Hello Dragons and Friends of OSD! So, what's happening at OSD and why have some of these people left? Are more people following them out? Sadly, yes... the FFIV leadership will also be making movement away from OSD and working to gather their members during this separation. But why?!? I will attempt at bringing you up to speed within this post. @Doctorhoo was gracious and respectful enough to allow me the opportunity to make this post, prior to pulling the plug. For that, he continues to hold my respect and appreciation. A class act, as always. SITUATION: (What's happening? Why did some of these people leave?) In a word, well it's not a word, but you'll get it........ "SILO-itus" The gaming market as we've all experienced has been rather schizophrenic. When we formed this community eleven years ago, there was one big game, maybe two. It was easy to wrap our interest around a singular objective. What we argued about back then was what we wanted to do in this particular game. Were we going to PvP, Raid, etc... Good problems for a gaming community to have and it was exponentially easier to find people based on their playing style and behavior so to assess, would they add to the positive chemistry we have here, as a gaming community. Today, big games (MMOs) are released almost quarterly. Everyone wants to try different things. Each game has something to offer someone. Creating a centralized focus on a singular game has become quite a challenge. Let's also add, these games are often released way too early and leave many of us quickly disappointed, to the point where people abandon the game within a week or month of starting....because there's so many other options. The days of putting up with a game that is under cooked, are long gone. Some of us have seen this pattern and refuse to get emotionally invested in something until it has matured. This is why, OSD has been reluctant about committing to a game too early...during the "HYPE" phase of it's marketing. So what we have here at OSD as a result of the erratic gaming market in recent years, are several fragments of different gaming chapters, like shards of glass....they drew different styles of play, that have different value systems, which are drawn to certain types of things. This, in and of itself isn't a bad thing at all... Well, not until cultural silos start to form... I'll get to that. Sometimes management cuts their finger as we attempt to reassemble these glass shards... little blood here and there....but we'll be ok. So, capture the essence of what I just said, a challenging gaming market, fragmented cultures and styles, no singular place to focus our effort, volatile community chemistry, lack of definition, as a result. This, in summary, is my view of the situation.... I selected a management team to begin addressing these very specific things. Factoring in, the job doesn't pay well, and they likely have a source of income and families to think about, it has been slow and steady progress...but progress none-the-less. "We don't know the key to success, but the key to failure, is trying to please everybody." As we begin moving, albeit slowly, down a path, we're upsetting some people. As we encourage a certain type of value system, not everyone agrees on where the value exists. Going back to my comment on glass fragments, we have so many variations on where we each find value... sometimes my value is your waste of time... or your value is my waste of time...etc. Frankly, we can't be all things to all people. So, this management team is picking a direction which aligns with values injected into the community eleven years ago. The consequence of this push.... Well, people will be leaving to find new homes in many cases. Hence your recent observations.... You can expect more departures on the horizon. We used to always receive new members in the past and when we mutually felt it wasn't working...we'd part ways. What makes this so shocking in recent days is that it has taken so long for us to be honest with ourselves... in recent years. For years now, I believe our managers tried very hard to do the impossible....and that was to make everyone happy. Well, when I returned in September, let's just say, everyone was NOT happy.... people were barely hanging on. The moment I stopped fueling the "make everyone happy" method... those folks barely hanging on.... left. We can expect more to follow as things continue to develop. Someone said if I was a pizza, I can make everyone happy. TARGET: (So what do we want at OSD? What are we trying to be, so we can rally behind the vision?) Seldonia and I agree, OSD, our stronghold specifically... actually this very forum, the Silver Flagon Tavern... is like a bar. You get out of it what you put in. At the risk of genre crossing, I specifically view it like the Mos Eisley Cantina. Right now, we don't really have a game or adventure... We intermittently, will adventure off in small groups to pursue some lucrative challenge...but we tend to return here...because there's adventure to be realized in this place. This place has been here before the last game we played, and will be here when we're done playing the game we currently experience. That said, it's not the bar tenders job to deliver fun to you... you kind people will get from it, what you put in. When a game dies, I want the community to stay in touch with one another. For friendship, for a sharing of jokes and gaming knowledge, for future adventure in new games that poke their head out. The only realistic method to keep some connectivity....not vague connectivity....but real connection...has been our website. But Sook, is that the only way?! The short answer is no... I view it however as the most effective way until technology takes us elsewhere. Let's use Facebook as an example. Well, I for example, avoid it like the plague. I don't use it! Take Twitter.... I use that, do you? How about SMS Text messaging... Well, some of you use company phones and wish not to share... (makes sense in some cases). What about....etc etc... The solution that has proven, in eleven years, to keep us together....has been our website forums. But Sook, I'm not a forums person.... This my friend, is why you decided to leave....because we are....or at least aim to be. Going forward, we'll work harder at ensuring people that are forum people get recruited. So, over the years we have deviated from this value system... Our recruitment focus going forward will be to capture a market of gamers, not offended by forums. I want to prevent what we experienced in ESO.... The guild was closed... A notification seeking feedback was sent and sat there, without response for a week. We closed the guild from a community point of view... 100% fact, nobody playing that game has any idea that has happened. Kind of makes me laugh. The TRAGEDY here though.... We created this problem by compromising our view on the importance of our philosophy. We don't dislike non-forum people... we like them very much!! Someone needs to be on the other team for a game to be a game after all. @Doctorhoo did one hell of a job encouraging members to register on our site and live by our pursuit of these ideals.... Sadly, I don't think it has really worked out for him and in large part, for the players of FFIV. SO again, consequently, they will be taking a different road, away from OSD. I want them all to know however, our stronghold will still be standing, years from now...should their perceived value in what we are advocating change. They are all a bunch of really good people and we'd be happy to have them come knocking on our gates some day. In summary though... Who are we? Where are we going? - We are a family friendly gaming environment (We are not rated G). My son (12), swims in "adult" language out there, in the real world. He understands it is a part of how people express themselves. He gets it, I get it, you get it. I'm not offended when I hear it, nor is he. In 11 years however, I have heard from members... THEY often have their speakers on and they have small children running around (same with our website and its content). So, for me, ya, it's reasonable to request a consciousness and sensitivity for this policy. Let's keep a consciousness about our language unless you're pretty confident, no one near you will be offended. This, ladies and gentlemen, common sense. OSD is not rated G...never will be. Just be respectful. If it doesn't work for you... I wont be offended if you go someplace else. I always use adult language when something in game, freaks me out... or, I get pissed.... things DO slip. No biggie... Just be conscious. We need to be conscientious of people. If this policy impedes on your ability to have fun... I'll understand why you decided to leave...and respect you for it. - Our website forums. We will always seek people that find value in our forums. People that will help us create value within our forums. People, that as a result, will view our forums as the nucleus of our community. Forums, we realize, will evolve as technology advances. There are several functional wins and losses when you consider tools like Discord and the Forums we provide. In time, I believe we will see these tools fuse as one.... I can't wait!!! Until then, we'll continue to operate as I have noted within this point. - We are a platform, for gamers. I aim to encapsulate what we have learned up to this point so to make our next gaming move much improved! I'm hopeful, people like you will lend a hand! - Here's the biggest one. What you put into OSD... you get out of OSD. If you pull away from OSD... in the end, you will find yourself...well, away from OSD (lol). If you believe in our vision, and you passionately help us build... You WILL be quite fulfilled with the friendship, fun, heroics, empire building, etc...that will follow. You will be a legend among legends. This only works with cooperation, collaboration, and maintaining alignment.....if you intend on yielding this success here, at OSD. In closing...our Target.... If we do this right, when the game we were playing yesterday comes to an end... the people, that made that game enjoyable.... Will be here in our tavern, sipping on their beer, telling tales of their adventure... inspiring the next generation of OSD Empire builders. THIS my friends, is the TARGET... the goal... the objective. Not being the best uber leet guild in AOC, FF14, EVE, XYZ....etc... Community is our Target. PROPOSAL: (How do we get there?) Be patient with us. You have a group of motivated leaders with @Vastiner @Yndrofian @Seldonia and myself. If you'd like to lend a hand, make it known!! Anyone that wishes to help....we welcome you with open arms. I've never turned away anyone who wanted to help us at any level. If you'd prefer to be secretly dissatisfied.... you can do that too. hehe Ideally, we will hear from you....or the members we recruit once we have a targeted gaming interest identified. Keeping our eye open for good people... people that can relate and understand the value system I advocated within this thread... Seeking them, that is my proposal. We are drafting up a few initiatives so to pursue these future dragons.... stay tuned! If we get this right, you will find the joy within OSD that I find.... Here's how I find value, personally.... Every Monday, I play DDO with my friends and son. @Yndrofian @Seldonia @Thraxes @Thumbdrive @Syrbryce We've had such a blast... Cracking jokes, mostly making fun of my mistakes in game...lol I just joined a Saturday Stellaris Campaign with my friends and son: @Vastiner @Vinlaael @F'lar Mnementh @Seldonia @Thumbdrive @Krizalide @Draikenblood We did a test run last night... My son and I are still learning the game. Lets suffice it to say, it was humbling. Also, Seldonia, he's the real puppet master of the galaxy by the way! haha This and so many more opportunities exist within OSD... I already booked my spot for the OSDcon in Ohio!! Can't wait to meet some fellow dragons and have a few drinks with em. There's so much more to come!! Again, we get out of OSD what we put in. This community started in 2006 with one member... then it became 2....then it became 3....We will lose members that see things differently... We'll wish them the best and hope they have as much fun as we are...and we'll always keep our gates open for dragons that aim to make this the best gaming community on earth.
/cheers Well said. Remember back in the day when we would throw poo at each other in the Silver Flagon Tavern? Good times .
What a completely impressive overview that absolutely bleeds drive, enthusiasm and future vision. #impressed.
As a distant friend and representative of as I feel, a sister community. We at Bad Wolves Gaming have always tried to hold the door open for other gamers. We are not the family friendly types per se. But we value respect and a no drama tolerance in a adult oriented environment. Our community will always welcome OSD as brothers & sisters. We will always have our website/forum, facebook, discord and Teamspeak available whenever its needed. Kind Regards, Fatetaker Founder & Guardian of Bad Wolves Gaming
