Warning: This is a VERY long post, which really can't be summarized with a TL;DR



For those of you not familiar with the Achievers -- these players have set goals to achieve (sometimes set by the game, sometimes not)

Explorers -- these players enjoy both experiencing the game world, the lore, and so on, as well as unraveling the mechanics of the game

Socializers -- these players really could care less about the game itself so much as they care about chatting with the people in it

Killers -- these players enjoy conflict with other players, whether in combat, business, or conversation

Each type has a "positive" behavior set and a "negative" behavior set. Postive Explorers seek to unravel the game's secrets and share with others (



Bartle later noted a few problems -- one is that these player types don't always stay the same and the other is that there was an additional element of behavior that the original two-dimensional model didn't take into account.



For the record, I'm a heavy Explorer, and have never really delved into the Killer area. On the sequences in the later article, I'm squarely in the "Explorer Track".



So... what does this have to do with Ilum Rage?



Well...



In the 1996 article, Bartle talks about the only 4 possible player populations that can assure stability/sustainability absent outside factors, one of which is the "null" scenario where no one plays. The other three populations are:

A balance of Achievers & Killers -- the meat of a PVP server A four-type equilibrium, where a heavy population of Explorers -- the meat of a PVE server A Socializer-dominated population -- the meat of an RP server (this, in practice, has a secondary type that keeps it a "game" and not a "chat room", requiring either a type 1 or type 2 population underneath the Socializers; hence having "RP-PVE" and "RP-PVP" servers)

This happens because certain player types attract or repel others: Explorers attract other Explorers and some Achievers and repel Killers

Achievers and Killers exist in some semblance of balance -- with too many or too few of one driving the others away

Socializers attract Killers (because they can spread their "reputation") and are attracted to Achievers (for juicy gossip); Additionally, Socializers like their own

Killers tend to drive others away, in varying degrees. In my observations, this tends to be more an effect of the Black Hats than the White Hats.

So, The Ebon Hawk is an RP-PVE server, meaining that it's a PVE server (Explorer-Acheiver-Killer balance) underneath a layer of Socializers. Because of the heavy mass of Socializers, you get an decent helping of Black Hats who come to either Grief or Troll the Socializers.



Now... we take an event (Socializer bait) rich with lore (Explorer bait) and drop a quest (Achiever bait) in the middle of a PVP zone (Killer bait). Explorers and Achievers MUST complete it, and the Socializers don't want to be left out. Your Black Hat killers see an opportunity and start attacking the Socializers and Achievers (in sufficient numbers to survive the Explorers and White Hat Killers, who tend to be the most skilled players), and the following things happen: Socializers QQ Achievers soldier on to at least complete the quest if they can, and will try to repeat it to build up the maximum number of rewards. If they can't, QQ. Explorers will put up with it a little while longer, but really only care about figuring out the particulars. They won't stress themselves out to repeat something they've already been through. If they can't complete it at all, QQ. White Hat Killers form armies of like-minded individuals and go on search-and-destroy missions for Black Hat Killers, because **** them. Black Hat Killers, killed by the White Hat Killers so that the Socializers, Achievers, and Explorers can complete their quests, QQ because someone other than them is having fun.

If you watch the forums, this is exactly what has happened. And the flame war that has resulted is a result of the clash of the Killer mindset and the other mindsets. And it's not just the Black Hats; the White Hats, Achievers, Explorers, and Socializers have trouble understanding the other mindsets, too. For the Black Hats, the opportunity for fun is to lay waste to everyone else. For the White Hats, the opportunity for fun is to lay waste to the Black Hats and get good fights from the other White Hats, Achievers, & Explorers who can fend for themselves. The Achiever has some fun in overcoming long odds to succeed, but can get frustrated when they can't succeed at all. The Explorer doesn't have much fun with this sort of activity unless they've also got a strong Killer side. The Socializer's fun is ruined the moment someone interrupts time with their friends (although Socializers with a strong Killer side can have fun banding together with the White Hats to "take back mid!").



Looking back on my guild's Bartle test thread, I noticed my comments on my Bartle type, including the line "I'm competitive, but I want other people to have fun, too." Combined with my almost negligible Killer score and prior MMO history, my reaction (overreaction, TBH) to the events on Ilum the last few days makes absolutely perfect sense. And considering a larger, server-wide perspective, everything else that has transpired is exactly what everyone should have expected.



So what has this event taught us?



Well, it's taught us who the Black Hats and White Hats on this server are, as well as (to a lesser extent) who the Socializers, Explorers, and Achievers are.



And I guess that's something. For those of you not familiar with the Bartle Tes t, it's based on a character theory based on the observations of Richard Bartle, the father of online multiplayer gaming (co-creator of the first MUD in the late 70s). In a paper he wrote in the mid-90s , right as the first "modern" MMORPGs were launching, Bartle observed that there were four types of players in MUDs (which has played out in MMOs), based on two axes ("players/World" & "Interacting with/acting on"):Each type has a "positive" behavior set and a "negative" behavior set. Postive Explorers seek to unravel the game's secrets and share with others ( Dulfy is probably SWTOR's most famous Explorer); Negative Explorers figure out all the exploits and hacks. Positive Achievers help push the envelope and keep everyone else motivated, whether in PVE or PVP (Ranked PVP is built for the person with high affinities towards Killer and Achiever); Negative Achievers utilize the expolits and hacks to get there first at all costs. Postive Socializers form guilds and communities, and work to bring people together; Negative Socializers are cliquish "mean girl" types who like to decide who is worth socializing with. Positive Killers ("White Hats") tend to have an achiever bent, seeking out worthy opponents and challenges, or a socializer bent, focusing on protecting others; Negative Killers ("Black Hats") want to kill but don't want a challenge, prefering weak or outnumbered opponents.Bartle later noted a few problems -- one is that these player types don't always stay the same and the other is that there was an additional element of behavior that the original two-dimensional model didn't take into account. You can read about it here. For the record, I'm a heavy Explorer, and have never really delved into the Killer area. On the sequences in the later article, I'm squarely in the "Explorer Track".Well...In the 1996 article, Bartle talks about the only 4 possible player populations that can assure stability/sustainability absent outside factors, one of which is the "null" scenario where no one plays. The other three populations are:This happens because certain player types attract or repel others:So, The Ebon Hawk is an RP-PVE server, meaining that it's a PVE server (Explorer-Acheiver-Killer balance) underneath a layer of Socializers. Because of the heavy mass of Socializers, you get an decent helping of Black Hats who come to either Grief or Troll the Socializers.Now... we take an event (Socializer bait) rich with lore (Explorer bait) and drop a quest (Achiever bait) in the middle of a PVP zone (Killer bait). Explorers and Achievers MUST complete it, and the Socializers don't want to be left out. Your Black Hat killers see an opportunity and start attacking the Socializers and Achievers (in sufficient numbers to survive the Explorers and White Hat Killers, who tend to be the most skilled players), and the following things happen:If you watch the forums, this is. And the flame war that has resulted is a result of the clash of the Killer mindset and the other mindsets. And it's not just the Black Hats; the White Hats, Achievers, Explorers, and Socializers have trouble understanding the other mindsets, too. For the Black Hats, the opportunity for fun is to lay waste to everyone else. For the White Hats, the opportunity for fun is to lay waste to the Black Hats and get good fights from the other White Hats, Achievers, & Explorers who can fend for themselves. The Achiever has some fun in overcoming long odds to succeed, but can get frustrated when they can't succeed at all. The Explorer doesn't have much fun with this sort of activity unless they've also got a strong Killer side. The Socializer's fun is ruined the moment someone interrupts time with their friends (although Socializers with a strong Killer side can have fun banding together with the White Hats to "take back mid!").Looking back on my guild's Bartle test thread, I noticed my comments on my Bartle type, including the line "I'm competitive, but I want other people to have fun, too." Combined with my almost negligible Killer score and prior MMO history, my reaction (overreaction, TBH) to the events on Ilum the last few days makes absolutely perfect sense. And considering a larger, server-wide perspective, everything else that has transpiredSo what has this event taught us?Well, it's taught us who the Black Hats and White Hats on this server are, as well as (to a lesser extent) who the Socializers, Explorers, and Achievers are.And I guess that's something. The Winterspire Legacy | The Ebon Hawk

GM, <The Azure Blades> / <The Azure Blade>

Ystrid |55 Guardian Joona |55 Shadow Eden'Grace |55 Gunslinger Ma-Deuce |55 Commando

Ardoh |55 Juggernaut Eden-Grace |55 Sorcerer Iocaine |55 Operative Nylea |55 Mercenary GM,|55 Guardian|55 Shadow|55 Gunslinger|55 Commando|55 Juggernaut|55 Sorcerer|55 Operative|55 Mercenary