Ahhh, all the discussions, rants, flames, points, blah blah blah... all come down to one thing, which has been briefly mentioned here and there: GROWTH.
It is the single dominant factor that brings forth the recent situations of unrest seen among the forums and PW. Why? Because growth is inherently a painful process. It requires loss, emotional turmoil, restructuring, rethinking, etc. And yet, growth is a good thing, and, in fact, necessary for the longevity of the world. Of course, we'll mourn the things we've lost, and complain about the required changes (like I still whine about shaving- ye gods I hate facial hair; who came up with that idea anyhow?), but also enjoy the new and greater benefits of the growth, the maturity. And also pay the heavier price when we choose to push the threshhold of the newfound responsibilities. This is all a normal process, and indeed healthy.
Personal feelings aside, I'd like those who care about Layo, enjoy Layo, and have chosen to stick around even perhaps despite a measureable loss of fun in some aspects, to look at the whole picture of this entity we refer to as Layonara Online. I'm certain many of you have already done and are still doing this, but many still have a hard time looking at the situation with an "off-stage" perspective. As has been stated, we all have a stake in this.
What I mean by stepping back and seeing the whole, boils down to two things. These two things are primarily directed to those who work diligently and affectionately for the world of Layonara, and is rooted in the knowledge that Layonara Online is a growing entity.
~First~
This is easier said than done, but Don't Be Discouraged by the misuse, abuse, complaints, rants, etc. that come flying on a regular basis. Oddly enough, this is a good thing. It is a steady indicator of growth. In fact, such pains in the kiester are quite necessary for the continued development of the community. And in dealing with the issues, bad choices will be made, good choices will be made, people will choose to come and go, and some will choose to stay for good. And these things are pretty obvious, but need to be constantly looked at under the light of growth, if we are to maintain any degree of peace, respect, and objectivity. Truly, Leanthar and others here have lead this place with a strong sense for the need of respect within a community, and it is a primary reason Layo has lasted, and has grown.
~Second~
We have a particular dilemna to which there is no satisfying solution. Namely, that the NWN platform cannot support the growth Layo is experiencing. The irony is, such growth is required to maintain the strength and continuation of the world. Basically, each time Layo tries to stretch its wings, it's thwarted by the eggshell that so long supported its development. The only options then are A) work within the confines (which we have chosen to do), B) find another platform (maybe NWN2 will provide such an outlet- for a time at least), or C) close the book that is Layonara. I actually think this is quite obvious to most of the team, but here it is in plain diction. Yet, despite the limitations, we continue to grow. And that, of course, means growing pains, since we haven't found our way out of the eggshell just yet.
And this I say to the player base: If there is one thing I know, without a shadow of a doubt, it's that L and the team are working for the benefit of the entire PW, the entire community, and thus I trust that GM's aren't out to screw with me, and I've certainly never feared any GM. And I'm not the perfect player. I make mistakes; I've been reprimanded; I do dumb things that I have to go back and re-evaluate. And I know GM's are people, and that while they strive to make this a great place for anyone, that they'll never get it all right, and will, in fact, screw up a lot. But so does everyone else. Heck, it wouldn't be so much fun if that wasn't the case, but maybe I'm just crazy. The world works when everyone (players, GM's, ~everyone~) strives to make the place better and work within the understanding that we have to help each other through our shortcomings. This is basic to any healthy community. And, strangely enough, so is loss of community members. Don't take member loss as a bad sign. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but in the long run it isn't bad either. It's normal, and even quite necessary (see above "growth"). Necessary so that we stop and rethink things; necessary so that we learn from our previous "oops."
Finally, just remember, that all these things that seem like such a royal pain, seem so depressing, seem so distracting even, are not only necessary to the betterment of Layo, but are, in fact, normal, and, dare I say it, "good." To any and all that get the kick out of Layo I have for nearly a year and a half, keep striving to make this place better, and it will be.
Keep rockin'!!!
