What will you do?

[Singer]

Hello there,

With all the shit I've been reading on the TWL forums about how it's gonna die next year and stuff, I'd like to have this thread, this thread only, as a matter of prevention/solution/anger relief or whatever fits for you... you've got something to say, do it here.

The things that needs to be known:

-Next TWL, will you still be around?

-Next TWL, will you be able to help in any way?

-Next TWL, will you change anything in any way...?


For anyone who really cares about this game, share with the community your future plans on what you'll be doing or what you'd like to see being done.

Alot of ideas has already been brought up but here is, I hope, "the ultimatum thread" to solve this league's problems, for I and many others out there are tired of having to go through every threads, where a staff member has to defend himself against an enraged player that keeps seeing darkness through everything.

I'd like to remember everyone out there that people like Pascone or Mirrorrim that has to do deal with your bullshit arn't the ones to blame out there, we all are, the community, we should be thankful to pascone for his dedication, you should hate yourself for not lending him an helping hands during difficult times...

There's been talk about a council to help out staff decisions not so long ago ( http://forums.trenchwars.org/showthread.php?t=31656 ) , do not let these thoughts die, it might seem boring to go through right now, but in the long run if you want something good out of the game that you spend most of your free time on I strongly advise you to keep on trying a little more.. you all have that power to do something useful.

So that's how it is, either you shut the fuck up or do something about it, your choice, your game, your life, you decide...

Think wisely before you post and make it clean.

[Tsumetai]

I like pie.

[Scoop]

Ill most likely ride this game to the ground. (hopefully with diso)

[eelam <tw>]

re

if you noticed, the people who are saying this game is gonna die are people who aren't in league or are getting stomped in league. Everyone will show up again nExt season and the season after that, because well, they want to own Eelam, and they'll continue to try until i quit.

[IceStorm]

-Next TWL, will you still be around?

Yep, probably more active.

-Next TWL, will you be able to help in any way?

Start a squad .. and work with average players up till twl

-Next TWL, will you change anything in any way...?

Try harder.

[Accord]

those squads with so much talent on them should split into 3 squads. more competitive.

[Kim]

Perhaps its time to finally cut roster sizes down to about 20-25.

[Reaver]

Cutting roster size is a bad idea because it doesn't really solve the problem that needs to be fixed. What is the problem? Well it's different things but for the most part if you look around quite a few squad captains and squad members are complaining about inactive squad mates, and I do have this problem to an extent in my squad as well. Given more thought, it would be a better approach to limit the amount of squads allowed into TWL to make for better competition. Cutting roster sizes on squads is a bad idea because many squads right now have inactive people and you'd only be limiting them even more, causing more squads to show too few players to their matches. Leave the roster limit where it's at and allow fewer squads into each league, like 8.

I plan on running Style for at least another season, hopefully a few but we'll see.

[Kim]

An idea would be to do away with a lock on squadless players from joining a TWL squad, but players who are joined to a TWL squad in Week 1 cannot change squads, no matter what. Yea, if your squad dissolves, none of the players can jump ship.

[Delectable]

look, im all over the place

[Nimrook]

i have to say.. this twl season is the most UNCOMPETITIVE for the last few seasons.. everyone just dont give a damn much cept a few squads.. just look how many squads dropped off this season since this season started

as for myself.. i'm pretty inactive now already.. log on once a week or something.. so i'll prob be gone by next TWL

[PaulOakenfold]

I will continue to organize all negative events that occur during TWL season, behind the scenes.

[Rule]

Subspace/Continuum has been around over 10 years now, and we are in our eleventh TWL season. TWL has changed over the years, development of the leagues from being one single league to becoming a multi league automated annual league. Many people have contributed into improving the league over the years & many still do.

Certain factors do affect the game - the aging player base - Some guys just don't have the hunger for the game anymore. They would rather sit afk, using trench as a chat window, spend more time stoking their ego's and trash talking each other & the game, criticizing staff's every move - then actually contributing to the game. In Trench there has always been an immature attitude from some & there always will be. Other guy's feel like they have done enough for the zone. Many players are getting older and moving on in there lives. Real life responsibilities should always come first.

Things that need improvement (in no specific order):

TWL Website - More people need to be involved in running an active website. From what Riistar has expressed the people who designed the website have limited/no involvement with it anymore, and the ones who run it don't have the ability/access to keep it up to date properly. A new website would be great. Need to find people who are willing to put the time in from beginning to end every season. Simple things like Hot & Not, having Statistics that work etc add to the game. I think a lot of people appreciated Anzu's effort's with TWL-M every season, maybe he can pass that on to someone else or something new can be created.

Staff - Player Relations - Many player's feel like certain members of Staff are being biased/unjust, ignore them etc. It's hard to know what's going on with Staff when one is an outsider - a lot of people jump to conclusions - sometimes there is abuse. Staff improvement needs to come from within. On the flipside Staff has to deal with a lot of immature individuals who don't bring anything positive to the game. I think a certain portion of the player base needs to be more respectful to the people who keep the zone and the leagues running. More appreciation is needed. I think staff would benefit from more new recruits; there should be a continuous recruiting process in finding programmers. Key to improving things is improving communication & getting guys involved. League player's need to remember that staff have a responsibility to keeping the whole zone going first, and the league’s second. If players want to create change they need to contribute.

Automation - Staff has done a great job in the creation and running of the bots for the leagues, base, javduel, wbduel etc. I remember when things were completely manual. The bots’ could be developed more with many different options. We need to find the programmers who are willing to put in the time. Improvement could start in TWD and make its way into TWL once things have been tried and tested. I am sure many players would have creative and helpful suggestions.

The development of new player base in Leagues (and zone) - Trencher's need to be more accepting of new players. More options need to exist for the guy's who don't know anything about the leagues and the game. It's common for players to find their own way - many don't though. I have noticed Elim/Baseelim has become more active since the usage limit was withdrawn - a good sign. More player's need to take the time to help guy's learn about the game, instead of making fun of them, putting them down etc. These days a lot of players spend their day's boosting their egos, bragging, trash talking- sad thing about it is a lot of these individuals lack the skill to back it up. We need to help these guys improve to, then we will have more competitive leagues. New players will decide the future of this game, so they need to be helped. Public arena's are the starting point for many new players’s who login in for the first time wondering what the game is about - they need to be in the best shape possible. There has been positive discussion about recruiting new players on Trench War's forums and simple things like the MPOGD effort do help. TWD is a starting point for many players in the leagues - so improving TWD competitive League play would improve TWL League play. Suggestions for this would be providing new levels of automation with the bots, having more squad tournament's using TWD bots (EG TWBD-Cup, TWJ-D Cup, TWL-D Cup) – events where any active squad could play.

Leadership - More mature people need to step up. Strong leadership is the core of every squad (and Staff). I think competitive squad leader's need to push their player's to be active. If guys don’t care enough to show up for games, practice, help their caps find them etc, they are not helping their squads they should not be around (Harsh but true). Different player's help squad's in different way's some through play, others through leadership, coording etc - Many different roles - being a skilled player is just one of them. Squad's are better off with players who have a hunger for the game, and want to learn, improve etc. A lot of players have lots of skill potential which they never tap into. Too many players’ sit back with a selfish attitude and no interest in helping their squad, and are full of excuses. Minimum requirements for players would help– EG amount of TWD games played. Roster limits may or may not help the situation. I think squad leaders who want to run competitive squad's should keep a "No Free Ride" policy though. If they want to keep old friends who are inactive on the squad, guys who contributed lots in past, that’s fine, a lot of these guys have knowledge and skill which can help the new guys learn. Some of them are not helpful though. The majority of the squad should not consist of guy's who either -Don’t have the time, don't care enough though. The "I don't care" attitude so many players try to portray is a sad one. More new blood would help staff and every squad. Maybe squad caps should assign one or two players as "Trainer's" or go back to the days of having farm squads. Even a “Recruiter” position on squad roster, might help new player’s find their way onto squads. One guy (squad leader or someone assigned by cap etc) who is willing to take the time to talk to new players who are interested in joining and is approachable. This position could rotate.

The time between leagues has been reduced. I remember when leagues started in January, March or even later. I think this has it pro's and con's. A lot of people have exams this time of year, have more free time in summer etc. People will always have responsibilities though, and if they care enough about the game they will find time to play & help improve it.

Doom & Gloom threads have been around a long time on boards. For year's people have been saying the games going to end etc, I have seen generations of player's come and go. Bottom line more people need to care about the leagues and the game in general and keep a positive attitude. We create the future.


Rule

[Lame]

Props to Rule making that post.

To answer Singer's post:

I feel I am facing two different paths after TWL:

- quit subspace and contribute nothing;

or

- create a squad that can be competitive, a mix of 'veterans' and new talents (if I can find them).

The problem with the second option is that I got a fulltime job and a lot of social activities. Question is will I have enough time to create and lead a squad? If I find one or two other serious people that have the same squadphilosophy as I do, there is a fair chance I give it a try.

[Ephemeral]

Whether or not the game itself is currently stale is not important, whether or not those who own it want to move it forward is important. Moving it forward would obviously require substantial resources be applied to the client/server development as well as investment in the supporting hardware infrastructure.
In all the endless posts trying to approach the issue from the side, not a single person as mentioned cost and feasibility.
The problem? If the people who currently control the intellectual properties of SS/TW started to charge this aging game and game access, the population would drop. At this point, few people would be willing to invest the large amount of dollars and risk it would take to make this more than it already is. Due to this, the game has been basically been ‘orphaned’. Without reason and value to make SS/TW more then they currently are, they will continue to simply “be”.

Want change? Get about 1500 people in here to commit that they are willing to pay to move this thing forward.

Otherwise, get off Pascone’s ass, stop blaming the rest of the staff, stop whining about ship/map changes. There is no panacea hidden in a league rule, ship changes, more marketing, or a new Dean of Staff. None of that matters when SS/TW is a steamship and the rest of the world is taking planes.