First, thanks for putting that CaptFallout post. He was an ass but he was very, very often right. I would also suggest reading the Lorekeep goodbye post here:
http://forums.anarchy-online.com/sho...?threadid=6911
Lorekeep was one of the most active role-players, led one of the largest clans and was a long-time Funcom supporter.
Originally posted by Kirrana
When FC outlined the story would run in a span for 4 years, plus they out lined the so called main players. In all this would hint to the fact that someone had written the story.
There are writings from Ragnar all over the place which verify this. The story is written (and actually the finale leaked a good while back) but we were supposed to have a role in it. The story was supposed to happen in-game.
For example the pumpkin heads, and the cyborgs, it was hard so see where they fitted in and after the dust brigade it was almost as if they never existed.
For those of you that were not around, when the game launched everyone wondered and wondered when the storyline would start. Finally we were told October 31 and everyone logged on then (many skipped work or school). People logged on expecting to FINALLY be able to join the Sentinels, Omni-Pol, the Knights, etc. People expected to FINALLY start the Omni vs. clans war that we all signed up for. Orgs had scouts stationed in cities, outposts, and on the grid so that when the attacks came they could get everyone where they needed to be. What we got was an EQ style dungeon (complete with camping, griefing and training) and some new mobs running around that disappeared after a month or so.
We are STILL waiting to join those groups and get our orders. We are STILL waiting for the story missions (these were supposed to be like regular missions only they would affect the storyline). We are STILL wondering what the Sentinels and Knights and others were doing during the Cyborg wars, during the Rudruum mess, during the amnesty, during that horrid little show-trial, etc., etc., ad nauseum...
Also remember that Ragnar was reassigned to Funcom's next MMORPG (Midgard) until everyone was taken off that project and reassigned to AO to try and counter the spiraling player base and income stats. So he wrote the story and then was really no more than an advisor.
Only its hard to see how the shadowlands fits into story line at all, perhaps the biggest worry is do we have to buy shadowlands to get the story ?
I can see how Shadowlands can be worked into the storyline, knowing what I know about the finale. I don't think it was there before and I don't think it is necessary. I also don't think you will have to buy shadowlands to get the story, though if there is any chance that anyone will be able to participate in the story then I think it will be in shadowlands (in a epic quest style). I suspect that there are things that need to be rescued from shadowlands and perhaps very high level players will finally be able to participate in the storyline through that.
That is PURE conjecture, however! It is based on more than just imagination, but it is still conjecture.
Ignore the problems we have had, is the story what you expected ?
Answered here: http://forums.anarchy-online.com/sho...threadid=25630
My apologies if any of the above is incorrect, it is how I remember it.
Scorus