Roll Call

Someone has to keep you in line

I'd say this is as accurate as it can be, considering how long this has been up for and the fact that it was made global.

But I am curious, so I must ask, why haven't you and these others not replied to this? This was the whole point of starting this. To find out who is still actively involved with the site. I am not trying to pick a fight or anything of the sort. I'm looking for clarification and understanding. I want to know these kinds of things. If people are unable to reply to this due to other obligations, that is more than understandable. I've been there myself several times, as I am sure everyone here can also claim.

If this percentage of people that don't reply to OOC posts ever is so small, it either won't affect the outcome of this or, why not have someone else mention that so and so is actually active, but they don't reply to OOC posts. Knowing that would still give us numbers on people active on the site without breaking the trend of not posting on OOC threads.

And as much as I appreciate your estimation, that is not what I am after. I am after concrete numbers. Unless the writer posts here or messages me privately, I'm not considering them as active at this point. Active to me is being online on a regular basis, posting frequently and trying to be involved with the site-wide community. Participating in something such as this, for example, shows me who is still 100% serious about this place. And even some of those that have posted here had clearly stated that they are sort of active. But at least the posted here, adding their input into the equation.

With that said, I'm still seeing numbers around the high teens, low twenties as active, participating members. I'm not going to assume anything at this point without solid proof. The whole point of the Roll Call was to take the guess work and estimations out of member activity.

But thank you for your input. Can I consider this as your official post for being an active member, or not?

I assure you, I had no malicious intent when I posted here, nor did I plan to cause any derailment. I was merely adding to your count and indicating a reason why it was wrong. I do not mean to demean your efforts either. But if you wish a reason, then I would venture a guess for some it's because while they are serious about JvS, they don't necessarily want to spend time posting in an OOC thread when they could be dedicating that time to posting. Some people can be rather hard pressed for dedicating time to JvS due to RL constraints, something I think we can all acknowledge as a valid point. Others might just see a roll call and dismiss it as unimportant. As someone who has only recently come back, it's not hard to imagine some people would be dubious about whether you would stick around to see it through. Others do not necessarily have a working computer at the current moment in time to use to post from.
Again, that's just me making a guess/ stating a fact based on discussions I've had with some people.

Personally, I would not just count someone as not being 100% committed because they didn't post in every roll call. But that's my opinion.

Either way, I am certainly interested in seeing what you guys have to say and have planned, if you wouldn't mind looping me in on a PM or something so we might continue this discussion without cluttering up this thread?



And since you mention that people could have someone else mention them if they themselves cannot post here/do not wish to post here, then count me as speaking for them. And to my knowledge that would be at least another dozen people (Azria/Illaria, Clem, Ice, Atlantis & Company, and myself).
Which means that if the count was at 20, then that brings it to about 32 after my additions. Thought even still, I think we can all agree that is still a small number either way.

1. Ain't nobody got time for that

2. I don't pay attention to stickied posts as I'm too busy trying to write posts when I'm online.

3. Why the need for an "accurate" number? No one ever bothered before.

4. Lots of us have had to take on additional responsibilities outside of RP. Therefore, "active" now takes on a new meaning for us. Just because we don't post on the boards themselves on a regular basis doesn't mean we don't frequent the chat and talk to the other members.

Mostly what I'm trying to get at is why is this important, now? Why is it important to you, that you know precise numbers? This seems to have come out of left-field. I just... why should I bother answering a roll-call when most of the people I write with know my life and live by the maxim RL before RP; and why does it bother you that those similar to me don't respond?

This has me more confused than anything else.

I will agree with your first two points. Not everyone has the kind of 'disposable' time to spend on here like I do. And that is completely fair that you don't pay attention to stickied posts. I'm not going to fault anyone for that, as contradictory to my previous rant as it sounds.

On your third point, I am looking for accurate numbers so I can get a feel for how big the community that is left is. As I'm sure mostly everyone has noticed, the amount of activity on this site has dropped. What myself and a few others are trying to do is get a feel for where the site is currently at and see if we can build up on that. Attract fresh blood to the site and see if we can get activity up.

On your fourth point, I can absolutely understand that. Life comes before RP. I completely agree. It does. But up until very recently, I never frequented the chat, so I wasn't in the loop, as it were, with other people. So posting was really my only way to actually communicate with others. Now that I am in chat on a regular basis, that changes how people can contact me. It was just kind of a sudden thing, me joining Discord. So I will accept my portion of the fault for not being more interactive with the site. But I've completely changed that now.

And finally, it isn't suddenly important to me now. It's always been something that has been important to me. I, along with many others, have invested a great deal of time into this site. Come September, I'll have been apart of the JvS community for ten years. Now, I'm going to be blunt here, but I am in no way faulting or blaming anyone for anything. The whole "Why should I bother" bit is exactly the kind of attitude that contributes to people thinking this site in so cliquish, insular and unwelcoming. I think it's awesome that the people you write with know you well enough to know how you work. But not everyone here does. To me, this can't be bothered carries into everything that transpires on the site. For example, there are at least half a dozen 'new' character threads in the RP that have either been completely ignored or replied to only once or twice. Why is that? Because people can't be bothered to help a person out? I used to think along those very lines. But I've changed my attitude towards that. I'm no better than any other writer on this site. We are all equal. So why not help? I can see how being ignored is very discouraging and makes this place seem unwelcoming. Don't get me wrong, there are some people who are very on the ball with welcoming others, even if the new character isn't someone they would write with, they help out. To further prove my case, I started a new character a few days ago. Darth Akrak. Not a single person had posted in the thread to give 'him' any pointers as to where he could start. Not a single person. Fortunately I managed to figure something out anyways, but without any sort of assistance from anyone on the site. That, to me, makes this site appear to be incredibly arrogant and stuck up. I understand there are writers out there that do their own thing and stick to their own corner of the galaxy, and I can respect that. But at least put the effort forward to help people. Whether they are a new writer and new character or a new character from an old writer. Help them. I am not excluded from that. I will do my part to help new writers and to see that they find a group to write with and enjoy their time here. And to me, that is what JvS had been all about. Writers with a passion about Star Wars, coming together, helping each other find their footing, and writing kick ass stories. Most of which are novel worthy, in my opinion.

This is why I find this important. Remember the days of 1.0? Chaotic as all hell, ridiculous to a such a degree that realistically three quarters of the fleets shouldn't have existed and a lot of GMing and PGing. But, all of that aside, we had fun. We enjoyed the company of others and even more importantly, enjoyed writing these wacky and unrealistic stories with each other. Then cam 1.5. A more matured version of JvS. But the activity was off the charts. You could post over a dozen times in a day with a small group of people. We were a community and we worked together to accomplish many great things. Fast forward to now. 2.0. The culmination of living and learning. An even more matured version of JvS. But it never seemed to have the life that 1.5 did. And then the whole community aspect faded. Now we maybe 30 actual people. Most of us run multiple characters. And with those 30 people, you see maybe twenty five posts a week from a handful of those 30. It's sad. It's pathetic. We, as a community, need to overcome our own stubbornness and whatever else that has caused us to be this way and move forward. Truly make this site what it could be. And maybe we'll get there. Maybe we won't. At this point, it's hard to say. But I do know one thing for certain, if everyone left on this site decided to 'not be bothered' to take five minutes to explain their situation and give the whole community some understanding and clarification, then JvS will never be something that people aspire to join. I am passionate about my writing. I enjoy writing here. I enjoy chatting with the others and making friends. Were it not for this site, in some instances, I might not honestly be here to at least try to do this.

Again, this is not me picking a fight or calling anyone out or being ignorant. I am giving clarification on the reasoning behind why I am doing this. I hope this helps make things less confusing and gives you insight as to why I have decided to become more involved with the community. If you have anything further to say on this matter, I would appreciate a PM so we are not clogging up this thread.

Thanks,

Sav/Josh

^ Well said.

I am back as well

Also still here!

I have a Mando... I made him up a few months ago, when I realized it was the one faction / type of character I had never tried... but then I never found any RP for him. In fact, I've never posted with him.