Are we in a downward spiral/Where have all the Majors gone?

[Revenchent]

[member="Scherezade deWinter"] - That's true, and for my part I didn't care for the way the voting system was setup in the first place. I suppose I simply like the confirmation of multiple opinions giving approval, but then hobbies like these usually delve into the realm of nepotism and popularity with standard voting systems. It's just easier to go without them, I just personally prefer them in particular situations.

I suppose I'm just trying to give the perspective of the minority that misses those things, and why a lot of them aren't around any longer.

 

[WolfMortum]

Short Answer:

No.

Why:

Factions come and go like Activity.

It's Christmas, Chaos will return as it always does.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

A reminder folks to keep discussion civil and productive. Debate the issue, don't attack the person.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

Since January we've had 3 Invasions (Skor II, Gree, and Dubrillion).

Tatooine was announced in January.

Also, I must have missed their Major Faction Application. I rechecked, and was able to find it. 4 New Major Factions.

[member="Veiere Arenais"]
It has been the holidays since August?

Again 3 invasions since January, even including January's 5, there were still barely half of 2017's. The community is clearly losing interest in Invasions. It's not the same as then. This is now.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

Ahem. This can still matter. I start most of my characters at apprentice level. Scherezade (my current main) lack of progression from her peers and those above her affected her story tremendously. Did I have to do it like that? Nope. But I had a choice, which is something that many of those who QQ about it not being mandatory anymore seem to forget. You can still make it matter. If you can't do it because there's no rule forcing you to, the problem is you, not the lack of a rule.

I have to contradict that a bit. What things look like, especially on the faction level, is influenced by more than your own actions. Yes, of course you can still write a Padawan. But it does make a difference for you whether there are lots of other apprentice-level characters around so your character can find peers easily, and whether masters are somewhat rare and written by experienced writers so that it's easy to take them seriously; and these things are outside of your own control.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"] I'm not sure I understand your meaning, since these things are always out of your control, even with an enforced promotion system.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

These things are out of your control, but not out of the rule system's control. So it makes sense for people to wish for a rule system that tilts balances that are out of their own control in the direction that they would like them to be tilted. To tell them that that balance doesn't matter and only things under their own control matter, and that therefore they have no reason to wish for such a rule system, isn't a satisfactory answer to that.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"] Abusers of the system can still be reported. While writers can choose the level of their characters, it doesn't give them free reign to do whatever they want with it. The promotion enforcement rules did not enforce a balance. While not being around Chaos when it was in place, the base system existed on enough boards for me to see it was too often a popularity contest and not recognition of effort or skill. People can wish for any rule system they want; but ultimately, if you want to change the existing one, it ought to be changed for a better one, not go back to one that is perceived by most people as a worse one, especially when the current one still gives you the option to give yourself to the rules you decide for our own character's related promotions.

Chaos, from what I've experienced and read, is good with changes. Sure, sometimes they happen very slow, but changes are not taboo here. That's great. The promotions might be changed in the future. No one's offered a forward change for at least the year that I've been here so far.

 

[Jada Raxis]

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"]

I agree.

Feels like this place is just turning into a sanbox with less and less rules. I'm not saying regulate everything, but bring back the balancing rules that enabled recognized progression and gave writers a goal to write towards.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

Owning a canon item was like owning a prize. If everyone can just randomly lay claim to the Glove Of Darth Vader it loses that special shine. That pretty much negates Treasure Hunter chars. What's the point of hunting if in the end you don't get to keep anything?

 

[Jada Raxis]

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

All due respect, if you were not here to witness it first hand, how can you claim that you know how it worked?

In all honesty you were promoted if you actually did stuff for your faction. It was imperfect yes, but it worked. Chaos is not any other board.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

[member="Jada Raxis"] Owning a canon item was getting to it first. No actual competition. Someone who grabbed an item years ago could hold it for a hot forever even while being idle RP-wise, and keep others waiting years even if the waiting people proved to be more invested in providing threads of stories.

Treasure hunts can be made great again by use of the factory - create unique items for them to go after. And to be frank, I wasn't really seeing any active treasure hunters around even when canon items were a thing.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

[member="Jada Raxis"] Chaos originally had the three tier system that was present on a bunch of other boards that I and many writers here frequented before Chaos existed. Chaos is not where the three tier system and the voting for promotions were invented, and I've gone through it more than enough times, judged by people who actively write here now and/or wrote here for years.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

Nobody is talking about actual rule-breaking abuses, and who's going to be the nerf herder to report someone for writing a master character just because they feel the other writer isn't actually ready for it? I sincerely hope no-one!

It's just that if starting as an apprentice is the default, then that naturally changes a bunch of things, such as how many apprentices there are around. I think that's a perfectly valid point in favour of the old system. It may be counterbalanced by points in favour of the new system, but to deny it altogether is just going too far.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

First this thread was about lack of invasions and the map game being boring because major factions are writing in their own corner instead of interacting with each other. Then about company tiers, restricted materiels, master levels, canon items etc. I guess someone will find another hobby horse to bring up soon.


[member="Jada Raxis"]

Making your discussion/proposal threads about everything and the kitchen sink will ensure that your opinions are disregarded by the board (and especially staff) and none of the changes you want will be implemented. You just had a thread about company tiers and master levels. No point in beating a dead horse.

 

[Jada Raxis]

It is my opinion that some folks are just not ready or mature enough in their writing and OOC conduct to be granted the rank of Master right off the rip.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"] After asking to clear up the denial thing on Discord - I think I came off differently than intended. There would be more apprentices. But that is not necessarily a good thing (or a bad thing). Much more goes into an RP than a person's rank.

[member="Jada Raxis"] Let's be frank, there are people with thousands of posts who aren't mature enough in their writing or OOC conduct to get the rank of Master either, even if it's not right off the hip. The way to deal with it is the same way regardless of the promotion rules in place - just don't RP with them.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

I've been here since February of 2013 before even the map was introduced or any major factions existed and the only rank you can start at was apprentice unless you copied a character over from a previous website.

Chit's way better than back then.

 

[WolfMortum]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]

It has been the holidays since August?

You're not wrong, though not all of us are still in School.

My point is that Chaos isn't going anywhere, and these bouts of interest come and go.

The Community isn't going downhill, it's just having a dip in activity/Interest.

This has always happened, and will continue to come and go in varying degrees and times.

No doubt similar threads were created then as well.

 

[Jsc]

Making your discussion/proposal threads about everything and the kitchen sink will ensure that your opinions are disregarded by the board (and especially staff) and none of the changes you want will be implemented. You just had a thread about company tiers and master levels. No point in beating a dead horse.

So much this thread right now. Ya'll just bored or venting.

 

[Aran Finn]

Actual IC posting seems to be pretty active for this time of year.