Goodbye, Fey! + General Mod Updates!

[hughes]

Time for a round of mod announcements!


GOODBYE, FEY!

First off, some very belated news that we should have posted about way back in the beginning of November when it actually happened: Fey (theladyfeylene), one of the original founders of damned and landels_redux, player of damned_radio/mister_radio, monster-creator, Doyleton and Grounds map-maker, list-writer, plotter, oldest remaining player from the original landels, and all-around awesome person who's been with us through a lot of tough spots, has stepped down from her position of Head Mod. We wish her the best and we're so happy to have had the pleasure of co-modding with her. ♥


WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE RP

Despite her departure, Fey is graciously allowing us to use all the work she's done for the RP however we want, but she's let us know that she's uncomfortable with the prospect of us using Mr. Radio/Alec Doyle without her. Because of this, we're going to have to discontinue the Radio-Resurrection arc we initiated through the zombie event, so apologies for that ending up being a tangent! D8 Court and I will now be trying to plan out a new overarching plot, so hopefully we'll be able to come up with something okay!

As another after-effect of Fey's leaving, we're going to be talking to NPC Mods about new methods we can use for monster creation, so look forward to a post to the OOC comm in regards to that! We're also going to be looking for someone(s) to take up some map-making duties, since Fey and I generally did that, and now Fey's gone and I... never end up getting around to it. D8 Anyway, we'll be posting up more details about all of that at some point!


TO HMD OR NOT TO HMD?

I know that some people have expressed interest in an official damned HMD meme over the years, and I think we're finally ready to give it a try. However, the question is still left up to all of you guys as a whole, so please fill out the poll below with your feelings and we'll decide on whether or not to have one based on the results! (The voter identities are screened.)

Remember that if we do have an HMD meme, participation will be completely optional and unconstructive flaming from player to player, anon to player (if allowed), or player to anon (if allowed) will be screened, frozen, and/or deleted.

[Poll #1505423]


NIGHTSHIFT-ONLY APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

You can find the only slightly revised app over here! They will be open for around a month and we'll be processing them along with the usual slew of applications.


LAYOUT CONTEST(?)

Although the due date for our layout contest is tomorrow, we're sad to report that we haven't received any submissions at all! D8 So... should we give submitters another month? Or should we call the contest a lost cause and have someone in particular do the layout? Let us know your thoughts!


Phew! I think that's it. 8D; As always, feel free to leave any comments, suggestions, or questions!

Also, due to the day/night event yesterday, there won't be any major event tonight, but look forward to one on Night 47... >:333

Comments

[laverinth.livejournal.com]

WE WILL MISS YOU, FEY! ;_____;

I'm excited for NS apps opening, but BAW, FEY.

i'm on a boat!

[ryuuzaki]

1. Bawww, Fey! :(

2. I should not vote on things at almost 4AM when I'm sleep-deprived, clearly. You'll see I managed to get one set of votes in with the wrong journal. PLEASE DISREGARD.
/applies desk directly to forehead

[mitase.livejournal.com]

I would be more than happy to help with anything that needs to be done... >_>

[tightsofmight]

FEY, DAMMIT. D| I never got to talk to her, but I stalked her Tamaki liek whoa. This is a sad day for all.

...But um, if you need help with maps, I could give it a go? :|a

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

I will say on the subject of the HMD meme that if there is anonymous commenting allowed, how is this:

unconstructive flaming from player to player, anon to player (if allowed), or player to anon (if allowed) will be screened, frozen, and/or deleted

going to be policed? Even if it's frozen or deleted, some of the things anons say are hurtful. Deleting or freezing comments doesn't undo emotional damage/unbruise egos. Tracking IP addresses is all good and well, but not only does this create work for you guys should a shitstorm break out, but the player who is a victim of said shitstorm can't be sure that the player who caused it is being dealt with and stays upset.

I just see Anonymous commenting causing wank and drama and upset all over the comm. We're all adults here--we should be able to stand up and say what we think, or go to a mod and discuss our concerns.

[tadity.livejournal.com]

Additionally, one of the major drawbacks about anon commenting is a sense of paranoia when it comes to discovering that there is a person who potentially doesn't like you to a severe degree, but not knowing who they are. In a game as large as damned, it's pretty easy to avoid someone you don't want to play with so long as you know who to avoid. But with anon commenting, a person who is subjected to nonconstructive flaming is left to guess at who the person might be. It makes it a lot harder to solve problems that often have deeper issues that can only be addressed with specifics of the situation (thus revealing who the anon was), much less simply avoiding the person in hopes of not causing future problems.

[tadity.livejournal.com]

Just a quick question...if anon commenting is allowed by the majority, will players who still post in the HMD have an option of requesting no anon replies to their individual threads?

[burningvigor.livejournal.com]

Yes, definitely!

[grimmhooke.livejournal.com]

Goodbye Fey! Thanks for all the hard work you've done, and take care of yourself! ♥

Also, yay NS applications~

[itsabere.livejournal.com]

Slightly random question here.

I've noticed that, quite a lot of the time, HMDs that are posted regularly get even less activity than ones that are spaced out. D'you have any idea of when they'll be run? (Like, once every x amount of in-game days; once every x amount of months. Nothing specific.)

ALSO HAY COURT I like Zack's icons.

[burningvigor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it wouldn't be super regular. We're thinking once every four months, or something like that? That's just a rough estimate and very open to change, if anyone has thoughts on that point. 8D;;

[lawful_perfect]

Thank you, Fey, for everything and for being part of Damned's awesome team of mods. <333333333

[puddingtreat.livejournal.com]

BAAAWWW FEY!! D: But thank you Fey, for all the work you've done for the game. <333

If we get a HMD meme, I don't mind it if anon comments would be allowed. If people feel they can be more honest and give better crit that way, why not? Of course, this could mean some could abuse it to flame or something, but those threads could always be frozen and such. And like I read above, people requesting whether they'd mind anon comments or not sounds like a good idea. ^^

Also, NS!apps~! :D o/

[vaticnostrum.livejournal.com]

Even though I only spoke with you a few times, I'm sad to see you go, Fey. Good luck with everything! ♥

I am also all over the NS-only apps like burning. But is there a kinda-sorta date for them to close by? I'm weird in that I like to have a number to look at and aim to have finished by. D|

ALSO HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM FUTURE-AUSSIE LAND. \o/

[kitty-nakoji.livejournal.com]

BITCH, GET OUT OF THE FUTURE

I WILL TURN THIS PLANET AROUND, YOUNG LADY

[toxicspiderman]

THANKS FEY!

I filled out the poll but my answer to the last two is more of a *shrug* -- I'm perfectly OK with anonymous untracked comments, but I'm also OK with saying "here's my HMD comment, and if you want to reply anon/untracked, go to [linked concrit post]" in a no-anons-allowed meme.

and NS APPS! I must be strong and resist the temptation, but I can't wait to see who we end up with.

[toadally4boobs.livejournal.com]

Feeeeeeeeey. :<

Also, uh. I voted under the poll with another character journal before I realized. XD; Whoops. The flynfruitpies account is mine.

[kanara.livejournal.com]

Take care, Fey. We will miss you. *hug*

[aqua-karen.livejournal.com]

Formal goodbyes to Fey at Landel's Damned. ;_; Mr. Radio~

And good luck with future plans, as well, Court, Erin, monster-mods... I sound like I'm not just talking to people right here who just read this. XD; Uh.

I'm a little uncomfortable with game-wide HMDs but they are optional (nobody gets their Ds without asking for it) so... maybe it'll provoke more dignified suggestions than other anonymous discussion, since it is moderated, but will also produce more results than individualized HMD posts on journals.

[lokogato.livejournal.com]

End of an era! GOOD LUCK IN ALL THINGS, FEY. :( Mr. Radio and you will both be missed dearly!!

[moral-liberty.livejournal.com]

Sad to hear that Fey is leaving. I wish her the best. ;_;

I'm reminded that I need to finish my NPC mod app... someday. ;;;;

And, uh, as a third point, if you like and you guys are okay with it, I am willing to offer an art commission to whoever wins the layout contest. Or to whoever just agrees to do it. WHICHEVER IT ENDS UP BEING.

[alwayscomesback.livejournal.com]

My heart, it just broke! My FeyFeeeeeeeeeeeeey! DDDDDDDX *WAILS*

I'll miss you so much, you have no idea, and Mr. Radio as well! I... was working on something as a goodbye for him, but I never got around to finishing it, I'M SORRY! Maybe I'll drag it back out now... *wibble*

[stringless-doll.livejournal.com]

BYE FEY. ♥♥♥

[continuum.livejournal.com]

GOODBYE FEY. Your work on the monsters and Doyleton was super appreciated. ♥

I've been jonesing for an HMD here since forever, so al;sjflas thanks guys for offering up the suggestion. :D I don't have everyone in the game on my FList, so I feel like a game-wide HMD might be more beneficial than those memes that get posted from time to time.

Anyway, I think allowing anonymous commenting while giving people the chance to opt out of it is more flexible and gives those who want anonymous crit to have it, rather than disallowing it for everyone completely. THOUGH I guess people can just point anons to personal crit posts in their character journals or something, that might have anon enabled/IP logging off.

[gald_digger]

I'll all for game-specific HMDs! They tend to have better turnouts than the multigame ones, both from crit-requesters and crit-givers. And you don't have to click through a dozen pages of strangers to look for someone you want to give crit to.

I also much prefer to have anon allowed. I don't want people holding back on necessary crit for me just because they're worried my opinion of them will change for the worse.

And IP logging is fine with me, if it's just to deal with obvious abuse of the meme. Since it's going to be officially affiliated with damned, it'd make sense for everyone to have some accountability for what they do.

teal deer stampede

[ryuuzaki]

Now that I'm actually awake, I can formulate something more intelligent in response to this. :)

First of all, again: BAWWWWW, Fey! :( I neglected to thank her for her hard work. Thank you, Fey! I'm sorry we never got to play together.

Second, about the HMD and anon thing. From a personal POV (aka, the part where I babble about myself for a while):

I have an HMD post with anon and no IP logging enabled on both characters' journals. Nobody has ever used it. Most of the time, I'm probably harder on myself than most people are likely to be on me, and I make an effort to be able to... this is making me feel sheepish!... justify every decision I make in terms of the character's psychology, in case the day comes when I need to address a comment about that kind of thing. (This doesn't mean that people will agree that the justification is successful, of course.) I think all of this is somewhere between "common" and "universal" among other people who also have HMD posts.

All of this is to say that HMD need not necessarily be scary. But even though I voted up there to allow anonymous comments, and I enabled them for my personal HMD posts, I'm still really wary of them.

I see the value of a gamewide HMD, and in fact, while I haven't followed other games' HMDs, one of the complaints I've heard about them hasn't been wank so much as nothing useful being said on them.

All of that being the case, I do also share the concerns that Tad and Serey have.

I think you've addressed them pretty well already, but one thing I would like to add is that, as much as mods everywhere want stuff like this to be optional and want everyone to behave, it seems like there's often an element of peer pressure involved: pressure to accept HMD comments (in this case, to post to the meme), and pressure to accept anonymous comments. It seems like when people don't participate in optional HMD stuff and don't accept anonymous comments, it can be fuel for later wank, even if the person who didn't participate has some good personal reason for it. All of it is kind of "potentially damned if you do, totally damned if you don't." (No pun intended!) That might be worth taking into account.

On the other hand... as long as everyone can avoid this, it should be OK. Anonymousness isn't really the problem; passive-aggressive behavior is the problem. I like the idea of IP logging because it adds an element of accountability in terms of conduct, although I'd hope that everyone would be considerate enough to everyone else that worrying about accountability would be unnecessary.

Third: asdjhdgkjsfhgfgjh if there's another month in the layout contest, I might get it together to submit something. But don't hold it open just for me; I might NOT get it together to submit something! I guess what I mean is: "ideally, I'd like to try to participate, but December was way too busy for me to even make the attempt." If you decide to commission someone, I'm almost certain that they would do a better job.

[kranna-tiki.livejournal.com]

Awwwww, we'll miss you, Fey! Thanks for all your hard work; I had fun the few times I got to thread with Tamaki! ♥

[murasaki-kaze.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the fun and hard work, Fey! I wish you luck in what you do from here on♥

[jokers-wildcard.livejournal.com]

Awww. Thank you so much for all your hard work, Fey! I don't exaggerate when I say you and the others are, hands down, the most amazing and awesome mod team I have ever known. Thanks for the fun-to-read threads and everything you've done for us. Good luck, Fey~!

And WOOO! NS APPS 8D