Sign In

### Topic

#### World-wide decorations

So with our first holiday since launch right around the corner (Halloween), now's probably a good time to ask if the wonderful staff at Tiny Speck will be treating us to festive decorations in the world during holidays. I know we follow a different calendar in the game world, and Zille-o-ween already came and went, but it would be a real treat to see some carved pumpkins and maybe flying broomsticks in Ur this weekend :)
ETA: Not to mention some Puritan outfits for when Thanksgiving comes around *hint*

Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink

### Replies

- -1 on the Puritan outfits
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- Ok, WindBorn, I get it. You make it a point to disagree with everything I say. Care to elaborate why -1 on Puritan outfits? Seeing as Thanksgiving's origins date back to the Puritans? Or are you just disagreeing for disagreement's sake?
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- To be a wet blanket, Thanksgiving already came and went 17 days ago and has nothing to do with Puritans.
  And that's why trying to mix up Ur with real-world holidays would be a darned mess.
  Posted 14 months ago by Billy McBinky | Permalink
- Eh, there's a lot of political incorrectness surrounding the origin of Thanksgiving. I doubt there's going to be any new items that would make us all look like we're Massachusetts Bay Colony Glitchen. :\
  Posted 14 months ago by Laerwen | Permalink
- I assume you're Canadian? Thanksgiving has not yet arrived in the US. And it very much has a lot to do with the Puritans/Pilgrims. Here, at least.
  Most games do things around holidays to symbolize real world celebrations without actually naming them after the real world celebrations (see: Glitchmas).
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- I Love the idea Joojoo, I have bundled grain stacks already placed around. Maybe we will get a new recipie like "Parsnip Pie" that we could cook and share with friends. :)
  Posted 14 months ago by litlc | Permalink
- Actually Thanksgiving for many of us Canadians also has deep roots in the arrival of the Pilgrims in America. Many of us are descendants from passengers on the Mayflower. I would LOVE some decorations to celebrate Thanksgiving along with my US neighbours in November, since it has past for us here. I believe we celebrate in October as we have a shorter growing season and earlier harvest time.
  For some time I had hoped we would have options other than the gnome for outside our front doors. How about country flags as well?
  Posted 14 months ago by Breezy Meadow | Permalink
- How about Flags for the region we live in? I would like a flag for Kajuu myself. I play glitch to escape from my country i.e. real life not to be reminded of it.
  Posted 14 months ago by Papa Legba | Permalink
- OH I would love love some Hallowe'en decorations. This is my favourite holiday! ^_^
  Posted 14 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ | Permalink
- Just a footnote to the discussion of 'thanksgiving' as a holiday. the origins go back much farther than the puritans, the US, or Canada.
  A harvest 'festival' (or feast of some sort) has been celebrated in many cultures; both native to the Americas, Europe, and elsewhere. They might be held before (1st Harvest, Bread Harvest, Festival of First Fruits, Lammas) and after (2nd Harvest, Mabon, Foghar, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, Fruit Harvest, Wine Harvest) the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest. 1st harvest in early August, and 2nd harvest in late September- substantially earlier than the current North American celebrations.
  In any case, I would think that some kind of harvest festival would be entirely possible as part of glitchen history/culture. I say any kind of harvest garb would be appropriate; modern or ancient. I personally lean towards celebration of the wine harvest...crowns of grapes, togas, etc...
  i wonder what happens to all those grapes we stomp in hell???
  Posted 14 months ago by bludwaggie | Permalink
- Instead of Thanksgiving we need a Thanksglitching day. A few turkeys running around which has verb actions we can choose and it can give us food in relation to Thanksgiving such as a pumpkin pie or cranberries. =)
  Posted 14 months ago by Eye Wonder | Permalink
- I kind of disagree with celebrating "real world holidays" in game, although I wish that in-world holidays would span for about 4 game days so that I don't miss them if I'm sleeping or at work.
  Posted 14 months ago by Kungaloosh | Permalink
- I don't want to be rude, but it is amazing, how some Americans seem to think their holidays are the world wide standard for the rest of the world.
  One of the nice things about Glitch is that it gathers people from all over the world. I you ask people in a crowded street what time it is, you get a dozen different answers. That includes Europe, Central Asia, South America, Asia, Australia, and so on.
  If Glitch would really start to introduce real life holidays, festivities or important days to the game, they would have a hard time to choose which holidays. Chinese New Year? Diwali? Oktoberfest? Visakha Puja? The arrival of the new Beaujolais? (Yes, I am getting silly here and exaggerate, but you get my point...) Every country in the world has a multiple days which could be included. There's a reason why Google changes its logo almost every day now to celebrate some special day.
  Not to mention the fact that almost every region in the world has different dates for their own Thanksgiving and Mother's Day.
  So, I agree: We don't need any specials for any real world days. I am happy for any Humbaba-Day or Tii-Celebration. But please no turkeys on Thanksgiving. In most of the rest of the world, Thanksgiving has nothing to do with turkeys.
  Posted 14 months ago by Louis Louisson | Permalink
- I like the concept of solstices being celebrated in game. About a week of time would be perfect. In-game events are some of my favorite things in an MMO. (my activity % commonly raised in a certain word-craft game around each holiday for example)
  I've been wondering whether in-game events would be something the community would have to take hold of or not. Regardless, I'm still going to celebrate in Glitchen style on the 31st. Costume party anyone? (as for the whole pilgrim thing, how about we just get period costumes and not attribute them to a particular holiday? I would love some Victoriana. :c )
  Posted 14 months ago by Ristretto | Permalink
- +1 @Louis Louisson
  Posted 14 months ago by Jezzle | Permalink
- I think some of the animosity expressed in this thread is a little uncalled for. I don't recall anyone mentioning the only true "Thanksgiving" celebration was the American one and the rest of the world needed to observe our day. If American holidays are usually observed in MMO's, it's probably because the majority of the player population is usually American and/or the game developers themselves are American. In any event, my original suggestion was for some Thanksgiving-themed outfits. That's not imposing anyone's will on anyone else's. You are free to purchase the outfits, or not. I also don't see how some thematic decorations would be disruptive to anyone's enjoyment of the game. If you have something against Puritans/Pilgrims, turkeys, and/or 'those arrogant Americans', you can simply choose not to participate in the festivities.
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- I apologize for any animosity, that might have come across my message. None was intended.
  Posted 14 months ago by Louis Louisson | Permalink
- I find it amusing that there are already (Brazilian) Carnival outfits when the Day of the Kings isn't even till January. I do adore them. <3
  Posted 14 months ago by Linar | Permalink
- My vote is for Tiny Spark to make up their own holidays for the game and then promote them appropriately. OR... *cough cough* Players could get together, plan a few in-game holidays and present it to Tiny Spark.
  For instance, I understand there is a one month anniversary that's to be celebrated? Sounds like a holiday in the making to me.
  Posted 14 months ago by Rusty McDusty | Permalink
- I like Thanksgiving because it reminds me of fun times spent with family. For me it's very abstracted from the origins, which I have sort of made myself okay with, as the alternative bums me out.
  That said: -1 to Pilgrims/Puritans, also. It's really emotionally charged for some people, and telling them that it shouldn't be emotionally charged is both ineffective and, in my opinion, kind of un-Thanksgivingsy. Plus I bet you could put together a Puritan outfit from current wardrobe pieces if you wanted.
  Posted 14 months ago by Pomegrandy | Permalink
- IMHO, outfits and special items should have nothing to do with 'real life' celebrations. I love the Brazilian Carnival outfits, the Egyptian ones, the Tibetan monk ones, etc. I think a Thanksgiving outfit or similar special item, just because it is close to the Thanksgiving date in
  the United States would make little sense, specially specific things like turkeys or puritan clothings.
  Posted 14 months ago by Mandy.23 | Permalink
- Mandy, can you explain how you say special clothing should have nothing to do with real life and that you love the Carnival outfits in the same breath?
  Also, Pomegrandy, since the original anti-Puritan outfit poster never came back to explain the -1 (not that I'm surprised) can you tell me why you believe they're emotionally charged?
  Some of the responses in this thread are a real head-scratcher for me. In every other MMO I've ever played (and there have been many), people are usually happy about in-game festivities that resemble those in the real world (with subtle differences). And those that don't care either way simply don't participate. But I've never seen such adamant opposition to something that's intended to be "fun".
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- Thanksgiving is a tradition. That's all. We are not responsible for the past.
  Posted 14 months ago by Parrow Gnolle | Permalink
- @Joojoo
  My -1 was because the Puritan costumes are the kind of thing that causes negative reactions in this community. As you can see from some of the other responses in this thread.
  While it may be a "head-scratcher" for you, for some of us it's very obvious that something like that would not be a good idea. They are not "world-wide". In fact, even in the US they are not universally appreciated.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- You still have not explained why Puritan outfits are so offensive. And please don't take my "world" wide subject out of context. I was referring to the game-world.
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- Joojoo;
  If someone finds something offensive, it is not up to you to decide whether or not their reasons are adequate. You don't get to decide whether someone's feelings are genuine or not. So I don't need to explain why the outfits are offensive. I find them offensive. That's enough.
  To quote from other people in this thread:
  Thanksgiving already came and went 17 days ago and has nothing to do with Puritans.
  some Americans seem to think their holidays are the world wide standard for the rest of the world
  -1 to Pilgrims/Puritans, also. It's really emotionally charged for some people, and telling them that it shouldn't be emotionally charged is both ineffective and, in my opinion, kind of un-Thanksgivingsy.
  The idea of Puritan costumes is contentious, so having them added to the wardrobe is a bad idea.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- I don't think Puritan outfits themselves are offensive. Native Americans don't have much to be thankful for, what with the smallpox blankets and systematic cultural annihilation and all, so explicit celebration of Thanksgiving could be considered to be offensive to some. Plus, as mentioned before, different countries have different dates.
  I think that any country's specific holidays (such as Thanksgiving) shouldn't be celebrated unless their influence has spread to the rest of the world. I'm an American in South Korea. Christmas is extremely popular here, but St. Patrick's Day is only celebrated by drunken foreigners. They celebrate Valentine's Day, but they also celebrate White Day (when the woman gives the man gifts). My point is that this is a global game that will become increasingly international, so if we celebrate any holidays, they should be those that are pretty much universally recognized.
  Or we could just make them up.
  Posted 14 months ago by Singularity | Permalink
- I would like the game to have unique holidays that do not correspond to any real world holidays or events
  Posted 14 months ago by Jewel Stoned | Permalink
- Sorry, WindBorn, but that argument is not valid. I can say I find anything offensive for the sake of being disruptive and argumentative. If my contention is without merit, it should be called out as such. You may have your reasons and they may be perfectly valid. But if you're going to use them to argue against someone's suggestion, you should at least comment on why you think the way you do.
  Singularity, I get what you're saying, but when we give thanks, we're not giving thanks for the near extinction of the natives or the spreading of disease in the New World. I don't see how donning a Puritan/Pilgrim outfit would have that sort of connotation. Are we implicitly condoning the atrocities that have been committed in the name of the Catholic Church when we put on a cassock? Are we laughing in the face of Chinese Nationalists when we put on a Tibetan garb?
  And lastly, I was not calling for the explicit celebration of a specific US holiday. The original post was about decorations or wardrobe items that reminded me of a real world holiday I celebrate.
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- If any item that is 'contentious' needs to be omitted from the wardrobe, we'd best all get used to our glitches running around naked. Because I will 'contend' us all to that state. I'm sure I won't be alone in doing so. So let's just grow up and be a little more tolerant.
  I agree that in-game holidays should have no correspondence to real world holidays. This is a fantasy world.
  Posted 14 months ago by Parrow Gnolle | Permalink
- Whether or not my reasons are valid in your eyes, they are still sufficient for me. I think the Puritan costumes in the wardrobe are a bad idea. I indicated that in my first post.
  You continue to demand that I give you reasons. Sorry, life doesn't work that way. You don't get to pass judgment on whether or not my reasons are valid. You have made a neutral response (-1 to Puritan costumes) into a personal affront and repeatedly insisted that I explain myself to you.
  It's not about you. I don't need to explain anything.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- @Parrow Gnolle
  We have privacy bars too. You can run around nearly naked and offend almost as many people.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- I know about the privacy bars. There's even a 'dress' category privacy bar that I once put on my male-costumed avatar. I did it kinda by mistake. And since I seldom visit the 'dress' menu of the wardrobe, it took me awhile to figure out how to remove it.
  Wouldn't the privacy bars offend a true-blooded nudist, though? I'm sure they would be offended at the insinuation of shame in being nude....
  Posted 14 months ago by Parrow Gnolle | Permalink
- If you think saying an idea is -1 is a "neutral" response, then our ways of thinking are miles apart. I have not demanded anything from you. I'm merely saying that if you disagree with something, you should say just why you disagree, lest you be considered to be nothing more than a disturbance in the thread. That's entirely your right.
  Posted 14 months ago by Joojoo | Permalink
- Joojoo, if you read my post again, you'll see that I'm not anti-(any)-costume (except maybe pointy white hats). I was talking about the celebration of Thanksgiving and its irrelevancy to the international world.
  Posted 14 months ago by Singularity | Permalink
- lest you be considered to be nothing more than a disturbance in the thread.
  I appreciate your concern about my reputation.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- Wow, what an interesting thread... I was just going to pop in and ask for the ability to grow and use pumpkins in recipes, and the ability to grow multicolored corn and gourds.
  Posted 14 months ago by Spayem | Permalink
- Spayem, there's a thread in the Ideas forum asking for exactly that. May want to add your voice there.
  Posted 14 months ago by WindBorn | Permalink
- @JooJoo
  Also, Pomegrandy, since the original anti-Puritan outfit poster never came back to explain the -1 (not that I'm surprised) can you tell me why you believe they're emotionally charged?
  My reflection was definitely based on life experiences, not just seeing one person note that they don't like it and deeming that "emotionally charged." It's totally up to WindBorn to share (or not).
  Before I try to explain: I can only speak to my own experiences and impressions I've gotten from others. I'm American, I've been really lucky in a lot of ways, and I can't confidently say this reflects the experiences of people from other countries or cultures (thought I'm interested to learn).
  I think they're emotionally charged because a lot of current thinking calls into question whether the narrative of Puritans and native peoples, sitting around the table and breaking bread and starting a long and fruitful partnership is a) remotely accurate or b) worth celebrating.
  A lot of people think the answers to those questions are an emphatic "NO," and a lot of people have answers to that question that are an emphatic "YES." And you might say "See--a tie! Let's just let people decide if they want to wear the costumes or not!"
  But it's different because the stakes are different on a per-side basis. I tend to give the "NO" folks the benefit of the doubt because
  if the upside potential is that (if YES is right) we're celebrating a nice time had by virtuous historical friends that taught us valuable lessons, and
  the downside potential is that (if NO is right) we're pretending that a massive slew of cultural ickiness-if-not-violent-exploitation-and-prejudice-that-endures-even-to-this-day was actually a nice lesson-creating time had by virtuous historical friends,
  then the are a lot more bad potential feelings on the NO side. Nobody has to believe one way or another, but I think it's important to acknowledge that it's not necessarily irrational for people to make those links.
  One can say that the pilgrim costume isn't really about Puritans or things that actually happened, it's just fun and cute because it reminds (some of) us of lessons learned and experiences we've had with our friends or families. Which is cool! I live pretty close to Plymouth, and if someone invited me out there, I'd probably go to see what it's like. I'd probably have fun. But the thing is, I think you can only determine that for yourself. I don't think you can determine it for other people. From my point of view, regardless of my own feelings about turkey dinners at home, I can't tell other people that they should look at a Puritan costume and see what I see rather than a reminder of horrible things that happened to innocent people who may--or may not!--be their ancestors. That isn't up to me.
  So, -1 to Puritan costumes.
  Posted 14 months ago by Pomegrandy | Permalink
- As someone else stated very succinctly, if we're vetoing clothing options based on emotional meaning and "rightness" then the cassocks have to go too. We're all going to be non-entities, since nudity is offensive. Oh no, I'm offended by chickens, because I was bitten by one, get rid of the chicken hat.
  We can have costumes and an in-game holiday completely unrelated to one another, coming out at the same time. Because costumes are NOT MANDATORY. I love historical things, I hate the basis of religion and persecution the puritans unwittingly thrust upon me. Can I please just have pretty historically accurate clothing without everyone dragging their wank over it, getting it all muddy?
  Events are not only optional, they are partially optional. You are the one who determines how far you go. I suggested solstice inspired in-game events earlier, and I stand by this suggestion. Something unique in the game would perfectly fit the unique atmosphere Glitch has as a world. But our wardrobes are our palettes for expression, they should reflect everything, not just Glitch. The one thing we as a people can do to immediately exspress ourselves to fellow Glitchen in the game is not speak, or be active, it isn't petting a piggy; we make our first impressions through our dress. This is how we, the player, show our imagination.
  These are two different topics, they should be treated as such.
  Posted 14 months ago by Ristretto | Permalink