get torch; give jirato

[Rias]

Hey, all.

Some may have noticed I haven't been around or as responsive lately. I've been waiting for the right time to do this for a long time, but there was always another project to finish (or to start), another butterfly to chase, another character whom I wanted to observe and be a part of their story for just a bit longer. It finally occurred to me that there would never be a 'right time'. I figured following a major release like Generalization would be as good a time as any - I felt that I had done something major that would (after testing and tweaking) be a benefit to the game and the enjoyment of players.

So, now's that time. I'm passing the torch to Jirato, whom I know is more than capable of taking the helm. While he knows what CLOK has been and become up to this point, he's also different enough from me to be able to usher in some fresh new changes and breathe some new life into CLOK.

This isn't an unhappy or throw-my-hands-up departure by any means, though I was admittedly getting more and more short-tempered about CLOK-related things, and that did contribute to this decision. It's a complex amalgamation of feelings. There are things I'll miss tremendously, and other things I won't. The part of me that loves this game and this world is frankly terrified to let go of it and put it into other hands without retaining any control or oversight, even though I have complete trust and faith in Jirato and the GMs. The part of me that realizes how tightly and stubbornly I clung to many things is excited to see how the game will grow and bloom in ways I never would have allowed it to. I'm excited to be able to have free time and not be constantly thinking about what I could be doing for CLOK instead of being able to just enjoy leisure time. There are movies I'll watch, books I'll read, attempts I'll make at writing, and more time I'll spend with my wife, kids, parents, and friends. And other games I'll play - gosh, what will that be like? I played some Guild Wars 2 today - it was super fun!

Anyway, I wanted to give everyone my sincerest thanks for being a part of this world that I wanted so much to share and let people enjoy. It's been a real roller coaster ride, with lots of ups and downs, but it's been worth it, and it's something I'll never forget, never regret, and I'll always look back on with fondness. I'm not completely divorcing myself from CLOK - I've been asked to, at least for a while, act as a "Lore Consultant", so that will be fun. And heck yes, I'm going to play as PCs now and then, and enjoy playing 100% as a player and 0% as a GM.

May the Stormbringer smite your foes,
May the Sea Goddess grant you fair winds,
May the River Maiden soothe your sorrows,
May the Blood God bless you with life eternal,
May the Huntsman lend you might and vigour,
May the Decay reveal new opportunities from your failed endeavours,
May the Mountain Father bless your labors,
May the Secret-Keeper impart to you wisdom,
May the Great Spider speed your vengeance,
May the Abyssal Horror ensnare those who would betray you,
May the Dreamwatcher guard your slumber,
May the Torchbearer's light warm and guide you when your own wavers,
May the Gatekeeper welcome you to the Beyond in your turn.

-Rias

[Jirato]

I'll keep this short since I'm not at a computer.

To say Rias has been great/awesome to work with over the past three years wouldn't do it justice. He's seriously the best MUD developer I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and we've had some great times since I started CLOK. I consider him a good friend and am looking forward to continuing to hang out online with him outside of CLOK (and do my best to not talk shop).

Please rest assured that CLOK does have a future. We will continue moving forward. This isn't a mortal blow to the project but rather an opportunity to move forward with a fresh perspective and clean slate.

The CLOK you all know and love is still going to be here. The most radical changes occurring are mostly going to be behind the scenes. The game will continue to evolve and progress as it has been, but I promise I'm not going to completely butcher it.

Please do be mindful, however, that things may slow a bit as we adjust to these new changes, both in our structure and our workload. A lot of our plates just got a whole lot fuller, but we will do our best to keep things moving.

Thank you everyone for sticking with us through this transition and supporting both Rias, myself, and the rest of the GM team.