The End Of A Dynasty: Who's Next? (Discussion- Admin Approved)

[Drusilla]

This topic has been appoved by Suzie (Little_Pikachu).

Well, if you haven't noticed by now, we're short a mod. Who's next? I've no idea...

However, I have been given clearance to bring the issue to the masses: Who do you think should be the next RPG mod?



Respect each other's oppinions, please. This isn't an invite to start flaming each other. Kalah was contacted several times and, either by choice or by circumstance, never responded. This wasn't an attempt to 'single her out'; the other two mods haven't posted, true, but they at least have been on the boards recently.

So, keep it intelligent, people...

[The_Missing_Link]

I think the question is that who's been active enough to become a mod? Maybe it's the fact that I haven't participated in an RPG since I started college but I really haven't seen anyone who can fit the longevity/activeness bill. Honestly, I think Dru gets my vote but it's a pretty limited field in itself. I would also throw VirtualPlay into the mix but he's been busy with school and work so I suppose that's moot

[Heald]

I would be more active if people actually posted in RPGs. Only a handful of RPGs are actually active, or if we only count the ones that get daily posts, about four or five.

People, you have squandered this. This used to be a brilliant RPG forum. I don't know how many of you remember but I remember when we had to run RPGs in the Fanfiction forum and our following (BBP, Lilac_Mew, myself etc) eventually garnered together enough support to warrant our own forum. This place used to have loads of active RPGs, and people being in about 4 or 5 at once. However, at the moment, there are very few regulars. Aside from Gav and JT, the only recurring names I can see are people like Dru, TML, M_C, VP, Sango, Asi etc. (btw don't take offence if I haven't mentioned you). I think it was only a year ago that this place had a fairly decent following, with people like Nall, pokemaster_frank, TMM, Rudy etc.

The RPG forum is especially unique in terms of posting because whereas topics in other forums only need half a dozen posts to be worthwhile, every RPG needs at least 2 pages of posts to become worthwhile, and then needs a daily stream of posts to keep them alive.

Thus, regarding mods, mods in other forums only need to make sure that posts stay on topic and are appropriate. However, because we have no such problems in this forum, mods need to have a different role, and I'm not just talking about posting the biannual dance/award topics, because quite frankly, anyone can do that, and as we have seen from the last awards, are largely void of any activity. Therefore, we need mods that will rebuild the community and stimulate activity around here again. We need to have some sort of incentive for people to post more regularly and keep RPGs alive, instead of posting a couple of times and then forgetting about it and joining a different RPG.

Of course, mods can't punish people for making unsuccessful RPGs, nor can they ban people for being inactive. A non-aggressive but nonetheless active policy must be taken up against the stagnating nature of this forum.

Do I have any ideas? I have a few taking form in my mind, but until I give these ideas some written form, I would like some response.

[Plantae]

I agree in the utmost with you, Heald. It'd seem like I have not been here long enough to attest to the previous "brilliance" of the forum, but there are always the lurking days, and even in this dullness, TPM's RPG Forum has an infrastructure and accessibility to it that are oft impossible in other places. I have browsed many forums of the type in my day, and this one has some endearing quality to it that gives me the need to see it flourish again.

I think we have fallen so far in to habit that there are no good examples. As unfortunate as it is that one person's vision is not enough to run an entire roleplaying thread, it is true. The Veterans here, by my observation, are trying their hardest to eek just a bit more water out of the bottle, because our forum is wilting. Even then, it becomes "how the mighty have fallen." People just lose the will in the face of this problem, and the newcomers that arrive only see the example, and allow the cycle to repeat itself.

A moderator, as Heald has stated, cannot be someone who merely browses the many pages and searches for infractions to the rules. They cannot be a person who merely has the time to post the routine announcements and threads that are more or less unnecessary.

It is then, that choosing a new moderator is difficult. Moderation is about self-sacrifice. The issue is that with such a system, the overseer of this forum only gets a limited amount of time to really roleplay. It lowers the appeal of the position, when it is realized what work is to be involved in this effort.

That is why I do not volunteer a person. I am not about to put the pressure on someone to take a job where they might just lose the ability to participate in the operation they are building.

The simple fact is that the current idea of an "RPG Forum" is not efficient enough. There are odds and ends scattered along the pages of these threads, and it just doesn't work.

The new moderator of this forum should be someone who is so dedicated to helping it that they would give up their ability to actually join in the fun, an utmost devotion to duty. In turn, my suggestion is that this whole monstrous being receive a total re-haul. We aren't to be focused on saving a life, but giving a new one. Everything needs to be built up from the ground, and it needs to be a community effort. The idea is ambitious, and the preparation won't be pretty, but if we can find a moderator that is willing to do such a thing, they're my candidate without question.

[Heald]

To be honest, the easiest way to stimulate activity again is to delete every RPG except the five most active and tell people to start again, and this time do it right.

[Plantae]

Actually, that's the point I was dancing around. It just sounded harsh. My praise for saying it without sugary coating.

[Fai D. Flowright]

While I DO agree with what Plantae and Heald have said, espcially about the qualities of a moderator and what they REALLY need to do in this forum, I very much DISAGREE with deleting everything. Yes, it does remove the blemishes from the past from obvious sight, the memories of those times will never go away...

Even if people "Start anew," it will quickly return to the same state. It's proven that it takes almost a year for someone to change even the simplest things about themselves, especially undoing the "normal" activities they do. And unless there is someone here that can help several dozen people change their posting habits over the internet, nothings going to change.

I mean, I hate to sound pessimistic, but it's just like anything else: deletion is just a way to hide our mistakes, and hiding the truth doesn't fix anything.

Unfortunately, I'm drained from school (I'm now in college as well), or else, I would have at least an idea or two for this discussion, but I'm half-conscious now. But I shall think, and if I think of ANYTHING, I'll share my two-cents with you again! ^_^

[Plantae]

I disagree with you, Tsukasa, in that you've missed a part of the point.

Deletion doesn't just remove "blemishes," it streamlines the forum quite a bit to make changing it easier. Obviously with the deletion, there would come a new set of rules or additonal ones, depending on the decisions made. Obviously if such a deletion were to happen, authors of older than active roleplays would be given the chance to save the things they've constructed within a certain time period, or to give reason as to why the believe there own roleplay should be kept. The fact is, however, that we have pages on pages of useless threads that simply make browsing the forum a chore. This is all a "what if" situation anyway. Of course, all of this is a sort of a moot point until we choose a moderator.

Which brings a point to mind: how will this moderator be chosen? Are we to assume, by this thread, that it'll just be off this discussion? Are we to expect a more democratic means of deciding our new moderator?

[Fai D. Flowright]

At this point in time, I don't think there is ANYONE that role-plays that deserves the title of a mod. At least, not that I've witnessed. And especially if we are looking for something that could even REMOTELY stand up to even a couple of the ideas we've discussed in here.

But.... That's just one (horribly) biased opinion.

And Plantae, wouldn't it just be easier (and somewhat more convienent) to archive the RPGs that those of us found to be good and remove the ones that either 1. Never got passed the sign-up stage, or 2. Are not wanted by the creator or any participants.

I think that would be fair. Some of us are proud of the RPGs we've done *has a couple himself* And trust me....Trying to archive TPM threads on your own computer is a real pain in the ass sometimes...

But I do agree that all the CRAP needs to go.

[EngiMatikul]

Tsu's right, achiving seems like a much more better idea :p as for top 5 RPGs, dude, is there even 5 RPGs considered "active" at the moment? XD XD XD


BTW: Me thinks mods don't have such importance as you guys write them out as having. perhaps most influencial of the mods is convincing other people to join an RPG. Other than that not much purpose in mods other than checking RPGs out. So methinks not make RPG mod act so high and mighty as you say. It make job harder and not as fun. Just active person who like RPG. English purposely bad. If bother you, I rewrite in beautifully structured BS.

[Mystic_clown]

I can't believe that Kalah's gone...

Anyway, I really dont mind who gets the job as the new mod, as long as they do a good job of it.

[ChobiChibi]

I'd just like to point out that not all of the inactive RPGs have been a complete failure. Whoop, the only RPG i'm in that i'd say i've posted regularly enough in, has been going on for 2 years and we're still going. Sure, there's only 4 players at the moment, but surely that's a sign that if you can get a group of dedicated players together then there's no stopping you.

I guess that's what we're lacking, dedicated players. I'll admit i'm not one of them.

It seems to me that most of the people who do post in this forum are either in college or are in the year before college. Either way, they have a lot of work to be doing. You can't expect someone to do a post over their coursework. Therefore you can't expect a post a day from everybody. Which brings me to my next point. Wouldn't you rather have one decent well thought through post than five small ones with no structure or plot?

I seem to have wondered off topic slightly ^^;

I think that none of us should put names forward for the next mod. I think that if someone feels they can take the responsibility of being a mod and can show they have the time, they should put their own names forward. If no one wants to, then i think we're perfectly fine with the two we have already.

[Kuro Espeon]

I've been on this RPG forum for 5 years now. As much as I love it here, I'll have to agree with some of the earlier posters that it's definetely gone downhill in the past 2 years or so. However, there have been plenty of popular, active and well-made RPGs, and more than just five. I agree with Tsukasa that Deletion is a tad extreme. I know several RPs that I've been in that may not be too active now but I'd still be sad (maybe a little peeved) if they went away permanently. I support the Archive idea.

As for naming a new Mod, I think the current Mods/Admin's should take nominations privately (in PMs and such) and then possibly post a vote topic (though, if the Award topics are any indication of participation in votes...that may no be such a good idea...x_x).

And I can't believe you didn't mention me Heald! I am offended! (Lol, j/k! ^_~)

[Heald]

I guess one reason the forum has gone downhill is that beforehand, everyone was around 13-14, and therefore didn't have as many personal committments. Now the majority are around 17-18 and therefore have a lot more work in their personal lives.

I wasn't seriously suggesting that we delete everything, that would be too easy and too harsh. However, I do have three proposals to improve this forum.

1) Turn the ASB/RPG sub-forum into an archive. I've been following the ASB/RPG project since its conception and although ambitious and a reasonable amount of support, as JT mentioned a few months back, lack of interest has spurred concerns and doubts over it. To be honest, considering the state this forum is in, I doubt there would be enough interest from either people to run it and people to participate in it to make it a worthwhile endeavour. That is why it should be scrapped in favour of something more useful...

...such as an archive. Such as in the Fanfiction forum, all authors strive to have their works submitted into the annals of history and archived for all to read. This works on a similar basis: this will encourage people to finish their RPGs so that when they are finished, they can be archived and you can recall all the memories you had of the RPG. Back in the old days, nothing felt as good as finishing an RPG and when I go back and look at them now, I enjoy reading them even more.

Therefore, if people now have an incentive to finish their RPGs, they will encourage their members to post and participate.

2) A feedback topic/RPer league table. This is to provide Gamemasters and mods a personal insight of all the members of the RPG forum. Just like the feedback system, Gamemasters and fellow RPers can post feedback on other RPers or Gamemasters, either postive, neutral or negative. This will need to be strictly monitored in case controversial comments or blatant-flaming takes place. Postive feedback will include good RPing style, activity and daily posting. Neutral will mainly be for newbies, saying that they are alright but their RPing style has room for improvement, or perhaps mixed comments i.e. a good RPer but can be inactive. Negative feedback will be for constant inactivity or RPing in a bad way (this doesn't entail bad spelling or grammar, which would fall under Neutral, but generally posting out-of-context RPs or power-RPing or ruining the plot).

Every week, a mod (if we had three mods, they could rotate this and so only have to do it once every three weeks each) will then process the feedback and give the RPer points. I'm thinking +3 for positive feedback, +1 for Neutral and -2 for Negative. There would also be a league table, with the top RPers obviously getting an ego boost.

We could run two league tables - a RPer league and a Gamemaster league.

This would help provide incentive for people to be more active, as people would want to accumulate points for good work and would discourage inactivity as they would gain a bad reputation. RPers with a high score may also be given liberty to have more freedom in their character creation as they are more trustworthy. Gamemasters with a high score will also probably have more sign-ups as a result.

3) Inactive RPG pruning. If an RPG has not had an RP (not an OOC post such as 'I'll post in a few days or so') for a week, a Mod issues a warning. The game must then have had at least 2 RPs within a week, otherwise the Mod PMs the Gamemaster that the RPG will be deleted unless he can give a good enough reason not to. This will encourage both people to post and the Gamemaster to PM the RPG members and get them to post.

I know this seems ambitious and will provide more work for the mods but unless the mods intervene, there will be no way for this forum to ever recover from this recession.

I eagerly await your criticisms.

EDIT: Thinking out loud here, but if the mods can't be bothered to run the league table, I'm more than capable of doing it myself.

EDIT 2: Ack, I feel like an idiot for missing out KE. Sorry darling.

[Drusilla]

Well, I haven't read most of these replies in detail, and I apologise... kind of busy at the moment but I should get to it later today.

In any case, my primary purpose in starting this was to give people a chance to speak out as to whom they would prefer to take the new mod seat so that Suzie can make a researched decision. She has chosen not to give the remaining mods say in this, either, seeing as how they can't even be active in their own forum.

[Fai D. Flowright]

I think most of the people that have posted in here agree that there ARE no worthy candidates for the Mod position, which is why the conversation has branched into other discussions and ideas for this forum. While yes, a new mod fills in the "gap" that's there, it doesn't neccessarily mean that the problems on the forums will be fixed.

Heald, while I think your first 2 ideas are nice, again, the deletion thing is too extreme (with the 3rd idea). It should be up to the mod (or even the participants) whether the RPG is deleted or archived. I don't think the archve section should be for "completed RPGs only." There are some RPGs that have started well and have fantastic posts, but never finish due to one reason or another.

I think you catch my drift here...

[Heald]

I'll nominate whoever either thinks my proposals through and is willing to legislate them or submits their own ideas to get this forum back on its feet. I'm not going to nominate anyone just like that. You have to be more than just an active RPer to be a mod (I think the last few mods have proven that). At the moment I am leaning towards Drusilla, since she is active and has shown a degree of dedication by organising and running the awards and going to the trouble of posting this topic. However, until I see some progress and innovation, I'm undecided for now.

Tsukasa - the deletion is only meant as an incentive to get people to post. Honestly, if an RPG dies, there is no point in keeping it around. However, I agree with you on the fantastic unfinished RPGs. Maybe the plan could be that once the RPG gets to 50 posts, it is exempt from deletion. However, the archive is a huge incentive for people to actually complete RPGs.

[Drusilla]

Personally, I am flattered that people think that I could possibly make a good mod, and I'm not trying to be humble. I won't deny that I've wanted to be a mod in this forum for a very long time, and if a good number see it fit to nominate me, I will gladly take on the position if Suzie goes through with it. I just want to see something of the "golden age" restored. I know that it will probably never be what it once was, because as someone said all ready, those of us who have been around are older and have more obligations to fulfil than we once did. I am no longer a middle school student who has nothing better than to sit in class and write posts in her notebook because the lecture is nothing new. I have classes, a job, household tasks, a complicated family life and a social life to balance, not to mention no internet access at home. But I still find time to post, which is what counts (as far as this forum is concerned, at least).

As far as deletion/archiving goes, I think that the basic idea is good, but you do have to remember that sometimes circumstances change and things have to be put on hold for a while. Here's my proposition: Anything that hasn't been posted in for at least two weeks is "marked" and the creator is notified. If there is no response after three or four days, then the RPG may be deleted unless it was a large thread, in which case it will be archived. If there is a response, the creator has the option of reviving it or having it archived or deleted, depending on how far the storyline got.

Of course, this is just an idea, and I don't think anything should be set in stone. There should always be room for negotiation.

[Heald]

Apart from TML and myself, no one else has put forward a name. TML nominated you Dru, and I haven't nominated you yet, but I was saying if you put a gun to my head and told me to choose the best candidate, you seem the most dedicated so I'd say you. However, just because you're dedicated doesn't mean you necessarily have what it takes.

Someone said earlier (PokemonLuver) that since people have so many demands and commitments that we can't start nominating people since they may not have the time available (hell, the current mods claim to have too many commitments anyway), but since my schoolwork is relatively light at the moment, I'll throw my name into the hat, though I doubt anyone would nominate me anyway.

[VirtualPlay]

I would also throw VirtualPlay into the mix but he's been busy with school and work so I suppose that's moot

I'm flattered that you'd think of putting me up, but you also hit the nail right on the head. I've been rather busy with my second semester of college and my new part-time job that I haven't even been on the forums for the past few weeks; it took Kuro telling me that Kalah had been demodded to even get me to want to come back after that kind of sudden absence. Now that I've read through and around the forum, I can understand why, but it's still a shock to not see her name up there anymore.

If you were being serious about nominating me (which knowing you, you were), I have recently gotten a lot of things settled that were getting very hectic, and I could come back. I just need a fresh start, and I definitely won't be as much of a poster as a lot of people remember me as being (though I'll still be constantly lurking whenever I have internet near me).

But no, I'm not entirely dead. You might find a post or more by me later today. Right now, though, I gotta make sure I'm ready for work later today.

[Pichu Luver]

[font=garamond]I'm not going to nominate anyone because you can't make an opinion on something you don't know much about. (if you catch my drift) I know I have at least seen the people who are nominanted posting somewhat regularly so um, good luck? Anyway, I came to say I agree with Heald on the 3 points he made. I know it would encourage me to make sure my replies are up to par, and just reply more. If I'm interested in an RPG and I can't get into it because of low points . . . well it's a great incentive. The whole deleting thing seems to be controversial here but I have to say it's a good idea. An RPG that has only a few replies, what is the point in keeping them? For example an RPG that has 10 replies and no more for 2 weeks after should go. I would think its possible to get at least one person in a RPG to reply once a week. They signed up so they indicated their interest.

I know I have not been perfect in this, but again the rating system would help. Like you all have been saying the ones that never finished, but you are proud of/got a lot of replies, say you want it archived. If you do not want it deleted and you have got a warning in the RPG/a PM, then say so. If you really want it you can at least reply saying not to delete it. *shurgs* What I understood was that if you want it, it won't go.

[Roy Karrde]

Well I spent a day or so thinking about this, I had my initial reaction and the fall out to Kalah being demodded. In the end since that is the past I wont say anything about it. Anyway if you guys really want to try and get this forum up and running again, and no offence to UC or Outlaw, but we should clean house and get some new blood in here. Now here is the problem, if we are having trouble getting 1 new mod, how do we get three? I guess that is up to everyone to vote or what ever. I really do think Dru would be a good mod she has shown initiative which is something very very lacking in this forum.

As for the deletion thing, wiping out all but the top five RPGs would kill this forum. That's about as straight as I can put it, also implimenting new rules may be a good or bad thing, if we want they hey day of 2002 and so forth then we need to incourage new people to come in, not scare them off with new rules. Also while deleting RPGs that havnt been active for a few weeks may be a good idea, it may scare some people into not even making RPGs in fear that their RPG could be deleted. Also hell we have RPGs on the front page that are 2 months old, if you cut down to the ones that are only less than two weeks old, then this will look like the most inactive forum in the entire place.

Anyway that's really all I wanted to say.

[Plantae]

I think Heald's "delete all but the top five" was sort of a nonchalant suggestion, not quite the intention. We have thirty-three pages here. The two-page rule sounds fair enough to me, especially considering all of them that are far under fifty posts. Obviously if we were to delete anything, it'd have a community discussion involved. There isn't going to be any overnight disappearance of the majority of the threads on this forum. Obviously, people could keep what they asked to, but if no one cares enough to ask to keep a thread, then it basically makes it worthless.

The deletion thing is sort of a moot point anyway. We need to appoint the mod first that is going to be creating these reforms, and obviously JT and UC will have something more organized to say.

[Roy Karrde]

I think my real problem with deleting RPGs in-mass is that it sounds kindof like the old TMM days were he would go after newbie RPGs and stuff. I guess I may now have a bit of a phobia of mods going after and deleting RPGs after all the crap that happened back then. Anyway I have been talking with Tsukasa about this, he suggested that maybe a group of five or more go through the 30 something pages and catalogue all the RPGs, then people can say which ones should stay and wipe the rest out. And the ones that got 100+ or 200+ posts could be placed in a archive or something.

Edit: Alright for my noms if people really wanna clean house then maybe, Dru, Tsukasa, and Emotional Faun Chiko-sai, why I say that? Drusilla obviously becuase she shows initiative, i've only heard good things about Emotional and how she sticks to things she starts. If were going to have a new mod group then were going to need some one very dedicated to the new stuff, the lack of real movement toward the ASB forum shows that, and finally I nominate Tsukasa not becuase he's my friend but becuase he brings ideas to the table and becuase he's level headed and doesnt get pissed at anything. If we get this forum back up and running who ever is the new mod or mods has to deal with the influx of newbies while the other mods keep the changes going and the creative juices flowing. I believe that Tsukasa has the patience to deal with that.

[Plantae]

That idea makes perfect sense to me.

[EVme15]

Well, just as a little personal experience thing here. Most of the problems we seem to have with the nominations (at least, this was the idea I got from the posts) is personal commitment for the mod(s)-to-be. But seeing your own screenname up there next to the word "Moderators" gives a little bit of an incentive to come on maybe just a little bit more than you normally would have.
But anyways.

I think maybe, as for the post numbers for old RPGs to keep/delete, there should be a system something like this: anything over 100 posts is automatically in the archive;anything from 50-100 posts is put up for discussion, either with those who were involved in the RPG, or if very few of the members are around any more, maybe in a large topic at some point; and anything less than fifty can be specially requested by someone (they don't have to be involved) to be archived, along with a reason as to why the RPG deserves it. Once everything's straightened out, mods can delete maybe two to five topics a day, so that the RPG forum isn't suddenly overnight down x-hundred topics.

Two weeks sounds more reasonable to me than a week. Maybe even longer, since sometimes people have to leave for extended periods of time.

But there probably should be some sort of incentive to keep RPGs going.

BTW, the RPGer rating topic sounds like a very good idea.

[EngiMatikul]

Ladeda, I'd just like to point out that ever since we began discussing about not having a mod, we've had a lot more active posts in this forum talking about a mod. It hasn't been more than 24 hours and this topic's posts have more than doubled since the last time I post.

Imagine if this were one RPG. ACTIVE-ness!!

Well, my main point is still that mods aren't important as, well, mods. B4 was an awesome mod because she actually went around making friends with everyone in the forums, not because she was mod of the forums or because she set rules for it. In that sense, I agree with Roy; don't scare away a whole lot of people just because we want a list of rules. I know I wouldn't be RPing much either if B4 had just deleted my ASB Wars topic and said "read the rules idiot". Instead, she negotiated with us and told us we can continue our style as long as we got another mod blah blah blah... /historynoonecaresabout]

Anyway, I digress. Mods aren't as important as you guys are saying they are. People participating is more important, and right now its more like a question of who gets to be mod so we can blame them for us being inactive. From what I've seen in this thread, we're not quite as inactive as I thought we were. And I think we should stop using old RPGs as an excuse for our RPG forum dying. Really, I think it doesn't quite matter if we have 3 million RPGs cluttered on the forum, or none at all. But if it really bothers you, I agree with Tsu's idea on archiving the stuff. and stuff.

Additionally, I dislike Hearld's 2nd idea, this, IMO, makes RPG way more political than it should be.

*feels like he's going to get stabbed repeatedly in a few moments...* >.>

[Plantae]

I do not disagree that member inactivity is the main issue.

However, I think Heald's second idea was a good one. Positive reinforcement is the best policy. B4 and the other moderators were smart enough to start there first, but there is a point where you need to give people a reason to reconsider their actions. That being? The possible negative repercussions.

Having a reputation to consider is one means of doing so. It means, if you act in a way that is not fitting of a roleplayer, you are going to get called on it. I mean, frankly, I don't understand why we do not have something of this nature already (likely because of the fact that there is more work involved). It is simple logic that if you do something bad, you should get punished. I agree that there are better ways of handling things than saying "look at the rules," but that does not mean that the rules should be so lenient and/or non-encompassing that the entire structure of the forum falls apart. That seems to be what we have here.

This is a two-sided concept. If you do follow the rules and make a conscious effort to keep things moving at a considerable pace, you deserve to be recognized. However, should we really be looking for incentives? This is obviously not a piece of literature or art, where some could argue the very point is to put it on a pedestal. True artists and writers do so for the love of it, as should roleplayers.

The reason we need a moderator becomes then, that, we need someone to start building. I think, personally, that Outlaw JT and Ultimate Charizard are perfectly capable of doing so. Technically, another moderator isn't really necessary, as long as we are willing to work as a community to get these ideas made into something.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Ah. I don't like round-table discussion topics, mostly because I have nothing worthwhile to say that has not already been said.
I agree that most people would be horribly bucked to have the word Moderator by their sn. I mean, I get horribly bucked when RPers actually respond to what my characters in RPGs do, or notice my chara a little bit, even if it's a throwaway phrase or one-liner, so that it makes my fingers automatically start typing up a new post; imagine if you were Moderator and everybody *had* to notice what you typed, but I'm rather too easily excited, so. To the matter at hand...
I have no particular preference about choice of new mod or keep the old mods or anything, but Drusilla is the obvious choice if you wanted a new mod. She does things.
Roy nom'd me? Thanks muchly, but I'm really lazy at the core; the world would end before I was a mod.
Likewise I have no real opinion about rules that has not been voiced, but yes I like the friendly approach. Archiving is a lovely alternative to deleting, because I'm the type of RPer that gets sentimental over old posts, and I'd like to think there are others like me.
Uh, for an innovation type thing, I think that all RPers who signed up for a particular RPG should get each others contacts and talk, to each other, about their characters, and the subplots and things they want to do to them. Also, if anyone was unsure about how another's chara would react to their own, they could ask each other easily, and not need to put my favourite standard disclaimer "I hope I didn't mess anyone's chara up". There'd be more interaction, and with a solid plotline made up of everyone's little character plotlines, people would maybe want to post more. Of course the downside to this would be that there'd be no surprise factor anymore, but some discreet emailing/PMing could be arranged?? Maybe there should be a special sub-forumish thing for this.
Okay, time for me to retreat backwards into my shell.

[Bulbasaur4]

Well, I can't say that I'm not surprised. I figured that when I'd get back that I'd be demodded... I'm not that upset, because I knew the rules but there wasn't much I could do.

So, I figured I'd at least give an explanation!

Firstly, I said from the beginning that I was moving into college... and that I wasn't exactly sure how things would go with that. Never been to college, let alone know what THIS specific college was like... and etc. So, the first few weeks of college I was extremely busy going to all these seminars and 'new freshies gotta come to this!' bullshit. (Lame stuff I might add.) It also doesn't help that I'm enrolled in a full credit load, since I'm a double major with a minor in two fields that require the max. amount of credits. (Theatre and Biology, Studio Art) So I've been hauling ass... and it seemed that by the end of September (beginning) of October, I'd be able to relax a bit and go online some more.
YAY FOR DRAMA!
Then, of course... like Murphy's Law, I got sick. Leave it to the Spherocytosis/lackoforgans-gimp to get sick. I was sick with some *at the time, unknown* sickness. I couldn't eat or drink with out feeling nauseated and throwing up, I had a high fever... and the rest of the stuff that went with it (dizzyness/lack of energy/headache). So naturally, the school nurse referred me to the walk-in clinic. It was there, that they hooked me up to an IV, did all those tests... and determined that I was severely hydrated and my stomach's acid was overreacting, causing em to be sick and throwing up and tha tI had some stupid virus. Any NORMAL person would be able to get rid of the virus (with some help) after a few days in the hospital... with some IV help (dehydrated, remember?) but nooo.. not me. Having Spherocytosis and no spleen really sucks ass, because it makes me far more weaker immune-wise. So I was hospitalized for two weeks. Naturally, I recieved my laptop and was able to go to the 'fun room' to go online some times... but I was weak and basically checked my email, did some facebook to say 'hi' to my college buds, and then sleep.

So yeah, and then when I got back, guess what was waiting for me? Homework, homework, study, tests... and exams. Tons of frick'n exams... so yeah, I spent all of that time playing 'catch up' while attending classes all the same. Let's just say... that I've been so stressed out that I permantly have a buldged vein in my head. (Okay, not really but still... you get the picture.)

So yeah, this has been my official first week of rest and I'm really in a good mood, so I doubt much could dampen my spirits. I'm caught up, I don't have exams for two weeks, my boyfriend came to visit me for a bit, my parents are visiting me this weekend... and I have FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE TIME!!!!
*does a dance*

So yeah, that's my life. Chaos as normal. (at least it's not... well... boring? I'm not sure if I want that type of drama...) Oh, and I also painted a rock for my dorm room. IF you guys ever wanna see pictures of my dorm n'stuff, I'll show you! *is so proud of her uber cool floor and how supportive her dormmates are* ^_^

I'm sorry for the chaos, I understand and I'm proud that all of you guys took action. It's a lot better than sitting on your asses and going, "gee... this sucks." and then dwadling about. Anywho... figured I'd put the full thing down. Already told it to a few people... but I guess this way everyone knows. Anywho... (god I say that a lot), I could say more but I figured this is good for now.

[Outlaw JT]

My internet seems to go down at the most inopportune times! I have been offline for just under two weeks. More because of the near-death of my home computer than the intermittent outage of my access due to the replacement of the cable trunk line here. In any case, I am back to find Kalah demodded and this discussion. I was so about to go to bed when I saw this topic. Now, an hour later after reading it while talking to a couple of people, it seems I need to speak.

First let me say that this discussion thread has brought a few good ideas to light. Some of the ideas mentioned I like a great deal. Some others I dislike a great deal. It is apparent to me that the forum in general craves change. Well, I am officially offering all of you the chance to effect those changes. As of now I am officially opening the 'RPG Forum Rules and Guidelines' topic to public discussion. Feel free to propose ammendments to existing rules or to suggest new ones. Any reasonable change or new rule that has enough support from the forum as a whole will be put into effect (only exceptions would be ammendments that contradict the overall rules of TPM). All of the ideas for change you have had should be reposted there in a concise manner to be considered by the community.

Now, as to the matter of a new RPG mod. Personally, I would like to see Kalah remodded if she feels up to it! If not, then the discussion over the new mod needs to be refocused as it seems to have become only a minor consideration of this topic. It is not a simple matter of modding whomever a couple of us think would do best. This forum needs to find someone willing to do the job that it supports as whole. So far I have only seen two or three people with any conviction over who the new mod should be and 3 people isn't enough support, in my opinion, to warrant appointing a new moderator. Show me a candidate that the majority of the community is behind and I will cast my vote for a new moderator. In any case, if the community wants a new third moderator everyone needs to start discussing it again here and move discussions of change to the rules topic.

[Plantae]

I was momentarily confused as to the purpose of this topic, as I did not reread your last post clearly, Outlaw JT.

In that case, I fully support the remodding of Bulbasaur4. She seems to support what I think is a good moderator, someone who is willing to do more than just manage threads, and that is looking to actually implement ideas. After all, from her record as I see it, this was always her intention.

[VirtualPlay]

Well, it probably goes without me saying, but I, too, support the remodding of Bulbasaur4. She has been a mod for longer than I've been a part of RPG...and that's over 4 years at this point. She has told me she's been with RPG since it started as "interactive fanfics" (my words for them, not hers) in the Fanfic forum before the RPG forum was even made. Most importantly, though, she exemplifies everything a moderator should be: she leads the forum, but she does it with the intent to not hurt peoples' feelings, but to help them become better, and only lays down the hammer when something gets extremely out of hand. (Not to be confused with the hammer she throws at a certain someone...*whistles innocently*)