Mithreas

[Twily]

In light of Mithreas' recent post, it seems he'll be taking a break from Arelith until further notice.

I have unparalleled respect for him for everything he's done for this server. He kept things alive after Jj stepped down. He's put in literally thousands of hours of work and was even paying for a large percentage of hosting costs out of his own pocket. And he demanded nothing in return for it.

I literally can't give a big enough thank you for everything you've done and whatever your decision for the future holds I support it.

[Chalan]

+1

[Jagel]

Yups a huuuuuge kudos to Mith. He took the already huge script-work Giga started and made it so much better. He's made areas, custom classes, custom feats and puzzle dungeons. And he's been a real modest gent about it all.

Also finances.

I hope you get the urge to play again at some point

[Maladus]

Going to agree with what we had already been said here. I haven't been extremely consistent with my play here but Mith has been a rock ever since I first started here and it's safe to say the server and its longevity have been in large part due to him. Burnout can be a real issue and I hope that some time off will rejuvenate and refresh him. Even if it doesn't, just know that your work was appreciated and I thank you for helping create an incredible world that we all enjoy.

[Septire]

Absolutely +1 on this.

Although there has been some frictions in recent updates, it's really a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of his time as admin here. We shouldn't forget all of the other systems he developed and maintained. As Irongron pointed out in his post on the FL thread, he's one of the few, maybe even the only person, who truly knows how to maintain a large part of the engine. Some of the devs are good at doing specific tasks, but he has an encompassing understanding of the engine itself.

If not for Mithreas stepping up when Jjjerm left, there just wouldn't be an Arelith. Nobody else was really qualified for it at the time or possessed the skill-set or desire to do it. If you joined us after that transition, try to think of simply not having Arelith. It's tough for me to think that far back, it's been what, 8 years or something? Around that, a very long time.

We'll definitely try to keep things running smoothly, but... we'll see. I'm just hoping no ugly bugs start showing up, like that database one a while back that was causing all sorts of errors.

I just had hoped the community would be a bit more positive about the feedback stated there. Granted, sometimes it pays to be curt, direct, and honest. If you feel a certain way, speak your mind, but be to-the-point and respectful, no need to insinuate or embellish. I felt some of the feedback was ice cold, brutal, even hurtful, at least the way I read it in some cases. Did it really need to be, for the hand-that-feeds for a video game we all enjoy and play together? Who is to say, but it can't be unsaid now. My hope is that we make the best of it, and hopefully start treating each other with a bit more friendliness and positive-outlook. Pessimism catches on, but so does optimism. You decide your community through your outlook. Anyways, it's just a thought, if we don't step back and reflect on our decisions, we run the risk repeating negative actions, or failing to repeat positive ones.

[Yma23]

Basicaly everything with Septire just said.

[Lorkas]

I was pretty excited about the prospect of a merge.

Mithreas, when I decided to purchase NWN something like 9 years after its original release, I did it not because of the OC and expansions, but because I'd heard about the online PW community. After trying out multiple servers, Arelith was the one I stuck to. It's a fantastic piece of work.

[Scurvy Cur]

Mith, you've done a great job of things, and your work updating and improving the server will be missed. I hope a hiatus does you some good, please take it knowing that you have the support and best wishes of most of this community.

As one of those people who remembers the server before and after Mith took over working up new features, I can safely say that it's better off for all the changes that have been made when taken in total, and Mith has always done his best to strike the right balance between being willing to give new features a shot, and being responsive to problems that arise from trying them. There's not much better a thing to strive for than that in the position he filled.

[miesny_jez]

Even If I don't agree with You Mithreas I have the most highest respect to You and to all the damn hard work You did for this server.

Have a great (and well deserved) brake, I do hope You will want to get back

[caldura firebourne]

I hope you enjoy our break! I think you deserve one for sure

maybe you'll have time to enjoy your server too!

[Dunshine]

Not much to add here, other then let's make this kudo thread the longest ever and hope he gets his motivation back because of it.

[Grunf]

Kudos Mith, Arelith is nasty place and can get worse if one dont gets vacation from it and you deserved it for sure...thank you for saving not The Game, not one world but THE WORLDS players created on this server, a history of entire FR nation was given a birth and its your doing. Not only that but your work gaved us something more-friendship among the people that will last and go beyond Arelith and in this world where people get lonely quite fast thats pure gold m8. Its what Arelith should be about, and it is thanks to you.

Also dont give up from your vision even as you were "outvoted" in last thread, if you truly believe in it-do it somehow in another form or give it a break and try again.

With this break you will unleash even larger creativity that you have within yourself(happened to me when i take the break), i place my coin on it, so looking forward to hear next from you as it will be the largest thing from you-EVER!.

[Stath]

: ^ (

Still remember when Mithreas and Littleweasel would put up with my inane new player questions and problems with endless patience and limitless politeness. Thank you both so very much for all the work you've done on the server, past, present and future.

You should both be exceptionally proud, Arelith really is a testament to the Staff.

[DonaldTrumpsBoyfreind]

@ Mithreas

You have survived more then most would ever request. I am sorry you have such a hard reaction to the player bases feelings. Although I sympathize and pray you find the motivation to at least enjoy what you have created so far while you take your break or leave. There is a huge player base that is thankful for what you have done. Even if they do not concur with your ever desire and they should be obliged you so much as lingered so long under the strain of cruel reality, which is people expressing themselves.

@ Arelithians

Even those of you who do not always like Mithreas choices should take this moment to thank him for if nothing else the blessing of keeping it alive and breathing for your enjoyment.

[Green2Bee]

Mith has always been really quick and helpful when I PMed him. I remember when I first joined the server, people would be like, "Oh it'd be the easiest to ask Mith." and I would be like, "o___O whaaat? Should I bother a server admin??" And sure enough, as everyone said, it was the easiest.

I am sure silly players like me can certainly test your patience, Mith, but I very much appreciated every interactions we've had.

[Cuchilla]

Mith been doing a great job, and hope he'll keep on doing that.

[vaclavc]

Mithreas, you are THE MAN. Thank you for creating the place when I can play D&D as close to the traditional pnp experience as possible. And even if you are going to take a break, we all know that you WILL come back, sooner or later
-V-

[Nulstarius]

Highly professional conduct, well mannered polite approach to everything really. Mithreas, you rock. Thanks for Arelith.

[Dinosaur Space Program]

I apparently missed a lot in my hiatus from Most things Arelith lately with holidays and what not.

Mithreas,
I admit, I have groaned at some of your updates in the past in their vanilla implementation phase. I admit, I have been obscenely proud of you headlining some of the things you have done. I also admit that while I don't always understand your logic or reasoning, while I sometimes disagree with it or feel you are taken in too easily by those that might deceive you, you are genuinely a good person.

Your enthusiasm, zeal even, for trying new things and breathing life into mechanics has kept this server going for a Long time at this point. Whether people like it or not, Arelith could not and probably Will not exist without you. While a lot of people will wave a banner and only thank you for keeping Arelith around, there is a lot more to it than that.

A community is only as good as what it is built around often. While I do not have a high opinion of Some of our community, to say the least, there is no doubt that what we are Built around is a living world that is subject to more changes that Just how it looks. You keep things fresh, you keep things innovative, you keep Me guessing. I like that. I Like changes. I like walking in and going 'How does this effect everything else? WELL LET'S FIND OUT.'

I admit as well that my interactions with your updates is more 'How can our resident dirtbags exploit this?' worries than active dislike often. I'll roll with it. I would have rolled with the FL changes unless the forced MODs was put in (I never played FL solely due to that). I was Intrigued. How was Mithreas going to pull this out of his Developer's Hat and make it work! I honestly sort of wanted to see a break down on how it would balance out or try to be.

Arelith has been many things to me over the years. Harsh, cruel, fun, warm, distressing, disturbing, but it has never been Stale. And it is because of Mithreas work to keep Changing things. Status quo of stagnation would have killed Arelith. It almost did a few times over the longer breaks it has with no real work on it. Do the same things, talk to the same people, grind the same zones, REPEAT. We were going full on social server more than once in Arelith's lifetime. And then Mithreas kicked in the door and went 'RIGHT.' Rolled up his sleeves and started messing with mechanics to change up how we approached the game.

Sure, there have been other developers that have been part of this process and thank you, all of you, for your hard work. But Mithreas has always been in the hot seat, the decision making and hate mail position of making the calls, taking responsibility, and then dealing with the heat when it didn't work out or it did but people just Didn't Like It. That sort of position breaks you down, especially when you get so little in the way of positive feedback.

I actually scanned the thread from beginning to end and I think an old writing criticism exercise I learned in college might be Pertinent for Arelith's community.

It's call the compliment sandwich.

Compliment,
Criticism,
Compliment.

You start and end on a positive note or even outright encouragement and it makes the criticism much easier to take. Because let's face it. Mithreas puts a lot of heart, soul, and Time into everything he does. When all he gets is flat criticism or 'No, go away, we don't want what you are selling' with door slams on the proverbial doorsteps of people's minds? You know how Discouraging that is? Think of yourself in that position. Would You honestly deal with it better after being slapped with So much of it for so long?

I don't really think you would. Not when this is a love job, and when the love goes out of it? There is really nothing left. Arelith's community has a toxic streak. And it has been showing more so than normal lately on new ideas.

I know I often need a break from Arelith myself due to said streak, and I hope a break helps, Mithreas. I think you will find your sea legs again with some time off but I would not blame you if you had had enough in general for the next year when it comes to the sort of backlash Arelith can provide. I've done a year off myself.

Just don't be a stranger in your time off! While many of us aren't as vocal except in these moments of 'push comes to shove' on our appreciation. A Lot of us want your kind of work done with Arelith. And we're going to miss you.

[yellowcateyes]

I have nothing but respect for Mithreas. I didn't think anyone would be able to fill Jjj's shoes but Mith did just that, putting in countless volunteer hours for the sake of us random internet strangers. Here's hoping he finds time to play and enjoy Arelith again.

[Shadowy Reality]

The Dev team, lead by Mithreas, has so many times shaken things up. But they have time and time again proved to us players that they know what they are doing, if they don't feel comfortable with the changes after a while they will be the first to revert them, they just ask that we try them.

Sometimes people in these forums get a bit too zealous over change, when in fact they should have trust. There would have been barely any side effect to merging some FL systems into regular Arelith and yet people voice their concerns, sometimes in a bad way.

I'm one of the people that usually doesn't pitch in on the controvertial topics because I've long accepted that the Arelith Devs are amazing and I can absolutely trust them.

Mithreas, you are a great Dev, don't let any doomsayers convince you otherwise. Like DMs it's normal to burn out. Take some time off, maybe even play a PC! I surely will be here waiting for your next update that will shake things up!

[Aelryn Bloodmoon]

I'd like to start off by saying in the time I've been here Mithreas and the team have put in tons of work- the world has changed and grown before my eyes as I played in it, and I am incredibly thankful, to dm's, devs, and admins alike.

I'd like to think I'm fairly vocal about my opinions, but with the same fervor in both directions, whether I'm agreeing or disagreeing with someone. As much as I've lamented the familiar changes, I also staunchly sat in "the sky is not falling" camp when the gold change happened. When the circle-grinding script went in, I suggested that it might have a negative impact on lower level players, but otherwise wasn't bothered- it still doesn't impact my game-play.

The point of this is that you will be missed, Mith, and your work was greatly appreciated. I've been at the burnout stage before - making the step from player to staff removes a certain veil from over one's sight, and not all the things seen are pretty ones.

I hope sometime in the future memories of better times will draw you back. Be well until then!

[MagicGathering]

Hang in there, Mith!

[Swirling Stars]

+ 5

[RedGiant]

Wow...I just caught up on my forum reading. While I love ADnD, Arelith, and hope NWN isn't going anywhere for a good long while, I thank you MIthreas and LIttle Weasel for all you have done for this community. So, even if some of us didn't want to follow you into the next valley, its because you made this one so magickally habitable.

Thanks!