Issue #33: 28 Tybi 2757
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
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 | Life's pretty good! I'm a pirateby Busty Russell“Life's pretty good, and why wouldn't it be? I'm a pirate, after all.” These words of Johnny Depp seem to fit Davy Jones, member of The Black Pearl. According to Jones, The Black Pearl’s mission statement and philosophy is “based around the crew helping each other and new crew members, maintaining a strong question database, having fun and [drinking] rum.” Jones said that he enjoys playing the game, helping out the new players and hanging out with the other disciples in the forums, which he said won’t change in the future. Why The Black Pearl? “ I joined the Black Pearl very early on in the game, and as it was a relatively young dominion, I have progressed up alongside the dominion,” he said. “This allowed the disciples to shape the dominion as it grew, as opposed to starting in an established dominion.” Regarding em’s and Captain Jack’s breaking off from The Black Pearl and forming their own dominion, Quill and Dagger, Jones had this to say. “I still do not know why em and Captain Jack left the Pearl, and to be honest,” I have never asked. “Disciples have their own agendas and I am not one to be offended by someone following theirs,” he added. “Captain Jack was my mentor through much of my early questing and I kept in regular contact with him both before and after the move. Em considered herself above most disciples and her move looked to be another of her abandoned projects.” Speaking of projects, how does Jones feel about the tutoring issue? “Tutoring is a valid in-game mechanic which looks to be an easy way to gain favour,” he said. “In reality, unless you happen to be the Ankhet of Ahmose, it is an inefficient way of generating favour for the cost of anima,” he added. “If disciples wish to waste their time tutoring others, I would leave them to it.” However, Jones added that he is against the tutoring of new disciples, but in general, he’s against any kind of hard-set rules regarding the tutoring issue. “Trying to put rules around a feature that has no controls is an exercise in futility,” he explained. Regarding the politics of Ankhet, Jones offers his individual viewpoint. “I wouldn’t call most of it politics, more deliberate baiting to rile another disciple into action so there can be a reaction,” he said. “Grab some popcorn,” he adds. “It’s fun to watch.” According to Jones, Atum-Ra is his favourite all-around path despite the fact that it’s one he spends relatively little time on. “It has the right mix of favour, attacks and curing.,” he explains because “[he] has a sensible and rational contribution to any argument.” Jones also believes that Baltar was the steadying force in the Shadows before his hiatus. It’s important to note that Davy Jones is here for fun and to help others. “I play the game for my own enjoyment and helping others enjoy the game, “he said. “I am always willing to lend a hand or most other body parts when required.” Yet, he admits, “I am not into picking fights for the sake of it but will stand up to injustice,” so if disciples intend to act in ways he doesn’t approve of, he’s likely to react. Communal Commentaryby An Opinionated ObserverOnce more, the propaganda machine that is the Dominion of Light has come rampaging out of the desert sands to gossip and wreak havoc (mostly among its own members, it seems.) Aethlas reportedly joked with his Nomarch that he was leaving Light as a result of gaining enough information to suit his 'spying' needs - although who he would have been spying for is anyone's guess, the poor guy had never been a member of any other group previous to Light! Evidently a sincere lack of humor is needed to become part of the top levels of the Light hierarchy. He was, after all, merely wishing to move into Lights satellite Dominion, Luz. More recent events suggest that the Gossip Queen has learnt little from her experience with Aethlas, despite Arabella's previous hopes that 'we can all learn some sort of lesson.' Once again, she is quick to strike against her 'friends' when they move in ways that do not suit her. Unfortunately for the Light 'family of dominions,' Hey was in prime position to make his displeasure felt by all. A messy situation to say the least, especially for the Gossip Queen, who's favorite 'soundbyte' of the moment seems to be 'Communication is the lifeblood of the game.' She should take her own advice! In the midst of all this, our dear Gossip Queen has taken it upon herself to reinvigorate the Ankhet press. Can we trust her judgement when it comes to the rest of Ankhet Society? So far the vast majority of her efforts have involved articles on members of her own Dominions - when she isn't pouncing on unwitting Quill and Dagger members, that is. Soliciting answers to questions that no one but the Gossip Queen herself had even thought to ask. From a woman who has so little trust in her own Dominion-mates, this Opinionated Observer cannot help but wonder how she can be trusted to put forth correctly the ins and outs of other Dominions! It will surely become boring to read about Lights latest members week after week however, so perhaps we should welcome these farcical articles on other people - that or rename TAG to something more suitable. Suggestions on a postcard, please! Contests!by AllispaulAhh, contests. Our little respite from the sometimes-tense atmosphere of our game. The history of contests in Ankhet is a long and varied one, going way back to the first Last Disciple Standing in 2755. But even now, the atmosphere of the contest is continually changing, due to changes in players and changes in the minds that drive the contests. One might say that the forum-charged atmosphere and gameplay mechanics of Ankhet are particularly suited to the contest. For instance, the creator can Announce the contest and then Decree multiple threads for separate rounds and commentary; the players can Telepath each other for communication. (The Dominion forums, too, might be excellent for private communication amongst a team, but unfortunately, it rarely falls out that players from a single Dominion are all on one team, and as far as I know, no intra-Dominion contests have been held.) By tacit agreement among the players (some of whom once attempted to make this official) the Neophytes forum is the hot spot for contests, which are thus easy to locate and observe. Finally, prizes are often given to the winner or winners of a contest. These prizes may range from a single Powder Flask to Metasis Charms, hundreds of Ka Fragments and Kuk Charms, and more. In some cases, the purpose is not the prize but the social benefits of the contest. The Light Dominion’s Newbie Contest of two months ago awarded relatively little in the way of prizes, but was exceptional in teaching newer players about the fora, their abilities, and the web of inter-Disciple relations. The contests themselves have taken many forms. The most simple judges players’ performance in a task or set of tasks: these can range from writing contests to “race to level 100.” The Grinder, an innovative franchise created by Euplicitous Aerophram (N: The Riven) and run in recent months by Snigu Ka Tet/Sniggy (Shadows), takes this a step further. Teams change every round, and points for victory play second fiddle to the “off the island vote” of the active players. The final round “grinds” the most and least popular players off of the final four, leaving two players to battle it out for the finals. Last Disciple Standing, run by em (The Quill & Dagger) currently nearing the end of its second iteration, has the same format but a different style. Rounds have ranged from creative writing to logic and combinatorics puzzles. The contest is, in fact, a throwback to Pyroto’s Last Wizard Standing and run along similar lines. em has commented, too, that the contest is “a great way for individuals to get to know each other.” To further this end, she did state that she created the teams by mixing together people from different alliances. Mafia is another popular franchise-contest, first run by JunkMan (Monolith) and now by Altair (The Quill & Dagger) and Major JK (The Black Pearl). The idea is familiar to anyone who has attended a slumber party. Also known as Werewolf or Vampire, Mafia alternates “nights” in which the title villains assassinate a player with “days” in which the players vote on a suspect to lynch. Major JK was excited to have a chance to run the game’s third iteration, and was pleased that “the game literally worked itself.” Others, however, were more skeptical. There have been complaints about the rule forbidding private communication between players, and Mafia 3, in particular, has been noted for its numerous voting deadlocks. JK commented that he would “find a way to break those deadlocks soon.” Still, the contest has been fun for all those involved, both because of its Kuk Charm betting pool and because it has “lured the more silent players to step out of their comfort zone.” JK added that, although the experience of running a contest was fun, he would probably not be chairing it for the next repetition. Altair was unavailable for comment. Even though contests offer a nice escape, they have not been without their share of controversy. In Mecheir 2756, Zatoichi (macrocosm) (now Juan Valdez, Monolith) attempted to run a contest but ended up bending his own rules to accommodate a late entry. Amidst allegations of favouritism, the contest disintegrated. Even in the most innocuous of places, confusion and dissent over the rules can materialise. Light’s aforementioned Newbie Contest was lambasted at first for forbidding its players to enter a Dominion. Mafia has received continual fire for the no-Telepath rule. But still, the march of the contests presses on. Some like them, some dislike them, but to all entrants they offer a measure of escapism and pleasure at a game-within-a-game. Questions still pop up: how will the Mafia game finish? Will there be a third LDS? And will Euplicitous Aerophram retake leadership of The Grinder? Answers to these questions can only come in time. For now, we’ll just enjoy what we’ve got. The Name Gameby Busty RussellWhich disciple seems to change his name as often as he changes his underwear? It’s Frey, aka Dr. Gonzo, of course. “My name changes have many influences,” Gonzo said. “Some are found rambling on the internet, [while] others pop up in my head,” he added. “The ones I'd say most closely connected to me, save Frey as that was a different life, are Gonzo and Pimp Daddy Jesus. He explained that the name Gonzo was pulled from two influences, both the muppet and the idea. What about Gonzo’s egotistical side? Pimp Daddy Jesus, without a doubt. If readers have trouble nailing down Gonzo’s playing style, that may be intentional on Gonzo’s part. “I play Ankhet at all angles, or at least try, because it is my opinion that I deprive myself otherwise,” he explained. “To say PvP is more important than PvE is incorrect in my mind.” he added. “To say communing is more important is a lie as well.” “I would chartacterize myself as... well, myself,” he added. “There are bits and pieces that I would call a facade.” How does Dr. Gonzo stand on the tutoring issue? “I think there should be a cap on tutoring, but it should slide,” he said. “Disciples who put effort into climbing, a noticeable effort, deserve more favour to be given to them than a disciple who doesn't climb,” he added. In fact, he’s noticed several times that a disciple was tutored more favour than that disciple earned that entire month. “I find it disturbing that Ankhet has accepted this each time,” he added. Dr. Gonzo said that he chose Monolith because he already was on friendly terms with Dij and Pak, so when Kitsune closed, “it just seemed to make sense.” “The disciples I admire are for nothing in-game related, but for things they have achieved in real life,” Gonzo said. Blue Agave and Akhom are admired because “they have done what I wish to do myself.” Dr. Gonzo is unable to choose just one Ankhet path as his favourite, being that he likes both Sekhmet and Atum-Ra. “If I wanna rough it, however, and choose what I believe the most fun path, it'd be Thoth,” he explains. Why did Dr. Gonzo stay after logging into the game from KoL? “I found it quite hilarious we had a hermit,” he said, adding, “I much like the randomness of the Deep Jungle. Vials, Silver Scarabs, and Lotus” that can all be found within the confines of the jungle itself. Contest Updateby the QuislingAnkhet has borne witness to two long-running contests in recent days. First, the Neophytes forum is home to the second incarnation of em's popular "Last Disciple Standing." Initially em (The Quill and Dagger) divided the eighteen contestants into six teams of three, and set them a variety of challenges both creative and puzzling. When only two teams were left they were split up again, and the remaining players began to compete individually for the grand prize of 500 Kuk Charms, 125 Ka Fragments, and a Metasis Charm. Round 14 required each contestant to concoct a "witch's brew" of Ankhet artifacts, describing its ingredients and mode of preparation. When the round was over, Malarthi (Selket) was eliminated for submitting his entry late and cloud (N: Lite) was eliminated for submitting no entry at all, reducing the contestants to only four. Round 15 asked the contestants to design a travel brochure for Ankhet and an Ankhet menu. Mafdet (The Riven) submitted only a menu, resulting in her elimination from the contest. The three disciples remaining are Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit (The Quill and Dagger), Evori (Selket), and Snigu Ka Tet (Shadows). Despite em's exhortation to "Expect the next round within 24 hours," over a week has passed with no sign of round 16. Nevertheless, this reporter is confident that LDS will return and reach a satisfying conclusion. Meanwhile, over in the Adepts forum, Altair (The Quill and Dagger) and Major JK (N: The Black Pearl) are co-hosting the third installment of "Mafia," which is claiming lives at an alarming rate. The premise is that four members of the mafia have infiltrated a small village, and murder a villager every night. The villagers, desperate to retake their town, resort to lynching one of their own every day without knowing the identities of the true culprits. Each faction hopes to eliminate the other, and claim a hefty prize of Kuk Charms. Progress in Mafia 3 slowed a bit last week when the eight remaining players seemed unable to reach a majority consensus on whom to lynch. The third deadlock was three votes for Arabella (Light) and four for Che (now Hey Clown), with em refusing to cast a vote for either of them. After 48 hours, Captain JK (now Major JK) declared Che lynched because he had a plurality of the votes. Che protested that he and Arabella were tied at three votes each, having forgotten that Scarabmanga (Selket) had tried to change his vote from em to Che. Captain JK then used a random number generator to choose the victim, and Che was again selected. At this point em raised a concern regarding the fairness of lynching a victim who had not received the majority vote that the rules specified, so Captain JK offered to redo the voting if a majority of the contestants wished it. Finally ???? (previously Scarabmanga, now %) announced that he was retroactively changing his vote to Che to avoid a recount, and Che acceded to his fate. Major JK (formerly Captain JK) then announced that only two nominations would be permitted each round, in an effort to avoid future deadlocks. The mafia claimed Arabella as its next victim, and em nominated Evori for lynching while Krysondra (N: Kitsune) nominated em. Evori then pointed out that Major JK's rule change could allow the mafia to force the villagers to lynch one of their own simply by nominating two ordinary villagers every round. Major JK agreed and altered the rule to permit any number of nominations, whereupon Evori nominated Krysondra. Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit also attempted to nominate SpathaAnimi (now DiscipulusDeorum), but missed the deadline. As of this writing, the six remaining contestants are %, Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit, DiscipulusDeorum, em, Evori, and Krysondra. It has been over 72 hours since the nominations were closed; DiscipulusDeorum has voted for Evori, and Evori has restated his vote for Krysondra. The voting thus stands at two for Evori, one for Krysondra, and one for em, with % and Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit not yet voting. It may be another long day in that beleaguered village... Ankhet Pollby KewelYou’ve got your own preferences as to where you’d like to adventure. But you wonder, what are the others’? Recently, curious about this question, Where is your overall most favourite place to adventure? I went around asking certain disciples that question. Altogether I asked 23 Disciples, but only 19 of them replied by press time. And the results: 5 people selected Bloodstained Beach 3 people selected Nexus 2 people selected Kauket 1 person selected City of Brass (on a whole) 1 person selected Empyreal Arena 1 person selected Opalescent Portal 1 person selected Deep Jungle 1 person selected Black Well 1 person selected The Pit 1 person selected Rakshasa 1 person selected First Portal And finally 1 person, probably for a joke, selected Nefertiti’s Crack. Hoho. Here are a few quotes on their choices: Navi: “Bloodstained Beach cause of the high drop rate.” Bottom Feeder: “My favourite place to adventure is The Black Well…I find the battles and smurfs there well worth it. I also enjoy the challenge of watching the timing and beating my fellow disciples.” Blue Agave: “Kauket is by far the place with the most stable and sure rewards.” pakhet: “I guess overall the Nexus is the best place to name. It gives a decent amount of favour return, it provides vials and such using the proper crest, and has those lovely little Kuks to tease us.” Great Budda: “My favorite place to adventure is The Pit. I remember those annoying assassination attempts that used to be nearly always fatal for me. Now all they do is fail giving me a sense of accomplishment.” Unfortunately, due to space constraints in the good ol’ TAG (no thanks to the server), not all of the quotes could be featured, which is quite a pity… Anyway, what does this show? I’m not exactly sure. Maybe cause everyone is greedy and hoards their artifacts…Oh no wait. This is definitely sending out the wrong message that everyone in Ankhet is ego-centric…or are they? Cheers! Quotable Notables"If my perception is unwarranted by facts, then I still declare for 'Bella, because ladies should always come first!" ~ Blue Agave in response to the 4th, in the Belle and Bolly thread, post #16 in the Underworld."Nothing you said in this post answered the question I asked." ~ em in response to HootieHoot, in post #107 in Tutoring... (yes, again) in the Servants thread "For some reasons I am possessed by the urge to doom Malarthi just so that later, when my motivation is questioned, I could say that I found the Tet Offensive." ~ Euplicitous Aerophram in response to Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit, post #19 in the Malarthi! thread in the Underworld. "I feel off the wagon... and took others with me...." - Jebe the Ruin Bunny in *Anonymous in Immortals, post #13 to himself "There's a missing quotation mark there which made it quite confusing at first. " ~ by Bottom-Heavy Grapefruit to Nefertiti, post #17 in Commentary on TAG in the Servants Thread "Also, don't believe everything you read in the press." by Mafdet to Freya, in So....Who wants to fill me in??? post #4, in Halls of Initiation "Is there no way in this game I can be helpful to other players without getting rebuked? BF digs yet a deeper hole and attempts to hide in Ankhet!" ~ Bottom Feeder to in Bottom Feeder, Hasdeni, and Captain JK thread, to Che, post #10 in Servants Top of the GameHere are the current Ankhets: (Bold indicates a change from the previous issue)
From the Editor's DeskEnjoying TAG? Want to see it continue?Contribute! Please send any questions, comments, or submissions to AnkhetGazette@gmail.com. Submissions for Wednesday's issue should be in by Monday evening. Previous Issues can be viewed by using the Archives button below. View Archives | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In Memoriam: Ninjalicious