Missy wrote:lol Dreamhand.
That's weird what you say.
For me the whole entire region is stuck in it's history. It desperately needs a war or some damn thing. And yeah, John Locke was great, but I think newspawns don't really give a damn about him. That's part of the problem that the region does have. Newspawns spawn and they all want to do something and be someone too, but there's no opportunity to be anybody great. The leaders of the towns in that region don't allow for it. They're all still focused on Maily Yumm and the Rangers and it's at a political stand-still despite what goes on in regards to the Caillou/Katrina/Dolly/Bo/Krif/Drojf situation. They all tell you, "You can be anything you want to be." But when you take a stance on something or you try to make a change, it's all "No. Gotta respect what this person did." They've like, walled themselves in and each town has become it's own worst enemy. It's just so stale.
(An Essay on Leadership, Posterity, and Accomplishment)
In the Farewell Address Commentary (Issue 6), Locke deals particularly with the dichotomy of "reactionary bones" and the future "dream of True Unity." It's ultimately true in any society, torn by backward-looking conservativism and the other pole of progressive liberalism.
I think this has added to the realism of Cantr as a game and its effectiveness as a society simulator, let alone it being fun to role-play. It's all really a matter of acknowledging the past, looking forward toward the future, but most importantly, embracing the moment.
Sure, that sounds all very well in words, but it seems intangible and unachievable. From my experience, John's life from 621-1502, which didn't quite span a millenia like Thomas Hobbes', showed a lot of progress and advancement while not only appreciating the past but making history. It's an important art and task; that's why Jos so quickly invented notes for the game.
Otherwise, there is no credibility, no legitimacy, no incentive, no history and culture to draw upon. If there are no heroes to look up to, no villains to disdain, no goals to achieve, there is no reason to want to accomplish greatness. This is inherently entwined with wanting to add your own page to history, and the philosophical idea of "making your mark".
Now, to be more specific, anyone seeking to persuade anybody to do anything would need to show (s)he is legitimate and worth following. A profound knowledge in history can do just that, preferably beyond "What would Jesus/Maily Yumm do?" Then applying past examples to their own objectives for the future, for example, "John Locke sought to unite this feuding region when he sent his son as a diplomatic envoy to the MacGregors. Shouldn't we send an ambassador to Timbuktu?" Thus, the present, now, is the moment to act. (Procrastination kills.)
Take the recent real life example of the US Congressmembers using examples of Davy Crocket and the Alamo to the situation in Iraq. Okay, fine, bad analogy. But how about Martin Luther King borrowing the words of Abe Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, etc? A foundation in tradition provides the building blocks of the future.
Sure, you may disagree. But I've always believed in the importance of history. And I applied this to Cantr, and I feel I have succeeded with characters of the likes of Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Angus MacGregor.
They all took a page of the past to accomplish their lives and renown. This doesn't mean they sought to return to the past, but rather to move forward and change things and evolve. Hell, Locke even retired to make way for the new, dynamic blood of tomorrow. Creativity, Cantr's greatest element, can be stiffled by those who have played too long.
I retired from Cantr for the next group of ambitious players to pick up the pieces and move on, building on the society, economy, politics, and culture that was already there. And maybe knock it down in revolution every once in a while.
But we didn't forget everything before 1917 or 1789 or 1776...
I know strong players can accomplish great things with their characters if they can muster the right qualities and are in the right circumstances. As long as they capture the moment. Carpe diem.
I have done so.
