The Despair of Survival
After I received my fourth beating at the hands of a pig tamer I decided that enough was enough. Wandering the world wasn’t for me and neither was retreating to rural genocide. I decided once and for all to head to civilization wherever I could find it. I closed off the game and headed straight for Google with my mind set on some sort of map. Finally after much searching I found one on Star Vaults official forums. Heartbreakingly when I opened it I realised that I was just inches away from a settlement in my earlier jaunt through the sands. At the beginning of the desert is a huge rock – if you ran by the right side of it, you would find yourself in Meduli. Guess which direction I had headed? I cursed the day that the developer decided to not add any kind of in-game map and begrudgingly walked on.
After a few minutes journey I saw in the distance a number of lights - it was a town and apparently with no walls or anything to behold! Just open borders and an ocean it backed on to. I decided to approach this place a little carefully; as I had mentioned before, people did not like me. I was a wrong ‘un in their eyes and make no mistake. Brushing past one neutral blue would see me slaughtered by the ordered guards in no time at all. I had to play this one intelligently.
I came by nightfall and I came from the sea like a bearded fish monster. Stalking underneath the piers I could see all manner of players and NPCs. Every time someone moved my heart would skip a beat. One wrong action and I would be sent to my fifth death and that is an embarrassment for any self-proclaimed Survivor Guy.
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I resolved to head up into the hills and to a small patch of weasels I had found earlier. I would slaughter these beasts and then head back to town on cover of darkness and rebuild my life. It was all going to be so easy; except for the god damn weasels. For some reason in Mortal Online, when you attack a creature, rather than simply retaliating, most of the time it will run away for around five seconds, then drag its backside along the floor for a few more seconds and then come to a sudden halt. While at first it is amusing to see a weasel drag its ass in the sand like a dog doing a tricky twosie, it isn’t funny having to chase after these beasts with a depleting stamina bar.
Gripes aside, I collected a small fortune of “Ground Fur” and then headed back into town my usual way – mereman style. Doing my usual dance of pier ducking and diving I found my way to a deserted merchant. You wouldn’t believe the going price for a weasel pelt these days. A couple more hauls like this and I would be a weasel-millionaire. Quickly settling up with the merchant I bid good day and turned to leave. I am sure you will know what is going to happen next.
“GUARDS!” thud; dead; corpse robbed; broken spirit; pissed off; Set of morally righteous bastards. Oh my cursing knew no bounds for a good 20 minutes after this incident. Like Yosemite Sam I bounded up and down in my room spluttering with insults and anger. I was the flagged murderer and yet these people were the real enemies here – I was simply trading and hurting nobody and they saw to kill me for my things essentially. Oh I was out for blood.
The Rebirth
After dying for the fifth time I have to say, I was a little peeved at the game. I was all for the rough and readiness of the dangerous world of Vane but at times it felt as if you didn’t really have a choice in how you played. I had taken an evil path very early on in my existence, however, I could not sustain this and therefore why is it even an option? Oh sure it is fine to indulge in banditry after playing by the rules and amassing armour and fortune but attempt this from the beginning and bad news: you’re going to fail.
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It just seems that the game allows wicked behaviour but aside from the initial joy it offers, you are stuck. Once flagged a murderer you are not allowed anywhere or to do anything that could really progress yourself. Aside from logging on in the early hours of the morning, there was no way I could carry on as my character Marr: it was simply impossible. I suppose once you operate outside the law you give up the luxury of society. I am torn on this issue; surely Star Vault could offer a sort of pirate haven free of “guard” commands? It’s one worth thinking about.
So after failing for the fifth time, I decided that it was time to call time on my first avatar. I had a great time playing a brigand but it was just too difficult. Heading back for the character creation system I found myself back to the familiar sight of a dangling penis – Oh sure it wasn’t Marr’s penis but I could learn to love it all the same.
Join me next week as I continue (failing) to survive in the wilds of Mortal Online!
