So you want to be a Delegate

[Darkesia]

This thread will contain the RMB poll results and the essays produced by TWPs best and brightest prospects for becoming leaders.  Feel free to comment.

 

It's time for the next generation to shape TWP into the region they want it to be.

 

From the RMB:

 

 

With regard to this week's poll:

This is the beginning of a personal project for me. I want to start a mentoring program for "career track Delegates." It occurred to me the other day that I do a lot of whining about how we need fresh blood. So, I figured I would start by finding out who wants to be a Feeder Delegate. Then we can all begin finding out what those with the ambition have in mind for the region.

 

This poll will be followed by essay questions which should be answered on the RMB. If you have access to the off-site, please post your answers there as well. Those who do not have access will have their answers copied and pasted into the forum. There are no right or wrong answers. This is a chance for those of you who want to step up and lead to tell us a little bit about your vision.

 

I have asked the Ambassadors to publish this information as well. 

[Darkesia]

The first essay question will be posed when the poll closes in a week.  However, a preview for those who notice this thread:

 

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum?  In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

 

Remember there are no correct or incorrect answers.  Just tell us what you think.

[Rockandrollia]

This could almost be an issue in the NSverse. We just need the nice little disputatious anecdotes to go with it.

[Crazy Slots]

Good on you, Dark.

[Little Sealand]

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum?  In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

So far from what I've witnessed here, (off-site, and I haven't been here that long), is that there seems to be a weak link between the RMB and here. A lot of nations that are active on the RMB are not really active here, and it seems like its vice versa as well. I'm not quite sure what exactly to do to improve that, but maybe some sort of incentive to stay active on the RMB and the off-site might help.

[Elegarth]

The first essay question will be posed when the poll closes in a week.  However, a preview for those who notice this thread:

 

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum?  In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

 

Remember there are no correct or incorrect answers.  Just tell us what you think.

And where do I sent my essay?

[Darkesia]

I'm having everyone post on the RMB and in this thread.  If a person posts their answers in one, I will try to be sure they are copied to the other so everyone has a chance to see and participate in the discussions.

 

From today's RMB:

 

With regard to this week's poll:

 

This is the beginning of a personal project for me. I want to start a mentoring program for "career track Delegates." It occurred to me the other day that I do a lot of whining about how we need fresh blood. So, I figured I would start by finding out who wants to be a Feeder Delegate. Then we can all begin finding out what those with the ambition have in mind for the region.

 

This poll will be followed by essay questions which should be answered on the RMB. If you have access to the off-site, please post your answers there as well. Those who do not have access will have their answers copied and pasted into the forum. There are no right or wrong answers. This is a chance for those of you who want to step up and lead to tell us a little bit about your vision.

 

*sips coffee*

 

Two more days and we begin the new questions. I think three days for each question will allow for enough time for participation. Then we can have anywhere between one day to one week for discussion, depending on the level of interest. Sound good?

[Fratellnoir]

 

I think that retention is perhaps the area that needs considerable attention.

Take a look at the above screenshot form our happenings. As a feeder we are in the unenviable position of having nations "born" here.

 

They fall into three categories

 

• Nations that stay
• Nations that move out
• Puppets 

 

There is probably not much we can do about the last category - these are nations that are created with a purpose other than participating in the region, destined in all probability for use as cannon fodder in the Raider Defender conflict

 

The first category obviously are deserving of our attention. If they are happy to stay here then we should of course seek to enrich their experience and  encourage their participation - do they know what is on offer?

 

However the second category is perhaps the one that contains the most potential.

If they are not puppets then the the fact that they have chosen to move could indicate a number of things

• They have a curiosity  that extends beyond answering issues
• They have been enticed by offers from other regions
• They want to set up their own region
• They see little prospect of a rewarding stay in TWP

Whilst any large region can be daunting, a visibly active and dynamic region will attract purely by virtue of being a happening place. Activity of itself is good but if that activity is not broadcast then we face the danger that besets most - insularity,

 

A new nation arriving in the region should be overwhelmed by friendliness, invited to roleplay, gameplay, participation in the regional government, offered the chance to carve out a career based in the region, not outside of it. It is not that all of this is not on offer here, but rather that there is no promotion of it.

[Little Sealand]

A new nation arriving in the region should be overwhelmed by friendliness, invited to roleplay, gameplay, participation in the regional government, offered the chance to carve out a career based in the region, not outside of it. It is not that all of this is not on offer here, but rather that there is no promotion of it.

 

True, but many leave almost as soon as they come. The welcome telegram is the first they see, so maybe we can work it to new found nations feel welcome to stay a bit longer to experience the West Pacific. After all, it would be a nightmare personally welcoming every new nation on the RMB or active telegram. 

 

Nations that also move to a region they received a recruitment telegram from are also more likely to be active, so perhaps we can also work a small recruitment program that sends telegrams to newly formed nations in other feeder regions.

[Fratellnoir]

Nations that also move to a region they received a recruitment telegram from are also more likely to be active, so perhaps we can also work a small recruitment program that sends telegrams to newly formed nations in other feeder regions.

 

Target the regions they are moving to - it might take some analysis

 

Examine the "promises" that were delivered in the Recruiting TG and see if TWP offers the same scope

[Elegarth]

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum? In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

Toast to an interesting question. From my NS upbringing, I've never perceived or thought of a separation in terms of the region in its off-site and its on-site existences, until I actually joined TWP and realized the way it was currently setup - what I've called the double-think bit of TWP - and the way one of the facets interacts with the other. Since then, I've pondered a bit about it and come up with some interesting ideas, but none of them definitive and none of them considered absolute or unique: more like the flavors of your ice cream, all are valid, you can feel free to select your favorite (chocolate, anyone?).

The factors in here are unity and disassociation, giving us basically 4 kinds of relations that we should consider:

- Disassociated and united facets. (Type 1)

- Disassociated and non-united facets. (Type 2)

- Associated and united facets. (Type 3)

- Associated and non-united facets. (Type 4)

Associated/Disassociated refers to the organization of the region itself: is it a single form of government that reflects on the Delegate being also the off-site leader of the region, or if the Delegate may be NOT the actual off-site leader (owner/admin/etc). And the Unity refers to the members, are those active in the RMB the same ones who are active in the offside forums? Do they add up to the same community?

Each of the different types of relations between the facets (the off-site/forum facet and the on-site/RMB facet) determinates not only the government and structural nature of each region, but also how they can act and what changes can be implemented for one to influence the other, or for both to work together towards common goals and improvement.

It is obvious that those regions characterized as United (Types 1 and 3) shouldn't really be of concern for the question, since both communities will be basically the same and new members to either will surely get easilly pulled into the other from the community momentum as whole. That level of unity, however, is not as common as one would expect as there are MANY players on each region that can be active participants in the RMB without ever bothering to the offsite forums.

Types 2 and 4 are not only the ones where things get interesting, but the reality of the majority of our regions - be them GCRs or UCRs. Our RMBs and our forum communities are not always the same, and people hugely active in one are not always hugely active in the other - myself being a good example: I'm active in 3 feeder forums, but almost a ghost on the RMBs. This is, overall, negative. So my main ending point was that I feel the communities should become UNITED communities, and where the disassociation comes into play, as it allows for a different level of flexibility in the govenrment of the feeder (either off-site or on-site facets) to deal, design and implement ways to bring both communities together.

Bringing these two communities together must be a process explicitely directed at the communities themselves, and any region and people trying to do it, should be able to study and analyze them detailedly to make sure he has clear what are the joining points / interests that could be serve them on the process, and from there, try to strenghthem through joint "events" or through active discussion that involved both parties - even serving as "carriers" of the ideas if necessary. The work can be quite a load, obviously.

I know the question explicitely ask "what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?" and here is where I feel I have replied without replying. Making reality reflect your views can be hard, but if you take the approach I mentioned, you may find a reality in the middle of your views and the status quo from where things can flow naturally into a single community with several interaction methods instead of separate communities.

My $0.02. Cheers!

Elegarth

[Little Sealand]

That two cents was worth 37 dollars in change.

[Elegarth]

That two cents was worth 37 dollars in change.

You think so? Why?

[Little Sealand]

Yes, I think so. Well, I didn't read the entire thing, (sorry). But it was impressive. Even if my mind is to closed to completely understand it, plus we haven't seen much opinions on here that say let things run their course,

 

Making reality reflect your views can be hard, but if you take the approach I mentioned, you may find a reality in the middle of your views and the status quo from where things can flow naturally into a single community with several interaction methods instead of separate communities.

My $0.02. Cheers!

[Elegarth]

Well, for thing to reach the point when they can be let to run by themselves you have a lot of work to do, it is just not the status quo... You have to CREATE it first

[Little Sealand]

So is the current forum self-sufficient? 

[God-Emperor]

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum?  In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

 

I view the relationship between the Regional Message Board and the forum as symbiotic.  The RMB and the forum are, in fact, two separate entities, but both are connected by their close association with The West Pacific, the sovereignty of which lies with the Delegate.  However, greater interaction between the two would be to the advantage of both.  As a feeder, the region has been given a gift that is the envy of every User Created Region, people.  New people, different people.  New and different people are a gift that the RMB community can bestow upon the forum community, but the RMB community is not the only one with something to give.  The forum presents an unique opportunity to group these people into work groups that can benefit the region, namely foreign, military affairs, judicial and regional affairs.  As you can see, the relationship between the RMB and the forum can be mutually beneficial.  

 

In order to make reality reflect these underlying assumptions, my approach would fundamentally change the region.  I believe such a paradigm shift is necessary.  As I stated before, the sovereignty of the region lies with the Delegate, and the Delegate derives that authority from the World Assembly members in the region.  I believe the Delegate simply ruling over the forum government does not confer that legitimacy to the forum, but it must be derived from the people themselves.  To this end, I would:

 

1. Split the Holy Grand Assembly into two houses and hold regular elections for the HGA via regional poll.  One house would be comprised of non-WA members voted upon by the region at large, but, in order to avoid voter fraud and undue foreign influence, the other house would be made up of WA members voted upon only by the WA members of the region.

2. Eliminate the Prime Minister and have the Delegate preside over the HGA as a non-voting member, except in case of a tie.

3. Gradually phase out the Guardians in favor of a Vice Delegate elected by the WA house of the HGA to exercise the office of the Delegate in their absence or in case of resignation.  

4. Require the HGA to post a journal of its proceedings on the RMB regularly.

5. Establish a regional guard in which WA nations that endorse the Delegate and Vice Delegate may enlist to fly The West Pacific Armed Forces' flag and be activated in intra-regional operations.  

 

I believe the nations of the region would actively support elections via regional poll, as I said, because it confers legitimacy upon the forum, and the checks and balances between a non-WA and WA house could be supported by both 'resident' and 'citizen' nations, as they're now described.

[Elegarth]

3. Gradually phase out the Guardians in favor of a Vice Delegate elected by the WA house of the HGA to exercise the office of the Delegate in their absence or in case of resignation.

And what about rogue delegacies supported by the vide-delegate? How would you react to it, with no Guardians to be points of jump to recover the region?

[Consular]

This looks like a valuable project! Always good to cultivate new talent.

[Little Sealand]

You're an experienced member right? Whats your two cents on this? 

[Consular]

What on earth would make you think I'm experienced. 

[Little Sealand]

1170 posts. 

[Consular]

Well then, since you asked. My only real thoughts are the matter would be to largely agree with God-Emperor in terms of exploring new ways to make use of the new in game mechanisms available to us. I know this is something Westwind has considered before - that we haven't fully explored the potential of the recent in game changes. There is good opportunity to be found in utilising them to better integrate region members into regional governance, and perhaps spur interest in the offsite forums if that is what we should desire.

 

I would disagree on one crucial matter though, which is the phasing out of the Guardian system. I fear that would be significantly detrimental to the security of the region. It is absolutely essential that a group of high influence nations be maintained to protect the region from both internal and external threats. The Guardian system is one of the reasons why TWP ranks as one of the most consistently secure regions in the game. We are perhaps not entirely stable in terms of internal shifts due to the power invested in said Guardians, but we are also invulnerable to coups and attacks by outside interlopers, earning TWP a deserved reputation as a very secure region.

[Liberillia]

Here is my answer for you all,

At present, I view the relationship much as the relationship of Trinidad and Tobago. (bear with me here, I do get to the point in a moment) To make my allusion a bit more clear, I will simply say that Trinidad is a much larger island than Tobago, with more resources, more space, and infact more potential. Tobago is much smaller, however it is prettier and neater, and with better airports, so that is where the tourists fly to. The offsite forums are like Trinidad, much potential, but often its full potential is neglected. The RMB is more shiny and accessible, none the less they have the potential to work well and harmoniously.
It is always notoriously difficult to make offsite forums as popular as the gameside systems, however I believe by active encouragement of use of the offsite forums, and by tempting people over to explore the offsite forums with things such as asking them one question on there and one on the RMB, more users may partake in offsite activities. This can be increased as well with things like humorous/illustrated news reports etc only available on the offsite forum, helping it to be not offsite as such, but instead another, related, island with things to explore.
Furthermore I think it is important to consider the basic fact that not everyone will want to participate in both RMB and offsite. For some a forum style experience is more what they enjoy, for others its the casual banter nature of the RMB that keeps them in TWP, while I agree its important to encourage participation in both, general enjoyment of TWP, (whether a nation chooses to be active in only the RMB, offsite, or both,) is the priority, (and something TWP is rather good at in my experience)

 

Archisium I completely agree about exploring new ways to make use of the new in game mechanisms, and also with your point about Guardians, the Guardians are important not only as security measures but also as role-models for the newer nations, users whom are known as experienced in-case help is needed and are an example of how to take part in activities on the RMB etc.
Sealand your post about varieties of telegrams is also something I definitely would support.

[simple country]

How do you view the relationship between the on-site (gameside) RMB and the off-site community forum? In what ways would you change things to make reality reflect your views and how would you help get the nations of the region to actively support this move?

 

I view the on-site and offsite as two halves in a whole. I would change things to make leaders democratically elected. I will get nations more involved by simply posting events or elections on the RMB.