Couple of my thoughts.

[Sneaky]

I have no idea what game you are playing Karasi. Here is the list you posted,, and counter arguements from my own experiences.
1. things happening in-game to people with no IC explanations.
I have never had anything of this nature happen to me, other than events where nothing was entirely out of my control. I think you are specificly refering to the dimming of light. The guidelines are what the light requires of those who channel it. It's not the church controlling the light, it isn't a dial the leaders can just turn down or something. You can seek advise on the matters, and I'm sure usually it is sound advice, and from what I can tell if you make the changes you were advised to make your light will return. Nobody is perfect either, there are going to be times when you are dimmed even though you're doing your best to follow the guidelines, so seek advice, make changes, and if it continues make more changes, analyse everything. I personally think it would be rather fun to play, though maybe this is only from an outsider's point of view.
2. no attempt in-game by leaders of certain guilds to keep the people from leaving. No attempt to reconcile. Encouragement to leave.
This statement is extremely vaigue. If you're talking about the church again, they aren't going to beg you to stay, they can't change your heart. They can't suddenly change the guidelines to suit your needs. Any other guild, depending on which one, other than going inactive rl, there's really no way to leave other than just exccluding yourself entirely,, and even in a couple of these there are dire consequences.
3. Weeks of posts back and forth, grumpy words, pleading words, fiery words.
Again extremely vaigue, and honestly if you're talking about the bbs, ever since this thread went live, there have not been any flamewars at all. Nearly every new post has been productive, and in most cases were implamented or explained why it wasn't. I haven't read any more angry words other than this thread due to your post.
4. GM's unwilling to change things, even when the majority have made it plain how they feel about certain issues.
This is highly inaccurate. Pointing to what Elystole has said, most of the time if you are polite, give very detailed explinations why you think it's wrong, which by the way, yours was not, and maintain a civilized tone, there's a good chance you'll receive a response with an equally detailed explination as to why or why not it was implamented.
5. The fact that people have left, and will continue to do so, on account of most, if not all, of the above.
I really don't appreciate you speaking for everybody. I don't intend to leave, I enjoy playing the game, it is still growing, things are still being worked out, and in the past month or so we have seen a number of new players who have stuck around and have participated in many events and lore and mechanic voice chats. If people have left due to the above reasons, then they should take another look at the game,, because it isn't the same game that I play now.
6. People taking in-character out of character and vise versa. People using OOC knowledge to treat characters differently. People using IC info to do the same.
On this game, I really have not seen anything of the sort. There are a few people out of game who don't like me, but in game none of that bleeds through, and I really do enjoy that. I appreciate it, and I return the behavior.
I feel that your post was extremely rude, and even more ignorent of the goings on with the recent changes. This past month or two has been some of the funnest I have had on clok, and I feel that it is only going to get better in the coming years, so take another look at the game we all play.

[merin]

VINZ FTW.

[Karasi]

I'm sorry, guys.

I'm sorry for
1. not playing for several months, noting that concerned me, and posting them here the way I did.
2. posting in the manner that I did. My intent was to express concern, and I was trying to be specific without creating more drama. Looks like I created it anyway :(
3. not being a strong-willed enough person to be able to read all of your replies. Honestly it just hurt too damn much. I'll be blunt: my anxiety is through the roof just writing this. It was the other night, too. I think some of you will be glad that I won't be posting here for a long time, maybe not ever again.
4. that I fed the fevered emotions surrounding this topic.
5. that it looked like I was attacking the GMs, the game, etc.
6. that some of you, however well-intentioned, cannot keep civil in your posts. I respect and appreciate outright disagreement, but some of what was said was completely unnecessary on both sides, mine, and yours.

I am very sorry. Please accept my sincere apologies.

I have concerns, but I should not have posted them when and how I did, and I have learned my lesson the hard way :(

This game means a lot to me--it's why I keep coming back, and coming back. While I have things I am worried about, I need to deal with them in other ways, i.e. in private, not on a public forum.

I doubt if I can forum-post again.

A remorseful, sad and tired player of Karasi

[Zoiya]

I'm not going to speak for everyone, because that's not fair, but I will speak for myself when I say that I am not happy that you won't be posting here anymore. The purpose of these boards is to be able to have adult and constructive conversations about things that we agree and disagree with. You were doing that, but to me (because I'm only speaking for myself), it was bringing up some topics that were discussed and in some ways resolved and making it seem like we didn't do anything to resolve it at all.

Take a break if you need to, but don't just check out and decide to not come back. There are going to be times when people disagree with you and that is just something that happens in life.

Also, I want to say, and this goes out to everyone who plays CLOK. If you find yourself in a situation where you are so incredibly unhappy that you think you're going to stop playing the game, reach out to us. If you type GURU in game, it gives you a list of GM's and the email addresses where you can reach us. You can also reach us, as a whole, at clok@contrarium.net. We are more than happy to listen to, and hopefully address issues that would cause you to leave. We do what we can here.

Thanks.

[merin]

I hope that I have not caused you stress, either, and I do hope you post here.

It does get heated, but, I feel that for the most part everyone is trying their best to be civil.

Having needed to step away for a few days, I get ya.

[Bryce]

Just post how you feel, and other people'll do the same. No need to get apologetic.

[Kent]

And I would add that my brother says he stopped playing because he thought it was stupid to have to wash himself off to use a shop. Somehow that sucked the fun out of it for him. But he's a sissy. Typically, I think it's little changes like that which send some people scurrying (even though the changes have no massive impact on playing the game). There have been changes I haven't liked in the past, but I always somehow get over it. :D

I think the washing business before shopping has no place in a heroic fantasy game like this, especially with the glaring lack of washrooms in restaurants, and I hope the gm's will consider to remove the whole 'bloody' business. As a substitute, it would be very appropriate to sheath one's weapon prior to conducting your business.

[Rias]

I agree that the cleanliness restriction should apply to far fewer places (restaurants and such I think should still require patrons not be covered in blood or gore). That said, I think you should wash up before you go to the restaurant, rather than expecting them to provide a washroom for you on site. Each town has at least one permanent water source for cleaning, and more can be added to appropriate places (I think inns should have washrooms, for instance).

[Stranger]

*I deleted a post about guild tasks so I could gather more data before I make any suggestions, sorry if you started reading before I deleted.*

[Kent]

I agree that the cleanliness restriction should apply to far fewer places (restaurants and such I think should still require patrons not be covered in blood or gore). That said, I think you should wash up before you go to the restaurant, rather than expecting them to provide a washroom for you on site. Each town has at least one permanent water source for cleaning, and more can be added to appropriate places (I think inns should have washrooms, for instance).

Well, there is no river at the entrance to Shadgard. An Inn such as The Hanged Man needs to have a well outside it's front door for its own cooking purposes and for bloody patrons to wash up in. Combat against infested, highwaymen, and other threats is a daily way of life in The Lost Lands, the persons who show up bloody are largely the brave who have defeated said threats and made the Lands a bit safer for everyone. It doesn't make sense for The Hanged Man to say to these heroes and heroines, "We're not going to serve you because you're bloody, and we're not going to provide you with a well, pump, or washroom to get clean. The nearest one is in Shadgard, go there." If you were told that by a bar or restaurant IRL, would you go back to that place, or would you take your business to an establishment that at least had a washing place nearby? (In game terms you would go into Shadgard to wash up and spend your riln at the Hearth and Home.)



And while I think of it...there is no fireplace in the rooms in the Hanged man and without them patrons in the winter would be shivering at the tables.

[Rias]

I think you missed this part of my previous post:

(I think inns should have washrooms, for instance).

If you were told that by a bar or restaurant IRL, would you go back to that place, or would you take your business to an establishment that at least had a washing place nearby?

I wouldn't go to a bar or restaurant when covered in blood or gore in the first place.

And world-saving heroes or not (as if to say that anyone covered in blood and gore can be immediately identified as a hero and not a villain, or a hunter or trapper, or any other thing), I wouldn't go to a bar or restaurant that regulary hosted patrons who were covered in blood or gore. Gross.

I do agree that a nice fireplace and such is in order.