At least we now know that the many calls for updates are being marginally heeded. Even if it did take almost three weeks to do so, the main AO homepage finally has new content! Both new side-story articles are well-written and interesting - congrats to Daimoness and Sedula.
But it is still painfully obvious that, no matter how rampant discussion on these forums may be, the persistent, never-ending calls for "updates" to the main storyline go unheeded (let alone acknowledged by any FC staff member on the boards). Aside from a few pointed expansionary discussions, which have been nothing more than speculative debate between 4 or 5 people, most players are losing interest in the world of "Rubi-Ka" and are instead directing their gaming efforts towards looting, camping and quasi-power-levelling. AO is becoming much less an RPG than an odd FPS/strategy game.
Think about it logically, and in terms of what WOULD actually happen. FC dropped an enormous bomb on the player base:
(i) by announcing that the CoT has disbanded and fled Tir, along with their military; and (ii) through the insertion of ICC peacekeepers in Tir. Given the gravity of these two events in terms of the main story, in the very least, media outlets would be RAMPANT with articles about everything from rumours of the fate of the CoT, to "what next?" analyses, to incidents of skirmishes between Clan and ICC in Tir. Look at how the US media treated the search for Chandra Levy (the murdered D.C. intern), or how the G.B. press treat, well, any day in the life of the Royals.
These two events are earth-shattering in terms of the impact it has on the whole of the planet. Yet, after a weekend of walking through the AO world, very few people seem to care. The most common response was "there's a story to all of this?" As "designers" of an RPG, that certainly must wound one's pride.
Given that the media should be having a field day but isn't, here's a question for this board (feel free to go nuts, Bionitrous): was the "update" and subsequent lack of updates a sincere and true attempt at storytelling? Or, was it a method to appease the gaming masses who couldn't log in on patch day?
I regret having to say this, but I am much more partial to the latter.