Getting Attention from the Divine without the Use of Fire

You don’t have to down drink after drink in a Temple bar to get the attention of a Divine, although if you’re gunning for an audience with Lord Phaestus the Smith that certainly doesn’t hurt. For all the butt kissing and brown nosing that you might see others do in your favorite Iron Realms MUDs, it’s actually the players that follow the rules that get the attention of the admins.

Communicating with the Divine

It’s important to remember that with any large group of people, whether working for the same CEO or playing the same RPG, you are one small fish in a really big pond. Can you imagine if all of the couple of hundred players who are in the realm at any time sent the Divine tells every time they had an idea or complaint? If I were Divine then I would stay hidden!

Some people think that because they are a small fish in a big pond then it is not worth it to share their ideas. They think that their voice will never be heard and that their efforts will be for naught. However if only more people would go through the proper channels, they would see that they have just as much of a chance as the next adventurer as being noticed by the Divine.

Other Ways to Get Noticed

Of course proper communication, such as appropriate use of the IDEA, BUG, and TYPO commands is only one way to get noticed by the Divine. Another is to avoid frivolous use of the ISSUE command. An ISSUE, according to the in-game help scroll, is either a problem in which you can find no in-character solution, or a personal request for Divine assistance. Here are more productive ways you can gain the attention of the Divine.

• Walk the Walk – A lot of people do a lot of talking in Iron Realms games. It’s always easier to talk about what you’re going to do than to actually do it. If you belong to a city, house, or follow a Divine in the game, you should absolutely find ways to be helpful. But most importantly, follow through and see things through until the end. That will earn you the respect not only of the Divine but also of your fellow adventurers.

• Attend Gatherings – The whole purpose of a RPG is to interact. If you are constantly sitting off alone, ignoring other people, and avoiding roleplay events, then your reasons for doing so might be misinterpreted. Pay attention to what is going on in the realm around you. The Divine put a lot of effort into their roles, and the best way you can show them that you appreciate their hard work is to participate without being rude or discourteous.

• Pay Homage – It’s natural that you might be a little awestruck by the Divine, but don’t let your awe turn into what could be mistaken for ignoring them completely. Make them the topic of your Bardic and Artisanal entries. Offer your corpses at their shrines. Any time you compliment a Divine with sincerity they will notice and appreciate it, even if you do not see results immediately.

• Stop Kissing Up – Paying homage is one thing, but going overboard until your nose is brown from kissing up is something else. You will only risk the judgment of your peers and possibly the wrath of the Divine – quite the adverse effect of what you were hoping for with all your do-gooding!

Forget the Cliques

Everyone has to be political and friendly at some point to people who they would rather ignore completely. And there are times when you might want to spend time with popular people who ignore you completely. However, cliques are for newbies who don’t know any better. While there might be some that you can join that won’t hurt your reputation, it’s best to just avoid them altogether.

MUDs are not much different than real life in that you will be judged by who you spend time with, as well as the people who you consider mutual friends and allies. That’s not only true for the adventurers you see on QUICKWHO but also the Divine who you don’t see listed there, but who might be lurking about watching from behind the scenes. Believe it or not, they really are more interested in knowing who is sincere than knowing who is just popular.


About the Author

When university student Emily Saunders isn’t working on her studies, you can find her leeching WiFi from local cafes. The cozy setting is the perfect place for her to get lost in her favorite MUD games between classes, and besides that it offers free coffee refills! When she isn’t playing text games she enjoys photography and singing karaoke with her friends.