Is it time for a change?

[shobuck]

Hail good friends of Rain Clan,

Last night I had an unfortunate event happen to me that has made me think about AC in general and Rain Clan in particular. AWV attempted to make a run into the Deep with two bags of gold fins but he died just as he arrived. He tried a second run, but found out very quickly there is no way a mage can survive with vitae out there without some friends along. However, several calls on the allegiance chat channel went unanswered and so I had to leave a corpse behind.

While I truly regret the loss of the death items, the pyreals and the three rares (creature magic, alchemy and war magic), I've had the time to think about the situation in general. In real life, my job has changed a little and I just don't get to play AC as much as I once did. I tend to play for shorter periods of time that start a bit later in the evening during work days. But I've been aware that many others from Rain Clan that were regular players are seldom on-line now.

I realize that things change, either due to the season of the year or from real life; and that is just a part of life. I also realize that I spend a fair amount of time playing AC solo which is not really true since allegiance chat keeps folks in touch with their extended in-game family. However, the sad truth of the matter is that fewer and fewer folks are playing regularly and for those people to expect things to remain the same is a matter of sticking their head in the sand syndrome.

I do love this game because it lets me escape reality a little bit, but mainly because of the friends that I've had the good luck of finding along the way. Sadly, many of them have come and gone just like in real life; but that is okay because I'll find more friends eventually. There are various ways to accomplish to make the searching a bit easier and one way is via the allegiance.

Rain Clan has never been the biggest allegiance which is one of the many things that I enjoy about it. By far the biggest positive of Rain Clan are its members; their knowledge of the game, their helpfulness and willingness to help others. But I don't see the good folks of Rain Clan as often as I use to and last night's happenings to AWV just sharpened the focus a bit more.

So the purpose of my ramblings here lead up to the subject line question ... is it time for a change? Do the few regulars need to look for a new allegiance? Does Rain Clan need to merge with another allegiance? I'm not sure if there is a good answer to these questions, but I am certainly going to try to find some type of answer for myself. It is not my intention to upset people, but the my enjoyment factor for AC as a game is definitely at one of the lowest points it has been for a long time. I'm bummed about last night (hell, I suspect that most anyone would be) but I'm also realizing that maybe it is time that I pull my head out of the sand.

It will be interesting to see what others think and feel. It will be even more interesting to watch how many times this thread is read by others over time. My thinking is that it might be rather slow to increment, but I may well be wrong. I think I'm starting to vent a bit so I'll stop writing and go play some to vent on the critters of Dereth.

[vlad]

He SHo,
When did this happen ? I was on a bit, and when we chatted, you were muling, not in battle. If I had seen your call for help, I would have dropped everything....you can bet on that.
Since Flad left, I have seen a drop in players, I come on at odd times with no one else on....So I tend to agree with you.
Flad is coming to visit, and says he is going to to show me WoW.
In truth, I dont have time to level another player in another game....so I plan on staying with AC. Vlad is now strong enough to explore more dangerous areas.
Cya,
Mark

[dalliance]

I think it's healthy to talk about change. I've asked this question when membership gets low and usually it's set aside, but we all know Turbine's commitment to AC1 is limited now.

Let's talk about this more and see what people think.

Kathy

[Haak]

I think Sho brings the right subject into focus, and I agree with him and Kathy that we should discuss it seriously. The whole point of a game like this is that you aren't playing solitaire. You can go off by yourself when you want to, and that's a plus. But if you rarely see your friends then you might as well be playing the latest boxed FRPG. As we see fewer and fewer hours-per-week logged by Rain Clan members, we see more and more experiences like Sho's, or cases where someone from another group supplies the needed help.

So, whither Rain Clan? We all have some experience, direct or indirect, with other monarchies. Some of us have or have had characters in some of them. They all have their particular flavors.
I want to encourage a free discussion of all the possibilities anyone wants to consider.

I'd also like to raise another, related issue: the mansion.

The mansion is expensive. Not in the in-game rent, but in the multiple subscriptions one family carries so that we're assured a safe support tree for the rank needed to hold on to it.

It's one thing for those of us with just one or two subscriptions to take an extended vacation ftom AC. Our enthusiasm warms up and we're ready to come back and see the old home ground again. Jim and kathy have worked hard to keep the clan going; I don't think it's fair to saddle them with the additional financial burden, especially if they don't see the rest of the clan taking advantage of it. If they want to trim their accounts, I think we should make a villa the clan meeting place. What do others think?

[baebarri]

It seems to me that Leafcull is beginning to mirror modern America ... the mom-and-pop enterprises are steadily losing around to the large corporations. So many of the higher-level quests, especially, require large groups, and yes, corpse recovery on Vissidal is definitely a group effort. I left a corpse out there myself this past week, and it was sheer luck that we had a small group hunting that area a couple of days later and were able to recover for me.

It would break my heart to see Rain Clan cease to exist, as you were the family that opened your arms and your hearts to me on my very first day on Dereth. But I also know that I am partly responsible, for leaving the family and moving to the Marauders.

That being said ... I want you all to know that you would be welcomed by Madaster Mage, should you ever decide to move, individually or as a group. We're a huge group, but it still seems like family, and would seem even more so if I saw some more old familiar faces

[shobuck]

Just a couple of observations to previous posts and one update...

Yesterday I logged on with AWV to do a bit of armor upgrades and restocking of death items when I got a tell from a good friend from Tabu's allegiance. He also happens to be a member of Asheron's Cadre and we've met in R/L at an ACPL event a couple of years ago. Anyway, Dragon Star tells me that he is standing on my corpse and did I want him to recover for me? About 5 minutes later, I'm getting DIs from my second corpse. Evidently, my first corpse had already evaporated but timer for the second one had not popped just yet. Talk about great timing and good fortunes!!

Vlad, it happened about 20-25 minutes after you logged. It is your offer to assist that is one of the great things I love about the allegiance and the game in general.

As for having, and paying, for a number of accounts, it is as much for our own personal enjoyment and making it easier to do certain things in AC. It is a bonus that our situation helps the allegiance.

Bae, I want you to clearly understand that you are no way responsible for "starting" any of this. Everyone in AC has their own styles of playing and their individual needs. Unfortunately, Rain Clan did not meet your needs and so you moved on. I'm very happy that you have found a good fit since we all play AC for fun. (Heresay on my part, I admit it ;D) You are still part of Rain Clan in my mind and still no less a friend ... don't you ever forget that. And if you ever need help, log over to your mule and check the allegiance chat. While there may be fewer fighting in Dereth these days (and nights), I'll always help my friends and allegiance family regardless of being an extended member or not.

Now to refocus my ramblings ... I do not want to leave Rain Clan and that was not my intent from the beginning. I will be the first to admit that I'm confused and I don't really know what is the "right" next step. I just wanted to start some discussion and I admit that I was still venting in my first posting.

[Natalia Brynmad]

I've always been a solo player since my 2nd patron quit AC years back. So I'm not too bothered by the low numbers. In the recent shadow events, I've been going with other groups, most of them formed on the spot. And I've never really done any of the big group quests like burun kings, falatacot temples, bobo, or gaerlan. I've only done bobo and gaerlan twice and the others never.

I haven't been on LC much lately for two reasons:
1) I started summer school a few weeks ago and still have a couple weeks left.
2) the allegiance I was monarch of on FF is attempting a restart, which means I'm spending some time there.

When I have been on Leafcull lately, its been on my Viamontian mage who is in no allegiance. He was level 56 a few days ago and now he's 67. I've never played a mage past level 20 or so before, so this is all new to me and its pretty fun.

Now as for the allegiance, I don't really know what to say. we could:
- merge with a bigger allegiance.
- split up and all joining the guilds of our choice.
- do nothing, possibly move to a villa.
- start recruiting, or find an allegiance that wants to merge with us.

I don't know what would be best.

[dalliance]

Dalliance will remain with Ha'ak as will Alyssum, and since Dalli has a cross-server mule tree under her, they could stensibly support the mansion. So no matter what is decided, Rain Clan can, and will exist.

I agree with Natalia, those all seem like possible decisions. I do not want to see Rain Clan fall apart, on the other hand, this is a [glow=red,2,300]game[/glow] it's supposed to be fun, and if it isnt, you need to make changes so that it is fun. This is no one's fault, just the reality of an aging game.

And be assured, whatever happens, there will always be a Rain Clan in Leafcull until they pull the plug.

[terress]

Hi All

Sorry you lost things sho, I be there done that ...
I thought of changing to another clan to have someone to play with many times i come on and no one is in our clan on
But i am in rain clan and I plan on staying with rainclan even if I am the only one playing ...

I found it is not to much trouble playing alone even like today died 3 times so no one was on in rainclan so I put a tell out on general chat and I had help in seconds ....I just got to remember *Terress don't play where it is dangerous alone lol* but it would be nice to play with my own clan memebers
Sorry i was away for a few days this past weekend July 1st was Canada here so I spent time with my sister that lost her husband this past winter
So sorry things are this way we need to build our clan back up

Terress

[Trale]

Hi all.

Well i've enjoyed every second that i've been a member of RC, i will cherish the memories i have of playing with you all for decades to come. AC is and will always be the best game that i have ever played, the people i've had the great pleasure to meet in game will have a special place in my heart.

Unfortunatley AC has run it's course for me, although i do pop on occasionally, it is time for me to turn over a new leaf. I have been searching for an AC replacement for a few years now but have yet to find one, and with most games now having US/EU segregation i very much doubt AC will ever truely be replaced no matter what quality of future games are released.

But to bring this marauding rant into line, i just want to say that i love you all. Kathy,Jim and Bob will always have a special place in my gaming heart for those early day's learning spells and fighting gromnies around Eastham, with the help of a wise old sage by the name of Ha'ak. Those times will truely never be forgotten.

Take care all.

[terress]

[glow=red,2,300][/glow]Hey guys geesh...

Now that I got my Eye's good ..you all don't want to play no more...
I have missed alot of things in the game so why don't we for one night have a last night fling

Everyone come on play for the last time on a quest ok please ..
Miss seeing yous on the game
Who going to take me to *the deep *if yous quit
I really don't want to go to another clan I love you guys


Terress
Judy

[dalliance]

I'm not gone! I was there Sunday and I'll be there lots of times...just playing DDO some too.

Kathy

[baebarri]

On a slightly different tack ...

Sho, which approach did you use to try to get AWV to the Deep? I've found that staying in the water until you're due south of the Deep, then gemming off debuffs and making a mad dash north, works the best for me.

Also, if critters follow you into the cave, you can try logging out for about 30 seconds, and they'll pop back to their spawn spots.

--Bae

[Perquisitor]

Hail All,

I'm in a little shock here and will have to think about this. Sure don't want to lose AC Family, but sorta understand. Yes, I have noticed some separation and lack of members on line.

And, yes, I have had occasion to go to general chat for help recovering. I too had the Shadow experience in Arwic losing 3 majors and a couple rares and a fleeting thought was, "this is bull, AC has gone to 200+ and it takes the fun out". I also have no desire to die in Viss or even VOD.

Sometimes I wonder if my feeble little mind warrants going above LvL 130. I am no stranger to hunting alone as I seem to be on line when others aren't and hunting alone as a Melee is precarious to say the least at the "higher levels".

I'm not sure I can come up with any suggestions, but will think (as best I can) about it. There has to be some alternatives to keep the Family at least in touch.

Be Safe All,
Perq