I'm of a firm mind that what will not hurt the community is another site. What will hurt the community is a contrary, divisive attitude. I see people posting as if they're somehow personally offended by this, and that is a huge, huge red flag to me. That signals to me that egos are getting involved and that this may not even be about what is best for the community, but down to what people personally want of themselves. We're going to need to be able to see a bigger picture if we're going to be able to successfully navigate the future.
But y'know something, I've said it once and I'll say it again... The RPC is not the Balmung roleplaying community, and at the moment isn't even very representative thereof. It's a sad fact, but the fact is that a lot of people simply don't like the RPC. Getting into the how and why is a bit pointless now but you know it and I know it. Anything that could draw them back into the larger community ought to be getting encouraged, not rained on. It'd be great if steps like a new site wasn't necessary to do this, but you know what? Steps like a new site seem necessary to do this. The RPC is simply too tainted to some eyes, and the attitudes displayed in this very thread isn't helping its case one bit. I know I'm certainly losing my enthusiasm for it, post by post.
I know this is a slightly different stance than I had a few months back, but to my mind I tried to issue a wake-up call, and all it resulted in was further arguing and was mostly ignored. I, regrettably, no longer have faith in the RPC's ability to be the sole bridge that everyone needs. I'm sure it will work for plenty, but for those it won't, why on earth would you begrudge them an alternative?
There should BE no sides in this, no loyalties but to RP itself. The very fact that there are any is what's hurting the community, not any number of websites devoted to it. It's the very notions, attitudes, and preconceptions we bring that draw the lines, not any arbitrary URL. The ability to get along must begin within each one of us before it translates into the game itself, and again - the RPC is not the community, nor does it speak for it because it does not fully represent it. I'd love it if it did, but it's time to face the reality that this simply is not the case. I see calls for unity, but with such a varied crowd, I don't think unity is achievable or even desirable. I'd prefer we're all simply able to coexist well enough to talk without getting hot and bothered so we can bloody well get to RPing already and stop pussyfooting all over about it.
But y'know something, I've said it once and I'll say it again... The RPC is not the Balmung roleplaying community, and at the moment isn't even very representative thereof. It's a sad fact, but the fact is that a lot of people simply don't like the RPC. Getting into the how and why is a bit pointless now but you know it and I know it. Anything that could draw them back into the larger community ought to be getting encouraged, not rained on. It'd be great if steps like a new site wasn't necessary to do this, but you know what? Steps like a new site seem necessary to do this. The RPC is simply too tainted to some eyes, and the attitudes displayed in this very thread isn't helping its case one bit. I know I'm certainly losing my enthusiasm for it, post by post.
I know this is a slightly different stance than I had a few months back, but to my mind I tried to issue a wake-up call, and all it resulted in was further arguing and was mostly ignored. I, regrettably, no longer have faith in the RPC's ability to be the sole bridge that everyone needs. I'm sure it will work for plenty, but for those it won't, why on earth would you begrudge them an alternative?
There should BE no sides in this, no loyalties but to RP itself. The very fact that there are any is what's hurting the community, not any number of websites devoted to it. It's the very notions, attitudes, and preconceptions we bring that draw the lines, not any arbitrary URL. The ability to get along must begin within each one of us before it translates into the game itself, and again - the RPC is not the community, nor does it speak for it because it does not fully represent it. I'd love it if it did, but it's time to face the reality that this simply is not the case. I see calls for unity, but with such a varied crowd, I don't think unity is achievable or even desirable. I'd prefer we're all simply able to coexist well enough to talk without getting hot and bothered so we can bloody well get to RPing already and stop pussyfooting all over about it.