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11:40pm Jan 14 2016
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Normal User
Posts: 1,191
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hi everyone its me, the friendly neighborhood puppy. first off i want to preface this with a disclaimer: i dont know how this will read out to everyone, because i cant say it out loud, but what im about to post about is NOT an attempt to stir up trouble, or unrest, or cause drama or heat or any of that stuff. what i'm going for here is an open, honest, civil civil civil!!! discussion between rescreatu staff and their userbase.
this will be split up into chunks, added onto and appended, edited and reworked (with changelogs and screenshots of pre-edits) as this thread grows and responses appear/questions are asked. i don't need to remind anyone that there is confidentiality among the deeper workings of staff, so don't get heated up if you don't receive a clear answer because of contractual obligations.... however, i feel that, at this time, rescreatu as a site needs to be handled in a much more transparent manner.
this site is crashing, HARD. there's no denying it, at all, whatsoever. Rescreatu is a shadow of its former self, the one the oldies like me know and love and the one newbies deserve to see rise again. to do this, key tackles need to be talked about, on a site-wide scale, somewhere with lasting records, not just screenshots of SB chats or rmails or IMs, which can be falsified easily.
we as a userbase are willing to take the step up and do our part. most of us are years old accounts, or are getting there, because we've stuck around so dang long hoping for change, yet the only change seen is worse and worse.
it's time for staff to be willing to take that step as well and make decisions and declarations publicly where all can see. trust between userbase and staff is reaching the 2014 witch trials when everyone was horrified of being banned for saying the wrong thing or talking to the wrong people.
the time has long gone for keeping version 4 a secret from us. when the entire userbase is vocally wondering, ON SITE, if there even IS a version 4 coming, when the head of support staff and the site owner HIMSELF aren't even online for weeks or months at a time, it isnt the time to give us comforting words of "We can't say when or if but it'll be greats!" At this point, words are less than meaningless, they are harmful, because there's nothing to go on them. We need proof. We need to KNOW something is being done, we need EVIDENCE that we have yet to see and haven't seen for years. With the lack of a Xoria and Xespa questline, you can't be surprised that people are tired of inactivity.
this has all been a rambling mess. im tired and kinda wanna go to bed, but i will organize this properly when im like...not half-asleep lol.
so...yes. i suppose this could be considered a redux edit of crowflux's "Make Your Voices Heard!" forum thread, created by users, for users, in hopes that the staff of this site is willing to work with us here.
Patrick, Wolf, Broken, Dess, Crow, Zen, and everyone on staff:
We need you more than ever. We WANT to love this site and see it thrive. We were promised a liaison between users and staff and more transparency YEARS ago with no follow-up. This is the option you need to take: the users having a place to ask questions, give feedback, offer suggestions, and for staff to once more make Rescreatu a place run by staff and users hand-in-hand once again.
With a reminder to my fellow users to not try to start fights or bring pettiness or squabbles here, because we need this to stand as a testament, I'm asking as someone who has been here from age ten to age nineteen:
Give us an olive branch, staff. You're all old-timers, you know just as much as I do how far Res has fallen. This is your chance to start making things right.
my name's russ and i only care about uldavi and cute men |
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11:43pm Jan 14 2016
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Content Manager
Posts: 3,122
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1:33pm Jan 15 2016 (last edited on 2:01pm Jan 15 2016)
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Artist
Posts: 3,187
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YESSSS thank you,
Firstly, I'm sure you know from when you were a Helper that we literally cant do anything and we've been pushing for changes with in department. These changes have been a long time coming and it's taken a lot of pushing to take the smallest of steps forward for us. I'm sure you also remember that this department has now hit a block, we need Pat to be able to implement the changes and, obviously, he's either not around or has better things to be getting on with.
I've done all I can with what little information I have for the community via blogs, the SB and forums but we really are left in the dark about a lot of behind the scene goings on.
(I have made several PSA blogs, many of which I delete when the information is finally given in a update. I've taken the rules page into my own hands because, in all honesty I was NOT happy with that issue at all. I brought up this issue and others in the Make your voices heard thread, it's sad to see that so slow too, hence the thank you ;D. I don't need to this, this is not my job on Rescreatu. I do it because I'm not happy with the site at the moment either and I feel like it's the only thing I can do to help)
That being said it's not just the Helper department that's been left in the dark and feel hopeless. There is so much that cant be done with out Pat. Moderators, Support and CM managers get so much hate for late/ not existent events and they really shouldn't. They are in a stalemate without Pat there to turn things on/ off. There's even been instances where they've even had to get an ex staff member to pester him on his personal FB account to actually get something done. The staff members take this hate on the chin with patience, humour and kindness and dear god, personally I think they deserve a medal for that alone.
As far as I'm aware Pat works several jobs and I understand that he's a busy guy, but at the end of the day Res is a business and I think he needs to step up. Everyone I've talked to does. If you look at the updates over the years there's so many broken promises made by him and in all honesty it actually hurts because I care so much for the site and the community.
I really feel terrible for saying all this stuff because I feel like Res is /the/ best pet site and there has been a lot of work put into it. It's just feels a bit.... abandoned and slacking at the moment?? I'm also not trying to throw Pat under the bus with this I'm just laying out what I know and how I feel.
To sum up:
*staff aren't happy either
* I wish I could do more, and I cant apologise enough for that * PAT SORT OUT THE STAFF TOOLS SO SOMEONE ELSE CAN HANDLE THE EVENTS LIKE YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO YEARS AGO PLEASE AND READ YOUR MESSAGES PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE. LITERALLY even just sticking your head in once a week will do wonders for the site.
* Go staff member for taking all this mess in their stride have a gold star
★
If you have any questions I'll always do my best to help
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1:50pm Jan 15 2016
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Artist
Posts: 3,187
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oopse,
don't mind me just subbing
lalalaaaa
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4:35pm Jan 15 2016 (last edited on 4:36pm Jan 15 2016)
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Normal User
Posts: 783
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I agree. I've been on the site for about three years this time around and was on for about two years the time before (when I played as kycat1). Things were so different back then. It seemed like there was always something to look forward to...new monthly trophy packs, new pets being released, including new CS pets, everything seemed to be fresh and exciting. I long for those days. It makes my heart hurt to see the site as it is today. Frankly, I won't be around much longer if things don't start to look up. There just isn't anything to keep my attention any more.
Thanks for this effort Russ! Hopefully change will come. |
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5:49pm Jan 15 2016
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Normal User
Posts: 2,184
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I don't have much to add, but 10/10 agree. I've been here since 2007, and it's almost painful to see what it's become when I still remember how great it was back then. Kudos.
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6:53pm Jan 15 2016 (last edited on 6:57pm Jan 15 2016)
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Moderator
Posts: 2,152
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1000000% agreement.
I'm probably a 'newer' user in the eyes of those who have been here since the beginning. I've never seen the battle system, the job tower, or anything of the sort. Shortly after I joined, the games started no longer offering tu and glitching. I was fortunate enough to be here to enjoy the comet festival, but we've seen no trace of it since 2012 when I first joined.
When I became staff, I was extremely excited. It meant I could make a difference and help keep this website fun and great for everyone, in the ways moderators do. It does immensely sadden, and almost frustrate me, when some users (not going to name names, please please please no one be offended) go around complaining that the staff as a whole don't do their jobs, or are lazy, or don't care. I speak for all of us, I know, when I say we do.
It makes me really sad that the staff who are regularly active can't do more than we already do for the site, that only certain staff members can open events and egg hunts and the like, and they lead really busy, and at times stressful lives. Most staff aren't paid real money for their jobs, so we do this because we want to. Not because we're being paid to.
Nowhere when I applied did it say the site might go downhill. Nowhere did it say the users would be really upset and disappointed. Nowhere did it say we'd have to try and hold the site together while the owner is extremely busy and difficult to get ahold of. But we're trying. And I admit, without certain people, trying just isn't good enough.
This thread is something that's been long overdue. We do need to be sharing a lot more with the userbase, I completely agree. Some things need to be confidential, but not site development. That should be open.
All I really wanna say here, is, thank you. Thank you for holding out for so long. Thank you for sticking around. Thank you for clinging to the hope that this website will be revived. I truly believe it will, 10000% better than it was, but that revival is dependent on staff-userbase communication. Good on you, to make this thread <3 |
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7:05pm Jan 15 2016 (last edited on 7:22pm Jan 15 2016)
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Normal User
Posts: 1,477
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boops I can agree that there needs to be communication between Staff and users ;v; I hope for this to happen in the near future ;o; I really feel like we need to include you guys in future events, rather than giving you things and expecting positive feedback bc that doesn't work.
Regarding V4, there's no secrets- it's the fact that Pat's been away and there's been no word about what's happening with it, when it'll be released etc. It's come to the point where us staff know as much about V4 as you do 8I which is a huge pain in the butt. And I know that it's disheartening for you guys because we keep saying that "it's coming, it'll happen eventually" when we both know that's not quite true.
Yeah it probably will happen, it is definitely planned. However with Pat's absence, there's nothing much we can do about it but sit and wait for a word.
But yeah as Zen said, some things we can do without Pat, and others we can't. The things we can't do happen to be important things B( which also sucks. Many staff including myself have tried to contact him regarding the future of the site, but there's been no reply. And it doesn't seem like, with his situation, that there'll be any word anytime soon.
HOWEEVERRRRR!!!! !!
that is not to say we're giving up on the site. We're trying really hard (even though it may not seem like it) to get things up and running- We're trying to hire new staff members in order to achieve this, and we plan on using our time more efficiently in order to get stuff out to you guys.
It is planned, between me and Peridot, to give more updates to you guys, and to include you in the future of the site- I'm not even joking okay. This isn't some bluff to keep you on the site, we are actually planning to do this ;o; We wanna be more open with you guys about things, and we want to remove this fear and paranoia of getting banned that you guys have.
I for one want to stick with the site and help keep it running, even though it may not seem like it (bc im not even on the dang staff list atm omg) But I plan to be back early Feb once school schedules and times are sorted ;v;
So yeah, I'm sorry that this site's turned for the worse- I'm sorry that you guys are scared of us and upset about the site as a whole and I'm sorry that we don't communicate with you 8c The lack of staff, real life issues and time itself has taken a toll on us, which in turn has taken an even bigger toll on you guys. We hope to get back on our feet and give you guys the site you deserve ;v;
So thank you, to the ones who are left, for sticking with us ;o; ♥
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9:00am Jan 16 2016
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Normal User
Posts: 783
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12:41am Jan 20 2016 (last edited on 12:45am Jan 20 2016)
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Normal User
Posts: 756
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This is the state of staff at the moment.
Content Management: 2 CMs; 1 who is regularly inactive and the other has a son who has bone cancer and so is consistently inactive.
Moderators: Most are not hitting moderator quota consistently. Sin is going to be the next Head of Moderators. More moderators needed who can hit quota and reliably control the shoutbox.
Support: I'm leaving staff. 14brokenmirrors has become inactive and we have concluded that she has left Rescreatu. I will leave in place TWO Support who will act as Head together. More Support are needed.
Artists: 1 inactive Artist officially(Crowflux). Kirara has officially left as you all know.
Writers: Doing okay with 1 active Writer, Taka. Might need more but content required is not really that heavy at the moment.
This is the state of things behind the scenes.
Rescreatu Version 4: On the topic of V4, Cless is only being paid to work on V4 and nothing else, so Cless helping here and there with V3 problems is already a blessing. I have not heard much about V4 myself. However I do know that the site is undergoing totally NEW coding as the current site is a rehash of previous versions. If you change something in this current site you'd probably make 5 other things crumble.
The new website is going to have pretty much new everything; new hatching system, explore system, etc. It's a big project.
Patrick: Patrick is needed for a lot of things SUCH AS: - Giving off-site admin panel access which Content Managers need. - Anything to do with the server screwing up. This include the current white-screen Rescreatu many users are experiencing. - Pretty much anything coding-related for V3 as Cless is only being paid to work on V4.
Site Content: You're all aware that we're just reusing a bunch of already-coded things to continue the tradition of events. This is because of the lack of Patrick. We are limited in the things we can currently do without proper leadership. Even Dess/Crowflux need to be called upon to even open the events, change any layout on the site to Christmas/Halloween themes etc. These are all coding related, this includes prize shops for events, Egg hunting counters, opening the events up so that users can access them, things like this. This is why we have been consistently late on events.
tle="" target="">THIS is the e-mail that I had sent to Patrick asking him to come back. This e-mail was sent August 2015.
I have not received a reply.
PS. I had asked Patrick to code an "ignore" function for the shoutbox previously but after 1 year of waiting, there has been no progress. I believed that this would disperse a lot of shoutbox problems. Unfortunately we do not have this function still.
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