I have deleted the account for Harpy here (benefit of being an admin?) and have decided I would just leave a note about it. If you really don't give a damn, don't bother reading, it won't affect you.
Ever since I started playing NWs, when I started talking to people through messengers, I would get little comments along the line of "Soandso is talking about you on <threshx/nwx/mw-y>." Even to this day the only contact I have with some people who have -quit- playing NWs is for them to inform me what is being talked about here in regards to my characters, myself, guilds I am in and the like.
Of course, the first knee jerk reaction was to immediately get on and read it and then to flame back about how wrong so and so is.. blah blah. Then it became something where something would happen on the game and this was where one would immediately retreat to go off. I've even flamed people OOC and felt sorry about it later (such as when I went off on.. Khalen? Kahlen? I can't remember his char name but a Waylumi Priest who was then editor of the paper for putting unoriginal items in the news). But.. still.. Came to these places and took part in them as I played.
Over the years, whether any of you agree or not, I would like to think I matured some, especially as far as my initial reaction to someone deciding to make snap judgements in regards to my characters or roleplay. Lately though.. I have come to the decision that -for me- this hurts the game more than it helps it. I have seen people get thoroughly hurt by the way they feel their character is being misinterpreted. I have seen people wanting to quit the game because they felt, thanks to these sites, that everyone hated them.. And I will say that NWx slowly started moving away from that direction. It took awhile, but NWx did get to the point where it offered ideas and the like.
But now we have NW-y. A fan site which has turned into a school yard again. Children are mean to each other. Go to any elementary school and you can see that. Hell, as mudders, most of you probably experienced it. Being shunned by the popular kids, called names, have tricks played on them. Kids are mean. And the only excuse for it is that they have not matured nor have they been taught to grow up and teach each other with a modicum of respect or that whole golden rule hasn't set it.
I will never claim to be perfect and I can be the world's BIGGEST bitch when I am in the mood, as many of you will attest to. But this is ridiculous. People play these games FOR FUN. And so many people seem to relapse into childhood where they have to be the biggest, baddest bully on the playground. You take the FUN out of the GAME. And yes, for some of you, this -is- the reason you play. This -is- your fun. For you to sit here and critique faceless people at your computer screen and belittle them to make yourself feel better.
Have at it. I am done with it, really.
For those of you who use this to try and improve the game, kudos to you, but make sure that you are leading by example, not bull horn.
Good luck in the game, everyone. Hopefully it will give you what you seek, want or need.
