Post by hrafnr on Apr 12, 2008 15:44:11 GMT -5
Greetings Friends,
Please Take Note to the Follow changes effective immediately unless otherwise noted. Please reserve any debate or discourse about this for the Kin meeting (pending date TBA) so as not to clutter this board. If you have any concerns PM me here or send me an in-game tell.
I) Members and Membership
We have had excessively good luck with membership. This Kin IS the membership. While not a large guild, those members who have remained active and interactive have meshed well. We've managed to keep a mostly over 21 player base; the few exceptions have generally been no issue.
I intend to keep an open enrollment policy with the requirement of posting a comprehensive in character and out of character introduction on the boards. However if it is not substantial (i.e. more than an obligatory line) and at least a little thoughtful I will hold off induction into the kinship until it can be discussed. We don't need War and Peace, but extending a bit of effort shows genuine interest in the character building aspects of the Kin. And that means more than just grinding traits.
I also would like a general 18 and over policy (note, anyone currently in is grandfathered). The tone of the Kin has to date managed to keep it this way, anyway. But I at this time wish to make it part of our membership guidelines. We've maintained a PG-13 decorum in most cases, and that is fine. However I never want uncensored joking or commentary to become an issue with younger members (or more likely, their parents).
I also would like to at some point plan more extensive social networking to expand Kinship alliances and look for new members. Open enrollment is less often the death of kinships than cliques and xenophobia. Both elements I have as of late noticed becoming slightly prevalent among our ranks.
I also believe in a general Two Week (edit from: one month) long probationary period if our numbers should begin to swell dramatically. Right now this isn't a problem. All current members would obviously be grandfathered. This would entail a period of one month, after which a majority Kin vote yays or nays permanent membership. If nayed the Kin and prospective member part ways with no hard feelings. If yayed then the member can then be dismissed by an officer majority vote and with good reason. The exception is of course regular problematic behavior such as flaming, spamming, hate language, abuse of kin members or resources, etc... Any of those offenses are grounds for immediate removal from the Kin.
Here is my reasoning for this probationary period: it allows us to cut cleanly and without hard feelings if we are not a good fit for each other. To date this has not been a regular issue and I don't for see it as such. However I'd like this mechanism in place up front. During the "probationary" two weeks members will have full rights in the Kin including event participation, equal share of gains from group adventures, the right to bring up issues with officers or The Leader. The only thing that will not be permitted is unlimited access to the Kin Hall chests, and resources placed in there. However we are a very open and giving Kin and usually if you ask members for assistance in weapons, armor, food, etc... we are happy to try to help.
II) General Kin Chat
I would like to see POP more strictly role-play oriented than what it has become. As of late, there has been more ((ooc)) and real world reference than actual character based interaction. We are listed as a moderate role-play guild in the main LOTRO Landroval (the unofficial RP server) Kin forums. I would like to see this. The first step to this is keeping extended OOC chat to private tells or else setting up a specific channel for non-RP based social chat.
The key to RP in this (or any environment) is not a funny accent or lore references; it is avoiding real world terminology and topics and acting/reacting as your *character* would.
* Please note I am not seeking to eliminate all ((OOC)) talk, asking questions about the game such as ((how do I reset my mini-map?)), or squelch communications with friends. I fully expect people to joke around, communicate, and have fun.
I am simply noting this as a reminder that this is a role-playing game and a medium role-play kinship; to further that immersion I would like to see for the most part people stay relatively in character while talking in chat and don't spend a huge amount of time making references to the their daily lives, the real world, etc... Please use private tells, Vent, and the new PoP channel for extended non-game related conversations.
I won't aggressively police the channel however I want to try to keep this atmosphere as a reminder that this should be a Kin with a large role-player base. And I do ask you observe this IC guideline a rule instead of the exception. So far it has not been an issue and I'm surely not gunning to boot people for "breaking character" (we all do, it is a game after all); I am simply stating this now to set the tone as to one of the directions I'd like to see the Kinship take.
To give an additional social outlet, under Wilim's kind direction, I created a POP channel. This is meant to be a general channel through which Pillager Members (or their friends) can talk about anything and everything. To join it simply type /joinchannel pop and then set your user chat output so that you can see Userchannel 1 (or 2, or 3, etc... if you've joined other channels). Please note that Pillagers of Pipeweed will not be responsible for content or discussions on this channel, and joining it is not mandatory for participation in the Kinship.
The vent server will be maintained. That is not IC and can be used for general socialization.
III) Dead Characters
By that I mean members who log in and don't interact with the Kin at large - regularly - or else have not logged in in over 100 days. I'll start a separate thread in which I'll ask people who are not regular players to either post or contact me in some fashion if they wish to remain in POP.
IV) Event Organization/The Boards
People have begun to more regularly use the boards. This is good. Lets keep up on it. However I want any regular events - Raids, Runs, Rampaging - to begin to maintain an alt list based on board sign up. And a policy in which board posters and advance "alts" are always taken on first before others who may want to attend.
I also want to state as a general rule: If someone is asking for event attendees on the boards, post ONLY if you are fairly certain you can or can not attend and state that definitively.
Please don't reply with, "Sure I'd like to go but maybe not tonight, but if not I can do it another night or we can run another instance". That just muddles who can or can not actually make it and makes organization difficult. If you are not sure whether or not you can make it, PM the person organizing the event or just show up if you are available. Or post saying you definitely can NOT make it.
V) Character Notes
I want everyone to set their character notes with either their address if they hold a house, or as "alt of".
Example (character notes):
Hrafnr - my address
Porter - my address
Bragi - Smooth, svelte Alt of Hrafnr
Slorin - Dastardly Alt of Hrafnr
Amroden - Dainty Alt of Hrafnr
Elhaz - Boring Alt of Hrafnr
... you get the idea.
If I don't see this change within the next couple of weeks I'll assume the character is inactive and put it on the 'dead' character list. See the separate post for this thread.
These will all be further discussed at the coming Kin meeting, and the topics are open for discourse then. Please see the separate thread under that heading for more information.
Please note that I am very open to commentary and questions. I don't want any member to hesitate to send me a tell, PM, or email if they have a problem or concern. I'm fairly thick skinned and not terribly worried about my own feelings; you shouldn't be either. I want to hear if there is a problem that can not be worked through, or if you want my advice or feedback. But be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
Hrafnr Steeltalon
Benevolent Dictator
Please Take Note to the Follow changes effective immediately unless otherwise noted. Please reserve any debate or discourse about this for the Kin meeting (pending date TBA) so as not to clutter this board. If you have any concerns PM me here or send me an in-game tell.
I) Members and Membership
We have had excessively good luck with membership. This Kin IS the membership. While not a large guild, those members who have remained active and interactive have meshed well. We've managed to keep a mostly over 21 player base; the few exceptions have generally been no issue.
I intend to keep an open enrollment policy with the requirement of posting a comprehensive in character and out of character introduction on the boards. However if it is not substantial (i.e. more than an obligatory line) and at least a little thoughtful I will hold off induction into the kinship until it can be discussed. We don't need War and Peace, but extending a bit of effort shows genuine interest in the character building aspects of the Kin. And that means more than just grinding traits.
I also would like a general 18 and over policy (note, anyone currently in is grandfathered). The tone of the Kin has to date managed to keep it this way, anyway. But I at this time wish to make it part of our membership guidelines. We've maintained a PG-13 decorum in most cases, and that is fine. However I never want uncensored joking or commentary to become an issue with younger members (or more likely, their parents).
I also would like to at some point plan more extensive social networking to expand Kinship alliances and look for new members. Open enrollment is less often the death of kinships than cliques and xenophobia. Both elements I have as of late noticed becoming slightly prevalent among our ranks.
I also believe in a general Two Week (edit from: one month) long probationary period if our numbers should begin to swell dramatically. Right now this isn't a problem. All current members would obviously be grandfathered. This would entail a period of one month, after which a majority Kin vote yays or nays permanent membership. If nayed the Kin and prospective member part ways with no hard feelings. If yayed then the member can then be dismissed by an officer majority vote and with good reason. The exception is of course regular problematic behavior such as flaming, spamming, hate language, abuse of kin members or resources, etc... Any of those offenses are grounds for immediate removal from the Kin.
Here is my reasoning for this probationary period: it allows us to cut cleanly and without hard feelings if we are not a good fit for each other. To date this has not been a regular issue and I don't for see it as such. However I'd like this mechanism in place up front. During the "probationary" two weeks members will have full rights in the Kin including event participation, equal share of gains from group adventures, the right to bring up issues with officers or The Leader. The only thing that will not be permitted is unlimited access to the Kin Hall chests, and resources placed in there. However we are a very open and giving Kin and usually if you ask members for assistance in weapons, armor, food, etc... we are happy to try to help.
II) General Kin Chat
I would like to see POP more strictly role-play oriented than what it has become. As of late, there has been more ((ooc)) and real world reference than actual character based interaction. We are listed as a moderate role-play guild in the main LOTRO Landroval (the unofficial RP server) Kin forums. I would like to see this. The first step to this is keeping extended OOC chat to private tells or else setting up a specific channel for non-RP based social chat.
The key to RP in this (or any environment) is not a funny accent or lore references; it is avoiding real world terminology and topics and acting/reacting as your *character* would.
* Please note I am not seeking to eliminate all ((OOC)) talk, asking questions about the game such as ((how do I reset my mini-map?)), or squelch communications with friends. I fully expect people to joke around, communicate, and have fun.
I am simply noting this as a reminder that this is a role-playing game and a medium role-play kinship; to further that immersion I would like to see for the most part people stay relatively in character while talking in chat and don't spend a huge amount of time making references to the their daily lives, the real world, etc... Please use private tells, Vent, and the new PoP channel for extended non-game related conversations.
I won't aggressively police the channel however I want to try to keep this atmosphere as a reminder that this should be a Kin with a large role-player base. And I do ask you observe this IC guideline a rule instead of the exception. So far it has not been an issue and I'm surely not gunning to boot people for "breaking character" (we all do, it is a game after all); I am simply stating this now to set the tone as to one of the directions I'd like to see the Kinship take.
To give an additional social outlet, under Wilim's kind direction, I created a POP channel. This is meant to be a general channel through which Pillager Members (or their friends) can talk about anything and everything. To join it simply type /joinchannel pop and then set your user chat output so that you can see Userchannel 1 (or 2, or 3, etc... if you've joined other channels). Please note that Pillagers of Pipeweed will not be responsible for content or discussions on this channel, and joining it is not mandatory for participation in the Kinship.
The vent server will be maintained. That is not IC and can be used for general socialization.
III) Dead Characters
By that I mean members who log in and don't interact with the Kin at large - regularly - or else have not logged in in over 100 days. I'll start a separate thread in which I'll ask people who are not regular players to either post or contact me in some fashion if they wish to remain in POP.
IV) Event Organization/The Boards
People have begun to more regularly use the boards. This is good. Lets keep up on it. However I want any regular events - Raids, Runs, Rampaging - to begin to maintain an alt list based on board sign up. And a policy in which board posters and advance "alts" are always taken on first before others who may want to attend.
I also want to state as a general rule: If someone is asking for event attendees on the boards, post ONLY if you are fairly certain you can or can not attend and state that definitively.
Please don't reply with, "Sure I'd like to go but maybe not tonight, but if not I can do it another night or we can run another instance". That just muddles who can or can not actually make it and makes organization difficult. If you are not sure whether or not you can make it, PM the person organizing the event or just show up if you are available. Or post saying you definitely can NOT make it.
V) Character Notes
I want everyone to set their character notes with either their address if they hold a house, or as "alt of".
Example (character notes):
Hrafnr - my address
Porter - my address
Bragi - Smooth, svelte Alt of Hrafnr
Slorin - Dastardly Alt of Hrafnr
Amroden - Dainty Alt of Hrafnr
Elhaz - Boring Alt of Hrafnr
... you get the idea.
If I don't see this change within the next couple of weeks I'll assume the character is inactive and put it on the 'dead' character list. See the separate post for this thread.
These will all be further discussed at the coming Kin meeting, and the topics are open for discourse then. Please see the separate thread under that heading for more information.
Please note that I am very open to commentary and questions. I don't want any member to hesitate to send me a tell, PM, or email if they have a problem or concern. I'm fairly thick skinned and not terribly worried about my own feelings; you shouldn't be either. I want to hear if there is a problem that can not be worked through, or if you want my advice or feedback. But be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
Hrafnr Steeltalon
Benevolent Dictator