Question for the whole RPing comunity?

[Blade Bacquin]

I told myself I wasn't going to do this. I told myself I shouldn't do this but I need to know. I need to know because I have heard allot of downer remarks towards what has transpired over the last year here. Now these remarks where bad but more on the sad side of people who feel less inclined to post. From people who feel unwelcome or even more lost then they where before the reset. Sadly I don't disagree with very many of the comments I have heard cause most of them are true.

I can't but think somewhere along the line allot of us have made a mistake or bad choice for this board. I personally have felt left out of allot of things some my own fault here. Yet after the reset I have seen more and more people fall into my category of just not happy rping. For a variety of different reasons most of the time they feel left out others feel that there is certain social structure you must fit into to be considered fit to rp with. Then there are some who see it more as popularity contest then a place to rp and have fun anymore. Then there are the new people that try to rp here and feel ridiculed because they have no clue what is going on and no one cares to help them.

The question I pose to all of you is not one of post you’re moaning and groaning though. All I want to know is how many people feel this board is better then ever or if its weaker then it had before the reset?

If you wish to ridicule me for posting this, which is one of the reasons, I was so hesitant to post it that is fine. Have felt left out of this place for a very long time one more thing added to my list of reasons why isn't going to change much in my opinion. I just hope that we can have a reasonable discussion about this.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

Roleplay/Roleplayer of the month is one of the reasons I've gone into hiding, honestly. Those that don't get recognition every month are pretty much ignored by those who do, and those who vote them in. I don't feel like I'm part of this community anymore, and because of that, I'm depressed and uninspired.

Why should I have to compete with the writers of this board to get noticed and interacted with?The writers write with eachother and ignore those of us who don't make the list. With the exeption of my closest friends who are fighting to keep me around, It's just not a fun and friendly place to RP anymore. The sense of community is gone.

[Natia Telcontar]

I agree with you Blade. Yes, it was new and fresh when it happened. I know when the reset first happened, I was not willing to RP here, but things changed for me irl, more along the lines of a conversation with a coworker, but I know I've found it hard to RP here again.

My personal opinion is the reset was a bad idea and the board is weaker for it.

[Kyle Krogen]

I personally think the Reset was good in some ways, but bad in others, but more bad then good. The board had grown stale and cold, so to say, so the reset managed to bring a little life back to the board, but it seemed to crush it just as soon as it resurrected it. Sure, the reset killed off a lot of our characters, but I found that if you liked your char enough you could re-create them, a little, and get them to fit. Now this didn’t work for all, but I found the reset also opened many opportunities for people to create new characters, and even give the abilities of their old chars to their new ones. I think you did hit a good point, Blade. There does seem to be groups of Roleplayers that only roleplay amongst themselves and are seldom seen RPing with others. This seems to happen most often among the long time members; the elite, so to say.

My biggest erk, though, lies in the fact that most of the group forums have completely died out. The Jedi Enclave is nonexistent; BS and the KA have completely died out. The imperials are not dead, but their forum is, and the NR… I don’t think the NR ever got off the ground. TSO is doing good for itself, but that is only because people care enough about to keep it alive despite the lack of activity from LV. What I don’t get is why is it the group that’s been small and dying for the last 3, or so, years suddenly be top dog and all the other groups are dead. The answer is that most of the group’s pre-reset members splintered off into other groups or decided to drop their affiliation. The problem with being an un-affiliated character is that most people tend to get bored of RPing them. There was a thread started recently asking how many active jedi are around, the result came up to five. FIVE! Out of the fifty or so we had before the reset only five remain active. Why, you may ask? I don’t know for sure, but I think its because people got bored of being a single jedi completely disconnected from the rest of the jedi. People like to belong to a group. It not only gives them a sense of belonging and not being a complete outcast, but also opens up more opportunities for roleplaying. A single jedi can’t do so much on his own, but a group of jedi can interact amongst themselves or go out and do something. This is what has promoted TSO up to being the most active. They are a group of people willing to stick together and have members who, when something breaks, attempt to fix it instead of waiting for someone else to do it or just leaving it completely. I think, that is people tried, they could easily bring SWfans back up to its former grandeur.

[Jaime Tomahawk]

I think people ahve missed the point and also one important fact.

The point of SW-Fans is that is is NOT up to someone else to make the experience here. It is up to you.

The fact - Now I said this a year ago at least, but I knew we would have this situation, reset of no reset. I dont feel I should be saying why as it should be obvious. ALL Star Wars fans sites are under the same problems and unless they find ways to stop the rot, there wont be new posters on any board except for the really, really big ones.

The other issue is that long termers who make the back bone of the site are finding other things to do. I'm in that boat. not the board is a bad place, but life has me doing other things. This is not unique and as there's no real influx of newbies, you see the result.

Do not get into your head the notion the reset caused this. It was goign to happen and I said so over a year ago. It was goign to get slower, stale and lack compelling content.

There have been missteps but the reset is not one of them - it was a good idea. It was the fact there is not enough posters to make the content compelling or to support the groups.

The missteps was almost certainly the fact generalised discussion was disallowed in the Box Office Forum and I urge a big rethink on that fast. Allow it to go offtopic.

I also agree that Kitty's points are right, Roleplay of the Month was a bad idea and should be stopped.

So to sum up - yes a few bad ideas that should be changed but the reset is NOT the cause of the present lack of interaction and community.

The rectification is a bit hard and unless more than two or three are committed to doing it, it wont work - and that's content. Content has in it's own way a way of creatign community and reasons to come back.

The best example is the USA diary that I know has been drawing posters in and I know lurkers been reading it too. That's content, that's the basis of community. That's what is needed. And you know what? With content people stick about. I'm willing to have some fun and writing in my own way for entertainment liek the diary, but I cant do it alone.

[Trilby Benedetta]

Exactly. We can't make the board fun for you, you have to do it yourself. If you want to rp with people, ask. I'm sick of this "elite" crap - there have always been groups who rp together, that does not mean you can't suggest something to one of these people.

As for the Rper of the month - who cares if you get nominated or not? As long as you're happy with what you're doing, it shouldnt matter if you get nominated. :|

I think the big problem is we don't have a focus - there is no huge epic "good vs. evil" here, there's nothing to force peoples' characters to create small groups (If the rebels can have an underground group, why cant a couple of Jedi?). Conflict = gone, and without it, nothing will go forward.

There is no Emperor in this timeline - don't you think there would be at least a FEW people gunning for that top spot? :P I am with Kyashi, and if no-one wants to rp out a way to stop me, then that's :cool

edit: and yeah, I think the reset was good. For me personally, it helped a lot.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Originally posted by Sorsha Kasajian
Roleplay/Roleplayer of the month is one of the reasons I've gone into hiding, honestly. Those that don't get recognition every month are pretty much ignored by those who do, and those who vote them in. I don't feel like I'm part of this community anymore, and because of that, I'm depressed and uninspired.


I have no idea who the roleplayer/roleplay of the month is. To be honest, I don't so much as open the thread. Not because it offends me, I'm just not that bothered. Frankly considering the low turn out the thread gets, those who "win" aren't really getting any more recognition than anyone else. In LD's defense, the idea isn't meant as a competition - just a way to show appreciation for threads that you enjoy reading. If you do choose to read it and take part, it's a fun way to notice threads you might otherwise not have bothered reading. If you feel that you aren't getting the appreciation you deserve, maybe you're looking at the whole concept the wrong way.



There was a thread started recently asking how many active jedi are around, the result came up to five. FIVE! Out of the fifty or so we had before the reset only five remain active. Why, you may ask? I don’t know for sure, but I think its because people got bored of being a single jedi completely disconnected from the rest of the jedi.

I'm not sure that there were that many active Jedi before the reset, to be honest. GJO, like the other groups, had been becoming quieter for some time. As Marcus said, the board has been in an undeniable state of decline since before the reset. I don't think the reset was being sold as a solution to this, just an attempt offer something new.


Then there are the new people that try to rp here and feel ridiculed because they have no clue what is going on and no one cares to help them.

Who feels this way? If people don't understand what's going on, all they need do is ask in this very forum for some direction.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

I should have kept my mouth shut. >_<

[Blade Bacquin]

No sorsha this was meant for you to be able to speak your mind. Not hold back your thoughts and opinions.

I do not denie we are all partly to blame areselves for lack of interest or what not. But I am not so blind as to say the reset had absolutely nothing to do with it. I'm not so blind as to say that it is just the roleplayers themselves faults that they can't find anyone to rp with. I'm not so blind as to say this elite stuff or popularity contest doesn't exist.

I don't blame any of that stuff on my own lack of interest with the exception of some aspects of the reset. I blame most of mine on myself and it's not lack of interest in starwars eather. Because i find myself having more fun at other sw boards instead of this one. I find myself lost here unexcept except by a select few. Those select few have drifted away from this place for same reasons they find fun on other sw boards. I have tried to figure out my own personal lack of interest in this place as of late and i have found it in allot of people. Some of these people have even been around longer then I have been.

As for the subject that we don't get new roleplayers I see places like swrpg that there newbies aren't coming in strong but they are still coming in at a stead pace unlike here. Funny thing is allot of them have seen fans before swrpg there reasons for passing this board by is sound they see all these little groups that exclude or don't like to rp with new people. They see roleplayer of the month and see thinks cool until they get into thin line of it all about these little groups promoting there fellow groupies. Yet I can't denie to them that isn't true cause when i rp here I rp with my own no one else really. I feel bad for it but everytime I try to post out of the group I get little or no response from anyone in the other little groups. So don't tell me these groups don't exist cause they do we are all apart of them.

As for the Elite there is a defined group of elite but I will put this item to rest those that are defined elite don't stick together in one group. In fact many whom I consider part of the elite are actually in a bunch of smaller groups of people. They do exist but they don't bunch together. No it's these smaller groups that apart of the problem and how to fix it is beyound me other then there has to be something we can do to try and bring us all together what that is or could be I have not found yet.

(sorry I realised elite is used as a bad word around here.)

Elite to me means stand out individuals who have accomplished much over there rp carriers and is not meant in a bad way. They are those indivduals whoms rp threads most can not help to read because of there great ideas and story telling abilities. Unlike most i do not see Elite as a nasty word it is reserved for those who have earned there place long before I stepped foot on this board and still seem to manage to post strong in rps.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I see participation as one of the key elements in this problem. Entropy has its' way with every online community at some point in time, but its' the ones that are willing to adapt and change and try to make its' member's experiences there enjoyable that pulls it up. Fans has done that, and is still trying to do so.

It's hard though, when people decide that they want to start their own RP board or whatnot (I'm seriously not poking at anyone; I know everyone has their own preferences on how they like to do things, and far be it from me to dictate anything to anyone). Yet, it's still things like that that hurt us, and they take away from the RP community here. If someone or a group of someones has a problem, the best results will be had with politeness and an explanation as to why said person(s) feels a certain way - much like Blade has done with this thread. It's informative, and helps to clarify things for the staff and give them more insight into what members like to see in the community.

The staff has really tried its' hardest to make things fun, to make the attempt at giving Fans a bit of a facelift and gutting. It's obvious to me that this has had mixed results, but its' nothing that can't be solved as long as cool heads remain at the front of this.

NOBODY should feel as though their ideas are crap, or their opinions shouldn't have been voiced. The staff NEEDS everything you can give us. Personally, I want nothing more than to facilitate everyone's needs in terms of working things out for the good of Fans, and those that have talked to me know this. I want nothing more than to see a vibrant community of posters who, while they may have their differences of opinions, know that when it comes down to brass tacks, we're here for eachother.

As for the elite thing, that really doesn't bother me. Olde Guard, Elite, Old Fogies, whatever you call them, it's just a moniker that pretty much means they've been around for a while.

And clicques. Oh yeah, I said it. I've moved around alot, I've had alot of jobs, and I've met more than a few people, and you know what I've realized? Clicques aren't just high school things. They're everywhere no matter how old you are. It's just the intensity of each clicque that is different. They're everywhere you look, from middle schoolers to old folks. It's not something bad either, imo. It's when things go to extremes is when things get horrid. I'll readily admit that Fans has its' own clicques - there's no escaping it. And I know that everyone has that one person they can't stand, that's life. I'm not saying to be more tolerant, because I know I've said stuff like that before and things of that nature are far easier to say than to do. Just don't everyone get defensive when someone accuses you of being in a clicque. It's only natural to surround yourself with people you enjoy talking to - nothing wrong with that, and odds are the accusing party is just as 'guilty' as the one he's accusing.

Change is a good thing, and we need help doing it. The company that I work for has recently begun using lean manufaturing techniques, and this involves quite a bit of change. All the older employees are a little disgruntled due to the fact that they're having to change the way they've done things for over ten, sometimes 20+ years. But you know what? So far the changes have done nothing but help productivity and quality. Are there still a few kinks to work out? Oh heavens, there's always something to fix or smooth, but the progress made is there. We've got the same situation going on here with Fans, and there's nothing to stop us from doing the same thing.

We've got to evolve as a community; not by any means abandon our roots as an RPing board, but something more along the lines of broaden our scope.

And what that all boils down to is participation.

And I've rambled more than enough, so I'll just leave you guys with a quote that's become one of my favorites:

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

--Charles Darwin

[Morgan Evanar]

I personally am writing better stuff than I had for the previous year and a half and feel more connected to my characters than I ever did.

Conversley, we immediately lost a lot of good people and it hurts pretty badly to not have them around anymore.
. I feel bad for it but everytime I try to post out of the group I get little or no response from anyone in the other little groups. So don't tell me these groups don't exist cause they do we are all apart of them.This section of the forum was revamped to specifically foster RP discussion and it is woefully underutilized. It's entire purpose is to entertain ideas and input on RPs.

[Tarsis]

I don't see a problem with the reset or the RP'er/RP of the Month simply because they were both made with the soul purpose of spicing up the forums.

In my opinion, the reset was put into action because the board was losing it luster which resulted in things slowing down because people were growing tired of not having something more concrete to roll with. The reset gave us something new to work with and while I'm not saying that it worked as well as some people might think, it did in it's own ways. From what I've seen, it gave birth to a few new Imperial factions, motivation for the Sith to begin another rise to power, and if I'm not mistaken, another group like the TSO or the GJO (referring to the Dark Mosaic).

With the creation of these new factions/new motivations, it has given ample opportunities for new people here at Fans a chance to find a home for their characters. I know not everyone wants to be a Sith or a Jedi, but it’s a home that more then likely, won’t turn people down. I know we in the TSO have been lacking in the department of members for sometime, well, I take that back, we hit a small pocket there for a little while where we received a few new peeps, but that’s another story for another day. The point is, we have experienced a lack of characters. So I know for a fact that the RP’ing Groups such as the TSO and GJO are always in a search and willing to accept new people to bolster their ranks.

Now as far as the RP’er/RP of the Month is concerned, in my opinion of course, it’s neither a good thing nor a bad thing. I feel it was made more for the threads, ya know, the writing, then it was for the people who started/participated in them. Like Dasquian said in LD’s defense “the idea isn't meant as a competition - just a way to show appreciation for threads that you enjoy reading.” I believe we can all agree on the fact that this forum has always been a big supporter of great literature in which we all, whether we want to admit it or not, have the same passion for.

I enjoy rp’ing here at Fans just like everyone else and I would like nothing more then to see this board prosper. We’ve all had our ups and downs, believe me, I know and I’ve been around here for quite sometime. I know this character’s registration date says otherwise but I had a character way back, I believe back in 02. My point is, this problem is just a small bump in the road and we shouldn’t let it get blown out of proportion and allow it to become a bigger issue then what it is right now. We’re all intelligent, I’m sure we can come up with something >_<

[Charley]

I am completely indifferent to the RPer of the month thing since I usually only read threads I'm involved in :)

I think the big thing right now is to drum up group activity. We really need to get some co-op stuff between the Empire and the Rebels, and have them really start beating the crap out of each other. Remember, we're still at war right :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ah here are the people who don't like the RPer of the Month. Well, as has been stated, it isn't a Sw-Fans sponsored event. So, don't complain to the staff, you can take it straight to me because the only way I could do it was to do it on my own.

Alas, the biggest problem is MOST roleplayers don't read roleplays that they're not in, which usually leads to a few RPers always RPing with the same people, and generally not being aware of the awesome writing being done by other people. Most people seem to think that I thought this up as a way of alienating roleplayers, or promoting already popular people, but that isn't my intention at all.

I think to have a good community we need to read the roleplays, not just write them. And creating a recognition system where people can only to nominate threads they are not in is a way to get people aware of the other RPers on the board. So, yeah, I have an agenda, but it's a Sw-Fans agenda, not a personal one.

As was always stated in the monthly threads, it is a completely voluntary thing. If one doesn't like it, they simply do not have to participate, and can ignore it completely. And when people say "It must be stopped because it is alienating Rpers!" - well that's simply ridiculous. Anyway, if more people participated in it, then it would be more fun for everyone. It's not the Oscars, people, it's a silly little voting thread to draw attention to the roleplayers and roleplays that are out there on the boards.

To say you're (general 'you,' not anyone in paticular) upset because the 5 people that voted last month totally ignored you, then guess what? 5 people on a board that has a whole lot more RPers than that, is not a very good chunk of the writers or readers. There's really nothing to be upset about.

So, to wrap up, the purpose of the Rper and RP of the month (non-board sponsored, of course) is to generate more readership for YOUR threads! If this upsets you, I apologize.

[Charley]

I'm okay with it one way or another really. I'd read more if I dedicated more time to actively RPing so I do acknowledge a lot of it is my own fault.

I think something that would definitely get my blood flowing again is a bit of real-time communication. I know I am usually in my prime when I can bounce ideas and coordination off a group of people via AIM or something.

I know people are on different schedules and such though. Still, I really need to drum up the old chats again on occasion.

[Jaime Tomahawk]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville

:words:



You are an administrator of this site now. Thence, whether you like it or not, whether you were doing it before you gained succh a role, what you do is seen as official policy, rightly or wrongly as the case may be. You must remeber that always as it can come back and bite you one.

The question or not of being upset because no one votes for me does not come into the equation - I dont care about roleplay and I am thence free to give a honest and unimpinged opinion on the subject, also given I have had this discussion over the years a few times even as an Admin of this site and the same comments keep coming up and being raised. Roleplay of the xxxx or Roleplay of the XXXXX has always been a controversial idea and should thence always be avoided. If the purpose is to advertise roleplays of note, then this is the wrong way to go about it, I believe. You are indeed creating and encouraging a dregree of 'eliteism' and while I disagree with just about every word I can understand of Blade's (and I point out I just dont understand what he said in his second post and been struggling to do so tonight - which I hate saying but it is true, I've failed to grok his point) and I reject entirely comments about eliteism or cliques (I've heard that before and it's never been right and still isnt today), roleplayer of the month DOES encourage that kind of thing, or has the potential to and has always put noses out of joint.

I would suggest that a better way to go about 'advertising'' roleplays a particular person wishes to take note of would be to self nominate inclusion into a monthly newsletter, with a cliff notes for readers to get the quick gist and a link. If the newsletter was written in a manner that gained constant attention - namely being soemwhat humourous - then this could work as part of the content I mentioned that this place needs as well as giving posters recognition without something controversial.

[Blade Bacquin]

My point on small groups ( i would rather not call them cliques even though I supose they can be considered that) was better said by s'Ilancy.

Also to clear this up even a bit more my point is not make more work for the admins. My point is to fix simple things the that comuntiy as a whole can fix and I am hereing some good ideas.

As for rper of the month it is indeed a very touchy subject one that should be avoided. Not because its bad at first glance but it can turn bad really quick.

Also my appologizes for my second post which i will try to clear up through out the day. It was rushed because I had other pressing matters to attend to.

[Morgan Evanar]

We could have a thread where everyone could do a short summary of the RPs they did every month. If someone posted an interesting summary I'd probably read the thread.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Then start one, Morgan. It's not like it's against the rules or that anyone will tell you to stop, and you're on the staff.

[Trilby Benedetta]

And there is a forum now for non-SW rps that's nearly empty. :(

[Dasquian Belargic]

Originally posted by Jaime Tomahawk
You are an administrator of this site now. Thence, whether you like it or not, whether you were doing it before you gained succh a role, what you do is seen as official policy, rightly or wrongly as the case may be. You must remeber that always as it can come back and bite you one.


If you read the RPer of the month threads, you'll find this little disclaimer: "p.s. this still remains totally voluntary, as always, and as a disclaimer this 'contest' is not sponsored by SW-Fans.net in any way. Other than It's about RPs and RPers from this board."

I really honestly don't see why everyone gets so riled up about the concept. In my mind, it only becomes a competition to those who want to make it one. The idea originally came from a similar feature over at The Rebel Faction, where a number of threads are 'showcased' monthly, to attract the attention of those who would otherwise not have read them. There is no sense of hostility, competition or rivalry. People simply nominate these threads based on what they have enjoyed reading, and that's all I see happening here too.

With regards to the idea of a newsletter of good reads, if anyone has the time and inclination to do this, go for it. It doesn't need to be an "officially sponsored" entity. I'm sure if you put up a thread in this very forum asking for contributions of threads, people would submit them... but then the very existence of the newsletter would be somewhat redundant, as people could just read the thread instead.