As I sat and enjoyed the City with some of my little heroes tonight, several things drifted through my mind.
The game is still up and running and is supposed to be till November 30th...we know the end may be coming, but things pretty much look the same. For some reason I thought about the New Year's resolutions we all make: we are gung-ho and determined at the beginning, full of 'I will' and ferver. Then a couple of months go by. The ferver has died down, and the passion goes flat. How can we keep that determination up and alive as the months go by? For myself, the motivation comes from the sense of loss I'd feel realizing that my City is no longer there to enjoy as I have for the last eight years. Sometimes you simply have to keep pushing through. Yes, there are bad times that can wear you down, but for whatever your personal reason, you have to persist. Each person needs to find their own way.
Then I thought about October.....Halloween Event. It probably won't happen. So what if we trick-or-treat our own way? I still have a ton of characters with Halloween salvage I could use for treats. (Actually, salvage or costume recipes would work too.) We could have scary costume contests. I have a few that still have the Snaptooth mission. (I know, that is not the right event but he IS a redcap/goblin!) We could go ghost hunting in Croatoa...get teams together to hunt Jack In Irons or Eochai.
I was thinking that perhaps, in November, everyone's character could wears certain colors as a sign of unity. (Black and gold or red/white/blue come to mind first, but maybe we could vote on something.) Not a uniform, just colors.
I know many people are sad, and that keeps them from playing...almost like 'what's the use'. NOW is the time we need to play more than ever. A show of strength in numbers is good regardless of the outcome. When all is said and done, do you want to wish you'd done more when you had the chance? You may never know what results come from your action...but if you do nothing, there will be no result.
A few of people have called me silly because I log in all my characters (both accounts) every three days to drop a mission. I have been doing this since that action has been implimented. It takes a while, and there are plenty of real life events that have been a priority but I have tried to be consistant. While this is impractible or impossible for some, it has worked well for me.
I think a lot of things when I play. I think about how it was eight years ago, and all the things that aren't there anymore, or were changed. I think about how newcomers to the game don't have my memories or point of referrence. I am saddened at the thought that if this game closes, people will never have the ability to discover what a wonderful and fun place this is to be, and they will never be able to make great friends from all over like I have. This is not Minesweeper, Hearts or Solitaire. It's not just a game to me, and if I can keep it from closing I will do all I can.
Thank you to anyone who read this post. It always feels like sitting around and chatting with friends. I must give Tony V a special thank you for taking on such a tough endeavor. He walks the walk. The following was posted on the CoH forums and I thought it was worth posting here, too.
A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
Christopher Reeve
To inspire you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qIEdit: Fixed link - Eabrace
