State of the MOO

[Grimlock]

This isn't really that big a of deal, but I did want to take a moment to talk to people about what has been going on and what to expect going forward. First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you for logging into an anachronistic TWENTY-SEVEN (at least) year old game. Even if you just log on, obey the rules, complain on the BBS, and log out, you're helping the game by bolstering the player numbers. When people think a game is dead it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. I thought once MMOs like World of Warcraft took off in popularity that was the end of days for CyberSphere. It certainly is where a lot of the talented programmers and staff from the early 00s went. However, despite everything, CyberSphere continues and New Carthage remains. There may come a day when no one logs in anymore, the Viggen gets stuck in the sky, and the Anarchists AHaBs run roughshot over the Eastside.... but it is not this day. We are getting new players at regular intervals (three today of which we hope at least one isn't a returned toad) and, overall, the game is more active than it has been in months.

Here's a little peak behind the curtain...

Over the past 10 days:
[ 1 ] Players have logged in but haven't moved.
[ 38 ] Players have been active.

38 active players and only one true blue coffin crawler. That's amazing! Even in the middle of the day I've 16-30 active players. There are about 23 playing right now at the time of posting.

I don't have numbers for the months leading up to now, but I do know it was looking bleak. Part of the reason was that we have been VERY leniant on problem players. We felt like, with the population dwindling, we had to hold onto anyone we could. We learned, however, that a couple bad apples can really spoil the bunch.

All of the recent toadings have been for the same reason, not being able to respect the boundaries between IC/OOC. Whether it was sending real life threats of violence to someone because their character beat-up/killed the now toaded player's character, targetting newbies, pursuing players thru multiple characters trying to get them quit, or just bitching IC about OOC stuff, these people aimed to be OOC disruptive. All of them were warned multiple times and, in the end, it was deemed the MOO would be better off without them.

Looks like we were right and the MOO is much better off for it.

This brings us around to the other side of the coin. CyberSphere is not AND WILL NEVER BE HAPPY FLUFFY BUNNY MOO where you get to live out your SciFi Romance/ERP fantasies in a bubble of safety. If you don't want that then I would direct you to the many MANY (holy shit there's a lot) MUSHes where you can set OOC notes that you want to avoid combat, diddle your ding-a-longs and digeredoos, and make up relationship drama to your heart's content. CyberSphere is a game where anyone, for almost any reason, can walk up to you on the street and shoot you in the face. If you want that AND relationship drama that's totally cool, but when you lose or your IC lying and manipulating catches up with you then get over it, take a breath, and try to keep the game in perspective. Understand that, sometimes, you're just going to be outclassed, outgunned, and/or outnumbered. That's a part of Cyberpunk too. This isn't high fantasy. The good guys lose. The world is bleak. If that is too much like real life for you then I suggest embrace your true passion on the Sonic the Hedgehog ERP game of your choosing.

Lastly, all claims of OOC harrassment will be investigated. If you are being harrassed OOC on game, discord, etc please bring it to staff's attention IMMEDIATELY. Screenshots or time stamped logs are the best weapons you can arm CyberSphere staff with. However, be mindful of claiming OOC harrassment 3rd party. People sometimes miscommunicate, sometimes intentionally misrepresent things, and sometimes straight out lie. Recently, people complained about OOC harrassment between two long established players and when a fellow staff member followed up they were told that it was all IC harrassment not OOC harrassment. Can we know for sure? No, but we'll do our best. Don't assume malice or apathy on the part of staff, we do investigate ALL claims of OOC harrassment.

That being said, the volunteers who work as staff on the game will continue to try to express our gratitude for you playing CyberSphere with mantlion attacks, explosions, and occasionally ninjas all while attempting not to get divorced or lose our jobs/kids IRL by devoting too much time to a text game. We will try to involve everyone as much as we can, but players who have distinguished themselves as good roleplayers and non-powergamers (remember when we used to call them twinks?) who won't just keep everything for themselves and their OOC friends always get priority. Often times, though, I just look to see who is the most un-idle on the @who list and grab them SO BE ACTIVE!

A quick peak at what staff is currently up to. Pennywise, amongst other things, has been creating the new mid-range decks that can't be simply gutted for parts. Qetesh and Pennywise actually code many strange mysterious things I cannot comprehend all the time. They also help me when I say things like, "What if mantlions attacked the city? Could we code mantlion encounters on the streets?" Solidus watches over steepled fingers from the shadows playing a game of his own devising that peaks out occasionally like an iceberg, while the unknowable machinations behind the event twist like Jörmungandr causing tremors in the New Carthage underground. Rain will come out with the new fixer system someday that will be hated by everyone who got used to having a magical Sears catalogue that they used to buy things for only their OOC buddies. I will continue as I have been, the Michael Bay of Cybersphere plots, "Fire, explosion, titties! That's what the kids want!"

We hope you'll all stick around to enjoy that.

-=Grimlock=-
"I knows writers who use subtext and they are all cowards."

[jlaughter001]

As a long time player, I'm very happy of the decision made and the progress I hear about the game. I still lightly play here and then, but have largely removed myself from CS as of late.

In short, kudos to all of you admin, keep rocking, and thanks for maintaining CS over LONG periods of dry inactivity and low player counts. For all the problems I've had over the years with CS, I've had so many great triumphs and losses and outstanding roleplay EXCELLENCE that it's a drug I can never really quit.

Next time you're in town, I'll buy you a fancy Starbucks drink that hopefully doesn't taste like crap (it will).

[Kunoichi]

I'm glad I picked the right time to come back! I agree that while Cybersphere has suffered in the recent past, it's best days are likely ahead of itself as the Cyberpunk Genre is as strong as it ever was and demand for a suitably retro game to explore it in does not seem to be diminishing.

Believe it or not, but watching the Trailer for the new trigger cyberpunk anime is what reminded me to come back and I wouldn't be surprised if others decide they want to be remembered for how they die instead of how they lived.

[Mattski]

i think all 38 were logged on at once tonight. that was kind of cool to see. and i even moved!

[Sevencolor]

I logged on now and then just to see how the game is handling, but seeing 37 players online made my heart skip like seeing red text out of nowhere.

I've never ran across so many people before actually doing things and being, you know, -characters-. It's a very refreshing sight and amazing to see on a place I thought would only have it in my dreams.

I'm really looking forward to see where CS goes, and will try to witness it.

[Anaphora]

Really glad to see the positive changes lately.

[Botanist]

Started playing nearly a week ago and I'm really liking the game! Not sure if people will be put off by this comparison, but it reminds me a bit of HellMOO (with enforced role-playing! And no magical, radioactive tree-people!) Excited to see what the game-world and other players have to offer in terms of conflict and that sort of thing.

The only "complaint" I have is that I'm consciously comparing the way it looks (which is an insane thing to do for a MUD, I know...) to that game. HellMOO is super colorful - thankfully, MushClient's 'highlight word' tool exists, so I can fix that """problem""" on my own.

[Anaphora]

30+ years of a long, detailed, and intricate history, to be compared to HellMOO.
My tears are neverending.

[Kunoichi]

Weren't parts of Heckmoo based on Cybersphere?

[Rain]

Weren't parts of Heckmoo based on Cybersphere?

If you were to draw a Venn diagram for Original HellMOO creators" and "Original CS creators" it would overlap significantly. Spunky's House Of Games is a pretty glaring example.

[the_dweez]

Started playing nearly a week ago and I'm really liking the game! Not sure if people will be put off by this comparison, but it reminds me a bit of HellMOO (with enforced role-playing! And no magical, radioactive tree-people!) Excited to see what the game-world and other players have to offer in terms of conflict and that sort of thing.

The only "complaint" I have is that I'm consciously comparing the way it looks (which is an insane thing to do for a MUD, I know...) to that game. HellMOO is super colorful - thankfully, MushClient's 'highlight word' tool exists, so I can fix that """problem""" on my own.

HellMOO is definitely Cybersphere's wild and crazy little half-brother as compared to Sindome that is Cybersphere's angsty middle child.

[Grimlock]

Update:

[ 5 ] Players have logged in but haven't moved.
[ 53 ] Players have been active.

[Kunoichi]

When is the last time we broke 50?

[Anaphora]

2008-ish probably.

[Pennywise]

And we have a great thread ruined by complaining. Post deleted. Thread locked.