Mystere incident on Wikipedia

[Rsak]

Suprised that this is on Wikipedia, but Page 8 is not.

[Arathena]

The game was interesting socially because at the time I don't think there was any frame of reference for it. What are the social boundaries and etiquette in an imaginary world? That doesn't justify any of our behavior, but it helps explain it a little. And being mid-30's at the time didn't stop me from making an ass of myself on occasion. But I would like to think that being out of my comfort zone with no frame of reference made me a better person. I ultimately hated being a guild leader, but I think it did make me a better leader as well. We as humans don't really grow without some sort of adversity. I think that this game contained lessons and forms adversity that no one ever anticipated. So, we were pioneers. EDIT: We ARE pioneers.

Feeling a little philosophical today ... but I like to look at some of that drama and bad behavior in terms of where I am now and how that experience helped shape my beliefs and even my life today. No regrets for me.

I had to do a lot of growing up when PA landed on my shoulders, too, and I was in my early 20's. Our little dramas were mostly self contained, but, hell, that didn't mean it wasn't problematic to us. Still whip myself over some of what happened. :-/

And Page 8 resolved to popular hilarity, but, Mystere had some actual issues around the intersection of IP, community, and the power of a non-governmental corporation to police speech involving their IP. Plus, well, rape stories are shocking to some people, and shock sticks longer than a laugh.

[Garrdor]

Plus, well, rape stories are shocking to some people, and shock sticks longer than a laugh.

wait, hold on.

[Xican]

I remember reading the RP boards on Brell a lot, purely for the enjoyable stories that were there. There were other stories on there, that if Verant had ever got a hold of, might've wound up getting people in trouble. There was one I vaguely recall involving an Iksar (I think?) attempting to slit their wrists. I've always been of the mind that it was all in the interest of a good story. Disappointing that people would be censored over it.

Oh, the good ole days.

[Ddrak]

Interestingly, like everyone else, I did learn a shit-ton about social interaction and leadership from EQ and various guilds, most notably leading Watchers. Sad part is that I could have done a hell of a lot better job with Watchers if I knew the stuff I know now about management back then.

Or something like that.

I don't think any MMO will ever have the same feel EQ did. The content was seriously punishing in EQ, you NEEDED to make friends and interact socially to get anywhere serious in the game and the resultant interaction was so much more than what was honestly some pretty ordinary programming and storytelling. The social side WAS the game. Modern MMOs have sufficiently engaging game mechanics that the social side is less important, and play to the "log on for half an hour" mindset far more.

Dd

[Minute]

Interestingly, like everyone else, I did learn a shit-ton about social interaction and leadership from EQ and various guilds, most notably leading Watchers. Sad part is that I could have done a hell of a lot better job with Watchers if I knew the stuff I know now about management back then.

Or something like that.

I don't think any MMO will ever have the same feel EQ did. The content was seriously punishing in EQ, you NEEDED to make friends and interact socially to get anywhere serious in the game and the resultant interaction was so much more than what was honestly some pretty ordinary programming and storytelling. The social side WAS the game. Modern MMOs have sufficiently engaging game mechanics that the social side is less important, and play to the "log on for half an hour" mindset far more.

Dd

Couldn't agree more.

[Massterloo]

Agree.....until people could buy a name change, server transfer.

[Alluveal]

I think EQ was also "tamer" in regard to building your character. We didn't have a shit-ton of options back then. You wanted certain stats for certain classes and there you go.

In a game like WoW, I feel like I need to memorize "trees" of abilities and secondary stuffs and this and that. It just got to be too much.

[Garrdor]

I went with Barbarian_Male_01. You know, the blonde one with goatee.

[Repic]

There was that RP guild that made a big deal outta raiding the plain of nature or whatever.

As a practical thinker the best I could do was talk about eating gnomies when logged into Heavyindica, the ogre warrior.

Hope all are well over here, and with your RL lives, as we said.

I just linked up page 8 for the folks at somethingawful forums, had to share one of our paramount moments for the community.

Cheers

[Thorg Frostfist]

I loved the RP aspect of Brell. I remember seeing the whole event play out, and thinking it was ludcirous what verant had done -- they said Mysteree crossed the line in her story, but I thought they had. They banned someone for posting a fictional story on a private forum. That wasn't in the EULA.

I was in, and ended up leading an RP guild at the time (Lodge of the Dragon's Claw), and we had all sorts of events. We had another EVIL RP guild which we had guild wars with. I think the name was legion of hate. The RP died down around velious if I remember correctly, as there were other, dedicated RP servers that popped up. We had some talented writers in our guild -- we had pages of lore and stories from members. I wish the old website was up still so I could re-read them.