Together as One

Hey guys! I know I haven't made a thread in a long while, but this one is very important. Let me just get across the definition of minecraft: a game made for those with the incentive to meet new people, whether it be on servers, or on realms, and work together to build creations they can be proud of. You don't have to build on here, It's not a required thing of the game, however, you DO need to show respect. I've spoken to some people, and they've told me that they've felt stressed out, like people expect more than what they give from them, like they need to be perfect. Let me just tell all of you that no one on this server is perfect, and no one will ever be perfect. As staff members, we do our best to make you guys happy, and I know from your perspective, once being a member, that yeah, it's pretty hard to deal with, but now I'm experiencing it from the staff side of Buildcraftia, and it's extremely stressful when you have several people at once telling you to do something for them, and if we are unable to, it's a big deal. Yes, I know from your perspective it's very stressful, but you have to put your feet in our shoes. We try our best to make you guys happy, we don't get paid for it, we did it by choice, by nomination. Now, you reading this thread doesn't mean you should go into the comments below and state all of the valid arguments and errors of the server, I'm well aware of all of them. Arguing doesn't solve an issue, it only makes it worse, in total. It makes the community feel worse, it makes the person writing the thread feel worse, it makes everyone feel worse in general. Buildcraftia should be a place where people can rejoice, laugh, have fun, and not have to argue about everything. I am definitely aware that arguing is inevitable, and it is a part of human nature. However, I believe that if we work together as one, we can reduce it dramatically, and we don't need one inactive staff member/owner to fix the problem. If we work together, and we work hard, and contribute time to it, we can fix it ourselves, as a community. Post in the comments below things we can do to make the server better, not only the staff, but the members that play on the server as well. Thank you for taking your time to read this thread, and remember, if we work together, we can accomplish the impossible.

 

lmao oops
i like arguing/debating tbh oops

well
we could give free cake
jk but i dont know lol
gj though kai bc i agree with most of this and i hope the server gets better
everyone should just chill but i doubt thats an option

gl bcsn

 

Yes, you DO need to show respect. But when it's not given back to you, that is a huge trigger of the server saltiness. It's a cooperative thing if we want to be happier.

 

I totally agree with you Kai I've seen the staff side of BC and trust me it's hard and it can be a very ugly side of BC. As staff you can't exactly be like a player. Players can be stressed and get mad at other players. Staff can't. If they get mad they see it as a bad staff member with a bad temper. They don't know what's happening to the staff and they don't quite care. Staff in of itself can be quite taxing. No one knows until you've seen the other side. And yes, I admit, I have called a staff member a bad staff member mentally because they were being pissy towards other players. But looking back on it - I was that staff member. I don't mean to start a debate over this but I just wanted to have it as a sort of an add-on.
If you're to take anything from this message, take this:
Do onto others as you would like them to do onto you.

 

hit the nail on the head my friend

 

I like your speech Kai

Although I agree with Kai's intentions, the fact is that no-one can do anything (as of now). There's no leadership, so there's no sense of direction, so there's no progress.

This whole 'working together' idea is pure optimism and is not realistic. BuildCraftia is rooted in a hierarchical structure; it requires someone at the top to make the big decisions and move the server forward, while the staff & members carry out the decisions in-game. This isn't happening, so the staff are doing f*ck all. Not because they're incapable, but because there's nothing happening.

I feel like I've said this a thousand times: none of the owners are stepping forward (with the greatest of respect). Unless someone is given the opportunity - or a higher-ranking staff member steps up - to do the job, we'll just see post-after-post-after-post of these threads.

4 months ago (in JeremyC's 'Status of BuildCraftia' thread), I churned out some goals we should set:

• Re-ignite the passion that made people want to be staff: to have fun, to help others, and to have a cool bold name!
• Build up the staff body with an experienced leadership team that has the server's best interests at heart, and an active moderating and administrative team that handles the server fairly and effectively day-to-day.
• Establish a system of Staff Application that favours no-one and supports everyone. Remove the bias when selecting candidates, but ensure that they prove their ability to sustain the roles required of a staff member.
• Consolidate a firm, strong leadership that has a set of ideals in mind for the server, and work with the staff and the community in order to build popularity.
• Ensure that rules apply to everyone, not just the few.
• Work on the API and make it fit for release as soon as possible, but keeping good quality in mind. Possibly release it in beta if needs be.
• Keep attitudes unbiased. Remain open to new ideas.
• Improve the relationship between the player and the staff member by being open, engaging in activities (such as minigames) and keeping the sever clean and enjoyable so that everyone can have a memorable experience.
• Work on releasing new features to maintain server interest, and use donation money responsibly for the good of the server and its growth.
• Devolve further powers to moderators so that they may serve the community better and increase efficiency.
• Keep minigames interesting; encourage users to build maps for these minigames, connect them with the server and give them a reason to come back.
• Keep the community informed upon what the server is doing and what the server plans to do. Actively advise discussion over topics that users are curious about. But importantly:
• Treat everyone with respect, and treat everyone's opinion with equal worth.

Mac added to it:

• Add more gadgets to Google Documents file.
• Confirm that everything needed to open API publicly is in order.
• Make sure Leo is ready for alpha-release.
• Release alpha server.
• Receive feedback.
• Continue work on end-product of the API.
• Move to beta.
• Receive feedback.
• Continue work on end-product of the API.
• Publish final-version.
• Continue updates.

We have targets, but there's no drive to achieve any. If there is no leadership, there is almost nothing anyone else can do.

Feel free to disagree. But if you do, please think it out carefully, because I honestly don't see how what I've said can be incorrect.

 

There is really a lack of direction and leadership in staff team, which is quite honestly the worst possible thing that could happen to a server. Any staff team with no leadership will eventually die out, and along with it, the server. I really do not wish this upon buildcraftia but at this current rate I fear that may happen. Although a great deal of respect is owed to Leo, he can't run the server by himself. He just has nobody helping him.

 

So, basically it's Mac's fault? Because AZZA/Quicksteve can't do alot because they too are limited, especially AZZA with the army and Quicksteve with coding & family.

 

That's my viewpoint basically since mac is largely inactive and doesn't do anything productive for the server when he is online (Which hasn't been in 6 weeks).

He is afk when he is online

Has clear favorites

Get's defensive whenever someone criticizes his work, even if it is bad for the server

Claims he is active when in reality he has never been active enough to be owner since the beginning of arcadia.

 

And then the truth comes out

 

we sort of have the opposite now : we're swimming in maps but staff can't bother accept & implement/deny them

 

If we're going to turn this into a conversation about staff again, I'll just briefly note that we need to understand that we clearly don't have a sense of leadership of progression because of Mac's departure! As a matter of fact, we're only as bad as he is for we are not moving forward and promoting others to think of new creative ideas! We need some sense of direction and we need to get someone preparing and pushing BuildCraftia forward as a whole; we cannot moan over Zach anymore as we've concluded many times before, and to no avail, he is not returning. Moaning over Zach wastes our time and does not help us advance!
We need someone to replace Mac and take BuildCraftia forward rather than moan over his departure.

 

I like the way you think

 

Well, only Azza and Leo can really accept maps at the time being.... and both of them can't be on that much sooo....

 

Maybe someone should take over for Zach permanently. Zach never knows what's going on because guess what: HE'S BEEN GONE FOR OVER A MONTH. He's gone for months at a time. He wonders why we're mad at him when he finally comes back. Maybe it's because this is his server and his responsibility. I don't understand why you try to stick up for him when he's not the one working the server. It's Azza and Leo. It might sound harsh, but it is damn true - Zach is a, what, 15 year old? Azza is like, 18 or 19? And Leo is like, 35. Azza is in the army and Leo has a daughter and a wife and an actual job. Zach's a student, and yes maybe he has a job but so do a lot of people I know. And guess what: THEY STILL HAVE A TON OF FREE TIME. THEY'RE NOT JUST OFF THE GRID FOR A MONTH!
It's not even that. It's him not answering important skype messages. It's him deciding to do something without a group vote. It's him literally showing favoritism. It's more than just the surface. It's more than just your problem with him. It's everything else he does. It's not paying attention. It's not knowing things he should know as the owner. It's him not owning up to his mistakes.
Zach's not even my only problem. There are a lot of problems I could discuss. Hell, I could make a forum post about it but do you know how bitchy people would get at me? Do you know how differently I would get looked at for expressing my shit freely? It's that we can't speak freely without an argument. It's that people try to convince you that it's not real, that it's all a lie. That what you're saying isn't true and that the server is completely fine. When will half of you realize that it's not a lie? That when you have seen both sides of the moon as Fan puts it, that you truly know. And yes, we all have our different opinions but from one thing to another it all leads up to the same thing in the end: We are one fucked up server with no cure. No cure until we figure out all of the flaws and the minor details with the community and the staff and talk through it instead of arguing. "You're one to talk, Yva." Yes I know I argue all the time but if you can just try to absorb each other's point of views maybe you'll complete the puzzle. Maybe that one piece that fell out of the box you'll finally find. You'll tell all of us you found it. We'll all look at it and go: Yes. That's what I was talking about. Or Oh, I didn't think of that. I can't tell you how many times I haven't seen a flaw that someone else has seen. We need to talk about it. We need to form a plan. And honest to God, some staff members try to cover it up but damn. You need to show it. We need to know. You need to know. We will see what it is and we will find a way to fix it. One day. If you just skimmed through this post then whatever but please do consider it. Kai is right. Fan is right. I didn't completely read through Phoenix's post but he's literally almost always right so kudos to you Pho. But please do think this over.
We will all overcome this together. One day.

 

The only thing I would contest is your use of the word 'we,' as in, "...we're only as bad as he is..." because I do think a lot of us are egging the server forward, but it doesn't achieve anything without a leader.

I strongly agree with you though (as I do with Yva) that someone new should be appointed Owner in an attempt to get this sh*t moving.

 

And who would this oh so mighty owner come from?
The sky?
Hell?
The Server?
Basically even though Mac has gone downhill....alot we don't have any options for a new owner who can be MATURE (Yeah I know coming from me?) and actually does work....and possibly actually a appropriate age so they can actually do stuff like handle money and the server properly. I said earlier to someone if you just pick some random chum off the server its gonna go down faster than its going down now....(Yes I would burn this server down in 3 seconds flat) Also Mac made BC with Temp/Ramsay you cant just take mac's 3-4 years of work off him....

 

the owner would come from members or staff
someone else rly
Like I get what you mean about money cos zach has control of that...but we can help run the server and stuff...and no one here is saying to demote mac its his fucking server...(but we're saying appoint someone else)...
there are options