I get little reminders all the time of how wonderful people can be just from lurking around the site. There's this idea that existing on the internet inherently means putting up with loads of nasty comments from nasty people, but RPR is proof that that is not so, and that wonderful people are everywhere out there.
It's during Epic Week that this stands out most (even more than during FOBETEO).
When combat was first introduced, I remember there being some passing comments about how other websites do big events - things that might encourage teamwork for a big prize, but which still end up focused on individuals doing their own individual work for it. This set up where coordinating with others was truly required had some of us nervous for various reasons. As the week unfolded, though, most of us delighted in how everything was simultaneously accessible by everyone, yet individuals did not have to do it all alone. We leaned on each other for help in various things, and leaders emerged as necessary to coordinate and/or gather info that we could all use to get through more effectively. And in the end, we all got the satisfaction of being on the winning team. And then, rather than going for a "glorious" final boss kill, the community petitioned to save the Many-Headed Cyborg Dragon, sending them to a ranch for recovery - only to have them return to help us in later EWs!
This year, as with other years, I see the wonderfulness of this community continuing. Once more, players are stepping up to the plate when we need someone to organize things. Once more, topics are filled with encouraging words and thank-yous. Once more, those who have been working away on riddles or gathering items or anything are remaining patient and cheerful with those just stepping in for the first time. More than ever, people are finding ways and excuses to just give each other other spiffy prizes and gifts.
And then there is the Armory, which I have a more personal attachment to. The first year we had combat and all these weapons falling randomly on our heads, out initial attempts to get weapons to those who needed them were lacking. I was delighted to find I could be one of those people stepping forward to help out and created the Epic Armory (originally the Goblin Fighter Armory, but we fought bugs the next year!) to take advantage of the treasury feature. The feature is a little tricksy though, and the way it is set up is actually a huge trust exercise. It would be very easy for someone to decide to be a jerk and clear the thing out, especially in previous years when the stock tended to sit lower. But that doesn't happen. Everyone shares, and it's much more common to let people know that it's totally okay to send themselves a bunch of stuff for a big fight, and even to take some extra items to decorate their profile. (I'm also not the only one with editing permissions! I am super grateful to the people who helped build it up.)
Founding the Armory additionally pushed me to step forward a lot more in multiple ways. First, I had to spread the word to enough people to make it useful. Then, to deal with the onslaught of notices I was receiving as people joined and sent things around, I had to get more comfortable talking with Kim (who I still perceived as the big, intimidating admin superstar; now it's just admin superstar and generally awesome person) to work something out to keep my inbox from flooding. Because actually using the treasury was also confusing enough that I was getting the same question of how over and over, I also had to work with people one how to most efficiently explain the process of donating to and taking items from the group. All of these things were scary for me - but the whole community helped. People were thrilled to have the resource, people helped improve it, people helped spread the word. And each year, Kim has incorporated the group further into EW, from also just posting about it, to hiding event clues in it, to now fully featuring it as a major navigation point.
You are friendly. You are supportive. You are encouraging. You are passionate. You are brilliant. You are beautiful, RPR. Thank you for all you do for each other, and thank you for all you've done for me. This really is the most lovely community I've ever had the pleasure of being part of, and I'm so glad that I can contribute to it too.
And Kim... I really do wish you'd find time to write a book about online community management. Or just generally community management. I think so many people and places would benefit from it. I'm probably not gonna stop mentioning it until you either do it or tell me I'm getting annoying.
It's during Epic Week that this stands out most (even more than during FOBETEO).
When combat was first introduced, I remember there being some passing comments about how other websites do big events - things that might encourage teamwork for a big prize, but which still end up focused on individuals doing their own individual work for it. This set up where coordinating with others was truly required had some of us nervous for various reasons. As the week unfolded, though, most of us delighted in how everything was simultaneously accessible by everyone, yet individuals did not have to do it all alone. We leaned on each other for help in various things, and leaders emerged as necessary to coordinate and/or gather info that we could all use to get through more effectively. And in the end, we all got the satisfaction of being on the winning team. And then, rather than going for a "glorious" final boss kill, the community petitioned to save the Many-Headed Cyborg Dragon, sending them to a ranch for recovery - only to have them return to help us in later EWs!
This year, as with other years, I see the wonderfulness of this community continuing. Once more, players are stepping up to the plate when we need someone to organize things. Once more, topics are filled with encouraging words and thank-yous. Once more, those who have been working away on riddles or gathering items or anything are remaining patient and cheerful with those just stepping in for the first time. More than ever, people are finding ways and excuses to just give each other other spiffy prizes and gifts.
And then there is the Armory, which I have a more personal attachment to. The first year we had combat and all these weapons falling randomly on our heads, out initial attempts to get weapons to those who needed them were lacking. I was delighted to find I could be one of those people stepping forward to help out and created the Epic Armory (originally the Goblin Fighter Armory, but we fought bugs the next year!) to take advantage of the treasury feature. The feature is a little tricksy though, and the way it is set up is actually a huge trust exercise. It would be very easy for someone to decide to be a jerk and clear the thing out, especially in previous years when the stock tended to sit lower. But that doesn't happen. Everyone shares, and it's much more common to let people know that it's totally okay to send themselves a bunch of stuff for a big fight, and even to take some extra items to decorate their profile. (I'm also not the only one with editing permissions! I am super grateful to the people who helped build it up.)
Founding the Armory additionally pushed me to step forward a lot more in multiple ways. First, I had to spread the word to enough people to make it useful. Then, to deal with the onslaught of notices I was receiving as people joined and sent things around, I had to get more comfortable talking with Kim (who I still perceived as the big, intimidating admin superstar; now it's just admin superstar and generally awesome person) to work something out to keep my inbox from flooding. Because actually using the treasury was also confusing enough that I was getting the same question of how over and over, I also had to work with people one how to most efficiently explain the process of donating to and taking items from the group. All of these things were scary for me - but the whole community helped. People were thrilled to have the resource, people helped improve it, people helped spread the word. And each year, Kim has incorporated the group further into EW, from also just posting about it, to hiding event clues in it, to now fully featuring it as a major navigation point.
You are friendly. You are supportive. You are encouraging. You are passionate. You are brilliant. You are beautiful, RPR. Thank you for all you do for each other, and thank you for all you've done for me. This really is the most lovely community I've ever had the pleasure of being part of, and I'm so glad that I can contribute to it too.
And Kim... I really do wish you'd find time to write a book about online community management. Or just generally community management. I think so many people and places would benefit from it. I'm probably not gonna stop mentioning it until you either do it or tell me I'm getting annoying.
HEAR HEAR. I can't even add much to this, you put it so brilliantly. Epic Week is legitimately one of my favorite times of year. I love love love to see the community come together like this. And it's just like you said, Novalyyn--it actually requires teamwork, and everyone is important. I sometimes worry that it'll be overwhelming for new players, but it's often the new players who are the most vocal and enthusiastic about it!
This is my first Epic Week, and I'm having a blast! I may have to get used to it still, but it is fun working together, even if I feel like I can't help much because I didn't join RPR until March. Also, even if I don't do much with Epic Week, I can still participate in other RPs and groups while meeting other role players. This site is AWESOME!
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