SHAzrael
02-17-2008, 04:07 PM
For a good number of months.. probably closer to a year, the approval of open-ended child characters has been suspended, pending a number of changes that needed to be made. Anyone who requested a child character was informed of this. Once we had outlined what needed to be done, it took some time to contact the existing, active players regarding changes in their child characters and make some coding changes as well.
Child character changes are not a huge priority in the ICO coding scheme of things, so it has dragged on a bit. However, I can outline the decisions we've made concerning how child characters will be chosen from here on out.
Originally, child characters were to be a tool to perpetuate plots. A lot of people I interviewed may remember my using the term 'plot driven characters'. At some point after that, the decision was made to approve a number of open-ended child characters. Rather than gaining a lot of rich plot matter, which I think was the idea, we ended up with a lot of characters who, while they were cute, cuddly, exceptionally gifted orphans, were not plot driven. I can remember only a few times where these characters have found their niche in an ongoing plot or perpetuated one that did not revolve around themselves.
I'm not chiding anyone or saying there is anything wrong with the way these players are driving their characters. I'm sure these characters are a lot of fun to play and play with. That's why the existing characters are still in game.
The problem was that we got a flood of requests for this kind of character, which, if we'd approved them all, may have turned the game into KiddyClaw Online. So...we needed to decide how to move forward.
After lot of debate, we came to the conclusion that we will not be offering any more open-ended child characters. If a child character is needed by our plotters for an ongoing or future plot and the existing children in game don't fit the bill, they will refer to the list of players who have shown an interest in playing a child character and find someone who will work for the character or characters they need for their plot. Thus, these child characters will truly be plot driven. Whether those characters remain in game, used for future plots or will be retired at the end of the plot will be up to the plotters and how the plot plays out.
I'm pretty sure I got everyone, but any existing players of open-ended child characters with whom I haven't spoken, please contact me regarding the changes being made to your char. Any players who have been inactive for the last three months have had their child characters removed. This isn't a negative act, we just need the people playing those characters to be interested and reliable in game.
I do have a list of interested players for child characters, but it's up to a year old. If you are still interested in being asked to play a child character when the need arises rather than just having an open-ended child character, please contact me via page or e-mail at Bast@ironclaw.skotos.net. I will be comparing any new requests with the old list and those who asked first will be considered first. If you are currently playing a child character or have in the past, we will be more likely to give someone else the opportunity. The final selection will be up to the plotter handling the plot in question.
I hope this answers any questions you may have regarding child characters in ICO. Any questions or suggestions are always welcome. Please page or contact me at the above addy and I'll get with you ASAP. :)
LSG Bast
Current Approved Child Characters as of 02/17/2008:
Braxton
Caitriona
Charles
Faust
Francesca
Lido
Lilly
Merideth
Naomi
Pearl
Rachelle
Suzie
Una
Child character changes are not a huge priority in the ICO coding scheme of things, so it has dragged on a bit. However, I can outline the decisions we've made concerning how child characters will be chosen from here on out.
Originally, child characters were to be a tool to perpetuate plots. A lot of people I interviewed may remember my using the term 'plot driven characters'. At some point after that, the decision was made to approve a number of open-ended child characters. Rather than gaining a lot of rich plot matter, which I think was the idea, we ended up with a lot of characters who, while they were cute, cuddly, exceptionally gifted orphans, were not plot driven. I can remember only a few times where these characters have found their niche in an ongoing plot or perpetuated one that did not revolve around themselves.
I'm not chiding anyone or saying there is anything wrong with the way these players are driving their characters. I'm sure these characters are a lot of fun to play and play with. That's why the existing characters are still in game.
The problem was that we got a flood of requests for this kind of character, which, if we'd approved them all, may have turned the game into KiddyClaw Online. So...we needed to decide how to move forward.
After lot of debate, we came to the conclusion that we will not be offering any more open-ended child characters. If a child character is needed by our plotters for an ongoing or future plot and the existing children in game don't fit the bill, they will refer to the list of players who have shown an interest in playing a child character and find someone who will work for the character or characters they need for their plot. Thus, these child characters will truly be plot driven. Whether those characters remain in game, used for future plots or will be retired at the end of the plot will be up to the plotters and how the plot plays out.
I'm pretty sure I got everyone, but any existing players of open-ended child characters with whom I haven't spoken, please contact me regarding the changes being made to your char. Any players who have been inactive for the last three months have had their child characters removed. This isn't a negative act, we just need the people playing those characters to be interested and reliable in game.
I do have a list of interested players for child characters, but it's up to a year old. If you are still interested in being asked to play a child character when the need arises rather than just having an open-ended child character, please contact me via page or e-mail at Bast@ironclaw.skotos.net. I will be comparing any new requests with the old list and those who asked first will be considered first. If you are currently playing a child character or have in the past, we will be more likely to give someone else the opportunity. The final selection will be up to the plotter handling the plot in question.
I hope this answers any questions you may have regarding child characters in ICO. Any questions or suggestions are always welcome. Please page or contact me at the above addy and I'll get with you ASAP. :)
LSG Bast
Current Approved Child Characters as of 02/17/2008:
Braxton
Caitriona
Charles
Faust
Francesca
Lido
Lilly
Merideth
Naomi
Pearl
Rachelle
Suzie
Una