Discussion: Why Did You Leave The Galactic Republic?

[Darth Hauntruss]

Late to the party is late.

Now, I will not say that my advice is appropriate for the GR because frankly I joined the GR back when it was a powerful and well managed faction under Ben Watts. The only reason I didn't stay was A. I realized I suck at writing light-siders and B. This lady, Hauntruss, became more of a thing in the Old Sith Empire so obligations to that faction took precedent. But, on a previous site I led an entire faction and at one point a site that was the literal embodiment of the GR's current issues.


When [member="Ashin Varanin"] says that leading a faction in such turmoil as GR is a thankless job, it truly is a thankless job. You guys are lucky in that your writers are still brilliant enough to come up with great stories and posts - I have crossed sabers with a few of them. But, when I led my faction on another site, I was single-handedly ran the plot not by choice but by lazyness. I tried to make grand schemes that fit everybody, make everybody happy and in return I got vitriol, anger, hate, complaints and general disrespect. Every plot idea was a fight and struggle to see completed. Mistrust over story turned into mistrust over a OOC writer's personality.

This is heavily dangerous. Now if I was a ruthless person I would just dissolve the faction and start over as a test - those who cared for the story would actually remain and the rest frustrated over lose of power and grandeur would vanish into the site's peripheral. But, that is probably a very dark and last resort.

As a former admin and site leader with many years of experience my only advice is this.

Streamline. Streamline everything.

Streamline number of boards. Streamline how newbies access faction canon and information. Streamline interactions between NFU and FU. Streamline Jedi/Padawan relationships. Streamline the Faction's focus. Streamline OOC discussion. (one of the OS' great advantages is it initially had no Skype Convos, which as the Old Sith Empire can attest is a breeding ground for OOC drama and backstabbery).

​But, most important of all - freedom and respect. Give freedom to your characters to discover themselves and the respect that they deserve. And believe me, give them that and they will always come to the faction's aid. Because, that is the one thing that drives OS' success. We are proud of our Admins, Our Writers and Our Community. And that pride fuels our drive.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

As a Pub FA, you're going to get a lot of... Um, "advice". Quote unquote. And... How you deal with these kind of colorful commentaries is going to have a big effect on how you view your volunteer time. This is from experience too.

If you view the Republic as a private club. Yeah. These comments will annoy you endlessly. Probably because insider participation is the only thing you might merit as being "helpful". However. If you view the Republic as just another part of a bigger writers community? Then these comments ARE the insider participation you are looking for. Suddenly every one-off comment by a random somebody is a way of getting these stragglers involved. Think of this thread itself. This thread is: Republic participation. Imagine that all the comments here are from people just looking for the opportunity to come back and play.

Now. I'm not saying shower every bad idea or abusive comment with praise and applause. Sometimes you really do just have to say: "Thank you for the input and your offer to help. But now is just not the right time. Thanks for being awesome. Enjoy the boards." Oh yeah. I know I had to do this constantly with writers who kept volunteering their Sith Lords to participate as Pub Senators. Lol. Was that offer to participate awesome? Yeah. It was pretty cool. More people getting together is always awesome for the story. But did that participation really really really have a bad influence on some of my more regular members? Oh yeah. Boy oh boy. You bet my PM box filled up with opinions about that one. Sheesh. So. Mm. Yeah. I had to say no sometimes. Even to offers of "more participation." Lulz.

I learned to approach everything with a positive opportunistic mindset. I learned that sometimes when someone says things like, "I want to blow up your Faction." or "You guys should do this." or "I have some advice on what would help fix everything." What they were really saying was, "I want to participate with you guys. Let me play too." ...And that can be one of the greatest compliments an FA can ever receive.

In closing. Being an FA can saddle you with an endless tide of problems and free "advice". How you approach those challenges can really make a difference in the people around you and make your volunteer time much more positive.

Cheers and happy hunting dude!

 

[Ayden Cater]

Something that would help (not just) the Republic; learn to work with the losses you suffer. Way, way too often, when an Invasion goes sideways, people have this tendency of throwing a fit and storming off, or start name callings, or decide that if the other side is (from one's own perspective, not necessarily an accurate one) GMing, then they'll just GM too.

It is not solely a problem with the Republic, but it is one that I think is most acutely shown, that there is this huge Us vs Them mentality. Everything is a life-or-death competition that must be won at any costs. Because when everything is a competition, then everyone else becomes suspect. And it leads to this situation where your faction has no soul. Yes, no one wants to lose forever. But you have to find the strength to lose with grace and dignity if you're going to hope to win battles.

Something else that that can be done; communicate with the other side and plan out some "surprise" twists. The single biggest complaint to more characters / more forces jumping into a thread is the argument of "It's not fair, we didn't agree to that. If you're going to add them, we'll add X." Things in a battle are not always fair, and they shouldn't have to be. While I was running the Protectorate, I talked all the time with several other faction leaders, particularly within the Fringe and the then-Confenderacy. As [member="Ashin Varanin"] can attest, on more than one occasion I actually gladly offered up talks on the best ways one could go about trying to disable Protectorate defenses. I'll confess it, a good eighteen months after it was planned; I was gonna help the Fringe plan out how to take Fondor. Why? Why would I do that to my own faction's homeworld?

Planets mean little to me, inherently. It was the stories of character's courage and struggling that mattered the most to me. Victories are nice, and the battles waged for them breed a lot of new story for a character. But losses also breed new story. No planet is sacred and off-limits. It might be harder to tackle things like orbital defenses and garrisons, but every planet has a weakness. To me, there is always a greater victory in coming back from a loss then just simple stomping around. Some might argue that such a plan on my part would have been a betrayal of my members, but I would argue that, as faction leader, it was my job to create story opportunities for my members. And that means that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And if I work with the Fringe on their story, then down the road I can ask them for help when it would be time for the Protectorate's story.

Now obviously the Fringe never invaded Fondor. Others tried first, and rendered much of what was planned useless. It wasn't that I was retracting my offer to help them plan the invasion of Fondor, but most of the weaknesses they would have exploited were, temporarily or permanently, covered up. And so we moved on to other targets and other ideas.

Sometimes we'd discuss that. Other times we'd discuss ways to bring in "twists" into fights. Extra forces or some new power or plan from an up-and-coming character. Some of these came through. Others didn't, for one reason or another. But I never took a stand and said "No, you can't do this." The biggest thing that ever got under my skin was when someone would just assuming that areas of high interest to the Protectorate had little to no security. And this is just an illustration of a larger, board-wide problem; this idea that only you are smart and that everyone else in the galaxy is dumb. It was my single greatest source of aggravation when people would appear over high security worlds like Fondor and Corellia, and would just hand-wave their way inside military-sensitive locations. The problem is not the attack itself, but how its being started.

And someone mentioned earlier in the thread that they felt as if one of the Republic's earlier problems was a lack of tech; I have been around since the start of the board, and the Republic has never (in my eyes) suffered from a lack of tech. In fact, when things started going bad, I would argue that they over-compensated and started having way, way too much tech.

So to TL;DR this all.

- Respect each other. Learn to give a little so you can take a little.
- While sometimes an 'Ah-ha!' moment just comes up in a fight, don't ever assume that your opponent is a complete moron, especially when it's an entire NPC faction.
- Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
- Don't be afraid to plan things out, even your failure.

 

[Avalore Eden]

I would say my short stint as a Republic FA and quasi FO while Kiskla was on extended LOA was actually quite an enjoyable one for the most part. I had a great team that was eager to learn and do right by the faction, no matter what. Sure we took losses and we had some hairy invasions, but when I remember my time as FA there I remember our efforts pushing the GR into a very healthy state of activity. We kept nonsense-negativity and drama off the forum and promoted pro-activity. We gave the members the opportunity to take the reins and reorganize the faction in a way that they felt worked for them.

Wasn't perfect. There was always someone that was unhappy with the decisions we made, but I like to think that for a while the GR was doing pretty well.

When I stepped down from my position of FA it was not because of drama (though admittedly I was ready to pass the baton), it was due to the offer of promotion to become an RPJ. I had great faith in the up and coming Admins that I helped train and I wished them the best. Avalore stuck around IC for a time afterwards but I found that with my diminished OOC presence it was becoming harder and harder to stay involved. Eventually I felt like I had to pull teeth to even get a sitrep on how to help, how to be involved. TJO seemed like it closed it's doors to the freedom of story and opportunity. Suddenly because Avalore was involved in TJA there was both OOC and IC alienation. Following that, because I had a minor side character involved in SO, there came further OOC alienation.

I was accused of spying on GR for the OS. When I tried to offer advice I was accused of "staff interference."

The negativity never stopped, no matter what I did. I'm not the type to stay where I'm not wanted or welcome, so that's why I left.

 

[Placeholder 04]

Initially I left because Cyril was getting passed over for a position on the council. I figured a lot of it had to do with the fact I wasn't friends with the right people, and ICly he was getting frustrated with kids being put in charge of him. That was about a year ago. Needless to say, I got over that pretty quick.

Afterword I came back here and there to help. For a really long time, I hated the One Sith. We'd just gotten done fighting the Sith Empire, after all, could the bad guys cool their jets so we could do some kind of roleplay that did not revolve around a grim dark war? At the start of the big war, the OS bullied, lied, and powergamed a lot. A large margin of the Republic's member base began to trickle out -- myself included.

Eventually I got over the hate. I RPed with certain people, and I stopped caring much about the whole war in general. I even became friends with some of the OS folks, some of them admins, and we hashed out some issues. They understood they had wronged the Republic, but the Republic had also begun to wrong them. While the win-everything attitude is still a bit of a holdout in the OS faction, most of the folks there are legitimately looking for fun. The Republic's switched around -- now they bully, hate, slander as much as the early OS did: a logical reaction.

The problem, however, is that we can't actually kill one another. A shame, I know. The only way to solve any kind of problem through this medium is to either leave, or talk it out. So I decided to try and make them do the latter.

I've considered myself a bit of a neutral party as of late. A lot of those Republic admins people like to get on about were my friends, and I understand why they react the way they do. On the other hand, I'm also on well with most of the Galactic Alliance, as well as some of the One Sith folks. I figured I was relatively trusted, and after speaking with some OS folks (regular members and a few admins), learned they were open to a dialogue. I pushed to have a skype conversation open for anyone of either faction to join, with moderators who had no hand in the conflict present to discipline anyone who got too emotional, started to harass the other side, etc.

I spoke to the One Sith writers. A number of them were totally up for it. A place to be spoken to like an adult, to figure out why the other side really dislikes you, for them to learn why you dislike them, talk to them like human beings rather than avatars on a forum, and then maybe fix the issues? Grand idea, I thought.

Then I spoke to the Republic writers, some of my friends who I've been RPing with for years on this website. The replies varied from a simple no, to being told that I was brainwashed, a part of the clique, that I should leave the Republic, and that I was too naive to understand the issue at hand.

So that's why I left. When people were presented with an opportunity that might have fixed everything, one that I busted my butt for quite some time to make possible, my hand was bitten. Not my issue anymore.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

I'll admit we were very aggressive early on in the OS' lifespan.

We had just gone major and we had, from the very beginning, planned to go up against the titanic power that was the Galactic Republic.

It was very much a David vs. Goliath scenario, and if the Invasion of Coruscant had ended badly for the One Sith then we most likely wouldn't even be here anymore.

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Drama, lot of nitpicking over character types.

SSC is like a friendly relaxed environment, love the folks there, its a joy that I want to return to when I sit down with time.

Pubs had plenty of great people, but the nitpicking over what you could or couldn't be, or how you could or couldn't write Jedi OOC was very meh, having the opposite effect.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Is this thread about the GR?

Awesome! I too love that faction, it is complex with all sorts of possibilities for political intrigues, restricted tight arsed jedi (like Mantic), and a whole world of military and intelligence RP just out there waiting for the taking.

But I do admit, it has an ooc drawback. Too many keep focus on ooc rather then getting those stories told.
Stop complaining and get RPing.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

A further issue the Republic has always suffered is the way it basically has always boiled down to being mainly Jedi. The invasions and PVP are fought for the most part by Jedi, which creates some sort of IC weirdness for people as that's not the way it should necessarily work.
The Republic has had NFU fighters, but never a huge amount of them, and usually as Admirals (as I was for 2+ years). The other character type there is the politician, but by definition they rarely fight and exist to form internal struggles.

So despite having the largest member base, the Republic has rarely been able to utilise them properly for invasions.

But I do admit, it has an ooc drawback. Too many keep focus on ooc rather then getting those stories told.
Stop complaining and get RPing.

If you've studied this thread you'll see a myriad of reasons why people were unable or unwilling to 'stop complaining and get RPing'.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Admittedly I don't usually reply to these kind of threads ..... but I did want to say this. Never once while I was in the Republic, did I ever feel welcome or wanted there on either Coryth or my Senator.And stars know I've tried on and off to be part of the pubs since I got here and still always experienced the same toxicity, drama and unwelcome-ness .

If you want things to change keep in mind your players are the most valuable resource you have. Without them you are nothing. Make your players feel welcome and wanted and they will stay. Give them fresh storylines and that just seals the deal. Also kill the OOC drama while it's still in the seed, and don't let that stuff fester. Because we all know where that leads. You may have a chance if you can do these things. If not, you are probably better off starting with a fresh slate and making sure those things are done from the get go, and be rid of the baggage that the Pubs carry.

 

[Kamon's OOC]

[member="Valiens Nantaris"]
I've never understood why it's so hard to be a soldier, just an ordinary grunt, in the GR. I've tried it myself and am currently doing so. I need to figure that out.... Maybe time for a roundtable discussion.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

[member="Valiens Nantaris"]
I've never understood why it's so hard to be a soldier, just an ordinary grunt, in the GR. I've tried it myself and am currently doing so. I need to figure that out.... Maybe time for a roundtable discussion.

Its not hard. No one really enjoys it enough it seems.
I would have joined if I just found the time.

If you've studied this thread you'll see a myriad of reasons why people were unable or unwilling to 'stop complaining and get RPing'
If you've studied this thread you'll see a myriad of reasons why people were unable or unwilling to 'stop complaining and get RPing'.

Thats just long time members with long memories who dont see all the new members in here looking to write the SW character they always dreamt RPing.
Long time members need to stop spoiling their efforts and focus on helping them.
Goes not only to GR oldies but the entire Chaos who have oppinions about the GR.

Wait! Did I say that out loud?
*bites tounge and awaits atomic bomb drop*

 

[Kamon's OOC]

*holds sign that says Mantic For President*
[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

I've said it before in this thread, but maybe I didn't word it this clearly.

No one outside the Republic is ruining the Republic. Focus on what you want to be and make it that.

 

[Commander Lusk]

*plays a soldier in the republic and enjoys it*

 

[Ben Watts]

As the former FA of the Galactic Republic I can offer a little insight into what I personally believe could be the issue. Whenever I was running it, things were easy, wanna know why? I wasn't the only one making decisions. It was me along with, well, everyone who was deciding the direction the faction went in. Now, I have been gone for awhile, but a strange thing I started to notice before I left was everyone was relying on the Faction Admin to do everything. They decided the dominions, the strategies, promotions, gods... there is an endless list of things that was being put on the FA's shoulders.

And guess what that does? It breeds nothing but discontent for the person running the faction. If one person runs the show then, as is natural, someone is going to question their decisions. The thing is, when everyone has input into the direction of the faction, no one can really complain because it is a collaboration. If people do start complaining then you have more people on your side to defend the decisions. It becomes more of a community and less of a "Lets look to this guy for help."

My rule of thumb with running the Galactic Republic was to be more of a mediator instead of the guy making all the decisions. Trust me when I say that this place has a buttload of people with a buttload of amazing ideas. Let them run things, let them make the decisions, no one person can "save" a major faction. It has to be a place where everyone just wants to see it succeed. If you constantly worry about members leaving or people being unhappy with the current rule then... well.... you are doing something wrong.

A good faction just..... does stuff. We weren't worried about the map, or losing planets, or discontent among members. The only thing we were worried about was having a damn good time. We laughed, we joked, we came up with outlandish ideas ( mostly I came up with outlandish ideas ) and the smarter less ignorant people would take that outlandish idea and turn it into something that could actually be written.

Collaboration is key. If your members feel like you are trying to impose your will on the faction you will die as a faction leader. It shouldn't be about YOU as the faction leader it should be about what YOU do for the faction. All eyes are on you, but you don't have to do it alone. In fact, if you do it alone, you are doing it wrong. Share the burden, lets others have the right to come up with ideas, allow people to go out and do things EVEN IF YOU THINK WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS STUPID.


Why did I leave the Republic? Well, it stopped being about fun, and turned into work. We lost our way as a faction and it became more about what everyone else was doing wrong and less about what I can do to fix it. Anyone can point fingers but the real leaders point the fingers at themselves and they fix it. Because I am not above criticism ( And I am as close to one can get to perfection ) so you are certainly not above it.


You want to see the Galactic Republic thrive again? Listen, learn, adapt, be open, and most of all you gotta Wu Tang.

 

[Jsc]

Goes not only to GR oldies but the entire Chaos who have oppinions about the GR.

Kay. So in a thread littered with valid concerns, good reasons, and bad experiences. You. Mantic Dorn. Come to the final conclusion that everyone on this website is simply... Attacking you.

Okay. So. What do you want exactly? For all of us to just... Go away? Is that it. Maybe we should all just stop talking. Would that make you feel better? Tell old Rev to stop posting blogs. Tell the GA to stop being such a wonderful alternative. Ooo. Or how about. Tell the OP of this thread, a Republic member, to just stop wondering why people left the faction in the first place. Because nothing is wrong. Everything is peachy. And this is all just some very trolly conspiracy to keep Mantic Dorn down. By everybody. Literally. A conspiracy by... Everybody.

Now. Look at what you're saying. Look at what you are doing. Now look at what people are honestly giving concerns about in this thread. Okay. Now look back at yourself. Look at what you are doing. And now look at what people are complaining about in this thread. Getting where I'm going with this? Kinda sorta? Maybe?

...

Mantic. I'll finish by saying that you're a great guy and very fun to RP with. You really are. You can write a hell of a Jedi. It's awesome to see. But sometimes man. Woo. Ya know. Sometimes. You're comments can come off as really really hard to relate to.

In the future I hope you come to see the hardships of your fellow writers as not a conspiracy, but as an opportunity for healing, understanding, and re connection. Cheers mate. And happy posting.

 

[Miss Blonde]

[member="Ben Watts"]

But Ben! Most of these folks don't know that Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothing to fuck with. They yet to know the fear of the RZA the GZA the Masta Killa or when Method Man leaves a wire coat hanger on the stove for like 10 minutes

 

[Ben Watts]

[member="Patricia Susan Garter"]

They may have forgotten, but surely, I will remind them of the Wu.

 

[Ben Watts]

Also, I would like to say, it warms my heart to see people who remember when I ran the faction as some of the brighter times. But, I can say with 100% certainty that it had very little to do with me, and mostly to do with everyone who was part of the faction at the time. I cannot stress enough that the Faction Leader matters only because they make announcements and their name is up there with the faction. Someone being faction leader shouldn't matter outside of the fact that they have the final say in most cases. Honestly, I bet you most of the plotlines that went down when I was FA came from the members, I cannot think of a single fun thread we did back then that was my idea.

So, if you were part of the faction back then, thanks for being awesome. Some of my fondest memories of roleplaying come from there.

EDIT: By the way, I am joining the One Sith, suck it Jedi losers.