beliefovermisery: (Default)
beliefovermisery ([personal profile] beliefovermisery) wrote2006-08-06 06:40 pm

Dear Galaxy

Dear Apharsites,

To begin with, I'm going to start with an off-the-top-of-my-head list of Things That Irritate Me About This Game:

1. Wank every other month week day hour.
2. Players who participate in such wank who have the nerve to call others childish.
3. Being the unofficial game-therapist for more players than should be necessary. I would mind less if I hadn't been the one to specifically request a Player Relations mod, if one hadn't actually been "hired," and if people didn't still come to me, a player with no title or rank, for help or discussion.
4. The number of times an IC situation has caused OOC drama.
5. That there is no limit to the amount of pups a mun can play at a time.
6. Blanket Statements
7. "Anonymous letters."

Things You should Know About Me:

1. This is the third RP game I have ever been in. Ever.
2. I am one of the younger players.
3. I do go to school full time.
4. During winter and summer breaks, I work full time, waking at 5AM and going to bed at 9PM. I do not work the standard M-F work-week, but I do get 40 hours a week.
5. In every relationship I have ever had, RL or online, I have always, always been the one people come to with their problems. I don't mind this, but I do worry that I'm not always the right person to be helping them.

6. I have known Mandy (Zuko, Hellboy, Paige, Ed, Harth, House) for two years and can count on the fingers of one hand how many days we have gone without speaking to each other either online or on the phone.

I leave the last one separated like that because I have a feeling a lot of people will be hung up on that for a while.

Here's the thing, Apharsites: I'm here to play. I don't care what you, the mun, wants. I don't care what you, the mod, wants. I don't even care what you, the pup, wants. I want a game, I want a plot, I want to tag someone and get a scene. Yes, it's true, the majority of plots run so far have been planned an executed by non-mods.

You know what? I don't care.

We have a meeting-plot right now concerning Harth Fray, To Soul Or Not To Soul, with a side order of Katara and Sokka, To Exile or Not To Exile. We have a Grail Quest to find the Holy Cup of Christ. We have a MALL EXPEDITION. All run by non-mods, all played by a wide variety of pups! I LOVE IT.

Can we continue it?

Not, apparently, without wank.

I love this game. I love playing Sokka, obviously, because he's changed so much from his canon. I don't want to leave.

But when I get online and the first thing I hear is Mandy's taking over the game, Rue isn't modding, Roger's whining again, Saphie's being OOC, you know what I want to do?

Leave. And get the hell away from all of you people that, for whatever reason, care more about the players than the game. We have a GAME. If your character is disgruntled, LET THEM BE DISGRUNTLED, but for god's sake, do you really have to turn an IC issue into an OOC one? Does it really, honestly matter if Zuko wants a dictatorship? Can you not play with that? Does it really matter if Methos challenges him and builds a democracy? Can Methos not handle the government of Apocalyptica going his way? Can Zuko not suck it up and deal with what comes?

I'm sick of this. I don't need this. I'm here to play and this is one of the last times that I will sign on to chat and immediately get messages about the newest wank.

Would you get this upset over Monopoly?

[identity profile] air-scooting.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
Just for the record, people get mad at me when we play Monopoly because I rock at it, lol. :(

But this is kind of why I don't always participate in apharsites, as much as I love and also have RL things to deal with. Wankery. I love everyone, I do, but I try to stay out of the OOC issues. It's a game, nothing serious -- roll with it, everyone, LAWL.

Also. *hugs* *MANY HUGS FOR YOU*

I feel worse for you, for taking the brunt of these issues.

[identity profile] agoodshinkickin.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm, that's a tough question.
Are people going to constantly threaten to leave and take the board with them when they go? Because really, that's something I can do without.

I just kind of have to ask:
When you posted this what did you hope to accomplish?

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
I am not anywhere near important enough to take the board with me if I go. All I'll be doing is taking the little horse back to my house. You guys can split the money and properties.

I posted this to make public my frustrations - that's it. What I hope to accomplish is that other people know what my frustrations are. I didn't post this to my private journal because not enough people who are affiliated with this game would see it.

Does it bother you that I voiced complaints publicly about a game I actively participate in, or that I did it in a manner that is offensive to others?

[identity profile] agoodshinkickin.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
You're asking someone who's response to the wankfest was: Shut the fuck up, next if they're bothered by your public complaints?

No, I'm not bothered. I'm also not offended. I used to be an officer in an 80 person LARP, trust me when I say that there's little about gaming that surprises me anymore.

The reason I asked what your intentions were is because posts like yours tend to fan the flames rather than actually extinguish them.

Though I do have to admit that I'd much prefer that the people with the issues voice them rather than stew in them. Holding in that much hostility just isn't healthy.

- Mikemun.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
I wasn't aware that was your response. I am, however, amused by it. XD

I thought about that - fanning the flames rather than extinguishing them. But, at the same time, I figured I might as well say what I've been thinking and see how the responses go. I'm perfectly aware that this will mean absolutely nothing if the next time there's wank, I don't follow through. That would fan the flames.

If someone causes drama as a direct result of this letter, I will leave.

Bolded even. Someone screencap this so you can yell at me if I don't do it later.

Agreed in all other respects.

[identity profile] agoodshinkickin.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Don't make your leaving a threat. I hesitate to use this phrase, but at the moment it's the only one that fits. Threatening to leave like this is a childish ploy, and as a strategy for personal happiness kind of beneath you.


[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
I'd only see it as a threat if I really was important enough to take the board with me when I go home. I don't own the board, and if I leave, not many people are going to be affected.

I'm promising (or threatening) to leave because I've planned to many times and never followed through. It's more for myself than anyone else, and the fact thaht it's public means I'll get a lot of shit if I don't follow through-- and following through is always for great justice.

[identity profile] nepheliad.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
As a person and as a mod, I agree, mostly.

Rue wants to state though that Rue isn't modding not because of any of you -- Rue isn't modding because Rue's biology wanted her to take a break.

And except for #5, because I do not think limits are at all fun, I agree to everything. (And no that comment is not up for discussion, if there's anyone around just WAITING TO WANK OMG. Do not comment on it.)

We all love you, Li, or at least I sure as hell think we do.

I know I do.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
#5 is an issue because if someone has 10 characters, they can pick and choose which one to play with. If they only have one, they have to constantly force that character into new situations. We have several pups right now that only come into play on request, and not always at that either. And these pups' players have more than four other pups each.

There is love on a personal level of Rue and Li, just not always mod and player. :)

[identity profile] buongiornodaisy.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
We can't impose that sort of rule on everyone because every player plays differently. You may be fine with playing just one character, but others can and have been able to play more than one character well and place those characters into new situations.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
I play three characters. I'm not saying limit everyone to one, but there should definitely be some sort of limit. Name any player on Aphar that has multiple pups and I'll tell you who they've neglected-- even I neglect Bova more than I should, and Saffron, too. Sokka is obviously my favorite and everyone else has the same deal with favorites and then the on-the-side characters.

[identity profile] buongiornodaisy.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
OK, I see your point, and I even agree with you. I know I've been bad with apping characters in various games, including this one, and not playing them. A limit of five, I think, is reasonable. One? Not so much. But, again, it gets a little tricky because some people insist that they can play more than five characters, and there are, indeed, a few people who can do it. But they're only a few.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
In such a case, the majority would have to rule. :/ I understand your hesitance, especially since the game started out as free-for-all. Changing it now probably wouldn't be best, but it is an issue I've always had.

[identity profile] buongiornodaisy.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
*nods* It's a common issue across RP's, so don't feel isolated.

The two games I joined before this one also have tried to reduce impulsive applications capping the number of characters a player can apply for in a month. This theoretically would give the player time to think about whether they really want to and really would play a character. That is something we could do at Apharsites if the other two mods wished to pursue it.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
They did that at the last game I was in, where they would have Alt Months - whatever they were low on was what was allowed to apply. Villain Month, Hero Month, Tech Month, Protective/Mother Month, etc. There are a lot of options if you ever really wanted to do it.

[identity profile] shengge.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
For the record? I have two pups in this game and they are both on request-only many days.

This is because I work 9 to 5, five days a week, with a 90-minute commute each way. And I am very often tired, at the end of the day. It is not conducive to RP.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-08 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
It is not conducive to RP.

To be completely and totally honest with you? That should have been something you considered before taking on the responsibility of a game that depends entirely on participation.

[identity profile] shengge.livejournal.com 2006-08-08 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
...all games depend entirely on participation. And I do still play, and will continue to do so. Not even always because someone asks for one of them.

*shrugs*
innerbrat: (hug)

[personal profile] innerbrat 2006-08-07 10:31 am (UTC)(link)
It's everyone's love for Li that's causing her problems. Or at least, that's Debi's opinion. Her opinion, and her experience is that people come to the person they love with problems, and therefore the person that everyone loves gets to hear about all of everyone's problems. And it wears down the poor Li.

Li? Love you. A lot.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Said love is returned. XD But that's much less of an issue than the fact there's just wank in general, whether I hear about it or not, and that the official PR mod is not being used.

But there is so much love for everyone when there is no pointless fighting.

[identity profile] perfectblue.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
I'd like to add that I would like it if more people from both sides of the arguments came to me as the Player Relations person, but that I cannot do anything about it if one side comes to me more than the other and thus as a result it looks as though I am siding with them.

It's REALLY HARD to see both sides when one side won't come to me.

I don't dislike anyone. I want to like, and be friends with, everyone in this game. But some people have made it clear that they don't want that, so. I can only do so much.

[identity profile] perfectblue.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
It's also really hard that, because I'm NOT a mod, people don't want to accept it when I come to them about something that one side approaches me with, and try to be fair and neutral. Maybe I should start inserting more emoticons into things when I bring them up, because I feel like people take it as attacking when I'm trying to be perfectly neutral about an issue and get to the quickest solution possible.

But then I have people who aren't even INVOLVED telling me they don't think I'm handling it right, and I don't have the authority to tell them to butt out, so I sit there and take all of the hostility directed personally at me without recourse.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
Honestly, so far as I can tell about your situation - which, I admit, is not very much at all - the problem is just that people don't see you as non-biased. When a lot of issues have to do with a character who your pup is in an intimate relationship and who you constantly RP and pimp threads with, it's hard for other people to see you as non-biased.

I, personally, have never had the opportunity to come to you or have you come to me as a mod. So, basically, this is me talking out of my ass. But I haven't thought it was your fault that people aren't using the PR mod, so much as unfortunate circumstances that make the job run less smoothly than it should.

[identity profile] perfectblue.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
*nods*

It is hard, because of course my friends are going to come to me first. Especially if they think I may have better success at dealing with it thanks to my in-game position. (To which I say: HA. I've had better success working out my own personal issues with people I had direct problems with, but that's another story.) And of course I'm going to want to work things out for them, but... the other thing is, I'm perfectly happy to talk to everyone, to hear both sides of the story. I have defended the opposite side of every argument to the ones complaining to me. People don't see that, and then I get frustrated with those people.

That said, my frustration? Usually really temporary. There's nobody in this game that I'm unwilling to be friends or to help out with an issue if they'll talk to me.

[identity profile] notanoptimist.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
I understand that. I hope it gets easier for you. :)

[identity profile] perfectblue.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks. :)

[identity profile] sin-in-focus.livejournal.com 2006-08-07 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
I like to think I know Miche fairly well, as far as this game and online stuff goes, and I'm sure she's capable of being unbiased, as much as anyone. People may not give her the chance, or believe me, but she wants what's best for the game, and in this case -what's best is a neutral approach to the wank. I understand why people would doubt, but I'll vouch for her. I've seen her handle wank that did not involve her, or even her friends, and also deal with wank that has related to her very closely. In each case she's been impartial and stayed civil/friendly with everyone.

She is fair, and willing to work with anyone who presents their viewpoint/issues. One cannot accuse anyone us of being biased until they've given them a chance.