Save the Earth Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
theearth) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
saveyourselves2014-05-01 08:29 pm
theearth) wrote in saveyourselves2014-05-01 08:29 pm
Entry tags:
MOD ANNOUNCEMENT
As many of you are aware, there has been a recent incident involving ourselves and a few players. We wish to address this matter here.
Firstly, we apologize not only for our delay in speaking on this, but for our own behavior during this. We do take fault for having been too inflexible on the matter which started everything. All of us are to blame for this inflexibility and we all take responsibility for it; not just one mod is fully to blame for anything which happened. The plot the player desired should not have been dealt with in the way that it was. Our reasoning had been that we had not seen evidence that the plot had been set in stone, we had not been given reason why change was necessary to reconcile the plots, and that the details behind this plot/what was needed to occur to bring it to fruition were not brought to us. We offered one compromise, it was not taken, and we should have been more flexible about offering further compromises. We are, again, sorry for that inflexibility on our end.
Secondly, to prevent any risk of this sort of situation ever happening again, we are discussing a frankly overdue new system of accounting for, organizing, and simplifying coordination between planned plots, both meta and player. Details on it will be coming soon.
And thirdly, the mod with the most concerns voiced about her has been issued a warning, and will be taking far less of a stance involving plot-related issues for the time being. We will monitor her behavior to ensure a repeat of this kind of situation does not occur again and, should it, she will be dealt with. In line with those concerns, while she will still be involved in plotting and whatever issues may come to us, the other mods will have far greater a say, and will be considered the figures of authority where directly addressing player concerns and needs is concerned.
However, what we stand firm about is that ganging up on a person while refusing their own comfort is not permissible. The mod in question had become extremely uncomfortable having so many people, including one not in the game, on her all at once while she was not feeling well. This was the reason warnings were issued. We do, however, concede to having been too impulsive in issuing warnings to all involved, and once more, we do apologize to the parties who had been warned without having acted severely enough to warrant a warning. All but one of the warnings has been lifted.
Finally, not all the mods are experienced mods, and even the more experienced mods will acknowledge they can always use some help. So please, we ask that if any of you have any suggestions on how we might improve to come and tell us.
Thank you and, once again, we all apologize for our respective parts in this situation.
Comments to this post are enabled. At request, they have been unscreened. If you have left a screened comment and would like it unscreened, please indicate so! As per the suggestion of Guin, if you would prefer to leave us a screened comment, please do so on the Mod Contact post.
We will make a second post addressing those concerns, resolutions, and invitation of a second round of feedback as soon as we're able.
UPDATE - 5/3:
The StE modteam is currently planning to come together as a group and discuss all the issues brought to them on this post. Linda and Guin will be present while we are all on to continue discussion as a full team in order to ensure that all points and issues are thoroughly addressed.
This discussion will be happening as soon as possible - but coordinating schedules has proven difficult, so please bear with us.
This post will be edited accordingly once the discussion's day and time have been set.
UPDATE - 5/3:
The discussion will begin Sunday, May 4th, 5:00 P.M. CDT/3:00 P.M. PST.
UPDATE - 5/4:
The discussion has begun and is underway; it's proven to be more intensive than anticipated and hasn't yet ended, but will resume tomorrow and continue until concluded.
In the meantime, screencaps of the discussion thus far are posted at Linda's public Plurk; further updates will be made on this post and the linked Plurk, including the date, once set, of the second post.
UPDATE - 5/5:
Discussion has now concluded - we're sorry for having been quiet for so long!
Formal address of the points brought to this post as well as a second OOC post and a mod apps announcement will be coming by the end of tomorrow - Tuesday, 5/6.
- THE STE MODS: Anduin, Blue, Mini, and Olga
Firstly, we apologize not only for our delay in speaking on this, but for our own behavior during this. We do take fault for having been too inflexible on the matter which started everything. All of us are to blame for this inflexibility and we all take responsibility for it; not just one mod is fully to blame for anything which happened. The plot the player desired should not have been dealt with in the way that it was. Our reasoning had been that we had not seen evidence that the plot had been set in stone, we had not been given reason why change was necessary to reconcile the plots, and that the details behind this plot/what was needed to occur to bring it to fruition were not brought to us. We offered one compromise, it was not taken, and we should have been more flexible about offering further compromises. We are, again, sorry for that inflexibility on our end.
Secondly, to prevent any risk of this sort of situation ever happening again, we are discussing a frankly overdue new system of accounting for, organizing, and simplifying coordination between planned plots, both meta and player. Details on it will be coming soon.
And thirdly, the mod with the most concerns voiced about her has been issued a warning, and will be taking far less of a stance involving plot-related issues for the time being. We will monitor her behavior to ensure a repeat of this kind of situation does not occur again and, should it, she will be dealt with. In line with those concerns, while she will still be involved in plotting and whatever issues may come to us, the other mods will have far greater a say, and will be considered the figures of authority where directly addressing player concerns and needs is concerned.
However, what we stand firm about is that ganging up on a person while refusing their own comfort is not permissible. The mod in question had become extremely uncomfortable having so many people, including one not in the game, on her all at once while she was not feeling well. This was the reason warnings were issued. We do, however, concede to having been too impulsive in issuing warnings to all involved, and once more, we do apologize to the parties who had been warned without having acted severely enough to warrant a warning. All but one of the warnings has been lifted.
Finally, not all the mods are experienced mods, and even the more experienced mods will acknowledge they can always use some help. So please, we ask that if any of you have any suggestions on how we might improve to come and tell us.
Thank you and, once again, we all apologize for our respective parts in this situation.
Comments to this post are enabled. At request, they have been unscreened. If you have left a screened comment and would like it unscreened, please indicate so! As per the suggestion of Guin, if you would prefer to leave us a screened comment, please do so on the Mod Contact post.
We will make a second post addressing those concerns, resolutions, and invitation of a second round of feedback as soon as we're able.
UPDATE - 5/3:
The StE modteam is currently planning to come together as a group and discuss all the issues brought to them on this post. Linda and Guin will be present while we are all on to continue discussion as a full team in order to ensure that all points and issues are thoroughly addressed.
This discussion will be happening as soon as possible - but coordinating schedules has proven difficult, so please bear with us.
This post will be edited accordingly once the discussion's day and time have been set.
UPDATE - 5/3:
The discussion will begin Sunday, May 4th, 5:00 P.M. CDT/3:00 P.M. PST.
UPDATE - 5/4:
The discussion has begun and is underway; it's proven to be more intensive than anticipated and hasn't yet ended, but will resume tomorrow and continue until concluded.
In the meantime, screencaps of the discussion thus far are posted at Linda's public Plurk; further updates will be made on this post and the linked Plurk, including the date, once set, of the second post.
UPDATE - 5/5:
Discussion has now concluded - we're sorry for having been quiet for so long!
Formal address of the points brought to this post as well as a second OOC post and a mod apps announcement will be coming by the end of tomorrow - Tuesday, 5/6.
- THE STE MODS: Anduin, Blue, Mini, and Olga
no subject
That's a really bad thing, and the fact that it's given as an explanation for issues in game as much as it is is even worse, because it shows me that you guys really haven't done anything to fix this issue, if it's not just an excuse.
Ban threats were very much out of line, and I'm glad you've come to recognize us, but it's very bad form to apologize with the "but you drove us to this" caveat in it. Do I think that many people, including one not in game, needed to be there? Not necessarily, but this is hardly an offense worth a warning. Furthermore, the fact that including two mods means you only get one shouldn't be something to blame the players for. That's on Anduin. While I understand that her schedule may not line up perfectly with Olga's and it's ridiculous to expect her to be around 24/7, the fact of the matter is that she never seems to be around. I've been in this game for a good chunk of its existence(though I did join after the Desu/Robyn fiasco) and I've literally never seen Anduin do anything.
So, while Batty and co. are probably aware of the fact that Anduin rarely does anything, that should not be something to hold on them. They tried to include her anyway, so their aim was certainly not to "gang up" on anyone. In fact, upon discovering that Olga didn't feel well they actively encouraged her to leave and come back when she felt better. They stated multiple times that they were fine with waiting and with Olga passing on info to the mods they were complaining about but would rather not talk to directly, which I think is 100% more cooperative and reasonable than the mods were being with this particular matter.
I've tried to be supportive of the mods, because while you're an extremely flawed team I enjoy this game a lot and would certainly like to see you do better. I'd like to believe you can do better. We've seen a few improvements in response to criticism, but the biggest issues within the mod team never seem to be addressed. I've had the most communication with Blue as a mod, because honestly? She's the only one who ever really felt approachable and available, even if she certainly has other faults as a mod. As before stated, I've never seen Anduin do anything modly. I've seen Olga do echoes and apps occasionally, but it feels like a pretty large amount of the time it's Mini. While I understand that mod duties aren't always noticeable, it is important to try and have some sort of visible presence in the game, because it makes players feel a lot more like you're worth approaching. Mini I definitely see around but she seems to be very selective with who she'll interact, which isn't what a mod should be. She doesn't have to be everyone's friend, but she should seem available for discussion. She should also seem like someone you can have a discussion with without getting condescending, aggressively worded responses like she's often prone to. I agree with everyone who says she seems to nitpick whatever people are saying and jump to the worst possible conclusions from it.
1/4 for mods I feel comfortable talking to is a really bad sign, in my opinion.