General meeting...

[Amerelium]

http://community.istaria.com/Web/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=80237

An idea for Unity..?

[Tzael]

A community meeting is cool, but I'm not interested if the intention is to end up with a self-appointed or democratically voted council. Back on Ice we had some group called PACT (I think that's what they called themselves) and basically they tried to organise the building projects...

Soon became the case that the majority of players resented them for their constant call for builders, the fact that they got all the low level builders to do the muling, they made sure only members of PACT got the experience for applying units and didn't have to do any running around, and so on [:S] PACT were a self-appointed council that claimed to have been voted into position by the players, and the end result was that most people ignored them because we got sick of being bossed around.

That's the reason why when I work on community projects, I do it in my own time and at my own pace [:)] I listen to what people are working on and what people want finished, and then in the dead of night when most of Unity sleeps I can be found hauling disk, adding units at a rate that suits my playstyle [:)]

So I'm all up for a meeting to see what the community is interested in, what projects the community want to work on, but if there's even a whiff of some sort of governing body or player(s) running the show then I'm out.

A meeting needs someone to direct it though. I propose Takora hosts a community meeting since she is shard herald and would most likely be there to report on it for her next herald report. [H] There's a big difference between hosting a meeting, and governingthe playerbase[;)]

[Uro]

I'm with tzael on this.

Pact was started with the best of intentions, but ended up as an exclusive club, that mostly benefited those that where "inside", and that you where either for or against. Those against, or who didn't jump when you got a random tell to drop what you where doing,was more or less freezed out of community events, vitnessed that several times during the feledan and satyr events.

I will be happy to support any initiative that can benefit the server, as long as it don't turn into anything similar to PACT.

[Daedra]

I usually just join in if I hear someone needs help, as was the situation at Lava tunnel on island of fire. Or as with kion lighthouse (now my alt can do construction) I get on with it myself with the help of guildies.

[Varangaard]

Getting back to the topic, in case that such a gathering was arranged, and people did gather, would there really be anything for anyone to say there?

[Daedra]

Getting back to the topic, in case that such a gathering was arranged, and people did gather, would there really be anything for anyone to say there?

Spiggot?

[Amerelium]

...screw the agenda; I just wanna meet in the arena - love that spot...

[Nanain]

dunno if it would still happen, but once on Earth, BoS had a guild meeting in Dali..and the shard crashed [A] so..erm..all of us in one spot, might not be a good idea. Channel Meetings r cool tho :P

[Entilzah]

dunno if it would still happen, but once on Earth, BoS had a guild meeting in Dali..and the shard crashed [img]/Web//emoticons/emotion-13.gif[/img] so..erm..all of us in one spot, might not be a good idea. Channel Meetings r cool tho [img]/Web/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]

Order shard was able to hold up under the weight of such a meeting a couple of weeks past, despite the developers attending which caused every last player to make their way to the arena outside Tazoon.

I think it is safe to say that the shards can handle one hundred or so people in a very small area, the question is, can the average gamer's computer cope?

Here is an idea. Make such a meeting, with the focus being on deciding priorities for constructing the remaining craft structures and building projects on Lesser Aradoth. Then tour all the starter isles and spread the word to all the new people, use the meeting as an opportunity to show the new people what being part of the Unity Community is all about.

I am in agreeance with Shulahravaukar, the concept of a large meeting at the arena is desirable, even if the agenda is short. We need more reasons to bring the community together and this seems like another step forward.

[Galilee]

This 'PACT'- history (never heard of it before)seems to havemade a lot of the people cápable of 'organizing things' really allergic to anything even faintly resembling 'taking a lead' on anything ...
Makes some things I was wondering about a bit clearer.

This suggestionabout meetings might hold a promise to turn things around some.

I wouldsuggest to put another thing on the agenda too in event-respect: how to make events for adventurers (both ónly for them and álso for them alongside a crafting-part). Crafting is just about the only thing atm that is thought of when thinking about events made by players, and that isn't a good thing I think. We (still) have different kinds of players; they have different kinds of fun; the more of these kindsthat can get covered, the more players will be enjoying themselves...

To ease things for those having allergies (and indeed to not let anything like PACT happen again, the threat IS of course always there though the fact this has allready happened will help to prevent it from happening again...) I would like to suggest the following:
- make those shard-wide-meetings into a regular but to start off with not tóó frequent occurence (it can always be stepped-up in frequency as the agenda might fill itself going along;
- I think it is importantthey are held on very different times, to be able to involve as much of the shard-population as possible;
- always have 'some event' (or more) as agenda-point(s) (if none present themsélves, then the agendapoint is 'think upone or moreevent(s) here and now together');
- indeed as Entilzah stressed dó try to involve áll levels straight from the beginning of these meetings;
- get 'clear and good reporting of all points discussed' to those that were not present on it's feet from the very first meeting on;
- makea lastingand clear agreementamong all attending the first meeting(s), that each time a DIFFERENT (small) group out of the attendants to such a meeting will make a work-group together to actually organizeand leadthe event(s) at hand (one workgroup per event). (If that is not possible for lack of participants, at least with a different person each time leading work-group and the event-happening itself).

I think that should take care of any 'PACT-threat' without throwing away the fact of the need for actual organization of things?

Of course, to begin with the organizing of the meetings in itself takes someone to 'take the lead in doing so' also... at the very least for the first time (could be another agendapoint, once a meeting is actually set, to discuss together how to further organize these meetings?).
Because of the factsthat Shula came with the suggestion in the first place, ánd is very reluctant to do anything resembling 'leading' himself (rather a good insurance for not getting a 'police-state kind of leader' in my experience[;)]), I would suggest we try to get Shula to agree to organizing the first meeting; maybe together with one or two people chosen by him for a workgroup to do that? [:D]

[Rainbow]

Personally, I will join in with something if I am able and fancy it becuase it strikes me as a little fun within the game.

A meeting wouldn't interest me in the least because I would lag with many players on screen and I can always find out from one of the channels what is happening and whether I wish to be a part of it. I would also have reservations as already mentioned concerning potential situations arising as described with this PACT thing. Being a Windie, I don't have a personal experience of this PACT, but it isn't hard to imagine that in some circumstances an idea such as this could be open to abuse by some.

I do, however, like the idea that events other than crafting events could be suggested and arranged by groups of players for all to join in with should they wish.

I am usually happy to toddle about alone for some hunting, finding the monsters that are within the range for my level. It would be nice ocassionally to join with others to hunt if there is a specific goal to achieve from doing so.

In UO there were sometimes "treasure hunts" arranged by guilds that were open for all to participate in. They were a bit of light relief and brought players together that potentially might never have looked to spend time with each other in game at all. Maybe this idea could be repeated in Horizons, bringing lower and higher levellled players together to have a bit of fun whilst trying to complete a goal.

As long as I did not feel that somebody was trying todictate tome how I was should be spending my time in game I would happily join in with some eventsother than crafting ones.

I am happy to trust that the people on our server will ensure that such things are organised by fair and even minded folks, and if they were not, well I am sure that enough of us more vocal folks would soon leap up and down waving our knickers inthe airin protest.

I don't think it can do the server any harm at all if the ideas and thoughts already mentioned here in this thread are remembered when organising such things, and wish those brave enough to give it a try good luck.

Please shout loudly in the channels if you do decide to organise little treasure hunts as I wouldn't want to miss those.


Rainbow

[Tokoz]

Sorry to bump this topic up after so long, but I just learned about it...

I'm Plink. I'm the cat-herder on Order that started the community movement.

The important thing about a community organization is that it needs to stay with the power in the correct place: the community.

We organize teams, with set team leaders. But the team members are completely voluntary, which means, if they don't like what a team suggests, they can make their own suggestions either in the team channel or at the community. One person can be on all teams or no teams. It's up to them.

Our current teams are:
Greater New-Player Assistance Team (GNAT): Monitors the new player channel and the consigners in New Brommel, New Korelia, Kion, and Sslanis. Making sure things are stocked.

World Projects Team: Coordinates the building of world projects. I believe we're up to completing a few a week now...

Events Team: Player run events and we're trying to see how we can better work with the admin on events.

Forums Team: Insures that people that are not able to make the meetings are giving accurate information and the chance to vote.

If anyone has questions any other questions, feel free to PM me. :)