Drocket wrote:Why is it so quiet? Where is everyone and what are you doing? Why is no one posting anything?
I can't work when its this quiet. It feels like no one cares about what happens on the shard, and that depresses me. There's barely any posting even in the general forums. Come on, start an argument about something. Then I at least know that other people care about the shard...
Drocket,
Everyone that felt powerfully about WoD and had a presence on the Forums has been driven away, whether temporarily or permanently.
Joram, Atei, Chelsea, Shadowstone, and Kasia were some of the biggest names on and off the forums (remembering that some are absent only temporarily, as I have pointed out) and while a lot of people still post - 'big names' being Simon, Azzo, Ehran and Wolfie - the absense of the former is a significant blow to the culture of the game world.
WoD has made it five years, but it's become apparent to anyone who's remained here for any length of time that the world refuses to change. Every strong-willed player who had a presence on the forums has desired change that they believed would benefit the world, but found themselves ostracised for speaking out loud.
Whether you want to deny it, or not, the fact is that WoD discourages people who speak their mind.
As to the recent state of affairs; it is exactly what WoD desires - a complacent player base who offers no criticisms, reports on events as they happen and ask questions of the game world as they arise. After five years, it is very clear as to what is permissable in the game world and what is not - there are very few grey areas to discuss with any interest. Coupled with the fact that there are very few people who can argue intelligently (Marius Guide to Forum Posting, q.v), leaves those issues sterile.
To use an analogy, it is an unwise King who presses for conflict during times of peace. That WoD does not have any conflicts that need resolution is not the fault of the people, but rather the fault of the leader looking for purpose.
If there is no desire for you, Drocket, to take to the problems of WoD without a sense of satisfaction and a very clear indicative of reward, it is not your place to ask the people to provide this. The argument being that all players of WoD are 'asked' to contribute to the world without any sort of reward, without recompense or even for any other reason than sheer charity and the fact that they are almost 'indebted' to do so. That you cannot do the same is only the height of irony. Why should people do what the admin can not?
Perhaps it is time to review the way things are done. If you want contribution to the game world, offer rewards, in any form. Have players who contribute plots or events work with Seers to develop them. Have people who want to host events have special consideration to see that done. For too long there has been a rift that the admin have made, distancing themselves from players. If you want to breach that void and create a better WoD, then remove that rift.
In conclusion, there is no reason to contribute in-game, and anyone who speaks out loud on the Forums is put down. It is also unwise to push for controversy in a Forum that cannot handle it in a dignified way. Sensitive issues held poorly only push more people away from the forums, rather than instil a desire to care for it. Beyond any love for WoD, people first have a desire to prove themselves, and that will never change.
Drocket, if you want people to care for WoD, give them a reason to.
-M