As a newcomer to the Myst Online Community, I would like to offer my perspective on what I see happening.
I attended a brief portion of the Meeting of the Guilds Saturday and read the rest via transcript. I've also been reading through a lot of the forums and trying to catch myself up on the story, whilst not revealing too much about the ages I have to discover and play through. So far this has worked quite well, because I have learned nothing of the Ages available
to me. The last Myst game I purchased was Uru, when it first came out, with all the hope and promise of Uru live. I do not yet have To D'ni or The Path of the Shell or the Complete Chronicles or Until Uru. From my knowledge, I know the two expansions are included in CC (and have learned that this is what people refer to when typing CC), and that they are the original ideas for Uru Live that never went anywhere back then.
I know Uru Live died, and then was resurrected by the community (the DRC?). I have since learned that the game I'm playing now on GameTap is not wholly the same community effort that resurrected the game, but Cyan has re-entered the picture.
I know about the existence of the DRC as an entity, but I know nothing of who they are, or whether they are community players, Cyan employees, or both. I do not know where Until Uru fits in, except for maybe it was the name of the game at the end of the community effort, up until the "Great Scream" and then Myst Online was launced in February 2007.
I do know Yeesha from Myst III and Uru: Ages Beyond Myst. I know some about the Bahro, but not much. I don't consider that
too important at the moment.
Aside from all this, I also know that for some reason, the DRC, Yeesha, and the Bahro have left at the end of the last episode. I don't know if there's anyone left from the DRC because I don't know who any of them are (I know some names but I don't know how fresh my knowledge is), and I don't know about the Bahro either (other than being another race, and responsible for the Great Scream).
What I do know, is that the last bit of information seems to have been, in summary, set up the guilds.
I do know this was an official bit of story, and that five guilds have been "established" by virtue of ballons, shirts, and tables.
I also know that a lot of veterans of the game seem hung up on what to do with the voice of Cyan gone. There is debate about whether
or not we push what we're doing and work with Cyan later, or wait until Cyan gives more guidance later.
The Meeting this past Saturday seems largely in favor of establishing Guilds and then working with Cyan later.
I think this is good, and from a complete newcomer's perspective, the only thing that makes these guilds less official
and legitimate than the DRC and Cyan's episodes is everybody's uncertainty. People need to be more confidant and assertive.
Step up and say, "We are the Guilds recognized by the community."
Whether or not you are canon in Cyan's episodes later does not matter to me coming to the game now. What matters is that I
Joe Q. Explorer can come in to the game, and not see disarray, but rather a community of players that is sure about what they want
and what they are doing.
Cyan seems to be taking a break, and letting you (us) all have an opportunity to step up to the bat. If more than one group of people
see different directions for a Guild, let them both form. Whichever is the better will eventually be accepted by the majority
of the community. This doesn't have to be done by a vote, but simply,if I ask, say, 10 people who to talk to about the Guild of Writers
and the majority respond with one answer (or one group) I will go that group. Odds are I will also do more research into why there
are different groups and what the different views are and align myself where I see fit. That's why I play. To learn, to discover.
So, as an outsider that just joined the online community, I ask the already established community to please,
just take responsibility and say "Yes. We are the Guilds that this community has formed." Don't worry about Cyan or competing
groups. If Cyan goes in a different direction then we can all adapt, and if there are competing groups, then let the
fittest survive.
Just my two cents.
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