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(posted to the Common Board with permission from Cherek)
I am taking the summer off from coding in Genesis. But before I go, I want
to share a few things with the community.
I created my first character sitting at a dumb terminal in a VAX/VMS lab at
college in November 1992, and some of my dearest RL friendships still exist
from those early days 30 years ago. Some of you reading this have been here
for years so you know what I am talking about. Genesis is more than 'just a
game' for many people -- it is where we started our journeys to adulthood,
made our first 'internet friends', fell in love, learned how to re-invent
ourselves through role-play, polished our storytelling, learned how to code
and started fabulous careers, etc.
I want you to know that it is in our power as a Community to support each
other in our development as people and make the Game a better place for
ourselves and those who follow us. Genesis can flourish for another 30
years -- if you are willing to be decent humans to each other, even those
you don't like. We don't have to sink to the lowest levels of the internet
like some *chan, reddit, and gamer groups do. Genesis is not a zero-sum
game. We can all 'win' here, playing the hero/anti-hero in our own stories,
if we just we stopped crapping on each other and especially on the wizard
volunteers who keep things running and new content coming. Genesis is big
enough for all our egos. Really ;)
I am writing this because months of griefing from a certain group of players
in and out of game has sapped my ganas (desire) to contribute to Genesis.
Sadly, my experience is not unique as a wizard. Over the years many have just
up and left because they felt abused by mortals. I thought about giving up
on Genesis and leaving too, but ultimately agreed with those who persuaded me
to stay that me leaving means that the bullies win and Genesis loses. And the
bullies shouldn't win. They shouldn't necessarily lose either, but instead
learn about the impacts of their actions and hopefully become better members
of our community by reforming their behavior. So I'm taking the summer off,
and the bullies and their enablers, who will (and should) feel called out by
this note, will perhaps think a bit about how their actions have consequences
not just to themselves, but to the Game as a whole. And hopefully, in a few
months, I'll want to come back and get to work on more fun stuff :)
I have always believed that the continuation of Genesis requires a focus on
what makes players happy. It isn't much of a game without players, right? You
are important, each and every one of you, and I love creating content for you
and watching you interact with it. But I'd like to remind you that Genesis
wouldn't exist without the efforts of the many, many people who took the time
to learn LPC and then contribute in ways that you do not. Wizards are volun-
teers and we contribute valuable time and skills out of love for Genesis.
Every day we are here trying to build a better game for us all to play.
We have reached a point where every productive wizard 'lost' is irreplaceable,
because fewer than 1 in 10 'new' wizards actually implements an apprentice
project in their first year, never mind attains the knowledge and skills
needed to run things behind the curtain. It is a lot easier to play in Genesis
than it is to code for Genesis, and wizards who run afoul of mortals usually
don't stick around for more abuse. Wizards are held to a different standard of
behavior that leaves us effectively unable to protect/defend ourselves and our
reputations and still remain wizards, so we usually leave. This kind of loss
of 'institutional knowledge' is not sustainable. Thus, those of you players
who grief wizards do a major disservice to the game as a whole, and I'd like
to ask more of you to keep that in mind when pursuing your agendas and grudges.
This is a good place to insert the URL to a note Cherek posted a couple of
years ago, about Fact Checking and Critical Thinking, and Rumor Spreading:
https://www.genesismud.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=5080
The next time someone tries to suck you into a whisper campaign about someone,
especially a wizard, don't take the bait. Let the AoP or AoD know. Wizards
actions are highly scrutinized in the wizard realm, and messages to the AoP
or AoD about concerns you have about a wizard are always investigated. If
you are being harassed by others in the community--in or out of game--speak
up and ask the AoP for help. Hopefully Mirandus and Cherek will be able to
resolve things for you. They are 'good eggs' who put far too many hours into
Genesis trying to get everyone to 'just get along and play nice' with each
other. They don't get enough appreciation for their efforts, probably because
they tend to err on the side of being nice (ie leading by example) when the
rules often call for harsher consequences.
As I prepare to pack it up for the summer, I'll ask you to please don't be
a jerk like the ones who griefed me and others over the past year or two.
Be a better person than they are. Try thinking about the consequences to the
Game as a whole. Whether you like someone or not, they contribute their own
uniqueness to the game, and that's a good thing--so making them uncomfortable
enough to leave is a loss. As members of the Genesis community we all have
so much to offer each other beyond the toxicity of a few bad apples. We can
offer each other a lifetime of fun, companionship, and adventure.
Thank you in advance, and best wishes for a Covid-free, fun-filled summer,
Lilith
