Vesica has been gone for a month and a half.

[Edmund]

Despite the title, this isn't just about Vesica.

I understand that Vesica last logged in on the 3rd of May, almost 50 days ago. I also understand that this is because he has found projects elsewhere to attend to. While I think all of us can understand people having lives outside of Particracy, this is no activity at all, and as far as I am aware he has shown no sign of planning to return. We already had only two moderators, with the search for a third ending inconclusively; this means we are down to a one-moderator team, and Chitin only logs in every couple of days.

Rogue, the forum-based nations coordinator, logs into the forum, but other than a Discord message ten days ago about returning as a casual player and an associated two-day stint in Saridan has shown no signs of activity. Robmark, the World Congress coordinator, last logged into the forum on the 11th of May, and joined the Discord at the start of the month to talk about his personal dislike for other players and about how the latest I Can't Believe It's Not Terra project is only for "the Elite". I think it's safe to say both of them have abandoned their posts. And yet it seems as though there are no possible replacements for them.

Chitin said on the 31st of May: "I mean, with regards to my co-mod and the rp coords, none of them have told me about resigning, so I've perceived their statuses as being in a sort of limbo if anything. Rob just disappeared one day, and Rogue said this game was dying and advertised a new project. Rogue's been present much longer than the others, I perceived as him wanting to leave though." When he was asked if he had had any contact with Vesica, he confirmed that he had not.

Although in the past I have talked about how the game has gone through rough periods before and this is no different and it will get through it, there is no denying the fact is that the game is in a crisis. That if the game stays up (and that is far from certain) it will maybe in a few years time see a revival - though almost certainly not one on the level of 2017-2018's - does not make this untrue. The activity of the community can only come from the community, but the people in positions of authority need to be at least somewhat active for the game to be more than Beluzia, Luthori, and Likatonia.

[Liukupukki]

I have talked with Chitin about this before, I've also tried talking with Wouter about this. Chitin, although busy and exhausted of working as a one man team here seems keen on trying to fix the situation, for a while now. Wouter I believe has little to no contact to anyone here, has not answered any messages sent to him, not by me, not by Chitin, probably by no one. I think the issue lies in the fact that wouter has pretty much abandoned this game, which is understandable with this game being so old, and alpha being the "better" game. Pretty much impossible for anything to happen unless wouter wakes up from the dead. Mods cant be masked or replaced without him. And if I'm not mistaken for the coordinators to be appointed they need his approval too.

[Drax]

Do not know the answers, long term or quick fix, on most of questions raised.

Do have a suggestion on one thing. Saw dynamic ratings mentioned this morning on discord and do not see where Chitin will get the time in the foreseeable future.

On the other hand other people have done them and are capable of doing them. There is no reason Chitin could not adopt a draft prepared by someone else with some experience and judgment.

Know someone could prepare their own; the economic analysis Rogue has done from time to time is phenomenal. But think we need something adopted by Moderation next time.

Personally very much in favor of keeping evaluation on same basis as in the past.

[ChitinKal]

I can confirm here, as I have done on the Discord server, that I have had little to no-contact with the former members of the game administration since most of them abruptly left. I have attempted twice now in the past month or so to bring new members onto the Moderation team, though I have had little luck in getting them approved and masked so that they could join the team. I do not have sole authority over who is appointed to the team or the power to raise players to administrative positions, that lies with Wouter who understandably is a very busy person who can't constantly babysit the game.

Though I'm not going to give up on appointing new people to the team, with the current level of activity the game is at I don't believe we will ground to a halt with a single Moderator in the meantime. I am usually able to log on and handle requests every day if not every other day and have restarted my RP in Liore, with this past weekend being an exception in my activity due to the holiday.

As for the current lull in game activity, I agree that community activity and roleplay emanates primarily from the community, that's why I've reactivated in Liore-- so I can hopefully revive the roleplay situation in east Dovani and the FBCs. There's not much Moderation can do on its own to bring people back to the game. Ultimately I'd say people gravitate to places and games that produce the most fun, cooperation, and engagement; and away from places that are mired in toxicity. Speaking from my own experience in the game, it's the times that the community comes together to play the game and create great coop RP such as the FOMATs or the global recessions that occurred over this past year, and I applaud the players in Dankuk and H&G for instance who are currently doing their Great Dovanian War RP and have been attempting to draw in more players. If the community is to pick itself back up, it needs to be done so as a community that has fun with the game and works cooperatively. Equally as important, the community really needs to abandon any toxicity and drama that's still clinging to it. This is what drove the game into the dirt by chasing away old players and scaring off new players. Any decade-old (I mean "decade" literally) grudges need to be dropped and any new ones shouldn't be formed. This is an internet game where people are trying to have fun and get away from the drama of the real world-- if people just turn our communication channels into gossip and fighting clubs, the purpose of the game is defeated.

[Prince]

I can confirm here, as I have done on the Discord server, that I have had little to no-contact with the former members of the game administration since most of them abruptly left. I have attempted twice now in the past month or so to bring new members onto the Moderation team, though I have had little luck in getting them approved and masked so that they could join the team. I do not have sole authority over who is appointed to the team or the power to raise players to administrative positions, that lies with Wouter who understandably is a very busy person who can't constantly babysit the game.

If he could at least do the minimum necessary that would be good.

Equally as important, the community really needs to abandon any toxicity and drama that's still clinging to it. This is what drove the game into the dirt by chasing away old players and scaring off new players. Any decade-old (I mean "decade" literally) grudges need to be dropped and any new ones shouldn't be formed. This is an internet game where people are trying to have fun and get away from the drama of the real world-- if people just turn our communication channels into gossip and fighting clubs, the purpose of the game is defeated.

Yeah, but what you're missing is that the "toxicity and drama" hasn't just been "the community", it's been Mods as well.

Suggestion: seriously, just delete the Discord server and have Mods focus on administrating the game instead. That would solve 70% the problems IMHO.

[neoliberalbad]

If I may add, I think that the stalker label attached to Aquinas is a bit too heavy-handed. He certainty sent constant, unsolicited messages, but I don't think such a serious label should be used here.