The end of zodiac is upon us.

[MKxTortoise]

Originally Posted by Pimmeh

QFT!
Really....why is UN still living?

Because they have a knowledgeable, active, experienced management that communicates with players and gives them what they want?

Seriously, why would you rip on a server so clearly successful? They catered to the disgruntled Bravo Online/G3k audience when those servers went down, expanded to an RP audience, and added more from there. You can point, laugh, and go OLOLDOLDOL UN HAS TILE ERORS N THEIR ALL NUBS HAHA SUX 4 U but in reality it is you who is the newbie because you fail to realize why UN experiences the fundamental success that it does.

Managing a server is easy as hell. Here is how it goes:
*Players want something.
*Give it to them.

Even a "complex" server like Zodiac can be managed easily so long as you carefully gloss over the principles within Tenarius's Mudwimping Guide and understand them.

Things that keep all of these servers under hosted are stupid things that don't make a difference at all beyond the first impression. Elite custom tilesets? Minute tile errors? Meticulously crafted GUIs? Economies? Items? Classes? These things are LIABILITIES and NOT ASSETS because once you craft them, you must perpetually debug them and balance them. How long, then, before someone quits and a new manager with different plans and a different vision, screws with the old creation and modifies it to his vision? I'll tell you: strain happens. Players cry out for balance and the managers can't define it anymore and then yes, people bail. That's how it works, because you broke rule number two (Give it to them). Often, we don't even get that far and people break rule number one (Give them what they want).

Unholy Nation is a GREAT server and possibly an IMMORTAL server because it is rigidly defined, narrow in scope, and caters to an impossibly large (200+) base of players. These are players who have learned staff positions are given to those who do work, the managers are your friend, and that good things come to those who wait. They are well-mannered and, while the median IQ is probably low, they are smart enough to realize they've latched on to an administration that can and will take care of them. This is why I find your post so woefully ironic: if this happened on UN, UN would weather the storm and survive. Management changes don't even phase UN; I rarely hear about them because you can't dent the server. Either Zodiac will fall or Zodiac wont, but my point remains because we've got doomsayers. Faith in the administration is dropping like a rock. Should a new server come along and do what Zodiac does but better, the server's going down. With Unholy Nation this isn't the case; the management wont let itself be outdone.

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

Uh, not really. Lead by example?

It's not like "managing" takes much work, or any work at all really

I just spilled my soda. While rolling on the floor. Laughing. My *** off.

If you've ever been a manager, you know what a hard job it is. You have to keep all the players happily, and even harder--keeping all the staff on task.

A lot of classic servers have a manager that JUST takes care of players and staff, doesn't do any deving. For good reason, too.

[Crono]

Originally Posted by MKxTortoise

expanded to an RP audience

Care to elaborate on this?

If you've ever been a manager, you know what a hard job it is. You have to keep all the players happily, and even harder--keeping all the staff on task.

Refer to Tortoise's comment about managers.

[MisterMastermind]

QFT!
Really....why is UN still living?

No idea. Cyberseks

[Inspiration]

Originally Posted by cbkbud

I just spilled my soda. While rolling on the floor. Laughing. My *** off.

If you've ever been a manager, you know what a hard job it is. You have to keep all the players happily, and even harder--keeping all the staff on task.

A lot of classic servers have a manager that JUST takes care of players and staff, doesn't do any deving. For good reason, too.

I've been a manager of a popular classic playerword when it was at the largest playercount it's been at in about 5 years.

How about you?

You keep the players happy BY developing. It's one and the same. If as a manager you yourself release good content, the players have faith in not only you, but faith in the staff you hire.

Management becomes a lot harder when you attempt to start juggling NOT doing work as much as you can, rather than just doing it.

It's really not hard to script and make levels while you handle some stuff on AIM and RC, it just involves the desire to do so.

Also, Tort's post is loaded with truth.

[Crono]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

Also, Tort's post is loaded with truth.

Yea I agree.

[Googi]

Originally Posted by MKxTortoise

Tenarius's Mudwimping Guide

That guide is truth squared. How did it take so long for someone to find that guide and post it on the forums?

[Crono]

Originally Posted by Googi

That guide is truth squared. How did it take so long for someone to find that guide and post it on the forums?

I don't really agree with the part about ignoring *****ing @ balanced classes because thats assuming the classes are actually thought out and done by a competent person. Rest is cool for the most part.

[Draagon50]

O Rly?

[coreys]

Maloria's players and a good amount of their staff always hated Maniaman because they thought he was lazy because he never developed (He literally can't, now, he used to script for v2, but he never picked up GS2 so he can't work on v3), so, yeah, developing when you're a manager is important.

[TheJames]

Originally Posted by foxboi

Wasn't Jerret the Owner of the server originally?

Elk wrote:



That's not a precise statement. Half the graal population doesn't wear underwear.

(I do, if you wanted to know )

Actually, I was staff on there while they were gold. And, it was some Chris kid on the Admin Account. He had no other account, except for the administration one.. Soo?

Also, Managing a succesful playerworld is rough. I've only got a taste of Classic status when Atrius hit hosted and had around 50 players for 5 days. It can be fun or terrible. Its for certain people, mature people. I still Manage my server and sometimes it takes it toal. I like to be the Manager I wish I could PM on a server. One who responds even though how dumb the question is.. "WUR TO GET CASH?" or I atleast relay the question, to a PR or something of the sort. A manager should be though provoking and kind, but yet strict so his staff dont override him, nor players. You know some of those nice teachers in school? They are nice but then the bad kids make it terrible for the WHOLE class because those bad kids, in this example (Bad Staff) make the Teacher/Manager go pass his threshold of tolerance, and tweak.

For a succesful playerworld, I do agree with what Tork posted 100%. Ecspecially about the economy, and everything. Changing owners don't usually make a playerworld the best. They all have different ideas. But it can be stresfull to manage a playerworld at times. While your working on stuff (If you develop, witch every Manager should have a special trait), reading/responding PM's, corresponding with staff. Sometimes you have to be on all day just to fullfill everyones needs for that day. It can be a great, fun job. But yet tedious and a "I need another ciggarette" job/responsbility. Responsibility= A great manager.

But yea, whoever takesover Zodiac? Even if a new Manager does or doesnt. They shouldn't try to change much. Just provide cool updates that the Zodiacians might vote on, or something? The players keep the server, but don't try to please everyone. You wont please anyone. Limit and re-strict their opponions to options that YOU know Zodiac/Your playerworld can handle or do, nothing that will ruin the economy or something of that sort.

But thats just my input from a Managers point of view . Take it or leave it.

[Minoc]

Originally Posted by coreys

Seriously. It's one of the worst, really. Diablo ftw. ;(

Diablo is not a MMORPG.

[coreys]

Originally Posted by Minoc

Diablo is not a MMORPG.

I know, but still Diablo ftw.

[papajchris]

i had another account Thejames, i had this account but it was put to another use.... :O Note: Im not saying i shared, or did i?

[theHAWKER]

Originally Posted by papajchris

i had another account Thejames, i had this account but it was put to another use.... :O Note: Im not saying i shared, or did i?

THE TRUTH COMES OUT!