[Happy Birthday Burns!]

As this seems to be the "done thing" I thought I'd kick start it off! ^.^

 

Happy birthday Burns!

 

Have a great day and congratulations for not dying! :P

["Washing the taint" - Wishpoint quest]

Ritual of Self-Renewal

Intro

 

Sometimes we become lost. An instance in our lives  may change our circumstances, causing us to veer from the path we once believed to be the correct one. 

 

An example of this would be losing a loved one, one that we held dear to us. Such a loss can lead to "rituals" of self-destruction like drowning emotions in alcohol, becoming angry and hateful at all reminders of the person, sometimes even at the deceased one, thinking them selfish for leaving you and causing you such pain. But the most common reason of all? Sorrow.

 

Sorrow, when allowed to overwhelm us, changes us, whether we mean it to or not. This could be through loss of appetite, depression, quietness; all of these change us, lead us on a new path

 

Ritual

 

This ritual is one of self-renewal after loss, removing sorrow before it overwhelms.

 

For this I am going to use an example, a ritual of self-renewal I saw when I first arrived. Molquert's "Fat Tuesday".

 

Now, this came in two parts - the rather sombre procession and the merriment of drinking. I will explain the "ritualistic" sides of both.

 

Procession

 

         A procession like Molquerts allows us to remember him and relieve our sorrows, whilst being able to support and comfort friends and/or family going through the same bereavement process. 

Walking through an area - often one that held meaning to the deceased - brings back memories we might have had of them there. Remembering the times they were happy and alive. Walking in a group allows people to show support to one another, helping those that struggle to remember the deceased or their times of joy. This gives people the strength to stand back up, brush themselves off and fight through the feelings of depression and loneliness, as they remember the good and understand they are not alone, that they have people there to help them if they need it. 

 

Standing in silence at the deceased one's grave allows for the time to say "goodbye", showing your final respects and giving time for those last floods of sorrow to escape.

 

Both of these together allows for the person grieving to understand that whilst they might be gone from this world, they are never gone from our hearts of heads; lending some comfort to the situation.

 

The Wake

 

       A wake can be one of pure respect, remembrance and a final time to release for those grieving or it may be a merry one with songs, games, dance and alcohol. Both of these are fine to do, it depends on the people involved: both what the living want and what the dead would have wanted.

 

Dancing, drinking, partying, these all raise the spirits of the mourners, allowing them to remember the deceased through happiness and laughter, helping to push out those last few drops of sorrow.

Again, this fortifies the knowledge that they aren't alone, that there are others around them that are going through the same process, giving the person the strength to fight on, not just for their sake...but everyone else's.

 

"Conclusion"

 

Although this process doesn't work for all, the "What to do" remains the same :

  

      Mourn >> Remember >> Rejoice

 

Ruminating on thoughts of sorrow will lead to destructive actions and consequences, so it is essential to be happy, remember the good and surround yourself with those of similar feelings so that you can support each other and know you're not alone. Sadness is normal and expected, but don't allow the sorrow (deeper feelings of sadness) to destroy you.

 

Doing this at any stage of sorrow, the beginning or 5 months in, will help you to find the correct path again. Though, the longer you leave it the harder it becomes. It won't be easy but determination is the key.

 

(This is more of a generic "ritual", using the Fat Tuesday as an example. Hope that's allowed? :S) 

[Who ever orchestrated the "storm"]

Atheon was taking responsibility for what was happening, so, clearly I am going to address him.
In no way am I blaming him, in fact, if you bothered to read what I said, I encouraged him to keep it up. It just made no sense to apologize for something that was put of his hands.

 

As one of the "characters" I do to hold a responsibility to take. As do all of the others that were in the team. I was apologizing for myself, but also on behalf of everyone else, as I'm sure, if we had known this would have been the outcome, we would have certainly made a list, checking it twice to find out who's been naughty or nice (and deserved reviving! <insert joking voice here> :P). However, we are only human and, as humans, we make mistakes.

 

As I have said, all we can do is learn from this and move forward! There really isn't a need to argue over a situation like this when it is so easily righted! :)

 

Thank you for the encouragement, but as I said, I was more taking the blame for myself than everyone. :)

[Build your own Drachorn]

Seems I caught a dragon having a rest under some leaves!

 

Aka:

 

I thought I'd try my hand at this as it seemed fun and interesting.

 

I have absolutely no idea what a drachorn looks like but I made a dragon of...some sort. :P

 

Made from a toilet cleaner bottle, paper bags and a make-up sponge to give the head a little shape. 

 

Don't judge too harsh! :P

 

[spoiler]

Resting

Before the wings :P

[/spoiler]

 

Edit: Just realised the dragon in the drachorns cave is a a drachorn.  :rolleyes: 

[Who ever orchestrated the "storm"]

I would have to actually agree that the blame is on us (as a group).

 

We were the ones hoping to revive and so perhaps we should have created a list of all those that had died. The only problem is the amount of time that could have (possibly) taken and the impatience of some that were dead. I don't think many people would enjoy being stuck in one place for days? I could be wrong though?

 

I do feel however that this was an awesome quest and that we shouldn't be so quick to point fingers and slam down hard on any small "mistakes". All we should do is say "Whoops!", correct our mistakes now and learn by them for the future! :)

 

Once again, thank you to whoever did orchestrate this whole thing - it was great fun to be a part of.

[Who ever orchestrated the "storm"]

As I said, It was their mistake to not note down everyone, one concern they did raise. Its something that can be quickly fixed :)

 

Ah yes, I'll apologise (as one that took part) for not thinking to take down all names. 

 

I had personally thought that all would be revived once the ritual was complete (that the orchestrator would have had a list of all killed or what not.)

 

Again, apologies to anyone that has affected! :/

[Ideas to improve MP3 gameplay]

Hi Aethon, welcome to MD. <<<-- there is a special place on MD forum for welcoming ppl.

I don't think i get your problem. You are new (and that is ok), but you will not be talked directly (a.k.a. approached) unless you initiate the discussion (most of the time). It is up to you to initiate discussions and as you said "every single person" say "If you need help ask".

Maybe someone should tell you that you can also "ask" without needing "help" but it is all up to you.

 

In the end ... we all appreciate an open & creative mind ;)

 

Hello! Thank you for the welcome. :D

 

This is exactly my point! If you see a new player, engage with them! Not every one will be an extrovert and wish to initiate conversation, perhaps due to confusion or personal worries (such as sounding silly, nervous, etc.) As an experienced player you should be helping to bring new players into the "group" known as MagicDuel.

 

Now, I'm not saying hold their hands and braid their hair (unless you want to ofc :P) But simply welcoming, asking how someone is, who they are, what they like, do they need help? That sort of thing, it's not a strenuous task. :)

 

The game is far more about being a community than anything else for many people! It's nicer for people to welcome with open hands than force your way into a group. :) 

[Ideas to improve MP3 gameplay]

For me, speaking as a new player, I believe that it isn't so much the fighting and training that is the problem, but integrating into the "MagicDuel Society". There is a big difference between being a player and a part of the community. Considering that this is such a PvP game it is essential that players are welcomed with more than just "Hello, welcome to MD. If you need help ask.". To me, that just sounds like a generic line, used by every single person.

 

How to integrate a new player:

1. Don't be generic! - Break the mould a little! Don't sound like a machine rattling out the same information every couple of seconds. Try to tailor your responses, actions and discussions to the individual. Which brings us to...
2. Get to know them! - One of the main things I'm enjoying about this game is the diversity. There are all sorts of people, all skilled in different areas. Likewise, just because a new player is "new" doesn't make them any less interesting! We (new players) still have our own skills and weaknesses! Get to know them by talking to the player, listening to ideas and sharing your own.
3. Involve them! - Get them talking, get them fighting, give them hints to peak their interest, kill half the population of MD to help them understand roleplay and create a role! Which takes me to my final point...
4. Interest them! - Once you've gotten to know them, you should have a basic idea of what makes them tick. So use that knowledge! Interest them by showing them something awesome, giving them a taste of something that they could achieve if they work hard, etc.

I, personally, am loving MD right now. It's a close, friendly (most of the time) community, there are quests available for those interested, role play is around for those that like that sort of thing and, likewise, so is fighting. It's all just about pointing someone the right way so they can have the optimum amount of fun!

 

Whether a player is 1 day old or 2709, they are still a person. Not just a "noob". 

 

Anyway these are just my views and opinions! I'm sure there are others as well so feel free to give me yours in return! ^.^ :)

[WTB Memory Stones]

Hello there all!

 

I am looking to buy bundles of memory stones, these could be up to any number (but should be no less than five), for coins. I'll keep this as an ongoing purchase until I run out of coins. :)

 

Please find me in game or send me a forum message if you'd like to discuss selling.

[Storm tears through MD]

As there is a topic for it already, I'll throw out my opinions here.

 

I loved this!

 

It was great watching the players create their own story, methods, applying them and, most importantly, working as a team! It's exactly what I hoped for when I joined. It certainly sets it aside from many other games that I've played. :)

 

Although it may not be my place, I'd like to thank the following for their extra hard work in making this plan come together and succeed!

 

Assira the Black,*Syrian*, Aeoshattr, Marvolo, Rophs, Lintara, JadenDew, Miq, *Sunfire*, Draconas and StrongWilledLegna.

 

Apologies if I spelt any of your names wrong! :D Thank you again for the awesome experience and here's to the hope of many more! :)