Alt Parking, Clique Loyalty, & Other META Musings

[Jsc]

Actually, I should probably say this here too. I'll skip the blog this time to better facilitate a conversation. Kay, here goes.​

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Alt Parking & Other META Musings

To be brief, Major Factions are not private experiences. They are just another fun part of participating with the community at large. However, their Sub-Forums are often assumed to be "group only" experiences. This is because a Faction has a degree of control over who has access to them. Sometimes not every writer in the community can see or experience a Faction's Sub-Forum.

To note. This is why I am a fan of the practice of Alt Parking. Or, creating new characters to participate with many Major Faction's and having them gain access to those Sub-Forums. Now, I as a writer can see and participate with as many parts of the website as possible. Both for transparency as well as having current events about the latest and greatest plot-lines going on right now. I want to be where the fun is. So I park as many characters as I can, in as many Major Factions as I can. Which is awesome.

You're sub-forums are not private. Embrace this.


This is not malicious

As a community member, my "loyalty" is to the website as a whole. First and foremost, I am a writer. Crafting silly stories about SW with hundreds of other hobbyists. This is who I am.

I am not:

• My Character
• My Faction

I am:

• Just another nerdy dude on the internet

If your Major Faction is doing something awesome! I want to be there. I am, the Hype Train. Woot woot! However. I do not have time to actually participate in every single Faction. No matter how much I want to. I have a real life and my time is limited. So please do not be offended if I have joined your Faction and am not participating regularly. I want to. But IRL says: "Jay. It's just a game. Respect yourself, respect your free time, and be selective. This is how adults behave."


Loyalty is for People. Not for fictional IC Faction politics.

We are all writers. Real people with real lives. As such, we can respect each other. We can be loyal to one another. We can even learn to love one another. This is fine and good. That is what life is all about. People. However, some people do often assume that respect, loyalty, and love; are only to be given selectively. To say... Factions. Cliques. Staff. Or even to just one individual. Limiting themselves against the website and the community as a whole.

Now. Maybe you've been hurt before? Maybe you withhold your participation because of somebody(s) in particular. That's fine. Blocking and ignoring people is a perfectly acceptable way to play the game. You must protect yourself. I get that. However, I must also be said that a good deal of drama and butthurt simply comes from miscommunication and not actual malicious intent. Sometimes simply choosing to participate, communicate, and work alongside difficult people is a great way to experience new growth and create lasting friendships. Because even the most bitter of enemies can be redeemed into the greatest of friendships. Even through RP.


In Closing

There are no "Sith Writers". There are no "Pub Writers". We are all just, writers. And that's okay. If, however, you feel that you have been slighted by a specific group of people? Please choose to forgive them now and move on with the game. I'm not asking you to make love to them. I'm just asking that we choose to respect each other as fellow people, nerds, goof-balls, F-ups, and handicapped humans that we are. We are all, far from perfect. But we can all still choose to have a ton of fun with that amazing setup too.

Cheers and happy posting!


___

Word Key:

• Alt Parking: - The process by which a writer creates alternate accounts and joins Major Factions to gain access to their sub-forums, newsfeeds, skype lists, and general OOC resources
• Alt: - A additional character account that serves as a alternative way of playing the game. Both IC and OOC. - MMO slang.
• Main: - Your primary character account through which you experience the website and devote most of your time and energy. IE: favorite character. - MMO slang.
• META: - A cultural term for what is popular now on the website. Such as the majority of writers favoring a specific technology, theme, battle tactic, or plot line in their adventures. Also can refer to what some people call, "Common Sense" or the most popular way of experiences the website. - MMO slang.
• MMO: - Massively Multiplayer Online. Like World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2. These games or hobbies often breed a unique language of "Gamer Speak". For convenience in text chatting.

Questions for the Community:

• Q: - What is a group to you? Can they be both inclusive and exclusive? Which idea should we as a website choose to foster and why?
• Q: - Have you ever felt slighted by a group or faction? What are some ways you choose to overcome this offense and keep playing the game with a positive attitude?
• Q: - Will JSC ever stop his cultural musings, tutorials, and endless soapboxing and just let me enjoy the website without growing personally as a human being? Can't I just be a hopeless sot with a keyboard for once in my life?
• Q: - Will Tef ever get around to telling us more about the Board moving to new software? Should we lynch him eventually just for kicks and giggles?

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

Stop it. Right now. You are making far too much sense.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

Don't mind me. Just running people over with my opinions again. CARRY ON!

 

[Writer]

Good read.

+1.

 

[Corey's OOC]

What enlightened hole did you just crawl from, wise Master?
[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

Both you and all your alts are very wise!

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

But I'm a Sith writer and proud of it :<

 

[Tyl Ro]

I had not considered this perspective before, and I find it very wise, indeed. However, I do have a counter and I would be curious to hear your opinion, [member="Jay Scott Clark"].

I would argue that we are a community in the same way that an MMORPG is a community (and perhaps on a smaller level could compare Invasions or Skirmishes to a MOBA match). We experience a world/galaxy/universe together from our character's and also our person's (OOC) perspective. However, in an RPG of any kind, team coordination is quintessential. Say you are on a PvP server, and your group is going up against another group. I've never heard of an MMO where both teams are communicating in the same chat. That team communication is designed for the betterment of the squad, to aid in improving their chances over their opponent.

The point, I suppose, is that some could construe what we do here as a game. A game has clearly defined and delineated rules to follow. It also has sides. In a healthy (and friendly, mind you) competition, would it not serve a purpose to also have clearly defined lines for writers and characters?

As another example, I wouldn't ask for a soccer player to play for two teams in the same league at the same time because that would present a conflict of interest. You can trade a player from team to team, but once their contract has been passed on, their loyalty is to their new crew, not their old one. Thoughts?

I would like to point out that I am not a PvP-er. I'm here to write, not to compete. So as a whole, I agree with the OP entirely. But for the sake of discussion, I'm curious as to the response this may get.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Tyl Ro"]

Would you be adverse if I answered that discussion via PM? For, while I have an answer and you've already expressed this is just an academic interest... I have to acknowledge publicly that this post was made because some people have deeply personal feelings on the matter. Feelings that are very much in opposition to what I've posted here too.

Also. If we start that kinda talk here, it will not remain academic for very long nor simply remain between just me and you. Lulz.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

But I'm a Sith writer and proud of it :<

Great. Do what moves you. If you only want to write Darkside? Then yeah, only write darkside. Whether for fun, duty, time, or passion. We don't care. Do what you want. The point of the post is not that I'm telling anybody how to play the game. It's just an invitation to see a new perspective. One in which we are not loyal to our Factions alone. But to the spirit of the game that gives all Factions life.

Cheers dude!

 

[Braith Achlys]

If a character or writer account of mine is a member of a faction it has to do with IC, not ooc. I get not everyone does it for this reason, but I doubt the majority of the form joins every faction on the board to watch ooc discussions.

 

[Tyl Ro]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

You are welcome to do so, as I am interested to hear what you have to say regardless. Certainly not my intent to ruffle feathers. I recognize that my academic/analytical intents can often do so, however.

[member="Braith"]

That is typically also the way I do things. If it makes sense for my character IC, then that is where my character belongs.

 

[Jsc]

If a character or writer account of mine is a member of a faction it has to do with IC, not ooc. I get not everyone does it for this reason, but I doubt the majority of the form joins every faction on the board to watch ooc discussions.

Nice! Keep it up then. That is a perfectly wonderful way to play the game. Do what moves you. Cheers and thanks for commenting!

 

[Khotaa Abazi]

My point of view as far as to comment on [member="Tyl Ro"] for making a valid point as far as this goes. I would, like [member="Jay Scott Clark"], want to experience everything this site has to offer. I personally enjoy playing multiple roles and every so often try to play a not so good guy (always hard for me unless I do it over the top and obviously stupid). But one thing I want everyone who takes this advice into consideration is that the OP and Tyl are not saying make other accounts so you can know what the enemy is planning. Factions will fight over the galaxy and one thing that most people who like to RP tend to forget is that your character does not know all the things you know. It's important to remember what your character knows and what you've learned OOC because it again creates conflict of interest. I'm not wanting to start any arguments of course. But it is a point that I feel has some wisdom to it that can make this site be open to what we want to do and not force restrictions. We can play anything we want people. Don't abuse it and try to "win". We are here because we are writers and enjoy writing about Star Wars. We are here because we want to make friends and have fun. That's my two cents, but don't feel I'm shoving this down anyone's throat, cause I love you guys already and I don't want to fight

[member="Jay Scott Clark"] [member="Tyl Ro"]

 

[Triss]

:3

 

[Boethiah]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

Are you telling me that misdirecting my emotional instability at other people over a fictional universe is not as important as my education or career? What a lunatic.

 

[riseabovenormality]

Once upon a time I had at least one character in almost every Major Faction.
Nowadays? I'm part of, though perhaps not the most active, in three Major Factions.
Even when I'm not currently pursuing a storyline with a character from a particular faction, I try to keep up with the OOC for that faction. Just to see what's up, or to see if anything interesting is coming up (that might make me want to pursue a storyline with the previously mentioned characters).
Have I considered joining another faction to check out their OOC? Yeah, it makes sense to me. The 'seeing what is going on'/'looking for interesting plots' part. Could I use my alts to metagame or whatever it's called? Oh, yeah, totally. Anyone could. But using an alt to get information that I'd then use to my advantage with a different character... that's not something I'm interested in.
Because it wouldn't be cool, yo.
I try to make sure that my characters never know something if they couldn't realistically know it/figure it out.

Is there a possibility of other people not being as chill? Yes. It's the way humans work, sometimes. Is there a possibility for someone to forget where they learned something and 'accidentally meta'? Er, probably? I don't know. In my opinion though, as long as someone doesn't use their alt(s) to 'spy' or cheat, then having alts in another faction isn't a problem. Is it better if the alt is a character that is actually involved in the faction? Yeah. Though I can't (personally) remember seeing a character from one faction joining another one OOC.

Of course, ghosts are notoriously bad at remembering things.
{This is Lady Medax's writer account, hence the ghost joke}

 

[Mythos]

I have accepted that there is No Way to be part of Every Faction and Make a Character for every role like i would in world of Warcraft ect.

It is simply not possible! XD

 

[Jsc]

...the OP and Tyl are not saying make other accounts so you can know what the enemy is planning.

Good thought. Especially since, "the enemy" in this regard does not really exist. We have no opponents. Only other very real people who we can rely on to tell great stories with. Writers.

Thanks Khotaa!

 

[Braith Achlys]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]
You are all my enemies.

Heads on a snake.

A hydra.

[member="The Hydra Queen"].