During my year or so with MxO, I've walked away from my computer with the occasional headache. Sometimes it was a headache from staring at the screen too long, having played for the better part of the day. I could say that with pride too, during my earlier days. Everything about the game seemed perfect. A mixing of the philosophy and politics I enjoy studying in University, and the combat I enjoy training for with my Reserve unit- the Calgary Highlanders. It was all I could ask for- fighting but with plenty of thought and intelligence. But other times, it was because of anger and frustration. The latter has become far more frequent of late and the former far more rare.
Having read this first paragraph, you're probably thinking "Aw, not another 'Bash SOE' thread!" I can say with great confidence, this is not a thread to reminisce about the "good old Monolith" days and insult SOE's efforts. Honestly, I've had more fun with the recent LET and LESIG activity lately than I ever did during the days of Neurophyte and company. No, this thread is about the failures of our community- the failures of the people who make up the majority of what is known as "Recursion".
After the transition from Monolith, people demanded that they be given more game content. After CR2.0, people still demanded more content. And so Rarebit and HCFrog selflessly took it upon themselves to give us what we wanted. LESIG proudly took up the cause and gave us interesting events. But still we were not satisfied. We demanded more. So players, myself among them, took it upon ourselves to make you interesting events in addition to those that SOE gave us.
What happened? Was the Community satisfied? No. They screamed for more. And when they were given something, they ridiculed it. Like a spoiled child demanding a packet of Pokemon cards, it whined that one packet was not enough. They wanted several. And no matter how many Pokemon cards they got, and no matter what Events they received, they would not be satisfied and they would not accept what they were given.
In every Event I have hosted, do you know what I have found? That the majority who show up are ungrateful, immature, and are out to ruin the whole thing. They respond to IC interaction with OOC quips and remarks. They, more or less, show up to degrade the person who has planned and organized the Event in order to make themself feel better about themselves. This is what has happened with every Event I have hosted since the transition- people who have not bothered to follow the storyline arrive, expect to be doted upon, and generally snivel the entire time or try to disrupt the proceedings.
So... that rant done with, I would like to inform you all that my patience has run out. There are a few people who have been around for a long time. You are the reason I have kept playing this game. I won't name you, I won't play favourites. You know who you are. You bear the game upon your backs and try to make this game worth playing for everyone. I was among you but... I've bled myself dry for the WoW players and spoiled kids who saw fit to come here and run amok in The Matrix, undoing other people's hard work.
I am also considering a cancellation of my subscription. Which is funny because SOE makes me feel my money here is well spent but then the players ruin that. Ironic, wouldn't you say? I know many good players, mostly members of my character's crew, are ready to, or already have, quit as of today. Yes, your OOC interruptions of our IC Events have pissed us off that much.
So I ask one favour of the Community. Just one favour during my 15 months playing this game: give me one good reason I should stay? One good reason why I should keep generating detailed, elaborate Matrix-related Events that will only be ruined by the interferences of barely literate people? I apologize for the harshness of my language. Alice probably would have said worse than me already but I'm not known to have a temper. However, this was the last straw on my back and so I'm asking you: why should I stay?
I'll still communicate with those of you who have been a positive influence on this game and on myself. I will still be willing to help you in any capacity- whether it be brainstorming ideas for Events or being someone to confide your issues in. Many of you have been good friends.
I'm anticipating that this thread will be utterly ignored, spammed by nonsense, or replied to with immature comments of "k bye" and "Good riddance". If my expectations are fulfilled, then I only have this to say: Thank you, Recursion, for making a Hobbesian out of a libertarian.