Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo
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@Lemon-Fox I very much appreciate your admission that you might have misread my intentions. Thank you. Frankly, I’m not really into complicated combat systems, no matter who designed them or how refined or kludgy they are, and the ground battle system as listed was so eye-crossingly complex that I couldn’t even finish reading it. If you really are playing with those two systems and having fun with them, and I really hope you are, I won’t try to dissuade you. That’s just not why I commented on them.
@Lemon-Fox said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
So, this is part of why I feel like old salt is interfering with giving stuff a chance. I’ve been on the game for a while now, and I’ve not experienced…hardly anything listed here.
As with most of ‘the AoA experience’, I suspect this phrase should be capped off with the word ‘Yet.’ I hope not, but experience has taught me better than to harbor hopes that usually turn out to be false, or at least misplaced.
Hobbie already laid out the reasons for this better than I ever could, but for my part I’ll repeat that not only did Cujo and Company fail my test long ago, they continue to do so, and their behavior has gotten worse, not better. Even if they seem to have learned to hide it better than before. This may be a large part of why you haven’t had ‘the AoA experience’ to date.
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@Lemon-Fox said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
So, this is part of why I feel like old salt is interfering with giving stuff a chance. I’ve been on the game for a while now, and I’ve not experienced…hardly anything listed here. And while I play flirty characters, I’m rarely in the mood for taking anything further. And no one has creeped on me, which is actually really refreshing.
Hi there.
I was on the game for about eight years. I was staff for close to five years. The people that are on staff now are the ones responsible for much of the sex pesting. Hadrix, in particular, had so many complaints over the years that I tried to address, and it was all swept under the rug. I personally had many unpleasant experiences with him. It’s very easy to say, well I don’t experience it so maybe it didn’t happen, maybe it’s all better now. It’s not. You just don’t know about it because that’s the nature of the game culture.
Current members of staff have either outright abused systems, and cheated to the point that they were set suspect up until they were abruptly put on staff. They have been complained about for harassment and manipulative behavior. They have been repeatedly accused of sex pesting. They have a long history of sweeping harassment claims under the rug, because they don’t want to deal with it, and when asked to even be allowed to address it, was met with a firm no we’ll wait and see if it stops answer. For years. This is every member of the wiz staff. Every. Single. One. I was there to see every bit of it, deal with many of the complaints, sift through the suspect logs, try and reassure players that I was listening to them.
When those are the kind of people that you put into the position of power, the well is poisoned. Don’t see it now? Cool. You will. You can ignore it, but the thing is, all of the things warned about here? They’re true. Eventually the shine is going to wear off on the game, and you’ll start to see what’s underneath.
They can only hide the rot for so long.
Good luck.
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@Lemon-Fox Hey Lemon-Fox, I’m glad you’re having fun on a game. Enjoy yourself tell the stories you want for the people you want to tell. Remember it’s better to ask for forgiveness with Cujo than permission. Have thick skin and no cares you will be fine.
Just be ready for the first time you cross Banshee, Hadrix, or Aryn. The 'not earned it’s for your admiral bit was just a taste.
Banshee once changed the rules for a force power mid scene cause he couldn’t one shot my very powerful dino Jedi. It was infuriating and funny at the same time.
Oh and yes, I talked to Cujo several times. It was hardly ever a directly bad experience. But years of lip service with no real support coupled with finally seeing the light is why I walked.
Oh if you’re a female player or female presenting player, try getting away with being bossy. He’s afraid of you. You really have the same power as Aryn especially if you can generate rp.
The times Cujo got onto me was my ic love interest was not playing well with others. Cujo would talk to me to get her to behave cause he was scared of her.
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@Zephyr Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be sure to post here if stuff goes sour, or if my friends report stuff being sour. I’m not going to sit around on that nonsense.
@Jax I don’t think Banshee, Hadrix, or Aryn were involved in the admiral character thing. Heck, Aryn supported me, and has been making an effort to include me in stuff with the Force Using Sith. She also seems excited about the Rebellion taking a stand and starting to recover worlds. But, as above, I’ll update if things seem to be going negative.
My trumpet is a tool of justice, not to be used in anger, not for vengeance! And, well, this is still my trumpet, so we can’t cue any cool Metal Gear Rising music just yet. But I just wanted to report that things seem pretty good right now, and you never know! People can change! Just hoping for the best right now.
And be sure to hit me up on game if you ever wanna talk or just check the place out again.
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The systems are onerous, the dino gaps are frustrating, the personalities of the staff and key players are sometimes terrible, that’s all kinda whatever in the end. It can be dealt with.
More to the point, and pointing at where this thread started:
Every MU in this day and age has a “harassment won’t be tolerated” policy. They vary by content and complexity, but to name just a few across a few genres/types/codebases: Liberation has policies of this type, Spellbound has them, Disquiet has them, Silent Heaven has them, Arx had them, I think even Shangrila has guidelines and policies around welcome and unwelcome player behavior.
There is one game out there that does not have a “harassment won’t be tolerated” policy and that is Age of Alliances. @Zephyr asked Cujo to put one in and he refused.
What on earth reason is there to refuse putting up a line of text that says harassment won’t be tolerated?
Make of that what you will, I guess.
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@Lemon-Fox
It’s nice you’re having a good time. None of the people in this thread left because it was impossible to have a good time, or there was too much gatekeeping, or it was hard to get started as a newbie, or there wasn’t enough content, or the mechanics weren’t ideal, or the DB was bloated.We left because players who had behaved in unconscionable ways were promoted rather than disciplined. These same players remain on staff. You may not care what kind of people they were to other people or at another time, but there are certain activities that, change of heart or not, I’m simply not ever willing to be around those who have done them or who tolerate them. It’s hard to say which is worse, but at AoA you don’t have to decide; you get both.
Of course we discussed these concerns with Cujo. I spoke with Cujo a few times a week for over five years. Zephyr spoke with him every day. We tried appealing to a sense of decency over this particular decision and were rebuffed. That’s why we left. We wanted to see some justice. We wanted protection from an abuser. We didn’t get it, so we had to leave.
There is a lot of unrelated salt in this thread, that is true, but this post was not put up out of a sense of revenge but sadness and concern. I am still sad, three years gone, about the outcome of those conversations, and I am still concerned for players who, like me at the time, did not know that the environment was unsafe. Please watch carefully for yours and your friends’ safety; staff won’t be.
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@Trashcan said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
We left because players who had behaved in unconscionable ways were promoted rather than disciplined. These same players remain on staff. You may not care what kind of people they were to other people or at another time, but there are certain activities that, change of heart or not, I’m simply not ever willing to be around those who have done them or who tolerate them. It’s hard to say which is worse, but at AoA you don’t have to decide; you get both.
Of course we discussed these concerns with Cujo. I spoke with Cujo a few times a week for over five years. Zephyr spoke with him every day. We tried appealing to a sense of decency over this particular decision and were rebuffed. That’s why we left. We wanted to see some justice. We wanted protection from an abuser. We didn’t get it, so we had to leave.
There is a lot of unrelated salt in this thread, that is true, but this post was not put up out of a sense of revenge but sadness and concern. I am still sad, three years gone, about the outcome of those conversations, and I am still concerned for players who, like me at the time, did not know that the environment was unsafe. Please watch carefully for yours and your friends’ safety; staff won’t be.
Yeah. You’re right. I guess I just want to be optimistic. And, as mentioned above, if I see that kind of behavior, I’ll be right back over here declaring that I was wrong. Sorry to dredge up bad memories, I was just reacting to the poo-pooing of the new galactic conquest system. I didn’t mean to chuck people’s feelings out the window, so sorry for that.
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@Warlander said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
(especially if it includes seeing the Sith Empire pushed into the position the Resistance occupies right now, a situation that I would consider proof positive that Aryn and her ilk aren’t just letting everyone think they’re accomplishing something while nothing meaningful actually changes)
@Lemon-Fox said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
She also seems excited about the Rebellion taking a stand and starting to recover worlds.
Aryn has a character or two in the Resistance that are in leadership roles in the form of Poe and possibly Dailo. It’s currently flush with her and her ilk. They’re on the winning side. It’s not surprising that she’s excited for them to take a stand and start recovering worlds.
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I got an itch to go actually look at AoA today and well, even without the absolutely crap behavior from staff, this game is far too complex for my tastes.
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But wait, there’s more!
======================<* 7: Game Announcements - 190 *>======================
Message: 7/190 Posted Author
New Changes and New Staff Jan 13 2025 MaelstromIt is the start of a new year and what better time to look forward to what is ahead? We’ve got a lot of ideas stirring for the game’s over-arching story as well as smaller, contained plots to be sprinkled over the next twelve months. There will be more updates made to the wiki, help files, and planets. As well as positive changes to some of our rule sets and potential +event rewards.
Further, we will be steering away from conflict avoidance and towards conflict mediation. In that vein, please allow me the privilege of introducing some new members to our team.
Leviathan and Heureux are long-time players of the game and even longer members of the MUSHing community. Their roles are to aide you to having the best possible experience here. This includes questions about the game’s systems and mediation with other players and staff. If you have concerns or grievances, I encourage you to seek a resolution rather than letting it fester on the back channels.
Also, please welcome our two new roleplay admins Lovecraft and Conquest! Their role is to help facilitate stories on the grid, be it helping a player run a personal plot or hosting planet-centric storylines. They can also answer questions regarding ideas and character concepts.
We want to thank everyone who has put their time and effort into this game. Whether you’ve been here for years, newly arrived, or are returning from time away, you’ve all contributed to the legacy that is Age of Alliances. Staff are making a concentrated effort to make this the best environment for story-telling.
------------------------------< +bbread 7/190 >-------------------------------That right, Cujo doesn’t want you complaining somewhere else that might make his game look bad, no! Instead, go tell some new staffers instead!
How has it taken THIS LONG for him to get staff to deal with this kind of thing? Still, I doubt it’ll change things, as it gives him a scapegoat for things not getting better. "It wasn’t ME that dealt with it, it was THEM! I can’t deal with things I never hear about!
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@ThisGuy Leviathan and Heureux, to my way of thinking, aren’t there to help change anything for the better; Cujo and Company
aren’t about that, and never have been.I suspect that their primary function, whether they know it or not, is to find out who is complaining, and what they are complaining about. So when nothing changes and the player later posts about it someplace like here, it’s easier to find out who that person is on the game and silence them, most likely by banning them.
Which doesn’t actually help him and his, either, since creating disgruntled former players who have some degree of dirt on you is rarely a good idea, and players who are friends with the banned person are likely to leave. You can lead a troll to answers, but you can’t make him THINK.
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@Warlander (Much as I don’t like to reply to myself, I felt that this needed to be said.)
The really sad part of this is that these two new staffers may really be doing their jobs with good intentions, and have no idea just how their work may be (mis)used.
Or maybe they’re the same sort of scum as Cujo and Company
. Or somewhere in between. Until something happens to reveal the content of their character, we have no way of knowing.If you want to take a chance on dealing with them regarding the game’s many, many issues, please give them the same respect you’d give any other player you haven’t dealt with before (I probably don’t have any need to say this, but I’ll say it anyway, just in case). Good luck if you do take the risk.
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@Watcher616 In the meantime, the Sith Empire is snapping up at least one world for every world the Resistance might have a chance at gaining, probably because Aryn has at least one leadership alt there. She has alts in leadership positions in every major faction (Empire, Resistance, Mandalorians/Kora), except possibly the Hutt Cartel.
@MisterBoring said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
I got an itch to go actually look at AoA today and well, even without the absolutely crap behavior from staff, this game is far too complex for my tastes.
Speaking of messes, this just hit the grid. Note the posting dates of the original message and the comment.
=========================<* 8: Game Updates - 218 *>=========================
Message: 8/218 Posted Author
Free Starter Ship Dec 09 2023 CujoHello all
We’re instituting a new Chargen feature, in the form of a free starter ship. If you make a new character, and want to request a free ship once you are IC, then we offer you the newly updated Slingshot cargo hauler.
The new Slingshot comes with 200 tons of cargo space. Max Speeds of 50 MGLT in space, and 80 MGLT in atmosphere. It is still a 1 crew ship, with a bunk behind the pilot’s station, with interior room for 2 passengers to at least sit fiairly comfortably while traveling the space lanes.
In the end, we are now offering free ships out of chargen. If you make a character, and want a ship to start off with, and the new Slingshot variants sound appealing to you, then make that new character, and put in the request once you are approved and IC!
- AoA Staff
===================< Comment 1 - Added Jan 26 06:09PM GMT >===================
Discordia Commented:
think Please note a few things about the starter ships. You may not resell them, pass them on to other players, or otherwise profit from the ships, beyond ther scope of what you do in regards trading/travelling. They are offered to players as a means to allow you to get up and running for travel and running cargo only.
When you no longer want/need the ship, +request to staff and we will reclaim them.
Additionally, please be aware that these ships are intended to give you a leg up. If they remain your own/regular ship is your choice, but please be aware that if you mod the ship, and later trade it back into staff/we reclaim it for inactivity, etc, you will not get back the money you paid for any modifications you added to these ships, nor will we return the mods to you to use on a new ship. Ideally, you should be looking to purchase a ship of your choice and add mods to those, as those can be resold/traded if desired. Though you still won’t get back the cost of mods if you resell the non-starter ship to staff.
Please see +bbread 8/222 and +bbread 8/225 for some of our other ship programs.
for those of you wishing to sell back ships you no longer need/want that are not the starter ship, you can sell these back to staff for half of the base credit cost you paid. Mods costs will not be returned to you.
------------------------------< +bbread 8/218 >-------------------------------The delay in posting this is pretty interesting. Good mods are still too rare and expensive to risk losing them to such a bad trade as this policy sets up, creating a powerful incentive to hold on to modded ships (an incentive the dinosaurs likely paid no attention to, since they’d do that anyway. It’s not like anyone’s going to prevent them from hoarding ships).
And I’m sure if you ask about it, ‘It’s always been like this!’.
- AoA Staff
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@Warlander Meet the new theme post!
========================<* 6: Theme Discussion - 36 *>=========================
Message: 6/36 Posted Author
Current Theme Summary Feb 12 2025 CujoOur story is set 18 years after Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, in a galaxy ruled by the Sith Empire, where a fledgling rebellion is beginning to rise once more.
The Sith have abandoned the Rule of Two, expanding their ranks by training countless Sith Acolytes and warriors in temples scattered across the galaxy. Their dominion stretches from the Core Worlds to the Inner Rim, enforced by legions of Sith warriors, an iron-fisted military, and a vast fleet of Star Destroyers. Through terror and oppression, they maintain order, crushing all who defy them. Any system that resists is swiftly subjected to brutal crackdowns;entire populations are subjugated, cities are razed, and rebel sympathizers are executed publicly to serve as warnings. The Sith’s enforcers patrol every sector, hunting Jedi and traitors alike, ensuring no one is safe from their reach.
The Jedi, long thought extinct, have survived in secrecy. Led by Rey, they have spent nearly two decades gathering allies, stockpiling resources, and training a new generation of Jedi in hiding. The Sith Empire has sought them relentlessly, dispatching inquisitors and assassins to root them out. Those captured face grim fates;imprisonment, torture, or worse, forced conversion into Sith acolytes. Now, as the Rebellion stirs, the Jedi are beginning to emerge from the shadows to aid in the fight against the Sith’s tyranny.
At the head of the Sith Empire stands the enigmatic Darth Omen, a towering and fearsome Sith Lord who oversees the training of new Sith across the Empire. His apprentice, Empress Kessa;known to many as Darth Mirage;governs the Empire from Coruscant, ruling from the old Senate complex with ruthless precision. Both are masked figures whose true faces have never been seen, adding to their mystique and terror. Darth Omen is clad in black robes, a figure of raw power, while Empress Kessa drapes herself in ornate crimson outfits. Under her rule, entire worlds have been stripped of their resources, their populations enslaved, and their cultures erased to serve the will of the Sith.
Beyond the Sith’s reach, the Outer Rim remains a battleground of its own. The Hutt Cartel thrives, striking lucrative deals with the Sith to ensure their criminal enterprises remain untouched. They funnel Force-sensitive captives to the Empire, run smuggling operations, and serve as a shadow network for the highest bidder. In return, the Sith allow them to rule their crime-infested worlds unopposed, turning Nar Shaddaa and other underworld strongholds into dens of vice, corruption, and exploitation. Meanwhile, piracy has surged in the lawless territories, as warlords and marauders prey upon vulnerable trade routes. Some align with the Rebellion, striking at Sith supply lines, while others serve only their own greed, raiding anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.
Amidst this turmoil, the Rebellion has begun to rally around its mobile command center;Organa’s Hope, a massive shipyard and production facility capable of jumping from system to system. Named in honor of the late Leia Organa, this formidable vessel is the key to the Rebellion’s strategy. From its hangars, the Resistance plans daring strikes against the Sith Empire, seeking to dismantle its oppressive rule one battle at a time.
The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. The Sith Empire’s reign of terror has cast a shadow across every world, but the embers of rebellion refuse to die. The Jedi, the Rebellion, and the desperate souls of the Outer Rim all stand at a crossroads. Will the Sith crush all opposition, or will the Rebellion ignite a new hope?
(This is your latest summary of the game’s setting and theme, feel free to share it around and reference it to others.)
--------------------------------< +bbread 6/36 >--------------------------------Same as the old theme post… big surprise, right?
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The Star Wars nerd in me is screaming at the idea that the end of Episode IX somehow indicates the Sith Empire is taking over.
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@MisterBoring said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
The Star Wars nerd in me is screaming at
the idea that the end ofEpisode IXFixed that for you.
ETA: Fixed that for myself.
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The facts are what they are and they’re never going to change. It’s a Star Wars game! They’re doing stuff. Some is ok. Some is really stupid. The good guys and/or bad guys have the upper hand this week. There’s some spaceships and some guns. If you are unlucky enough to have an issue with someone, especially a harassment issue, no one will help you.
That’s the only thing to say about this place. It does not matter what the theme posts are. It never did. I think it’s ok if we don’t give them free publicity for every single bbpost.
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@Ashkuri I both agree and disagree. Mostly because this forum is intended to serve as a warning to players new and old about this so-called game.
It’s not free publicity if it doesn’t help them. The place has recently had an influx of new PCs, largely due to the introduction of the naval fleet combat system and the fleet captains initiative, and I can guarantee you that this thread has absolutely nothing to do with that. The sad part is that some of them are actual new players, who are going to learn the ugly facts about about this place the hard way, which we also have nothing to do with.
You’re right about them never changing, though. And as with all of these matters, the proof is in the posts:
=======================<* 7: Game Announcements - 132 *>=======================
Message: 7/132 Posted Author
Moar Noms Pls Feb 02 2022 CujoWe’d love to. But we can’t.
The 20 noms a week you’re given is reaching the ceiling of what we can really do. Sometimes, as we see fit, the Staff will issue more noms, but its only when we can, which is something we have to choose wisely on.
Our recommendations is that if you’re attending a lot of big scenes during the week… please only +nom the people you directly interact with, or even better, the people who pose in ways that most impress you. You have to, as players, be a bit more stingy with your +noms if you want to have them last through the week, especially if you’re going to a lot of big scenes where you’re +nomming people that you’re not even ICly interacting with.
Sometimes, its best to just not +nom someone who isn’t putting a lot of effort out, or who you do not even RP with directly in a big scene.
Choose wisely, you really do only get 20 +noms a week.
- Cujo
====================< Comment 1 - Added Feb 15 06:15PM GMT >====================
Cujo Commented:
Just to spotlight this post anew, once upon a time we only gave out somewhere around 5 to 7 +noms in a 7 day period on this game. The original intent being that +noms were given to those who most shined, like a Player of the Scene reward. As times have changed, people have come to expect to hand out one to everyone that is in a large scene with them, or anyone that poses in the same room as them. Though I understand the intent is to show appreciation for participation, we still strive to make RP the goal and the reward that is most desired overall, the +nom and the XP is second and third to the RP itself.
We have upped the number over the years, but also reduced the XP you get from a +nom as well, to balance it out. The rest of the above still stands too. Only give +noms to those you directly interact with in a large scene, or those who pose in ways that are above and beyond, to help show them that an impressively crafted pose is worth one of your precious +noms.
And yes, Bizz, I know that you tell people to just +nom people on their alts, because Cujo will never know. But I do know, Bizz… I do know. AND we can reject +noms too, if we feel so inclined, but we don’t want to be mean to you guys, because we love you (not Bizz, but everyone else.)
-------------------------------< +bbread 7/132 >--------------------------------Having played on games that had absolutely no limit on +noms, +votes, +whatever, save that you couldn’t nom the same player twice in the same week, this reeks of bantha droppings. Even if it’s true, whose fault is it that Cujo and Company
continue to cling to (not to mention continue to severely overcomplicate) such a ramshackle, outdated system as DSS?Nobody’s fault but theirs, really.
- Cujo
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@Warlander said in Star Wars Age of Alliances: Hadrix and Cujo:
It’s not free publicity if it doesn’t help them
The adage of “any publicity is good publicity” still holds true.
Obviously, you can post as you will and nobody’s going to stop you. But honestly, you’re not achieving much of anything beyond seeming rather obsessed with them.
