Since the 14th of this month, there’s been quite a heated debate on and off the MRT Server over who can build roads, how they should look, what is the threshold of “too many” roads.. etc.
The problem, new members want to express their creativity and cannot, because of bureaucracy.
Me? For months, I’ve been heavily defending my precious roads from anyone even threatening to cough on them. I treat everything I build that I enjoyed making it, as my “baby”.
Too much, you say? Perhaps. But I couldn’t help it.
My friends were defending me. Some of them still do, saying that they can’t take away my right to own what I made. Others feel the Admins aren’t letting their voices be heard over this.
Last Sunday (the 28th), Frumple posted a link to a Google Doc of six proposals laid down by the Admins, and asked us moderators to weigh in with our opinions. I of course was the first (and the only) one to. He also posted something else, that I will go over later on. To make things simple, here’s a short version of the proposals, and my opinion on them.
Proposal #1(the one we talked about in the Staff Meeting): “Restrict road-building to Trusted members only.”
Trusted would be the only ones to build roads, and Members would have to ask them. Immediately after the meeting, outrage over that proposal was in full force. Mostly of how I shouldn’t be forced to give up control of my roads.
Proposal #2: “Allow all members to build roads.”
Immediately, I was 100% against this idea, and still am. I picture total chaos of roads criss-crossing the server. But Chief says that this won’t happen, as they can issue warnings for people that do build roads all over the server.
But then, what would be classified as “too many” roads? This also means, no one will have control over their roads. They will pretty much belong to the community.
Proposal #3: “Ban creation of highways, but allow smaller roads.”
Making it where the Admins would plan out highways (intermaps), but do so in a less grand scale. Not for this. Banning is not favored for me.
Proposal #4: “Ban new cross-map highways, transfer ownership to towns, and only allow two towns to be connected by roads”
This is a “slightly reworded” version of Proposal 3, from Thomas, but I pretty much skimmed through the description and still don’t get what he’s trying to say.
Proposal #5: “Establish a Roads Committee”
This is the only one I was 100% for. It was an idea Frumple gave me, when we were doing another staff meeting, months ago. But this version has been altered to make it more fair. Instead of me being in charge, one Admin, two Mods (one being me), and a few hand-picked people would be on the committee.
There would also be elections for new committee members. Unfortunately, most of the Admins are against this. Once again, bureaucracy would be a problem. And it would lead to fights.
Proposal #6: “Roads become semi-private builds”
This one is pretty much the one Frumple kind of wants me to agree with. It allows me to control my roads (as in, where they go), but… I would have to allow others to build off of it, without having to ask for permission. It also states, the Admins would be the decision-makers of what classifies as an “ugly road”.
All and all, this will allow people to build roads and connect them to mine, without permission. But being able to say “I’m sorry, but I’m planning to build mine this way” would be more fair to us Road Owners.
We built these roads out of our blood, sweat, and tears. We should be the ones calling the shots on where they go, not other people.
One last thing. The Admins have mentioned that these very proposals, will be shown to the community in a few weeks. I’m guessing the reason behind “a few weeks” instead of now, is the Admins want the Moderators to weigh their opinions first, then allow the Members to. That would make sense.
.
And here’s the section of what else I received in that email. After I said my opinion of all the above-mentioned proposals, Frumple sent all staffers an email that he sent to the Admins, explaining what he was going to do before telling us.
As I kept reading, it was clear to me that I’m being blamed for this, instead of DasNexus and Yeamanator wanting to build roads all over the server. He states that he has no objection over seeing roads everywhere, then puts the blame solely on me for keeping Members from expressing their creativity; “and I’m not convinced that Benie realizes this yet”.
This made me want to break down crying. I had no idea that my overly-obsessed desire to protect my roads (and everything I build that I like) was pissing Members off. I had thought that Frumple just didn’t care about my roads. Of course I had to do the right thing!, but with the cost of me possibly leaving the server (because I wouldn’t be able to stand it). I decided that I would lose full control of my roads.
Frumple’s response, he was shocked to see mine, and said that he hoped to “come to a mutual agreement” of just allowing others to build on them, and I would still own them. In other words, he favors Proposal 6 (it seems, going by his words).
Yet, Chief and Thomas favor Proposal 2. I just don’t know what is the Admins’ true stand on this. Perhaps they don’t even know. Nothing’s for certain, as of now.
This also makes me wonder if I should just come back to the server; be on it after I do my dailies in WoW. The Admins haven’t made anything official yet (roads wise), meaning the old rule is still in place. So why shouldn’t I just come back and pretend we never had that damn Staff Meeting?
Because I feel if I get too “comfortable”, this thing will “sneak up” on me and smack me like a wrecking ball. That’s why I’m not sure. I fear the Admins will just say; “You know what? Screw it! We’re deciding! If you don’t like it, leave!!”
I try to tell myself that the Admins would never do something so stupid (as it would just doom the server), but my bad side continues to think that.