A rant and again I say ,a rant!

[Missy]

Here's something to ponder.


Your characters can only be as smart as you are.


This has everything to do with this topic. And it is true, no matter what argument you put forth.

If you don't know multiplication(sp? or how to spell it,) then your char can't.


Same goes for all aspects involving all chars through-out the game. So no matter how much a person likes to have a char pretend that it's smart and bussiness-y, if the player isn't really smart and bussinessy, then the character is never going to be either.

That's one little important concept that the article in the E-zine left out.

[Black Canyon]

Hey! I do the best I can, darn it.

[thingnumber2]

To address your original rant, thing, what you are complaining about: many chars who are all but indistinguishable, quietly working, looking for a spouse, making a comfortable home, not doing anything particularly spectacular with their lives. Dude, this is what 90% of people IRL do with their lives if they are lucky enough to live in a place where they aren't simply stuggling to stay alive. I find this totally realistic. They probably have dreams and interests your chars will never know about. RP doesn't have to be all in everybodys face all the time. Some chars are more private.

A lot of players create the full 15 chars but quickly find that they can't manage 15 super active, chatty, adventurous chars. Who has that kind of time? So we have certain chars who are just quiet average Janes and Joes who try to find a little happiness. I think thats sweet.

90% of people in real life do not lead the EXACT SAME lives with the EXACT same personalities.

[Nixit]

Actually, 100% of the people do not lead the exact same lives and have the exact same personalities.

[kinvoya]

If course they don't. That was my point.

[thingnumber2]

If course they don't. That was my point.

What I am saying is I've seen these like same exact people over and over...it's sad.

[Thetaris]

OMG I JUST LOST AN HOURS WORTH OF ESSAY-LIKE WRITING!!!

DUMB WIRELESS INTERNET!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

IT WAS SUCH A MATURE POST AS WELL!!!

Oh god, I sound like Pie...

I think he went on holiday or something...

[tiddy ogg]

Why do so many players insist on having the max number of characters, when they admit they don't have the time to play them properly? It's all very well to have them "working quietly" but this is usually an excuse for laziness. Too many newspawns arrive and can't get replies from the sleeping population. I, myself, almost gave up because of this, when I first started. I admit I'm a slow player, anyway, but I've only 4 chars, the last recently added, and don't think I could play effectively with more. Like many of the posts in these forums, there seems amazing ignorance concerning the difference between quantity and quality. In the "how did your chars die" thread, many posters openly admit they didn't have time for them all... bbut then complain about suicidal newspawns... other similarly minded players to themselves.
Somebody here has the sig "you've got to log in every day to be effective." In my mind this is an absolute minimum.

[Kreed]

While I do think its lazy to have the max number of characters and just use them as collection bots. Thats how people can appear in the real world untill you actually talk to them. Most people live a mundane day to day existence just getting by. An awful lot of people dont want to stand out and be noticed or different. It may be sad but its reality.
There have to be subjects to rule, rubes to prey on, people to preach to and just your basic cannon fodder.

[Coramon]

I agree w/ kinvoya. Most of middle america is exactly the person you described. So why shouldn't most of the people in a society simulator be the same. Unfortunately, unlike many fantasy books, all farmers do not emerge into a hero of war, and a powerful person. Most people just barely get by. So to call this bullshit is totally.... well bullshit.

[The Industriallist]

While I do think its lazy to have the max number of characters and just use them as collection bots. Thats how people can appear in the real world untill you actually talk to them. Most people live a mundane day to day existence just getting by. An awful lot of people dont want to stand out and be noticed or different. It may be sad but its reality.
There have to be subjects to rule, rubes to prey on, people to preach to and just your basic cannon fodder.

The thing the 'real people are that lame too' arguement fails to account for is that many of these characters aren't just setting their sights low. They really can't be made to do things. If you instituted a draft, probably better than 90% of remotely reasonable draftees (anyone in the approximately adult, fit population) could be made into a basic soldier or laborer IRL. You might have to threaten them with death, humiliation, and prison...but they would do it. In cantr...maybe I misjudge, but I'd estimate that maybe 10% of the populance over 25 would hack it. The rest would fall asleep for 4 consecutive days just when they were ordered out, or just refuse to be compelled, or drop dead for no apparent reason.

They aren't even cannon fodder, for someone looking to build and grow. You can't make them worth aiming the cannon at.

The thing is, in cantr a character, however pressured, can't be more capable, motivated, or alert than their players. Most players won't, and likely can't, log in for 15+ minutes every 3 hours, 15 or more hours a day, just to make sure some character survives the stresses forced into his life.

And then there's pure lazy. For a time in Drojf there was an offer posted by which one could get a better daily rate on carrots by collecting cotton instead. Didn't have to do any paperwork, or work on other people's projects. No one took advantage of it.

[Kreed]

The thing the 'real people are that lame too' arguement fails to account for is that many of these characters aren't just setting their sights low. They really can't be made to do things.

Thats not entirely true, the art of persuasion can and is used in Cantr, as is the threat of violence.
Perhaps cannon fodder was the wrong phrase, maybe it should be Cantr fodder, those people blindy harvesting while they constantly sleep are easy prey for the wakeful.

Having said that people really should put some effort into playing this game. I don't understand those who play games with cheat codes or use macros, but I know theres a lot of them.

So whats the answer, unentertaining drones die of a heart attack?

[tiddy ogg]

That's my point exactly. If your char wants a quiet life, all very well, but you should check on him once a day, for the sake of the game .

[HoH]

Well, I wouldn't say my character is a drone. Yes, she's married, but she's the only (or one of the very few) who have pretty much been banned to have posession of flour or wheat products. She's always wanted to get married, but that's just part of her personality. Sue me.

[Coramon]

Actually, some people are less then attentive to their players. I personally, like the idea of a mass genocide agains 2 day sleepers. However impossible and unrealistic it is, I can still dream. A Cantr without sleepers... heaven...