VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMNT

My name is Darkstorm Zero, and I am a Moderator for the Felarya Forums. I'm making this blog entry because a situation has happened that requires further examination not just in the forums, but also here on DeviantArt.

Ok, first and foremost, I'll be laying down the ground rules here for this thread people.

Firstly, any attempt to derail this topic will be met with severe cosequences, that means staying ON THE POINTS AT HAND, and not turning this thread into another flamewar.

Secondly, this involves the ENTIRE FELARYAN COMMUNITY, DA included, not just the forums.

Also, please note that the comments are directed at ALL SIDES, not just one, unless stated otherwise!


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Now, the reason for this announcement is very concerning to all of us...

The goings on in DeviantArt in recent weeks and months have greately concerned some of our members and staff in both the forum and on DA. We have received disturbng accounts of acts of trolling, flaming, bashing, spamming, and even attempted hacking by some of our members.

This is especially concerning to us when it paints the whole Felarya community we all strived to build in a very negative light. Worse still, it makes us look like a "Safe Harbour" for people who utilise these practices in the public view, as these actions are performed publically.

I will not name names of those responsable for these actions, as I am sure those who are reading this know whom they are and what they did. I will be making a journal entry into my DA account similar to this as well.

Now, I have heard many excuses for these actions, I have seen the posts, I have read the logs, and I have been provided information reguarding these events, including, but not limited to: "He/She/They would not be reasoned with! I had to do it!", "I showed them what true trolling is." Or "I needed to let off some steam in a place where I can do it!" .......

Guys and girls, this MUST stop now! DA is NOT your frustration doll, and it is NOT a place where you can scar up one of Felarya's major sources of members with impunity. There is no reasonable excuse for any of this shit to occur. All that is being accomplished is creating a new set of problems, seperated from, but related to the old ones earlier this year.

I mean, for Christ's sake I thought we all got over all this crap when the Final Resolution Thread in the Forums happened. Those involved in this where ALL witness to this... We all said we wouldn't let this happen again! We all said we would help carry the load! And yet since then, nothing has changed, nobody beleived a damn thing did they?!

I am getting ROYALLY fed up with this, so now, I'm going to at long last speak the truth from my perspective, from my mind, to ALL of you.

I'm not the smartest or most productive member in this place, I know I'm not always here, and I know I should be... Alot of you all are here far more frequently than I am... I took this position because I felt I could do some good here, with the skills I have in forum moderating and adminship, I beleived I could do something more than stand and watch... Maybe I was wrong... I dunno, but one thing I can count on, one thing I always do, is I speak the truth from my own point of view, from how I see it, and I try to get all points of view, as many as I can before I do anything.

The way I see this problem is this:

All this could have been avoided, or at least prevented... None of this was a necessity. Everything here seems to stem from the earlier conflicts we have had, I've heard blame being leveled at members and staff, I've now seen the attempt at what Karbo calls 'Gatekeeping' first-hand, and NONE of what is supposedly being locked out actually matters in the greater scheme of things.

You want to know why I see things that way? Because I actually understand what Karbo means by letting people do what they wish with the setting.... We don't need the level of quality control some are espousing. This is not Lucasarts, and even if it where, I'll give you an analergy to utilise.

Karbo has created this setting call Felarya, just as Geroge Lucas has created Star Wars, right? Well, there are outside writers and artists who would like to carry on the works of the original creators in their own way. Karbo creates the core, and others build up the setting around that, just like Lucas and the Expanded Universe stuff. Now, Karbo may like some of the content others are producing, so he canonises them as part ofthe core setting, just as Lucas and his team do when they canonise certain aspects of the EA. Now, both Karbo and Lucas don't canonise everything obviously, for different reasons, such as conflicting issues, or it doesnt fit with how they view things, gets cut in editing, that sort of thing.

Then we have the fan-made creations. These certainly may contain good ideas, bad ideas, ludicrous ideas, golden ones, whatever. These stories/pics/whatever will never be recognised as official, and thus Lucas doesn't give a shit about them, he certainly isn't going to slap the author for ruining his setting, and as long as the author doesn't try to make money off of anything to do with his creation without a license, he does not give a shit about it. Karbo is probably the same way about Felaryan works he deems unacceptable as canon material. He'll comment about it at most and leave it at that.

So my question is simply this, why the hell do you guys and girls give even half a shit as to wether some person from the dark side of DA, or even here in the forum, writes or draws a poor peice of art? I mean, one constructive critiquing comment is all that is required, if the artist/writer reacts poorly to it, who cares? The only time you should take any further action is when they request help in improving. You cannot help those who wont accept it, don't force the issue, those actions are the ones that lead to these series of conflicts, and the supposed "Need" for this gatekeeping. It's not needed, and it accomplishes nothing.

Contributors should be made aware though that they are using other peoples work, and should respect that. When the creators of a said peice try to advise you on how the peice actually works, please understand that they arn't trying to attack you reguarding your intended work. They are not trying to sabotage you, and they arnt stopping you from doing what you will, but don't violently shrug them off either... there is nothing wrong with hearing the points of view of others, but there definitely IS something wrong when the disagreement heats up and truns into a grotesque flamewar. That helps nobody and is counterproductive. This principal extends to all communications too, don't go making assumtions about intent.

Also, for creators, please don't be overzealous in your attempts to protect your work. I know, I know, that sounds crazy, but hear me out, The fan-works you see won't be made canon anyway without your concent if there is a conflict, read above about suspected canon policy. And remember, creators, how you react to critique is as much responsable for what happens as much as the critique itself. Remember, you can either take the critique on board, or ignore it entirely. You don't have to react with a flaming bullwhip at every perceived negative connotation in someones post. it's easy to get angry at someone whom you think doesn;t like your work, but it is infinitely better to check the content of the words and act accordingly. there is a big difference bitween a crtique and a bashing from a legitimate troll. comments like 'You should hang yourself for making this" is bashing. Ignore it and report the offender, do NOT react to them! However, a person trying to point out flaws and suggesting ways to help improve the work is someone who took the tme to look at your work, and is trying to help you improve it with a fresh set of eyes... These are posts you should consider seriously, as there is nothing wrong with self improvement, unless you are worried about vanity...

With all that said, I know the situation is more complicated than that, people on DA react differently than those in the forum and all that, plus interpersonal communication still seems to have been damaged, and nobody is looking to fix the rails on either side of the tracks, plus people viewing eachother with various emotions and pre-prescribed views of hostility... Honestly people... This isn't hard... How you react on DA should be no different than on the forum. if you react stupidly on DA because of some pre-conceived immunity because we don't moderate there, you are no longer correct. Yes, I am aware of the precedent set with Kri's Journal, but then think about what happened with Shouda. he got blacklisted because he was badmouthing the entire community and proclaiming himself "better than th rest". Sure, he wasn't banned from DA, but he was no longer welcome among the Felarya Community.

As for interpersonal communication, what that means is that people are NOT talking with each other. Despite my best efforts to get everyone talking to each other again, people are still in a state of stasis, wary of intentions, tired of the fighting, or simply mistrustful of anyone who was "On the other side of the fighting"... for the love of god, GROW UP! Pluck some courage and TALK to eachother!, And don't mean to simply do it because I say so, I meant to socialise, share your thoughts, and I mean regularly, not as a one off thing like a goddamn Christmas party, or a Funeral, as that might be more fitting. I mean damn, the place is DYING here, and all you lot can do is sneer at eachother from across the fence-lines through your sniper scopes.... You ALL say you've tried to talk, tried through PMs or Chatbox, or Ventrillo or what have you. I see no evidence of any real communication going on short of when this place is about to fucking COLLAPSE.... It takes a goddamn emergency these days to get you all to talk! There is no regular communication here, at all, and that means small problems that crop up, like this one started out as, fester until it becomes a serious issue, one that demands serious action.

And as for the last problem; How people view eachother. Well, here is the thing, Your personal bias, oppinion or whatever it is you hold against anyone else, is COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT! Those are just fucked up indulgencies that have to be set aside. I do not care if you don't like someone in the community, if your judgement is affected by that bias, then you need to go cool off, calm down, and think with a rational mind. there is no excuse for any action based on preconception of someone else, as assumptions are usually wrong.

Next: The forum itself.

I realise that many view the forum as a place for serious construction of the setting, and while this is true to an extent, remember that the forum, and Felarya in general is also a hobby to be enjoyed by all. I have no problem with people taking their world-building seriously. Some do see that as a form of enjoyment, So please, consider more points of view than your own when you hit that post button!

Ok, one last thing is simply this.

Now, I realise that this will generate flak from both sides. People will defend their views, and part of the problem is that nobody is willing to set aside their personal views for the greater good. There is no tollerance... What I am asking is that BOTH sides lay down their weapons and let diplomacy resume.

Karbo.

I know we all said we'd shoulder the load of looking after this community, and, for my part, I'm doing all I can mate, but your still the boss man, there are some decisions only you can make, there is only so much I and the other mods can do as mere moderators. You may need a co-admin here in the forum to help do some things one admin cannot do...

Also, Anime Junkie did try to communicate with you about some of his ideas about how to solve this, and i don't know what they are, but I know AJ is making an effort here.

Ok.... That is all, this thread will remain open for all those who seek to reply to it, but I hope to NEVER have to make a post that took an hour to compose.... I'm old, I'm tired, and I am getting to the point where I am wondering if any of this is going to sink in and make my point worth while.