They could just use a stickied thread. That's unfortunately the absolute best I can come up with for anyone on ezBoard.
Because it can't hurt. That's why we have the main link page which should be featured before other ones. But again, that's up to the boards. I'd hope we could be mature about it.
I don't know, ultimately, that maturity is a common denominator of Star Wars roleplaying. Many boards, for various reasons, refused to be involved with an idea attached in any way to General Ceel. I know that Epics (and some of the TRF staff) are hesitant to affiliate with any board run by the thief.
In many cases there are legitimate issues between the people and boards involved. While putting aside those differences is probably for the best, I don't expect it to be easy, quiet, or painless. This doesn't mean the people involved aren't mature. Just that, especially as can be gleamed from the original anti-Ceel and then anti-anti-Ceel back and forths, there is enough immaturity to make things messy and painful.
Been reading the thread and wanted to drop in my two cents on the topic of boards surviving and thriving. I've recently started a SW RPG of my own [not an offshoot of another board and not as disgruntled members of another board] and it's not only not dying, it's thriving. Yes we've had our run ins with the theif, but we dealt with her as soon as I was made aware of things.
If Star Wars RPG is dying, then someone needs to inform the members of Evolution because we are growing, gaining members on a weekly basis, so we are obviously behind the curve.
Much like the rest of you, we would have interest in a serious attempt to discuss cross traffic and the like instead of just affiliations and banner rings, and I'd be willing to help facilitate such.
I admit we aren't an offshoot of any other boards, but that doesn't mean we don't know whats going on out there. All boards have essentially the same issues and we can all benefit from communication.
Don't worry, no one looks down on you because you aren't an offshoot of another board. In fact, I salute you. We have all started boards ourselves, be they galaxies or factions of galaxies and gone through the early board growing pains. Sometimes there is much growing. Sometimes, much pain. Either way, it isn't an easy task, and you're to be commended for soldiering on.
As far as knowing what's going on, I believe that to be part of the problem... most of us do not in fact know what it is going on. So many of our communities have little or no contact with one another. My contact with SWFans is more or less limited to when Charlie comes over here and we argue. I didn't even half of these boards existed.
If it's done nothing else board unity has us talking in a civil and productive fashion, and considering how seperated many of our boards are, that in and of itself is an accomplishment.
I do concede that the idea wasn't terrible. My disdain for allowing SWE to participate [when it was clear Ceel had ulterior motives] was the fact he wanted only to promote his own agenda and the fact he spoke poorly of SWE on his board then encouraged involvement on ours. I'm sure you've all been through those comments already though and I'll not dredge up those topics again.
Just wanted to make it clear that SWE does indeed support this, even if we are deemed not good enough to make the final lists because we are only on EZ and not our own domain or for any other reason. I love RP and anything that promotes quality SW RPG is a wonderful thing to me.
One suggestion I'd additionally like to toss out is that we beef up our affiliates programs. Not only have the buttons on our boards, but let's also regularly feature these boards, do a brief write up of them and encourage our members to pay a visit. Of course since we are talking SW here, most might want to limit to said genre, but it could go a long way in RP in general to have serious promotion of one another to our existing members, as well as to people who happen by our boards. I know oft times we all tack up buttons and forget about them, but if we really promoted one another than there would be true benefit to affiliation. We could then cut out affiliates who did not reciprocate by keeping up their end of the bargain.
I'd like to clear one thing up, there were no alterior motives and a lot of comments against SWE were not spoken until people such as I were flamed all day then we snapped but that entire thread is gone now on TGC so it doesn't matter.
Now to the topic, can anyone summarize what we've come up with thus far? The major points so we know what not to repeat in discussion and what still needs to be discussed?
I'll not sully TRF with debate concerning the previous comments, but suffice to say the comments that came AFTER the fact are not the ones in question, but rather the ones that came before which are at the root of the issues.
I'm am more than open to discuss any and all matters with you in private however as these fine folk need not be subjected to the issues at hand. It is a good thing the thread is gone or at least no longer public.
I was thinking that each board could host a links page that was basically identical to the separate links directory. Not that each board would pick and choose who was on their page.
Basically, first, we'd need the administrators of the boards that are interested to say they want their board included in the links directory. If you're in, you go all in. It doesn't have to be a page that says "hey we all like each other and are a happy family" although if this was the case eventually that's great. But it's a page that says "we're all SW boards, and we offer different things, so if you don't see what you like here, try these."
Unless I missed something somewhere. O_o
edit: and I want to say that I've lurked at SWE and it's amazing. Great job to all there!
In that case it may be prudent to do a quick head count. Admins of boards who have interest in participating, either post here, or countact someone you are friends with who can post here to post your interest for you.
Since a lot of the discussion seems to be taking place here.
