02-03-2008, 07:25 PM
[SIZE="1"]This is really a long post, and you'll get nothing from it, if you are not interested in why I disappeared and what plans I got for INX in the future.[/SIZE]
For what ever reason it still seams like people are asking for me and wondering when I'll come back. I haven't really said anything more about it, besides my statement [in Weapon Selection] that I wouldn't be logging on, so I figured I will let everyone know and "calm" people down.
My last post on these [public] forums were made in the "Weapon Selection" thread, so essentially, that was my drop.
I've worked for this server a long time, longer than anyone else, and I've put more time into it than anyone. Most of the time I actually worked with it, it was not a hobby and it was far from fun. I myself love programming, I do it in one form or another on an every day basis, but with the amount and "type" of work going into INX, it was far from fun. Essentially what drove me to finish the shard, and to work as much as I did, was to create a Sphere replica people [and I] would enjoy.
So the server opened and we had a really patient community. You understood that we were working as fast as we could, and that we tried to do our best to make your time well spent on INX. Cause really, being staff is about fun for 5 minuets, then after that, you are doing it for the community or the server. It also seemed that you were somewhat happy with our beta and you understood that we cared about it. This lasted for about 10 seconds.
Soon everyone started to be impatient. All crafts from IN were not implemented, we had not yet added any special events, loots were bad, skill gain was to slow, staff in some time zones were missing etc. Now, that by itself is not a problem, we (me and taran) did what we could to fix stuff as fast as we could. These are some of the problems that come with a server and we would be gullible fools to expect anything else.
People started to get hostile on the forums. The suggestions given were no longer suggestions, they became repetitive and angry whining. The players were trying to bully the staff team to the progress they wanted, even though we were working as fast as we could. Battles between IN and XUO were peaking, and most of the times, they were unnecessary and stupid. Peoples unwillingness to discuss things in a normal manner and give us useful input put a strain on the staff team and pretty much put us in a dead lock. Personally I did not want to work for a server that hated the PvP I loved so much and wanted to preserve. Why I'm not willing to accept any major PvP changes(I'm not talking bout EB, Arrow and Explo having armor scalars here)?
I started this project (Syn pitched me to KM). I, with the help from a few people, made it happen. I pretty much made sure everything was set up and I probably made 95% of the code. I made sure so that we agreed on things and discussed things through on the project forum before we started this. I made sure the server had an [damn good] admin when I knew I was not going to be present due to my move to a different country. I think I played a pretty big role and I felt so majorly screwed over, cause of the PvP issue. Nothing of this would have happen if we didn't agree on that specific issue, and I could not even get people to try to understand the PvP. The general opposition sounded something like "Why does it have to be set in stone, you guys never listen to our feedback", so I pretty much felt like I could do nothing to make people happy, and that was the goal of the server. But I still kept working, but now without actually reading the forums cause it pretty much killed me.
When my computer died I semi stopped working. I was working on some algos, helped taran when he asked me about script issues and drew up some ideas for fun things. After a while, I quit that too. I started feeling better and better with myself, didn't have this huge load of negativity hovering over me all the time, and I could focus on what I needed to do. I didn't send my computer off until last Thursday (31st?), due to my money situation, so I will probably get it back within 2 weeks or so. But...
I doubt that I will return to INX in the state it is now. The reason I left was essentially the community, not the work load. When you get negativity all the time you tend to get sick of it and find other things to do. It might be something to think about. Even though that the staff team is in charge, the players are the real "employer[s]". We do in fact work for you guys, so what do you think that the volunteer workers will do, when the boss is acting up?
As closure I would like to say that it makes me very disappointed to hear that I've "abandoned" the project. I've been "retired" (and it has been on the web page) since March last year, yet, from that point to the breakdown of my computer, I was one of the people that was doing most the work. I haven't abandoned anyone, I've quit with a 6+ months notice. You've abandoned me.
Anyways, that pretty much sums it up. There is a lot more to it, but nothing of real interest. Everyone are not all bad, a lot of people have helped the server out with their suggestions, ideas and attitude, and I thank you. Problem is just that the voice of the mob is not cheering and applauding, but yelling how unfairly they have been treated.
Back to hidenation.
For what ever reason it still seams like people are asking for me and wondering when I'll come back. I haven't really said anything more about it, besides my statement [in Weapon Selection] that I wouldn't be logging on, so I figured I will let everyone know and "calm" people down.
My last post on these [public] forums were made in the "Weapon Selection" thread, so essentially, that was my drop.
I've worked for this server a long time, longer than anyone else, and I've put more time into it than anyone. Most of the time I actually worked with it, it was not a hobby and it was far from fun. I myself love programming, I do it in one form or another on an every day basis, but with the amount and "type" of work going into INX, it was far from fun. Essentially what drove me to finish the shard, and to work as much as I did, was to create a Sphere replica people [and I] would enjoy.
So the server opened and we had a really patient community. You understood that we were working as fast as we could, and that we tried to do our best to make your time well spent on INX. Cause really, being staff is about fun for 5 minuets, then after that, you are doing it for the community or the server. It also seemed that you were somewhat happy with our beta and you understood that we cared about it. This lasted for about 10 seconds.
Soon everyone started to be impatient. All crafts from IN were not implemented, we had not yet added any special events, loots were bad, skill gain was to slow, staff in some time zones were missing etc. Now, that by itself is not a problem, we (me and taran) did what we could to fix stuff as fast as we could. These are some of the problems that come with a server and we would be gullible fools to expect anything else.
People started to get hostile on the forums. The suggestions given were no longer suggestions, they became repetitive and angry whining. The players were trying to bully the staff team to the progress they wanted, even though we were working as fast as we could. Battles between IN and XUO were peaking, and most of the times, they were unnecessary and stupid. Peoples unwillingness to discuss things in a normal manner and give us useful input put a strain on the staff team and pretty much put us in a dead lock. Personally I did not want to work for a server that hated the PvP I loved so much and wanted to preserve. Why I'm not willing to accept any major PvP changes(I'm not talking bout EB, Arrow and Explo having armor scalars here)?
I started this project (Syn pitched me to KM). I, with the help from a few people, made it happen. I pretty much made sure everything was set up and I probably made 95% of the code. I made sure so that we agreed on things and discussed things through on the project forum before we started this. I made sure the server had an [damn good] admin when I knew I was not going to be present due to my move to a different country. I think I played a pretty big role and I felt so majorly screwed over, cause of the PvP issue. Nothing of this would have happen if we didn't agree on that specific issue, and I could not even get people to try to understand the PvP. The general opposition sounded something like "Why does it have to be set in stone, you guys never listen to our feedback", so I pretty much felt like I could do nothing to make people happy, and that was the goal of the server. But I still kept working, but now without actually reading the forums cause it pretty much killed me.
When my computer died I semi stopped working. I was working on some algos, helped taran when he asked me about script issues and drew up some ideas for fun things. After a while, I quit that too. I started feeling better and better with myself, didn't have this huge load of negativity hovering over me all the time, and I could focus on what I needed to do. I didn't send my computer off until last Thursday (31st?), due to my money situation, so I will probably get it back within 2 weeks or so. But...
I doubt that I will return to INX in the state it is now. The reason I left was essentially the community, not the work load. When you get negativity all the time you tend to get sick of it and find other things to do. It might be something to think about. Even though that the staff team is in charge, the players are the real "employer[s]". We do in fact work for you guys, so what do you think that the volunteer workers will do, when the boss is acting up?
As closure I would like to say that it makes me very disappointed to hear that I've "abandoned" the project. I've been "retired" (and it has been on the web page) since March last year, yet, from that point to the breakdown of my computer, I was one of the people that was doing most the work. I haven't abandoned anyone, I've quit with a 6+ months notice. You've abandoned me.
Anyways, that pretty much sums it up. There is a lot more to it, but nothing of real interest. Everyone are not all bad, a lot of people have helped the server out with their suggestions, ideas and attitude, and I thank you. Problem is just that the voice of the mob is not cheering and applauding, but yelling how unfairly they have been treated.
Back to hidenation.