I am officially at the end of my tether. Normally, I write these kinds of things from the third person, but this time it is coming from me, Mana, straight from within, because I am so very, very frustrated. The rules are here for a reason, yet, it still seems they haven’t been read and understood clearly. So, here are some of the issues I am finding happening at the moment, most of them lying within responsibility as a member of Mana4X2, ESPECIALLY if you play a canon character.

There are always exceptions to this, members who are following the rules, doing the best they can. To them, thank you.

COMMUNICATION

How many times does it have to be reiterated that communication is the key to the survival of any RPG? IF you can’t post, use the absence forum, if your posting status has to be changed, use the Activity Check forum. Where we were once not happy with it, we are now even accepting Cbox and PM/IM updates on posting activity.

Don’t leave those participating in a thread YOU’VE started hanging, without a word from you. Exactly how is that respecting the other members of Mana4X2? Simply put, it isn’t. Would you like to be treated like that? Heck no!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

It seems as if some of you aren’t even reading these, when it clearly says within the description of the News // Updates forum that you need to check it regularly. How can you know what’s happening if you don’t make good use of a forum there to help you? Some of you don’t even bother answering the Activity Checks when it is a NECESSARY thing. How can everyone, including the Admins, know if you are available to RP with, or if real life is kicking you in the butt if you don’t tell us.

Read the threads in the forum, keep yourself updated, and answer anything that is required to be answered. Be involved, because if you aren’t, decisions are going to continue to be made without you.

CANON CHARACTERS

It does not need to be said, or, really, it shouldn’t need to be said that there are key characters to the X-Men Universe, therefore, key characters to Mana4X2. Do you play a canon? Then this section is for you. Do you have time to keep up that canon character? Do you have time to post for them as regularly as they are needed? Can you handle getting PM’s from time to time asking for specific RP’s with you? Do you realise you have the extra responsibility of participating in plots, greeting newcomers &/or interested parties to any of the factions, and other things that involve the key canon characters of the X-Men Universe?

No?

Then you need to sit back and consider perhaps you don’t have time to play the bigger characters here at Mana4X2. It would be much preferred to see them without a player, then see them taken and not being posted for. How can character growth happen if they aren’t being posted for? How can they be called a major part of the game if they aren’t being posted for?

How can they be in charge of a major faction, if they aren’t being post for? All factions bar the X-Men seem to be going nowhere, threads left standing, while others keenly wait for them to be replied to, for the events within to be played out. How does it look when new people come to the site and see certain factions with posts dating back ages ago? People won’t join sites where replies are far and inbetween and communication as to why is not forthcoming.

OTHER RPG’S

Oh my goodness, Mana4X2 isn’t the ONLY RPG you are apart of? No kidding. Most cannot stand just being in one RPG, come on, there are soooo many things to be done elsewhere. However, is putting one ahead of another the right thing to do? Sometimes yes, especially if you are an Admin of another site… Admin duties come before anything else, however, what about finding a balance between the sites you play in? Why is it fair to neglect posting for one, just so you can post heaps at another?

Personal experience has shown it is unfair to EVERYONE involved in the RPG that is being neglected, especially the Admins who have put so much work into the site, and yes, right now, Mana4X2 is being neglected by some. I cannot help but say that it hurts, it really, really hurts to see so many posts on other boards and nothing being done by the same people here. Once the habit is fallen into, it is so hard to get out of!!!

Pick the site/s you want to be in the most, stick with them, and if you find yourself neglecting one, LEAVE IT. Again, although I do not want to see anyone leave Mana4X2, it is better to resign then be here and not posting, not participating, not communicating, not putting the effort into the site when so many other people ARE.

READ, HEED, REPLY

Now, after reading all this, take it in, and please reply. By doing so, you are clearly stating that you understand the points that have been made, and that your best effort to be apart of this game will continue.

If you need to leave, tell us now. If you need to drop a character or two, do it. Don’t hesitate, don’t be afraid. Do what is best for YOU, and the best interest of every single member of Mana4X2!!!

*steps in, being sheepish* Okay, so.....I know that I didn't post like I would like to in the past week. But I wasn't expecting different circumstances to show up. So, if I ever done any of what has been posted, then I'm very sorry. :crying:

I know I haven't been especially active this week and I'm sorry for that. I still want to be part of this game and I'm going to try my best to make sure that I give it the best I can. I'll use the absence forums if I need to but I think I should be alright. I don't want to say too much about this but today hasn't really been the best of days. I'll try and do better and I just hope things work out.

I am very guilty of this, and I apologize immensely. I'm definitely trying to speed up the posting, especially since my work and dance schedules are settling down.

*hugs to everyone*

I've been a little slow in posting replies this week and lazy with Icarus because i got changed from night shift to day shift and the time shift has been kicking my arse, so sorry if I held anyone up. Be on holiday in a week so posting will pick up then :)

Note readed and heeded

work, house guests that are finally gone, child out of school, have been super busy, but we knew that! But Im here.

Note read!!!

I will not lie, the Army has done me wrong in many ways, but even I was able to use the absense forum... but I am back. Glass and Blitz will be up and running again shortly, and I possibly will be taking on a Canon in the relatively near future, time permitting.

Notes Read, and shall be heeded.

I'm guilty of above actions (going MIA for a few weeks without a heads-up) It's completly my bad. Must appologize to Static and Mana as I left threads with them hanging more then others.

Because of this I'm moving Amp to the background. She'll be posted for, aside from the Costume party, on a request basis only. Send a PM my way if you want to chat, if not then she'll remain in the background since my musre for her at the moment is gone.


It'll take me some time to adjust to the ever changing format/orginization of the website. It may cause me to miss a few things till I get a routine down. If I do PLEASE send any of my characters a PM as I get an email notice in my primary email account everytime there is a new message.

Sorry to all I annoyed by not giving my notice.

Mana4x2 is a community. With any community there needs to be communication and support for and by all members. In order to survive another four years we need to be truthful with not only the site but with ourselves as well.

I admit to the following: neglecting Mana4x2 for another site, for leaving without posting an absence notice, for saying I'll be active when I -knew- I could not be, and, but not limited to, not keeping in contact with anyone.

My excuses and reasons are for myself. I'll provide them to any and all who wish to know via PM. The point is that I am here for keeps as I stated in January when a new chapter in my life began. Since then many things have happened, both good and bad. However, we as a site and us as a member must ask ourselves hard questions and make hard choices.

Can I keep all my characters?

Yes, I (myself) can keep writing for all my characters. Is this logical? No, I have hard times keeping active. I understand my RL can get hectic. I'm sick of postin' that I can keep up with all my characters in the activity check and don't follow through. For me I will not beat around the bush. I will be dropping Ventus and Rock-solid. They may be put on the hold list. I may pick them back up. I may not. Their versions for this site are hard to keep up.

How can I improve my keeping in contact?

For me, I haven't been postin' in the absence forum. When I do I've already been in a period of absence and sometimes it'll continue beyond that. Absence forum is a grand idea but lacks in the sense it's not used as much as it could be. But contact is not just the absence forum. There are PM's, IM, and the c-box available for all to use. However, when was the last time you talked to a fellow member that -had- nothing to do with your characters and Mana4x2. Go out on a limb. Write a PM, IM, or c-box comment asking how a person's day was. If they are sad be there for them. If they are happy then start up a dance party in the c-box. Say something other then: Would your character meet my character in such or such a thread. Communication is the key to any survival.

What do I want out of Mana4x2?

I want Mana4x2 to be a rival of any X-men RPG out there. I want my fellow members of the site to sit there and talk about Mana4x2 to their RL friends with excitment. I want more character development. I want many things from this site or for what this site could be. What I want most is for this site to last for another four more years and beyond. I want us to retain new membership. Let's help make new members feel welcome when they join. Let's make them think they have been here for years. Basically, I want Mana4x2 have a good bases with a strong community at it's core.




In life there are hard times we must go through. Currently, this is happening with Mana4x2. We'll endure. Everything is trial and error but isn't the mistakes we make that we learn from. Everyone's case is different. Any and all statements I made are my opinions. I'm here if anyone needs me to be. Just keep us updated. Tomorrow is always another day.

Guilty, immensely so.

I'm not giving any excuses. Any attempt to explain my failings here would be nothing more than an excuse. RL is a pain, as is a lack of internet, but I've managed to return to another RP. I've never been very active here, and there isn't an excuse for it. I don't plan on leaving the site, I'm trying to get back into things, but it's hard when I've never been really 'into' it here in the first place. I'm sorry if I'm taking my own sweet time in doing so. Really, I am. If I can't handle all my characters, I will cut back. I've already done so, and I'm plannng on doing so on another site I'm on as well. It's just taking more time than I thought it would...

I should have good internet in about a week, maybe slightly more... ? I waited to come back here until I was sure I was ready. I wasn't before.

Read, Replying, and Promising to stay as active as I can with Stormy and Haya...

I've been very busy myself and have kept up with the one thread at a time thing as much as I physically could. I even went as far as to PM the person I was role playing with to let them know the situation. They agreed and was very nice about it.

I have read and understand fully and is one of the reasons I won't pick up a canon character. I will be active as much as I can.

Thank you.

<3

Finals really took their toll on me this school year, but I completed them and passed with the highest possible marks (highest grade in most of my classes). I have, without a doubt, been slacking on my graphics responsibilities here. In the grand scheme of things, they were not my top priority during this busy time in school, and I have no intention of lying about that. I'm going to be doing my best to catch up on all of my posting and do lots of graphics work, but I'll be going on vacation for a week starting on the 7th. . . so some things may not get done.

I have seriously spread myself too thin with RPing responsibilities, but it would kill me to let things go. I'm going to cling to this site until someone chops my hands off, and forces me to let go. Really, I'm sticking around until it's impossible for me to fufill my responsibilities or you guys throw me out.

Mana, I sincerely appreciate the work that you do for this site. So many admins lack the dedication that you possess, and it's a real shame that the RP world doesn't have more people like you.

Yeah, I'm replying and I'm down.

EA

Mana...I won't deny the fact, that I am probably the worst member of this site. You have stuck it out with me for so long and I do appreicate it. However in return, I feel that I can never make it up to you. You are a gentle kind hearted soul.

I hope to one day to make it up to you somehow. Until then I will try to make up for my past mistakes.

You are the reason this site is still around and why I never want to leave.

*hugs Ryan*

One of the main reasons (if not the reason) Mana4x2 has stuck around as long as it has done is because its bases is one person's passion. Through that other people found something they cared about the site. It became part of their passions. The cycle remains continuous no matter how long or short it is. As with anything Mana4x2 is only as strong as its members. Without us the story won't go on. The site will die. As we are doing now, we are stating how much we care for the site. It'll survive as long as remember it's for the joy RP'ing brings us. Just post not because you were told but because you want to continue the story and bring your characters to life. Stay true.

*gives everyone a hug*

I read it...though I'm not sure if it applies tome yet since I haven't rp'd yet xp

Hey all,
So I know I am terrible for leaving for nearly a month *shrugs* But I promise I'm back on. RL is a total bummer sometimes. I'm open to play with anyone, and I'm going to start checking all my PMs, so if someone needs to speak to me, I am open for discussion starting....

NOW

:)