As we all know, playing here involves tackling a very steep learning curve. Despite having played games like this in one form or another for decades, I still manage to trip over myself and make pretty major mistakes here.
For me, seeing the yellow text of an xhelp and an admin popping up out of nowhere for a discussion is way more anxiety causing than the red wall of combat scroll. More often than not, it means I have made a major enough mistake that the admins need to step in and set things right.
I do not envy the admins for having to balance being permissive and understanding enough to allow people to learn a purposefully obfuscated game engine / world, while being alert and strict enough to keep things from going off the rails.
I don't know about the rest of you, but taking critiques and criticisms is never a pleasant experience for me. Even less so when it happens during my leisure time when I am trying to have fun and play make believe. Yet in order to mesh with the world of Withmore as a new player, I have to remain open to corrections and realize that I am making mistakes.
With all that said, I really appreciate the patience and guidance that Dreamer and Storm have shown me during my time here. They have constantly been willing to take the time to not just point out where I mess up, but to understand what I am trying to do. By developing that understanding, they are always able to coach me into the "right" way to do things.
I appreciate the oversight and guidance because it is that human touch that makes Sindome what it is. Without the staff in place to enforce the theme, Sindome would likely devolve into a complex MUD where one dimensional "characters" were running around murdering NPCs and each other. But because of the staff, Sindome is alive and breathing. It is a carefully considered, complex world full of opportunities... and consequences.
A big thank you to the staff. Those of you who I interact with (perhaps too frequently) and those of who you toil away behind the scenes. This is the best text based game I have ever played. And it is only the best because the staff does a great job of cultivating and developing good players.