tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7597981795734560865.post4498042654232031147..comments2012-06-26T15:27:48.013-04:00Comments on The End Game: CommunityRegine "Sakkarah" Abelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16610676051252085519noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7597981795734560865.post-79118268645591472182009-11-03T17:14:31.679-05:002009-11-03T17:14:31.679-05:00It is remarkably rare that someone in the design d...It is remarkably rare that someone in the design discipline stumbles upon the essence of community. UO's Atlantic is perhaps the greatest teacher I have known, and has spawned more MMO community managers than I can count. There were secrets and hidden lessons to be learned in the ebb and flow of Atlantic's community - I count myself fortunate to have been privy to most of them.<br /><br />You hit the nail on the head with the current generation of games, and how... "numb" their communities tend to be. In contrast, on Atlantic, I can show you a quiet little place in a field set apart from Yew where an unremarkable tree stands. You wouldn't know it to look at it, you wouldn't think anything of it in passing, but that tree was at one point in time a strong pillar of the community called Silver Dryad who helped and guided the West Yew University. And now she stands as a tree, forever.<br /><br />Players new to the shard would have no clue, but I do, and I will always remember that tree. My memory of that gives me a distinct connection to UO, one that you wouldn't get with epic gear or a tweaked out level build. Because I have so many of these types of connections to Atlantic, to UO, I know that I will never be able to leave. Community, history, the very character of the shard itself I am wrapped up in, and that is an importance and immersion that doesn't show itself in any other game out there.GreyPawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18082934903812206322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7597981795734560865.post-78241111228884201802009-10-31T20:27:03.699-04:002009-10-31T20:27:03.699-04:00You know, playing on a "smaller" shard, ...You know, playing on a "smaller" shard, Catskills, has shown me the advantages of being community minded. There are weekly events that sole purpose is to raise points for our zoo. No prizes. No individual winner, except the zoo and the fact we try to keep it full of all animals. Do you think a dozen ppl on WoW would get together for something like that? <br /><br />There are also community spawns to show ppl the ropes on the Champs and most months there are public Harrowers. <br /><br />Personally, my favorite thing in game is collecting rares for my museum. There are no fees to visit and I farm and run my vendors solely to cross shard and collect items for their preservation. It's important to me to show other players unique items from the game's history and event items from other shards. <br /><br />So, I fully agree that our way of community is THE way it should be!Slickjacknoreply@blogger.com