by Uhaen » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:51 am
Alright, I registered just for this topic.
I'm not new to anything here. I've trolled Samanna for years, hung out in paladin channel for just as long, and been a paladin in EQ since '02. As well, I've been a paladin channel mod for six months. I know many regulars in the channel, and discuss end-game strats with them on a consistent basis. As well, I talk to many low-tiered people. In the channel range from bleeding edge content to level 50 alts to level 30 newbies. I've suffered through people who are terribly irritating (Mafferr) and hang out with many prominent members (Jace and his hotkeys). There is no demographic here other than paladins who want to talk to other paladins.
Here's my issue:
Many people come in the channel to ask questions. Sometimes, they ask, leave, and never come back. Some people ask, leave, and come back when they have another question. Others join in, decide they like it here, and stay. As far as I'm concerned, everyone who wants to join is welcome, and as long as they respect that we are our own community I will respect that they are a new member, for any length of time they wish to stay. Every new person who joins usually has a question to us of some sort, even if it's a small one just as a sort of introduction, and if I notice it I will most likely go out of my way to answer the query. Last night I did the very thing; we had a level 57 paladin join in who said she had no haste item, and mentioned she wanted to earn her gear herself. Checking gear level and allak, I did what I could to point her to a haste item she could farm herself. So, great; I've established I can be helpful. Right after I was done looking up and conveying my information, though, I went right back to the conversation I was having. I don't even remember what it was at the time, it might've been about video games with Steave or asking Freezahx the correct dosage of marijuana to injest to find the world a little brighter, or discussing with Ende the proper way to please a woman.
I would not expect to come into your picnic in the park and demand you stop your conversation just so you can answer my questions. I understand the difference between serverwide channel's legacy of being a place you can look to to find information and a day off with your family, but let's be honest; you're not doing us any favors by asking us to look up your problems. When I talk with my friends, I talk very crudely, and if anyone is polite enough to me for me to interrupt my discussion with my friend, then they can expect when I'm finished that I'm going right back to name-calling and pointing out my best friend's flaws and short-comings. That's just how I act with my friends; we both think it's funny, productive, and most of all entertaining in a depressing real-life society. *That* is our escape from the world.
So, Joejo, I challenge you to do the same thing you ask of us: look past what we say. Often, crudely written and curse-laced sentences are simply metaphors for our true intentions. Rem, I challenge you to find an escape from the world better suited to myself and my friends. Zana, I miss you, come back and play with us. Saint, I haven't actually seen you ask anything but were I to have I would have addressed you personally as I do all people who ask us questions (that I see, mind you -- I am a busy guy, after all).
You have to remember. serverwide.paladins is already an established community. It is not our job to impress you, nor is it your place to tell us we are wrong, or judge us against your own personal feelings. It is rather you who should be trying to impress us; we're not the ones going to you to ask questions we can otherwise look up online in minutes.
~Uhaen