EPIC MOD POST!
EVERYONE, PLEASE READ THIS.
Hey, guys. Couple notes; they’re rather important ones and this is likely to get very lengthy, so please keep with me and read it all, at this applies to everyone in the game.
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
We’ve had a few mentions of some businesses popping up in Purgatorium that are not endorsed by the Gods/were not formed with permission. It needs to be pointed out again, the following few points:
* When starting a business, you will have absolutely nothing to work with unless you ask the Gods for help. This means putting yourself into a lot of debt in order to obtain the necessities needed to begin your business. You’re going to end up not having a lot in the way of profit for a nice long while, as you pay that debt back to the Gods for helping.
* The Gods do not provide anything but the bare necessities. They’ll give you the tools to fix your roof, but they're not going to give you carpeted floors or fancy tile or big, expensive items or decor. That's all stuff you have to earn, and it takes time.
* After you've been in business for awhile, the Gods will become a little more lenient with what they're willing to give you in advance and accept payments on. This includes electricity, if your business would like to have it. Basically, prove that you're doing well and the Gods will be nice.
* Do not assume things, please! Don't assume that just because you want a business means you can just guess everything that's in it. We've had some businesses in Purgatorium since the very beginning (Alice's shop, Tifa's cafe, ShinRa) that worked their asses off to get what they have now, and it's hardly fair to them if the newer shops that are sprouting up automatically have all these nice things.
* Some people have been able to request rather big and shiny objects from the Gods now and again in return for service or payment. There's a reason why they're able to do this, and business owners are not: those people have no debt with the Gods. The amount of debt a business owner is in, just by obtaining things needed to make their building presentable, and having the materials needed to run the place (especially those places that offer food, for example), is... quite a lot. Therefore asking for unnecessary things tends to be a No No until they've gotten some of that initial debt out from under them.
Yes. This means that at least a few of these newer businesses need to amend what items they're claiming to have. If we notice that this isn't being done, we'll need to start talking to people in specific.
When in doubt, ask. You can always IM Rowan or me, or post in the FAQ, or use the In-Character request page to see what you can and cannot have. And remember, the Gods offer no help unless you ask them for it, which means not assuming.
IC/OOC ISSUES
I really hate to have to put something like this up here, since I figured a lot of it would be common sense, however... I feel the need to point out that, if you're the type of person that does not enjoy getting involved in huge plots or the like, to please take the in-character steps necessary to stay out of it. You cannot expect that your character can go taunting and being bitchy to the bad guys, and then - when the villains try to retaliate - step back OOCly and say, "No, I don't want to." It's not fair, it's aggravating to the villains (and their players), etc. Likewise, if you're a villain, you really need to realize a few things: This isn't a large city, and by now, by all intents and purposes, you should have been caught or killed or punished in some way. Escape is always an option, of course, because it's not fair to lock up a character forever, but again, in-character actions = in-character consequences. When one has a mini-army of SOLDIERs, Turks, various other skilled fighters and the like after them, it's really stretching it to say that a villain can't be caught by now.
But, I digress.
If you're having a problem with someone/someone's characters, again, the best way to handle it is to ICly remove yourself from the situation. Have your characters stop talking to those you don't want to interact with. Don't stomp your foot and say "I don't want to play with you anymore!" unless the offending characters are persisting and the player isn't getting that you'd rather not associate with them in-game. (Note, that this isn't to say if you're uncomfortable with another player or you think that they're harassing you, you of course can bring it to a mod for intervention and mediation. That's part of what we're here for.)
That being said, whether you want to interact with someone's characters or not, chances are if you're getting involved in plots, you're going to just have to suck it up and deal with some interaction occurring. It's part of the game; this isn't grade school where you can take your ball and go home if you don't like one or two of the people involved if your character has done IC things to get themselves into the predicament they're in.
I hope that makes sense. Yes/No?
HOUSING
Another thing that's been noticed is the number of 'nice' houses suddenly being mentioned on the lower level. This is another thing that's simply... not true. All the houses in the lower level are, basically, junk. Holes in the roofs, broken windows, cold, drafty, unstable, all that fun stuff that would earn it a good old fashioned "condemned" sticker on the front door.
The only homes that are in any way in good shape are the ones that ShinRa is working on restoring. Those homes have wood-burning stoves, generally a tub that water can be brought to and filled up, the structure is sound and the windows and roofing is all intact, etc.
There are very, very few of these homes at present, as the snow and harsh winter rather stunted ShinRa's ability to build for quite a long while. Not to mention, this is all material that either has to be salvaged, or has to be purchased from the Gods or the upper level. It's not cheap for them to rebuild, and as such the process goes rather slowly. Now that the snow is letting up some and ShinRa is focusing on restoration, things will move along more quickly. Rowan and I will keep everyone updated on what areas of the city are in good shape. At present, it's mainly just a few streets closest to the ShinRa building.
ELECTRICITY / RUNNING WATER
In the lower level... there are neither. There is no running water, there is no electricity. Absolutely not. The only exceptions to this are businesses that pay the Gods monthly for these services. Obviously, a food-serving place would need lights and water to run efficiently.
Another thing of note, the lower level is always dark. There is no moon, there is no sun or stars. The only thing you see when you look up is muddled black, maybe a few specks of light here and there from between the upper level plates, but there is no sky. Only on the upper level is there sunlight and the difference between night and day. For the lower level, the day is dark and the night is darker. That about sums it up.
The other exception to this are the four bath houses on the lower level. They require a small fee to get in, and there are both private and group baths available inside. Yes, this means hot water, as well. Yes, you have to get past an employee to allow you in. Yes, if you cause problems inside the bath house, one of the Gods will smack you upside the head.
OOC COMMUNITY
I just mentioned this the other day, but I'm still noticing it happening... Pleeeease keep all unrelated/spamming posts out of the ooc community. The following things are the only things that should be going there:
* Plot-points pertaining to multiple characters/plot questions/inquiries/etc. If you have an idea and want to see if people are interested in it, go for it. If you want to direct a plot-related question to a group of people, go for that, too.
* Fan-stuff. Art, FSTs, etc etc that pertain to the RP are, of course, definitely welcome in the OOC comm.
* Hiatus-notices. If you're going away for a bit/coming back, you're welcome to post to inform everyone. However, it's also asked that you post to the hiatus entry, as well, otherwise you're still likely to end up on the activity check.
* Add/drop notices. Same with above, mostly. Picking up a new character or dropping a character? Let us know. But again, please post to the appropriate entries for us mods to be alerted, too, if you're dropping someone. Otherwise, that character will end up on the activity check and it's just... messier/a pain for us.
Anything other than those things listed do not belong on the OOC community. Pleeeease. Things posted just to chat or goof around... I'd really rather those things be saved for AIM or some such. This wasn't a problem when we were starting out and the community was just a handful of us, but now that we have over 200 characters involved and tons of entries to look at, it's much easier to keep the OOC community for its original purpose. From here on out, if we're noticing irrelevant entries getting put up that really have no real meaning, we'll either ask that they be removed or delete them ourselves.
Questions should be posted to the FAQ, not to the OOC community.
UPCOMING THINGS
I'm... not even going to try and put dates on this as to when to expect them, but these are things I'm going to attempt to get going at some point when I have time:
* MAP
Yeah, yeah. Long time in coming. This really is my first priority along with the events list, because I know how many people have wanted one and I'd like to have it laid out just what there is and is not within the city. If you are a business owner and would like your business placed on the map in a specific location, please let me know here, otherwise I'll either leave them off entirely or pick a spot for them to go.
* EVENTS LIST
I'm going to start compiling a bit of info from all the past events, so that we have it in one place as well as a list of (possible) future events.
* SHINRA COMPANY LIST
Following in PC's footsteps, I want to try and get a complete list of all ShinRa employees and either have it listed down, or on some sort of flow-chart.
* IN-CHARACTER BULLETIN BOARD
This was an idea that someone brought up awhile ago and we really liked; getting up a post to use as an in-character bulletin board, of sorts, where characters can place flyers and such for offered services and business promotions.
...Yeah. Okay. I think I'm done. I'm sorry if this filled everyone's f-list, and if you didn't read it all, GO BACK AND READ IT, PLEASE~ K? K~~
As always, any questions or concerns can be directed to Rowan or me. This post is also screened for privacy, if there's something you want to say that you'd rather others not see.
Stay chill, guys~~~
Hey, guys. Couple notes; they’re rather important ones and this is likely to get very lengthy, so please keep with me and read it all, at this applies to everyone in the game.
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
We’ve had a few mentions of some businesses popping up in Purgatorium that are not endorsed by the Gods/were not formed with permission. It needs to be pointed out again, the following few points:
* When starting a business, you will have absolutely nothing to work with unless you ask the Gods for help. This means putting yourself into a lot of debt in order to obtain the necessities needed to begin your business. You’re going to end up not having a lot in the way of profit for a nice long while, as you pay that debt back to the Gods for helping.
* The Gods do not provide anything but the bare necessities. They’ll give you the tools to fix your roof, but they're not going to give you carpeted floors or fancy tile or big, expensive items or decor. That's all stuff you have to earn, and it takes time.
* After you've been in business for awhile, the Gods will become a little more lenient with what they're willing to give you in advance and accept payments on. This includes electricity, if your business would like to have it. Basically, prove that you're doing well and the Gods will be nice.
* Do not assume things, please! Don't assume that just because you want a business means you can just guess everything that's in it. We've had some businesses in Purgatorium since the very beginning (Alice's shop, Tifa's cafe, ShinRa) that worked their asses off to get what they have now, and it's hardly fair to them if the newer shops that are sprouting up automatically have all these nice things.
* Some people have been able to request rather big and shiny objects from the Gods now and again in return for service or payment. There's a reason why they're able to do this, and business owners are not: those people have no debt with the Gods. The amount of debt a business owner is in, just by obtaining things needed to make their building presentable, and having the materials needed to run the place (especially those places that offer food, for example), is... quite a lot. Therefore asking for unnecessary things tends to be a No No until they've gotten some of that initial debt out from under them.
Yes. This means that at least a few of these newer businesses need to amend what items they're claiming to have. If we notice that this isn't being done, we'll need to start talking to people in specific.
When in doubt, ask. You can always IM Rowan or me, or post in the FAQ, or use the In-Character request page to see what you can and cannot have. And remember, the Gods offer no help unless you ask them for it, which means not assuming.
IC/OOC ISSUES
I really hate to have to put something like this up here, since I figured a lot of it would be common sense, however... I feel the need to point out that, if you're the type of person that does not enjoy getting involved in huge plots or the like, to please take the in-character steps necessary to stay out of it. You cannot expect that your character can go taunting and being bitchy to the bad guys, and then - when the villains try to retaliate - step back OOCly and say, "No, I don't want to." It's not fair, it's aggravating to the villains (and their players), etc. Likewise, if you're a villain, you really need to realize a few things: This isn't a large city, and by now, by all intents and purposes, you should have been caught or killed or punished in some way. Escape is always an option, of course, because it's not fair to lock up a character forever, but again, in-character actions = in-character consequences. When one has a mini-army of SOLDIERs, Turks, various other skilled fighters and the like after them, it's really stretching it to say that a villain can't be caught by now.
But, I digress.
If you're having a problem with someone/someone's characters, again, the best way to handle it is to ICly remove yourself from the situation. Have your characters stop talking to those you don't want to interact with. Don't stomp your foot and say "I don't want to play with you anymore!" unless the offending characters are persisting and the player isn't getting that you'd rather not associate with them in-game. (Note, that this isn't to say if you're uncomfortable with another player or you think that they're harassing you, you of course can bring it to a mod for intervention and mediation. That's part of what we're here for.)
That being said, whether you want to interact with someone's characters or not, chances are if you're getting involved in plots, you're going to just have to suck it up and deal with some interaction occurring. It's part of the game; this isn't grade school where you can take your ball and go home if you don't like one or two of the people involved if your character has done IC things to get themselves into the predicament they're in.
I hope that makes sense. Yes/No?
HOUSING
Another thing that's been noticed is the number of 'nice' houses suddenly being mentioned on the lower level. This is another thing that's simply... not true. All the houses in the lower level are, basically, junk. Holes in the roofs, broken windows, cold, drafty, unstable, all that fun stuff that would earn it a good old fashioned "condemned" sticker on the front door.
The only homes that are in any way in good shape are the ones that ShinRa is working on restoring. Those homes have wood-burning stoves, generally a tub that water can be brought to and filled up, the structure is sound and the windows and roofing is all intact, etc.
There are very, very few of these homes at present, as the snow and harsh winter rather stunted ShinRa's ability to build for quite a long while. Not to mention, this is all material that either has to be salvaged, or has to be purchased from the Gods or the upper level. It's not cheap for them to rebuild, and as such the process goes rather slowly. Now that the snow is letting up some and ShinRa is focusing on restoration, things will move along more quickly. Rowan and I will keep everyone updated on what areas of the city are in good shape. At present, it's mainly just a few streets closest to the ShinRa building.
ELECTRICITY / RUNNING WATER
In the lower level... there are neither. There is no running water, there is no electricity. Absolutely not. The only exceptions to this are businesses that pay the Gods monthly for these services. Obviously, a food-serving place would need lights and water to run efficiently.
Another thing of note, the lower level is always dark. There is no moon, there is no sun or stars. The only thing you see when you look up is muddled black, maybe a few specks of light here and there from between the upper level plates, but there is no sky. Only on the upper level is there sunlight and the difference between night and day. For the lower level, the day is dark and the night is darker. That about sums it up.
The other exception to this are the four bath houses on the lower level. They require a small fee to get in, and there are both private and group baths available inside. Yes, this means hot water, as well. Yes, you have to get past an employee to allow you in. Yes, if you cause problems inside the bath house, one of the Gods will smack you upside the head.
OOC COMMUNITY
I just mentioned this the other day, but I'm still noticing it happening... Pleeeease keep all unrelated/spamming posts out of the ooc community. The following things are the only things that should be going there:
* Plot-points pertaining to multiple characters/plot questions/inquiries/etc. If you have an idea and want to see if people are interested in it, go for it. If you want to direct a plot-related question to a group of people, go for that, too.
* Fan-stuff. Art, FSTs, etc etc that pertain to the RP are, of course, definitely welcome in the OOC comm.
* Hiatus-notices. If you're going away for a bit/coming back, you're welcome to post to inform everyone. However, it's also asked that you post to the hiatus entry, as well, otherwise you're still likely to end up on the activity check.
* Add/drop notices. Same with above, mostly. Picking up a new character or dropping a character? Let us know. But again, please post to the appropriate entries for us mods to be alerted, too, if you're dropping someone. Otherwise, that character will end up on the activity check and it's just... messier/a pain for us.
Anything other than those things listed do not belong on the OOC community. Pleeeease. Things posted just to chat or goof around... I'd really rather those things be saved for AIM or some such. This wasn't a problem when we were starting out and the community was just a handful of us, but now that we have over 200 characters involved and tons of entries to look at, it's much easier to keep the OOC community for its original purpose. From here on out, if we're noticing irrelevant entries getting put up that really have no real meaning, we'll either ask that they be removed or delete them ourselves.
Questions should be posted to the FAQ, not to the OOC community.
UPCOMING THINGS
I'm... not even going to try and put dates on this as to when to expect them, but these are things I'm going to attempt to get going at some point when I have time:
* MAP
Yeah, yeah. Long time in coming. This really is my first priority along with the events list, because I know how many people have wanted one and I'd like to have it laid out just what there is and is not within the city. If you are a business owner and would like your business placed on the map in a specific location, please let me know here, otherwise I'll either leave them off entirely or pick a spot for them to go.
* EVENTS LIST
I'm going to start compiling a bit of info from all the past events, so that we have it in one place as well as a list of (possible) future events.
* SHINRA COMPANY LIST
Following in PC's footsteps, I want to try and get a complete list of all ShinRa employees and either have it listed down, or on some sort of flow-chart.
* IN-CHARACTER BULLETIN BOARD
This was an idea that someone brought up awhile ago and we really liked; getting up a post to use as an in-character bulletin board, of sorts, where characters can place flyers and such for offered services and business promotions.
...Yeah. Okay. I think I'm done. I'm sorry if this filled everyone's f-list, and if you didn't read it all, GO BACK AND READ IT, PLEASE~ K? K~~
As always, any questions or concerns can be directed to Rowan or me. This post is also screened for privacy, if there's something you want to say that you'd rather others not see.
Stay chill, guys~~~