In regards to Ann. 4215

[Syrian]

My post will be primarily focused on this point of the announcement:

" Ideal characters for this role are ex LHO, ancient players. The lho playername decoration *..* will slowly be removed or assigned only to guardian role. "

I'm all for guardians on the island and think they are needed, what i don't like is how its a role that is going to force people to stay there on the island, signing up with limited information, and how the LHO decoration is going to be removed. As someone who puts a good portion of time into helping others and answering questions (as limited as they are at the moment) , i'm quite saddened that its come to a point where if i want to continue then i have to become a guardian and leave the mainland if i want to keep my wings. 

 

The idea that the guardian wont be able to leave the island is obviously a necessity, but that isn't to say that these guardians are the only ones that are able to answer new players questions, and then what about any help/guidance when they have left the island? Why should the current LHO be expected/forced to join the guardians and stay on the island if they want to continue this role? 

 

I also understand that  they can somewhat continue this role of helping people without the wings, but without the wings then they will be removed from the live help button which is one of the primary ways that newer players ask for help, and i'ts easier for people who do need that help to reach out. Removing LHOs and replacing with the guardians creates a dilution of the help base, not every LHO is going to want to move to the island, and if you make them the only LHO/helpers then you're reducing the amount of players (and potentially the hours that are covered) you have to help people with their questions. 

 

In short, i dont think lowering the amount of help base is going to be helpful, yes we need guardians to direct new players, but that doesnt mean they have to be mutually exclusive to the current LHO base, both can operate at the same time. 

[Chewett]

I kinda agree, I'm not convinced either are needed when helpers are permitted to leave and retain their stars.

[Chewett]

Sorry please mostly ignore my previous message as I was on phone and have now read the announcement.

reading that I think the plan is to eventually generally remove lho Syrian as they have partially been replaced by guardians or make the guardian role the new lho. So it wouldn't be if you join the gateway you lose the stars, more than likely joining might increase the chance of keeping them if lho is replaced.

[Chewett]

Still on phone (train) and I hit post...

I think if mur is going to abolish lhos then it's just the eventual lifecycle of a job. I personally still haven't decided what to do with them but moving them onto the guardian role makes a bit of sense although I probably wouldn't force them all on the island (eventually, maybe to start with it needs to be forced)

if you look at the guardians as the new lho I think mostly this is asking if you want to conjntue helping or are too busy?

[Syrian]

the question isnt about being too busy, from a personal standpoint, i want to help, thats why i became an LHO, but i dont want to be limited to the gateway island just to do so, when i/m capable of helping out with questions and other things  from the main land.  

another problem is that if you make all current LHO into gateway islands its going to split the playerbase even more, and i dont think this is healthy. obviously you need people at the island to welcome new players but then there will be less players on the mainland so the game as a whole feel emptier than it already is.

i have reasons to want to stay at the mainland, rather than locking myself down to the island, and i dont see why i should be forced to move just to be help out when there exists an option where i dont have to. guardians don/t have to be the new LHO, and if you force all the LHO to the island then you have no helper roles on the mainland.

[Eagle Eye]

I agree with Sy, a few LHO need to stay in the mainland. i am willing to help and stay to the mainland. We do not know in the future;)

I am happy to hear and see some player grant and now guard of the gateway. Best of luck there.

 

[Rophs]

Even if you're not a guardian or LHO you can still be known as a helpful player. If some newbie is buggering me about something I don't feel like explaining chances are I'd tell them to go ask EE or Syrian. The title may give a sense of duty but without the title you have something to prove.

 

What will happen to the LHO achievement?

 

When there were announcements about new guardians of the West I imagined a revival of rawquist and kraubanis (spelling?).

[Pipstickz]

13 hours ago, Syrian said:

the question isnt about being too busy, from a personal standpoint, i want to help, thats why i became an LHO, but i dont want to be limited to the gateway island just to do so, when i/m capable of helping out with questions and other things  from the main land.  

another problem is that if you make all current LHO into gateway islands its going to split the playerbase even more, and i dont think this is healthy. obviously you need people at the island to welcome new players but then there will be less players on the mainland so the game as a whole feel emptier than it already is.

i have reasons to want to stay at the mainland, rather than locking myself down to the island, and i dont see why i should be forced to move just to be help out when there exists an option where i dont have to. guardians don/t have to be the new LHO, and if you force all the LHO to the island then you have no helper roles on the mainland.

Sorry, where was it mentioned that current LHOs are being forced into Gateway Island? I've only read the announcements asking for volunteers.

The new LHO manager has decided to make radical changes to the group, and you seemingly don't accept those changes which is ok because they're voluntary. Because he's a nice LHO manager (not like the evil Jonn), he'll let you keep your position for now, but eventually your position will be made redundant. At least, that's my understanding.

Obviously removing LHOs as they exist now leaves a void, even if they're replaced by gateway guardians. What could fill that void here on the mainland?

[Chewett]

Nothing is decided yet about lho

it might be made redundant, it might not. Maybe a new non guardian type lho will come forth. Nothing is fixed ever

[Syrian]

On 10/02/2017 at 11:18 PM, Pipstickz said:

Sorry, where was it mentioned that current LHOs are being forced into Gateway Island? I've only read the announcements asking for volunteers.

the removal of the LHO status and/or moving that status to island guardians, is going to force people to go to the island if they want to retain the LHO/ helper role

[Chewett]

4 hours ago, Syrian said:

the removal of the LHO status and/or moving that status to island guardians, is going to force people to go to the island if they want to retain the LHO/ helper role

The helper role, if mur decides to move all guardians to the gateway, is the most important thing? What once you lose your lho status, is important to regain to help people?

im assuming that it's something more than attacklock and such?

[Sunfire]

live help messages is the main important thing, and in rare cases movetheyoungling

[Pipstickz]

18 hours ago, Syrian said:

the removal of the LHO status and/or moving that status to island guardians, is going to force people to go to the island if they want to retain the LHO/ helper role

MP6 had a helper role in the past, when there was more than one so they had to work to stand out. Calyx of Isis started the MD University and the dojo to help new players. The MR Frat started GGG to help themselves but were eventually forced to go public so they ended up helping tons of new players (I know because I'm one of them, for you whippersnappers or those who forget). Back when alliances would actively recruit, new players were a wellspring of untapped potential.

Also perhaps you forget, this is MD. It is certainly not unprecedented for players who play their role well to be rewarded with abilities to support that role, and current LHOs have a big head-start on anyone else looking to fill a helper role.

If it proves impossible to continue the tradition of the live help button, it's still possible as a regular player to be contactable by noobs 24/7, but you might have to get creative.

In summary: I strongly disagree. Whatever Mur has planned, MD can adapt to right itself.