Game paused.

[Anastasia]

To be honest you can pretty much get the reasonings for this from the kill off topic from Weekly. I'm just tired of the drama and the fact that I can't seem to get a unified cast of PCs without drama and without killing myself. I like each of you individually more than I can express - but I can barely tolerate the way you guys fail to even make a passable team these days.

I just don't need that, not anymore. You've been my favorite group of PCs ever, but also the most tiring, heartwrenching and stress inducing group ever. So where does that put us?

1. Continue.

Probably not. I've made some efforts here and others have, but I'm not buying that this is recoverable now as it stands. I've been working on it for a long time and I've reached the conclusion that the current situation isn't salvageable in any meaningful way. I'll talk over plot points if you like explanations for what was going down or anything past as you wish.

2. Reset/restart.

Essentially a 2.5 Redux game or a third Sailor game outright. This interests me, but not for awhile. More than anything else I need a break. I think all of you need a break from each other, too, and a time to reset your opinions.

3. Kill entirely.

Eh. I may do this, I may not, depends on how I feel as this goes down. The fact that I'm seriously considering this says it all, doesn't it?

---

If you want I'll go into what I think of each of you against the greater fabric of the game in general later. In fact, I think I will do this, but I just don't have the time or the will right now. Much like I don't have the will to do another single scene right now as it stands.

Ten year edit: Fixing up some decade old typos. I hate typos.

[Ebiris]

Well... this is both out of the blue and not entirely unexpected, I guess.

I think, given what you've said, and the way things have gone down lately, we should probably put Redux to bed. It's been an awesome game, but it really has brough untold stress and drama for all concerned.

Option 2 or 3 is likely for the best. Really, the SM game overall has had a tremendous run (we're pushing 3 years now) so the only problem in letting it die is the sudden increase in free time we'll all have.

I'll admit that trying again somewhere down the line does interest me a little. Maybe sometime around new year we could try a fresh start with Tristat or even Hero like we sometimes discussed? Maybe, maybe not.

For now, though? Yeah, let's just give it a good long rest. There's other games to play and have fun with in the meantime that don't carry the vast weight of baggage SM has accumulated. Maybe some of us will even start new ones to fill the free time we've got without SM sucking everything up?

[Asrana]

Just...yeah, Usagi's first line about captures it. Hints here and there, but the scope of it, just...yeah.

Option 2, I guess would be my prefference. If This arc is such horrible memory...I thought we were finally starting to recover a bit on that swing, but if it's that bad, can hardly blame wanting a fresher start.

New year-ish? Like the idea. I hate letting things go, but taking a long rest seems the best for you (Dune) and probably the group.

So just...yeah, I guess that's it. Hard to really say anything. Try to rest up?

[Halbarad]

Yay for work preventing time for posting.

Anyway. I can't at all say this was really unexpected for me - mostly the surprise here for me is that the hammer was actually dropped at all, not that it needed to be. There have been quite a few issues across the board that have been contributing to the poor health of the game, and I'm not really that shocked to see it fall under the weight.

That said? I love Sailor Moon RP. The characters are rich, diverse, well-developed and have a LOT of potential for some great interaction - all the way from dark to humorous, and all in the same game. My vote (for all that votes here really don't mean all that much - this is Dune's decision in the end) is towards option 2, although I'd lean more towards a Sailor Moon Take 3 than I would for a restart of Redux - best to make a clean start of things if a new start is made at all.

While I am semi-curious about some of the plot elements here, it's nothing that I need to drag out here unless others want to see it posted.

As for myself? A lot of my time in the leadup to the game was spent observing, so I've got some feedback for folks should they care to hear it - feel free to ask or not, as you've a mind to. And by all means, I'll welcome any feedback from others on the short time I spent in the game, although I'll state a preference for PM for communicating that.

[Anastasia]

Okay. My takes on each of you, good and bad. Mostly picks and nags since I've said the good a lo tand I'm aiming more for what irritated me overall. I'll do these at whatever pace I feel like, probably one at a time. I encourage others to post reasonable, well thought out commentaries, replies and feedback, too.

Usagi:

On the good side, always wanting to game, putting lots of effort into the game at all times. Generally really encouraging and warm with those he was cool with, in theory.

Bad? The simplest thing can come down to a few recent incidents. Do you remember the Miss Hinako omake, Usa-chan? The one where you just kinda ditched Takeshi? Or when Takeshi told me in PM it felt like you were incredibly hard to get to connect to, and others echoed that sentiment at the time? It felt like you weren't connecting well at all.

[Anastasia]

Addendum from IRC:

If you have anything to say, this is the time to clear the air or forever hold your peace.

[Ranmilia]

So.  I've been poking around for a while, observed the game for about a year, hung out in #mk, and all that.  What follows is all just my opinion as a neutral-ish observer, and with little regard to political correctness.  My main thought on the game pausing/stopping is... it's about time.  

First of all, the game's pretty played out.  It's been running for a loooong time, two complete iterations + hundreds of omakes and random scenes.    From running my own multiyear RPs, I know for a fact that if you keep any involved RP with mostly the same characters going for that long, you're gonna start running short of material and dip further and further into weird things for plotstuff and the especially private lives of the characters.  Which brings me to...

The sex.  Lots and lots and lots and LOTS of sex.  The OOC channel is one thing.  It was moderately uncomfortable when I started watching.  But it just kept getting worse and worse and worse, and was the main reason I stopped hanging out in the RP channels.  I was 100% serious when I suggested you all just have an all-out H-scene to work it out, and then stop, but I have to wonder if that wouldn't just make things even worse.  If that's really what people want to play, sure, but either do it or don't - the line of good taste got trampled over AGES ago and now you've got stuff going on like characters with NO romantic inclinations (or so their player says) being forced (or so everyone says) into sex with other characters against the player's wishes.  (Or so they say.  I haven't read the log, I'm not really sure how you force a character into that, and I don't really want to know - but I'm SURE that that's NEVER something that should happen to a character against the player's wishes.)  And stuff like the infamous last scene before the pause.  Seriously, what the heck.  It seemed like everyone was into that, but mainly...

Mako and Hotaru.  You guys are pretty cool to hang around, and apparently pretty cool to RP with, individually.  Together, though, a seemingly unstoppable force of rampage and perversion is created.  The PCs do not mesh and this pairing is a large part of why.  I didn't mention anything because I didn't want to make waves, not being in the game, and it looked like Dune was okay with it... but other people have commented to me on the same thing... so... I don't think it's just me.  Y'all've gotta work on keeping your IRL relationship, whatever it is, out of character, and on being more considerate of the other characters in general.  And less perverted.  It really, really looks like you do have cybering going on in a backroom and have trouble keeping it confined to there, and you get kinda bristly when the Mako/Hotaru dynamic isn't supreme.  As it stands I shied away from asking to hop into this game and I'd pretty much turn down anything with the both of you in it, and maybe either individually.  That's not extremely diplomatic and I'm sure I'll be shot to death as "not in the game no right to comment", but I'm calling it as I see it.  

The character dynamics in general are just... uncool.  Hal and Laggy have both been complaining to me basically nonstop since they hopped (back) in about how they're being marginalized and having trouble doing anything.  When Hal and Laggy both complain to me about something, that's a sign that it's pretty bad.  Not all of this is the fault of the above, some of it just seems due to poor planning and an overall lack of direction in the game lately.

Bearing all of the above in mind... I've been calling the game as a train wreck for quite a while now and I'm honestly surprised it went on as long as it did.  I'm also not at all sure it's salvageable, short break or not, without a massive revamping of the playerbase and the overall game direction.  Personally, I think the entire Sailor Moon gig's worn out, but I'm not in it, so what do I know - it mainly depends on Dune and whether he can craft another large, interesting plot arc.  
I think that's about it as far as random side observations.

Edit - formatting got eaten.  ;_;

[Bean Bandit]

Mmm...

I don't know what to say, honestly. This came as a surprise. I've been a large part of the problems in game, I think...and Alex's point is a fair one.

Which leads me to this-I wish you all well, but I think I'll quietly withdraw here. Good luck in whatever happens. I'll poke my head back in now and then for Redux mopup. After that-Well, it's been an interesting few years, and I thank you for all the good times.

Bye.

[Anastasia]

I'll hit Mako then now, I suppose.

Mako:

The good? A very fine RPer and could sometimes really relate to some PCs/NPCs. When she connected she connected.

The bad? It's been bandied around some - you're a good RPer, but sometimes it's just..oi. It felt like you were so distant from everyone else at times, Mako. I don't entirely disagree with what Alex said, either. You got a lot of laurels as Ami-1, and with good reason. Mull that over for me however you will.

[Bean Bandit]

And in the spirit of Equal time, while I try and figure out how to retire this SR account, ^^;;-

You're a wonderful, imaginative GM, Dune. When you were going on all cylinders, things were great.


On the other hand, your expectations could be excessively high, outright unreasonable, or borderline ridiculous. You had a tendency to be extremely high handed with what you thought was acceptable, then turn around and harrass us for input.

Your love for omakes was second only to your ADD with them, and I literally had to club you into maintaining the ones I enjoyed, and finally I got tired of harrassing you and gave up on omakes entirely.

Next, in my estimation, your complaints about us not gelling as a team are almost insane, from my point of View. My disagreements with Usagi aside, you threw three new PCs at us, and the main moderating influence on the team had to quit. Did you expect us to all have a happy-happy magical instabonding session? You never really allowed us a chance to get to know each other, just tossed us into the action, hip deep. On this score, no offense, you made your own bed.

I'll leave it at that-My intent wasn't really to sling mud. Only to try and illustrate why it makes me sad that I'm vaguely relieved to quit.

See you around.

[Anastasia]

Okay Mako-chan.

I won't argue with you - I don't think we'll get anything quibbling over the bones of the game. Just take it easy and poke in, we're all still around.

---

Snow:

Uh, not much to say. You're a case of bad timing and wrong place, and then gettin ganked by real life. Apologies, you looked to be pretty good from what little I saw.

Laggy:

I have to admit I liked your style. You didn't quite mesh with a bit of the group, but you also weren't around long enough to really peg it all the way.

Hal:

See the other two, really.

Hotaru:

I'll be honest and say we've had this out in PM. You've also done decently with the feedback you've gotten, so jus tkeep that up for now.

That's about it for this. I don' treally feel like stretching it out. If you want any plot details stab.

[Anastasia]

Okay. With no further posts or comments seeming to be coming?

I haven't decided between 2 or 3 yet. I lean 3, but who knows, maybe we'll come back to parts of Redux sometime. I won't close thedoor entirely, but I'm not holding my breath, moreso since Mako seems to want to seclude herself entirely.

I would like to do a few closing scenes in case we don't get back to this. The following:

Hotaru figures out her girlfriend situation and settles that for closure.

Asher and Kotono have another scene together.

Maybe a wrapping scene for Makoto/Haruna or Tsubasa. Not sure there. Haruna's story was plot centric as I'm sure you can guess.

A scene with Usagi and Rei of some sort, I do wanna do one last bit of messing with that new dynamic.

If there is anything big you'd want to do for closure, go ahead and post it here and I'll see. I'm not going to do much - only big, salient things.

[Merc]

Kinda sad this happened, even if I really haven't been keeping up with Arc 2.

Take your breather, and at least be happy that whatever happens and has happened, the SM games have had a seriously long fun run.

I'd like to say I'll be there if you ever go with option 2, but given my job situation...eh. ^^;

I do hope that if you go with options 1-2 some time in the future, you try to cut back on the schedule. A regular game is fun and all, but a good portion of stress had to come from that as well and not being able to take regular breathers between drama scenes.

[Anastasia]

Thanks, Ami-chan!

------

So I've thought this over a good long time. Option 1 isn't going to happen. While I do have some interest in finishing this arc I don't think it's worthwhile in comparison. Snow's still away, Mako's here and not here, and honestly I don't think her heart's in it by hook or crook and there is enough tension to kill a cow. So...If you have questions aboutw hat was to come about this arc or plot points feel free to poke me, I'll answer.

Option 2? Mmmph. I'm of two minds here. I don't think Redux can resume as is. Does this mean the characters are finished entirely? I'm not sure there, either. I'd like to do a few of those closing things, and maybe a few omakes as we slowly wind down and kill time.

---

So I'm going to ask - do you want to use the characters any more and if so in what forms?

---

I'd like to consider some form of Quantum Hop in the downtime, for example, maybe. I have more but I think that expressed the general idea here.

Option 3? We'll see. Nothing there until new years at least, but a few of us have chatted these matters over. More information on this when it's more relevant; if you're interested in a new SM game give me a poke sometime.

[Halbarad]

Do I want to see the characters continue to be used?

Mmmf. Kind of a tough question. Takeshi's grown on me quite a bit, but on the flip side of his situation he never really attached ANYWHERE - so while I like the character, it's going to be just as hard to get him traction now in omakeland as it was in the game, I think. I've talked with you a bit about extending that Reiko omake as a boredom-killer, but I think that's about the extent of where I'd want to see him get use, unless others want to explore his character a bit more.

That said? Definitely in favor of on/off omakes, it's just too bloody quiet right now with no gaming. Just that given the choice (and allowing for the fact that this IS, after all, omakeland) I'll probably lean towards using the elder rabbit. Doesn't mean I WON'T use Takeshi, just that I think it'll be rough for him.