for the desert Skyrim enjoyers. However, in my eyes, they've only bastardized Dark Sun, keeping some of the worst elements while throwing out the best. I enjoy a good, light-hearted laugh every once a while, like anyone else. But I also like being able to take a setting seriously and being able to obtain some level of realism and immersion for the sake of my character. That feels like a near impossible task in Seasons. The average player doesn't give you much to work with. The quality of play has noticeably degraded and not even the Sponsored Role characters uphold a basic level of decorum or effort. Entire races (half-giants, most dwarves, some elves and half-elves) seem to only exist for comedic humor and to fulfill various hack n' slash roles (yet they don't even do that well... the game's balancing fucking sucks and staff are proud of it).
Instead of changing the game's design, staff have given us the same clans, the same leadership roles, the same dynamics and politicking (or lack thereof). Instead of giving us meaningful avenues for conflict, they've created convoluted reasons for why... everyone should actually be treated equally now, while serving the same masters (the Sponsored Roles). I understand that 7 days since launch isn't a long time. However, unless there are any groundbreaking RPTs that drastically change the game, the clans and the gameplay loops that everyone is engaging in... it's going to be the same fucking game. If they have an RPT that changes the entire dynamic of the game, I will amend (and expand) this review. For now, my rating stands and I don't plan on engaging with Armageddon w/ any sort of regularity going forward.
The 'player count' doesn't matter, when considering the quality of play and the type of play occurring. Remember - I'm rating Seasons as a roleplayer.
Pros:
- The staff team does seem more friendly, bright, hopeful; for the time being.
- The change to staff avatars, i.e. staff not playing characters, is the perfect solution to the persistent sex pest problem.
- The seasons model is good, simply because consistent change benefits a themepark like Armageddon and may keep things slightly more lively/elevated.
- Coded changes have introduced some good quality of life improvements, and made the game SLIGHTLY less grindy.
Cons:
- If you want to play a capable/competitive combat character, you still have to grind A LOT.
- The amount of time investment required, compared to the quality of roleplay you get, is not worth it.
- Sponsored roles encompass all leadership roles, meaning staff are always in complete control, change is rare, your input isn't particularly valuable.
- They're slowly ruining the Dark Sun setting, one of the only strong elements that Armageddon had going for it.
- Roleplay quality of the average player has decreased over the years.
- The glass ceiling is still incredibly low and will make players jump through hoops for months, for nothing.
- Staff benefit from putting low-effort/lazy players into sponsored roles, because they're rewarding their loyal players, and making less work for themselves.
To be continued? Eh, who knows. Lemme out of here. A lot of you simply disgust me.
This is...
An Honest Review of Armageddon Seasons
Oh, hey. I didn't see you there. pinkerdlu pats you on the head.
I bet you're wondering how we got here and who I am, huh?
Join me for a little trip through memory lane, won't you? Come on, don't be scared. Stick close and I'll take care of you.
ooc: use 'jump portal' xD
Hold onto your chalton-leather boots! Here... we... gooooo!!! pinkerdlu shoves you into the portal and cannonballs in himself
(Open this youtube link and listen: youtu.be/EsyMdxLHoaw?si=XNEKi-v2KiQKmVb_ )
Ah snap! We're back in 2011 now. This is sic--
- Begin Backstory -
Okay, that's enough of that. Here's a quick rundown of my experience with MUDs and more importantly, Armageddon. I've always been a roleplayer; writing is one of my favorite hobbies, as I'm sure some of you can relate. I like connecting with people, telling stories and helping bring an interesting setting/gameworld to life. My earliest experiences were through various gaming forums. Play-by-post roleplaying games, Proboards roleplay forums, and so on. This was mainly before reddit and Discord. I also spent a lot of time playing/roleplaying in 'sandbox' MMORPGs, like Fallen Earth, or even in survival games like DayZ.
I discovered text-based games, ironically, through flash-game websites like Kongregate. I remember that I was entranced by the learning process. Each MUD felt like a whole new world to conquer; learning the syntax, the setting, meeting the other characters and slowly unlocking an alternative universe. Armageddon was one of the first MUDs where the setting and gameplay really 'clicked' with me. Alas, I was young and spent a good few years of inconsistent playtime, simply learning how to survive and navigate the world. That was 13 years ago, (2011-2024).
In all actuality, I spent far more time in the beginning playing Atonement RPI. The gameplay felt a little bit slower, more cooperative. Everyone was involved in the overarching storylines (metaplot) that staff seemed to actively be pursuing. There were many older and more mature players that put up with my bullshit (I was a killer/explorer archetype, going through my young PvP era). I really embraced antagonistic roles, always rocking the boat and trying to breath excitement into quiet evenings at the Grungetown bar and so on. Atonement was great, but that's an entirely separate discussion to be had.
I'd say that I hit my stride with Armageddon around ~2015. By that point, I was an active member of the Shadowboards, as I was tired of the gatekeeping of knowledge in the Armageddon community, and had already noticed various trends throughout the game, sometimes involving interaction between the unwashed masses (players) and their overlords (staff). I learned how to branch weapon skills on warriors, could navigate the map and make money, and also got a few minor rolecalls (Sun Legion Corporal, AoD Corporal, etc.) where I got to be a glorified grunt for other, better, special rolecall positions. I also engaged in various collaborative efforts and wacky misadventures with other Shadowboarders in different spheres and clans, which was honestly probably the most fun I ever had with the game.
I've only gotten better at the game since then, whilst developing my ability as a writer and roleplayer. I like to treat my roles rather seriously and treat it like a performance, putting a lot of time and effort into bringing my characters to life. If you know, you know. But this isn't about how I'm an awesome, infallible player... who's never had more than 1 karma... yet got accepted onto the staff team and gave that position of power up, too, after seeing the rather stagnant and sad state of affairs behind-the-veil, confirming my worst fears about the game's management. Or is it?
- End Backstory -
What you should understand about Armageddon is that people play it for different reasons.
RPIs as a genre serve as an intersection, attracting all 4 (or 8) player-types as categorized by Richard Bartle (professor, game researcher). It's a unique situation where an extensive, permadeath, roleplay-enforced setting... is populated by a fair amount of people that don't really care about or value the roleplay. At the very least, there are differing degrees of quality in roleplay that are clearly visible. What some deem necessary (capitalization, punctuation, expression, meaningful character development), others deem as optional. It's just a mask (or front) that they put on so they can go play text-based desert Skyrim and chop up chalton with bone swords. They put up with the roleplayers, and the roleplayers put up with them.
It has always been this way; however, even more so in recent years, I'd say an overwhelming amount of serious roleplayers have been scared away, ousted/betrayed/banned by the staff team, or... culled from the staff team. (Say what you want about Shalooonsh, he was a serious roleplayer and a better writer than 95% of the playerbase. I don't need to reiterate on why he's an absolute scumbag and how he was cheating, controlling and essentially directing the game while current active staff members, Halaster and Usiku for example, were still on the team...)
When these different player-types interact through the medium of Armageddon (via a combination of emotes and mechanical commands in a virtual world), you get some interesting emergent gameplay and sometimes, roleplay. You get experiences that would be difficult to replicate anywhere else. You can even get beautifully written scenes between yourself and other players, if you're lucky, or adrenaline-pumping moments where hundreds of hours of investment, in a character that you've embraced fully, are put at risk... or stolen away from you.
This review of Armageddon Seasons is going to focus on Armageddon as a ROLEPLAYING game. That means, anything that takes away or detracts from roleplay, will be treated negatively. Yes, even now, I wouldn't mind pulling out my inix, bone longsword and grinding my skills out in the desert. It's a cozy gameplay loop; one that I put way too much time into back in the day, mastering. However, is it beneficial to the roleplay in Armageddon, or the quality of storytelling/interaction between players? I would argue, no. It's a unique experience, which is fun and will attract a certain type of person, but I would argue that it's inferior and has been inferior to other games of similar mediums. It could be made better through modification and further hybridization of inherent hack 'n slash elements that remain imbedded within the game.
So let's get to the review.
Armageddon Seasons rating: (courtesy of pinkerdlu) 4.5/10
I've accepted now that Armageddon MUD was never meant to be a serious game.
I always had a different vision for what the game could be; the potential for powerful storytelling wrapped up in an old Diku skeleton that only needed a makeover to make it all worthwhile. In doing so, I would always write off/dismiss the preferences and experiences of the desert Skyrim enjoyers. Now it's clear that these players are the majority and that the staff are actively accommodating them, and shaping the game for their enjoyment. I am not the intended audience any longer for Armageddon. Serious roleplayers, are not the intended audience for Armageddon Seasons.
With this transition, they've fully embraced their role as a hack n' slash themepark with comedic humor and slapstick (think Bloodbowl) plotlines, with dirty, dark fantasy undertones.
This isn't a bad development for the desert Skyrim enjoyers. However, in my eyes, they've only bastardized Dark Sun, keeping some of the worst elements while throwing out the best. I enjoy a good, light-hearted laugh every once a while, like anyone else. But I also like being able to take a setting seriously and being able to obtain some level of realism and immersion for the sake of my character. That feels like a near impossible task in Seasons. The average player doesn't give you much to work with. The quality of play has noticeably degraded and not even the Sponsored Role characters uphold a basic level of decorum or effort. Entire races (half-giants, most dwarves, some elves and half-elves) seem to only exist for comedic humor and to fulfill various hack n' slash roles (yet they don't even do that well... the game's balancing fucking sucks and staff are proud of it).
Instead of changing the game's design, staff have given us the same clans, the same leadership roles, the same dynamics and politicking (or lack thereof). Instead of giving us meaningful avenues for conflict, they've created convoluted reasons for why... everyone should actually be treated equally now, while serving the same masters (the Sponsored Roles). I understand that 7 days since launch isn't a long time. However, unless there are any groundbreaking RPTs that drastically change the game, the clans and the gameplay loops that everyone is engaging in... it's going to be the same fucking game. If they have an RPT that changes the entire dynamic of the game, I will amend (and expand) this review. For now, my rating stands and I don't plan on engaging with Armageddon w/ any sort of regularity going forward.
The 'player count' doesn't matter, when considering the quality of play and the type of play occurring. Remember - I'm rating Seasons as a roleplayer.
Pros:
- The staff team does seem more friendly, bright, hopeful; for the time being.
- The change to staff avatars, i.e. staff not playing characters, is the perfect solution to the persistent sex pest problem.
- The seasons model is good, simply because consistent change benefits a themepark like Armageddon and may keep things slightly more lively/elevated.
- Coded changes have introduced some good quality of life improvements, and made the game SLIGHTLY less grindy.
Cons:
- If you want to play a capable/competitive combat character, you still have to grind A LOT.
- The amount of time investment required, compared to the quality of roleplay you get, is not worth it.
- Sponsored roles encompass all leadership roles, meaning staff are always in complete control, change is rare, your input isn't particularly valuable.
- They're slowly ruining the Dark Sun setting, one of the only strong elements that Armageddon had going for it.
- Roleplay quality of the average player has decreased over the years.
- The glass ceiling is still incredibly low and will make players jump through hoops for months, for nothing.
- Staff benefit from putting low-effort/lazy players into sponsored roles, because they're rewarding their loyal players, and making less work for themselves.
To be continued? Eh, who knows. Lemme out of here. A lot of you simply disgust me.
