Contruum: What we learned

[Onrai]

Well...

I'd like to start by thanking everyone who participated in that sh_tstorm. So far as invasions go, this was one of the ugliest and most brutal I've seen. Extra thanks goes out to the people who participated in the PvP conflicts. Some people of course had conflicts of interest, but I applaud those who did their best with their characters.

Now let's talk about the consequences before we discuss what we've learned.

• We lost half the Republic.

Really, that's pretty much it. This was the big one that determined whether we were actually going to make a stand against the One Sith and keep our territory, or whether were were basically going to be boxed in. And we blew it.

Here's what we've learned from this - and do feel free to toss more in.

• A preemptive declaration that there will be no conflicts of interest. If you have characters in both the One Sith and the Republic, choose your side and stick with it. Don't bother trying to play both - you'll just undermine both sides.
• If people are behaving OP in the PvP, go ahead and state it in the OOC thread, along with what your issue is. If it gets heated, take it to a PM - but start the discussion of issues out in the OOC thread. That's what it's there for, after all.
• I've heard rumors of backdoor dealing between faction people. That's not cool at all, especially when the paperwork*cough*imeanPMs between faction members probably number in characters almost as much as the invasion itself. It also doesn't make these invasions fair(though the argument could be made that something with the OS is less than such, that's another thread), and cheapens the entire concept of players interacting with one another.
• I know there are issues some of you have with the individuals in the other faction. Get over them. Just because someone was an ass to you several times is no excuse to kark around with them in the invasion rather than actually doing what needs to be done. I would say this reciprocates to the One Sith - but I doubt they really would care, truthfully. Still, it's our job to be the better RPer and still try to work with people who set us on edge.

Blah blah, any other input you might have on this is k, and have a meaningful discussion. Last thing I want is for this to turn into a complaint-fest that Taeli or Gen have to lock.

Also, to get people in the mood, here's an MLG video(this one is more entertaining).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5xd-J3hE48

 

[Ali Hadrix]

What killed us at Contruum:

1) Focusing so much on hating OS writers we lost sight of our objectives.

2) The aforementioned blindness cost us an entire objective as we simply didn't notice one of the OS writers taking control of said objective.

That's it.

Stopping that from happening would have won us the objective and thus the invasion. Being a defender is one of the easiest things ever, and we fecked that up by being so wrapped up in the OOC bull we overlooked what really mattered.

#micdropwalkaway

 

[Ali Hadrix]

All those other points are solid gold though, and should be taken to heart.

 

[Antoir Setrrin]

Once more I have managed to avoid 98% of the drama.
Well, from the sound of it, that's a very, very good thing.
I'll just be sitting over here, with my tea, being very confused.

 

[Darth Avida]

If people are behaving OP in the PvP, go ahead and state it in the OOC thread, along with what your issue is. If it gets heated, take it to a PM - but start the discussion of issues out in the OOC thread. That's what it's there for, after all.

I'm pretty sure that was, like, the first thing that started being complained about in the OOC, from people on both sides. Pretty sure making a conscious effort to post in the OOC thread rather than just notifying them via the OOC thread (and relevant faction admins) that a conversation would be had via PM and then subsequently PMing them led to all the frustration, anger, and many of the things that led to much of the invasion falling apart.

I can't even begin to explain how terrible it is to see someone lambaste someone for overlooking a detail in a post and then continue to drag it out over OOC rather than just saying something like
"Hey, @ThisPerson, I think there was something up with your last post, I'll fill you in with what I mean in a PM. @FA#1 @FA#2"

Being civil doesn't mean doing what I do all day and turn into a robot, it means take the extra step that people might otherwise not take for you to ensure that things go smoothly so you can get what you want easier and faster.

And I'll go ahead and say that every time I see someone say something hateful about the OS or any faction on the board here I lose more and more respect for that person. I let it slide when it only happens in reactionary anger and frustration, but the more I see people group together entire bands of writers under the flag of being the epitome of unfairness and cheating (which didn't happen in the invasion in the first place), the more I see that person as a hateful person that I mark on my "I don't ever want to associate with this person" list.

I think what we should have learned was:

• Don't insult people in OOC threads, doesn't matter how at fault they are - you are literally stooping to a lower level than their poor sportsmanship of whatever it was they did wrong.
• Take your problems to a PM first, then invite a faction admin or two from both faction into the PM if the other person (and you) are unable to work out a solution.
• Pay attention to the objective you are a part of. If your objective is PVP dueling, do that; if it is securing a location or defending it, do that. Don't get wrapped up in everything else.
• Go the extra mile to be the bigger person. So what if the other person isn't a nice person? Two wrongs don't make a right, and crusading against that kind of behavior and then not doing what you are preaching for makes you a hypocrite.

Those are lessons that should be learned that obviously, following a 3 minute check of the first fifteen pages of the invasion, need to be learned.

Of course there are also things which are good things which should be pointed out, like teamwork in NPC objectives is paramount and has been fulfilled, but obviously this is a thread all about our problems.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Chaos Guide to Winning:

1. Take no hits.
2. Demand hits.

 

[Onrai]

But Sempai, y u no comment on other points

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Chaos Guide to Losing:

1. Take hits.
2. Whine.
3. Ignore objectives.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

I have not learned anything useful. It was fun to write for a while but got boring in the long run. I am surprised we lost though.

To bad, but the story about the GR is not over yet!

*looks to the horizon in his worn rugged cloak being all Obi wanish he can be.*

 

[Antoir Setrrin]

Van-Daalen's Guide To Winning:

• Know your tech.
• Fight smart. Use your environment. Pay attention to your opponent (what they do, how they do it, and what they use to do it). Play to your strengths. Having trouble? Talk to another GR writer, get their thoughts on what to do. My inbox is open, bruh.
• Take hits.
• Keep your foe happy OOC. Don't be a jerk, regardless of what you think of them or their fellow writers. If they start being a jerk, then contact your FA. Don't be a jerk back, alright?
• Deal hits. If your opponent LolDodges everything, talk to them OOC about it. Politely point the issues out. If they resist, try to give them an idea of how things are from your side. Should that fail, contact a FA. Worst case scenario? You two stop dueling and find other opponents. Gasp!
• Use logic.
• FIGHT SMART.
• Ask other writers for advice if you're stuck. Even if they can't swoop in and rescue you, they should be able to at least give you some help.

​Van-Daalen's Guide To Actually Winning:

• Manage to have fun.
• Find a writer you're chill with or get to know another writer.
• Talk to them and discuss ideas for the fight (where on the battlefield they meet, how they might decide to fight each other, etc).
• If you get frustrated, take a break. Drink some tea.
• Have a good fight, regardless of who wins.
• Maybe get sad about losing.
• Remind self that this is a game, and that while we've put lots of work into it, it will never matter as much as real life and real relationships with real people.
• Hopefully be less sad.
• Drink more tea.
• Have fun! Yay
• Throw in kitten gifs.

​Van-Daalen's Guide To Losing:

• Be the biggest jerk ever
• Don't try to have fun
• Take everything as painfully seriously as you can
• Blame your failings on other people, always
• Yell at people

​Van-Daalen's Guide To Life:

• Look at kitten gifs a lot
• Let your emotions build up inside for years
• Punch walls occasionally
• Dream about murder every night
• Wonder why you're taking advice
• From an emotionally unstable
• Teenager
• Drink more tea

 

[Mantic Dorn]

oh oh... I know.

dont allow alts in invasions!
I think we were partly overrun because many of their writers used two characters while GR writers tend to only use one?
Not very helpful perhpas but a reflection to be added to the archives.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

I like the comment about people picking ONE side in order to avoid conflicts of interest. I know of a couple of our losses in the PvP that are questionable because of this.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Kamon's guide to winning:
1. Avoid battling the OS.
2. If you must battle the OS, find someone who cares more about story than destroying the Republic.
3. Write a good story, even if you lose.
4. Take hits, but not too many, and only take them when they are deserved. Be picky and make your opponent give you something juicy.
5. Remember you don't have to take hits, so if they aren't taking hits and refuse to do so after you speak to them, stop taking hits. Walking away is going to end up counting as a win for them.
6. Avoid the alt bombers.
7 . Avoid a conflict of interest. It's fine to have ccharacters in more than one faction. Heck not everyone in the OS is evil, either. But avoiding conflicts of interest helps keep everyone happy.
8. It's just a game, remember that, but it is a game you play with other people and you should want them to have fun too.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Despite all my Rage, I am still just a rat in a Cage...

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

[member="Draco Vereen"]
Your kind aren't wanted here.

And neither is your trolling.

 

[Aleister Grey]

Picked one side and stick with it? OK I will and this time I will be blunt. I pick the story and not anyone faction.

I write Bix who is actually Garith Darkhold in a new body. I have Aleister Grey who is a Hapen Noble and Naval Officer. Then I have Theo who is a prince of Alderaan and Republic politician. Garith Darkhold JR (Mandalorian Jedi Master and Alderaan prince). I also have others. I enjoy having a mix of characters with colorful histories and interacting with others.

Now I just came back from a LOA. So I have not been that active with all my characters. I even joined an invasion after I said I would never join another because of dark days on another board.

If you make demands of writers like pick a side OOC you are going to lose them if they are more interested in telling their character’s story.
I happened to have been manipulated in picking sides OOC in the past and I will not go there again. Well not manipulated to target a group or people on purpose. My ideas was manipulated and twisted by another. What was a unique story angle was turned into her bid to vie for power IC and OCC.

I’m asking, please do not have me pick one side. If I had to I will chose not to partake in invasions and just jump into non invasion/dominion threads.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

I think they mean to pick a side for each invasion, not for your overall gameplay.

That is not to say I agree with their opinion. That is just what I believe they mean by what they said.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Yeah, just in the invasions, because there are too many conflicts of interest. Can't have those issues if everyone picks a side to RP on for that particular thread. It alleviates a problem.

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Barrien Siegfried"]

Thank you for a clarification. I just want to write and have fun here, with as many writers as I can. What I do not wish to be trapped again in-between two or more warring bodies OOC wise.

 

[Ali Hadrix]

I have not learned anything useful. It was fun to write for a while but got boring in the long run. I am surprised we lost though.

To bad, but the story about the GR is not over yet!

*looks to the horizon in his worn rugged cloak being all Obi wanish he can be.*

Positivity Level: Over 9,000