Rant

[Thaddius]

Flashon, my rant was not directed at anyone in particular. It was directed at the constant requests for changes on the server (I listed examples where after rotation was changed it was asked to be changed again. I can pull the threads if necessary) and every time I get on its people complaining about server performance. I know those complaints are somewhat legit and Plankeye has been working on solutions, but it is the consistant lack of appreciation I see towards those people who do this service for the community. It has been this way for a long time, or at least as long as I have been a part of ToJ. The CS chapter is the largest chapter and is therefore where most of it goes on. We don't see the same complaints coming from the UT chapter, the NS chapter and DoD (when it was on the server) that we do from CS.

I have not seen any emails you sent to Para or any other staff members. If you guys are working on something like that, I think its great. More involvement from people is needed around here.

As for the whole map thing, yeah, that was kind of the straw that broke the camels back. Its funny how people only want to play the maps they like and expect everyone else to play them regardless if they like them or not. I personally have maps that I despise in CS, yet I play them when they come around. I don't complain every time I have to play those maps. I do complain when people stack teams on one-sided maps (which is a whole other frustration)

anyway, I was not trying to offend anyone, just express my feelings. No one was targeted.

Cory

 

[Booyah]

Get ready for what I am going to say, and try to not flame my opinion, I am only replying out of concern for what you want. My writing is always in a tone that is considered harsh, and Although I try to be to the point, I wrote this in a good mood *hugs Thad*

They join other clans, create there own clans, want it "this way" instead of "that way" because they like it better "this way". Yet when it comes down to it, these people only hang around to play on our server and complain about how "this could be done better" instead of trying to become an asset to ToJ.

I seem to feel as if this is aimed at me in someway. I have not been active in a clan for some time, and with commitments with college, it wont happen. When I was in a team with flash and so on, it was a more tight knit group. I like to think it still is. I talk with Tyler and Kyle on a daily basis, and it isnt about this game. They have become special friends of mine.

People come to your server because it is a "Christian Community" not just another clan. When I ran a server for my team, Seldom did any toj regulars visit.

If people think the map cycle is off, then having a thread on the forums to discuss it isnt way out of line. Things like Seige should never have been added to a public 1.6 map cycle. There is nothing wrong if the admins like maps like them, as when the admins want to play them, they can just make a vote for them. assault_upc gets played often when it isnt in the cycle.

People dont join other clans because they don't like you and never want to talk to you again. They want a more constructive, more sucessful attempt at what they want, and if the clan changes from that, they will quit and make another. If toj wanted to have a very compeditive team, they should have done something. The "a" team was not a real team for a long time, and if you and the other admins wanted it to be sucessful, you should have made a plan and went on your way.

Do you guys even realize how much time and money that Elite (before) and Plankeye(now) and HCS (custom) have put into maintaining a game server? I can show you numbers of what it costs and what we do get in donations does not even come close to that amount. Not only that, but each of them has a family that comes first. So while some of you are sitting here everyday complaining, think about what other people are sacrificing to make sure you have a place to play CS.

The lack of appreciation from some of you is disturbing....
</rant>

Cory

I ran a server for a little while, and I very much appreciate having the ability to play at the toj server. The admins keep the server clean, and it is very nice to play in that atmosphere.

However, I would hope that the people who take care of the servers do it, not for us, but because they want to. Keeping a server takes oodles of time and money, and most importantly dedication. I would hope that YOU Cory are happy that YOU have a server that can act as the center of the community. I think the server is as much for TOJ as it is for us randoms.

Cory, my only advice is that you need to look on the brightside. I feel that quicking changing the mapcycle is something that isnt all bad. I put the suggestion fourth that a AMX style end of map vote would cure the problem, and I feel that it wouldnt effect your resources. I also feel that HLGUARD is 100% complete wase when the admins do the beautiful job they do, along with steambans.

If you can look past the constructive critisism, I feel that you will be able to answer some of your own questions.

However if you want us to "penny up" for donations, remember thatwhile Plankeye might have a family that comes first, many of us have more bills that prevents us from supporting toj on a month-to-month basis. I do not really know what you are trying to accomplish by this rant.

If you wanted to start a fundraiser for the servers, this isnt a way to start it.

If you wanted to solve lingering questions about this facet or that facet of the server, a dedicated talk would quicking and efficiently accomplish that.

If you wanted to invite a christian team to play with the "a" team, this was also not the way to accomplish that.

I am not trying to make anyone mad or feel uncomfortable, but I feel like this is the same animosity that started an upheavel of fighting among us the last times.

The only way I can see you understanding the clan thing is to actually practice and scrim with a compeditive CS clan. I do not wish to "bash" the members of the "A" team, but people like Poison, Dead-aim, Goose,Flashon, etc have specific wants when it comes to a competition clan. It is impossible to understand that without seeing that side of the coin.

If you have other ideas of positions around TOJ that needed to be filled, asking would probably get you farther than this rant did.

For example, If you wanted someone to help The A-team you needed to ask.

I would be happy to try to help in whatever capacity I can, Just ask me. I would be happy to try to help the "a" team, as I can give Goose a good run for his money now and then

but only because Dead Aim spent time with me, helping me. Abe, Zeke, Tyler,Kyle, Flash, I would not be where I am without your help and the the time we spent together <3

Please dont take what I have said in a bad way. *huggle*

 

[Plankeye]

Booyah, the problem is we do ask. They go un answered. My fundraising threads last year garnered only a handful of responses with even less actually contributing money. I am very thankful for those few but for a community that is at times 300 members strong. It can be very frustrating at the lack of involvement and commitment.

I can do the numbers again. I think the number I was quoted at is something like 10% of the regular attendees of a church tithe. So lets take that estimate with our group. Lets say 10% of our 300 average members contribute as little as $10 a month. That is 30 X $10 = $300. That $300 dollars covers the cost of 2 physical boxes that can each run 3-5 seperate game servers. Meaning we could add upto an additional 10 servers to our little community.

I can tell you how powerful a tool and how blessed this community has been because of the the services we offer. Since 2001, we have some 1000 people come through our doors. At any one time in the last couple of years we have averaged between 225-300 active members. We have seen several members blessed by this ministry but we still have a long way to go. We have helped enabled hundreds of new friendships with both believers and non-believers. Our CS server is a very popular place. It brings both the young and the old. Lately, we have become quite the magnet for skilled players. I think it is because of the great job our admins do and our members who (for the most part) uphold the rules of our server and create a great environement to make friends and even share Christ through those relationships.

Online communities only thrive and grow based on the involvement of that community. I am afraid 1% of the community can not substain the other 99%. This is already evident in the fact that we as leaders get accused all to often of not listening or not dropping everything we are doing to make something happen. We simply do not have the resources. I have a backlog of well over a year of work to do. We tried to form a web team and although I got some contacts, I have yet to find people that want to take on the responsability of a project. I got someone lined up to help out with the game server thankfully. But lots of people would like to help, the simple fact is very few do.

The very nature of this disconnected community means that those that want to help out, need to be able to be self reliant. The few leaders can give direction but do not have the time and resources to hold the members hands the entire way. We need people who are God fearing and willing to hit the ground running or the project simply does not get done. Because we are online, we do not get to see each other on a weekly basis like a brick and mortor church.

What is also frustrating is as you said, members going off and taking potential resources to make their own little communities. I think it is very selficous. I know of at least 3-4 CS groups have spawned off of members of ToJ and have rented their own game servers. Seeing how game servers start at around $20 a month. That is a lot of resources being diverted from the many to support the few.

I do not want to lie to you either. Being a leader/admin/helper here is not just a title. It is work. Hard work. Ask a server admin about what this responsability requires. Having that authority means that even though you are having fun, you have to stop what you are doing to reprimand someone for breaking a rule or become a spectator because someone maybe hacking. Talk to a chapter leader of some of our more succesful chapters and they will tell you it is a lot of work to keep a chapter going. If you just want the title and aren't willing to advertise the chapter, help out members interested in the chapter and plan/execute events for the chapter, it will slowly move off the homepage like so many chapters before it.

Also, I want to remind everyone that this is a ministry. I can think of someone right now who would like nothing more then us to fail. He enjoys our constant bickering and arguments. He delights when contributing members leave. He loves it when members are deceived in thinking that what little they can give is not enough.

I also know someone who would love nothing more then for us to succeed. He loves it when we meet to talk about Him. He blesses those who devote their time and money. He makes the smallest contribution go the distance.