Well, a lot has happened during this weekend that I have been offline...
More has gone wrong than I thought could go wrong during a weekend in fact. Also, did Kaimetsu leave? Anyway, what I want to say is that just because some people have does not mean that Graal is "dead" or that Graal is "dying", thats just an illusion...the poles are switching I guess you could say, some of our best staff are having personal problems, and in some cases just not wanting to have to do with this game anymore. The main way to keep this game alive is to remember above all things this is a game, I mean come on people. I am quite obsessed with Graal I'll admit, it has taken a large roll in my life...I have been angry with people when they have done bed things abd I have been happy with people when they have done good things.
As you all know, some of the main people who are quitting are the people who have not only worked hard for you but have also helped make this game what it is. What I have personally seen in the last few months is a lack of appreciation for what these people do, I have felt it in my own job also. These people slave to make additions to this game like new graphics and new servers, Graal2002, and all you do is sit and complain about how it can't come out fast enough. They are putting work into this, and its for you, can't you be happy they are working for it. Most of these people are teenagers and if not they are adults all with lives of their own, and they must do things besides help make levels for Graal2002 or help make things for NewWorld (and I guess this is not the best example because the length of time NewWorld has been pending). If these people were getting paid to do stuff like this, than I could very easily understand you being frustrated.
However this is a game made by the players, and in a way, I think Stefan has stumbled on a gold mine, I mean look how everyone (including myself) wants to be staff. These people are begging to work without pay or thanks, well maybe they want thanks, but they haven't been getting it recently. What needs to happen is that people need to realize that a lot of work is going into things, I know from talking to people working on Graal2002, and that Rome was not built in a day. The point I am trying to make is if something is released, like a new weapon or even a new server, than don't cry about how the grass is too off green, comment on how nice the new gmaps look, how great the images are, or how much coding was put into it (obviously). If you reward people for things, than those people will be more ready to reward you with things, when you complain how you don't like something, unless its really really needed, it makes the people angry that with so many great things all you can notice is the bad things.
I hope me pointing out some of this has been useful or that at least you will read all of this, because I mean it all, and it is important we fix these problems before they become more abundant. By the way, I really like the new trees on Graal2002.
--PastAustin