Nashtok's obsession with resources, particularly databases..
BORING...

Nashtok tells you, 'so, i talked to alkara for awhile'
You reply to Nashtok 'eh?'
Nashtok tells you, 'he logged in a night or so ago'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's mainly on him, as far as that db goes'
Nashtok tells you, 'though it's not good that you are promoting it'
You reply to Nashtok 'rollseyes again'
You reply to Nashtok 'i see no harm in it imho'
Nashtok tells you, 'well, we went over that'
You reply to Nashtok 'to each their own'
You reply to Nashtok 'we fundamentally disagree'

Nashtok tells you, 'we'll just have to see'
Nashtok tells you, 'well'
You reply to Nashtok 'the same 99% of crap that is useful is available from auction'
You reply to Nashtok 'and identification'
Nashtok tells you, 'right'
You reply to Nashtok 'there are god loads i'm sure'
Nashtok tells you, 'within the legitimate bounds of the game'
Nashtok tells you, 'so why not just stick to what's available legitimately to players?'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and it's not actually all the same information available'
You reply to Nashtok 'because even the god loads are auctioned every now and then'
You reply to Nashtok 'i like to see eq of the week stats'
You reply to Nashtok 'without haveing to roll for eqoftheweek'
Nashtok replies to you, 'well'
You reply to Nashtok 'my personal database has more than the zone, it has mobs too'
Nashtok replies to you, 'one thing that came up was about the purpose for a db like that'
You reply to Nashtok 'alkara just had a nice format'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i suppose it would vary by person'
Nashtok replies to you, 'but alkara's main intention seemed to be helping people find eq for their kits'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and for that purpose it's not really helpful to have items that don't load in the game'
Nashtok tells you, 'a personal database is not a problem'
You reply to Nashtok 'people have been sharing their notes that they've collected fo ryears'
Nashtok tells you, 'public databases can be problem, and any db taken from direct mud files is a problem'
Nashtok tells you, 'yes, that's correct'
You reply to Nashtok 'eglin made quite a db and shared it'
You reply to Nashtok 'it became public'
Nashtok tells you, 'and he did it by legitimate means within the game'
Nashtok tells you, 'it may not really be ideal that it's public, but it's fundamentally different from alkara's'

You reply to Nashtok 'i will tell you i've been storing all my identify's for YEARS'
Nashtok replies to you, 'yeah, so have i'
You reply to Nashtok 'again, i dont see what alkara's had that was so crazy'
You reply to Nashtok 'honestly this interest you have in it makes me what to find the item in his db that you dont want us to know about'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's the source, for one, and some additional information that is not available to players over auction or identify'
You reply to Nashtok 'OK, like vnum'
You reply to Nashtok 'how does that help me'
Nashtok replies to you, 'that's one thing, yes'
Nashtok replies to you, 'zone number'
You reply to Nashtok 'apparently vnum has been removed by the way'
Nashtok replies to you, 'cheating on quests'
Nashtok replies to you, 'maybe you wouldn't cheat on quests (??) but others have used it for that'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's had a real detrimental effect on mud gameplay in that way'
You reply to Nashtok 'well i havent quested like that in like years'
You reply to Nashtok 'i disagree'
Nashtok replies to you, 'cheating on quests leads to imms not enjoying giving quests as much which leads to fewer quests'
You reply to Nashtok 'it has promoted folks to learn new zones'
You reply to Nashtok 'there are creative ways then'
You reply to Nashtok 'its just so easy for imms'
You reply to Nashtok 'which i can see your frustration'

Nashtok replies to you, 'well, you can't really disagree with that point, because you don't have experience of an imm, heh'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's not easy for imms'
You reply to Nashtok 'yeah i would never want to be imm'
Nashtok replies to you, 'not at all'
Nashtok replies to you, 'giving quests gets very old and tedious'
Nashtok replies to you, 'teepee has done better than anyone at that, ever'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and i'm speaking for teepee as well as myself in some of these concerns'
You reply to Nashtok 'sure. but honestly in the long run, mudders enjoy playing and learning zones better if they have access to notes and tips'
Nashtok replies to you, 'he doesn't like it being there for people to use on quests'
You reply to Nashtok 'OK, i submit he doesnt like it'
You reply to Nashtok 'you dont like it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'ehh that's not necessarily true'

You reply to Nashtok 'players like it'
You reply to Nashtok 'nashtok i have to tell you i have been told by numerous mortals how much they enjoy the blackbook site'
You reply to Nashtok 'it improves their mudding experience'
Nashtok replies to you, 'in the SHORT run, sometimes players just feel like getting through a zone so they look up someone else's notes'

You reply to Nashtok 'you call it cheating i call it a resource'
You reply to Nashtok 'i could not have done most hard zones i've learned, esp the laby, without notes'
Nashtok replies to you, 'in the long run, players enjoy exploring zones legitimately, either solo exploring or doing a zone with other players, within the game, more than step-by-step following instructions on a website'
Nashtok replies to you, 'players also enjoy building their own notes'
You reply to Nashtok 'you are an elitist'
You reply to Nashtok 'have fun with that'
You reply to Nashtok 'the rest of us enjoy playing casually'
You reply to Nashtok 'and enjoying the game and benefit from notes'

Nashtok replies to you, 'having an excess of information published discourages grouping'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it discourages interaction between players'
You reply to Nashtok 'ironically you're wrong'
You reply to Nashtok 'i see where you think that would be true'
Nashtok replies to you, 'no, i'm right'
Nashtok replies to you, 'think about it'
You reply to Nashtok '*lolz*'
You reply to Nashtok 'caranth and i learned a zone tonight'
You reply to Nashtok 'and blackbook helped'

Nashtok replies to you, 'getting help with equipment and zones is a major element of this game'
Nashtok replies to you, 'walkthroughs are detrimental to that'
You reply to Nashtok 'they've been around for ages'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and a db with comprehensive information is detrimental as well -- there's no need to ask'
You reply to Nashtok 'i found out that elites and their clannies shared trials notes with each other for years before letting the word out'
Nashtok replies to you, 'there's another thing i wanted to ask you'
Nashtok replies to you, 'you acknowledge on your site that looking up the trials zone notes could be detrimental to a player's experience and enjoyment of the zone'
You reply to Nashtok 'i'm still trying to figure out one example of alkara's database'
Nashtok replies to you, '(i don't know how you phrased it, but it was something to that effect)'
You reply to Nashtok 'yeah i put that disclamer after you bitched to me about it months ago'
Nashtok replies to you, 'if that's the case, why post it?'
You reply to Nashtok 'to give them the OPTION'
You reply to Nashtok 'on a side note, everyone clicks past it'
You reply to Nashtok 'according to the cookies'
You reply to Nashtok 'i should remove it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'that stuff harms the game in the long run'
Nashtok replies to you, 'certain classes of information up there don't'
Nashtok replies to you, 'but step by step instructions for how to do a zone are just lame and rip out the enjoyment potential of the game'

You reply to Nashtok 'the truth is, if we took an honest poll of all active mortals, a vast majority would be in favor of blackbook'
You reply to Nashtok 'and the fans are what make the game'
You reply to Nashtok 'i'm still trying to find the item in alkara's db that really just gives away too much info'
You reply to Nashtok 'well we just disagree'

Nashtok replies to you, 'it's not really about being in favor of or against blackbook'
You reply to Nashtok 'you would be against nintendo power /walkthroughs'
You reply to Nashtok 'sure it is'
Nashtok replies to you, 'there are different types of information there'
Nashtok replies to you, 'some people appreciate some of it without agreeing with all of it'

You reply to Nashtok 'do you understand that you alone are the major force against the information it provides? for years the information has never been really challenged until you got on your high horse'
You reply to Nashtok 'nashtok, i've run the site for over 10 years. trust me, the majority of mortals appreciate and agree with it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'in general it's a problem if it spoils a player's experience of the game'
You reply to Nashtok 'rolls eyes'
Nashtok replies to you, 'eh'

You reply to Nashtok 'i've had it for 10+ years and never had complaints except from you'
Nashtok replies to you, 'that may be'
You reply to Nashtok 'andur, rinn, behring, vechelle, jesuel, cadrach, they never personally told me or suggested how "detrimental" it was to the mud'
You reply to Nashtok 'maybe you could convince them'
You reply to Nashtok 'but you can't convince me, i'm sorry'

Nashtok replies to you, 'i would rather information were available that encourages exploring rather than discouraging it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'if players learn how to do things for themselves, that's good'
Nashtok replies to you, 'but having their hand held through something doesn't do that'
Nashtok replies to you, 'as for finding eq for kits and such'
You reply to Nashtok 'i see your point. i disagree. players real life time to learn/play is limited. even if they had the time, the game is hard. '
You reply to Nashtok 'for beginners..'

Nashtok replies to you, 'it's possible that a db could be done in such a way as to help players find what might be good for their kits and at the same time encourage exploring, without giving everything away'
You reply to Nashtok 'i'm still trying to figure out how the database ruined it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'the game is not hard for beginners -- just start at the easy parts'
You reply to Nashtok 'its been too long, you dont get it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'too long since when?'
You reply to Nashtok 'you have become so obsessed with your lordly knowledge, you cannot see thru the eyes of a non-elite'

You reply to Nashtok 'i would agree with you 100% if the goal was to make non-elites learn, so that they too could become elites'
You reply to Nashtok 'however, lets be honest, not everyone gonna be elite'
You reply to Nashtok 'dont have the time for it'
You reply to Nashtok 'and play socially, like myself'
You reply to Nashtok 'and others'
Nashtok replies to you, 'that's a perverse way to express it'

You reply to Nashtok 'please promote your endeavors to growing the mud base'
You reply to Nashtok 'rather than claiming that the resource sites "ruin the mudding experience"'
Nashtok replies to you, 'so, you agree? in a sense'
Nashtok replies to you, 'the goal is to encourage people to learn'

Nashtok replies to you, 'and the other side is this: if you get everything for free, there's no point even playing'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it would be like if i went as a level 34 char and started doing zones by slaying mobs'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it'd be pointlessly easy'
Nashtok replies to you, 'there'd be no enjoyment in it, or very little'

You reply to Nashtok 'why i dont want to be imm'
You reply to Nashtok 'i want to play the game, enjoy my resources, share the mortal love'
You reply to Nashtok 'mortal knowledge/love'
Nashtok replies to you, 'yeah, but being imm has nothing to do with doing zones with an imm char'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's all about improving the game'
Nashtok replies to you, 'or should be'

You reply to Nashtok 'improving the game, if more players play'
You reply to Nashtok 'to be honest, this mud needs a true board of directors, rather than you pushing your own agenda'
You reply to Nashtok 'one of the best things about andor was his focus on coding, rather than policy enforcement'
You reply to Nashtok 'and vechelle'
You reply to Nashtok 'and cadrach'
You reply to Nashtok 'so i appreciate you coding'
Nashtok replies to you, 'shrug'

You reply to Nashtok 'consider i do website dev, i do appreciate your coding'
You reply to Nashtok 'and your advancement of the game'
You reply to Nashtok 'please however, understand, that the game should be enjoyed by the mere mortals that play'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i'm not sure what you mean to say anyway'

You reply to Nashtok 'i assure you the blackbook and database improve the mudding experience for a vast majority of mortals'
Nashtok replies to you, 'andor's, vechelle's, cadrach's focus on coding rather than policy enforcement'
Nashtok replies to you, 'coding is also my focus'
Nashtok replies to you, 'which i thought would be rather obvious?? heh'
You reply to Nashtok 'yes, an i love the fact you take strong interest is improving it'
You reply to Nashtok 'and you do a great job'
You reply to Nashtok 'evils are still overpowered, but w/e'
You reply to Nashtok ';)'
Nashtok replies to you, 'well'
Nashtok replies to you, 'you know, vamp weapons aren't actually as good as they used to be'


You reply to Nashtok 'nashtok, if the mud was ran by a true board of directors, OK? and you took a true poll of the mortal playerbase, and a vast majority, say 75%+ of them favored the blackbook resources AND the damned database, would the board of directors be'
You reply to Nashtok 'be willing to admit, that hell, maybe we should let the mortals use their own resources???'
You reply to Nashtok 'because i tell you, its time that we have a little bit more player input, than say, Lord nashtok says'

Nashtok replies to you, 'ok, look'
Nashtok replies to you, 'this issue is mostly about the fact that the database is not 'their own resources''
You reply to Nashtok 'OK remove the vnum what else is the problem'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it was built by a former lord'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's not legitimate mortal resource information'
You reply to Nashtok 'whats one example?'
You reply to Nashtok 'i'm still trying to find it!'


Nashtok replies to you, 'all i am asking is to drop what was built from official mud files'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i am not asking you not to public dbs of identify and all that, which basically have almost all the same items in them'
You reply to Nashtok 'how does having access to the vnum of a god load'
You reply to Nashtok 'my favorite eq that azakhet made JUST FOR ME one year, the sacrament of herlathing, is truly a god load. '
Nashtok replies to you, 'i would appreciate if you'd have some understanding about what information can be used to cheat on quests and the problems that causes for imms, as well'

You reply to Nashtok 'brb dog barking'
You reply to Nashtok 'back'
You reply to Nashtok 'ok, the lords have always had to deal with folks having resources'
You reply to Nashtok 'i dont know what to tell you'
Nashtok replies to you, 'yeah but never like this, until alkara's db'
Nashtok replies to you, 'never raw mud data actually taken by a lord, etc.'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it is a different class of thing'
You reply to Nashtok 'you guys could use written notes in games, placed on certain mobs'
You reply to Nashtok 'there are ways around the db'
You reply to Nashtok 'i dont see what your issue is'
You reply to Nashtok 'terribly sorry'

Nashtok replies to you, 'yeah, there are different ways of doing quests'
Nashtok replies to you, 'but part of the point of a quest is to test player knowledge of the mud'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and then to encourage them to learn more'
Nashtok replies to you, 'if this were just about legitimately collected data it would be an altogether different issue'
Nashtok replies to you, 'you do understand that, right?'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i wouldn't be here talking to you about your database of identify files in this way'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i'd still have concerns about walkthroughs but that's on a different level'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it's about the experience of the game'
Nashtok replies to you, 'go out and experience it'
Nashtok replies to you, 'encourage players to learn'

You reply to Nashtok 'truthfully, tonight, caranth and i both learned a new zone'
You reply to Nashtok 'blackbook's walkthrough helped with that'
You reply to Nashtok 'you may not want to hear that'
Nashtok replies to you, 'which zone? tos?'
You reply to Nashtok 'yea'
You reply to Nashtok 'also, did you know if you ressed in a DT and you're still landed you die?'
You reply to Nashtok 'can you bring back the aoc newspaper '
You reply to Nashtok 'that records peoples death'
Nashtok replies to you, 'yeah, that's due to something put in years ago by andor (?) to stop people from landing in dts in death duels'
Nashtok replies to you, 'in death arena, people could land in a dt and gust'
Nashtok replies to you, 'and noone could enter the room without dying'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i remember esbet doing it once'
You reply to Nashtok 'wow, interesting'
Nashtok replies to you, 'so now it doesn't check on entrance'
You reply to Nashtok 'you should talk to lords about writing zones'
Nashtok replies to you, 'you want the newspaper back?'
Nashtok replies to you, 'it was weird'
Nashtok replies to you, 'usually the people's 'comments' were just commands spammed trying to recall or fight or something, heh'
You reply to Nashtok 'i'm cool with that'
Nashtok replies to you, 'i talk to people about writing zones often... not just lords'