Question Should we implement a activity check on voters in Major Faction Owner votes?

[Tefka]

Groups are free to institute this check themselves so long as its fair and free, but should we require it every time? Its upended elections twice now, both times I’ve done it, and I have never seen other factions do it.

Basically, in the recent GA vote, we instituted 10 posts in the previous 6 months, in faction related threads. Dominions, subfaction public threads, junctions, invasions, faction, a lot can count for this. 10 votes, in a period of 6 months, in order to vote. The easiest of feats if you’re roleplaying and not just serving as a McDiscord manager. 10 posts, across 6 months. In the Mandalorians, when I did their vote, we required 15.

So, while factions can already do this, I am asking if the SWRP Staff Team should mandate it. It honestly hasn’t changed a single outcome yet, which.. good, thats actually fortunate. But in my opinion, it is a good standard to live by, and has been incredibly revealing of people’s actions regardless of their words.

Do you think thats fair? What are the problems with it?

 

[Gavin Restur]

I don't think it's a bad idea, as I think having at least some level of activity check on the people voting what direction a faction goes does more good than bad

Though I think there should be some clarification on what constitutes a faction related thread: for example, is it only faction-wide threads that count (like Invasions, Dominions, etc)? Do Private threads with other faction members count? Do the threads in between count (like Public threads, First Reply threads) if they're with people of the same faction?

I think as long as that gets cleared, I think it would be a good idea

 

[Tefka]

I don't think it's a bad idea, as I think having at least some level of activity check on the people voting what direction a faction goes does more good than bad

Though I think there should be some clarification on what constitutes a faction related thread: for example, is it only faction-wide threads that count (like Invasions, Dominions, etc)? Do Private threads with other faction members count? Do the threads in between count (like Public threads, First Reply threads) if they're with people of the same faction?

I think as long as that gets cleared, I think it would be a good idea

Private is a hard no. Even if the Major is demonstrably Private thread focused, they are not playing the game everyone else is playing, and have earned the right to shoot themselves in the foot.

Everything else? Obvious should be obvious, common sense rules, the fringe situations can be case by case basis. Like for GA, if a Faction thread is marked Jedi, I have to go investigate if its the GA’s Jedi they’re roleplaying with. Thats a fringe situation.

But if its GADF - thats the Alliance Defense Force, very obviously a Faction thread and an eligible post.

Yeah I think common sense rules here, and I also do think players should be given a chance to defend themselves, as we did with this recent vote. It can be uncomfortable, to get called out in public, but if you got knowledge I need to make a good decision, you should step up and deliver it, imo.

 

[Mercy]

Especially if it hasn't actually changed a vote one way or the other, I don't see a reason for this, I'd say no.

 

[Aether Verd]

Inb4 for adversarial alts just make it a habit of posting 2x a month in the factions they hate

s/

(I'm fine with having activity standards, 10 posts in 6 months is fine. I'd like there to be an asterisk next to it so that MFOs can have their own activity standards though. If a faction wants to be stricter with their standards, for example, let them.)

 

[Tefka]

Please be stricter lmao 10 posts in 180 days is literally like 1 post every 3 weeks.

 

[Tefka]

Imagine the activity of this forum if you had to wait 3 weeks for a post.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

I see both sides of it.

Yes : S---posters do vote. Factions themselves have activity checks. Players make factions active, I'm rambling.

No : New players may not entirely have skin in the game yet, but they can still make good points. Mercy also makes a great point if it does not affect the vote.

I vote "yes"

I probably have more to add to this but I just got dinner.

 

[Soundwave]

I think it's fine.

Realistically if you wanted to be involved in having your opinion mean anything for change within a faction, you should at least be somewhat involved in the faction. 10 posts within a 6 month time frame is pretty generous given the size of some of these factions and their ability to churn out a steady number of threads to partake in. Even with my GA Senator who I've only exclusively posted in diplomatic/senate threads, I've managed that so I think it works to keeping people on their toes.

My only issue to this is how would you take newer members into consideration for said votes, or would there be a leniency in allowing them a chance to vote?

 

[Darth Kentarch]

Should we implement a activity check on voters in Major Faction Owner votes?

Yes.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Seems fair to me. I'd say that the 10 posts in the last six months was pretty accommodating. It allows for some wiggle-room if folks wind up taking a break from the board but have still had some good activity.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Yes. It's better to have an established rule than to come in in the middle of something and implement a new rule without notice. Just rip the bandaid and do it now while it's top of mind.

 

[Tilon Quill]

Yes and make them post the ten links when they vote.

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't mind it... But I do prefer the "good faith" approach here until members give us a reason not to keep that faith.

I'd suggest leaving it to the MFO who is stepping down. Who do you want participating in appointing your replacement? What criteria do you think they should follow?

Food for thought, make the MFO accountable for running and holding a fair and free vote. (Unless they go MIA and then Site Staff steps in anyway.)

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Yes.

I think it's fair, although I also think activity checking MFO candidates and new members is the most important part. An MFO being elected that doesn't have 10 posts in the last 6 months, in a faction they own is insane to me. If you're going to be trusted with that kind of responsibility you should demonstrate some kind of commitment and familiarize yourself with the current state of your community.

Likewise I think newer writers\faction members just don't have that kind of awareness or stakes in a faction to get that much say.

I'll use my membership with Black Sun for example; I just joined them like yesterday I think? I haven't done a single thread, and even if I got 10 posts up during the current BSS vs THR invasion, I would not feel comfortable voting because It wouldn't be enough time to become fully integrated and invested into that community enough to know what's best for them.


For veteran members, if they're only voting, not running for MFO, I think it's less important because odds are they were familiar with the community at some point but became disinterested due to the leadership of the previous MFO. Seeing returning writers might be a good sign that voting in a new MFO will revive interest in an ailing faction.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

10 posts in six months is a low bar to clear, and it seems fair to expect people involved in deciding the future of a faction to have some activity writing with said faction as a bare minimum.

I totally agree that it is fair to the faction / writers.

My concern is with additional workload for SWRP staff enforcing it.

I'm assuming the enforcement falls would fall to the MFO stepping down and only SWRP staff in case of emergency, that Staff is not expected to intervene every time.

What happens in the event of MFO/faction staff being lax about the mandate, or faction members claiming the MFO is selectively enforcing the mandate (whether in bad faith or genuine)?

If common sense and good-faith behavior prevails, this is probably a non-issue. If not, however, this might be setting up for SWRP Staff intervention more often than not.

I trust more experienced people on the forum have solutions to this concern, but that's the only issue I can think to bring up with the idea.

That and maybe a stance on faction articles and factory/codex submissions for the faction's use might give some leeway for faction staff who do end up more on the backend of things.

 

[Kitter Bitters]

Yes, with a rule stating new members (not new alts) are not subject to it or something.

Also a rule stating if the MFO is being replaced because the faction has lost activity and there was nothing to post to then the rule is overrided?

 

[Azurine Varek]

New players may not entirely have skin in the game yet, but they can still make good points. Mercy also makes a great point if it does not affect the vote.

This is the main reason why I would say that there should be an exception for the new players. If they are heavily active already within the faction, but they don't technically l have the 10 posts yet because of it being a slow faction thread week or something, I think they shouldn't necessarily be discounted since the outcome would effect them as well. I can also see a case for not since someone who is new to the site might not have all the information they might want/need to vote.

I also think that this would put more work on the current site staff that shouldn't really fall on them, but I'm not sure of what might lessen that load with this question. If others have a way to adress that, please do. I'll try to think more on that as it is a concern of mine.

Either way, I think it would be a good standard to follow even if it's just informal because if you can't meet that, then it's similar to someone from another faction that doesn't actually have a stake in what happens to it throwing their vote in. 10 faction posts in 6 months is such a low bar to clear in a large faction. 6 months is a generous leeway and allows for plenty of LOA time if someone needed it (which is why I don't personally think that needs to be much higher of a post number, just to give that cushion for people who need it to step away). I used to chastise myself for being what I considered as more inactive than others or taking a longer time to post, yet even with my having been away for most of the month I would still meet that requirement multiple times.

So yeah, I think it's a good idea. Whether formally or informally, as long as it's seen as a base standard.

 

[Koda Fett]

Ten posts in a six month timeframe is the bare minimum. If you can't meet that, you shouldn't really be considered a faction member.

 

[Darth Athora]

Absolutely.