HMD | April 2012

[these_balls]

EVALUATE MY BATTLING!

TRAINER TIPS:
→ This is encouraged, not mandatory. We will not penalize you for not using it.
→ Feel free to link your personal HMDs if you would like, just in case someone doesn't want to use the mass HMD post.
→ this is more for actual critique and discussion. Please don't just blindly praise a person or just call them horrible. If someone's doing a wonderful job, you can tell them, just tell them why, or even where they're showing off bonus perks. If someone's doing a not-so-wonderful job, tell them why, give them things to improve on if you can. Examples, links, things that can give them something to work on. Meaning, no bashing, flaming, or nasty behavior. Please keep it civil.
→ Anonymous is turned on! But note: anonymous is a privilege, not a right. If it's being abused to bash players, please be sure to let one of us know and we'll step in or freeze threads if necessary. If anonymous is abused too much, it will be turned off for the next HMD.
→ Don't take this all too personally! Remember that roleplay is a game, and crit is supposed to help, not make you feel horrible. No one is perfect, we've all got room to improve. Please keep that in mind.

→ MOD/GAME HMD

Comments

[these_balls]

What we're currently aware of:

- the new Moderators - we're almost done!
- absence of plots (which is next on our agenda)
- Rocket activity
- mod-to-player communication and miscommunication


If you want to elaborate on any of these points, or if you've got something else to bring to our attention, please let us know here!

[(Anonymous)]

Being aware of Rocket activity hasn't done anything for us in the past year though. Same goes for the rest of that. Being aware of a problem and actively working to fix it are two different things, and I've seen a lot of talk in regards to the latter but not nearly enough action.

Something NEEDS to be done, to make them a viable threat again and also make people want to app in as a Rocket without having to worry about being abandoned by the mods and because of that ICly turned into a joke. You might want a mod to be made just to run Rocket things, because this is a class of players that needs it and has largely been ignored except for events. Trainers and breeders have goals, but without something concrete to do on a regular basis, what can Rockets do? Nothing.

Mod presence in general is another issue I want to address. Yes, you guys have lives and have been getting the minimum done, but that's it. These new mods have been supposedly coming for weeks now, but with how long it's taking just to install them, where's the guarantee that they'll be able to pick up the slack? We need mods who can be and are willing to be here to do things for this game on at least a semi regular basis, not once in a blue moon as it has been up to now.

I know you care about this game a lot, and that's wonderful and so do we, but when it comes to mods, we need a little more than just caring now and again. Rather than having to thank you for something great coming once every few months as is the trend, make awesome a regular thing instead.

[(Anonymous)]

Agreeing with all of this. I'd like to add a suggestion though, perhaps you could have a helper mod be in charge of plots for the time being until things die down a little? I know you're busy and I'm certainly not saying RP > real life, but we could really use some kind of help with Team Rocket. We've had some things going on, but they've all been player-run plots. And let's face it, I doubt Kimblee-mun wants to run every plot from here on out. She's done a great job coming up with things to do, but shouldn't Team Rocket be doing something by now? The train plot was a long time ago.

I joined this game with the intention of playing a Rocket character. I enjoy that far more than playing a trainer or a breeder. We could really have something awesome here, mods. It will just require a little more work, and maybe a little more help than originally expected.

[(Anonymous)]

A mod devoted entirely to Rockets would be fantastic. Maybe helming one of the NPC admins, so Rockets could request to be sent on missions and the like if they wanted? I concur that they need more infrastructure in-game, particularly since they're supposed to ICly be an organization.

[(Anonymous)]

I think a public forum/suggestions post for players to brainstorm what THEY would like to see in the future and then be able to reply to the ideas of others while mods gauged responses and interests would be a great idea for you guys. That way even if something is a player idea it can use mod powers if well liked rather than everything be player run like its been.

[meatysoviet]

Actually, I thought there was one of those- in fact, if I'm correct on that, I was on it about 5 hours ago because I was going to put ideas for a plot down before realising it needed more work done to it.

Give me a second and I'll find a link.

[meatysoviet]

Here it is;

RP suggestions post.

[these_balls]

We could look into that! For the most part, that was just one of the many things the OOC community was used for. Perhaps if we encouraged using the OOC community for plot discussion overall that could ensure a bit more player interaction? Otherwise we could have a post for it! My only main worry is that people might not interact too much on a completely separate post unless it becomes a habit to check, or if we link suggestions to the junkdates.

[saltwaterwounds]

Are there any plans for an availability list for Kanto?

[these_balls]

Yes! It's still a half-coded mess of a work in project. That was my duty and following a mishap earlier this year, I completely dropped the ball right before Spring Of Hell hit. It should be done by early to mid May.

[combat_butler]

I'm not even going to bother going anonymous.

I've rather openly admitted my feelings for how long the moderators have taken on my plurk, but I'm glad that they're finally coming soon, but that's not what I want to actually comment on.

I'd just like to put out a open and proper request here to give the things I suggested a good proper once over down the line. I know I can't help with the big one as a player and I know it would take a good deal of effort, but it's still something that I think is high time implemented.

Also, I will once again suggest a mod plurk be made once these new mods are properly announced. Again, for easier mod communication / spreading the word on things / updates on stuff and for things like badge requests just being sent to it via private plurk for those of us who use plurk.

Pretty sure any other issues I have you guys have been discussed already in the above threads, so I won't touch on anything else.

Sorry if I'm being a nuisance with this.

[(Anonymous)]

+1 for the mod plurk idea. I'm not very comfortable with AIM and whenever I PM the mods it takes quite awhile for them to get back. I understand you all are busy, but I've been waiting weeks to hear back from you all. Perhaps the plurk could help with this?

[these_balls]

It's still an option to consider, but it hasn't been one of our priority options as of yet. And you're not a nuisance at all by bringing it up!

[(Anonymous)]

My only concern with this is that people who don't have Plurk and don't plan to get one would miss out on update information if it's only mentioned there.

[craftingrebel]

While a mod plurk might be ideal with spreading the word out about updates and other important things, it's not really fair to the rest of the player-base who either don't have a plurk or choose not to use one. And taking in the way plurk has been behaving recently I know I prefer using AIM when it involves plotting something out or asking important questions.

There's also the fact that you can overlook some of the mod plurks in your timeline. I know I've done it in the past with other game plurks.

+1 for mod plurk

[saltwaterwounds]

It's a little bit of extra effort, but it's really been useful in other games.

+1 here too!

[artfuldestruction]

I also think a mod plurk would be fantastic; I'm quite surprised that we don't have one, really.

[(Anonymous)]

Might I try to elaborate on the Rocket situation a little bit?

Villains, in general, have a hard time getting by in games. There is simply this stigma that the good guy must always win, and because of it, you don't even get a lot of people even trying to be villains, big or small. In Route's history I can only think of about four noteworthy Rockets (The Joker, Tarantula, Kimblee, and Cobra) and I would never even think to put the commanders on the same level as those four characters in terms of villainy. If you want my opinion, if you're remodeling the future of the Rockets, abandon the commanders altogether. There's no IC reason for anyone, past or present, to follow them anymore, and fresh NPCs might inspire things ICly the way the commanders just can't anymore.

This game is unique because it has an entire type of character devoted to being a villain. Not a lot of games open their arms and ask people to come in and be bad. The problem with Route in this regard is that it isn't doing that. It's false advertising. It's asking players to come in and dress like bad guys, but actually letting them be bad is another issue altogether.

The Rockets, in a real world, where feelings of muns are a non-issue, should be out all the time. They should be stealing Pokemon from the players just as often as NPCs. Restricting it to the latter and then making it able to be handwaved makes it an entirely moot point. They should be able to steal and to do bad things and be bad and have the freedom to do so.

I think, instead of "fixing" the Rocket situation, you guys need to sit down and evaluate whether or not this game is a game that can have Rocket as a choice of character at all when it's been shown up to now that in this game they've been better left as NPCs and mod events. The real villains, player controlled villains, have done much better on their own time.

Maybe it's time to just get rid of them as player controlled characters. It's been a long time since they've really mattered as player characters and if you guys can't think of a way to really change that for the long term, not by means of plots that may or may not come to fruition, you might want to consider that as a realistic option.

[(Anonymous)]

I'd hate to see the Rockets go. I joined this game with the intention of playing my character as a Rocket. I'd hate to see that aspect removed. Instead of removing it, it might be better to give Rockets more advantages. Yes, they get to start out with two Pokemon (and one higher leveled one) but to promote more Rocket schemes, perhaps there could be some kind of benefit to being a Rocket.

I know at one point the mods discussed setting Rockets up into teams. What happened to that? Why haven't we heard anything about that? It would be great to build CR and for those who were put in Team Rocket and plan on spying, this would provide a lot of potential plots! I'd love to see something done with this. Perhaps part of the issue could be addressed with this - the Rockets have to look out for their team members or they'll all be punished, for example. I don't know, something like that.

I think having someone play the Executives as minor characters to run plots would work. I know the mods have said they've tried that before, but I can't think of any other solution.

[(Anonymous)]

judging from this post, might want to add - habitually turning down all suggestions from all the nice words spouted in these comments you've still basically said no to everything people brought up or suggested here

[(Anonymous)]

I'd like just to briefly second or... third? the general lack of mod presence. Mod hiatuses and a mod plurk as another anon suggested would be great for that, but therein lies another problem: What are we supposed to do while you guys are gone?

I realize the new mods are meant to account for this, but even so, they're recent whereas this problem has been ongoing.

RL should always come first. I will never imply to a mod or player otherwise. But, mods, when it is coming first, and so regularly too.... Well, I don't know. I don't have any suggestions for you, so maybe I shouldn't be commenting at all, but I want this to be said.

Will the changes mean all that month if in a month or two we're back to where we were before? Will we even get that far if you guys can't sit with this game for the time needed to? This is a tough job, I'm sure, are two more mods really enough?

I don't want to be coming back in the summer to that HMD to reiterate all of this. I want to believe you guys can do it, but I can't. The track record speaks for this.

Make us believe in you again. If you can't be there all the time, and you shouldn't have to be, make plans and notices instead of leaving us hanging for months at a time. Just be there even when you can't be. Please.

[(Anonymous)]

it'd be nice if there were some more ways to get more gen 3 and up pokemon. stuff like the gen 5 valentine's egg event was awesome and i'd like to see more of that.

[dreamsofahero]

So this is something unrelated to any of the other issues mentioned, but it's been kind of nagging at me for a while. Namely, that I've noticed it's really hard to develop IC relationships with characters/players outside my own canonmate(s), and not for lack of tagging on my part! And before I say more, let me just add that I am NOT suggesting this is in any way an issue with any players, but rather with how the game is formatted, and that I'm using myself for an example just because it IS an example.

See, the thing is, Sion's been here what, two and a half months? And while half of my threads in other characters' journals are with people outside canonmates, on the rare occasions Sion does a post, he gets... really surprisingly few tags back. In his four journal posts, I've only ever gotten four non-canonmates replying to them total, something like 90% of the comments in his posts are exclusively with canonmates.

Now don't get me wrong, I love threading with canonmates! But it's kind of frustrating when it feels like the only way to get replies is to have some sort of existing relationship, and the only way to get THAT is either to be canonmates with someone, have a character from a popular/well-known series, or to know someone OOCly. And being a relatively new player with a character from a lesser-known canon and who doesn't sit around chit-chatting with people on plurk, that's kind of hard to do. Besides, the thing that I enjoy most about RP in general is the spontaneity, the not knowing who's going to suddenly reply that you never thought would have gotten along with your character in that way.

I suspect that a part of this though is just because of the sheer format of the game. I know that while I make a point of checking for the weekly add/remove post, when there's a lot of intros it's very, very easy to miss someone's journal, and thus miss a post or two. And frankly, not everyone keeps up on the journal adding- Sion's been in the game for two and a half months, and yet there's still over 20 journals, some of which I know joined after him, who don't have his friended. It IS a hassle at times to keep that list up to date, especially since sometimes the console will glitch and such, so I can't blame anyone for not always being up to date (I know I'm often a little behind!) so I can't help but wonder if there isn't a better way to handle it. Especially since there's also the issue that if someone DOESN'T post, it's... pretty much near impossible to spontaneously start talking to them without arranging something OOCly; I regularly see characters in other posts or in the OOC comm that I never knew were in the game because I only have the posts on Sion's reading page to go by! And I know I'm not the only person who occasionally has problems with not getting responses from people outside OOC friends/canonmates, because I've seen other posts where that's the case, too.

So what all this comes down to, is that I definitely feel there's an issue here, and I wonder if there's a better way to handle it. My first suggestion would be for there to be a consolidated community, instead of going by individual journals all the time, which would make it MUCH easier to find posts and not overlook them. Alternatively, creating a "network" page by friending all the current IC journals and comms in the game (and possibly not the OOC ones) so that when in doubt, players can simply visit that reading page to catch up on things. But either way, I think this is definitely an issue, because it's been pretty consistent the entire time I've been in the game so far, and it really IS fairly frustrating at times.

[(Anonymous)]

Let me start by apologizing if this comes off as snippy/entitled/...angry in any way at all. I've re-written this three times and it's the best I can do while still getting my point across.

You say you're aware of the issues that have been brought up, and it is therefore, I would hope it is your intent to rectify them. However, intent does not equal outcome. There was a plot idea a while back, I think from Killua-mun, that made it to Plurk or the suggestions page or the OOC comm, can't remember where. Something about Mewtwo and Red and it was planned, by the mun, to be implemented, in March. A mod stepped in at the time, saying that it couldn't happen at that time due to another plan the Mods had, but...nothing happened and it was just never brought up again. Was it not implemented because RL threw the two of you curve balls or because of Mod apps keeping you busy or something else entirely? March was a pretty dry month and we got no reason why if we weren't following your plurks and saw that the game was pretty much down to one Mod for a time.

That's another thing: if a mod is going on hiatus, whatever the reason, please, please, please don't leave us to have find out on your plurks/the hiatus post. A note on the OOC comm or the main profile page saying Ara-mod or Sunny-mod is currently unavailable would be nice....even nicer if you actually mean what you say about getting modly things done while on hiatus, because nothing's seemed to change at all lately. I realize you both have busy lives and I am in no way shape or form declaring this game to be more important than your lives outside of the game, but as Mods you have a commitment to this place and your playerbase. I know it's got to be the crappiest job in the world sometimes and you're not even paid for it, but...would it be so hard to just let us know you're unavailable?

I could go on about this for hours, but you've heard this a dozen or more times already, so I'll close with this because it's my main concern: are either of you, or either of the new mods, going to do anything about any of the issues brought up with this entire mod-HMD thread? Or are we just going to stagnate until the next three waves of drops sends the playerbase down to some third of it's current state? And, please, don't say "oh, we're getting to it and it'll be done in a couple of weeks" and then it's a few months later and we're all rehashing the same issues again and again because you never did. Because that's what happened the last time and it's really getting old.

[(Anonymous)]

Here are my thoughts on the new things.

The calendar is great in theory, but the way they're handling plots looks... too bureaucratic? Player plots shouldn't need to be submitted like that unless they're global, and why not have them be able to happen at the same time?

Not to mention that on the calendar you have one on there lasting for a fantastic one day. Not much of a start. If it's more than one day, then isn't the point of the calendar to show how long it's going to be so people can plan? Might want to fix that if so. If not, well, well done.

The plot ideas post sounds good too but I wonder if it will be used properly. Knowing RP, this game in particular, I worry that it will end up being a bunch of people arguing over their ideas or dumb stuff like that. I think a better explanation for what it's going to entail: suggestion game-wide events and changes and plots, rather than the usual CR meme (which should be separate), should be put up as there's already some confusion that the plot post is just a mod-run CR meme.

Next: Swarms being in limited places for only two days when the game is so BIG? Isn't the point of swarms so they be like events too and give everyone a chance to get something? Such small swarms like the one already on the calendar seems to defeat the entire purpose. I hope for future ones you guys will increase the area, or even edit this one, because as it stands that one isn't going to do a load of good.

And for Rockets... I wonder if missions will be any different than plots, and if the Rockets themselves will matter in either? They've been reduced to plot devices at this point, and I hope you mods understand that we want things for them to do for them, not things to do that will just turn around and give the rest of the game fun stuff to do. So much of Rocket stuff to now has been like that and I can't take any more disappointment from that.

I'd say this myself on the post but anon isn't enabled. I really do like the idea of a gym badge page though.