Stalemate

I'm not sure what you mean with the quoted part here, but the tone seems hostile. I don't know why that would be, unless you misunderstood something.

Allow me to rephrase then.

I was saying earlier that we can't expect PW, PTFs to empty out their own channels in favor of PV any more than we could at this point.

If you were referring to my own needs, there are several reasons why I did not join the established channels. But what I proposed to Blazing Blue and Arion Elan at the time was something not present on Protector - at least not officially.

When we decided to relaunch Protector Vigilance in December 2009, there was no indication that other channels had the primary function we were wanting to cover: promoting all server events. We opted to do this in a channel moderated by people who were not close friends in game or otherwise previously so that it could be accessible by all.

Our membership has been increasing weekly and is active, since most of these players have joined in the last months. IIRC, there were less than 25 people at any given time in the channel when we relaunched it.

If the renewing of the PV channel contributed to other channels expanding their own field of operations, then it just confirms that we were right in our analysis of Protector's needs.

In the end, Protector still wins.

There's no need for competition between our channels. I see them as complimentary given the nature of Protector's population.

It might be easier for you, the player, to have a single point of reference to consult, but unfortunately that's not how Protector has evolved as a community.

I know that public sharing is possible there (and it can even be searched for once made public). If you have a Google account you can add it to your own list or even use apps like the Calendar Checker in Google Chrome to see countdowns to specific events. Notices like "30 min. 'til Hami Raid" comes to mind already.

I'll even volunteer to maintain the alt calendar if you think time / practicality is an issue for you. I'd just need the exported file every once in a while.

*crossesfingers

I know...

but hey - this will be #772.

There's no way to make it viewable without having to register with Yahoo, is there?

You know, I had missed the part about extending it to new players in Landrig's post. I was thinking this was going to be limited to mentors so that NA and EU volunteers could communicate together.

I'd agree with enrious here on this aspect.



We have been.

From recent observations, Protector Vigilance has had the highest active player participation. But then, I'm not active in other channels anymore.

If if you'll bear with me a minute, any converging PW, PV and PTF has a lot of hurdles to jump.

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When I was in PW, situations occurred where I felt I could no longer be a moderator (1st one invited to be by the channel's founder) in there. Others had already left and created an alternative "monster watch" channel, which they called Protector Vigilance and I was invited to it. Later on, when the founder left the game, she asked me to become moderator in it.

It was only with the conclusion of the Praesidium coalition (which would warrant a chapter just to explain) that I turned my attention back on the Protector Vigilance channel, hoping to make it into something more aptly designed to serve the entire Protector population along with Blazing Blue, Arion Elan and more recently, Star Geek.
[/history mode = off]

Granted, the events hinted to for PW happened years ago, and I have complete confidence that the channel's current moderators have managed to resolve any issues since it's still operating. Please don't take my comments about PW to be disparaging.

But, Protector has a fickle population. Some will argue this is not the case, but my experience says otherwise.

We have dedicated channels like Jello Shooters with a casual "adult" theme which also has players with impressive game knowledge (*wink to Rasta). We have PTF (which I didn't even know was still active, to be honest) which specializes (-ed?) in organizing task forces and trials I'm guessing. Since the advent of ingame "zone event" messages being available, I can only assume Protector Watch has adapted like Protector Vigilance has had to by expanding their field of operation. There are countless SG channels that are also open for outsiders to participate in.

And I don't see that changing any time soon.

Protector has a very large percentage of Type A personalities. Many are "natural leaders" who, though kinship and shared interests, will attract others around them. This also has the opposite effect of completely turning off others. It's the nature of the beast, really. Can't be helped.

So while some will naturally congregate together in one channel, others will avoid that same channel entirely. A few (mostly those interested in keeping track of all happenings, or event organizers wanting to be able to reach as much of Protector as possible) will have all the main channels in their chat tab.

I've seen people avoid global channels because a person was in it or because they felt it was "competing" with other established channels they preferred (PW and PV are good examples, although I know at least one of the PW mods has joined PV in the past, and vice-versa). Some reasons could be seen as petty, but I tell you that for the people involved, they are not.

And so there we have it.

The ideal would be for Protector to have one single channel to cover everything. Protector Vigilance was intended to be exactly that. Our mods are interested in promoting all server events on the server, and relay the information as quickly as it is possible to do so.

We saw a need for such a channel, and judging by the sheer number of people joining others did too.

We did not plan to compete with other established channels out there, but our goals are definitely similar to those of other channels. Since the Protector population is smaller, overlapping occurs whether we want it or not.

Can we ask PW or PTF's moderators to promote PV as "the" channel to join and ask them to drop theirs? I know I can't do that. These other channels have years of effort invested in them as well. I will be the last to ask such a thing from others who have invested their time and effort in making Protector better.

50% more than what?

PV is the fastest growing channel on Protector since it was relaunched in December 2009 and I've been told it consistently shows higher active members online, so I'm wondering what numbers / channels you're referring to.

Given the nature of Protector it's impossible to think that PV will get everyone to join. As it stands, I think we're happy to be serving the largest segment of Protector's population as best we can.

Now, THAT is the definition of "old school".

You're not alone Kheldarn.

I've also experienced the death of 8-track tapes, audio cassettes, 5.25" floppies, betamax video, and now 3.25" floppies (whose birth I also saw).

When my friends were goofing around on their Ti99-4a's, and Commodore Vic-20s and C-64s I got myself an Apple IIc to do some *real* computing. 128Kb RAM FTW!

Schools used Apple II / IIe and Commodore PET machines profusely back then.

Heck, I was looking for way to play the original Lode Runner on Windows Vista just a few days ago.

...then, replace the parts in red with the ones below in yellow:

I'm using it right now, modified according to taste, and it's fine on Vista (x86)

I never realized how much fun I was missing without this.

I've used this successfully in the past. It works.

Click the image to be taken to the Off The Cape website

Special thanks to the Off The Cape crew for giving us this opportunity. =)


NB - This is posted here as well as the Player Help section since this was the birthplace of the idea, after all.

Special thanks to the Off The Cape crew for giving us this opportunity. =)