Transparency

[Cygnetta]

Communication is a 2-way street. Over here we have users and staff clamoring about the issue, and over there we have admins who either:
> don't care
> think being super vague is better
> think it's not a big deal / didn't affect "enough" people (this argument is dumb--it's about the fact that it could affect anyone)
> are mad at users for being mad at them and passive-aggressively not changing their behavior
> too busy
> something else I haven't thought of

I'm pretty sure we all know what needs to happen, but it's still not happening. So what gives?
The good thing is we know they're working on the security measures. The bad thing is if something similar happens and they respond the same way it'll be chaos again.
Not sure what else regular users on the site can do at this point. I don't want to accuse admins because I don't know what's going on on their end either. The problem just feels kind of stagnant at this point to me.

[Animall]

Communication is a 2-way street. Over here we have users and staff clamoring about the issue, and over there we have admins who either:
> don't care
> think being super vague is better
> think it's not a big deal / didn't affect "enough" people (this argument is dumb--it's about the fact that it could affect anyone)
> are mad at users for being mad at them and passive-aggressively not changing their behavior
> too busy
> something else I haven't thought of.

> Only have CS exist as a personal income stream and are protecting their assets and income flow from this debacle (which is why they may be refusing to relieve/come up with a solution for the c$ debts, and why they are stopping others from helping people recover what they lost.) (Also would explain the admin silence/refusal to make an official announcement, all while the unpaid staff gets put on front lines.)

All I'm saying, it ain't looking good, folks. Bummer.

[CHINARIZING]

In all honesty, I feel like transparency is pretty hopeless unless there's a huge change in administration. I perceive staff to be doing damage control (cherrypicking statements to critique, saying they've always offered solutions to the C$ debt ignoring the fact that the trades were not of the users' own fault) and barely active, as I've stated before, the last time Tess adopted something was in Christmas of last year.

Yeah, they're busy. I understand that. But if you know you're busy and you continue to let your site basically rot without anyone stepping in, you need to have done something. It's no longer a case of "they have a life let them relax," it's a case of "their life no longer has any room for CS and it's all being done out of pure obligation." I want to be wrong, but I've seen nothing disproving this from Nick's curt, almost bored responses to staff trying to justify everything they do.

[huskyhiccups]

Yeah, they're busy. I understand that. But if you know you're busy and you continue to let your site basically rot without anyone stepping in, you need to have done something. It's no longer a case of "they have a life let them relax," it's a case of "their life no longer has any room for CS and it's all being done out of pure obligation." I want to be wrong, but I've seen nothing disproving this from Nick's curt, almost bored responses to staff trying to justify everything they do.

I honestly agree with this. I can't imagine how Tess (and Nick, possibly) felt when users were posting on the forums 2 years ago saying to sell CS.
But the fact that users still feel this way really says a lot to me. More serious changes need to be done than just transparency. What else could be done? I honestly don't know. I've never ran a site like this, and I have little to no knowledge on how to keep a website active/interesting for its users.

I don't expect Tess to tell us exactly what's going on in her personal life, but at least saying something like "Hey, I don't have the time, energy, or passion to tend to the site like I used to." and possibly stepping down to just co-own the site would be a possible start. I'd love to see someone run the site who is more active and passionate.

[pegasus4240]

Heck. Even a this is our site and this is how it's going to be (however that is) would be refreshing.

Maybe they need a public relations person. Someone to speak for them and the site. Once a month like the mid-month update which is past and missing this month (probably because of the upcoming summer event). Rarities were updated.

The silence is deafening, but it is what it is.

[Darni]

Heck. Even a this is our site and this is how it's going to be (however that is) would be refreshing.

Maybe they need a public relations person. Someone to speak for them and the site. Once a month like the mid-month update which is past and missing this month (probably because of the upcoming summer event). Rarities were updated.

The silence is deafening, but it is what it is.

I really like this idea of them having a designated person (Public Relations or Admin Assistant or SOMETHING) that will be giving like monthly check-in updates. Even if it's like "Hey we have something planned next month having to do with (certain species)!" to get people hyped for the next month. Or them going "The admin team is currently work on {some sort of feature}!" More frequent updates and just communication in general would mend a lot of issues.

[Lex.]

In all honesty, I feel like transparency is pretty hopeless unless there's a huge change in administration. I perceive staff* to be doing damage control (cherrypicking statements to critique, saying they've always offered solutions to the C$ debt ignoring the fact that the trades were not of the users' own fault) and barely active, as I've stated before, the last time Tess adopted something was in Christmas of last year.

Yeah, they're busy. I understand that. But if you know you're busy and you continue to let your site basically rot without anyone stepping in, you need to have done something. It's no longer a case of "they have a life let them relax," it's a case of "their life no longer has any room for CS and it's all being done out of pure obligation." I want to be wrong, but I've seen nothing disproving this from Nick's curt, almost bored responses to staff trying to justify everything they do.

To be fair, I have to agree with this.

* This statement I believe is meant to reference the admins for the most part, so I will address admins as admins instead of using the overgeneralizing term 'staff'.

I do think that staff members have been trying to keep this situation controlled like you said, but those efforts are futile because users want the admins to really speak up about this. Staff + Admins, from what I've seen, have a pretty large disconnect.
It feels like information isn't properly relayed throughout, because of issues with consistency and how reports are handled differently by each staff member.

I've said this so many times already on other threads and probably this one too, but if you CAN'T put the care into this website, STEP DOWN. Make room for someone/others that can be more proactive and more present and alive in the community.

Aside from General Helpers + Global Mods, seeing any other user with a different staff position is like catching a glimpse of bigfoot. I cannot comment on RP mods because I'm not a RPer, so I'm never on those boards. But I've seen RP mods more than oekaki mods.

But overall, what I'm trying to say is, admins [and even admin assistants] of this site are just so extremely out of touch and have literally almost 0 site presence other than showing face when there's an issue. I'd rather talk with an automated system than an admin, because then at least I know that the system is unbiased. Not only that but it just feels weird that the people that are the highest ranking in terms of staff positions are less active than those with lower ranking positions. It feels not right, like it should really be the other way around.

Having people that are more active be staff would make things so much better, so that it feels like the person handling situations and reports actually can connect with you and understand your concerns.
And YES to clarify again so that my post doesn't get misread, being cs staff IS a volunteer position. I am very aware.
But why volunteer if you're not even going to try to be active or have some presence on a forum site other than pointing out rule breaking content?
Because at that point it just seems like it's being done purely for the status/benefits of whatever sort. Not only that but I've had some issues in the past with certain members of staff using their own personal biases when discussing something that "broke a rule", which I found to be ill-fitting. Yeah, you don't have to like it personally but it makes it seem unprofessional as a staff member to go on and on to a user and to try and explain why it hurt their own feelings and what you think is wrong with that user. But that was just an experience I had, so take it with a grain of salt. Though I doubt I'm alone in having this sort of experience.

I am a bit rushed making this post [I have to go bathe my dog Lexi <3] So lmk if I need to clarify, I will try my best if it seems that I missed anything when I come back.

[ActualWoodelf]

Having people that are more active be staff would make things so much better, so that it feels like the person handling situations and reports actually can connect with you and understand your concerns.
And YES to clarify again so that my post doesn't get misread, being cs staff IS a volunteer position. I am very aware.
But why volunteer if you're not even going to try to be active or have some presence on a forum site other than pointing out rule breaking content?
Because at that point it just seems like it's being done purely for the status/benefits of whatever sort.

Just responding to say that I agree and that I think this is very closely tied to the desire this thread voices to have more transparency. Transparency of communication is intimately linked to frequency of communication. Part of the issue during all this trade reversal business was definitely the lack of feedback, the timing of feedback, and the leanness of what details were communicated, as well as where they were communicated. If admins were more communicative, or allowed for others to have more control who COULD be regularly active and regularly updating in a place that members know to look for those updates and will be notified when they arrive, it would go a long way.

It's not JUST communicating thoroughly and honestly, it's also the regularity that would help facilitate true transparency and teamwork between players and admins and other staff.

[lyney]

so... it's been 18 days since the last announcement. is the next announcement just going to be marking the beginning of the summer event? i truly hope they don't move on from all of this just because of that.

[CHINARIZING]

so... it's been 18 days since the last announcement. is the next announcement just going to be marking the beginning of the summer event? i truly hope they don't move on from all of this just because of that.

Yeah and they're cycling out the daily tip thingy. They want to sweep this thing under the rug and hope the summer event distracts everyone. I fail like the administration, and to some extent, staff in general, hasn't fulfilled this suggestion in any significant way and likely won't for a decent amount of time.