Location, location, location

[Brightblade]

Congrats on another valiant attempt at Xarc!

I know we all want to beat the snot out of the Dynamis Lord, but I think we may be being a tad overzealous when choosing the location of our runs.

Northlands runs are great: they're challenging, they're fun, and they yield all sorts of interesting drops we haven't seen much of. That having been said, what happened to city runs?

Curious on the matter, I've asked around. The universal response I get is that we've done city runs ten billion times and they're tedious, and besides, everyone's already got their AF from the cities.

Don't get me wrong, I really want to see DL go down, but I think we run the risk of undercutting our member base if we focus too hard. If we don't balance out our choices of location, I suspect that we're going to start seeing a decline in membership. If people believe--and the belief is the important part--that they'll never get another piece of AF because (a) we never do city runs, and (b) there's often priority on the super-low-drop Beau and Xarc pieces, we're going to see a lot fewer people showing up (I'm not including myself in this figure; I have yet to miss a run that it was physically possible for me to attend, and I don't intend to in the future).

For example, just look at the number of people who show for a prioritied northlands run vs. a non-prioritied city run. In the former case, we're often lucky to have enough people to finish, whereas in the latter we're forced to turn people away. The best chance we'll have of beating the Lord is to bring a full shell, and we need to maintain our membership to have a full shell to bring.

Only 12% of the LS is finished with the cities, and of these 14 people, 11 are leaders or very influential, very old members.

This is not intended as an indictment of the leadership! On the contrary, I have nothing but respect for the leaders, and I trust their decisions on principle. Nor is this a threat; I just see a problem on the horizon, and I think it would be prudent to head it off while we still can. I know our leaders have the best interests of the LS at heart, but I merely hope that they don't forget about the other 88% of us who would still like to see some AF drop.

(All statistics derived from LS memberlist, 4/10/05)

[Teorem]

Well, the thing is, prior to our last two weeks in the Northlands areas, the last 9 of 11 runs we did were city zones.

The general mindset of the leadership seems to be--and feel free to correct me if I am wrong--is that we stayed in the cities (almost exclusively, for almost a month) to get enough people to the Northlands, where (generally) better AF drops and to have a chance at trying Xarcabard and the Dynamis Lord a few times.

That is, essentially, the goal of the linkshell: to beat the Dynamis Lord.

The "everyone's gotten what they wanted from the cities" isn't a factor in the decision at all, because, as you noticed, it's not true.

Now, in the immediate future, I think we will likely be going back to a mix of Northlands and city runs, as we did a few months back, maybe doing a city run on a weekday and a Northlands area on the weekend. That's not a guarantee though; you should wait to hear from Radav on an official schedule or list of upcoming goals.

Radav or Fatman (or someone in leadership) has said they'll be putting up a poll for which Dynamis zone to do next (or soon), so if you are looking to go to a specific area, be sure to vote.

Goals will change a bit from time to time, based on participation and input from the linkshell members, so I would not worry so much about the pattern of zones just yet. Besides, if the announcment ever came from leadership that we were never returning to the cities again, you'd have about 20 relic weapon upgraders trying to figure out where they could easily hide a Tarutaru corpse.

[Cybaster]

I think we always able to clear beaucedine easily if we want, but half the time on beaucedine it's not to clear it, it's either farming or attestation (with sacrifices of course orz) run

[Radav]

As I've stated many, many times before. My goal for this LS is to beat Dynamis Lord. Nothing else. My goal is not to get myself full AF2. My goal is not to get myself a fully upgraded relic horn. My goal is to beat Dynamis Lord. The relic horn would be nice, but frankly the more I think about it the less and less that is something I think I'll finish. (It's merely something to spend my gil on and keep me just that much more interested in dynamis.) I don't do this for myself is all I'm saying. I'm sure Fatman will back me up on this but there is a ton of work that's done each week. (Most of it now done by Fatman which again I will thank you for.) Thank you all to those of you who help with these tasks. Just another point to sort of illustrate this is not something I do with some greedy intentions. Nothing against all of you who seem to be much more interested in the lame armor that drops but I don't care all that much about getting you this stuff.

The rules we have come up with for lotting are the fairest way I see it for us to distribute the stuff. They are always open to change and I wish you all to voice your opinion about changes you would like to see. They are only there as a means to keep everyone as happy as possible. Some might see them and think, well you say your not interested in AF2 but you have all these complicated rules to deal with it. They are a means to an end. We've done our best I think to make the rules as fair for the newer people and the vets of the LS. I care about keeping the good players new or old and if either of those groups is feeling slighted in anyway again please say something.

Statistics about who's done with cities and pointing out its only leaders who have been to a billion runs. Means nothing to me. 0-4, 0-4, 0-4, .....
ZERO for FOUR. We've lost 4 times to DL now. That's all I care about. Once he dies I could care less what we do. But for now, after focusing on city runs again ( As teorem pointed out. We just went through all the cities 2 times) and taking tons more new people this is what we're doing. We're going to mix in city runs... We'll farm areas to keep you all happy. The focus though is to beat DL. The currency drops, the armor, the arguments, the joking around, the complaints, the thanks, and the teamwork all that is fun and it is what keeps me here. The goal as was stated when we formed this LS is to beat Dynamis Lord. So once we do that then we can go do whatever wherever you want.

Sorry if I'm a bit rough in my response but after what went on in my alliance last night I'm a bit steamed about Dynamis. We'll be going back to just doing cities on Wednesdays and Northlands on weekends but for the next few weeks be prepaired to see more Northlands then city runs.

[Brightblade]

Eloquently stated, Radav.

I wasn't trying to undercut you, rather attempting to pass along some things I'd heard that I thought ought to be aired in public, rather than festering merely in /tells.

There was a bit of a feeling that the LS was switching over to Beau/Xarc/Beau/Xarc ad infinitum, and since Beaucedine is not relevant to DL, some people felt that the city runs were being left out because the perma-prioritiers had finished with them. If this isn't the case, then their complaints are groundless, and this silly drama can be dispensed with.

So much the better.

[Radav]

Yeah the intention of the LS is not to forget the cities. Right now we're just focused on killing DL. So we may see a majority of Northlands zones show up as a result.

The cities will be done no need to worry. We're not planning on just doing Beaucidine and Xarcabard forever.

/hurray for DB! Let's turn the focus on how to make this Sunday a rowsing success.

[Fatman]

I have made it known to Radav that we need to do Jeuno and at some point Windurst in order to get some more BLMs to northlands. This is the job that seems to be hurting the most right now.

Those of you that know me from Wildseven know that when I believe I am doing what is right by people there is not a man, woman, god, or tarutaru gilbuying ranger alive that's gonna stop me from having my say >_>.

I have a nice spreadsheet with nice graphics on it showing who has what AF and I'd really like to see everyone get all of their AF. This has become my goal in dynamisbums, the only thing you as members need to do is attend runs and give effort. Dynamisbums is my end game ls and means a great deal to me. I love seeing the excitement people have when they win AF and knowing I was an intregal part of making that happen.

This is not a direct stab at any one person but the next time you think you got screwed cause you didn't get priority or you couldn't lot AF I want you to ask yourself if you deserve that AF more than the person with priority that won it. If the answer is no then you can be sure I wont care when you whine to me. I'm not a mean person I just had strict parents who taught me that effort = results not high dice rolls = results. >_>

[Wrish]

My goal for this LS is to beat Dynamis Lord. Nothing else.
Yeah the intention of the LS is not to forget the cities. Right now we're just focused on killing DL. So we may see a majority of Northlands zones show up as a result.
I have a nice spreadsheet with nice graphics on it showing who has what AF and I'd really like to see everyone get all of their AF. This has become my goal in dynamisbums
Heh heh. Those statements contradict a bit. Who leads now? I hope that Fatman is talking about his goal only after DL goes down. But it is my worry that people are right now being overly materialistic because AF is a more immediate reward, and this has been clouding if not obstructing the task of defeating DL. So do we go with Radav's goal or don't we? I don't believe we succeed when some people are only worried about one objective whereas a bunch of others are juggling two tasks.


I'm not a mean person I just had strict parents who taught me that effort = results not high dice rolls = results. >_>Well, when I picture Fatman, I see someone playing the game for fun, picking armor to wear into battle because it looks cool, not wanting to be lectured on how to play a game because it serves as a recess from the real world where such lecturing can seem ubiquitous. That's Fatman the player.

Yet when the leaders take on something like DL, they do tell us what to wear, how to play, not to go AFK, and so forth. These two perspectives again do not reconcile.

The reason I bring these conflicts up in a thread about location and complaints about location is that when you have confusion amongst the leadership, some people will take the wrong message and pass it around or act on it.

So our intention is to beat DL and then take things from there. How would you blame someone for spreading the word that DynamisBums will do Northlands only for a long time to come? We do seem stalled on DL, and it seems from Radav's wording that IF we don't win against DL, we won't be worried about cities.

[Juma]

we have to do jeuno some more....
there really is an AF shield now ~_~
it can be upgraded like the weapons supposedly, along with relic armor :Q
the goblin npc in castle vazhl baileys says he upgrades shields and relic armor as well now if you talk to him
apparently the shield is common drop in jeuno, anxiety went wednesday night and got like 5 to drop Q_Q

[Spunkymage]

Unfortunately, as much as I would love to join you in the Northlands to fight DL, I am 1 key-item short of unlocking Beaucedine.

Jeuno:O . Windurst:O . Bastok:O . Sandoria:X

Sandoria was failga when I attempted to get it with another ls last week after update mess. The whole thing was a bit upsetting and I'm not going to attempt to get it with any other ls's. I will patiently wait for Bums to do Sandoria again, at which time, I'd like to attend so I can move further.

Thanks,

- spunky

[Irinicus]

Would that be with Moosey's group? Cause if it was, I fully agree on the messed up part. I too am missing key items, I only got Windurst and need the others.

[Radav]

Your joking about the shield right Juma?

The stats on it are umm not worth all the currency its gonna take to unlock it.

[Eltia]

There are confirmation that relic shield is dropped at Dynamis-Jeuno and it is upgradable like relic weapons. But instead of giving you an end-game WS, the final upgraded shield decreases magic damage received by 25% and enhances shield bash. The relic shields can only be equiped by PLD75.

[Radav]

Well thats at least a little better but still the amount of currency you need is crazy to get something like that I think going for cool WS is more worth it. lol

*looks in Mog House sees 900 byne bills*
*wonders if he'll ever get the currency to get his totally uber horn that is not as great as he thought it was*

I can understand wanting something no one else has that may not be as super cool as was first thought. *coughgjallarhorncough*

[Eltia]

I don't know.. it seems Square is losing interest in Dynamis and boosting PvP style gameplay for FFXI. (A reaction to Guildwar?)

[Juma]

just cuz its crappy doesnt mean i dont want it ; ;
i just think its pretty cool they added relic shield, but yeah going for sword first @_@

[Radav]

Wow you either won the Vanadiel Powerball or have a tree that grows gil in your mog house. Your planning on upgrading both?

[Harmonia]

Way to crush his boyish dreama :(

[Juma]

i never said it was happening any time soon ; ;
maybe within the next decade