Sell Chicken Smoothie (Poll Has Been Reset!)

[Tailish]

boo
State of the Debate II: The Two Updates
Covering pages 28-43
RIP page 27; It Got Skipped

1. Chronological
9. The date-stamp shared trades suggestion is implemented

• Nick announces this in the announcements forum as well as in the suggestion itself.
• Unlike most previously implemented suggestions, the thread is not locked. Rather, users can "discuss this new feature and make suggestions for further tweaks in the original suggestion topic", which has been labelled with "Suggestion added - discussion opened".

10. Lacuna, Seasonal, and Burrito Bunny post in the thread at various places.

• Their posts are linked where they discuss some of the issues below.
• They generally focus on clarifying misunderstandings and providing a behind-the-scenes perspective, which is great because once again with passion, all the staff are lovely and also people and thus worthy of respect like everyone else, and we're in this boat with them, not against them
• In general, staff posts on the thread are received with enthusiasm, as they're seen as a sign of the staff taking the thread seriously.

11. Simon posts.

• Simon is an admin who's been with the site since 2013.
• Simon apologizes for possibly contributing to a felt divide between users and staff, but states he is "happy and hopeful" about everyone's passion for the site. He also makes three commitments:

• There will be monthly updates about what's happening behind the scenes
• All the rules will be put in one place and clarified
• He'll be around more
• (The first two will probably happen after the summer event, since that is eating up staff time at the moment)
• Simon's post is very positively received, especially the concrete proposals

12. There is some frustration over the fact that Tess and Sorren Fey haven't commented on the thread yet.

•Tess is the founder of the site and an admin. She is generally seen as the highest authority on CS.
• Sorren Fey is an admin who's been with the site since 2008.

13. There is also a small discussion about mod/staff favoritism

• Some report seeing large amounts of favoritism (see link above), but others are less bothered.
•Seasonalreminds us that players are generally unaware of someone's history of rule breaking (or lack thereof).
•Lacuna also mentions that in cases of doubt, moderators will consult one another.

14. There are several questions about the rules that some of the mods address in-depth.

•Lacuna and Seasonal explain why it is allowed to say you are an adult, but not that you are 18+.
•Lacuna explains why roleplay images were restricted.
•Lacuna (pt. II) explains what the rules surrounding anthro furries, pink bellies, and nudity are.
•Lacuna clarifies how CS deals with copyright infringement and art theft.
•Burrito Bunny clarifies why CS handles COPPA users the way it does.

15. Several issues keep resurfacing throughout the whole thread.

• Selling the site is still the most contentious issue. There is some discussion as to whether or not the title of the thread is appropriate if it is generally seen as a last resort, but Cinnamon Stick explains that since selling the site is still an option, the title will stay.
• There is some disagreement over what kind of updates the site needs. Some people want to see new gameplay, which others believe takes away from the charm and simplicity of the site.
•Lacuna also explains why it's unfeasible for CS to have mini-games. Others want the focus to lay on quality-of-life updates.
• Generally agreed upon is that CS needs more moderation and clearer rules. One suggestion is to promote or give more responsibility to general helpers, but Burrito Bunny explains how the GH and mod positions are different, and that not all GH want the extra responsibilities. Furthermore, Lacuna also explained how CS hires as many qualified moderators as it can. (More explanations here and here).
• Some gameplay suggestions also reoccur frequently:

•There should be more store items and/or more item releases in general
• The game needs more CS sinks, whether in the form of more store pets, store items, or something else.
•More frequent or more continuous interactivity, whether by games or events, is wanted by many.

16. Art!!! While the above plays out, more wonderful art for the thread is made.

•yeoreum makes a very stylish long boi button
• And sevdah has made some cool colored versions!
• AvalancheTheIcewing made a super cute square button
• hui made an amazingly adorable UR butterfly wolf banner

2. In summary
Since this post has blown up, the staff has taken notice. Both admins as well as mods have come onto the thread to let us users know our voices have been heard, and to engage with users. More than just talk, admins have enacted real changes. Nick has kept the entire site in the loop on what updates are going on, and Simon has shown us what plans he has to improve things in the future. Lacuna, Seasonal, and Burrito Bunny have been active on the thread to respond to our questions and provide perspective on our ideas.

These last few pages certainly show that there are still many issues that haven't been resolved yet. Some of these issues (such as declogging the help system) are likely thorny, and will require more than just a quick moment of effort. However, it has also been shown that the staff are here, and they're listening. And that's a start.

lads i am HONOURED to be on the front post, oh my gosh!!! here is a bit of an update since there have been some (very cool, very positive) developments since the last one. i dont have a laptop rn so unfortunately i cant go hunt for more theme posts but the general vibe has stayed mostly the same, so i think those issues are well-represented by the earlier posts anyways

[wlw]

thank you tailish for consistently giving us these summaries!! it really helps when i sleep through a large chunk of the thread :PP

[rabbit_with_a_fedora]

I hope this isn’t spamming, but....
I keep seeing “Yandex” in the “online users browsing this thread”, but who is he/she?

[uro]

I hope this isn’t spamming, but....
I keep seeing “Yandex” in the “online users browsing this thread”, but who is he/she?

its a bot what chickensmoothie has, it isnt an actual person - although id ask the help board about this for a more in depth response. \*nevermind zel answered perfectly ^^ this isnt the place for questions like that because it does create off topic spam, this thread is mainly for discussion about whats stated in the first post

[Shinryu]

Man this is gonna be a ramble, I've been keeping an eye on this thread from a distance without being able to post coherently, because boy did 2020 smash my work-life-balance to shambles

But ya, just gonna toss my two cents in as well, on some things at least, 'cause y'all have been talking, whew!
I can definitely say that you guys weren't alone in your perception that there were some levels on which staff haven't communicated as much as we should have. Not on a personal level - I like to think we're a pretty solid squad! - but in terms of actually developing thoughts and ideas about the site and community into actions.
This is something that we've actually been discussing among ourselves a fair few times in recent months, even before this thread started. But in a way, it was only ever really that: discussions.
We seemed capable of recognizing that there are things that needed to change, but the flip of the switch that put the gears in motion was firmly stuck.
And I think it's pretty cool that users have come together to raise their concerns like this, because it probably did give us a much needed push to follow through with many of the things we've tossed around. Your input and ideas on how to tackle many of the issues are appreciated and valued, and I for one am happy to know we have a community that is so invested.

Lacuna and Burr in particular have already said pretty much everything I could've wanted to say about the experience of being on the team, and about what users do and don't usually consider about the behind-the-scenes work.
I do wanna comment on this bit real quick, as it definitely applies to me:

Many general helpers do not want to be moderators. General helpers and moderators have very different jobs. Being friends with many of them, and as a former GH myself, I know that many of them are aware of how moderators are treated by some players are have no desire to do this job. Which is fine! Being a GH is an admirable role and shouldn't be viewed as "lesser mod". It is its own thing, and its own skill set.

I am always happy to welcome new members onto our staff, and fully agree that CS could benefit from a growing mod team. And I see the appeal that it may have for many of you to see roles go to people who you've already grown accustomed to on staff.
But truthfully, I for one have never wanted to be a mod. Even the whole discussion about how players interact with GHs vs. how they interact with mods aside, I personally think that my current role is the best fit for me, and having me do anything else would probably limit what I am able to contribute, rather than expand.^^
Rest assured, though, that we do play our part in the background as well - we may not moderate things ourselves, but we are around to pass things on to the mods when it's needed, and there's situations in which we do directly work together.

I know I'm probably just saying a whole lot of nothing at this point, but it's been very touching to see this discussion become so productive. I'll freely admit that sometimes it can feel intimidating and discouraging to be confronted with complaints, but in this shape and form it seems some rocks finally got kicked loose.

I've stayed on CS for as long as I have, and taken up the role that I have, because I love the site and its community, and I would be very much sad to see it meet its end sooner rather than later.
I always do joke that I'll be here til the ship sinks, but let's steer away from that iceberg, shall we? ♥

I hope this isn’t spamming, but....
I keep seeing “Yandex” in the “online users browsing this thread”, but who is he/she?

"Users" in light purple colours, such as Yandex or Google, are bots that browse the site to collect data. Most of them are simply so-called web crawlers or "spiders", that collect information for search engines, but depending on the actual bot, they may process that data for a variety of purposes (you may note google's "adsense", for example).
They're not people, just programs^^

[rabbit_with_a_fedora]

Man this is gonna be a ramble, I've been keeping an eye on this thread from a distance without being able to post coherently, because boy did 2020 smash my work-life-balance to shambles

But ya, just gonna toss my two cents in as well, on some things at least, 'cause y'all have been talking, whew!
I can definitely say that you guys weren't alone in your perception that there were some levels on which staff haven't communicated as much as we should have. Not on a personal level - I like to think we're a pretty solid squad! - but in terms of actually developing thoughts and ideas about the site and community into actions.
This is something that we've actually been discussing among ourselves a fair few times in recent months, even before this thread started. But in a way, it was only ever really that: discussions.
We seemed capable of recognizing that there are things that needed to change, but the flip of the switch that put the gears in motion was firmly stuck.
And I think it's pretty cool that users have come together to raise their concerns like this, because it probably did give us a much needed push to follow through with many of the things we've tossed around. Your input and ideas on how to tackle many of the issues are appreciated and valued, and I for one am happy to know we have a community that is so invested.

Lacuna and Burr in particular have already said pretty much everything I could've wanted to say about the experience of being on the team, and about what users do and don't usually consider about the behind-the-scenes work.
I do wanna comment on this bit real quick, as it definitely applies to me:

Many general helpers do not want to be moderators. General helpers and moderators have very different jobs. Being friends with many of them, and as a former GH myself, I know that many of them are aware of how moderators are treated by some players are have no desire to do this job. Which is fine! Being a GH is an admirable role and shouldn't be viewed as "lesser mod". It is its own thing, and its own skill set.

I am always happy to welcome new members onto our staff, and fully agree that CS could benefit from a growing mod team. And I see the appeal that it may have for many of you to see roles go to people who you've already grown accustomed to on staff.
But truthfully, I for one have never wanted to be a mod. Even the whole discussion about how players interact with GHs vs. how they interact with mods aside, I personally think that my current role is the best fit for me, and having me do anything else would probably limit what I am able to contribute, rather than expand.^^
Rest assured, though, that we do play our part in the background as well - we may not moderate things ourselves, but we are around to pass things on to the mods when it's needed, and there's situations in which we do directly work together.

I know I'm probably just saying a whole lot of nothing at this point, but it's been very touching to see this discussion become so productive. I'll freely admit that sometimes it can feel intimidating and discouraging to be confronted with complaints, but in this shape and form it seems some rocks finally got kicked loose.

I've stayed on CS for as long as I have, and taken up the role that I have, because I love the site and its community, and I would be very much sad to see it meet its end sooner rather than later.
I always do joke that I'll be here til the ship sinks, but let's steer away from that iceberg, shall we? ♥

I hope this isn’t spamming, but....
I keep seeing “Yandex” in the “online users browsing this thread”, but who is he/she?

"Users" in light purple colours, such as Yandex or Google, are bots that browse the site to collect data. Most of them are simply so-called web crawlers or "spiders", that collect information for search engines, but depending on the actual bot, they may process that data for a variety of purposes (you may note google's "adsense", for example).
They're not people, just programs^^

Thank you!!!
I kept getting heart attacks when I see Yandex on my posts since I thought they were mods or GHs!
Thank u
:3

[Blueberry]

with the announcement of the summer event being posted by lacuna its hard not to think tess isn't around anymore. this is the first year she hasn't made her avian dress up for us to speculate what the event will be. its a little heartbreaking to see. are we ever going to get a clear answer if she's around anymore on cs, or will it be left to rot at the hands of an absent creator?

Tess legit out here ghosting us like we're a bad date.

Too bad we've been dating for 12 years ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Shinryu]

with the announcement of the summer event being posted by lacuna its hard not to think tess isn't around anymore. this is the first year she hasn't made her avian dress up for us to speculate what the event will be. its a little heartbreaking to see. are we ever going to get a clear answer if she's around anymore on cs, or will it be left to rot at the hands of an absent creator?

Not to steal the thunder from Liddi herself here, but actually the reason this year's announcement was made by her is because she's played a huge part in the preparations of this year's summer event, so it was decided that it'd be sweet to give her pet the spotlight this time around.^^
It's a 'thank you' gesture to her for her contributions this year, not her stepping in to fill someone's absence.

[Wormgod]

with the announcement of the summer event being posted by lacuna its hard not to think tess isn't around anymore. this is the first year she hasn't made her avian dress up for us to speculate what the event will be. its a little heartbreaking to see. are we ever going to get a clear answer if she's around anymore on cs, or will it be left to rot at the hands of an absent creator?

Not to steal the thunder from Liddi herself here, but actually the reason this year's announcement was made by her is because she's played a huge part in the preparations of this year's summer event, so it was decided to give her pet the spotlight this time around.
It's a 'thank you' gesture to her for her contributions this year, not her stepping in to fill someone's absence.

You have to see how that looks to us, though. 11 years of a tradition, a steady decline of communication from Tess, and now someone else is filling that role, and yet again we weren't told. It's a small thing so this might sound like an overreaction, but the silence is deafening. Why would we not think the worst--that Lacuna is filling Tess' role here? Nobody tells us members anything anymore. It's gotten so bad that we legit have to float selling the flipping website to get some sort of reaction. C'mon, admins, give us some clear communication here. We're dying for it.

[wlw]

with the announcement of the summer event being posted by lacuna its hard not to think tess isn't around anymore. this is the first year she hasn't made her avian dress up for us to speculate what the event will be. its a little heartbreaking to see. are we ever going to get a clear answer if she's around anymore on cs, or will it be left to rot at the hands of an absent creator?

Not to steal the thunder from Liddi herself here, but actually the reason this year's announcement was made by her is because she's played a huge part in the preparations of this year's summer event, so it was decided to give her pet the spotlight this time around.
It's a 'thank you' gesture to her for her contributions this year, not her stepping in to fill someone's absence.

You have to see how that looks to us, though. 11 years of a tradition, a steady decline of communication from Tess, and now someone else is filling that role, and yet again we weren't told. It's a small thing so this might sound like an overreaction, but the silence is deafening. Why would we not think the worst--that Lacuna is filling Tess' role here? Nobody tells us members anything anymore. It's gotten so bad that we legit have to float selling the flipping website to get some sort of reaction. C'mon, admins, give us some clear communication here. We're dying for it.

another thing that this pings in my head is the idea that tess IS here. with what zel said, im assuming that it was likely tess's choice to have lacuna make the post. (please, correct me if im wrong). it gives off even stronger vibes that tess is kind of just sitting back and refusing to reply to this thread until it blows over.