-New Rule: Second Characters-

After several years of operation, Divergence staff has decided to make it possible for members to create a second character account. As long as the rules are followed, it should prove an exciting opportunity for everyone.

-Requirements-

• You must be Level 10 or have been on Divergence for two years or more before you’re eligible for a second character account.
• When making a second account, that account needs to be run through Character Registration just like the first. In your topic, make sure to not only announce this is a second character, but the name of your original account as well.

-Rules-

• No third characters. Two is the maximum.
• Only one character can be in Main at a time.
• No GP or item (of any kind) trading between accounts. This applies to both direct (from account to account) and indirect trading (through a third party, a.k.a. another player trading your stuff between accounts).
• Both accounts get 200 GP every Friday, but as mentioned above, this cannot be fed into a single account.
• Although both your characters can enter an event, only one can be doing it for rewards. You’ll need to make it clear which character is which in your event sign up.
• Your characters can enter different clans, but the clan leader (as always) has to OK it.
• Each character can be in as many quests as you’d like, but each can only get graded on one. To put it simply, the usual questing rule applies to your second character as well.
• Your characters are allowed to enter the same quest together and get rewards for each of them. Logically, make sure your posts are still from your separate accounts.
• Yes, if you want a second character, you have to make the second account. Trying to squeeze two into one name can cause unnecessary chaos and eye-pain the staff would rather not have to sift through.
• In GD or other OOC topics, do not keep switching accounts as you reply. Stick to one. Accidents happen, but don't let it become a habit.

And that about covers it. Any questions can be asked here and the staff will do its best to answer them.

Personally, it seems unnesessary to me for a second character, and with that, I question why it was implimented. You said that it is an exciting opportunity, but I question whether or not you are creating what could be a massive workload in verifying who is legible and how it can be moderated.

Don't get me wrong, it's always cool to see something added to Divvy, but with the declining activity from higher leveled players in Subs, and a lot more lower leveled ones taking their place, would it be unethical to assume that few, if any at all considering the work put into their first character, would create a second with no benefit?

What I'm trying to ask is simply: "Is there any justified reason why Divvy should have the second character rule? And if so, why yes to this, but no to other things? (tempted to mention GU, but won't due to rumors)"

Quite frankly, it comes down to this: because we know people who do want them (staff included) and figured it was a good time.

Not everyone needs to do it. Not everyone needs to enjoy it. It's there for people who want to do it. Nothing more. We can handle the moderation, but the concern is appreciated just the same.

To address the 'no to other things' bit, GU specifically, it's because Divvy is R:1. And it will always be R:1. Call us traditionalists, but there are enough R:2 RPs out there if that's what someone is looking for.

[EDIT] Also, let's avoid putting your secondary characters into the same clan you're already in with the first unless, IC, that happens. Otherwise, it ends up with you posting form both accounts which is unnecessary and close to violation of the last rule.

I'd like to ask that we require multiple accounters to have their other character's name in their title or signature. A common avatar would be nice as well. I think the reason is obvious.

Common avatar isn't necessary. Honestly, with the Second Characters list, none of the rest of that is needed either. If you're curious about who is who, just check the list. I do understand your concern, though. If there's anything else, just speak up.

HAHAHAHA FINALLYYYY.

I don't think I really want to have a second character anymore because I love Chasey enough to stick with her forever, but it's nice to know the option is there.

I just think it's a lot easier to look in someone's sig than to look in another thread somewhere and find their name. If it's not required, I'd like to humbly request that the people with multiple characters do it out of courtesy. Thanks guys.

EDIT: and also, if no one identifies themselves on their posts that they exist in two places, players must check the list even for players that have one character. Situation: I post IC and someone wants to know if I have any other characters. If a signature marking is required then they know right away. If not, they have to check the list and not find my name. So really, the list is used for everyone even if they're not on it. I just don't think it's that efficient. Also, I'm thinking in the future for when more than 5-10 people are multiple accounting and Divergence feels all small because we assume that the little increase in activity is just the same people as it always was.

Also, is there going to be an announcement for the Lambda server 'upgrade' because I have some stuff to say about that...

No announcement, no. Feel free to PM me your issues, though.

The signature requirement would be a courtesy, sure, but I'm still not making it a requirement. Should the need for such a thing arise, the staff may change that. Again, thanks for the input just the same.

Some people have AI characters that they might actually like to make playable. I know that your character has to be an actual Player Character for firsties.... but would it be possible to have a second who was an AI that mimicked a PC? So they'd still do levels and equips and stuff like normal.

Nope, no AIs. Sorry guys.

Hey guys honestly no offense to anyone but this idea is a little ridiculous. I've been here since 2005. In that time, I've seen a lot of people, some of them really good friends, get banned because of making a second character. Now all of a sudden, the second character rule appears. So what do you tell all of the people who were banned? Is anyone just going to apologize and give them access again? To top it all off, it doesn't even seem as if anyone who put so much work into a charcter to get it to level 10, or has been around here for 2 years, would even want to just throw that away and start over. Maybe that's just me, but everyone think about it before trying to bash what I'm saying.

Well...let's put that last part into perspective, because I'm not staff and can't answer the first part.

We're not throwing anything away. This is another character, and we still get to keep the old one. I'm going to be using both Takua and Ruikage, because they're both interesting to me. I'm only level 13, even though I'm about to level quite a bit. Zan, who's already made one, is level 35. Sekai is level 31. Ko is level 22. I see quite a few people over level 10, and some of them over level 20, who are making secondaries. That's not all the people, just the one's that I know best.

Second, you can do things sometimes with a secondary that you can't with the main. Say, you want the characters to interact with each other in different ways...or with other people. And you can get both things to happen. One of mine might actually have a plot, the other is almost all character development. So...it's more just a division of what time you have, no starting over involved.

Well when you put it that way it's understandable. I'm not sure though. Something about it just doesn't sit well with me.

There was a discussion between the Administrators concerning why the second character rule had been declined in the past.

At the point in time people wanted second characters, there was too much risk of being unable to keep track of everyone who had a second character. Not to mention the workload on the staff back prior to the server crashes and the peak of activity that would have piled up?

Back then, it wasn't a good idea. We're giving it a shot now and seeing how well the rules to the second characters are followed.

Besides that; >.> who says getting a character up to a high level and then deciding to make a second is called starting over?

I call it "taking a break" and "enjoying new possibilities" personally. <3

To build on what Sekai said about the management of characters and how they were managed. I'll take one classic example that most of the players here would know of if they've been here long enough. Who I'm talking about is Leo and his supposed 'sister' Sarah.

He was using this 'Sarah' character as a means to double his weekly income, and made a really bad attempt of covering it up by using similar avatars, same writing style, and lack of activity.

However, what the Mods and Admins have decided (And this is going off what logic I can string together from this) that the time where people would use said second character for beneficial gain is over; or close to. With the new rules in place, this prevents anything from happening. Now I'm not saying that what they were bad people, but they deserved to be banned for not following the rules set in place at that moment in time. If they want back in to Divergence, then they should PM a Mod or Admin or whatever to see what could be arranged; but the rules still apply.

But as Sekai said, it's a learning experience, trial and error and all that. It gives you a perspective through someone else's eyes, and could well be the beginning of a better writer (You), or better character (If the first one holds and you learn from mistakes on your first one).

Like Bane said, more or less, we have absolutely nothing to apologise for. Just because the rules have changed doesn't mean they weren't broken by those people at the time. They deserved their punishments then, thus, no apologies necessary on our part.

That aside, everyone else covered what I was going to say. Yay less work on my birthday!

I have to agree with Zan (even though Leo is a good friend of mine RL). The rule wasn't active back then, but it's here now and there isn't much to do about the past mistakes that some people have made.

But yes, I agree that it's better now than before because of the server crash.

God, are we ever going to stop feeling the repercussions of that ><? I kinda like this idea and Zan's definitely in the right with the whole 'rulebreaking' idea. If you break a law, the law is still in pieces even if it is no longer in practice. Those people went against the then current rules. BUT, I still stand by my request for everyone with a second character to make it clear what online personality you are. My favor of this new idea, personally, is because I'd love to be able to quest with the greats now that they have characters around my nubbity level. What I would give to quest with someone steered by the mind of Sekai, Zan, or Tak...

Also, I have a suggestion along the craziness of this one: allow players to be in two quests for rewards. I know that I'd be more active for it (and it's obvious I want some credit for the other 90% of my writing that never gets graded). I suppose this would make sense to the people without a second character more than the multiple characters.

You could say how this creates a schism in player-specific storyline, but I'm already in so many simultaneous quests that the first thing I do when starting a new one is figure out where the hell it fits. This problem is already occurring whether the quest is being graded or not. Thanks to the mods who thought that one over, and I'd appreciate at least one of your opinions :P.

Here are my thoughts on the two quests for rewards scenario:

The main one would undoubtedly be the amount of work on the Mods to make sure no one was overstepping that boundary(Having 3, 4, or 5 quests going for rewards instead). Not to mention that if there was a sudden rush in quests needing to be graded, the subplots would be flooded with PMs to Mods for grades, or even the "Who needs a Quest graded?" Thread would be used a lot more. However, the main reason I think that the one quest for rewards thing was implimented was because, frankly, you can't be in two places at once. Wether or not that makes sense to anyone doesn't matter.

There is also the matter of those who like to powerlevel. While there is no problem in this, there is a big problem with the fact that if they posted solo after solo, they'd be able to jump levels like it was no one's business (Eg. Really long solo + EC quest = O_o). Liek you said as well, storyline wise it gets a bit difficult unless you are focusing on a single storyline; then you could jump ahead and post two quests at once. However, knowing that you'd possibly get levels and rewards from that quest, would you want to do two levels at level 10 and find out you could have used that nice shiny armour to gain more?

Final point: It would be nice if it was implemented, but the inconvenience for the mods and some other people, is too great to risk bringing it in. If there was a way we could limit the extemity of the mass gaining of rewards, then it would be a nice change; otherwise? No.

TCG Questions!

Can a second character play the TCG?
Do they get their own CC?
Can a second character play against the first?
Can a first character get the second character's CCC if they win it from a third party?

Ko: Those questions will have to be forwarded to Savior. We let him have his domain with that. However, if he doesn't respond within a few weeks, remind me and the Admins will definitely get to it.

Stane: If you mean two quests for rewards for the same character? That's just not going to happen. It's a nice sort of balance thing we've got going for years now. I can see how you think it'd be a good idea, and I respect that, but the rule will remain as it is. However, if you meant one quest each for each character (thus, two quests total) to be graded, then yes. That's already allowed.

Expanding on the TCG questions, Zan. Locke and I have been wondering if there is a chance that another TCG Mod could be appointed, as waiting for Savior seems to take a lot more time than what we would like. If possible, all we really need is someone with the authority to start duel threads and grade them once they are done; just to move things on faster.

I'll discuss it with Sekai and Lyra. Worst comes to worse, I can do it. Thanks for the heads up.

[EDIT] Apparently two are already being trained.

Ummm.... now that you can have second characters, I guess I'll just come right out and say it. Dien is my second character.

:lol:

I already referred to that reason. I'm in about three places right now, just in one place for a reward (not at the same time storyline-wise). The fact that it will be rewarded does not change this aspect of the game.

I can understand if the mods don't want us writing too much for them. I mean, it's just Zan grading right now pretty much, and it's not like they want us to be more active...wait...

Or, people could become more active by, Mmm, I dunno, maybe everyone posting a little more often? I'm sorry, I'm just a tad jaded. In the first couple years I was on Divergence, everyone posted every other day minimum, and sometimes multiple times in a single day. I remember posting as soon as I got home from school, posting again before I went to bed, and getting up early the next morning to post before school - and everyone I quested with kept up with that. When the Figment Raiders still existed, we had a rule that if no one had posted in three days, you could double post. And yet no one ever had to, because someone always posted within three days.

I know we've all grown up and have school and work and lives now, but it's still a little saddening to me to see this slowness. Yes, I know, in some ways *looks at her work as Saphyre and shudders* I'm a hypocrite, and obviously some people will never be able to post more than once or twice a week due to their schedules. But you can't tell me that 75-80% of the site is like that. Especially not when I've watched Sekai juggle a job, crazy roommates, a boyfriend, and the fact she has to share a job with yours truely, and still spit out excellent posts within a day or two of the previous one. If everyone just buckled down and posted more often, no one would have time to even consider a second quest - which, in the early days, there wasn't even a "quest without rewards" option. Instead, plot lines would actually move, and people would level up more than once a year, and... ARGH.

:blowup:
[/manic rant]

...Yeah. Jaded. Ignore me. Carry on.

While I do try to stay active and post actively each day, I just don't see the kind of activeness that we saw before. Though we have fantastic writers, sometimes we don't see as much of them. So yeah, sometimes you wish that you could just post twice every day for a quest and have fun with it. Short, fun posts...I guess I really can't remember that now, so yeah...

Anyways, onto the topic of characters.

Silk: Wouldn't that be impossible since Jpec already took that name, or have you gotten a plan to do something about that?

I think he was trying to say he's been Dien all along.

But, with that being true, would that mean that because he breached the rules during the time in which they were in place, he should be banned? @_@

Personally I wouldn't want him to go, and it would also effect Main in one way or another. However, he did break the rules...

o.o

You're joking...

Well, no. I'm not. If he's broken the rules, what makes him different from, say, Leo? The only real difference is no one noticed.

...Bane, I hope you're not serious. Because, y'know, Silk is joking.

*And yet again, he fall victim to that which is a lack of getting sarcasm or jokes*

Um...my bad...? :huh:

He actually is joking. Haha! I guess the first thought is always my best. XD

Aww. Poor, guillible Bane. ^_^;; *patpats*

Here's my thought. Since we can have two characters now, and both character can quest at the same times for reward (in one quest at a time for rewards, yes, but still) it means that having a second character actually allows you to have two payout quests at once! Not for the same character, but so what?


The only annoying thing is, how can I juggle being a clan leader, leading clan quests, and also do my own quests at the same times? >_< I have to choose one or the other for rewards, but I'd love to get paid for doing my clan quests, even though they take forever (which I'm trying to fix... -_-).

BUT, you also get rewarded for special events and dueling is it's own animal. And they don't take away from questing rewards. Getting levels for special events or dueling would be BEAST. (Actually, I think dueling would see a lot more action outside of tournements if rewards were EXP.) But there are more options than just normal quests out there for your character.

You bring up an interesting point.

TO THE MODMOBILE.

(I make no promises about anything, I only state that it's worth discussing, in my opinion. Maybe. We shall see.)

Sweet. :P Wasn't expecting it to be seriously considered, but it's something I've thought of occasionally over the years I've been here. It's always felt like the dueling arena has been a little under-developed, IMO.

I would definitely start dueling if I could get EXP. This would also allow rewards to come from more than one place O.O.

Also, lulz @ "users now viewing this post" feature. No privacy among posters XD.

EDIT:

Wow. I wish I was around then... Seriously.

I wish I was there too, Stane, I do too.

Urevei, thank you for recommending the dueling thing! 8D Though I'm not too good with duels and such, but levels or just items would be...awesome.

After talking with Savior, I've got a few answers for those questions.

If this info was already put somewhere else, just delete the post.