A Realization, of sorts

[Kilkenne]

After coming back to this forum seriously (IE: Not just checking to see if you all still had a pulse) in approximately 4 years, I took a trip down memory lane and read the posts that I'd previously put up. Throughout time I was pretty consistant here, posting approximately the same things each and every time I would post, although sometimes my "true nature" would slip out. When I say that it would slip out I mean the opposite of what one would think it would mean, it means that when it "slipped", I was actually nice to the members of this forum. While I was just a teenager here, early teen at that, I'd like to offer a small apology to those that I antagonized, and would, for those I did not, and those that do not know me, take a trip down memory lane...

During the original game, started in 2002, I happened on this site, and started the 60th horde to play the game, Kilk's Marauders, the current emperor of the game was Bogfoot the Impaler, who was then later deposed by the Sons of Delor, headed by Emperor Stormclaw, the first Emperor that RWL had seen in its time. During that time I was a member of Ereptor's clan, TBV, The Vermin Brotherhood, I fought much of that war on the side of DI (Delor Independent Forces, as I remember) and eventually ended joining their clan itself when TBV faltered. This started my rise to prominance, using the clan as a backboard, I pushed deep into the top 10, farming land and forming diplomatic relations. Eventually, DI dissolved, and the next clan to claim power came from my own diplomacy, KM rose, and quickly took control of what was left of both DI and TBV, thus forming a few friendships that last till this day. This clan, as with all my others, did not last the age due to strongheaded leadership (my own). We disbanded, and the second age reared its head.

During the second age there was a second KM, that took control of the game quickly, and again dissolved due to internal politics, and all that, you all can assume what happened.

But beyond this, beyond everything else, I had proven something, in all of my playing of this game, coming into the third and final era of my actual play (despite taking breaks throughout most of the second and the end of the first eras, this current era being about the sixth I believe). The game was less important than the interactions that you had with other players. I was a feared force in the game each and every time I played, that is not a doubt. You can read all of my 960 odd posts and eventually find the correct and appropriate posts to realize why I was a threat to everyone that played this game. I basically lived in the top 10, if not #1, always in the top 3 players, crushing anyone beneath me, assaulting those above me to whatever avail. But I wasn't that good at this game. I was talking to Peace Alliance earlier on voice chat (Ventrilo or whatnot) and we were laughing, because I was never that great at RWL, I was a name and mostly a name alone, people flocked to me. What that meant was that I was good at diplomacy, not the game, but as Peace pointed out, diplomacy is part of the game.

I'm pointing this out now because I want new players, old players, anyone alike to read this. Because RWL is a multiplayer game with many, up to 40-50 people playing at a given time, people need to realize how important their reactions with other players are, on this forum, and in game (the in game message system is important also). You'll make your friends and enemies for the game here, and hopefully they all turn out to be friends outside of the game (Peace Alliance and I fought nonstop, and we're still buddies, in fact, I'm sure I've fought every "oldbie" in this game at one time or another) but don't burn your bridges, there is really no reason to all out flame someone or troll them here, it doesn't do you much good.

Anyhow, there's my rambling perspective on my time here, obviously abridged as I could have written several thousand words, and very well might, as writing a synopsis of my time here and a guide to how I did what I did while being awful at actual horde management might be helpful to some.

On a final note, apologies to those that I was belligerent with on the forums, I was just a young guy and wasn't thinking a lot of times, I went off a lot, and was in quite the position of power (RWL president and all! or just a really high ranked horde while we had 150 people playing RWL), but I hope my contributions ring true. You still have a turbo and reg forum that are seperate, which is one of my changes, that makes me smirk a bit every time I log on here.

Getting too long winded, I'll save it for the novel of a post or writing that I'm thinking of later.

Much love,

Kilks

[Genevieve]

This is a forum, not an essay competition.

How's that for diplomacy?

[Holby]

I don't think you give yourself enough credit, Kilk.

During the periods you were successful, you were one of the best players. At least until near the end of the second era, leaders were widely ignored. And you had one of the best indy strategies. In my own battles with you (in the third era) things had changed, and you weren't quite as successful. Which is no disrespect to you as a player, but leader strats were taking over.

I do believe you were (and are) an excellent diplomat, but that alone has never been enough to conquer. We've had a few over the course of the game, who succeeded based solely on their in-game alliances, but not to the same extent. Peace Alliance is one of the few great players who have utilised diplomacy to increase their success at the game. The rest of us nearly always ignore it, which is a big mistake.

So yes, I agree diplomacy is an important part of the game. I also think there isn't enough emphasis on it. But diplomacy alone was never responsible for your success, Kilkenne.

[Kilkenne]

This is a forum, not an essay competition.

How's that for diplomacy?

True, however if it WERE, I would be winning. Dominating no doubt.

And good god there are a lot of buttons in this game now.

[Gen. Volkov]

True, however if it WERE, I would be winning. Dominating no doubt.

And good god there are a lot of buttons in this game now.

I dunno about that Kilk... you've seen some of my mega-posts.

[Gorak]

Diplomacy is what makes this game interesting to me

I remember the good ol' days when I first started playing QMT in earily 2003.
there was a 150+ playerbase, and solo players were rare. There was a good 15-20 clans to deal with and a huge part of the game was making alliances with some clans to help you in your wars with other clans. There simply was no such thing as peaceful netting, you fought your way to the top. Which was impossible without allies, as you'd simply be killed off otherwise. That's where diplomacy came into play, along with my favorite aspect, propaganda.
I learned to play the forums as part of the game itself.

now it seems, peoples idea of ingame diplomacy is whining about the code 'cause there strat isn't as successful as other peoples, and therefore it must be the games fault.
That, and trying to impose their own stupid rules to try and kill the competitive spirit of the game.
Then they winder why the playerbase shrinks ::)

anyways, that's the end of my rant

[Holby]

now it seems, peoples idea of ingame diplomacy is whining about the code 'cause there strat isn't as successful as other peoples, and therefore it must be the games fault.
That, and trying to impose their own stupid rules to try and kill the competitive spirit of the game.
Then they winder why the playerbase shrinks ::)

That may be a fair enough gripe. But I'm pretty sure people don't think their complaints about the game code have anything to do with diplomacy. 'Cos that is just nonsense.

That, and trying to impose their own stupid rules to try and kill the competitive spirit of the game.

Actually, I think that is a bit of a widespread promi thing. Like all those crazy servers where if you attack someone more than three or four times they kill you. But I'm not a fan of it, either.

[Sevz]

In a server with slow turns, diplomacy becomes critical due to attack distribution
In a faster server, best off having very few but skilled allies
heaps of reasons
the biggest problem with diplomacy is understanding what 1 empire is capable of and how it should run before the strategy moulds around the team, i recommend everyone learns the game as a soloist for the sake of whatever clan they join.

My realization. People who join clans and have alliances when they're learning the game pick up very bad empire management habits

[Alazar is Back]

I always value my diplomacy skills. To be honest, im not the best player. Probably not in the top five. I would like to think I was in the top 10 here but eh. My best skill is surrounding myself with a good portion of the elites.

Ntm, I work far better inside of a team indying or something then i do solo.

[Sevz]

the key to a good play is being universal, each server has a different way. There's everything to take into account, a balance of what your capable of what they're capable of where about your standing, friends foes, targets, timing offenses defenses, landflow turns markets and even getting lucky, under the radar fear factors, more to the game than sitting top spot and not being able to access the land at the bottom without a mate

[Death]

Why is it that every time I think someone is coming out of the closet, it's just something about the internet? Life hates me.