Post by Mongo the Destroyer on Aug 6, 2021 18:39:49 GMT -5
Hey guys, I've been sitting on the notes for this since early last month but didn't want to interrupt the exciting 20-Year anniversary. That said, I'm continuing to try to sort out elements that have seeped into our conscious, bad habits and improper ways of conducting ourselves, as noted in previous posts. Today we're talking about playing politics.
Politicking is bad. Some of you might not even realize you're doing it, or you've picked it up as a bad habit at another fed (hopefully before you came here). I thought after a couple members quietly disappeared that the issue would clear up but it has not. What we define as politicking takes several forms that I'll try to cover here, but I'm sure there's variants that I've either forgotten about or just not encountered yet. So take this as an educational post, as most of you are pretty clean when it comes to this sort of stuff.
Types of Politicking:
Burying Others' Work
This is not real common here thank goodness- but it has happened in the past. When you are speaking with bookers or even in public, what you say and how you say it can be very important. Everyone roleplays differently and we appreciate the variety of styles. Can some people do better? Yes. Nobody's perfect (no matter how many times I think I am after promoing). But going after a specific person's work as being less-than or not very good when clearly they're putting an effort in is inappropriate. You might think "This guy sucks, why is he getting pushed?" but you're also not the most neutral source. Thinking that is different than actually going to a booker or public forums to talk about that. I've seen guys who'll put down other rpers just because they focus on a particular style (like comedy) as though that makes them a less credible character. Guys, promo what you want to promo. But no matter who you are make sure you center yourself by thinking about how to appreciate other people's work. Everyone's got a piece of themselves in their promos and finding that heart and enjoying that little bit of themselves is important. I do my best to enjoy each of my opponents even if their style or whatnot is not mine. If you look for the good you'll find it. If you look for the bad you'll find that too. And if you talk about the bad as some sort of way to make yourself look better? Well then you're sort of an a-hole.
Overselling Your Own/Friends' Work Before the RP is Even Up/Read
If a person is booking your match, they'll read your rp when they get to it. Telling them how great it is before they do that does two things and neither of them is useful.
-1. It sets the booker up for disappointment when and if it doesn't live up to the hype, which will negatively impact it's score. I've given promos worse ratings after having the author or the author's friend hype up how awesome/funny/impactful it is because it didn't live up to that. You've set me up for disappointment and essentially shot yourself/your friend in the foot.
-2. It suggests a lack of confidence. Look, if I'm walking down the street and you're standing outside telling me how awesome your party is and I should come over to it I know that the party sucks. If it was so great my nerdy self wouldn't be invited and you'd be inside enjoying said party. If you have to tell me how big your dick is it almost certainly doesn't measure up.
Instead just wait till you know we've read it, I "like" everything I read. Caff will usually swoop in to talk about the rp after I "like" it because he knows I've read it (and already booked it). After the promo is up is an ideal time to get feedback/give your own thoughts on a promo because now both of us have the same context. That sounds really obvious but you'd be surprised.
Releasing Results Before a Show Goes Up
We had this happen recently and I was incredibly disappointed to find out about it. This is like spitting on a cardinal rule of fedding. Holy complete loss of trust Batman! It doesn't matter how you feel about any result ever, you should respect the game. Owners can tell their own members because that's their prerogative and it's not my business how they run their fed, but if you have access to results (as an admin, writer, or whatever) and you spread that to others then you're ruining the excitement for everyone else and again- seriously damaging people's ability to trust you
Trying to be a Revolutionary in Public Channels
Let me just preface this by saying that things are worse at other places. Trust me. If they weren't you'd be there. In fact, if you want to see what other feds are like, try publicly complaining about the admins at another place- see if they'd ban or job you as punishment. The way the XHF Network is run is not perfect by any means, but you've looking at a team of people with probably around 100 years of combined experience in fedding- I just counted the decades on my hands, lol. More to the point, I've got over a decade of ownership experience myself and the other Network Admins are likewise experienced. Even at our worsts (and I consider my XHF years as my worst) the feds we ran/admin were still doing fine and those that closed did so on their own terms. All that said, I know I come off as fairly cold and that I adhere closely to preset rules and will shoot down almost every idea on its first try. I'm not doing that because I'm jaded but because we're trying as hard as we can to make the Network a fair experience for everyone. As a side note, I've recognized that the people who want to "fight for you" and champion fairness only really like those things when they're on the unpunished side. As soon as the rules they fought so hard for come back on then- oh man the crapstorm they throw, lol. It's the classic "I WANT JUSTICE.....just not when I'm the one at fault."
IF YOU WOULD like to enact changes there are ways.
-1. Pitch it to the Network admins, it may fly it may not- odds are not but it's worth a shot. But if the answer is "no" leave it at that. We're slow to make changes because we've got a machine that works already and are leery about messing with it too much- that said we get good pitches sometimes. But please do so with respect, because if I smell "I know more than you" I might shut down your idea based on your poor attitude
-2. The best way is if you can is to show us your idea in action. If we can see it work on a smaller scale (like a fed) we're more likely to consider it in a bigger way. When Caff pitched the idea of FIRESIDE members making their own limits I was curious- but not confident. That format has proven to be VERY effective and I think all the fedheads and admins are more open to members agreeing to special rules here and there. I don't want to steal it from FIRESIDE but we're defo open to people in matches coming to us with rules agreed to.
Getting Others to Fight Your Battles
If you have a problem, take it to the Network Admins. If your friend has a problem- tell him to take it to the Network Admins. Just because one member might have a better relationship, more seniority, or seem more neutral it doesn't excuse having somebody fight your battles for you. What it does do is help the Network Admins (or your local booker) recognize a clique forming. Do you think we like those? Do you think we get real excited learning there's a pack of people looking out for each others interests above others? Be friends with whoever you want, friendship is good. But it crosses a line when say you are given a result to write that you don't like, complain to your friends, and then they come back to the bookers complaining about that. Or if you're trying to bury your opponent and talk about his/her negatives or some slight you feel to your friends and they turn around and tell it to the booker. It's absolutely out of line, and honestly none of your business. And covering with "they didn't tell me" just makes you a liar now doesn't it? I have been involved in several of these incidents just this year and it is incredibly frustrating to hear about and be a target of. You've essentially turned a situation into a handicap match in your favor you incredibly selfish douchebag. And it's not like the Admins/Bookers can't see through it instantly. You want to harden my heart to you and your clique and any pitches you make? This is a real quick way to do it.
Fishing For Sympathy
The Network Admins have to be objective, so acting down on yourself either in public or private can be seen by us or others as an attempt to curry favor in voting. "Oh my promo is terrible" when you've clearly put in the effort just sounds like you're looking for people to read it and cheer you on. On top of that, you basically you end up undercutting the feeling of legitimacy when/if you do win either to yourself or to others (not to the admins, we're just reading the rps) because you made this play for a sympathy vote. Look, it's ok to have doubts and to even voice them somewhat, but I strongly advise trying to stay positive because everyone is doing their best in every direction (bookers, writers, rpers etc) and all have something invested in every match. When I come on to hear somebody sad-sacking about their promos and everyone crowding around them like "Oh no, you're such a good rper, we all love your stuff" etc- that reads to me like you working real hard to get people behind you so that if you lose they can say "But so-and-so worked so hard and did a good job" despite them probably not even reading the other rps (which is a whole other post, lol). On the other hand, recently a certain member had a very serious personal loss and they messaged me to let me know just in case there was any issues related to it- but that was it. Beyond that they just went in and did their stuff and kept their personal grieving largely confined to people who wouldn't have any effect on the outcome. There are ways to get your feelings out that don't read like asking for pats on the back as you go. Just post your promo, know that the booker will read it (as will at least your opponent) and let it be. If somebody gives positive feedback, great! I like people supporting others. But if you are frequently posting promos followed by OOC sad-sacking then you've developed a bad habit that makes your wins look tainted to others (and we end up hearing about it, let me tell you).
Asking to be Put Over Somebody
It's ridiculous I even have to mention this but most of the feds here are rp-based and competitive. If your promos aren't as good as a character you feel your character wouldn't naturally lose to- then rp better. Period. I've had this happen to me on more than one occasion which is like....you do realize I own the Network, right? I've seen people argue that a fun character shouldn't go over a serious character, I've seen people fight for their friend to win because "They're really good, but rping is hard." I've seen such things happen both in private and in public. Look man, if you wanna win that's fine but just win on your own skill.
Asking to Attack Others Without Their Permission
This is somewhat of a gray area in efeds and differs from fed to fed. But generally speaking, folk don't respond well to surprise attacks/kidnappings/etc. In the XHF we used to allow it but in the Network Era I've been leery of approving non-agreed-to beatdowns because I've seen it drain the wind from people's sails enough times to recognize that if you want to build a feud, build it together. Utilizing the element of surprise can be seen as a method to throw your opponent off balance and therefore give you an edge in rping. Are there gimmicks where random attacks make sense? Yes. And obviously that sort of thing is up to the owner's discretion. But even in a fed that allows such things I'd strongly recommend keeping such events rare lest they lose their impact.
As I noted above, these are just a few examples but I hope you get the idea of what constitutes politicking. Basically it comes down to using back channels (or calculated public ones) to try to push yourself in a way that is outside of the realm of promoing. Every fed is different and I get that, and maybe where you came from these sorts of things were encouraged. But we're trying to make this a fair experience for all involved. The Network Admins talk- a lot- to each other and keep in constant communication. Often when somebody is trying to back-channel their way around we all know and that generally means you're hurting yourself (or the person you're trying to fight for....and you). We just read the promos and judge them. Most people don't read everything except the guys they like (then complain when their favorites don't win). We read everything we book and don't have a horse in the race (we're not allowed to book ourselves). The winners of matches are winners because a majority of bookers felt they should win based on the promo. Political actions don't help when we're trying to judge. This is competitive writing, go out and win your match the right way or stick to angle feds or non Network places where you can back-channel all you want.
We're all supposed to be friends here guys. Just do your best and enjoy the art people are creating. Because it art, and some of our best stuff has been coming out recently and has made matches very hard to book- which is the best kind of problem to have, lol.
Keep rocking on guys, I know we're all doing our best. Just don't step on anyone on your way to the top.
-Mongo
Politicking is bad. Some of you might not even realize you're doing it, or you've picked it up as a bad habit at another fed (hopefully before you came here). I thought after a couple members quietly disappeared that the issue would clear up but it has not. What we define as politicking takes several forms that I'll try to cover here, but I'm sure there's variants that I've either forgotten about or just not encountered yet. So take this as an educational post, as most of you are pretty clean when it comes to this sort of stuff.
Types of Politicking:
Burying Others' Work
This is not real common here thank goodness- but it has happened in the past. When you are speaking with bookers or even in public, what you say and how you say it can be very important. Everyone roleplays differently and we appreciate the variety of styles. Can some people do better? Yes. Nobody's perfect (no matter how many times I think I am after promoing). But going after a specific person's work as being less-than or not very good when clearly they're putting an effort in is inappropriate. You might think "This guy sucks, why is he getting pushed?" but you're also not the most neutral source. Thinking that is different than actually going to a booker or public forums to talk about that. I've seen guys who'll put down other rpers just because they focus on a particular style (like comedy) as though that makes them a less credible character. Guys, promo what you want to promo. But no matter who you are make sure you center yourself by thinking about how to appreciate other people's work. Everyone's got a piece of themselves in their promos and finding that heart and enjoying that little bit of themselves is important. I do my best to enjoy each of my opponents even if their style or whatnot is not mine. If you look for the good you'll find it. If you look for the bad you'll find that too. And if you talk about the bad as some sort of way to make yourself look better? Well then you're sort of an a-hole.
Overselling Your Own/Friends' Work Before the RP is Even Up/Read
If a person is booking your match, they'll read your rp when they get to it. Telling them how great it is before they do that does two things and neither of them is useful.
-1. It sets the booker up for disappointment when and if it doesn't live up to the hype, which will negatively impact it's score. I've given promos worse ratings after having the author or the author's friend hype up how awesome/funny/impactful it is because it didn't live up to that. You've set me up for disappointment and essentially shot yourself/your friend in the foot.
-2. It suggests a lack of confidence. Look, if I'm walking down the street and you're standing outside telling me how awesome your party is and I should come over to it I know that the party sucks. If it was so great my nerdy self wouldn't be invited and you'd be inside enjoying said party. If you have to tell me how big your dick is it almost certainly doesn't measure up.
Instead just wait till you know we've read it, I "like" everything I read. Caff will usually swoop in to talk about the rp after I "like" it because he knows I've read it (and already booked it). After the promo is up is an ideal time to get feedback/give your own thoughts on a promo because now both of us have the same context. That sounds really obvious but you'd be surprised.
Releasing Results Before a Show Goes Up
We had this happen recently and I was incredibly disappointed to find out about it. This is like spitting on a cardinal rule of fedding. Holy complete loss of trust Batman! It doesn't matter how you feel about any result ever, you should respect the game. Owners can tell their own members because that's their prerogative and it's not my business how they run their fed, but if you have access to results (as an admin, writer, or whatever) and you spread that to others then you're ruining the excitement for everyone else and again- seriously damaging people's ability to trust you
Trying to be a Revolutionary in Public Channels
Let me just preface this by saying that things are worse at other places. Trust me. If they weren't you'd be there. In fact, if you want to see what other feds are like, try publicly complaining about the admins at another place- see if they'd ban or job you as punishment. The way the XHF Network is run is not perfect by any means, but you've looking at a team of people with probably around 100 years of combined experience in fedding- I just counted the decades on my hands, lol. More to the point, I've got over a decade of ownership experience myself and the other Network Admins are likewise experienced. Even at our worsts (and I consider my XHF years as my worst) the feds we ran/admin were still doing fine and those that closed did so on their own terms. All that said, I know I come off as fairly cold and that I adhere closely to preset rules and will shoot down almost every idea on its first try. I'm not doing that because I'm jaded but because we're trying as hard as we can to make the Network a fair experience for everyone. As a side note, I've recognized that the people who want to "fight for you" and champion fairness only really like those things when they're on the unpunished side. As soon as the rules they fought so hard for come back on then- oh man the crapstorm they throw, lol. It's the classic "I WANT JUSTICE.....just not when I'm the one at fault."
IF YOU WOULD like to enact changes there are ways.
-1. Pitch it to the Network admins, it may fly it may not- odds are not but it's worth a shot. But if the answer is "no" leave it at that. We're slow to make changes because we've got a machine that works already and are leery about messing with it too much- that said we get good pitches sometimes. But please do so with respect, because if I smell "I know more than you" I might shut down your idea based on your poor attitude
-2. The best way is if you can is to show us your idea in action. If we can see it work on a smaller scale (like a fed) we're more likely to consider it in a bigger way. When Caff pitched the idea of FIRESIDE members making their own limits I was curious- but not confident. That format has proven to be VERY effective and I think all the fedheads and admins are more open to members agreeing to special rules here and there. I don't want to steal it from FIRESIDE but we're defo open to people in matches coming to us with rules agreed to.
Getting Others to Fight Your Battles
If you have a problem, take it to the Network Admins. If your friend has a problem- tell him to take it to the Network Admins. Just because one member might have a better relationship, more seniority, or seem more neutral it doesn't excuse having somebody fight your battles for you. What it does do is help the Network Admins (or your local booker) recognize a clique forming. Do you think we like those? Do you think we get real excited learning there's a pack of people looking out for each others interests above others? Be friends with whoever you want, friendship is good. But it crosses a line when say you are given a result to write that you don't like, complain to your friends, and then they come back to the bookers complaining about that. Or if you're trying to bury your opponent and talk about his/her negatives or some slight you feel to your friends and they turn around and tell it to the booker. It's absolutely out of line, and honestly none of your business. And covering with "they didn't tell me" just makes you a liar now doesn't it? I have been involved in several of these incidents just this year and it is incredibly frustrating to hear about and be a target of. You've essentially turned a situation into a handicap match in your favor you incredibly selfish douchebag. And it's not like the Admins/Bookers can't see through it instantly. You want to harden my heart to you and your clique and any pitches you make? This is a real quick way to do it.
Fishing For Sympathy
The Network Admins have to be objective, so acting down on yourself either in public or private can be seen by us or others as an attempt to curry favor in voting. "Oh my promo is terrible" when you've clearly put in the effort just sounds like you're looking for people to read it and cheer you on. On top of that, you basically you end up undercutting the feeling of legitimacy when/if you do win either to yourself or to others (not to the admins, we're just reading the rps) because you made this play for a sympathy vote. Look, it's ok to have doubts and to even voice them somewhat, but I strongly advise trying to stay positive because everyone is doing their best in every direction (bookers, writers, rpers etc) and all have something invested in every match. When I come on to hear somebody sad-sacking about their promos and everyone crowding around them like "Oh no, you're such a good rper, we all love your stuff" etc- that reads to me like you working real hard to get people behind you so that if you lose they can say "But so-and-so worked so hard and did a good job" despite them probably not even reading the other rps (which is a whole other post, lol). On the other hand, recently a certain member had a very serious personal loss and they messaged me to let me know just in case there was any issues related to it- but that was it. Beyond that they just went in and did their stuff and kept their personal grieving largely confined to people who wouldn't have any effect on the outcome. There are ways to get your feelings out that don't read like asking for pats on the back as you go. Just post your promo, know that the booker will read it (as will at least your opponent) and let it be. If somebody gives positive feedback, great! I like people supporting others. But if you are frequently posting promos followed by OOC sad-sacking then you've developed a bad habit that makes your wins look tainted to others (and we end up hearing about it, let me tell you).
Asking to be Put Over Somebody
It's ridiculous I even have to mention this but most of the feds here are rp-based and competitive. If your promos aren't as good as a character you feel your character wouldn't naturally lose to- then rp better. Period. I've had this happen to me on more than one occasion which is like....you do realize I own the Network, right? I've seen people argue that a fun character shouldn't go over a serious character, I've seen people fight for their friend to win because "They're really good, but rping is hard." I've seen such things happen both in private and in public. Look man, if you wanna win that's fine but just win on your own skill.
Asking to Attack Others Without Their Permission
This is somewhat of a gray area in efeds and differs from fed to fed. But generally speaking, folk don't respond well to surprise attacks/kidnappings/etc. In the XHF we used to allow it but in the Network Era I've been leery of approving non-agreed-to beatdowns because I've seen it drain the wind from people's sails enough times to recognize that if you want to build a feud, build it together. Utilizing the element of surprise can be seen as a method to throw your opponent off balance and therefore give you an edge in rping. Are there gimmicks where random attacks make sense? Yes. And obviously that sort of thing is up to the owner's discretion. But even in a fed that allows such things I'd strongly recommend keeping such events rare lest they lose their impact.
As I noted above, these are just a few examples but I hope you get the idea of what constitutes politicking. Basically it comes down to using back channels (or calculated public ones) to try to push yourself in a way that is outside of the realm of promoing. Every fed is different and I get that, and maybe where you came from these sorts of things were encouraged. But we're trying to make this a fair experience for all involved. The Network Admins talk- a lot- to each other and keep in constant communication. Often when somebody is trying to back-channel their way around we all know and that generally means you're hurting yourself (or the person you're trying to fight for....and you). We just read the promos and judge them. Most people don't read everything except the guys they like (then complain when their favorites don't win). We read everything we book and don't have a horse in the race (we're not allowed to book ourselves). The winners of matches are winners because a majority of bookers felt they should win based on the promo. Political actions don't help when we're trying to judge. This is competitive writing, go out and win your match the right way or stick to angle feds or non Network places where you can back-channel all you want.
We're all supposed to be friends here guys. Just do your best and enjoy the art people are creating. Because it art, and some of our best stuff has been coming out recently and has made matches very hard to book- which is the best kind of problem to have, lol.
Keep rocking on guys, I know we're all doing our best. Just don't step on anyone on your way to the top.
-Mongo