Basically, what made you stay and play Lusternia? I'm trying to see how the game retained you as a player, whether be it from other players, an interesting mechanic, an exciting event, or something else.
My very first foray into Lusternia was a short-lived Celestine around 8 or 9 years ago. I was an Achaea player, for the most part, and upon trying out the game, I found the differences between the two to be too big (power for certain abilities, rogue as a discouraged status, plus the fact that I was comfortable in Achaea, knew where things were and how to do stuff), and promptly quit.
After a year, I tried again, this time starting a Spiritsinger. I tried a few things like composing a song, learned to do some basic quests (pilgrims/bards/scholars, power quests), and slowly settled into the game. It was the history and lore (Elder Wars, specifically), though, that made me decide that I should immerse myself in Lusternia, that it had great potential and that basically learning a whole new game would be worth it. I left after five or six amazing years (mostly due to RL being busy with studies and stuff), and now that RL has somewhat calmed down, I'm dabbling again. I've encountered a couple of people who, I feel, are in the same position I was 7 years ago: trying to find a reason to stay and play, asking themselves "why learn how to Lusternia when I'm already mostly entrenched in XYZ," and of course my reasons don't apply to everyone, so I'm curious.
What made you stay?
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Now it is I'm too invested and sitting on all the credits that I have. I can't just quit (either quit quit or apply for Eph), while I have these. I also like seeing numbers go up (or down if that direction is the 'good' way).
During college, there was a slight dip in my online time. Now that I'm out of college, back at home, and have lost contact nearly all the friends I made in college - I suspect this is another reason why I'm on so much.
That's honestly the main reason, because I am not the sort of person who takes to MUDs easily! I am the worst at mechanics and bashing and what have you. I got irritated quickly with Hallifax's layout and kept almost-quitting. (Lusternia is my first and only MUD.)
But then I met Phoebus and the Skyplumes/Windwhispers. And the Shavatts/Shevats. And Lyreth. And Elostian. And discovered stage mechanics and bardics. And the Elder War histories. I got invested in the story of Lusternia and the people in it, and that's why I'm here right now, I think.
This is how cool I feel right now.
I do not interact with many players and in the early days it was even harder for me. Same can be said for the Divine, I still do not interact with them all that often, even being a part of an order. At this point in time, it has just come to I do not think i could ever give up a character I have put so much time and energy into and there is some sense of obligation about it as well.
Just wow. I wrote something to gah descriptions after whenever I wanted to look at someone's gear.
My first character was a tremendous flop. I had played other IRE games for a short while, but only 1-2 hours a day at work. When I started Lusternia, my aquamancer didn't do well due to my lack of knowledge of the game's history and politics. I almost quit, and tinkered with another character before starting Shaddus when the Ninjakari were opening. It was slightly boring as well, until I started to actually read the game's history and interact with some of the people (the gods of Magnagora) who were actually in it. I was enthralled by how Fain could give me a feeling of abject fear and a feeling of loyalty both at the same time. I joined His order, and though I've never been an exceptionally strong roleplayer, he hooked me.
Game family, all around. After 5 years, I'm still good friends with so many of them. Who would have thought that long lasting solid friendships could form outside from inside a roleplaying game.
Seriously though? What made me stick around was an event early on in my lifetime where villagers were disappearing and forced into being warriors for some strange army. I had zero idea what was going on. I was just told to follow someone and chant laetitia and that got me a city favour before I even know I could check city logs.
But when the Stewartsville mobs disappeared, I noticed and made others aware of that the Wainwright baby was left in the crib, and this was later acknowledged in the event post. I have no idea if it was planned to be acknowledged from the start,but that little detail made me feel so many things. That what I did mattered. That those who made the game had a keen and loving attention to detail. And that I was playing in a living, breathing world.
I'll be perfectly honest. When I first started playing Lusternia, I didn't know that it had other players in it.
I understood that it was basically an interactive book; but obviously I didn't read up on much of the game before starting to play, and it was essentially a case of reading a tiny bit of the lore available on the website at the time, looking over the races, and going, “Hey, this looks cool, I'll give it a try.”
So, I can say that the first thing that nabbed my attention was the lore. The second thing was finding out that I could roleplay (something I've never actually done before in any truly immersive way) with other characters in the same world, and essentially WRITE THE BOOK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM.
These are some other things that kept me around:
- The degree to which customization is possible. As a person with heavily particular aesthetic tastes, being able to customize nearly everything about my character from her appearance and the clothes she wears to the sound of her voice (and now things like enter/exit messages thanks to divine powers) has been one of the greatest pleasures I've gotten from Lusternia.
- The character-building that is possible by virtue of your character essentially living an (almost) daily life depending on how often you play. Rancoura has become a living, breathing spirit to me that I am honoured to control, though she has grown in ways I would have never intended for her due to her experiences and people who have made impressions on her.
- The opportunities for creative writing. From designing tradeskill items to rooms in your manse (which in my opinion are THE BEST outlets for creative writing, because you can make them ANYTHING you want – with barely any restrictions to speak of). Due to the level of respect I have for Lusternia, being able to contribute my writing to the very foundations of the game through tradeskill designs, book writing for the public libraries, and even designing new rooms in Glomdoring has been an incredible honour for me.
- The other contributions that you can make to the game, without even being an admin/mortal builder/other admin-sanctioned role. I alongside many others have directly contributed to the growth of Shadowdancer (and some Glomdoring) lore, heritage and tradition. Being able to do this, as a mere player (albeit an invested one), is something I've only found and been willing to do in Lusternia. And contributions can range from writing descriptions for new rooms as I mentioned and writing lore and philosophical books to just roleplaying your character according in adherence to your org's beliefs and mannerisms.
- The pure immersion that you can experience during events and simple player-to-player interactions. I've had my heart pounding 50km a minute in fear/excitement, had my eyes tear up with sadness, laughed until my stomach hurt, and had my cheeks burn with humiliation due to some things that have happened in Lusternia. No other game has ever given me such intense reactions before.
Tl;dr: The writing and privilege of being able to contribute to the game in a tangible way (that others years down the road will still be able to experience). Also being able to interact with other living characters in an undying story and the level of immersion possible.
Tonight amidst the mountaintops
And endless starless night
Singing how the wind was lost
Before an earthly flight
Magnagora is why I have stayed so long, strangely enough. From a clueless little elf to whoah, I can be a fabulous and badass demonic bitch? Yes plz. The lore and the feel is very well done. There are so many avenues to develop and out of all the game, I love the general vibe of Magnagora the best. The people? Not always, as it's been said in the past that the 'evil' org will always attract people who play it purely as 'asshole in every way'.
By that token, I've made some amazing friends along the way. Silvanus and Lavinya have been married something crazy like 5 RL years, if that's not true friendship I dunno what is. When I'm not playing, it's my friends I miss the most.
I was drawn in by the roleplay but it was hammered in with the lore. When I finally read the histories I was blown away by how well done the story is. It's a really interesting, engaging world. I've played a few other MUDs since, and all of them feel lacklustre in comparison. There is so much detail and thought and complexity to the world that I just love. It's like a fantasy story I never have to stop reading.
I love how much we can be creative. I like to design all the things, I love having input in politics and laws and advancement. I love feeling like I have achieved things, not just played a game. I like seeing my creations come to life - the Bloodfaire was an especially high point for me, not just because I was raised as VA, but because I saw decorations and trinkets I designed come to life. I had actively contributed to the world. In fact, the ballroom in the theatre (and half the rooms in the inn) are a real source of pride for me, seeing my touch permanently imprinted on the world.
Would it be an enjoyable game if we couldn't give input? Sure, but it's really engaging and addicting because we are able to be woven into the game. We ARE the game, not just players of it, and it's why I can't stay away.