Why xg is not the same as it was, and ways to bring back oldxg. (serious)

[AegeanOld 0]

So just a quick introduction. I joined the xG community december 2010/jan 2011, was co-leader for about 2-3 years and then left due to disagreements towards my fellow higherups. You might know me by Link if not by Aegean. I had a very good history with this clan with exception to duplolas having powers, and then darkwolf having powers, cuz they were retards. Anyways.

 

Why is xG not the same as it once was? It's easy to blame rhododendron/silence for alot of it, but that's not it. He might have caused some shit, but it's not him that's preventing xG to get back to its former glory.

 

1. It's the staff themselves. If you go back to 2011-2013, it wasn't silence alone that was keeping the servers populated and fun, it was the members. The biggest thing was the members who were keen on being staff, and once being promoted, having a positive influence. I remember when jailbreak and other servers had 5-6 + staff on all the time (except for the late night, where myself, cristo and other night owls would populate and play if we were bored) The biggest thing is the staff don't care anymore about bettering the server. You know what I don't see? Mods and Admins constantly asking higher up what they have to do to be promoted. It's true I'm not staff anymore so it might be behind the scenes now, but I remember how active staff were on forums, always asking members what they want from the server, and even people pming me and other higherups for an "operation populate (deathrun)" or w.e . The biggest thing is from talking to many members, and even staff themselves, promotions are much more skewed then they used to be. It's not so much how active you are or how good you are in server, it's more who your friends with, and who you talk to in teamspeak.

 

2. People don't care. Look at the forums. There are so many posts that are stickied but not updated, or stickied that should be removed. I made a post about what the different levels of staff do for this community, and what you can ask them for help with. As higherups, you need to be constantly looking to see what you can do to make this community better. If this isn't your goal while being a higher up, then you should step down or re-evaluate your position. You aren't higher-ups so you can abuse on TS or forums, and just be the shield for your friends when something gets called out against them. You are there to set an example, and make sure EVERYONE (this is key) has a great experience in the servers and community, and that they would want to join and even invite their friends into the clan. This also means that you can't bend rules to appeal to one group of people (example the furries or bronies who don't like being insulted) but then allow NSFW avatars that are actually against the rules because (that's just my opinion). You guys need to understand that you represent the community, as soon as people go "ouu i'm gonna go check out another community" you fucked up possibly many new recruits, ad sense, and donation money.

 

3. Everyone is segregated. Look at teamspeak and look at the ridiculous amount of black lists and passwords in the channels. A select few staff almost never go into a public channel, and that is also very upsetting to newer members who want to meet staff and others and want to play other games with other fellow clan members. I mentioned this a few times, but this is a ridiculous thing that I should be bringing up time and time again. Staff need to acknowledge the newer members, and play games with them or even create events. Before the Cozy boys (Billy, Trif, Rpgs, etc) and I quit, Rpgs had the idea of making a community night. Once a week, we choose a few servers, set up an event to all of xG (through the forums and steam group) and just spend a few hours with the community. Anyone is welcome to join, and just play some games that aren't populated as much. (xG Minigames for example)

 

What does this do?

1. You introduce members to a new game mode that they potentially might like and come back often too, and

2. The members get to meet others (staff, members or just randoms) and get to have fun and feel like they really are in a community.

 

You have nothing to lose from this, you lose 0 resources and you get the community involved; something this community hasn't really done in a long time. You can provide incentives to coming if you can, if not just have fun and play games. This can also prove valuable to members and staff who are looking to be promoted but are often unseen to the people that they need to be seen by.

 

This will not return xG to it's former glory, but it's a start. Once the staff start acting like staff, and stop being spoiled brats who are power-happy at any slight discomfort, this community can lead to the right path back to competing to be one of the top gaming communities on steam. If you disagree or would like to add any points, please I urge you to start a conversation. This is how change starts, from people talking. Thanks for the long read, there is no tl;dr because if you don't wanna read it, you don't care.

 

-Aegean

[Dethman 191]

The truth has been spoken

[SupremeWolf 1]

Thank you. Someone who knows what xG needs and what's happening to xG. Although I may be a newer member in your terms I've seen it go downhill so fast. Not to mention you might get the attention of the higer ups.

[Ohstopyou 42]

I think I might add something, if you don't mind.

 

"Old xG" did not NEARLY have this much drama and shi.t-posting. If you want it to go back, stop adding to the problem. Try adding to the SOLUTION for once, instead of standing around complaining.

[DCook 4]

2. People don't care. Look at the forums. There are so many posts that are stickied but not updated, or stickied that should be removed. I made a post about what the different levels of staff do for this community, and what you can ask them for help with. You can see that Division manager and Community Leader are not only missing from that list and it's not updated to what they do.

 

Hi, yes. I agree with a lot but I'd like to point out this thread in reply to this comment: Staff roster, helpful notes, rules and other things | Xeno Gamers It's not perfect but there are a few of us working to make it, and the community, better. As you said, it doesn't help when there are those that -don't- care. But we are trying.

 

It also doesn't help that in this thread: Cs:s Operation Revitalization | Xeno Gamers a good amount of the posts are "Why are you even trying? Give up." It's not from lack of trying that this happens. It's a lack of people willing to help it. The few that try get turned down.

[Scootaloo 124]

The amount of unnecessary drama on these forums is cancerous. What makes it worse is when the higher ups are pressured to make decisions based on the given scenarios with little-to-no context, proof, or adequate communication with the parties involved. That's how people get demoted and that's what causes members to leave.

 

I can't begin to tell you how close I have come to leaving this clan myself over the past week. The paramount levels of discontempt among our members physically makes me sick to my stomach. But, even though there are people I cannot stand in this community, even though there seems to be some big production every single week, even though something nearly drives me to leaving this group once and for all, I always remain resolute and stay. Why? Because I want to see this community grow.

 

We have a LOT of potential to be a GREAT TF2 community. We really do. We have a LOT of resources available to us that are being squandered or misused, and I want to see the potential fully bloom. Our Unusual TF2 server is one of the best I have ever been in. All it needs is people to populate it and I can almost GUARANTEE that it will become a well-known place. Our Trade servers are fun, engaging, and exciting. All it needs are people to trade in them. Our Forums are an excellent tool for communication and discussion. All it needs is a bit of tidying up and for its members to work on their maturity levels a bit.

 

xG has become my unofficial TF2 home. I couldn't leave this place if I wanted to. I've made some excellent friends, made excellent memories, and helped to make excellent servers. The only thing holding us back is our inherent inability to communicate and work with one another.

[Goblin 154]

+1

[Scootaloo 124]

Also, I'll be damned if anyone thinks I am NOT doing my best to make this a better place. The Unusual Server can serve as proof of my efforts. @ColdEndeavour and myself have been slaving away for the past week to make sure everything is just right, and even now we still aren't finished with everything. I'm constantly in servers participating and doing my job, and I would LOVE to receive a promotion, but am of the opinion that if you ask for a promotion, you probably shouldn't get one. Promos should be awarded based on merit and effort, not persistence and requests.

[Yu_Narukami 2]

Come back and be our Co-Leader again @Aegean Q_Q

[AegeanOld 0]

@metalslug53 Although I generally agree with the "if you have to ask for a promotion, you don't deserve one" but lately I feel like many people are not getting promoted because they aren't heard, seen or friends with the right people. This is wrong but unfortunately this is how it is. I'm not saying the system was perfect when I was co-leader, but sometimes you do have to mention what you've done to imply that a promotion should be coming your way. Thanks for all your hard work (:

[DCook 4]

That's why mod applications were great before you had to donate to use one. It made your interest known without shoving it down people's throat. Also, EVERYONE was able to have a say. It would, for the most part, be decided by the community. Both times, my mod came from an application. Stating my interest, having people vote, and then getting it and doing my absolute best with it. And, yes I am still bitter about being demo'd for inactivity as I don't find that a good enough reason to be demo'd, especially when you are hurting for, in my opinion, good mods/admins.

[Guest]

Our Lord and savior hasspoken the rise of aegean is here

[Crona 13]

This post makes me happy and has reinvigorated my love for xG.

[SupremeWolf 1]

That's why mod applications were great before you had to donate to use one. It made your interest known without shoving it down people's throat. Also, EVERYONE was able to have a say. It would, for the most part, be decided by the community. Both times, my mod came from an application. Stating my interest, having people vote, and then getting it and doing my absolute best with it. And, yes I am still bitter about being demo'd for inactivity as I don't find that a good enough reason to be demo'd, especially when you are hurting for, in my opinion, good mods/admins.

And I hate to pester and seem to mention this so much, but I've been trying my hardest to help out keep the servers clean from rules being broken. Even the times I don't feel like it I'll come on to xG servers to check up on the servers. (Again. I hate to pester like this) Kart as an example, I don't hate him or anythin, but he got mod when I usually do twice maybe more than what he does on xG servers, Activity, Helpfulness etc. Now since I made this about myself a bit much, I'll put out what the point is, which is that anyone can get mod as long as they know the Higer ups and play with them more, hence what Dcook stated in the quote.

Like Scootaloo said, xG is my unofficial home. Since the day I began trading, it was at xG servers.

[Ohstopyou 42]

Originally how I moved up the ranks was I actually met the people that were running the division, and I got to know them and a lot of the players. When it came down to it, they decided to promote me.

 

So my advice for anyone striving to get promoted is get known for a good reason. Talk to players and admins, get to know everyone, be respectful/level-headed, and don't cause a lot of trouble. Those are qualities that a lot of people LACK.