My Thoughts On The Community

[Simcity_4]

I played before all this elitism really grew, so that's probably why I never had a bad experience as a newbie. I will state before writing that I'm not innocent of elitism, I was pretty egotistical even when I didn't have a bubble. I shunned newbies but nowadays if a new player wants to initiate an rp with me (i cant instigate well, and a fearless new player well do better than I'd do. i really worry about making myself look good) then why not, I'll do it. I don't feel bullied myself, rather I feel ignored though it may be my fault in points previously mentioned.

Honestly, seeing some of the passive aggressive replies kinda makes me lost respect (for the people who have just posted a picture, i think i interpreted one wrong but i'm pretty sure it's needlessly and unconstructively negative). Returning to my other point, sometimes I feel some of my friends have started to ignore me. It's really disheartening to go on the server for about an hour, immediately get bored of running around aimlessly as whenever I sit down anywhere nobody bats an eye to an obviously interesting character whom one might trigger someone to ask about why they have no arm. Describe what I said as Powergaming, but think about it, like.

This thread is very interesting, and I love how someone I really really respect posted this. I hate how many people state that every roleplayer whom has made their mark on this server is a huge piece of royalty putz. I've played on a server with many of the inhabitants saying massive was corrupt and crappy. I was pulled into this loop for a bit but then I realized a coincidence. I don't want to demean people but most of the people there I did not get along with. That community was incredibly toxic, and yet I've had a great experience on this server. I love this server, but it's inching downhill a bit. I don't think this server is bad, but it needs improvement community-wise. Everything else is great.

I am flawed, I can be very cringy, rude, and obsessive. My constant over-protectiveness of my characters ( tim has three voided deaths, they all were fairly justified but i should let go, like) can be very irritating. I worry about what I seem like to other people too much, so people will probably see me as anti-social. I am developing a bit of a paranoia that there's rumors of me being like, mentally handicapped or something because it'd probably be justified. But yet, that's because I want people to like me. I don't have many friends in real life, and of the couple I do I see them once a week for about 3 hours minus half as it's in a class. The internet is my social life, and that's why I'm very edgy on interaction.

I added nothing to this discussion, but whatever. I ain't gonna write some original thread. I come off as whiny, and you know what? Sure, I can't describe it any other real way, I can't really express it well so this is what I got.
Thanks for making this thread, it's a pretty big eye-opener seeing others feel similar.

 

[ezalB]

I only wish to be part of a community where a player can speak their mind without being scared of being banned, or attacked, or bashed. A community that welcomes response. Im done with this thread, it is going nowhere good. I just hope someone is recording all of this for a future date when this inevitably comes up again.

And, yeah. I sound like an idiot, and I dont care what so ever. If I have to live in my own cave to play here, I will. I'd just prefer that I dont.

 

[Barsi_]

I hesitated to get involved in this thread because previous people have to an extent vocalized my thoughts, but here goes.

It is not my place to decide the 'philosophy' that we as staff use to go about our work, however personally I am a fan of a Laissez-faire system, as Marty once put it. MassiveCraft isn't a school, and as Jared said, frankly, the staff are not sitters.

I agree that bullying is bad, however the reason that bullies sometimes get in trouble in a school (for example, a kid gets in trouble because he won't let another kid play ball with him and his friends), is because it is an environment that the kids are somewhat forced into. So long as participation in the MassiveCraft community is voluntary, I don't think there is any reason to attach a punishment or rule to "not letting people RP/survival with you", because on your own time you should be allowed to hang out with whoever you want. Now, though I personally don't roleplay too frequently, I will roleplay with literally anybody I come across, and I try to be inclusive. And I certainly think people should try to be inclusive, so long as it's not the extent that such inclusion prevents them from having the experience they want to have. There are rules in place to prevent players from actively bullying eachother, such as swears, threats, or vulgar insults, however free speech and the right to exclude, even if both can sometimes have unfortunate side effects, are both important attributes of a generally free player base.

I may not be quite touching on the concerns of the OP and several comments, and Marty and Med certainly are a lot better at this stuff than I am. But I guess my question is, to the people saying that staff should be more involved in prevented bullying, what do you think the staff should do, specifically?

 

[morrc5]

When you complain the PvP community is toxic, but then you look at this thread. :>

 

[CandiAnne]

It's a case by example. The disturbing trend of the majority of the toxic attitudes directed around here have come from people whom I have personally tried to help once, one way or another, when I was directly aware of their issues.

That's sort of the issue as well. I need to be aware of an issue before I can do something about it. In nearly 4 years of running this server with the other staff, I have never once, /once/ seen a ticket come in or anyone contact me personally about a player being bullied by "veterans". I have seen a handful few cases first hand with people I've personally been interacting with, and I stepped in every single time even though I didn't have the vaguest relation to it.

Click to shrink...

Maybe there aren't any tickets because they're afraid to speak up though, Marty. People are easily afraid of authority, and it's only worsened when they see others getting in trouble or bashed for speaking up.
You're one of my favorite admins. I've had nothing but good experiences with you. Seeing that you can so easily disregard this sort of thing is really frightening, though.

That's a strange assumption. I'm pretty sure half the nobility can easily deny that claim. You can approach house Lampero and @SupremeCripple by taking part in his new charter, you can do the same with my character and a whole bunch of semi-legal freaks, you can join the merchants' guild and roleplay with @Film_Noir and at least 20 other merchant roleplayers. I shan't speak of experience here, I know my blue name and presence in the nobility provides me with a jumping-stone. Yet claiming that there's segregation you can't transcend shows short-sightedness.

Tell me, if you do perceive such, have you ever tried joining an IC organisation?

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There have been very rare instances in which I've been able to roleplay with any sort of nobility. While those brief roleplays were extremely entertaining, they are also very hard to come by. For people like myself, massivecraft is an on and off sort of thing. Joining a group wouldn't make sense, because I'm not active enough to participate. This only furthers my point, though. If I'm not in an IC organisation, it's unlikely that I'll be able to roleplay with those who associate with them.

Once again, I'm really sorry if my writing is difficult to understand. I certainly don't have a way with words.
p.s. supremecripple is really rad, they were super nice to me and I didn't mean to call them out in any way. Just had to kinda,, make sure i said that.

 

[MonMarty]

Now when you speak of an absence of tickets, you do realize that not only you see these posted pleas for help? Players that are bullied can be paranoid, and with the current bickering regarding the Inquisition on a separate chat, those apprehensive reactions only solidify that fear-- the fear that it is so easy to be called out for things you thought you said in a private messenger. In most instances, confidentiality is important if you want those that are abused to come forward.

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I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do beyond assuring people I am a totally helpful and professional person. There are always people who want to prove the opposite. These people will always give others reasons to doubt me, even if my blue name and my direct manner of carrying myself doesn't already intimidate people. It sort of works both ways. I am generally busy with something at all times. I sometimes scour hawkeye logs for verbal abuse, but I can't sit in a corner waiting for someone to knock on the school Councillors door. The first step for anyone to get help, is to actively seek that. And yeah. I have lapses where I behave badly. MassiveCraft means the world to me, if people attack it, I feel attacked. I feel the same way over the staff. I feel me and Thortuna are like the protective mother and father, so if any of them feels attacked, I feel the need to defend them. These two cause me to engage in shitty behavior on the occasion, but honestly. Literally everyone who has replied to this thread does that one way or another. Nobody is innocent. Yet some people are sanctimonious.

I think the following should also be added to that:

I only wish to be part of a community where a player can speak their mind without being scared of being banned, or attacked, or bashed. A community that welcomes response. Im done with this thread, it is going nowhere good. I just hope someone is recording all of this for a future date when this inevitably comes up again.

Click to shrink...

Maybe there aren't any tickets because they're afraid to speak up though, Marty. People are easily afraid of authority, and it's only worsened when they see others getting in trouble or bashed for speaking up.
You're one of my favorite admins. I've had nothing but good experiences with you. Seeing that you can so easily disregard this sort of thing is really frightening, though.

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There is literally, 0 reason. And really, 0, reason or precedence where anyone got banned/shut out for speaking their mind in a constructive manner. If someone goes around falsely spreading shit about me just to make me look bad, then yeah, that person is non-dei-grata. If someone comes up to me and says "ur a mean person", I'm going to ask them "why. Could you cite examples where you felt I was mean or where I should have done something different?" Usually it devolves in a lot of emotional rambling. The staff have always been like this, we don't delete/lock threads unless they are clearly against the rules, which I presume everyone can reasonably agree with since they rely on common sense.

The problem with other "case examples" that the "marty hate-club" (for the lack of a better description) can cite up are usually very one-sided. As staff, we're not allowed to publicly criticize ex-staff, or speak about banned players at all. This means the only means of actually acquiring information you have, is from the party which was supposedly wronged, therefor making the information intake really skewed.

It's not that I am dismissing anything. I am pointing out that at this point, I have literally no idea how to make myself more approachable for situations like these. As stated above, there are always people who want to make me look bad, and as those people always exist, there will always be rumors or reasons for people to believe I am a bad person. It's a never ending viscous cycle that never ends, simply because I am a person of authority. Yes. I am well aware that I tend to be cruel, brash and harsh in my language, and fixing that can go a long way to being more approachable, but it still won't fix the underlying problem above. I think I once had an anonymous wall for comments. It resulted in a shit pile of trolling. I'm open to any suggestion on how to become more approachable, but I think after 4 years of trying I've sort of ran out of ideas.

 

[CandiAnne]

It's not that I am dismissing anything. I am pointing out that at this point, I have literally no idea how to make myself more approachable for situations like these. As stated above, there are always people who want to make me look bad, and as those people always exist, there will always be rumors or reasons for people to believe I am a bad person. It's a never ending viscous cycle that never ends, simply because I am a person of authority. Yes. I am well aware that I tend to be cruel, brash and harsh in my language, and fixing that can go a long way to being more approachable, but it still won't fix the underlying problem above. I think I once had an anonymous wall for comments. It resulted in a shit pile of trolling. I'm open to any suggestion on how to become more approachable, but I think after 4 years of trying I've sort of ran out of ideas.

Click to shrink...

I mean... not publicly bashing people and calling them rude names in general chat could be a start.

 

[MonMarty]

I was very grateful for that Marty, I really was, but at the end of the day, my experience wasn't going to get better unless certain members of said social AND people outside of it realised that hey, maybe it was not OK to exclude me and constantly use me as some sort of pawn in their little game. A lot of people, half of them staff may have pointed out flaws but they didn't do it in a constructive and supporting manner. They did it in a degrading and totally unprofessional manner, based on evidence they had been told by people who simply wanted me gone. I recall a certain incident regarding one of my character that resulted in my departure due to the fact that people who thought they had all the power in the world to push me about and make me do things I didn't want to do. You were in no way involved in this, but staff who I turned to seemed to hold a bias against me and it pretty much made me feel useless and betrayed by people I had come to trust. Once I finally said "No", it was only then they decided to point out my criticisms. A lot of notable people in this community have no problem with the fact I was not properly educated on the ins and outs of roleplay; if it suited them. However once I didn't want to be a part of their plan, they suddenly hurtled towards me with comments that were not professional and drove me away. I was most certainly not the 100% innocent victim, but I should have been guided towards it, not driven away. As much as I appreciated your words, I truly, truly did, the problem was in the behaviour of people who abused their position as a means to use me like some sort of cadaver.

Click to shrink...

Then why. Trough forum wall posts and replies to this thread, did you give me the feeling like I somehow failed you, or was part of the reason why you left.

 

[MonMarty]

I mean... not publicly bashing people and calling them rude names in general chat could be a start.

Click to shrink...

Please cite examples. I have general disabled almost permanently unless I am called in to quell a general rebellion or flame war.

 

[LeoTheBootyful]

Then why. Trough forum wall posts and replies to this thread, did you give me the feeling like I somehow failed you, or was part of the reason why you left.

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I'd rather discuss it on less public outlets, as the subject makes me feel quite degraded.

 

[jquaile]

When you complain the PvP community is toxic, but then you look at this thread. :>

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The roast is strong here boyz

 

[Medvekoma]

When you complain the PvP community is toxic, but then you look at this thread. :>

Click to shrink...

The roast is strong here boyz

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You PvP lot fight it out in-game and deal with it in a short and lovely flame war. This all ... builds up over time, I reckon.

There have been very rare instances in which I've been able to roleplay with any sort of nobility. While those brief roleplays were extremely entertaining, they are also very hard to come by. For people like myself, massivecraft is an on and off sort of thing. Joining a group wouldn't make sense, because I'm not active enough to participate. This only furthers my point, though. If I'm not in an IC organisation, it's unlikely that I'll be able to roleplay with those who associate with them.

Click to shrink...

And that's the main problem, then. There are numerous IC groups and organisations you can join without providing anything in return. Mentioned merchants' guild requires no regular activity or whatsoever, not even an in-game shop. And it's been around for a long time. Nobility, think about it for a second. When it comes to character and realism, all nobles would be stuck within castles scheming or talking in the noble lounge. Instead, you have quite a few strolling around the tavern, talking to commoners as well as other nobles, approachable. The first ever noble RP I had was completely accidental and they didn't even do anything to exclude me, apart from some in-character shade. And with the system gone, there's a lot more leeway right now.

Personally, I feel terrible every time someone mentions the noble scene unapproachable. Another question, have you attended any of the two free-to-attend events I've hosted so far, or will you attend the one upcoming in the near future? The very aim of both my mystery and game-show events is to break barriers and involve people, yet turnout is always meager, so to say.

*snip*

Click to shrink...

What you describe sounds like a sociopathic abuse of affection. The best thing to do would be to avoid such cliques, not to attempt to negotiate with staff to get back in. That's only my cents, though.

It's really disheartening to go on the server for about an hour, immediately get bored of running around aimlessly as whenever I sit down anywhere nobody bats an eye to an obviously interesting character whom one might trigger someone to ask about why they have no arm. Describe what I said as Powergaming, but think about it, like.

Click to shrink...

Try approaching random people in the tavern. You'll most likely get nothing but pleasantries RP, but that's still fine and can be the foundation of something far better. A story arc, some drama or whatever. Remember, this isn't a game driven by staff, it's a roleplay drive by /you/.

Maybe there aren't any tickets because they're afraid to speak up though, Marty. People are easily afraid of authority, and it's only worsened when they see others getting in trouble or bashed for speaking up.

Click to shrink...

So you are blaming staff for not acting on something they don't know about? I mean, it's hard, really. You perceive something as bullying, but you keep it in up until a chat like this comes up. Can you truly blame staff or other players if this happens? This is all online, you can just create a random forums account and anonymously talk to any staff. Hell, if you are that paranoid you can even change your IP and hide all of your identity just to let your problems flow. It makes one think you all repressed these feelings that are now bursting, and are bursting towards the staff for whatever reason.

 

[morrc5]

its pure bantz fam

 

[Silent_Ruler]

I agree that people feel shunned in this server, particularly because I feel that I am one of them. I do not know why I'm known as such a salty person. Perhaps it's because I'm too much of a perfectionist, or because I jump with my opinion on things. I've stopped doing this. But I remember than most of the arguments that I took participation in were a result of me making a comment on someone else's comment, them responding in their passive-aggressive defense, and then me defending myself again. Things eventually escalated, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's okay to disagree with someone. We cannot judge people on their past. Someone might have done things they regretted when they were immature, but there is room for improvement over the span of years. Yet, when they try to prove that they've improved, or try to improve in the first place, they are almost always shunned and barred from the opportunities to do so.

How are you supposed to prove you've bettered yourself if you're not given the opportunity, or at least even given an alternative to do so?


@Kiba Araqnuibo, @Aespair, you should read this.

 

[Shaneski101]

 

[morrc5]

@Medvekoma pretty sure that a small flame war is better than some massive forum argument though

 

[LeoTheBootyful]

What you describe sounds like a sociopathic abuse of affection. The best thing to do would be to avoid such cliques, not to attempt to negotiate with staff to get back in. That's only my cents, though.

Click to shrink...

When exactly did I negotiate with staff to 'get back in'?

 

[CandiAnne]

-snip-

Click to shrink...

If someone's afraid to bring up an issue, there's usually a reason behind it. What I was trying to say was that the segregation in general leaves players afraid to address authority figures because they've been ignored on other occasions. If they couldn't chat with someone in a peaceful setting, why could they do it when there's turmoil?

 

[MonMarty]

I'd rather discuss it on less public outlets, as the subject makes me feel quite degraded.

Click to shrink...

Well. You know where to find me.

 

[Eledana]

Just a quick reminder, unrelated to the general topic/discussion of this thread.

Posting/sending/redirecting a private conversation/message/statement that a staff member (or player, for that matter) has said, when completely unaware, and unable to predict that they will be quoted later, and taken advantage of because of it, is not only inappropriate, but inexcusable.

I can only imagine they rarely, if ever relax when communicating and conversing, not only via this server, but also third party applications, when there's always that potential possibility that the halfarsed comment they made about some funny video is going to be used as fuel and ground for someone's argument that they were understandably, impossibly able to predict beforehand.

 

[Ben_2025]

Posting/sending/redirecting a private conversation/message/statement that a staff member (or player, for that matter) has said, when completely unaware and unable to predict that they will be quoted later and taken advantage of, because of, is not only inappropriate, but inexcusable.

Click to shrink...

Isn't this the reason the Golden Peacock was disbanded? ​

 

[SCOVNDREL]

Just a quick reminder, unrelated to the general topic/discussion of this thread.

Posting/sending/redirecting a private conversation/message/statement that a staff member (or player, for that matter) has said, when completely unaware and unable to predict that they will be quoted later and taken advantage of, because of, is not only inappropriate, but inexcusable.

I can only imagine they rarely, if ever relax when communicating and conversing, not only via this server, but also third party applications, when there's always that potential possibility that the halfarsed comment they made about some funny video is going to be used as fuel and ground for someone's argument that they were understandably, impossibly able to predict beforehand.

Click to shrink...

it was a direct quote. and it was related to the discussion. and it was for the sake of keeping people that could contribute to the discussion, out of it. and for no better reason than some good PR for the Inquisition.

isn't the entire conversation topic we're having, about silencing people for wanting to speak out on a matter that's been ignored for as long as it has?

i may have accidentally included his real name, my apologies for that.

 

[HereticTakao]

I hate how we can't just accept the negative atmosphere Massivecraft has taken on. Why fight, when you can just accept it and move on to where we can be a better place? Please, just accept it, stop fighting.
{ Carrick has influenced my personality so much and I love it. But yeah. Stop fighting please.}

 

[Eledana]

Isn't this the reason the Golden Peacock was disbanded? ​

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I wouldn't know. My statement is certainly aimed at staff members more so than players. Players are allowed and capable of upholding a more relaxed demeanour than staff members, because if a staff member says anything slightly out of line, that isn't intended as an official announcement, but rather as a comment/statement in private conversation or out of the sheer understanding they're around such a trustworthy group that they may do so, which is then used against them, they're in for far more backlash and trouble than the general player. Staff members are expected and encouraged to uphold a state of professionalism, but they're only human. You can't constantly worry if that comment you said the other day is going to be used against you in an argument, or whether that joke you made is going to be used and conveyed in a different context entirely, all the time.

 

[Medvekoma]

If someone's afraid to bring up an issue, there's usually a reason behind it. What I was trying to say was that the segregation in general leaves players afraid to address authority figures because they've been ignored on other occasions. If they couldn't chat with someone in a peaceful setting, why could they do it when there's turmoil?

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Yes, there can be a reason behind that. But once again, how can you expect any staff to act on something they never learn about?

Segregation ... once again, it's one main point on the agenda in most RP cliques and groups I know to involve more players.

Technically, it's being argued that staff should be on the lookout for the /feelings/ of players. That sounds extremely weird and messed-up to me, truly.

I hate how we can't just accept the negative atmosphere Massivecraft has taken on. Why fight, when you can just accept it and move on to where we can be a better place? Please, just accept it, stop fighting.
{ Carrick has influenced my personality so much and I love it. But yeah. Stop fighting please.}

Click to shrink...

I accepted the problem. I even provided a macroeconomics based mathematical explanation for the logical base of the issue we're facing when it comes to roleplay cliques. If you want to, I can expand on that for the discussion's sake.

Problem is that people ignored that very proof and instead called out staff for not watching out for something they deem 'bullying' which is in fact nothing but an extraordinary variance in attention provided for specific players by veteran roleplayers. From that, the discussion was diverted towards inability to access certain groups of roleplayers. While I understand this could be an issue, I still don't get one thing.

Why would you want to enter an IC clique if they display evidence that they don't want to include you? That would only result in saltiness. No, I don't agree with them. Yet ... this is just faint logic. There are lots of groups and cliques, some more welcoming than the other. If one's clearly salty towards you ... why even try? Why even try with staff help?

All in all, especially with some recent changes in nobility attitude and new organisations emerging in-character, I don't really see a barrier that prevents someone from finding a group of people to roleplay with. There are barriers that prevent you from joining specific cliques, yes, perhaps. But maybe you better avoid them, yes?

 

[Johto_Jo]

I would like to offer one last bit to this, as when I started, I /did/ mindfully have further things to discuss, but a lot of you have touched on those sensitive subjects.

Once upon a time, I was a respected, active member of the community. I was Roleplay staff at one point, interacted with other staff members on a daily basis, and proved that some of my characters were interesting enough to be included in fairly important plots regarding Regalia. I made a lot of friends, even some friendships that extended further than just an inter-game relationship. I have no regrets whatsoever.

Having nudged at this point, I find it disheartening that someone like myself-- of whom I find incredibly difficult so speak positively of-- someone that was kind, extended help to those that needed it, and spoke to other players on avenues outside of the forums and MineCraft as to further friendships, would suddenly get treated differently by those that I held so dear.

Why would they abruptly exact a shift in their demeanors? Perhaps it was that I was very good friends with an unnamed, ex-staff member that was banned around this time. Perhaps it was that I was helping build up a new server that may have been interpreted as a knock off MassiveCraft. Perhaps these people, once friends, felt that I couldn't be trusted, merely because I was playing another version of the same game. The same game.

My qualm is simply this. It's saddening that people, not Marty in particular, but some that aren't quite as dedicated to the construction of his dream, value a game over another human being.

A human being that listened to their problems. That wanted to help them with what plagued them. That would talk for hours about something they were excited about in the lore or in current roleplay events. That would create art for them.

I'm merely using myself as an example, as I don't really want others to get roped into the discussion again, unless they actively step forward once more. I'm upset that relationships between friends can be compromised because of stipulations or rules of a MineCraft server.

 

[morrc5]

@Thortuna

 

[jquaile]

 

[diCardinale]

There are numerous IC groups and organisations you can join without providing anything in return

Click to shrink...

Sometimes it's better to avoid such cliques than to try and enter them, not because you can't enter.

Click to shrink...

pick one

 

[Thortuna]

Uh dont know what that is supposed to mean @morrc5

 

[Medvekoma]

pick one

Click to shrink...

There is a category called roleplay cliques. It has over twenty elements. Some are antagonising you, others remain neutral.

'There are numerous IC groups and organisations you can join without providing anything in return'

- refers to the greater category.

'Sometimes it's better to avoid such cliques than to try and enter them, not because you can't enter.'

- refers to those that antagonise you.

I see no 'pick one' here?

 

[Bensonio]

I'm going to go to bed now and hope that despite the apparent bickering, the important and meaningful messages provided on this thread by Kelpsy, Marty, and some others get to sink in by the time I get up in the wee hours of the morn to cook bacon and eggs.

 

[Kibaa]

I agree that people feel shunned in this server, particularly because I feel that I am one of them. I do not know why I'm known as such a salty person. Perhaps it's because I'm too much of a perfectionist, or because I jump with my opinion on things. I've stopped doing this. But I remember than most of the arguments that I took participation in were a result of me making a comment on someone else's comment, them responding in their passive-aggressive defense, and then me defending myself again. Things eventually escalated, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's okay to disagree with someone. We cannot judge people on their past. Someone might have done things they regretted when they were immature, but there is room for improvement over the span of years. Yet, when they try to prove that they've improved, or try to improve in the first place, they are almost always shunned and barred from the opportunities to do so.

How are you supposed to prove you've bettered yourself if you're not given the opportunity, or at least even given an alternative to do so?


@Kiba Araqnuibo, @Aespair, you should read this.

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I rated your post agree not because i'm your friend but because for the first time I actually found insight in one of your points rather than blindly reading it. you've given me and many others a new point of view.

anyhow, moving on.

@Kelpsy When I saw your essay, my first thought was that of happiness, as I thought to myself that many others have tried to raise the same point you did in that very essay, but were turned and shunned down because of say either their toxic background, or maybe they are someone that is not very popular, etc. Shunned down by the community itself and those who lead the community as well. So when I saw this thread I was happy, because everyone was agreeing with you and commending you since you are such a valued figure in this community. You, and few others have a way of communicating with massive's media like no other. But, as I read on, I was very disheartened to see that from my perspective, this thread has only suffered the same fate as the others. Flame, and salt, from both members and staff alike. Ironic, isn't it, that an anti bullying thread is now plagued by flame? While I respect the fact that most of us were only expressing our opinions, I think many agree with me when I say that the situation has turned very salty. Needless to say, Kelpsy, I very much enjoyed your essay and I agree with most of it. Keep writing, please, for the sake of this community. In my eyes, and in that of others, you are an idol to massivecraft.

 

[HereticTakao]

I would like to offer one last bit to this, as when I started, I /did/ mindfully have further things to discuss, but a lot of you have touched on those sensitive subjects.

Once upon a time, I was a respected, active member of the community. I was Roleplay staff at one point, interacted with other staff members on a daily basis, and proved that some of my characters were interesting enough to be included in fairly important plots regarding Regalia. I made a lot of friends, even some friendships that extended further than just an inter-game relationship. I have no regrets whatsoever.

Having nudged at this point, I find it disheartening that someone like myself-- of whom I find incredibly difficult so speak positively of-- someone that was kind, extended help to those that needed it, and spoke to other players on avenues outside of the forums and MineCraft as to further friendships, would suddenly get treated differently by those that I held so dear.

Why would they abruptly exact a shift in their demeanors? Perhaps it was that I was very good friends with an unnamed, ex-staff member that was banned around this time. Perhaps it was that I was helping build up a new server that may have been interpreted as a knock off MassiveCraft. Perhaps these people, once friends, felt that I couldn't be trusted, merely because I was playing another version of the same game. The same game.

My qualm is simply this. It's saddening that people, not Marty in particular, but some that aren't quite as dedicated to the construction of his dream, value a game over another human being.

A human being that listened to their problems. That wanted to help them with what plagued them. That would talk for hours about something they were excited about in the lore or in current roleplay events. That would create art for them.

I'm merely using myself as an example, as I don't really want others to get roped into the discussion again, unless they actively step forward once more. I'm upset that relationships between friends can be compromised because of stipulations or rules of a MineCraft server.

Click to shrink...

;~; This. All the way. Also the thing of it be called a knock off of Massivecraft, that killed me the most, because it really isn't.

 

[Film_Noir]

There have been very rare instances in which I've been able to roleplay with any sort of nobility. While those brief roleplays were extremely entertaining, they are also very hard to come by. For people like myself, massivecraft is an on and off sort of thing. Joining a group wouldn't make sense, because I'm not active enough to participate. This only furthers my point, though. If I'm not in an IC organisation, it's unlikely that I'll be able to roleplay with those who associate with them.

Click to shrink...

And that's the main problem, then. There are numerous IC groups and organisations you can join without providing anything in return. Mentioned merchants' guild requires no regular activity or whatsoever, not even an in-game shop. And it's been around for a long time. Nobility, think about it for a second. When it comes to character and realism, all nobles would be stuck within castles scheming or talking in the noble lounge. Instead, you have quite a few strolling around the tavern, talking to commoners as well as other nobles, approachable. The first ever noble RP I had was completely accidental and they didn't even do anything to exclude me, apart from some in-character shade. And with the system gone, there's a lot more leeway right now.

Click to shrink...

Yep, the Merchant Guild is set up so that you can participate in it on an activity level that suits you. Meetings and events aren't compulsory. You can literally sign up your business so that we advertise it for you and then just check in with us once a month or so to update the details if they change. On the other hand, participation in our events and keeping in contact with us more regularly definitely increases your immersion into our merchant RP scene.

 

[tin77]

It's sad to see elitism grow on the server, because I can remember the days when the community was accepting and never truly looked down on anyone else, but that could of just been the people I hanged out with when I joined the server.

I left because I just couldn't find the enjoyment in rp anymore, it became kind of a boring soap opera, and elitism only worsened the problem as I could never truly find a path that leads to excitement on the server.

The excitement seems to be brewing up again with the return of old friends, but I really wish this sense of being better than everyone else just because your character has been structured in the most wonderful way or your a 'top notch' roleplayer.

Eh, but that's just my two cents.

 

[Plecy]

So. I'm not a frequent poster at all, but I guess I feel the need to write a little when I see situations that perplex me like this. But maybe that's not the correct word to use.

Right off the bat, I'll admit to not reading each and every post in here. I read the entirety of the first page, skimmed most of the second, then caught myself back up on the third. I feel as though I still got the general gist of the situation here. If I'm wrong in that, I guess I'll learn, right?

Obviously none of us here want anybody to feel shunned or bullied (Though I think this word isn't accurate to the situation. Shunned, though, definitely may fit.) Our server is a place most of us have sank way too much time into and it sucks to suddenly feel like you're not welcome there anymore. I'm not going to be the sort of arse to call up definitions during this kind of post, but to be shunned is to be utterly cut off. We're all social little creatures, here. Depriving us of interaction would be like depriving us of food or water. But I think the perception is a little more exaggerated than the reality.

I won't point anybody out, but I look at most of the people in this thread who come forward and I notice a lot of them don't actually... Play anymore. It's easy to understand why, looking at this thread. People are anxious. But I can't think of a single player in this thread who could log onto Massivecraft right now and manage to be literally shunned by even half of the RP community. It's just too many people. Everybody here's an individual. Sure, there are cliques and groups, but for every one there's a dozen players who just hover between. My point is, you'd have to try very, very, very hard to get shunned by the entire RP community.

I think the problem more lies with people feeling shunned by certain people. Perhaps they're higher up, or perhaps they're important in some group somewhere. But the point is, they're usually an individual or a small group of individuals when it comes down to it, and as individuals, they're entitled to feel about us however they please. It's the price we pay when we open ourselves up to a community like this. Some people will take a liking to us, others won't. Maybe a mistake was made, or maybe we got tangled up in the wrong crowd. The point is, people are allowed to have negative opinions of us. I just don't think you should let those negative opinions steer you away from a community so large. Even if word spreads, most people won't be immediately swayed. It's up to you to disprove what they've heard.

If somebody doesn't like you, there's nothing wrong with that. Chances are there are people in our lives we don't like too. If they're wrong, then exposure over time might bring them around. A bridge might not ever fully repair, but it won't stay a pile of smoldering ashes. If it does, or if you find that more people are starting to take a disliking to you, then perhaps it's time to ask them why. We all have flaws. It's only though knowing what those are that we can tone them down or work them out. Though I don't think this applies to most of us.

Remember, your perception of a situation is always worse than the reality. Jump in the deep end. What's the worst that can happen? It's a chance to dispel rumors and have some fun along the way. Staff can't be sitters and do it for you. That would only make the negative feelings worse.

TD;DR If you enjoy RPing on Massivecraft, then RP on Massivecraft. If somebody doesn't like you and it bothers you enough to keep you away from the server, then find out why and do what you can to prove them wrong. We can't tell somebody to not dislike anybody else.

 

[Manatee_]

I expect to get lotsa backlash for this, but there should rarely if ever be any justifications for being rude. Maybe you're a cranky teenager. Maybe the new player you're interacting with is kinda stubborn. However, in my opinion, it is fairly easy to treat each other with respect for the most part. Even if it's not, it still shouldn't be impossible. And if one fails to be kind, that's their fault, really. Not the other person's (even if they were hostile as well). I've been taught to turn the other cheek, and even though there have been numerous instances in which I was rude to another player (or simply another person), I don't blame my actions on them. I don't blame my actions on whether or not I had a bad day, either, because being nice to folks is possible.

 

[DrFong]

I keep positive. I keep building. I keep having fun.

I don't have time for anyone who isn't interested in the same.

 

[BenRekt]

I don't get bullied because I just don't let anything get to me.

Good message nonetheless and this can be applied to a lot more than just Massive.

I keep positive. I keep building. I keep having fun.

I don't have time for anyone who isn't interested in the same.

Click to shrink...

So wise and well-phrased. I'll probably quote this a lot.