[If EA turned the servers back on...]

As much as I love the game, I would have to say probably not. The game is a bit dated, which honestly doesn't bother me, but there's just something about this project that makes me happy to be a part of it in my miniscule and meaningless way. I brag about the Developers whose names I don't know, I have meaningful conversations with folks I barely know in-game, and enjoy playing an old game I know pretty well. It's the community of this game that keeps me coming back. There's too much negativity in other MMO's stemming from the player base. I don't even keep any zone or general chat on in other MMO's because of the constant barrage of crap. This is different. Much more welcoming and fun.

[Poll: Macros and Multiboxing]

I have had one time where macro'ing became a problem. A Terran Trader had set up shop in a low level sector and was one-shotting everything around him. Trying to farm faction, I suppose, as he was not looting his kills or doing anything other than firing missiles any time a MOB came within range. These mobs were needed for a quest at a very low level. Due to his weapon range I literally could not snag one of the mobs away from him. Had he been there to talk maybe he could have let the newer characters have a few. Two days later when the server went down and then came back up I and a few others were able to finish our newbie quest.

I don't have a problem with anyone sitting at a spawn spot and killing MOB's, but when it becomes disruptive to several other players it seems problematic to me. Had the dude been at his keyboard at any point the problem could have been solved without having to wait for him to dis-connect.

Others might disagree but I really don't see the point of letting a computer play this game for me. Especially when it infringes on others questing. I guess the question here is,

"Who is more important to the ebb and flow of the game?"

The players actively questing and at their desks or the guy AFK for 2 days letting Macros play for him?

I have a rather fatalistic view on this. In a game that supports this style of play, the answer is that might makes right. Honestly, people are going to do what they will. If this kind of play is a possibility then invariably someone will take advantage of it. Opinions on the matter won't change the fact that it WILL happen unless alternatives are enforced. And I'm sure there are those who disagree and will argue the right of the Macro user to all the mobs in a sector simply because he can outdamage and all else be damned. In this situation however, without word from On High, the simple fact that a player did do this, proves his right to do it. Unfortunate as it may be for others.

[Music!]

Lately alot of Mastodon, Porcupine Tree, High on Fire (chomping at the bit for their next album Snakes for the Divine), Gordian Knot, and Nile for when I feel like some death metal. Classic Rock, Prog, and Metal pretty exclusively.

[Server down on a Saturday morning]

Yeah, these people work on this game in their spare time. Any one or all of them could be dealing with work, family, who knows. We aren't talking about a bunch of guys clocking in at a game company office here.

[im not sure who to ask]

Someone got the name before you. No one owns the names. Acknowledge, pick another, and move on.

Punctuation is our friend.

[Ever feel like you are talking to yourself]

I spend alot of time chatting it up in-game. I check the forums alot, but on the topics I read,usually someone has already said what I would have said, but better. So I don't say much.

[Things the team is doing wrong]

From what I've seen the people who re-covered E&B, host the game, let all of us play for free, while doing this all in their free time without getting paid are doing fine.