Head devs do not have access to the server, they (some of them) help us with voting. GMs vote, mods vote, head/lead devs vote. So whoever thinks me and Implosion solve issues on a whim is wrong. The old system is still around, we simply try to be fast with processing and solve requests as soon they receive enough votes.
Posts: 1,947
Threads: 175
Joined: Feb 2013
Staff roles: Systems Lead Server Administrator
The handling of XA's officialdom request sets a dangerous precedent. Admittedly, it was one started by previous denials, but they at least had other reasoning to back it up, such as lack of activity or actual sanctionable behavior. However, having a questionable leader should not be grounds for denying a faction's officialdom. Were that the case, you would need to disband a majority of the official factions on the server, my own included more than likely.
I'm somewhat concerned as the leader of my own faction wishing to acquire officialdom, especially given that I'm a bit of a loudmouth when it comes to problems in Discovery. As far as I understand it, Reeves is a contributing member to the community with an active SRP. Should he have committed some form of rule violation, he should've been sanctioned for such behavior, or at the very least warned. Perhaps a staff dialogue discussing his behavior should've been opened, informing him that this continued course might lead to a decline in officialdom. Literally any option other than the course presently plotted, because now, you've given another group of people trying their very best to give a historically underpopulated and undervalued faction in Discovery a thumbs-down and a kick out the door, all because you believe the faction leader might be problematic.
Let's not kid ourselves here. You stated yourselves in the past that the SRP restrictions were reduced because the player count is on its way down, and that there just aren't as many people playing anymore. So why are we holding back a faction for something you can't even admit publicly on the forums? If the man's behavior is toxic and problematic, sanction him. Ban him from the forums. Warn him for specific instances. Take away his SRP. This isn't a USR or some special perk that needs a fine-toothed comb, this is a group of individuals trying together to make something interesting in Discovery, and for god's sake they've actually managed to keep a Xeno faction alive for two months. That's a miracle in and of itself.
Recently, another OFL was banned for three months, who is also the owner of an SRP. That's actual sanctionable behavior, to the point where you not only have a report and sanction history on the individual but so many rules violated that you couldn't even bother to list them. Why is their SRP untouched, their faction official? Is it, by chance, that their faction is perhaps more than just the one person, and that perhaps maybe action taken on the individual for the individual's actions is more sensible than kicking a faction to the curb for the sins of its leader?
I should close by saying that in most dealings with the GMs, they have been very helpful and actually quick to act, something that was more or less missing in prior teams. Despite being a much smaller team, they've opened dialogue in a lot of places quite well, and I appreciate the fact that they don't necessarily shy away from feedback in most cases. This, however, bears thorough examining. I believe it's a grave misstep for the community if not re-examined and re-assessed. Thanks.
Even if you honest to god think that Reeves is a very bad man and that the Xenos are a very bad faction, giving them officialdom would do nothing except make the community respect you lot a little more, especially since most people are in favor of XA's officialdom and believe that you lads have made a mistake.
Remember when some group of green admins made mistakes that everyone hated, but they still refused to revert them because they held all the power? And how all of that turned them into the most hated group of people on Discovery? Re-evaluating your choices and the reasoning behind your choices and then fixing a mistake isn't going to somehow take away all your precious power, it just shows that you are mature, level headed human beings that can sometimes make a mistake or two, and that's fine, as long as you own up to it.
If anything, XA not becoming official because "faction leader bad" will turn off everyone else who wants to make a faction, vanilla ID or otherwise. Unless, of course, they bow down low to the people in charge for a couple months.
At least that's how it looks like from my point of view. (pretty sure it's not just mine)
For transparency's sake, let me just say that I am posting here as I am not officially a member of staff, nor am I a GM, but I am someone who had invested significant time in this game as well as being an active developer whose job duties include "design and maintain a path forward for the longevity of Discovery". In addition, I have not been involved in any staff votes since December 2018, nor am I a lead developer at this time. I do not have access to any staff voting forums or chats.
I echo the previous sentiments posted. The handling of the XA officialdom request was not well thought through and it's consequences are going to be dangerous to both the constantly precarious standings that the administration team (or the Game Masters, as we've decided to rename them at some point in an attempt to save some face for the newcomers to the tainted position) and the community as a whole. The precedent being set here is not the focus -- we all know that Discovery is, at its core, run as a top-down organization where a small group of people maintain the power, regardless of how they choose to distribute it in theory or in practice internally. Fundamentally speaking, the GMs can do just about whatever they want, as long as it doesn't conflict with development.
What I am primarily concerned about is the ability of this administration to act in the best interests of the community and the future of the game. What we have seen from this is a clear indication that there is an internal preference of punishing specific players at the cost of entire groups in some cases without considering the environmental impact it has. This is a problem, especially when it conflicts with the work being done to try to hold this place together for another few years. It is going to shatter the already cracked confidence that the community has in the game's unified development and administration team, and it will be irreparable.
I do not have the authority to force the game masters to grant the Xeno Alliance officialdom. Not do I have the ability to force them to take another vote. However, I do have the benefit of hindsight, as should they, and I can say that it would be in the interest of the team to take another vote with the events of the past 24 hours in mind, for the sake of there still being a community and a game for them to be the caretakers of.
We did not burn out a number of our key people in a several months long fight to regain a future for this game only for the new administration to make the same mistakes as the old one.
(05-31-2019, 09:01 PM)Kazinsal Wrote: I do not have the authority to force the game masters to grant the Xeno Alliance officialdom. Not do I have the ability to force them to take another vote. However, I do have the benefit of hindsight, as should they, and I can say that it would be in the interest of the team to take another vote with the events of the past 24 hours in mind, for the sake of there still being a community and a game for them to be the caretakers of.
None of us have the authority to do anything, and yet the playerbase still maintains all of the power. If everyone were to leave, as they are presently doing due to perceived mismanagement or other developments, all that will be left are sad little kings of a sad little hill, and one more dead game.
(05-31-2019, 09:04 PM)Loken Wrote: I don't have anything meaningful to add to what was said in the above posts but to stay silent on this would be a mistake, so:
I agree.
Yep
If you define the quality of an entire faction on the basis of 1person, leader or not, than you shouldn’t be voting for it. XA is just that, XA (while guided by reeves) is its group and even its own clique. They do not run from fights, they play often and make their own narrative on their own terms. It encourages many people to play xenos as the xenos have always been overshadowed by HF. You have taken all the good this faction has done, ignored it, and shoved a grudge against the leader in everyones faces because that one person disagreed with you and was vocal. This begs the question of how ANY faction has gotten official.
Everyone who voted against XA being official should be ashamed.
(05-31-2019, 09:01 PM)Kazinsal Wrote: I do not have the authority to force the game masters to grant the Xeno Alliance officialdom. Not do I have the ability to force them to take another vote. However, I do have the benefit of hindsight, as should they, and I can say that it would be in the interest of the team to take another vote with the events of the past 24 hours in mind, for the sake of there still being a community and a game for them to be the caretakers of.
None of us have the authority to do anything, and yet the playerbase still maintains all of the power. If everyone were to leave, as they are presently doing due to perceived mismanagement or other developments, all that will be left are sad little kings of a sad little hill, and one more dead game.
As I've said in another post:
(05-28-2019, 04:14 PM)Nepotu Wrote: Understand that YOU DON'T MATTER for them! The server runs by two big rules: 1. Devs are always right and 2. When devs are not right, apply first rule.
Disco is and always will be a popularity contest. It's not great but thats what happens when those incharge are appointed by those incharge XD the worst bit is most of the staff that don't do much aren't bad or lazy they are simply demotivated and who wouldn't be? Those that are active atm are either the very few trying to help or the vast majority who have a twisted view that being staff here is some kind of accomplishment and let it drive them to a hitleresque megalomania, you know like moderating flood.