Mindful of my first complete year in MxO, I thought I would share some reflections.
I am so grateful to Sattakan, FAE, and everyone who listened to me ramble during my interview to join The Collective. And to the Council Members of that distant time who voted to accept me. I have worked so hard not to disappoint them.
Some memorable things from this year:
1. The beta character wipes. This is my first and only MMORPG, and I felt each one hard.
2. The end of beta. Living and dying with a clan was never so memorable.
3. Working my way into The Collective. It was not an easy process, and I worked at it very systematically, like everything I really want.
4. Setting a former paramour on fire at the end of beta. I'm still sorry for the hassle this created for my clan's elders, but it seemed like the right thing at the time. And I swear I did not read the order to not move!
5. Endless, endless failures in the sexiest/redpill contests.
6. One of my crew, who shall remain nameless, having a meltdown ingame during the summer. It was immensely embarassing, let me tell you.
7. Illyria1 helping me as XO (Executive officer), and then going on to helm her own hovercraft. So richly deserved!
8. The cool people I have gotten to know in and out of the clan.
9. Whispered conversations with LET wannabees like Methusaleh and Nevrosa. They were fake, but they were fun for RPers like me. Thanks, whoever!
10. Helping to architect a truce with the Sirens.
11. Watching twits corrode it, for no good reason whatsoever, except a superabundance of aggressive impulses.
12. Watching the bold entry into our world by a leading machinist clan from Iterator, and its unexpected fate. They came on with a bang!
13. Watching the bold entry into our world by a leading Zionist clan from Iterator, and its cruel, callous treatment of others.
14. All the new people that have seen value in our clan in recent months; I appreciate this so much.
15. RemagDiv signing on as my XO; he's the best, and the perfect one for my ship.
16. The addition of ingame email; the more I use this the more I love it.
17. The Exile Contact Missions; I am really getting into them.
18. The "Search For" events that we worked on.
19. Lots of added content to the game, in the form of the PB arcs, the Halloween stuff, and all the added background for buildings and offices: paintings, furniture, plants, posters, etc. Really, this has come a long way and few people have commented on it, but I savor it.
20. The successful hunt for DummyBug, and then his trying to explain his way out of getting killed and sleeze his way out of paying for it. How typical and characteristic. Too bad Penguin wasn't around then to lock the thread when it got ugly. But somehow we all got by....
21. Going through so many episodes of being called exploiters by everyone, just because we are so good at getting things done. Fortunately, the devs know exploiters when they see them.
22. Doubling Inventory. This was such a small thing but such a wonderful thing.
23. Watching manipulation of players during the Hunt for Morpheus, and working to overcome it.
24. Meeting Persephone and the Merv during mishes. They are such memorable characters, and so clearly superior to anyone associated with Zion or even, I hate to say it, the Machines.
25. Galadriel giving me i300 million one day in Mara in beta.
28. Children of the Code coming to our world, and showing that they could play the game their own way and succeed; I respect them and their creative integrity so much.
27. Seeing my old clan, AE survive (barely), go on to become a longterm success, and field some of the best PvPers in the game, like Carbuncle. I feel so proud for them.
28. Watching RIP go ballistic when a character wipe had been announced, and later when their banning had been announced.
29. All the people who have kept the faith this year and endured, like Sattakan, Illyria1, DeBarlo, Lady3Jane, Traxada, Rage, Sneaker, Ic3b3rg, Baelfor, Kayaus, RemagDiv, MidoriMegami, Orexis, DelDotStar, LtDarkstar, Waspeth, WeasselGirl, Midnight1, Leelu, Zurish, Azyanna, Partizan, and others; I have come to respect them so much for their perseverance.
30. Walrus, who must cater to the community of customers, while satisfying the minions of management and the deities of development, and taking flak from all. It's not an easy job, I'm sure. He should budget himself some more oysters on The Collective's tab.
31. All the player content, from player-events, to comix, to radiostations and MxO DJs. You guys do not receive nearly as much recognition as you deserve, but we all respect you for it immensely.
That's 31. I would hate to leave with a prime number, so here's one more.
32. The cool moon; I should take more time to appreciate it.
This review may be found at manifoldmischief.blogspot.com, along with other reviews and writings relevant to MxO.
