Quoting my good friend Spark: "I believe this is as far as the rabbit hole goes."
I've been with Graal since about 2000. Started out just a player, and then got upset about how UN was back then, and taught myself to script. A few weeks later I got my first job on Rudora (might I add my coding skills were terrible back then). Since that first job things have changed so much. After I basically was a scripter or NPC Admin on nearly every server I got a job on Kingdoms as a scripter by the off-chance Stefan liking my scripting. A few months later the GST (Global Scripting Team) was setup, and I was on the team. I believe April 2002 was when we established the GST. As you're all aware I'm sure, we've changed members a lot, and only Lance and I have since remained, but now I feel my time is drawing to a close.
For nearly the last two years I've tried to do the best I could with what I had, and keep the game in running the best possible condition, and to help scripters who wanted to learn and become better. The only regret I have looking back is that I didn't do more. I hope that for a few people, that I made some small diference, because that to me, means I have not wasted these last few years that have taught me so much.
It's funny, I used to seek attention, but quickly it died out, because I realized that it's not about promoting yourself or making yourself public and out there in the open, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that people learned, and I found the more work I did, the more I was unheard of. Many of you probably haven't seen me if you're not staff on a server. I tried to take a few days out of every month, and talk to players, see what they thought, see what they wanted to happen, but I didn't always get around to it I must admit.
Until a month or two ago I was paying my own subscription to Graal, regardless of the fact that I strictly worked, and did I have honestly not sat and played in nearly 3 years except for the occasional GK episode. My last effort to give something to the game was to ask for my dev world to be brought back up so I could leave a playerworld in the hands of Graal and the players, but thus far Stefan and Unixmad are not keen on allowing me to have my server back without paying the rental fees for a server. This is upsetting, but this is not the reason by any manner that I am quitting.
Many people are aware of the management that goes on in Graal. So long have I sat back and watched, and tried to basically abuse glitches and bugs to fix servers or prevent people who have taken over a server to do more damage. Currently I have a level2 + NC (without folder rights except logs, temp and wordfilter), which does not do a lot as far as being able to help goes. It's always been up to the playerworld owners to give rights they wanted help with, same for all globals except recently with Spark. I can't sit back anymore, it's not fair to me, it's not fair to you guys. For example the account "Enchant Wolf XxX" stole a server and I removed him, and sent an allservers message about removing and banning him, asked Spark to ban him (no disrespect to Spark, he's just one man and is very busy), and then today I found out in the last 24 hours he deleted things on a server and gave rights to someone who took over that server later last night or this morning. I just can't do this anymore...
A lot of people have been curious as to my age, so now is as good a time as ever to explain. March 4th of this year I will be 18. This is the date I have set aside to take my leave if things continue. I intend to leave behind a few last documents for all those who wish to learn, and I offer the advice "never give up". It's not always easy, but you'll be amazed at what you can do if you set your mind to it. For the last several years I've done what I thought was in the best interests of Graal, but I don't think that currently I can do anything else for the players, and for this I am sorry. I only hope that my leaving will leave the game in as good of hands as when I found it. My decision is not final, but unless things change in the next month and a half or so, then I am afraid I will be leaving you all.
I will not begin to mention names of all those who have given me fond memories throughout the years, and I think all of you. Most notably I feel obligated to thank Spark, who was always around when he could be and puts more into this game than I could ever dream. Also to Lance, without his guidance and support I don't know what I would've done. Despite what anyone may say, I will vouch that Lance is a wonderful guy and I trust him above all others, so I urge you all to put your trust in him as I have. Lastly I would like to thank Multiflame aka Anti-Chriz, from unholy nation. He has helped me through many problems I've had over the years and just been there when I needed him, and for that I am eternally grateful, thank you. Most of all, I want to thank the players, for without you, there would be no Graal. Best wishes.
-David |