What's up with fixtures

[Tarkus the dog]

I made a fixture a while ago on one of my characters dedicating it to another, and the fixture's been destroyed ever since.

What's the whole point if anyone can just swoop in and blow up the thing? I really doubt somebody came up with a significant reason to destroy a random staff leaning against a tree so my best guess is evil characters trying to express themselves through acts of violence and destruction.

Anyway, that's not my point. My point is-... Really, what is the point? Do you know what is the point? I don't. I'm kind of bummed up that stuff can be randomly trashed like that and unless I literally keep an eye on the thing every week and then report it to the DMs if it's gone missing, there's no way to guarantee it's survival. Sure you can throw some ancient words of whatever in there and say that nothing lasts forever but literally what's the point if it's meant to be gone in a few months. Not to mention how half of the time anyone can just nick something and put it in it's room and it's all fair game if it's done with roleplay. Anyone got a 200 IQ idea on this Snuggly Dogger? I really feel unmotivated to use these things in the future and it is a huge shame because the fixture system is single-handedly one of the best things about Arelith.

[Sofawiel]

I mean, I think you answered your own question with "nothing lasts forever". Be thankful you can repair fixtures now. At least that means current ones aren't totally lost when bashed, or accidentally blown up by an AoE. WHich, in my experience, is far more likely a cause then intentional destruction, at least when it comes to decorative pieces.

There are fixtures I am, from time to time, terribly nostalgic for, and I miss them dearly. But imagine how horribly cluttered the server would be if we had 15 years of nothing going away.

For me at least, I much prefer the system now where I can tend things I make and/or adore.

From an IC RP perspective if you made something in memory of another PC, (and you are on the surface) maybe see if the Knights of the Road have an active Order currently, and ~ask them to keep an eye on and/or repair said fixture. Maintaining such things has long been a core part of their existence

[Lunargent]

I rarely put fixtures in public places out of consideration for the landscape of the server. Every player, in my mind, has the right to experience the server as its creators intended.

I put a lot of effort into Valayne's fixtures, each one was a focus of RP at one point, but I accepted the fact that they were probably all carelessly trashbinned by the new residents of the DT manor. When you put something out into the world, it's out of your hands. New players come and put their own stuff down. It's the circle of life: RP is born, fixtures are put down to commemorate, people leave/roll, new RP happens, and so on.

[Durvayas]

I rarely put fixtures in public places out of consideration for the landscape of the server. Every player, in my mind, has the right to experience the server as its creators intended.

I put a lot of effort into Valayne's fixtures, each one was a focus of RP at one point, but I accepted the fact that they were probably all carelessly trashbinned by the new residents of the DT manor. When you put something out into the world, it's out of your hands. New players come and put their own stuff down. It's the circle of life: RP is born, fixtures are put down to commemorate, people leave/roll, new RP happens, and so on.

I can confirm that some fixtures in the DT manor were destroyed during its last transfer, but some were also siezed and given to a couple factions, so they were not all destroyed, just disseminated, as tends to happen.

[solo]

I sympathize. Busted my nuts making a whole lot of workstations - one of each - in a certain location, and I even made a point of leaving a signpost with them that literally said "I'll leave spare equipment and materials in the workstations. Feel free to use them, just respect the equipment."

They all got jacked after a week or two. I replaced them. Some of them got jacked again. Couldn't be bothered anymore.

Edit: To be fair, it did lead to some RP where I had to hunt down and hire carpenters to replace said fixtures, and then invite a player-run makeshift militia company to the location in question to 'guard' said fixtures. So, all in all, not so bad. Got to meet some people that I get along with relatively well as a result of this.

[Lunargent]

I can confirm that some fixtures in the DT manor were destroyed during its last transfer, but some were also siezed and given to a couple factions, so they were not all destroyed, just disseminated, as tends to happen.

That's all right. Like I said, I'm over it, and I know the place has changed hands like 3-4 times since. It's the circle of life! Thanks though.

[Marsi]

It happens that high quality and perfectly inoffensive fixtures simply disappear. More often than not it's lightning strikes, but the truth is there's a subset of Arelith's population who frankly don't care about player history and will destroy and re-purpose with abandon because to them it's all the same. I still remember the sting of discovering that a new owner of the Campsite had replaced all the ye-olde Mythal shrine and Knights of the Road fixtures with generic potted plants. Ouch! But it runs a little deeper than that. Many want for their character a legacy and lament the short-term memory of Arelith when it doesn't take hold, all the while ignoring their own forebears.

Anyway, it can feel very random what fixtures stay and what go. I've had prized creations vanish before the month is up, and I have others I didn't care for as much at the time still in circulation today. It's a strange feeling seeing a painting you created almost a decade ago hanging up in the most unlikely of places, and I don't think it would feel quite so special if every fixture was safeguarded from uncertainty.

[naturaly]

I need to keep my custom descriptions copy in a text file for this reason. I have to edit them for spell and grammar anyway though, no able add direct in game without mistakes. It much less annoy to remake when it is saved description.

[Petrifictus]

Fixture bashing and stealing is just beyond pure evil. Not even the Underdark is that evil!

I personally have very strong dislike on any fixture bashing/stealing, as they never provide any good and interesting roleplay. Just pure random grief and headache. Players who do that should be corpse bashed hard in many repeats like the innocent fixtures they harmed in the past!

I would understand picking some old discount sign that has served its purpose long time ago.

I lost count how many times my fixtures have been taken or broken, like Wotan's personal statue which was set in his honor (still missing, please return!) or the Nomad's "Get a Job!" signs. Just stop it, please!

[-XXX-]

Whenever I put a lot of time and effort into a fixture description, I write it into a notepad file first, then copy it onto the fixture and save the file somewhere.
Recreating it becomes trivial then, as most fixture items don't require a lot of resources to make and I can always copy the description text onto the new one.

As for the points made against bashing fixtures - personally, I tend to view the act of fixture placement to be at least as drastic as their bashing. By placing a fixture you are essentially forcing the rest of the player base to "put up" with it.
I'd suggest that it's not unreasonable to imagine that not everyone has to like it, but more importantly, some characters can have valid reasons for harboring adversity towards your character - such characters might not want your character to take credit for something or be allowed to leave a permanent mark on the world they live in.
Alternatively, someone else might have a different idea for the area in which the fixture is located and as such the item might not fit into their design, so they simply remove it to replace it with something new and fresh.