This is not about changing server policies.
This is not about seasons, loot or PK's
This is the next evolutionary step this shard needs to take.
This was the original intent of OSI's concept of an online world.
An experiment in Self-Governance within an imaginary world. Personally, I believe the experiment was then and is now a failure, simply because the test subjects [us!] refused to run the experiment the way they intended.
There are many players here that have stepped up over the years, dedicated countless hours and millions of gold in efforts to achieve "something" like "community" here. Although these efforts have mainly been done with the public in mind they have all been private enterprises. Privately funded, organized, operated and discontinued at the discretion of those same private parties.
Are there five shard veterans who would volunteer to work towards achieving these goals and get this idea off the ground?
...
UOSA Community Development Council
The UOSA Community Development Council is a representative body comprised of the citizenry of UOSA and tasked with improving in-game community relations, shard population and player retention as well as expanding UOSA’s online presence, marketing and exposure to potential new players on the internet.
The council will function within the boundaries of the shards Era Accuracy charter and all actions subsequent to the councils functions shall adhere to this fundamental precept regarding changes to game mechanics in achieving council objectives.
Whereas the server is owned and maintained by the staff, its community belongs to the players. Therefore it is the player-base’ responsibility to maintain its community in as forthright a manner as the staff maintain the server where it resides.
Council Members: [Core positions]
• Steward of the Citizen’s Council
• Steward of Community Development
• Steward of Community Marketing
• Steward of the Treasury
• Steward of the Citizen’s Police
Council Objectives [Critical needs]
Short-term Objectives;
• Recruitment for Core Council positions
• Definition of roles & areas of responsibility for Council members
• Define critical needs of the shard & community
• Define critical needs policies & short-term objectives
• Define funding ways & means of the Council Treasury [in-game]
Long-term Objectives; [Critical needs]
• Enhance player involvement & awareness within the in-game Community
• Increase the shards online marketing presence and exposure to potential new players
• Increase shard population & retention of existing and new players
• Establish and implement Economic controls & policies for balancing markets
• Establish and implement a funded Citizen’s Police force within the city’s boundaries
• Establish and implement an Honor Guard charged with securing the lands
Community Development
The Councils founding principle lies within the concept of enhancing “a sense of community”, creating an environment where players do not just “feel” like they belong but actually “want” to belong to and to be a part of the community.
Community Relations
Council objectives within the scope of community relations should encompass all segments of the population. Objectives should function with the framework of the existing player-base, rather than attempt to modify that framework. Solutions should be based upon existing structures with the game and expand upon the existing community-related aspects of the shard rather than attempt to replace them.
Community Marketing
The concept of a player-based Community Council in itself is a novel one and could be used as leverage in and of itself within a marketing campaign. UOSA has an extensive and colorful history to draw from in the form of past events and players/characters.
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Kaivan wrote:...To quote a recent statement from Derrick to myself on the issue of population: If players want more players, they should go find em. So, in this sense, yes, promotion of a server where the world is yours to interact with others in necessarily requires the player action. If players stand around bemoaning the lack of other players, expecting us to do something about it, the trends will continue as they currently have.