Monarchy Study

[Atla]

Could you imagine if someone dug up the old Stone Cutters threads?

Or head ball games?

My highlight was -finally- getting Cere's naked pics. Only took like, 10 years after they were taken for me to get 'em. Were they worth it?

Mebbe.

[owly]

pm me those pics

[Masta]

I am posting a general survey for anyone to fill out and PM back to me if they would like to contribute to my study and my final term paper (I'm a college student, pls? lol). You may include your name, go by your handle, or remain completely anonymous. I do not really care, it doesn't matter really because the study is broad enough that names do not really matter in this case much. So if you would like to, you may, include your name when you PM me, or say I can use your handle, or prefer to remain anonymous. Whichever. I will also be PMing these surveys to those people who already said they wouldn't mind filling out such a thing. Thanks all.


Q: How many years (total, if off and on) have you been a part of the community of “monarchy” or “evernight” or “canon”?
A:

Q: Have you ever attended a “BASH” (ie: evernight bashes)? If so, where, and when please? Who did you meet there in person for the first time (or how many people)? Anyone in particular who surprised you somehow?
A:

Q: Do you feel like your online persona reflects your real life personality? If you feel it is different, how so?
A:

Q: Have you ever spoke on the phone to a fellow community member of this particular game? Have you ever met any of them in real life?
A:

Q: Has membership in this community ever had a major impact on your real life? Please explain.
A:

Q: Did membership in this community have an impact on your value of privacy as it applies to the internet? (ie: less reluctant to try ebay?)
A:

Q: Many members of the community at one time or another have referred to it as “family” or “a home away from home.” Do you feel emotionally attached to the community in a strong way? If not, please explain how you feel differently about it.
A:

Q: Some very popular and well known figures in the community have passed on in life. Did any of these particular events impact you in some way? Please explain.
A:

Q: In your opinion, what made, or makes this community a place where people are more likely to exchange information, visit other members on vacations, and break the privacy standards typically applied to the internet?
A:


Please simply fill out and return. I am sorry this has taken so long to get to, but I have other large papers as well, I am taking very high level courses this semester. Anyhow, I am having to also now do the paper in less time than I would like, so if you can, and want your survey used, please return within max 2 weeks. If anyone can return one by Sunday, that would be great, because I need a rough draft for Monday. But the Final isn't due until Dec. 17th, so you have a couple weeks if you need it, so no worries. I have enough info to get by as it is, I just really want personal opinions. Thanks again.

ps. Owly, I got your PM, don't worry about filling out the survey, I will contact you soon. By the way, PM me about when you are available for the short interview. I'll probably PM you anyway, but in case I forget, I know you read everything in comments

[Masta]

For anyone who has not filled out the above series of questions already, or anyone who has (look closely and don't bother answering the questions that are duplicates) and wishes to update their information, please look over the following series of questions, as I have updated them from the originals that are posted above. I combined a few interview questions into the survey and made a bit of a more personal hybrid version of my survey, so please use the following format when PMing me back surveys now. Thanks all.


Q: In doing this interview, for the final paper, do you prefer to be referred to by your handle, real name, or remain anonymous?
A:

Q: Would you like to cite any particular place that you hail from?
A:

Q: How old were you when you “discovered” monarchy, and what year was it?
A:

Q: Have you been a member of the community since then?
A:

Q: Do you feel like your online persona reflects your real life personality? If you feel it is different, how so?
A:

Q: Have you ever spoke on the phone to a fellow community member of this particular game? Have you ever met any of them in real life?
A:

Q: Have you ever attended a “BASH” (ie: evernight bashes)? If so, where, and when please? Who did you meet there in person for the first time (or how many people)? Anyone in particular who surprised you somehow?
A:

Q: Some very popular and well known figures in the community have passed on in life. Did any of these particular events impact you in some way? Please explain.
A:

Q: Did membership in this community have an impact on your value of privacy as it applies to the internet? (ie: less reluctant to try ebay?)
A:

Q: In your opinion, what made, or makes this community a place where people are more likely to exchange information, visit other members on vacations, and break the privacy standards typically applied to the internet?
A:

Q: Is there anything that you would like to personally tell me, as a researcher of this community? Perhaps something I did not pose a question about, but is of significant importance to the community?
A:

[Lady Maven]

Bah, wasn't going to do this (nothing personal Masta, I am just laaaaazzzzzzyyyyyy) but you gotta get a college paper done. I dig it. Reply sent

edit/ I will say though that you might think of adding something about why we chose our siglines. they are a common thread in emails, forums and other online posting spots. I think they say a lot about the poster

[Masta]

thanks for the feedback, and the tip about the siglines, that is very true. I am sure there are plenty of things I might have asked, but I was trying to keep it as short as possible for you all But I will do some research on siglines before the final is due in a couple weeks. I got my rough draft done for Monday, so I didn't even think about siglines really yet, but you're right, they are definitely worth examining. thanks so much for your reply!

[Decae]

An interesting thing, this community. It brought about such life changing events for me that I could never explain them all. Even still today I ride upon the coat tails of experience only possible because of a small text based game on the internet that so many came to enjoy.

Such was the cyclic and yet unpredictable way of this gathered virtual family. Like all communities we had the differing brands of humans: scholars, warriors, criminals, and mediators - but our roles were often prescribed to us, drawn out of our soles as if a higher purpose snatched them out and placed them naked in the town square.

Today the spirit exists, yet the sustenance is in decline. We look back on youth enjoyed, squandered, and seized in the most zealous of manners by the most disparate of social gatherings. Do we look back fondly? I do. Do we look back in despair? I do. Do we look back? Often, at least for me.

With the passing of my best friend, Donavon (Rathowen), my attachment and desire to re-enter such a world has come to a close. But having had the chance once, were I asked, yes I would do it all over again - the steps through such a universe were surreal and melted rational thoughts into rivulets of fantasy. Those rivulets formed a core that faces divine reason with skepticism and friendship with a welcoming embrace. I do miss the agony and joy of it all.

[Grunt]

After 10 years I have actually found myself introducing myself as Grunt to people who have never played the game
I have gotten mail as Grunt and been introduced to people as Grunt
I have way too bad a memory to lie so Grunt is pretty much me but I use punctuation IRL

[Jezebel]

I was wondering what I was going to call you when we met, Grunt.

Now I know

[Gerien]

As I wrote in my own paper, "These personae are as real as the personalities behind them".

[Lady Maven]

I am who I am. I have mellowed over the years, and I am now on medication for a few issues, but aside from that? What you see is what you get.

I come across more funny than bitchy in person though. Sometimes I joke and I do it badly in print (I know, screwed up for a writer huh?) and it starts something I am then too proud (or, I can admit it, embarrased) to back down from). It is weird because I say EXACTLY the same things in person as i do here, and yet.. I have all of my teeth..

[owly]

That was fun Masta, the other day that is

i hope you get a high score for your grades

[Skullcrusher]

After 10 years I have actually found myself introducing myself as Grunt to people who have never played the game
I have gotten mail as Grunt and been introduced to people as Grunt

Well, I created this name for the game, back in '98, and it's still the one I use online, about everywhere. In RL, though I haven't actively played since 2003/04, I still find myself reading license plates as guild names... Even today I found a few UG

I guess, once a scummer...

[Lady Maven]

RPFLMAO!!

I guess, once a scummer...

I hear you!! I originally played a scummer because I suuuuucccckkkk at the game, and my guild would not be so surprised to see their GM dead all the time (scummers were esential but by Baarnabas we had the life expectancy of a Mayfly) but after awhile it kind of clouded everything I did.

And I remember once when a RL friend of Sylandra's had triplets the first thing she said to her was "Sweet, now you have your own quad"!!