So... uh... wth happened to my user title?

[Sorahn]

Just noticed tonight that my user title has now turned to "Novice", with no means of me changing it.

Looking through some other threads it appears this has happened to everyone except moderators and admins.

Normally something this superficial wouldn't really bother me but I have had the same title since I started on here, like over 4 years ago, and I don't see why we need to take them away now, and make them for mods/admins only.

What else rather bothers me is the new titles appear to be based on post count alone. That shouldn't label a person on a RPG forum as it has no bearing on experience.

Again, I guess it's not really that big of a deal, but if anything I would rather not have spent 4 years on this board and obtained level 3 (yes I was inactive for a while) only to be labeled a "Novice". Just because I don't post everyday in threads in the Flying Stone doesn't mean I'm a novice.

[Cyrus the virus]

Despite how much you say it isn't a big deal, you sure seem to be making it one. I kind of understand the frustration, but really, is it that big of a deal?

We've reset them in order to make them less common and more of a priviledge, I suppose. We'll likely replace 'novice' and the like in the near future. More importantly, I think most people are smart enough not to consider you a novice just because it says that under your user name.

[Dissinger]

If you do decide to change them, you should probably come up wiht more neutral names. Hero and novice seem too over the top, especially if the character is a villain.

Journeyman is good. I could maybe see wanderer. However I agree, it kinda was nice being able to make your own custom user title.

[Sorahn]

It's not a big deal, except that I didn't see the need for the change. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" ya know?

Plus after all this time I got kind of used to seeing that title there. I dunno, I guess it just feels like a downgrade. Like I'm being demoted. I know that's not necessarily the case, but I think that's why I originally reacted the way that I did.

I was a moderator once. Can I have mine back? :D lol

EDIT: Wow... and in an extreme display of irony, this post was my 100th post, thus upgrading me to apprentice. lol

[Atzar]

There's a reason for it. You'll find out about that soon enough, methinks.

As for titles, I think they should be based on random animals of increasing size. Shrew, capybara, dingo, moose, hippo, polar bear.

[Reiko]

I really don't like not having user titles anymore. I felt they allowed people another way to set themselves apart and there wasn't any jealousy since all members could have it and not just a group of people.

It's like returning to the crumby old times when not having a custom title or highlighted user name made you feel small. I mean everyone having a custom title gave everyone some equality when there was other differing things like level and the like. I dunno the generic subtitles just sorta bug me.

It also reminds me of when Althanas had an epidemic of Score syndrome where half the threads and all the PGs had a minimum score to join.

[Serilliant]

I really like animals of increasing size. For some reason, that evokes undeniably hilarious images in my head.

[Atzar]

I'm not gonna ask.

[Cyrus the virus]

Sorry, but if not having a user title makes you feel small, you have issues that having a custom user title isn't going to fix. Not exactly the polite thing to say, I know, but it's true.

Keep in mind you have a signature to use if you like. You used four lines of it, so maybe you could maybe push the potential of that instead?

[Sorahn]

you have issues that having a custom user title isn't going to fix.

Harsh.

And I agree that it creates just another unnecessary competition. Along with making moderators and admins even more elite than they already are. While I love you guys and appreciate all the hard work you put into this site, this gives me the impression of "look at me, I'm better than you".

I guess I just have a problem with being labeled in general. Well that and it doesn't feel good to have something, then have it taken away.

But, since Atzar says there is a reason for all of this, I'll wait a bit to see exactly what that reason is.

[Futsuriai]

I am no longer the 'Philosopher of Chaos'

Futsuriai is a n00bz :'(((

[Cyrus the virus]

You took it out of context, yeesh.

If you dislike being labeled, Sorahn the Ronoan... Well, I don't know how to finish this sentence!

The 'elite' comment is completely unjustified, sorry to say it. Atzar, for one, does a fuckload of work for this website and gets not a bit of thanks from the members, perhaps he deserves a custom title, as he gets no other reward for spending hours upon hours of his time doing things for you guys.

I think we're all forgetting a fact that it's just a title. Who cares? Mine is "Loo loo loo" for Christ's sake. Frankly, if this is the biggest thing people have to complain about on Althanas, we're all pretty lucky :p

[Karuka]

*Glances at Cyrus's new custom title and raises an eyebrow*

*Looks at Cyrus's sig and is disappointed he took down the Admin's notice attached to it. Thought it was funny.*

[Reiko]

Cyrus, can you please stop with the attacks on my person. I thought you promised to stop.

I come to this place to unwind and have a good time but I can't state my opinion without you trying assault my self esteem, sometime I wonder why I even bother coming here.

[Cyrus the virus]

Reiko, man, I wasn't trying to do that and you should know it.

Would it make you people feel better if I changed my title to "Lamer"? Or I could change it to novice if you like, because it's just a fucking title.

[Jasmine]

No, you could either tell us straight up why the custom titles were taken away or give them back.

[Slayer of the Rot]

Wow, and I thought I was the uptight one around here these days. You people need to calm down and focus on what Althanas is supposed to be about; writing. If you're getting this wound up about a silly little title and rank, you should remember you become established in this community for your ability with the written word, not some clever text under your name.

[Lucien]

Slayer- Wow. That was seriously profound.

Everyone listen to his explanation of it.

However, I'll just give some more information. These custom titles are beginning used for a grand scheme to increase Althanas activity and make it a better place. I won't divulge any details yet, but believe me when I say that. You'll all find out soon enough, so just trust the staff that has yet to steer you wrong.

[Aryr de Morte]

It was nice to have them but nobody is going to die from them being gone. Doesn't really matter that much if you ask me.

I'm kind of interested in how many posts = what title, though. Unless you're going to change them yet.

[Witchblade]

Oi, you guys really do need to calm down.

Remember the old days when only Moderators and Admins could change their custom titles? I do and when a member was finally allowed to have their own custom title it made them put more thought into it and make it unique for their character. Instead of just writing 'Lo Lo Lo', to use as an example. :p

We're not trying to be elite, jeez, that's the farthest thing from our mind. I really think those of you who scream how elite we moderators try to be should see the workload that we do and how much time we take out of our lives to judge your threads, then come back and tell me how elite we're being.

It's just a custom title, we're going back to an old way of doing things and the titles will tie into some plans we have. Maybe someone should have warned you guys they were going to be removed, but we didn't think you'd all suddenly explode because a few names above your avatar changed. By the way, I'm all for the animals of increasing size, I think it's cute. :p

[Atzar]

Hahaha, it's ironic, actually.

This is a writing forum. You've each written probably in excess (in some cases, great excess) of 10,000 words. With all of that content, all of that freedom to write basically whatever you want, it's the restriction of 25 characters that sets you all off.

Take a moment. Let that sink in. 10,000 words...25 characters. Which looks more important? Which is your ability, your reputation, based on?

Alright. We've told you that it has a reason. Can we just accept that, please, rather than complaining about something this inconsequential?

[Reiko]

well it may seem small but it's a right that has been taken away. Things like that when even small can irk some people, like me. Also I've seen the title cased on post count deal and really don't like what it sometimes brings. I know Althanas is much more mature than AllRPG but one of the few things I remember from that site was: "You haven't posted enough for your opinion to mean squat." Argument that was used quite a bit. Althanas will probably never stoop that low.

I also kinda don't want a return of the olden days. They were a time when finding an open quest was difficult and people wouldn't let you join anything unless you had a certain score or could prove how awesome an RPer you were. Not to mention that the mods were so much lazier then than now. activity wasn't all that much better then either.

oh and I have tasted the workload of being a mod, it is tough. I really appreciated the fact everyone had a custom title and don't know how else to show it than argue for it.

[Atzar]

No... like I was trying to say, 25 characters doesn't mean anything here in the face of thousands of words. Post count doesn't mean anything here.

And trust me, no return to the old days is on the horizon. This is all part of something that will be a lot of fun, if nobody lets something as silly as this get in the way.

[Max Dirks]

There! I took off my user title too. Actually, you'll have an opportunity to get your title back very soon, Reiko. They are being offered as prizes for completing certain (easy) tasks. If you'd like, we can team up and win our titles back together!

[Karuka]

Maybe someone should have warned you guys they were going to be removed, but we didn't think you'd all suddenly explode because a few names above your avatar changed.
See, that's what got me. I thought there'd been some site glitch, so I looked for a way to change my title back, since Karuka is, was, and always will be "Wyrd."

And there wasn't any way to change it back, which made me feel really stupid for not being able to find a box that was there the last time I went to change a user title on one of my other accounts.

I registered my complaints with a mod over IM, got pretty much the same deal that's being given here now.

Some up front communication would have been nice, instead of "Yoink! Now let's let them stew for a bit until (mwahahahaha) we're ready to share with the little peasants our GLORIOUS SCHEMES FOR WORLD DOMINASHUN! (misspelling intentional)"

If there'd been up-front communication, people would have been like *shakes fist a couple of times, then shrugs shoulders and goes about their lives, maybe try to earn their user titles back.*

Still, as I said to the mod I registered my complaint with (and this mod was not afraid to communicate just a WEE bit):


Deonaich domh, deathan,
meanmna imrich na mi tha,
gabh fois na mi na,
ri mothaich gliocas an muthadh.

And this mod still thought I was over-reacting.

[Tak]

I think its stupid. But what do I know? I'm sure you mods are doing what needs to be done for Althanas. Not selfishly keeping user titles for yourselves if only to boost your own egos and give yourselves some feeling of superiority over the other members of Althanas.

I'm certain that isn't the case.

[Witchblade]

Technically, your title is now 'Moderator' now, Dirks. You're still super elite and above everyone else! *gasp*

When I said we were going back to the olden days of how the titles were that didn't mean all of Althanas was going back to the old days and we the mod team we're going ot become lazy. o.O I have no idea how to interpreted that from what I said, Reiko.

**EDIT** The next person who mentions our so called 'superiority' is getting their ass kicked in! >.< I am so freaking sick and tired of hearing how elite and superior we are to everyone else on the board because our names are italicized and bolded.

[Atzar]

You're not the little peasants. You know what? If anybody has that role, it's us.

We do the work so you guys can have fun.

[Max Dirks]

The next person who mentions our so called 'superiority' is getting their ass kicked in! >.< I am so freaking sick and tired of hearing how elite and superior we are to everyone else on the board because our names are italicized and bolded.Um, but Reiko and I are l33t. We are going to stomp team Sorahn/Atzar and Witchblade/Karuka in ANY competition Althanas might hold in the near future. Our superiority will be known to all, and you, Witchblade, will bow to it.

[Atzar]

Atzar R 33t j00.

[Tak]

Yes lets all pity the mods who do the work. While I will admit it must be alot of work to be a mod and I DO appreciate what you guys do for us, there's still always been and always will be that sense of descrimination in the air. That feeling of not being able to say certain things for fear of offending the mods and having your account banned or blocked er w/e. AND you shouldn't be complaining about your mod duties, you can choose to NOT be a mod if its really that big a deal to ya. You wouldn't continue being a mod unless you wanted to in some way.

[Witchblade]

Keep dreaming, Dirks. You couldn't touch my mad skillz. :p

**EDIT** We don't really complain about our mod duties, outside the mod forum of course, because it's all volunteer. If don't like it anymore we just quit. What I get sick and tired of hearing is you guys complaining about how much better you seem to think, we think we are than you. We still roleplay with you guys, don't we!? And Althanas is a mature forum, if you have a problem with a mod, you say something to that mod, who by the way does not have the ability to block or ban you. Only admins have that and they cannot do it without good reason.

[Tak]

You're not the little peasants. You know what? If anybody has that role, it's us.

We do the work so you guys can have fun.

Thats a complaint if I've ever seen one.

[Slayer of the Rot]

Um, but Reiko and I are l33t. We are going to stomp team Sorahn/Atzar and Witchblade/Karuka in ANY competition Althanas might hold in the near future. Our superiority will be known to all, and you, Witchblade, will bow to it.

You form your teams, I can smash your ass in by my lonesome.

All I'm seeing here is "Boo hoo, you have a different title, I'm not as good." Let me tell you people something. I've been at Althanas since the IW. I can remember a lot of our current high levels when they were just registering. I've been a mod twice. I am not currently a member of staff, which is fine with me, but I will tell you people that the staff is usually working to better the site. Even if your opinions aren't taken in by a single Mod or Admin, another will always take attention because, thank god, we have a diverse staff who all think differently.

I will say this again; if you want to set yourself apart into this unseen, unknown "elite" clique, do it with your writing. Do it with persistance. Do it with progress.

I know I have.

[Max Dirks]

Keep dreaming, Dirks. You couldn't touch my mad skillz. You're right, I couldn't, but Reiko ALREADY HAS! Please turn your attention here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=4039). Please notice Reiko won second place in 'Most Attractive Female Character' in the 2007 Althies and you weren't even nominated! Pwned.

[Witchblade]

No, that's stating a fact. You're just twisting Atzar's words to make of them what you want. I talk to Atzar and I'm pretty sure, 95% of the time, he really enjoys the work he does for Althanas.

**EDIT** Pfft, I don't need most attracted character, Dirks. :p I was voted Villainess on this account, I tied for Heroine on my other account and won best quest on that one as well. :p Somehow I got best battle on this one... please don't ask.

[Atzar]

Um... I'm a mod because I want to help the site. Not because I think I'm better.

[Tak]

You can't twist a direct quote.

Marking yourself as " little peasants " is a statement that doesn't come without a tone of scarcasm or of " stfu about it sucking cuz it sucks for us WAY mre than it does for you. "

And I'm sure you do enjoy being a mod and that is admirable Atzar. And I've always liked your avatar. But it's situations like these where mods make a change that encompasses ALL of Althanas and don't notify us, the users, that some people (me in particular) get annoyed with the mods.

[Atzar]

Some up front communication would have been nice, instead of "Yoink! Now let's let them stew for a bit until (mwahahahaha) we're ready to share with the little peasants our GLORIOUS SCHEMES FOR WORLD DOMINASHUN! (misspelling intentional)"

This is where I got the quote from. You're right. You can't twist a direct quote. But make sure you know where it really came from first.

When I'm trying to get across to you is that there's is no elitism. There is no discrimination. I don't consider myself any better than you are.

[Max Dirks]

**EDIT** Pfft, I don't need most attracted character, Dirks. I was voted Villainess on this account, I tied for Heroine on my other account and won best quest on that one as well. Somehow I got best battle on this one... please don't ask.None of that means anything when you're ugz.

PWNED!

But it's situations like these where mods make a change that encompasses ALL of Althanas and don't notify us, the users, that some people (me in particular) get annoyed with the mods.You're preaching to the choir with me, Tak...

Anyway, there has to be some incentive to get the titles back, right? You can join TEAM REIKO and we'll dominate ANY competition Althanas might host where prizes might be user titles.

[Witchblade]

And once again we get back to the fact that you guys are making a big deal out of a simple custom title. Go create a signature, Tak, and put something unique and interesting about your character in there. We're not bringing back custom titles no matter how much you guys continue to bitch and complain in this. They are to be won in conjuction with something else. if you want them back, participate in that once we get it up and running. You guys are turning something so small into something big.

[Tak]

I understand that you don't feel that way Atzar. What I'm saying is that there have been many situations where certain (unnamed) mods said or did something that blatantly said " I'm better than you. "

While I understand that all mods aren't this way, the fact there SOME are is a problem. And making a massive change like this without community input only furthers that stereotype.




((And I totally got your back Dirks.))

[Dirge]

I honestly did not know that the titles had been taken until I saw this rediculously long thread about it... lol.

Whatever peeps! I remember all sorts of times that dealt with titles, and honestly could care less if you want to call me an adpet or let me make my own. Lol

[Witchblade]

Next time we as mods decide to sneeze, we'll inform you guys then. Until then, deal with it.

I think we as the moderators and admins thought you guys would be more mature about a simple thing such as user titles and just trust us as a team to formulate something.

[Tak]

@ Witchblade.

Thanks by the way for oh so delicately lableing MY side of the argument as ' bitching '.

I honestly could give a shit about the user titles. It's not WHAT was done, its the manner of which the action was taken that bothers me. That big of a change without any clear rhyme or reason is essentially power abuse. ESPECIALLY being that this is supposed to be a community and OUR opinions should effect over all decisions like these.

[Atzar]

I don't know who you are, I don't know if this is your first character on Althanas or what, so I don't know how familiar you are with everything here. But I can assure you that none of us have that mentality.

The removal of user titles came about as part of a bigger plan that's supposed to be a lot of fun for everyone. The reason the change was made without saying anything was that nobody thought it would be a big deal. Honestly, I'm surprised anybody noticed. I wouldn't have, if I was in your position. Hell, I didn't even notice until I saw this thread.

EDIT: "That big of a change?" I never even look at that thing, man. It means nothing.

[Witchblade]

That big of a change?

Wait a minute, you're telling me that taking away your custom title is a big change? It's 25 characters and you're considering it some massive huge change. It doesn't effect your writing abilities, it doesn't effect your quests, characters. battles or how you interact with the world of Althanas, so how can it be that big of a change?

By the way, I called it 'bitching' because I'm just a little frustrated and a little pissed, notice that you haven't been banned yet? *gasp* the world must be coming to an end because the elite moderator with her elite custom title has not banned you with her uber powerz.

[Max Dirks]

She's mad cause she's ugz, Tak.

Witchblade, I challenge you to a battle! A battle in which Dirks attempts to flirt with Witchblade at a formal ball, and we'll go whereever the story goes. If you win, I get pwned and embarassed in front of my new friends. If I win, TEAM REIKO gets to choose a very incriminating custom title that you HAVE to use until you EARN a new title by winning a competition that Althanas might hold in the near future which might have user titles as prizes.

[Tak]

@ Atzar: No one knows hwo I am but Kyle cuz no one gives a shit. I've been here since Tanthanas.

@ Witchblade: By big change I meant something that directly effects EVERYONE on Althanas. Everyone except, ofcourse, the mods.

And while I do appreciate your scarcasm and obvious level of maturity, any mod has the ability to warn other usuers, give them bad or undeserving scores on threads or deem any statement offensive and close down their thread. That is what sets the mods apart from the rest of us and THAT is why most people won't speak out against something they don't agree with.


EDIT:: I think I've said enough and pissed off enough people for one day. I won't be posting in this thread anymore.

[Witchblade]

You're on, Dirks. But you've made a huge mistake, I would have chosen one of my other characters to flirt with, not Witchblade. But too late for that.

**EDIT** I said Althanas was a mature forum, I never said I was mature all the time. When I get pissed off, my maturity tends to go out the window. but oops, now that you've angered me I guess you should be careful when you finally submit your next judging request, according to you I might give you a horrible score.

Now, this is my last post in this thread. I'm not making any more because I don't think this deserves anymore arguing. So, you can continue to battle it out all you want, but I won't be responding.

[Dirge]

I forgot, I also must admit I'm very intrigued by the word "Neophyte"... I'm really liking that one... how do I get that? Or is that the beginning one?

Wait... am I too l33t to be a neophyte? This may be the worst news of the morning. I must retire to bed so that I can wake up again and pretend like the news never got to me...

*cries*

[Atzar]

You're wrong. If we didn't any one of those things, we'd get in a lot of trouble. Part of being a mod is the ability to be professional. If we take a grudge out on you when we judge one of your threads, we'd probably get fired.

[Empyrean]

This is the biggest waste of six pages I've seen in a long time.

The mods shouldn't get ragged on about some supposed "elitist" attitude. They're doing their job and doing it well.

Anyway, now I'm curious as to what's gonna happen with the titles. I'm sure it'll be something cool.

[hamnat]

I didn't notice this until now, and like several, I don't like it(especially cause Iwas about to change mine to Flame-Haired Fury). Also, Kishurin misses his Celestial Ranger Title...

Anyways...while I am curious about what you're planning to do with this, there are a couple of things wrong with this situation.
1. Because this event affects the entire general population, there should have been an announcement. Let everyone know about the change before doing it.
2. There should have been a chance for everyone to give feedback on the subject before it was enacted.
2-1/2. There is a very slight bit of "elitism" involved but anyone who has been a member of several forums(like me) that employ this title method is used to it.


Now. Heres the feedback I never got a chance to give:
1. Although I would like to keep custom user titles, you guys are doing something with this. This is intriguing my curiosity, so I can't wait to see what it is you're up to.
2. If you are doing the general user-titles, then make a couple sets of user titles for different character types (i.e. hero, villain, mage, monster, etc.). That way, the titles are still rather general, but they make sense based on the character(wouldn't make sense to call Mac an Adept, now would it?).
3. If all else fails, custom user-titles are always a good alternative (^_^).

[Atzar]

See, the thing is that it doesn't affect you. At all. You can still write, we still know who you are. It's not like we're saying "Alright, we're redoing the system. Each of you restarts at level 0 with no skills." That would affect your writing, you'd have a reason to be upset. This... is nothing. This issue has been blown way out of proportion.

As I've tried to say, the only reason you weren't notified of this change is because we didn't think it mattered. We thought something this small, this insignificant, would hardly be noticed, let alone resisted.

As for your second point... I don't know much about programming, but I've seen enough of it to know that it would be incredibly annoying to try to do that.

For what it's worth, I apologize that you weren't given any advance notice, but seriously guys. Go write. You'll never even notice the difference.

[Serilliant]

I removed custom titles to increase activity at it worked! Yay 6 page thread in 24 hours!

I kid. For those of you who said it would be nice to have some sort of notification, I agree. The lack of notification resulted from, "oh god damn it I hit the wrong button... maybe they won't notice..." Everything else said in this thread is correct.

On thing I do want to comment on, though, is this:


That feeling of not being able to say certain things for fear of offending the mods and having your account banned or blocked er w/e.
In addition to the user terms of service, all moderators and administrators have a separate, more restrictive terms of service that we must follow. Any abuse of power is looked at as a basic request to remove said power. Althanas is based on granting all its members the ability to say whatever they'd like. There will never be any punitive action taken against a member voicing their opinions, even if they are complaints about a specific moderator (though PMing those to an admin is generally better course).

My point is, if you're going to have your account banned, there's going to be a very obvious reason for it. In my many years here, I can recall only two accounts that were banned, and those were as a result of heavily, uncontrollable spamming. Flaming is also against the rules, but you have to do a whole heck of a lot of it to actually get banned. Typically, cooler heads prevail.

Never, ever, ever fear that saying something we disagree with will result in banning. It never will. And if any moderator ever threatens you with it, I will ensure that they no longer have the ability to ban.

Thank you all for your feedback.

[orphans]

Azza: "I <3 everyone :)"

-coughs- erm, more seriously though, I think it might be better to just all wait and see what happens ne? I mean if the mods said they're planning something, then flinging stones at each other will only slow everything down.

Nin: "But... the title Neophyte makes me sound like an alter boy..."

^^.... shut up Nin.

[Futsuriai]

...but Futsuriai is still n00bz0rz this has not been addressed!!! Take back my 4 levels and make my user title cool again! Plz. T_T

Ahem. It's fun to be back. I missed arguing about...nothing. Surely, I am devastated by the loss of a title I had for like 2, 3 years but this just makes it all the more satisfying when I get it back. It'll be like when I bought it for the first time, ah, good days.

[Sighter Tnailog]

Let me tell everyone that it was my idea to change the user titles to be more restrictive. And let me explain my thinking -- I was thinking back to when I was a player, on tanthanas, which were days when the mod staff was the most dedicated it's ever been, the interaction between mods and players was much more personal, people tended to have a feeling that Althanas could do big things. The first Serenti offered a title to the winner. You have no idea what an incentive that was to a lot of people! And the first Serenti was arguably one of the most active tournaments we've had. The same goes for the first LCC, and the first Cell, and the first of a lot of things we did.

Offering users custom titles as rewards for activity does two things. First, to change them, they must PM someone. This makes them think twice before they put "Loo loo loo." I will encourage the mods to accept this limit on their titles as well, so that their choices must be filtered as any other recipient of a title would be.

Second, it encourages folks to actually do the things they need to get a title. In a sense, EXP is a great incentive from an in character perspective, as it lets characters do things and so forth. A custom title is a form of OOC reward that gives people an incentive as a player to work hard and WIN something. As it stands, EXP may mean any number of things -- it can mean you worked very hard at getting a handful of high scores, or it means you might have worked very little churning out a lot of low-scoring battles. Few people would know just from looking at my EXP total, but I have never placed in the top three of an Althanas tournament.

As it stands right now, the user titles are a dime a dozen. With this change, we can make them a fun reward for folks who win tournaments or show the drive and dedication the forum needs to stay alive.

With that said, I wouldn't mind making sure that former mods keep their titles. They put in their hard work, and they earned their titles.

As my mother often told me growing up, it's not always good to have everything that other folks have immediately. It might be good to have it at some point, but it was "something to hope for."

The thing that I hope for now is that the citizens of Althanas do not see this as something being taken away -- in fact, it was an unexpected side effect of a vBulletin update that gave everyone titles in the first place, not a conscious decision on anyone's part. I hope that people see this as a challenge to show the world that you not only have a custom title, but that you deserve one.

[Osato]

With that said, I wouldn't mind making sure that former mods keep their titles. They put in their hard work, and they earned their titles.

Lol, there are a lot of us. I think a good majority of the people that have been on Althy for a good minute have been a mod at one point. As for me, I don't want the little title. I think I looooove the idea of earning them, which is where I thought you were going to go with this...

It's awesome, and I'm sorry that people have the "fuck the man" complex and seem to want to throw a fit. Now I guess I'll have to place something above 3rd and 2nd with ranger to get him an actual title instead of "the guy who never wins that last battle" lol.

[Cyrus the virus]

Bitching, GO!


What I'm saying is that there have been many situations where certain (unnamed) mods said or did something that blatantly said " I'm better than you. "

Give me one example of a mod currently on staff who's done this. Because I think you're full of it.

We also haven't had the warning system in over a year, just so you know.

Fun fact: I've been banned before!

Anyway, I've been wondering, when did a custom user title become a right instead of a priviledge? Just curious.

[Futsuriai]

I am angry now. I had made peace with being a n00bz but now I'm a 'Member'. What the hell? This is not cool. GIVE ME BACK MY NOVICE'ness! What next? Will you change it to 'Glorious One', 'Elephant Elephant Turtle', or even back to 'Philosopher of Chaos' from the ramblings I hear. That would be unforgivable! Stop the madness! STOP!

[Max Dirks]

Fun fact: I've been banned before!And if I would have known you'd turn out this way, you would have stayed banned :)

[Reiko]

well I sorta see where Sighter is coming from and Atzar has told me things that hints it won't be as bad as I thought from Sighter's post. I'm still a little concerned about what earning custom titles entails.

I really don't want to see the only way to earn them be from tournaments since that would be a step towards elitism that only Tourney winners deserve them and even if JCs got them too than things would be worse. It'd be like the old times when players would only RP with friends or people who scored well instead of newbies who are trying to learn their groove.

While I'm not against earning them completely but they need to be fair. Atzar has assured me that this will be the case and it's just not for Althanas best of the best. Just winning tourney's or making JCs doesn't make Althanas better, it's the people that are willing to help the newcomers that make this place good.

I really think it's nostalgia that makes Tanalthanas so good when really it wasn't any better. Sure the tourney's were more active but it was just too hard to get into the community. I tried joining a couple times in the Tanalthanas days but couldn't as no one was willing to RP with a newb until the last days of TanAlthanas and there were players willing to take a risk and RP with a newbie that came from nowhere.

[Rith]

This is the most rediculious thread I've ever seen over nothing. What is a title? Use your sig, that's where your unique SIGINATURE goes, not in a title...

[Osato]

Wow, Reiko... you keep arguing the same point over and over. Nobody's even arguing with you anymore...

Tantahanas wasn't bad. I was there for almost a year before we moved over to althy.com, and I looved every second of it. I was a hardcore newb back then, with like one misspelled sentance to make a post. But I still got people to rp with them, and that was probably around Feb/March, and we moved in September. I assume it must have been hard to rp before then, but that was a 6-7 month period of ease and learning for me. So I have no clue what you are talking about.

Speaking of, half the people here don't know what your talking about. Not even all the admins/mods were around back then. So, I understand that you'd like to point out what you saw as flaws back then, but at least be reasonable and let the mods to their job and attempt to boost the activity. God knows that some things have failed in the past, but this looks intriguing.

Why is this thread even open anymore? I mean, I'm sure the one side ("Oh shit I can't have a title") and the other ("Quit yer bitchin' and bring me thar rum") have both said their peace.

P.S. That was a joke. I made the mods pirates, and me as well because I agree with them. So we shall all be pirates together.

[Max Dirks]

Reiko, we'll get your custom title back. You just have to team up with me when the time comes .

[Sorahn]

Oh lord. My poor little thread exploded overnight while I wasn't here. :(

Let me just clarify to make sure that no one misunderstood what I was saying. I know just how hard the mods bust their butts on a daily basis to keep the forum running and try to improve them. Do not think that I don't value all of that work. In fact, I think it's worthy of a special title.

What I originally had a problem with was the fact that I had something then suddenly it was gone. I think this was just my initial reaction of like "WTF?!". But as you can see a couple of posts later, I was willing to wait and see what the mods had planned for it. I was slightly irked that I wasn't told of this plan in the first place, but who cares, should be cool.

Now that I've heard some ideas about winning titles back I think that's actually a really cool idea, and I'm on board. While I hope it doesn't go the way of popularity contests and similar things have in the past (the countless "awards" threads) I look forward to battling/questing for my title. Maybe this is just the thing I need to get me out of the funk I've been in for ages.

Anyways, I just had to clarify that not all of the opinions in my thread are my own (duh) lol.

Dirks:.... you goin down. :D I haven't forgotten the time you shot me in the back then tied me to a tree during the bazaar war. It's on. ;)

[hamnat]

As I've tried to say, the only reason you weren't notified of this change is because we didn't think it mattered. We thought something this small, this insignificant, would hardly be noticed, let alone resisted.

As for your second point... I don't know much about programming, but I've seen enough of it to know that it would be incredibly annoying to try to do that.

Ah...it was just a fun idea. (^_^)

And unlike some people that I've noted on other sites(and maybe one or two here, not giving names)I'm not going to spam and flame about it until the cows(the warnings) come home. I said my piece, and I'm done with it.

Now, in response to the new information: While I do agree with Reiko to some extent, I also think that the earned-titles-thingy is a good idea....though since I never participate in tournaments, it won't affect me in the slightest...oh well.

Well, you do what you gotta do. I've spouted enough for this thread, and I'm outta here(the thread, not Althanas...don't worry, I won't leave you guys:P)

[Serilliant]

Just to clarify, IC mechanisms (tournaments, JCs, etc.) will not be the primary way of earning.

[Sighter Tnailog]

I would also like to say that I have no idea what you mean that in Tanthanas established folks didn't roleplay with other folks. When I joined Tanthanas, the first person to actually post in one of my roleplaying threads was none other than Santhalas himself.

Honestly, I think we have more a problem now with folks who don't RP with new folks than we ever had at Tanthanas. I'm just as culpable in that as anyone else, but I was around starting two months after Tanthanas got started, and I never saw the problems you describe. Half the time on Tanthanas, I was judging the new folks' writing, and I saw Silence Sei Orlouge going out of his way to help out Yari Rafanas, who then went out of his way to help Ter-Thok. I saw Treslizn helping out Ciancth, and Devon roleplaying with Manda (metallica) before anyone knew who Metallica was. The "legends" of Tanthanas were far more active than any of our current players are with helping new folks, and this is speaking as a judge who has more experience judging quests than probably anyone except Damon -- and who has been judging for a longer time than most anyone else on Althanas, save maybe Dirks.

[Zieg dil' Tulfried]

I'd have to agree with Finny on this one. My first thread as a level 0 on Tanthanas all those years ago was with one HybridHeero, who was the precursor to Damon and Yari as the EXP monger. At that time he was level 8, the highest on Althanas, and he jumped right into a fight with me and we tied at 82.5, yes in my first thread.

[Sighter Tnailog]

I have heard through various channels, too, that I am a blind man with my nostalgic ass up my head when it comes to Tanthanas.

But what I did on Tanthanas and on Althanas today was serve as a judge. I read threads. I explored writing from a wide variety of folks, anyone who PMed me or submitted a judging request. I have a frame of reference from which I can compare the various incarnations of Althanas across a significant time frame and make an unbiased judgment of quality. Often, those who criticize Tanthanas tend to speak of it as if it was a cogent reality -- a sort of small-scale Orientalism that collapses a very vibrant time period into a singular entity without difference among its constituent parts.

Tanthanas had its moments of elitism and its moments of openness, but on balance openness was the watchword of the day. If nothing else, new people were helped along by the very system we have developed -- the rubric. That, at least, is applied to everyone, regardless of whether you did your thread with a newbie or with someone else.

[LordLeopold]

Tanthalas was better than the new Althanas because people were more excited about roleplaying.

[Sighter Tnailog]

I will say that we could all work better about elitism. I'm definitely sometimes guilty of thinking the old ways are better, but I honestly don't. I think Althanas is better now, just in terms of content and talent, than it was on Tanthanas. The culture may be different, and maybe people are less excited about roleplaying, but I don't think anything will be made better by trying to make everything exactly like Tanthanas was.

There were good and bad elements of the past. I just don't think elitism was a problem we had. A lack of content, however, was. Now we have fewer content problems (although those still exist). The true problem we have now, though, may be that our content is too dense to be quickly accessible to folks, so people leave before they get a chance to find out what we've worked to build.

[Jasmine]

And Althanas is a mature forum, if you have a problem with a mod, you say something to that mod, who by the way does not have the ability to block or ban you. Only admins have that and they cannot do it without good reason.

Then explain to me why last year when we were first recovering from the big crash, I got a ban on this account and to my knowledge, had done NOTHING wrong. No one said anything to me, I went to bed one night, and the next day, couldn’t log in cause I was banned. I asked the only Admin I could get in touch with (Serilliant) about it and got told that I wasn’t going to be given a reason. It took me pestering Matt over AIM to get that ban lifted, and I still don't know why it ever happened. Matt said that no reason was put on the account so other mods/admins would know the reason.


I think we as the moderators and admins thought you guys would be more mature about a simple thing such as user titles and just trust us as a team to formulate something.

We probably would have been if there had been some prior communication before hand. As it stands, it’s not so much the titles themselves that tick me off about this, but that it was a right to make up whatever title we wanted, and now all of sudden it’s been yanked away with no reason given. Only to be continually told “You’re making a big deal out of nothing” and “Trust us, we’ll tell you the reason eventually, but in the meantime, just trust us”


It means nothing.

It did to me. My titles “Althana’s ONLY Alaskan” was the only way I connected my various accounts and it showed something unique about myself, without wasting sig space.


we'd probably get fired.

Not if we couldn’t prove it. I had a thread that didn’t do so well because the other people in it bailed out on me. It was before the big crash, so I don’t have it anymore. Anyway, I really needed a specific spoil, but as per normal, the mod wouldn’t let me have it as I needed it. Despite how I described it as being fine silver, it was knocked down several pegs. After like 4 PMs back and forth Serilliant stuck his head in it, and told me that the ONLY way I could POSSIBLY get the spoil I needed, was to have it rejudged and that I would have to take whatever that second score was, regardless of whether it was better or worse. Well, I REALLY needed that spoil, so I let Seri rejudge it (he’d also told me that HE was the ONLY one that could rejudge things), and I got such a worse score than the first time that even the original judge said that Seri had been too harsh. And it was all because I dared to keep asking about something I had a question about, that I did not feel had been answered yet. If the mod in question had explained to me better why he was so limited in what he could do, I could have changed my request to not be so specific about the quality of the spoil and done a quest later in which the quality was proved. But he didn’t, so I wound up getting an unfairly harsh judging because I THOUGHT that the Admin would be professional in his judging, but once again, I was wrong.


My point is, if you're going to have your account banned, there's going to be a very obvious reason for it.

BULL! You’ve banned me before and when I asked for a reason, you flat REFUSED to give me a reason of any sort.


Now that my primary things I saw are answered, I really don’t like the idea of having to earn the use of a custom title. I really don’t. It’s a darn good thing that IC things like Tournies and JCs won’t be the primary ways of earning titles, because I’d be flat outta luck. I don’t ever participate in tournies because I don’t like the very short amount of time we’re given to complete the stuff for them and I’m a terrible battler and have no intention of bettering that aspect of my characters. They weren’t designed to go around battling all the time, so I don’t worry about it. I would still like to know some details about how this is supposedly going to make it more fun for everyone, cause right now I have some serious doubts that it will be.

[Sighter Tnailog]

I can't speak to your individual situation, Jasmine, as I wasn't involved, but I can speak to this.


I don’t ever participate in tournies because I don’t like the very short amount of time we’re given to complete the stuff for them and I’m a terrible battler and have no intention of bettering that aspect of my characters.

This is the sort of attitude that I'm seeing from a number of people, and frankly, I don't like it. If you have no intention of bettering an aspect of your character, then perhaps your lack of a custom title is warranted.

I am currently competing in the Althanaversary Tournament with a character who has never wielded a weapon in his life. The second-place finisher in the original LCC was a team of two whose entire point was that they couldn't win a battle physically. Battling is not about the character winning or even holding his or her own. It's about good writing.

And honestly, everything on Althanas is geared towards helping people write better, and it is rare that I notice someone truly getting a bad rap. Since, once again, I don't know your situation with Serilliant, I can't comment on it, but I think most judges are working hard to help people improve their writing. But, in the end, we can't do it for you, and if what you're looking for is a therapeutic self-help group I would suggest the classifieds.

EDIT: Also, everyone should notice that the "Location" field is now underneath your user statistics, not your character. If you want people to get a sense of your quirkiness or to know you are from, say, Alaska, that field seems available.

[Jasmine]

If you have no intention of bettering an aspect of your character, then perhaps your lack of a custom title is warranted.

So what you're saying is that because I don't like to battle at all both because I can seem to be good enough and I just flat don't like it, and therefore have no interest in developing that particular aspect, I don't deserve to use a custom title? Cause that's EXACTLY what I just got out of what you said.

[Serilliant]

It was my assumption that, by this time, the issue introduced with this thread had been resolved. Clearly from of Jasmine's post, it has not.

I apologize to any member interested in sharing their opinions, but this thread has now degenerated into something that runs contrary to the spirit of this forum. If you'd like to give further input on this discussion, please direct a PM to me. Further, if you have year-old grievances unrelated to this thread, Jasmine, also feel free to direct a PM to me.

I'd like to thank everyone for their input and assure you that everyone's comments have been and will continue to be taken into consideration.