Linkshell Changes

[Claquesous]

[Aelfwise]

[Claquesous]

What I meant by endgame is that if someone is just starting to look for a new type of endgame linkshell and can choose between two shells that meet at the same time on the same days, they should strongly consider joining the one with two of our members rather than the shell with none.

It may sound like common sense, but I don't think we currently communicate options very well. A lot of people who are new to endgame or don't have an internet connection to explore their options may get left in the dark. I think it would be nice to have someone who would proactively see that someone is in the endgame level range and inform them about their options.

[almeada]

Well, i just read the post today and i just want to say that i have no ill feelings towards anyone in the ls and i can only speak for myself in what i'm about to say.

as some of you know i was going to quit the game last year mainly because i felt like i wasn't getting much done and i couldn't get help when needed. i'm not saying that i never got help, but the balance of me helping and getting help was not equal at all. things didn't change until i spent less time in the ls. this was unfortunate because i get along with everyone, for the most part, especially may, claq, aelf, alira, and a few others. may, claq and aelf are my longest friends, aside from unleash.

there's just a lot of things i need to get done and for a time in this ls, i spent a span of 6 months doing nothing but helping ppl which took time away from my lvling and farming and whatnot. because of that, i didn't find the game fun anymore. that's why i took time away from the shell. i agree claq, i am a pushover sometimes in that i don't ask for help as much as i want too because i don't like to bother ppl and i'm also a pushover in that even if i don't have time to help someone i sometimes still do anyway.

most of what i've accomplished has been either on my own, or from some groups of ppl i know outside the ls. i wish that wasn't the case, but it seems to be. i understand everyone is busy alot too, because with me, i had events every day for a long time, but now i brought it down to just salvage and sky, but salvage is almost every day, orz....

i like the idea about assigning leaders certain roles for help and what not and to have a proactive look on things. also, i completely agree about the sack holder situation. in other ls's i've been in they only had about 2 or 3 ppl as sac holders with good reason. most of my time i spend in end game ls's for the most part but i always have my other character on this ls so i can see what;s going on from time to time while it's in batalia downs, so i'm not completely away. well, getting ready for salvage right now, but lets keep the convo going if we have any other things to discuss, or if anyone has something to add to what i said. if i offended anyone in anything i wrote, it's not my intent.

[Claquesous]

By pushovers, I was really only referring to sackholder requests. My apologies.

[almeada]

nah i know what you meant, i'm just saying that's what i think a "pushover" is and that's what i saw myself as doing. again, i didn't necessarily "leave," i still have my pearl, but i am in end game ls events more often now since i co-run sky and i have salvage almost every night, but i didn't leave because of anyone per se in the ls, i just left for a while because i wanted to get things done and not feel guilty about saying no if someone asked for my help when i was in the middle of something, or because i'm a pushover and if i was in the middle of something and someone asked me for help and i helped them, i'd be upset with myself in that i didn't set out to accomplish my goal for the night. forgive my sentence structure, it's too early for me to be thinking today.

[Mayous]

Well My comment on the subject could go on for days. I just want to say When I left the ls it wasnt because of one person it was a lack of help, lack of playing together, and for the most part the greedy people. My intent in this post is not to anger anyone but I'm sure a few that read it will be offended. If this post makes you mad then maybe I am talking about you. I would love to see Wandering Souls go back to it's former Glory. I can remember a time when the ls had no 75's, no endgame, no anything and we all banded together to scratch claw and fight our way to 75. Sadly I have had to take a few breaks along the way and when I was gone people changed imo. Setting new leaders to do things is a great idea, but one terrible draw back. If people dont help then how do the leaders get things done? The answer is they dont and they never will without the full support of the linkshell. They people that left the ls at the same time I did are just as hurt as you are Claq. They feel left out, 2nd class if you will and the fact that they got no help just broke their spirit. I've talked to most of the people that left and asked them why they left and most told me that it was because they felt like I treated them as more then a friend. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I miss my friends. This ls started as a group of friends just tryin to play and have fun, and it's turned into a place where anyone can come in and say some words and "Be part of the Wandering Souls Family" We are by no means a Leet Endgame ls but letting anyone and everyone in the ls causes problems beyond repair and makes for more people to be helped then people that can help. I would gladly come back to the ls that has been my home for so long but some of the people that left after I did have made the choice to not come back. They might come back sooner or later but for now they are hurt. I'm going to stop this post now but my feeling remain the same, People Should never have to scream and plead for help, People should step up and help because they want to not because someone has helped them in the past or not because someone sent them a tell. Everyone should bander together to get things done, not just do something for someone thats your best friend.

[Aelfwise]

I'll try to keep this short.

I'd like to respond to your comment about "2nd Class" members. It's true that some members do not get treated quite the same as others, and that is unfortunate. It is not my intention to favor one over another, however it is inevitable that such a situation will occur. Some people are closer or dearer to me as a result of them being a part of my life longer, or by them having a special relationship. You cannot deny that given a situation where you had to choose between Izzy and another member that you would feel more inclined to assist Izzy. I try to treat everyone as a valuable part of WS and when possible include them in things, yet there will be times where they cannot assist due to restraints.
People also need to realize that not everyone is capable of assisting with things WHEN they want them. The LS has indeed changed in dynamic, some for the better some for the worse. It's how we adapt that shows what kind of character we have. It would be incredibly easy to live in a HNM shell for me if I wanted, there's always someone on camping and I could improve my hoard of gear I have compiled, but I do not wish to do that because I have enjoyed the people in WS too much and I feel I would be letting people down.
The rift that this has caused is the biggest issue that faces us. People cannot help but feel timid around other members that left, and the members that left feel uncomfortable around the members that remain. Even were we to have everyone "reassemble" there will be alot of awkward moments, and the "2nd Class" would only be even more pronounced due to this division. It can be overcome, but people need to put aside their differences and stop pointing fingers.

Ok I'll stop...I could rant forever...

[almeada]

I have to say i do agree with you aelf in that not everyone can give help exactly when the person needs it, but at the same time if a request is posted on the server and a few months go by w/out anything being done about it then that would be an issue in my eyes. as far as people being uncomfortable around others if they came back i don't feel that way. i spend most of my time in my salvage ls because i do it every day and when i get back home from work at 5:30 or 6pm i'm in that ls because they are talking about the run that's coming up and bids etc...so yeah i haven't been in ws's alot since december because of that and the sky ls that i co-run. i personally would love to go into an hnm ls to get a few things that i would love to have to pimp my sam, and i might look into it but time is an issue. again i'm on the ls on my mule most of the time anyway so i am still there at times, but as things are for me atm i'm on other ls's more. i don't feel uncomfortable around anyone i see from ws's when i bump into them in-game i'm still friendly, but that's just me. i do have a lot of friends that i have made throughout the years i've been on, before and after i came to ws's and i can't please everyone, so i try to visit all social ls's i have every now and then (only 2 but still lol). anyway, on a lighter note, i just got smithing to 83, woot for full moon, lol.

long story short, i see the points both of you have made and both of you have valid points, but i just felt the need to clarify some stuff. javascript:emoticon(':shock:')
Shocked

/endlongpost.

p.s. i just love that emoticon. it's just too funny lol

[Claquesous]

Your long posts are Too weak!

I once pissed off Suranx when I told him that I wouldn't beat myself up if anyone left the shell as long as it wasn't Aelfwise. Suranx seemed upset that I would play favourites like that, but the point is I am human and I am closer to some people than others. I can't keep track of everyone in the shell and ensure that they're happy. I beat myself up pretty hard when Kolob left, and when Estarie left. (It was Esty's departure that brought about this discussion with Suranx.) I tried to explain to Suranx that I was being unfair to myself by taking it so hard. I've done the best that I can do to communicate how I feel, but if someone isn't on the linkshell when I say it, they won't hear it. Just like if I'm not on the LS when someone asks for help, I won't hear it. I made an exception out of Aelfwise because I consider him my best friend in game, and not too far down my overall list including people I've actually met. I almost never directly tell anyone how I feel about them. I try to show how I feel through my actions and the way I treat them. If my best friend here doesn't understand that, then there's a serious flaw in my whole life philosophy and that would upset me indeed.

What I hadn't expected in my hypothetical with Suranx was that everyone would leave at once. That hurt. It broke my heart, and made me depressed. I've gone through several stages through the last week from denial to anger to sadness. The great support I've gotten from Alira, Aelfwise, and Lummox has helped me pull through and I'm feeling better now, but it still hurts. I told them I wouldn't static yesterday because it hurt too much to play with Mayous. When Mayous sent me a tell around 1pm asking if the static was on, my heart skipped a beat. I eventually decided that my being a sentimental wuss was unfair to Aelf, Jerik, and Alira so I partied anyway, but I was quieter than normal and I committed myself to leaving early from the start. It turned out pretty well.

I think some people may have been spoiled by how well we've helped in the past. My own achievement roll is rather spotty. I've been playing a few hours a day practically every day for almost three years now. I have still to finish any mission storyline other than the starter missions. Of my significant accomplishments, I got Rank 10 Bastok via Piraya dragging me through, OHat was via shout, sky on Claq was via shout, sky on Mont was mostly an LS thing, I got my first AF2 piece at 64. I don't even remember when I got the final AF piece. I may have been 68. Claq's LB1 took all of three kills from Piraya, Tehya, and Tec. I soloed my LB3. I also soloed most of LB3 on Mont. My other characters' LBs and AFs were mostly help from Alira, Aelfwise, and others. I remember dragging along others for Mont's and Babet's LB2. Gueu's LB's were a bit more rushed because he would be holding up the static. I joined my first sky LS under the impression that about five others from the shell would join too. (Sadly, I didn't quit when that didn't pan out.) If I had to give one reason why I joined my new sky shell, I'd have to say Jerik. If I had to give two, I'd say Kirin's Osode, but I promptly gave my second reason to my first as soon as I'd gotten it. I greatly appreciate all the help I've gotten, but there have been times in the past where WanderingSoulz couldn't help me. There are still a ton of things I'd like to do that I haven't. I can't tell you how many times I've waited for someone to catch up to me for a mission or for experience points only to see them zip right past me. It hurts, but I just wait for the next person to come along in the hopes that they'll let me join them.

If anyone feels 2nd class they should take heart from the examples of Jerik and Alira. Before our Sunday static started, they both probably felt second class too. Now, I can't really imagine life without them. I think there's also a big difference between some of our members. I play alone, so I need the Linkshell. Some people play with quite a few friends. I've always counted on Hakku to make sure Petal, Vilec, and Harem are happy and on Desolation to ensure Hatsumomo and Yasashiku were happy. Of the people that left, I'm probably most upset at Hakku because I feel he let me down in that respect. Finally, probably 75% of this game is end game. It's hard to make everyone feel included when they just aren't eligible to do most of the things that some of our members have worked very hard to be able to do. This is no one's fault. It's just the way the game was designed.

So what's the conclusion of this monster post? I honestly don't know. In fact I'm hesitant to even post it but I suppose my boss would be upset if he knew I wasted three hours of my work day only to delete what I wrote. I suppose my conclusion is that this game has a lot to offer, and I'd like to try it all, but I don't think any accomplishment is worthwhile unless I accomplish it with my friends. I'm sorry if I haven't communicated this well.