Activity (and how we get it)

[Charax]

The more astute of you may have noticed a distinct lack of activity in the West Pacific's forums of late. There are many reasons for this, but the highly trained gerbils of the Interior Ministry have decided that its probably due to us having very few active posting members. I had intended to write up a plan of things I'm going to do to get activity started, but I've just decided that sucks so I'm ad libbing this announcement. You'd better get used to that if you don't intend to recall me or something.

 

In my opinion, the activity levels of the forum are chronically poor. I can't speak for the source of the issue, but I think if we don't take action to reverse it fairly soon then we may never fully recover. With that in mind, I think its time that we as a region and a community sit down with one another, take stock and think seriously about where we want to be in two, six, twelve months time.

 

I'd like to keep this discussion largely organic, so for now I'll not let my own agenda taint the discussions too much. But there are two questions I believe we should consider. Firstly, the question of Democracy, which I raise due to the notoriously democratic TNP being the most active feeder. I believe that TAO's Guardian system works excellently, and would not seek to change the way delegates and guardians are appointed to their posts. However, with regards to Ministerial positions I encourage the members of the Concilium to push for elections, whether by challenge or cycle. I'll not say more on that, as its a legislative issue that should probably be dealt with by the Speaker, but I feel it would increase activity and at least wanted to mention it.

 

Secondly, and strictly relating to this Ministry this time, are themes. My reasoning for bringing this up are the staggeringly high activity levels of well-themed regions like Lazarus, Albion and every UK themed region in history (seriously, all of them - what's up with that). Would we as a community be willing to adopt a theme for the Government of the region? If so, what? 

 

So, let's discuss! What does the active West Pacific of the future look like to you?

[Westwind]

*ponders...takes stock....thinks seriously*   

 

In six months I want the snow outside to be gone and be basking in warm (though not too hot) sunlight.

 

One thing you're going to run into here is that along with the Guardian system comes the concept of ingame over offsite, and that the Delegate chooses his/her own government.  So if there is a new Delegate in two/six/twelve months, he/she could completely abandon the Imperium government that I've created and embraced for something else instead.   Or they might keep and and just replace everyone, who knows.

 

For all TNP's vaunted democracy, the executive branch is still under the authority and selection of the Delegate.  Their judiciary is useless other than to get in the way of players, and their legislature is great if you like that sort of thing.  TWP hasn't had any interest in legislating for years.  Each GCR has it's own personality and interests, and legislating isn't among TWP's interests.  That may change, and that's fine.  But we don't want to be like every other GCR.  We'd rather change the way people think about playing NS, expand their horizons, or just recognize how much bigger the game is than the narrow view of the offsite communities. (I enjoyed ASBS's NS Fair lecture)

 

On the other hand, we also hold that the region's community has the right to revolt against a Delegate if they don't like what he/she is doing. 

 

And our forum philosophy allows that we can (and we have done this before) have more than one government operating via the same forum.  The forum serves both the Delegate and the TWP community.  We had two governments operating, one supporting the Delegate, the other revolting against the Delegate...then another one came along that had no part of the rest of the TWP community that had their own leadership and never had anything to do with the Delegacy.  These concepts confuse most of NS because the offsite communities become so possessive of their regions that they forget there are other players with other interests within the region.  Rather than fight them, we embrace them.  Thus TSP never understood, and still doesn't understand, that the TWP government stayed neutral during Milo's coup, while a few individual prominent TWP members supported Milo.  We recognized both the offsite community and the sitting Delegate, and they refuse to accept that.  Too many regions demand an either/or world, and we don't live in that limited world in TWP. Why put yourself in a box and become a victim of coup after coup of frustrated Delegates and players ?  There is plenty of room for all.

 

So if you take an approach and decide to have elections for Ministers....the next Delegate can choose to ignore them.  Having elections or not isn't the problem.  Having players interested in doing those tasks is.  If someone merits promotion, I don't hesitate to promote them and give them the title and authority to carry out their vision.  If there are multiple qualified candidates for a position, I'd be happy to have elections between them.  But that has not been the case, quite the opposite instead.

 

You see our forum as quiet and inactive, and I see our forum as being the most active it's been in a couple years.  It's been a rebuilding process that we started under Yy4u's Delegacy.  The problem I have.....the great disappointment that I have... is the failure of others to help.  I have always maintained that I will do the job of the Delegate, and provide opportunity for others.  But I cannot do everyone's tasks for them.  Nor will I try.  So when someone says, "You should do this!"  That's great, why don't you do that for me, and I'll post it/send it/promote it for you.  Why should I have to do all the work for your idea ?

 

The WA Minister wants a message sent out to the region.  I'll do that if he writes it, but he didn't write it.  The Interior Minister suggests I send a message...again.....he writes I, I'll send it.  Same with Foriegn Affairs, same with TWPAF, The Concillium.....  The same goes for all officials.  This is my disappointment.  I provide the opportunity,  and I wait for them to do their part. And they don't follow through.

 

Now, some may expect me to be doing all the writing and sending things, and I've generally been known as a good writer.  But it takes all parts to make a region's engine run and be active.  And I'm clouded by medications and disability, so I remain dependent upon all of you to do your parts to help make TWP what it can be.  I feel I'm doing my part.  I feel I'm handling the Delegacy well, secure the region, organized a government, and that I've set a fair policy.  I feel that I've provided wide opportunity and that I haven't hesitated to promote those with the demonstrated ability and willingness to serve TWP.

 

--------------

 

Themes.....I'm not opposed to that.  When we established this new forum we left it open for a Blue Sky discussion....what do we want ?  There was no consensus, although the closest thing to one was Chaos and Anarchy, so Yy named me Commander Chaos of the Army and I was the only named official of the region outside of the Delegate and Guardians.

 

I then formed the TWP Provisional Government....then came WECA and The Opposition, and as part of my ascension to the Delegacy, I transformed the Provisional government to The West Pacific Imperium which both WECA and The Opposition joined.  The only thing I'd say about theming is that I wouldn't expect to see it applied via a skin to the forum (same reasoning as above, the forum serves the whole region) and that to have it applied to the WFE it will need Delegate blessing  (And I hate the communist themes, I lived through the Cold War at ground zero from nuclear base to nuclear base. It bothers me almost as much as those that are bothered by NS Nazis....which is why I didn't like the NPO in the early days of NS, it was personally insulting.)

 

We had also talked about granting me a title besides Delegate last year, and the majority were against it, so I remained Delegate.  Yet you'll notice our FA Update refered to me as the Imperator, and there are others intersted in looking at a darker and more sinister theme and titling.  We can look at this again, and also applying it to the Ministers.

 

Maybe it's time to resurrect the Crimson King ?

[Fratellnoir]

Our duty is to bring the benefits of being part of the TWP family to the darkest corners of NS, yea even into the shadow kingdoms of the UCR's.

 

A strong TWP is a peaceful TWP - a region where citizens can go about their daily business without fear of the cataclysms that have rocked the rest of NS.  I would suggest that we explore the "theme" of an Imperial Feeder, perhaps concentrating on a culture of decadence and depravity, corruption and patronage rather than seeking to emulate the democracy of TNP, the Puritanism of the Pacific or the blatant Defenderism of TEP. 

 

As for encouraging new blood, let the cream rise to the top (as well as some of the scum perhaps) to make The West Pacific THE place for advancement and opportunity, a region where your destiny is determined by your ability, determination and strength of character  - as Westwind has said, we can provide the tools and the support for whatever participants would like to try, or if not we will find them. 

[Tweedy]

....... (as well as some of the scum perhaps)

My ears were burning - I thought I heard the word rum!

[Consular]

Did someone say rum?

[Westwind]

a culture of decadence and depravity

 

 

As long as it includes chocolate and rum, I think we're good.

[Vulcan Prime]

We have good focus skills

[Charax]

Decadence and depravity is certainly a goal to work toward.

 

Aye, WW, I know the nature of TWP's system makes the nature of theming a Government very tricky. For the purposes of the theme aspects (and the elections too I suppose) I figured we should treat the Imperium as the sole legitimate Government of the The West Pacific, as it is the current and only state to stake that claim.

 

Personally, I do like the title of Imperator. I'd be open to doing something with my own ministry toward involving new players, a Civil Service of sorts. Though personally I'd like a theme in place first. The more Menacing, Decadent and Depraved the better IMHO.

[Pestarzt]

Honestly, I really like what TWP has going. We don't conform to other expectations and offer something distinctly West Pacifican to everyone who stops by here. I agree that it was a bit dead before WW's delegacy, but he has done a great job and I actually check our forums regularly now. I do wish I could help more, but I tend to be busy and ... well ... me. Hopefully I'll be able to get more involved here at a later time (though my outside obligations and loyalties have dissuaded me from pursuing anything serious).

[Darkesia]

There is something serious to pursue in TWP? We should work on purging that while we work on being decadent.

[Westwind]

Did someone say 'purge' ?  *hovers over the ban button*

 

 I tend to be busy and ... well ... me. 

 

Consider that myself....being me....has not stopped....me.  

 

 

...theming a Government very tricky. For the purposes of the theme aspects (and the elections too I suppose) I figured we should treat the Imperium as the sole legitimate Government of the The West Pacific, as it is the current and only state to stake that claim.

 

 

 

I'm not sure that it's quite that tricky.  Really, convince the Delegate and you're ready to go.  OR.....consider that I'm both Head of State and Head of Government, and that it was not my intention to be both during my Delegacy.  I had intended to have a government in place before hand, so that a separate Head of Government could be selected (with my approval and/or veto mind you) while I remained Delegate and Head of State.   Getting our government running, working from scratch has simply taken more time that I had hoped for a variety of reasons.

[Fratellnoir]

For Rum we need sugar plantations and a few islands in the Caribbean...........

[Eli]

I'm not opposed to any type of government for the forum nor am I opposed to any specific form of government. 

 

I just prefer that the government has no voice in electing, selecting, our Delegate in any way. 

 

The mechanism for that is the in game endorsements of WA member nations. That is why I supported Milo as Delegate in The South Pacific, he had the most endorsements. For the hypocrites to call the legally elected Delegate illegitimate is Un Maxian and can not be tolerated by any rational person. Fortunately for the entertainment of us all the NS world is populated by people that actually believe their own BS rhetoric and think there is such a thing as democracy in NS. Of course any intellectually honest examination would reveal that to be Un Maxian and reject it as the heresy that it is.

 

Now that all said having those beliefs would never stop me from being a hypocrite and using the rhetoric of democracy against those I oppose. I'm flexible like that.

 

:o

[Fratellnoir]

Maxian = State religion, and Delegate gets to become a divinity in the Pantheon of the West Pacific - wasn't there somebody offering to set up a regional religion in the GP forum the other day? 

[Darkesia]

That would be Flemingovia.

[Aestate]

Well, a war with marsupials is a theme. A strange theme, but a theme

[Westwind]

True, but then BBD wants to change our anti-marsupial stance.

 

 

That would be Flemingovia.

 

And Flem is solidly anti-Maxian and a history of being anti-Westwindian.  (and he stole my birthday, being born a year later....*sniffles*)

[Charax]

I must say, detaching the roles of Head of Imperium Government and Delegate isn't an option I'd thought to go down. It's certainly an interesting prospect.

[Westwind]

I had planned on establishing a government, getting Ministers in place and active, so someone could rise up to take my place to head the government when I became Delegate.  A GCR Delegacy is becoming a larger job than it was in years past, and in itself has enough for one player to manage, unless he/she has the desire, ability, activity, and energy to do more.  As more features are added under the control of the Delegate, I can see where the Regional Officers feature could be useful ingame (unless they put an unreasonable Influence cost upon assignment).  I could see appointing an ingame Officer to manage pinned Dispatches for example.

 

This fits with TWP's philosophy of separation, as Eli expressed.  And it is also a reflection of the old TAO Constitution that allowed the Delegate to lead the government or appoint someone to lead it with their authority (to whatever degree he/she wishes).  Delegate Punk Daddy had made me his Deputy under that authority.

[Westwind]

Here we go, since I brought it up on the RMB (with credit to Yy's dungeons for inspiration)
 
The Sacred Order of The West Pacific
 
The Grand Inquisitor, Delegate Westwind of All Good People
The Cardinal Guardian of the Eternal Dungeons, Yy4u
The Cardinal Guardian of Chocolate Righteousness, Darkesia
The Cardinal Guardian Protector of the West, Wickedly Evil People.
The Cardinal Guardian of the Most Evil, Bhang Bhang Duc

 

The Holy Grand Assembly of the West (The Concillium)
The Bishop of the Grand Assembly (The Speaker)
The Knights of Temple of the West (TWP Armed Forces)

 
"No one expects The West Pacific Inquisition!  But they probably should."

 

We'd probably need to seek closer relations with TNI to spread the Inquisition across NS.  And there may be better suggestions for the Military.

 

I considered new titles for Ministers, but after considering Priests and Archbishops, I tend to think they should remain Ministers.

[punkdaddy]

If I was made "Resident Old Fart" I'd join this government in a heartbeat.

 

Here are six dimes on the OP.

 

Westwind is correct in saying that a successful delegate needs ministerial support to get things done. The disappointment of his delegacy is no less different than many of us who have say in the chair.

 

I don't believe the Guardian system detracts from activity. Nor does our in-game over game. What kills activity is the length of the delegate term - a year. That level of stability is good for stability bad for forum activities because people can spend their time in other regions where reaching the crown takes less time. Do you think an Escade becomes delegate so quickly in TWP as compared to TSP? I don't think so. 

 

I'm not trying to knock our delegate terms, but just say that is my opinion as to why our activity wanes. Also - and as this thread demonstrates, we're not focused on legislating on these forums. We're not TNP trying to get out of our way in the judicial system or TSP with the numerous personality conflicts. But, those things drive activity and when you have a system where people agree and those that don't agree don't believe that they can exact change [not that this is true], you don't have much forum activity.

 

I continue to say, if someone had a very radical government idea, TWP would be the region most welcome to such ideas. But, because people have to put time and effort here I think many choose to put their energies elsewhere. 

[Karland]

I continue to say, if someone had a very radical government idea, TWP would be the region most welcome to such ideas. 

 

Radical, you say?

[Charax]

As much as I admire Peacezone Theory, I'm not sure it would work on so grand a scale.

[Aestate]

Fleeing the radical theme, could the army have a shorter name? Like a "The Sword of Inquisition", or "The Divine Hand". Or something very "rp". 

 

know I'm not military, but it's an idea, anyway.

[Eli]

The Inquisitor's Fist?