Your View; Your View [Server Policy Change?]

[Wretched 2075]

Hail, LoTC. 

 

Despite varying advise from fellow staff members, I've decided to bring this suggestion forwards publicly rather than tucking it away in a staff-locked section of the forum. I am today, unofficially collecting the thoughts to a server policy change.

 

For the longest time, the server has worked on a system of: 'suggestions are made by the playerbase, decisions are made by the staff'. I don't need to tell you that this way of working has caused a void to emerge between player and staff. The system itself is not at fault but rather how we have gone about it. I'd say that player/staff relation is lower than ever recently and the reason why is because decisions are being made for the playerbase, that a vocal number of said playerbase don't want. The policy change that I desire is one that turns this on its head. The staff would give the playerbase what they believe are viable options, and polls would determine the actual decision made. Now depending on the situation the options may be "Yes please I want this", "Option A", "Option B" "No thanks I don't want this." etc etc. This policy allows staff to direct control and present viable options, while empowering the playerbase. Nobody can argue with majority.

 

There exists no perfect system but if we truly are upsetting the majority of the playerbase with staff decisions, then something is going wrong. This change is arguably a drastic one but I'd argue it's a necessary one. We are all as unqualified as each other (for the most part) so decisions may never be in black and white, one person's or team's decision is not necessarily better than another's, we can only aim for a Utilitarian approach (do the greatest good for the greatest number) and attempt to find what the majority want. No matter the decision, or who makes the decision, there will be people for it and opposed to it. This system is no different, do not forget that.

 

It seems fitting to give this post a poll, so I shall. But take note that until a system like this one is established officially, the poll is simply to track the train of thought. Speak your peace and vote your vote.

[mmat 7460]

I don't think there's a solution that will ever be perfect for this type of thing.

 

Listening to the majority of people and taking their advice is mostly good, right? Just look at the current situation with the VAT and MAT re-addition. The vast majority of people want them gone and for pretty good reason.

 

However, remember the PvP default choice back in Anthos. A few of us worked for months on the forums and the server to get RP default removed in favour of a pvp default alternative. At that time, we were the minority, now we're the majority. People do not always know what they want until they have it.

 

The best server policy is to make the best decisions for the server's health as a whole. Sometimes the majority will be correct, sometimes it won't. I don't think 'nobody can argue with the majority' is a correct statement in its entirity, but it's usually a good indicator of whether a change is good or not.

[The Dennis 172]

I don't think there's a solution that will ever be perfect for this type of thing.

Listening to the majority of people and taking their advice is mostly good, right? Just look at the current situation with the VAT and MAT re-addition. The vast majority of people want them gone and for pretty good reason.

However, remember the PvP default choice. A few of us worked for months on the forums and the server to get RP default removed in favour of a pvp default alternative. At that time, we were the minority, now we're the majority. People do not always know what they want until they have it.

The best server policy is to make the best decisions for the server's health as a whole. Sometimes the majority will be correct, sometimes it won't. I don't think 'nobody can argue with the majority' is a correct statement in its entirity, but it's usually a good indicator of whether a change is good or not.

VA's are/were objectively bad, stop playing devils advocado

[mmat 7460]

VA's are/were objectively bad, stop playing devils advocado

 

This thread isn't purely about VAT/MAT, it's about how the staff makes wider choices from what I see. I know the MAT and VAT are horrible mate. I was in Teamspeak last night advocating for their removal.

[ski_king3 0]

I don't think there's a solution that will ever be perfect for this type of thing.

 

Listening to the majority of people and taking their advice is mostly good, right? Just look at the current situation with the VAT and MAT re-addition. The vast majority of people want them gone and for pretty good reason.

 

However, remember the PvP default choice back in Anthos. A few of us worked for months on the forums and the server to get RP default removed in favour of a pvp default alternative. At that time, we were the minority, now we're the majority. People do not always know what they want until they have it.

 

The best server policy is to make the best decisions for the server's health as a whole. Sometimes the majority will be correct, sometimes it won't. I don't think 'nobody can argue with the majority' is a correct statement in its entirity, but it's usually a good indicator of whether a change is good or not.

 

This is why he deserves round 2 as a GM.

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Getting rid of VAs and MAs now instead of having to put the playerbase through months of protests, ignored feedback threads and dissapointment, despite a clear majority wanting their removal, would be a good start.

 

edit: In this case, the majority can't really be argued with. Since the majority is so overwhelmingly large, additionally, the system the majority dislikes is a system that was removed in the past because of public demand.

[ski_king3 0]

While ideally I'd find a middle ground, I'd prefer 100% player majority to a 100% lack of consideration. Until it's apparent a middle ground can be found, this is probably the best way to go forward.

[Aryon 679]

In theory the current thought process should work. Take a lot of advice and feedback from the community, and make the decision that will benefit the server / the community the most.

 

HOWEVER

 

If the staff are incapable of making decisions (which judging from the recent adventure, they aren't the greatest), then we are going to need to change something. I don't think giving the community the full power to change something, though, is a good idea. We are literally a bunch of keyboard warriors stuck inside an MC server. Just fix up the staff's ideas of listening to the community, and maybe this server can stop being a salty shitfest.

[ski_king3 0]

In theory the current thought process should work. Take a lot of advice and feedback from the community, and make the decision that will benefit the server / the community the most.

 

HOWEVER

 

If the staff are incapable of making decisions (which judging from the recent adventure, they aren't the greatest), then we are going to need to change something. I don't think giving the community the full power to change something, though, is a good idea. We are literally a bunch of keyboard warriors stuck inside an MC server. Just fix up the staff's ideas of listening to the community, and maybe this server can stop being a salty shitfest.

 

I agree with you. However, it seems like right now player consideration is relatively low. Would you prefer 100% consideration of player concerns or what they're like at their current level?

[Aryon 679]

I agree with you. However, it seems like right now player consideration is relatively low. Would you prefer 100% consideration of player concerns or what they're like at their current level?

 

Honestly, I have no clue. This isn't exactly an issue that I could figure out. Ideally, the staff should be able to read through most suggestions and concerns, and be able to judge them in a way that will not piss off the community.

[Wolf Druid Ouity 1461]

Maybe you should try convincing the staff to go with majority decision before you look beyond the ranks of the GMs and Admins. I'm still salty as hell over the fact that most of the things I pushed for as a GM were ignored even though I had the majority vote.

 

 

Is this something the staff would stick with? I doubt it- why bother suggesting it?

[Aislin 4354]

If you guys make server policy democractic, I'm leaving.

 

"Nobody can argue with the majority." Yes, yes we can. The aforementioned PvP default debate is a good example. The decision to push 4.0 to an Aegis-esque map, the current war rules, Nexus regions are all testaments to the ineffectiveness of a majority system. Hell, you guys even implemented a majority default combat system at one point and it was worse than either PvP or RP default.

 

If the staff believes they are not more capable of making server policy than the playerbase as a whole, you should quit. The entire purpose you are chosen is because you are supposed to be more intelligent and capable. The only reason the majority was correct this time around is because the VA system is so obviously flawed in a plethora of ways.

 

Bandwagons exist. Fundamental ideological differences exist. Nepotism exists. Idiots exist. This is a horrible system designed to exempt all staff from the responsibility of making difficult decisions and dealing with the consequences. In other words,

 

NO.

 

P.S. I saw the poll result. Of course it's going to be majority yes. That doesn't mean it's right.

[mmat 7460]

We need a strong and quick acting admin and GM team who will make rational, long sighted decisions for the server. We don't want an staff team who mindlessly follows the whims of the 'majority' of the playerbase without thought but we also do not want an admin team who just ignores us. We want an admin team who will listen to reasoned, intelligent arguments when they are put up, and respond appropriately. 

 

We need you to make good decisions. All of us want a good server.

 

It's a delicate balancing act, I guess. 

[Cyndikate 2303]

Take community feedback with a grain of salt. Start making better decisions. That's all I ask.

[ForeverGinger 148]

I agree that the community should not have the final, or even the first, say in decisions being made for the server as a whole but the player base should be consulted before drastic changes are made to the way the server operates. Doing things like reintroducing the VAT/MAT system with little to no warning will obviously lead to rage, along with the fact that these concerns (aka rage) are not being addressed. The staff seems disconnected from the player base and the free world I enter to escape all the problems I have in life is turning into a war zone for the power struggles between the community and the staff.