Things Are Going To Change: OP's Future

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Aeron Kreelan"]
[member="Allison Willamina"]
[member="Amara"]
[member="Andromeda Versai"]
[member="Animus"]
[member="Aoyoshi Kinkawa"]
[member="Arkov"]
[member="Basaba Willamina"]
[member="Bluejay Ungolfen"]
[member="Brad Solo"]
[member="C.C"]
[member="Caden Cadell"]
[member="Canal Tal'Verda"]
[member="Cerita Sarova"]
[member="Chloe Blake"]
[member="Chupa La'Roi"]
[member="Cira"]
[member="Cloud Utada"]
[member="Corvo Anattolius"]
[member="Cross"]
[member="D' Orrin"]
[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Dekkan Fray"]
[member="Dicer"]
[member="Dragan Kinall"]
[member="Drazav"]
[member="Droideka 0793"]
[member="El Bigote"]
[member="Electrobe"]
[member="Elias Wolfe"]
[member="Enigma"]
[member="Falcon Gyndar"]
[member="Feena Mason"]
[member="Felicity Mason"]
[member="Flint Corek II"]
[member="Friedrich Stahlmann"]
[member="Galaar Tal'Verda"]
[member="Ghorumgash Khazund-Veranum"]
[member="Glyph"]
[member="Haven Pryde"]
[member="HK-36"]
[member="Ilsa Voll"]
[member="Isabella Denko"]
[member="Ivy Lasranae"]
[member="Jack Navarro"]
[member="Jack Raynor"]
[member="Jackpot Tal'Verda"]
[member="Jasmine Lancaster"]
[member="Jecht Thrash"]
[member="Jonathan Walsh"]
[member="Jordan Van Daalen"]
[member="Jorus Merrill"]
[member="Kaiden 'Papa' Rohn"]
[member="Kartor Neonburn"]
[member="Katagiri Ike"]
[member="Kathryn Langley"]
[member="Katrina Garnier"]
[member="Kessendra Sinclair"]
[member="Kix Tal'Verda"]
[member="Knight"]
[member="KX-13 Delta"]
[member="Lauren Walsh"]
[member="Leon McConnell"]
[member="Levy Willamina"]
[member="Lilicky"]
[member="Lily Rose"]
[member="Linna Beorht"]
[member="Lydeck"]
[member="Miles Varden"]
[member="Mirshen"]
[member="Mirta Krayt"]
[member="Mistral"]
[member="Nar-Tu-Bonmi"]
[member="Noah Corek"]
[member="November Sinclair"]
[member="Nyos Val"]
[member="Old Red Ordo"]
[member="Oliver Walsh"]
[member="Ori'Alor Tal'Verda"]
[member="Oswald Winchester"]
[member="Peyton Steele"]
[member="Praetorian"]
[member="Pravis Sharman"]
[member="Prellon Adras"]
[member="Regan Mendebras"]
[member="Riley Storm"]
[member="Riley Stryker"]
[member="Samuel Graves"]
[member="Sarge Potteiger"]
[member="Serana"]
[member="Serco Savar"]
[member="Silara Varis"]
[member="Skosk Fett"]
[member="Suri'ta Morgo"]
[member="Tegaea Alcori"]
[member="Teroch Gra'tua"]
[member="Thane"]
[member="Titan"]
[member="TK-4261 Strain"]
[member="Tysk Willamina"]
[member="Valerie Re'Daull"]
[member="Veino Garn"]
[member="Ven'Rain Sekairo"]
[member="Ventasia Terana"]
[member="Veron'Icka Stormson"]
[member="Vindart"]
[member="Willa Isard"]
[member="Xander Lok"]
[member="Xern Carithius"]
[member="Xylonic"]
[member="Ysanae Vela"]
[member="Zaren Bouqi"]
[member="Zarro Verres"]
[member="Zooey Walsh"]
[member="Zothustro Quill"]

Where is everyone?

There's over a hundred names on this list, and I've seen less than a fifth of them in the last three months.

I saw more names in the vote for the merger last month than I have in any of our check-ins for the last four months.

Why?

Is it me?

Do you not have the drive for a character anymore?

Are there not enough tools to help you make threads for others?

Why is it one of the oldest factions on the board is virtually a ghost town?

The Protectorate is the oldest non-Star Wars-based faction the board has. We've got almost as much physical territory as the Republic, worlds rich with history and sites ripe for roleplays. We've got one of the best maintained armories on the board, and probably the only one with a comprehensive list of every planet in our territory.

What do you want? What do you need? I can't do things if I don't know the problems first.

Want ideas for story arcs? Pitch 'em on the forum and make them happen. You don't need to wait for me or get my permission (unless you plan on blowing up planets or something, then it might need a check or two). I can't do everything for the faction. I need you guys as much, or more, than you need me.

I want the Protectorate to succeed. It's almost two years old. I'd love to have it hit three, four, or five. But it needs more activity from its members.

Talk amongst yourselves. Coordinate. Do. I would love to wake up one morning and see a thread someone else in the faction made and think to myself "That's freaking awesome. I need to be apart of -that-."

This faction deserves more than just to coast. It was made as a place for people to do things, to shake up places and make things happen where other factions wouldn't let them. So why has that changed?

It can be that place again. But we have to make it happen. Don't just wait for someone else. Make it happen yourself. I don't care if you've been with the faction since its beginning or just joined last week. If you have the drive, the need to see OP succeed and be an amazing place to write, then make it happen. And if anyone wants to give you trouble, I'm gonna back you. That's what I'm here for.

 

[Dekkan Fray]

Dekkan tends to stay in one place, but I welcome any of the Protectorate to come get a bite to eat at the Do or Dine.

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Onrai]

I'll be able to help the faction more once Suba- I mean, once Emeritus Industries has fully established itself and has begun producing new starfighters and starships.

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Nameless Knight]

I am around just well it is holidays and school vacations for Amalia. She trumps most things with work second and then rping

 

[Ilsa Voll]

It's not about new tools and toys, guys. It's about RPing. Sure, companies are RPs and making new stuff is RPs and playing with the toys and such are RPs... but it's not about the toys.

That's the one thing people forget, guys. You get too caught up in having the most blinged out star destroyer or the most pimped out starfighter or the most bangin' assault rifle that you get the goals mixed up with the submission.

The RPing FOR the toy is MORE IMPORTANT than the toy.

Ayden wants people to go do stuff, rock the boat, make a noise, be proactive. We all have those days or weeks where we're just like "Meehh!!! I don't wanna start a thread..." and that's understandable, it happens. Thing is, even little things can help out.

You wanna do a that thread you think will be hilarious between you and your drinking buddies in a bar? Toss it up here! Maybe some of us would like to see you and your friends drunk and take holopics to embarass you the next day. Or maybe we wanna do the same thing! You wanna do some PvE someplace and blow things up? Go for it! Toss it up so folks see it when you start it or before you start it 'cause chances are folks will come in and help you blow stuff up. Hell, I might even show with my tank for that. Hell, I'd show up with four 10/10 Twi'leks for the bar thread and pull a Coyote Ugly on the counter top if it means people post!

If the alt here isn't the most active, that's cool, but at least try. I know some of us have maybe two or three characters and then there's some of us that are mini-ciras and have enough alts to solve the manpower needs of the US Army. Just toss em in when you get a chance and let's get active.

Every little bit helps... but we gotta get the ball rolling first.

 

[Falcon Rekali]

I'm still the new guy, so I'm not sure what I can say, apart from...

...This character is very dear to me as an analogue of one of my very first RP characters, and I really feel like this place is the best home for him. Problem is, I haven't been able to find the pulse of this place, that heartbeat that tells me how to best function in this faction. That being said, I'll do what I can to help!

Aside from lifting this faction up again, my hope is that someday in the (hopefully near-ish) future, OP can again butt heads with the faction to the west that I preside over, and vice-versa. ;-)

 

[Veino Garn]

I've been working on more fully establishing and developing the Jensaarai as an NPC organization so it'll be easier for new characters to plug in instead of hopping around the galaxy like I've done with my three Jensaarai, but then a war started and Veino needed to get involved.

But as OP is where technically his home, he'll come back. And not just to topple a Cloud City cartel like last time.

 

[Antoir Setrrin]

Give me three days. I'm in the middle of the most proactive schoolwork session I've had in months, maybe a year. All these good vibes are making my creative side go nuts!

I swear I'll come up with something.

*self-pep talk*

I'll take with some buds, and see what we come up with. Expect a proposal in a few days.
IS GONNA BE GOOD*!!!
*results may vary, seeing as schoolwork come first. I'll come up with something regardless. THE GEARS ARE ALREADY TURNING

 

[Miles Varden]

I want to see something put together that brings the RPers together like the old Omega Pyre had. A campaign, a dominion that wasn't so diplomatic(noticed most of is are soldiers) and maybe even something we've had before. An OP event. We host something for the rest of the galaxy to do. I like it when there was thread after thread of things to do. So many ideas going around.


Any who are active, now is the time to share your ideas. Ayden and I want this faction to stay strong. It's my favorite faction by far on the boards and the one that's stuck with me for over 2 years now. I'm no Admiral but I'm an OP lover and want to have fun with this faction again.

 

[Serco Savar]

[member="Ayden Cater"]

That would be the part where both my introductin post to the faction and my request for a Master went ignore and unresponded to.

As a result I figured you guys didn't need or want another member but as I am not a big fan of doing a faction hop every week I decided to just leave it well enough alone until I figured out what to do with the character.

I will forth with remove myself and let him float around in limbo while making that decision.

May the force be with you all.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

One way to start is making threads set in the Protectorate. Doesn't even have to be with your Protectorate characters; maybe it'll spark someone else's interest in writing their Protectorate characters.

For example, open thread, Polis Massa salvage run.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

OP does not lack for weapons or tech, or special locations.

No, OP has more than enough of all of that.

What it seems to lack is dedication.

http://starwarsrp.net/topic/32375-i-am-buzz-lightyear-i-come-in-peace-protectorate-dominion-of-athos-iv/

Now I'm aware that people are busy, but taking over 6 months to do a Dominion of a custom world, even with [member="Knight"] and alts spamming it is not a good sign.

Furthermore, I question OPs ability to maintain the high moral ground when it then turns around and allies with @Enigma...a Sith. Now being inclusive is fine, and I have nothing against the writer pushing for new opportunities, but OP was always supposed to be at least nominally of good alignment.

So what's my point? OP is a paper tiger right now. It has the second most territory, arguably the most impressive tech, and some of the best canon worlds under its control.
Yet it's done very little. Is that a problem with leadership or a problem with members not posting? Maybe it's both. Should Ayden try and share leadership with someone as I know he's busy and can't always handle the necessary duties?

It may seem hypocritical for me to be posting this since for all intents and purposes I am merely RPing on an OP planet and not a part of it, but the reason for that is that I felt I neither had the support of the leadership nor any coherent direction which would make me want to try harder with the faction, so I've gone back to working in my own small patch.

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

To be fair, what's happening with Enigma right now is wholly separate and hidden from the Protectorate.

But as far as lacking dedication, I can agree with that. I have frequently tried to drum up activity to get Athos finished. When I first made the dominion, I didn't think it would take this long to finish it. I understand that folks can get sidetracked and busy, but six months for a dominion is a little disheartening.

I don't have to be involved in every thread for the faction. I'm more than happy to sign off on an idea and happily wave as folks go off to do it on their own. I'm not so egotistical as to think that I'm a requirement for a successful thread. In fact, the more threads I see happening for the good of the faction that I'm not a part of, the happier I get. Cause when one person tries to shoulder the weight of a faction, you get burnout.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

I don't have to be involved in every thread for the faction.

Actually I rather think you do. See, the natural state of members is inertia. If you are pushing them, they will post. If you leave it to their own devices they will get distracted elsewhere. They'll go post with other alts and quickly the thread slows to a crawl because 'nothing is happening'.
Even if you have to post half the replies in a thread, someone needs to push the agenda, because no one else will do it for you.

As for Circe...all secrets come out, and will working with a wanted Sith who Cira once put a bounty on the greatest thing for OP's image or for your security?

 

[Nameless Knight]

Well i can say this he might not be needed in all the threads but the dominion it is his world and he seemed to be setting up the situations in the shattered lands and places to infiltrate. You almost were minorly DMing things for us and I could make random posts with my alts and finish it but there would be little to no interaction of large connection to everything. Though I will try and be more active for this.

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

It should not be left to me to drive threads onward all the time. Major threads that affect the faction, sure. Absolutely. But I don't need to be in faction thread. I can't. I'm one person.

People need to be able to drive threads on their own without my hand. And that was part of what I was attempting to do with the Athos dominion; provide a place for people to make their stories.

That's why in this Naboo thread where we're discussing the aftermath of the Invasion, Ayden's a secondary character in it. He's not there to push the story along the whole way. He's given his report and assessment, and now he'll let the Queen and the others do their thing. He'll probably wander off at some point to do other things to help rebuild. He's not a central figure for the narrative.

And I'm okay with that.

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

I want the Faction storyline we talked about in the other thread.

The one HK soecifically made antagonist withering for.

If not that-- I want another faction storyarc like the Bando Gora that colored all of our threads.

I want after action report threads with the ic leadership like we used to have after every major invasion or galactic highlight -- like we used to do for Roche, for the mando sith war, for donyand, our internal investigation threads, for dark harvest ( til it got wiped), for dealing icly political ramifications.

Where is the thread dealing with what happened after coruscant? We suffererd heavy losses, but as a faction we didn't roleplay how that affected us. How things with ASA have affected us.

Why haven't we talked to Moross? They are south of us for almost a year and yet we still have had no ic discourse.

Where are we with lords of the fringe? What is going on with that war?

Where is the interaction between icly the leadership, exarchs, and the population itself?
What IS our current government structure?
Icly where has any change if any been roleplayed? Nothing has been updated in our faction page, in our forums-- everything is out of date.

What are we doing to promote recruitment? To promote people wanting to stay here in OP?

What is our plan of action? And more importantly, where is the follow through?

I've been pushing the Dominion and have also posted in the Naboo thread for the neat afteraction report with the Invasion of Naboo.

But what else do we have going on besides the Skirmish with ACA?

I think also, perhaps having another administrator help you with the organization of the forums and updating may end up smoothing things over in keeping everyone updated. Maybe considering an admin vote for the share of the workload may be good for the faction.

Also, getting an internal check in and seeing who is still here and, while militant, booting the rest may get a good idea on who is here and who are not.

Not like those once they get active again can't just click join faction


Unless we are going to go to an approval membership like we used to?

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

On top of that, I know the Kaeshana Faction within OP territory is pretty heavily active.

How about doing joint missions with them? Training?

Get the subfactions within OP involved with the main OP faction in itself. First by figuring out who are the current active subfactions?

Maybe get their FO's of these subfactions involved in governing Icly with distinct positions to the Protectorate to aide in pushing the more political parts of story?

 

[Arage Bao]

I like the blond girl's words. *nod*

 

[Ventasia Terana]

*Bonks [member="Jared Ovmar"] on the head*

School is kicking my butt, but within about two weeks, I should be freed up!

Also, I'm super torn on where I'm taking Ventasia next.

So, in my mind, it's not so much as anything that your doing wrong Ayden. I think it's simply a combination of people being busy, and not knowing what direction the faction is heading in, or what we're really doing at the present time. Would a faction story such as the Bando Gora help? Of course. Heck, during that, we practically had a Guardians of the Galaxy type group going (Me, Racket, Nyos, HK, and I think one other). But, also, others should be able to create stories for themselves they can somewhat attract the attention of other members.

In my mind, I simply think that what we need to find is that same spark that lit the fire under us during those times. That is easier said than done, however, as catching lightning in bottle twice is hard thing to do. But I figure if anyone can pull it off, it's this crazy bunch. Speaking of which... I miss all the crazy! Am I the only insane one left around here?!

/rantover