American_Angel

IT IS POSSIBLE

I was just in a base on EXALTED yesterday that is full of double doors...and it is a new base on a new server.

So someone has figured out how to do it.

I accept donations of agreed upon amounts to do basework. I even have a chart to help me calculte how much time it will take for each room, and make sure it works out to no less than $12.00/Hour.

Others than laber time, time to completion plays a role, as does Prestige budget.

Perhaps the way to go is the make suggestions as to how to make the bases a more important part of the game?

Personally, I have friends that cannot even zone into bases anymore. No idea why.

I love my base though.

I was jjust thinking...it's no secret after half a decade that the Devs could care less about Base Builders. So what can we do about it?

We have made lists, formed representative groups, posted letters to the devs...you name it. Nothing works.

Today I got to thinking. In the real world, we would just stop buying the product, right?

Not gonna happen here. I don't know about you, but no matter how many times I tell myself I'm done, I always seem to come back to the game. So, frankly, stomping our feet and threatening to quit is an empty threat.

But what else is done in the real world that we could do here? Today, it dawned on me. Now, keep in mind, this is an idea that is minuted old and hasn't been thought through yet...maybe we can work it out together, or toss it in the trash together, lol.

PROTEST 101
What I propose is this...if the base builders can come together and create toons on the same server once a week (each week on a different server) and as a unit stage a protest, complete with picket signs and broadcast chants...for just...say...an hour each week...until the devs take notice, would it make our voices heard?

I know, at first, other players in the zones (say Atlas for example) would laugh and insult us. But if we stick to our guns, would we eventually draw attention to the issue?

Discuss. Is this an idea worth pursuing?

There is another benefit as well...
You know how some families get together for a weekly bar-b-q? Well, this would allow for all the base builders to hook up, get to know each other. We could form a special global channel for non-broadcast chat or something.

What do you guys think?

You two are so far off base that it's amazing. Putting aside the obvious political correct agenda here for a moment, I did not say NC Soft was wrong for contributing the $5,000,000 to Japan relief. READ IT AGAIN.

For years, we have been told that the budget was too small to allow them to contribute ANY resources to bases.

Yet, when relief is needed elsewhere, however legit it is, money magically appears in the coffers.

The point is not that they helped Japan...the point is that by doing so, they exposed themselves as lying to us. They say they cannot aford to put someone to work on bases...hiring someone special for it might cost well under $100k annually, yet in the span of a month, they came up with $5 million, regardless of the reason.

They have been lying to us.

You know...I want to be open and honest for a minute here.

The devs have put a lot of work into this game. I mean, in the past year or so, we have seen so very many additions to the content. They surely have been busy little beavers.

So, looking back, I can garner some understanding from within myself for them.

But here's the thing: Although I have enjoyed the new content, there is only one overwhelming reason I still play this game. Bases.

I know...some people will see this and think I must enjoy boredom!

Well, to understand me, you should know that I am a full-time novelist. I spend all day, nearly every day, working on books, contacting agents, editors and doing research for my projects. And I cram studying as many books as I can on improving my writing skills (I have over 200 writing books) and I make time to read other authors work to learn from them.

So when I finally get time to relax (and I usually have to force that time on me), I log on and I think...which character do I want to level or play?

And then I think about the repetition involved. Boring. So I think, "Maybe I'll work on getting incarnates for one of my 50s?" But then my brain tells me it doesn't want to focus on figuring thinkgs out there.

So I log on my main and go to work on my base. Why?

Think of a clothes drier. It heats up and spins, does the hard work, and then it has a cool down period.

Base building is my chance to do something creative but non-intensive. It's my cool down period. If I didn't do it, I would likely be up till 4 in the morning working almost every night.

But then we have the way base builders are treated in this game. It's like a coach saying you are one of his best players but never backing it up and putting you in.

That's the way it is between the devs and the base builders. They are quick to compliment our creativity, saying how amazed they are by what we can do, but they never give us the chance to do more. They never put us in the "update" game. We are ignored completely.

After a year, it was fine...there is, after all, a lot going on in this game. After two years, it was concerning, but still, plenty of other things going on. And now, after over half a decade, we are still being ignored.

Now, it's downright insulting. By their lack of action, the devs are telling us we do not matter - do not count amongst the other players of the game.

I have to tell you...I am beyond frustrated. So far beyond the point of anger that I am almost disgusted with the way base builders are treated. Every update is like a slap in the face by the devs because every issue proves once again that we do not matter.

If this were not a game...if people were being treated like this in society...how would you feel then? Would the devs be "polically correct" in the way they treat base builders? Seriously?

Make no mistake. I am not saying we are women demanding the right to vote. I am not saying we are African Americans forced to ride in the back of the bus. I am not saying we are being denied our rights as citizens.

But certainly there are some similarities. In a way, we're not even permitted to get on the bus. We are not represented among the devs. Sure, occasionally a politician (dev) mentions us or says something to give a little hope, but nothing EVER comes of it. And a year or two later, the process repeats.

Paragon Studios works on the game, but NCSoft runs the show. NCSoft provides the resources.

I have it on good authority that Bases come up at nearly all developer meetings...but never as a serious topic. Simply put...we do not matter to them.

I'm sorry, but I think you are all asking too much of the Devs. Simply put...they are not going to dedicate an entire issue to bases and they will not upgrade the editor.

It would take too many resources to do so.

And maybe that's why we see nothing accomplished. Everyone is crying out for an overhaul when if they really want to see things get better, they would simply ask for items to be added to the editor.

• Like a 1/4th tile block of water.
• More floor, wall and ceiling textures.
• Building blocks or various textures and colors.
• Heck...I would love simple concrete blocks that are stackable...how hard would it be to create a stackable block with the gravel texture on it?

By asking for overhauls, personal housing and base packs, we're all shooting ourselves in the feet. Ask for simple stuff. Maybe we'll actually see it (although I doubt it).

Another Idea...Superbases.

Only people that buy the packs would be able to form Superbases. Regualr bases would not be able to hold the Superbase items, but SB would be backward compatible.

And make leadership non-transferable (although permissions to build would be able to be assigned)...except to characters on the same account.

This would also give the devs the chance to upgrade the base editing system.

** Also, if they lower costs and swith to influence-based Superbases, many people could use this for personal housing.

This.

It would be awesome if we could save a room like we save costumes, and then we just pull up the list, click the room and place it.

The only issue I would see with this is the items against walls blocking doorways and making hte rooms unable to place.

Personally, I try to only have hanging items on walls so I can easily replace them as needed. All other items...including floors and such, I build slightly away from the walls so I can easily move the rooms.

QUESTION: Are we going to get free server transfers after this? Temperarily?

12 hour downtime??????! What kind of JUNK is this??!

Just kidding.

I'll have to create my toon on all the newly added servers tonight. Right now he exists on all US servers.

I wouldn't get my hopes up on the bases...nothing but empty hopes there.