ElSe – The First Arc – Part I

This is not a story. This is simple some initial thoughts I have about the first arc. I plan to write a summary and some more thoughts about the first arc later, thus this being part I. Well, it’s finally over and I’ve obviously given it barely one week before I plan to throw us all into the second and final Arc of the Group that actually from now on will be called KES in the second arc. This because of Foppa’s new character Karnak; Karnak Eldtofs, Serena.

I am fairly satisfied with the first arc. It went pretty well even though it wasn’t really a roller coaster ride. But well, something that might affect the game-play is initiative. I know that you mostly think that you act as you should, and for the most part you do even though you could have done so much more. It seems like freedom isn’t what you really want actually. This is something that seems really strange to me. But well, we will discuss this later.

The story in itself is actually pretty good if you ask me but it once again seems like you aren’t really taking real advantage of your freedom and making your character LIVE. This is something I think is pretty hard to work on actually but well, it needs to be mentioned. However the story is unfolding greatly and has given some opportunity for development of characters in free-directions of your own choosing. The world is clearly going wrong and for us who know that the apocalypse is near we know that this is just the prelude to the real end.

Stones, stones, stones. This is something that you don’t really seem to have grasped. They are meant to be your tool of doing what you want how you want it and not simply just modifiers. I’ve tried to make it clear to you but all you seem to think about is appropriate and the more solid things about it. I don’t want to give you things, just say this is how it is and use it like this or this. Because then it would all seem to just be coping me and if I set the standards you will focus too much on what I do and how I do things which is not the point. You should use your imagination to make it possible.

One thing that I’m really disappointed over is that you actually focus to much in AP or FP when it comes to stones. Stones are meant to be rewards f or good playing and used to make it greater. But I guess I have to blame myself on this point. Give something to someone and say that it’s worth ten dollars and that they can use it to watch a movie they will just see the ten dollars and completely forget about the awesomeness they SHOULD create with things. And When I complain about it you just want to hear “straight facts” which is like *sighs* to me. But well…

Training is also something I actually had thought you would have tried do much more. I can think of several occasions when you should have been able to do it but I guess I need to say something like; Do you want to train with him now? Or do you want to train this or that? Initiative to ask and try for yourself is something you still need to grasp and have everything pointed out for you instead of having to read my intentions in the moments. And when I say it afterwards you often come up with things like it would have been inappropriate when it instead would have been even more natural for your character…

It seems like this became mostly complaints but what can I do? I am a little bit disappointed about how you’ve done things and how you always tend to complain about two things in particular and when I give you those you don’t take advantage of it. The two things I’m talking about now is freedom and flexibility in describing and controlling your surroundings. I will go into concrete facts so you know what I mean and also name those who are concerned so you don’t need to figure out what I mean…

Both of you have sometimes complained about the controlled environment of playing sometimes, mostly PB though. However, even with a Starcrossed in your group I’ve given you all the time to do whatever you want and tried to be natural with every element and not force something forwards. Even so it’s been a very few tries to take advantage of this and you mostly act like handicapped or like you are lost when freedom is given. I don’t know if it’s that I give you too much freedom or if it’s something else I do wrong about this or if it’s only you that are to unused to have freedom. I mean my story have folded almost exactly like I wanted it to and you haven’t made almost any decisions to change it yourself.

Example of this is the questionable nature of Kristian for Ankan. His behaviour has really been suspicious and strange, even without knowing about him manipulating Serena. Then with his attitude and strange acting in general. What I mean is that I’ve given a lot of threads about this nature for Ankan to try to do whatever he liked and saw fit but inaction was the choice he made. Well, if that’s how you want it then it’s fine. Inaction is something natural in these situations but it’s also a choice of a coward. Not to developing either for the character. But at least your freedom was there for a moment.

Well the second thing that Ankan have mostly complained about or at least expressed is the nature of being able to have a more free nature of the game, like Dominator. But the thing about this which is kind of the point with stones and explanations is that you need to somehow infuse your character and the situation with more feelings. Both you try to do this with some more descriptions. Well, I’ve said that descriptions are something really necessary but also something that you not always should be too focused. Too extensive descriptions not only make the situation long and outdrawn but it also somewhat takes the edge of everything, as do too detailed questions. Which I believed that I’ve complained about like a dozen times before. Then it’s this with stones and initiative. You need to take initiative to do what you want to do and need to see the opportunity not only the hindrance in everything. I know that you don’t approve about the stones mostly but you’ve never seemed to care about anything else other than to use the AP on them even though I’ve said that they were mostly to be USED not to be stacked.

If needed I will explicitly take away those things with them or even remove them because it hinders you to think straight but I rather not since it’s for using and using at all times rather than stacking to improve, especially the white stones.

Well, to say something positive instead I must say that even though I complain you have both played out your characters pretty well. You both still need to play them out more smoothly, but well, it’s okay for now anyway. And yes, I will forbid you to play women again with your next characters. Not that you are doing a terrible job playing women, I think you need more training expressing your characters in general before you try to play something that obviously isn’t of your gender-type. But well, well…

I hope that it will be fun the next arc too, and then we’ll see if the world is going to break into many, many pieces or if it will be possible to do what I plan to do.

Best regards,
Herid Fel