[quote=@Ruby]Think you'd be surprised with just how much can be done without either. But it would take actually trying.[/quote]

That's why I made this thread. To try something. Thanks for your acknowledgement on that.

[quote=@Mercenary Lord]One, the minimalism. I'll agree that things like reporting posts, searching, etc (possibly more tags, that's a personal preference), could do with being finished. That, of course, is a Mahz issue. That being said, I don't need/want a ton of frills when I write. I like things neat, and I like them organized to the best of my ability. So when I can open up the site and find exactly what I'm looking for without having to struggle with 50 different subforums and shit, it makes me feel more at home. Most of the other forums I've looked at have felt like they were trying too hard[/quote]

Yeah, I agree, that's why I stated before that I'd rather have the current functions finished and then nothing new gets added over the current system of Mahz adding whatever seems cool (visitor messages, arena leaderboard) only to have it not be used at all. Either because it's broken or because the userbase for a feature is too small.


[quote=@Mercenary Lord]One of the things I would like to see improved would be a few things previously stated: that is, being able to remove PMs that are super old. It's just a pet peeve, and I thought I'd throw some support for that into the ring, if anyone is listening.[/quote]

PM's deletion has been ... 'on the list' for years now. :) Ever since RPG was re-created. The list isn't very useful as you can tell. Rest assured that Mahz is.. aware. I think.

[quote=@Ruby]
I don't think anyone has to remind him. He wants to do it, in everything I've ever seen from him on any level I've ever spoken to him. And he cares. 

Tell everyone a story about Mahz and just how much he cares about the Guild:

When I was to become a Mod, we had a little talk about it in private. Pretty average chat on such a topic. What really shocked me? The only thing he REALLY wanted me to swear a bloodoath to? "Don't stop RPing. Don't let Modship make you quit RPing." He cared so much about the very core reason for the site, and about me personally not letting anything ruin that, that of ALL THE THINGS he could have asked me to swear to...that's what he picked. That's what was of supreme importance to Mahz. Probably the reason I'm still here, RPing on this site--because I promised him I wouldn't let anything ruin that. 

He wants this site to be the best RPing experience it can be for everyone on the site. That's why he's created MORE RP sub-forums over the years instead of less. That's why he gave the IC/OOC/Character tabs. Tags. Even statuses and a status sidebar. I bet if he logged on right now, he could reel off a really impressive list of things he wants to get to. But the man's gotta eat, he's got life ambitions. And that's absolutely fair. This is a hobby for him, and he's given a lot more time and effort and blood/sweat/tears into it than I ever have, than any of us ever have. 

So, no, I don't think any of the Mods needs to remind him like he doesn't care or just doesn't remember. And he probably doesn't need/want me saying any of this. But I've seen the guy work so hard, often thanklessly, over the years that I guess I felt I needed to say something.[/quote]

Yes. This discussion exists more as a way of showing the moderators what we think. I never set out to make this thread reminding Mahz that he needs to do things here because he knows that and I know that he pays for this sites existence. 

But if we can give him guidance in what [i]we[/i] want in order to continue roleplaying and make it a more streamlined process, then that'd help. Don't you think? Because I don't think Mahz knows what is important to us. The fact that we can't delete PM's, co-GM's in a thread have no extra functionality, but arena leaderboard exists and we have 'visitor messages' that are even more broken than the server kind of shows that he's just been adding things that 'seem cool' with little idea about the practical application. That's how it seems. Whether he thought long and hard about it isn't really what I'm debating because I know he probably did (but I have no way of knowing for sure). 

I never questioned Mahz' intentions or care. I questioned his link to the community, which is non-existant at this point, and a nice and cool anecdote won't save him from that. 

And again, to reiterate, for the 20th time, because it didn't come across the first 19: I get that Mahz has a job. I get that he has other obligations. He needs to eat too, like damn, I get that. But at the point where we are now, I feel like Mahz is a big boy, I've been around this site for a long time, just like you have, [i]I think he can take our criticism if it's constructive[/i] and maybe, just [i]maybe[/i] discern for himself in this list of things which ones he agrees with and which ones he doesn't. 

Because that's why we're having this discussion (read: we're trying, because you weren't passive aggressively saying we weren't before, right?). And I think that's a good effort and I'll definitely continue to question Mahz' actions as well as the moderators' actions because that's how you reach new ideas. Not by sitting back and saying everything is OK when it clearly isn't.

[quote=@Ruby]You've had two Moderators, one former Moderator, and one sub-forum Moderator already chime in here. You've had a little help, here.[/quote]

I'm not satisfied with their answers so far bar maybe the acknowledgements we have gotten from [@Kangaroo]. Besides that, I've just seen a lot of excuses and explanations but no solvable acknowledgements of what the moderators perceive to be problems on RPG, nor any ideas for solutions. 

And, I mean, when this thread is read entirely, I think it's pretty hard to argue that everything is OK. So I'm expecting a bit more from the moderators this time and I'm expecting a bit more to happen publicly so that everyone can see that they are doing something. So yes, they chimed in. It's the bare minimum of what a moderator should be doing. I don't feel like I should be applauding them for their input, but I'm thankful they gave it none the less.

[quote=@Hank]I would also like to emphasize the point once again that the Guild's moderators are primarily janitors. We take care of spam(bots), move threads and delete unwanted posts. Enforcing the behavioral code is our secondary function. The rules of the Guild are deliberately very simple and just amount to "don't be a flagrant asshole". If you think someone is being a flagrant asshole to you, send us a message. It's that simple.[/quote]

I don't trust the moderators in most cases to deal with the problem how I want it to be dealt with, in part because I know nothing serious will happen (having been on the receiving and giving end of a complaint) and in part because I know you guys are unaware or don't care about off-site drama that has spilled over (which in my opinion and knowledge is .. a large part of why people have fights on here). What are your thoughts on the lack of trust people have expressed in the moderators in the past few pages of this thread? Certainly it'd explain why you've had only 1 complaint right?

[quote=@Hank]We do not exist to "regulate the behavior of 100+ active users" as I saw someone describe it in the old locked thread. I don't believe that's even necessary. We're all just here to roleplay.[/quote]

Calling it regulate is a bit much, but I agree that that's not your job. I think your job is to do other things like engage the community, for example, but we can have a discussion about what your job entails later. "Regulating" behaviour is not really what I'd ascribe under that. 

[quote=@Hank]As for merging subforums and other site-wide changes, these are things that only Mahz can do. I will ask him if he's willing to appoint another admin to deal with larger and more structural changes to the Guild, including managing the rest of the staff, but no promises. 

EDIT: I can see about making more sticky threads with guides etc in the appropriate subforums, however. Anyone interested in this should PM me with suggestions.[/quote]

[@Lady Amalthea]'s guides are a good place to start. .. scratch that, I think her guides are one of the few that I'd see pinned everywhere if the choice was in my hands.

Adding to that, I don't think it's entirely unfair to expect Mahz to return to the site at some point.

He's the admin after all.

For example, I expect him to return when the guild next shits itself. It seems to be a recurring theme that he's here for that and then vanishes again. :lol