RuneScape Forum Archive | Is it worth staying here?

Matonym

Posts: 572 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Communication: Stating that the communication from side of Jagex is smooth is not correct.

Here's DieHunted and others, trying to improve Fansite Staff Forum... constructive posts a lots of ideas and no reply from any J-Mod 351-352-19-65322194
- Topic affecting all Fansite Staff members and it's system...

Here's all of the language fansite staff expressing our frustration and sadness about current state of thing - no official support for us. Infinity stating that we have to wait and he's kind of putting us on hold. There is 2-post large message from me with direct questions towards Infinity, and then after some time another bump message, once again asking for reply. No reply from any J-Mod for that 351-352-17-65315415
- Topic affecting all Language Fansites...

My first mail sent to Mod Infinity was extensive, but well written and structured. In the very first lines I've clearly stated my Runescape nick on a separate line. Answer I got were 2 phrases. Awesome story, we want to support you, what's your nickname.

I hoped to see the approach of Jagex towards the language fansites to change soon. But every times I/we asked the response was: Yes, in future we are going to look at it. The very same happend when I've shown my worries regarding lack of P-Mods in language comminuty. Yes, in future, some day... Please don't give us such a responsed. Use straight talk. Be open and fair. Consider us equals.

5 days ago I've sent a mail to Fansite Mailbox, no response so far...

I don't say it's all Jagex's fault, or it is fault of Infinity, oh no! Personally I think the person dedicated to Fansites should have more time for this job role. There is way too much work, so many options. Give Infinity enough time or put additional person into charge of fansites. Every thread here need some dedication, every mail needs to be read and replied without any rush.
Head of Czecho-Slovak Community

Czecho-Slovak Forces and RskoCz - language fansites
Find me on Twitter , Reddit and Twitch as
@CSF_RS

01-Apr-2014 19:22:49 - Last edited on 01-Apr-2014 20:18:07 by Matonym

Matonym

Posts: 572 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Let me tell you a story. Couple a days ago I was approach by one player. He was asking me if we could give to his clan a channel on our Teamspeak sever (which we pay for). This is completely normal, we give out free channels to all language Clan Chats from our countries but there was one difference... This guy came from some private server, his clan was not part of official Runescape. And even thought I liked this guy, he seemed nice and friendly I had to turn him down. "Sorry my friend, we are co-operating with Jagex and they do require us not to support Private servers"...

Now, let's stop for a second... Why would I do that? What was wrong with me? We co-operate with Jagex? How? Where?

I am currently managing 2 language fansites (for Czech & Slovak players), one of them was Officialy recognized by Jagex in past. Things have changed... All we got in return for all out work (my staff team has almost 20 active members), and the only real support we got was one tweet. Yeah, it could have been maybe 2-3 of them. Yey!? Why would you not support language fansites? All we want is one statement and one badge, to be a part of programme and get a change to grow in your eyes, to see how we are advancing... Language fansites are fighting for you in countries where Jagex is not taking any actions, and without us players would leave Runescape world. Why would you even create, in 2014, from a different language a barrier that can't be crossed in any way? Is is really so hard to use a translator? Can't you arrange meeting with fansite representative in order to explain you what are some specific pages about? ...

Every month we spent working on our fansite time, which would take 2-4 full employees. Everything we do is helping Runescape to stay active and don't fall. What we get in return? Tweets? Do you think this is right?

And I am only speaking about us, being sad about over missing badge. What about guys inside the fansite programme getting pretty much nothing too...
Head of Czecho-Slovak Community

Czecho-Slovak Forces and RskoCz - language fansites
Find me on Twitter , Reddit and Twitch as
@CSF_RS

01-Apr-2014 19:44:04 - Last edited on 01-Apr-2014 20:39:18 by Matonym

Nov

2015

Concord

Posts: 4,475 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

My two cents based on past posts, random thoughts, some for, some against:

-It should not be Jagex's responsibility to hold our hands and tell us how to run our websites, technically and conceptually. Fansites are made by the people behind them. A website with more passion for the game, more creative and marketing-savvy staff deserves more success than a website that doesn't. If you have the passion but lack of expertise, do some googling. I used to know nothing about maintaining websites, but I wanted to learn more, so I did.

-Fansites are direct extensions of the playerbase and general player community, so we of all people should know what our communities want more than Jagex. If anything, we should be forwarding to Jagex our ideas. Whether they listen is not really up to us.

-There -seems- to be a lot of bias for RuneZone, and I used to be irritated at this until I got more involved in fansite/Jagex liaising for my own site. In my experience, Jagex is actually great to work with and offers great support if you have actual meaningful content for promotion, potential for community boosting, etc. Complaining about not being supported is valid if you have some podcast that was blatantly ignored when asked to be promoted. So far their help with twitch has been awesome. Perhaps bias for RuneZone does exist, but it is not as bad as it seems.

-The Jagex Wiki was a bad move community-wise, but probably a good-move short-term business wise, so I understand why it happened. It broke apart communities, rendered lots of fansites/content obsolete, but I get why it happened. I'm not mad.

-I fail to see the use of JMods coming into FCs, except as a PR checklist ("okay..visited that FC..said hi..next one" ) especially if its fansite JMods coming in. What are they supposed to do once they are there? Pretty much anything a fansite FC would want to ask them, they wouldn't be authorized/able to answer. It seems trivial and like a waste of everyone's time.

01-Apr-2014 21:50:14 - Last edited on 01-Apr-2014 21:52:03 by Concord

Nov

2015

Concord

Posts: 4,475 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

More:

-The mass skype call sounds like a trainwreck in the making. A thousand voices happening at once -> waste of time for fansite and Jagex employees. Given that Jagex pretty much releases BTS/teasers constantly on social media, I don't see what would happen in these calls other than a few days before which doesn't seem worth it.

-A skype chat seems like a better idea (no calls). This allows easy communication between fansite staff teams, and commentary real-time from JMods if needed.

-Some arguments seem to based on "we work so hard and don't get Jagex support, that's unfair" Personally, I consider a fansite successful based on its community strength and life, not based on the level of concept art emails it gets from Jagex. I don't think we are really entitled to anything, and we should do our work for the game and the communities we create. When I publish content on my website, I'm primarily concerned with its usefulness and helpfulness to the public, not whether it will entitle me to concept art emails. If we get goodies from Jagex, awesome. If not, I really wouldn't be mad.

If I had the largest, most thriving community, I wouldn't care if I was supported by Jagex or not. Obviously it would be nice/life is easier, but as long as I'm helping players, my mission is done.

-However, I would be mad if fansites were getting massive perks when others weren't. I don't believe this is happening, however. (RuneZone bias covered above)

-In terms of Jagex replies to requests, it seems like a really biased claim. Some topics are also not simple to reply to. A JMod can't casually commit yes or no to major requests, they represent the company. I imagine fansites aren't on management's priority list, so of course this puts fansite liasons in a position where they can't really do anything. The follow-up argument is that we should be a priority...but what revenue are we generating for them? For this reason, I take any help received with thanks.

01-Apr-2014 22:08:06 - Last edited on 01-Apr-2014 22:13:13 by Concord

Matonym

Posts: 572 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Thanks for constructive input Warriormonkx.

Just to prevent some unnecessary discussions about Jagex holding our hands. I did not mean that Jagex should give us orders or tell us how to run our websites, especially not from technical aspect. What I reffered with those 3 phrases to was more related to fansite tier programme and about giving feedback. Tiers can motivate fansites to grow and expand, while feedback is essential at all levels.
Head of Czecho-Slovak Community

Czecho-Slovak Forces and RskoCz - language fansites
Find me on Twitter , Reddit and Twitch as
@CSF_RS

01-Apr-2014 22:15:13

helerskeler

Posts: 13,496 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

So, can we perhaps compile a list of things that we, collectively as fansite leaders, think that Jagex could improve for this forum/program? I feel that as of right now that would probably be the best way to approach this whole thing.

01-Apr-2014 22:24:07

Fergie Angel

Posts: 2,840 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I am not so neutral as to sit here and list things that could be improved upon as fansite staffers make this problem out to be our own fault. In addition, no one has been able to answer my question about the negative side effects of leaving the fansite program. I'm sure you all can imagine the opinions of the RuneScape Wiki members in regards to this. The efforts I see people go through on here are just not worth it.

Threads about the lack of communication and the need for more interaction have come and gone. I am not interested in being involved in another failed attempt. Just look at the threads we have right now that haven't fallen off the forum yet. Jagex support, Jagex support, foreign languages, foreign languages. Events can be hosted on the respective websites with the moderators communicating however they wished - they seem to die off easily here, and are not relevant to the issue I've raised.

There is hardly a one-on-one with Jagex here, and the nice perks I listed in my first post no longer exist. I don't see any communication reforms working in the long-run, they never have. Do remember, this is the new "overhaul" to the fansite program, with a new forum and everything. If what Jagex intended was a place for fansite staffers to communicate with each other, I'm not interested.

Fergs

02-Apr-2014 00:39:01 - Last edited on 02-Apr-2014 00:45:23 by Fergie Angel

helerskeler

Posts: 13,496 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Fergie Angel said :
I am not so neutral as to sit here and list things that could be improved upon as fansite staffers make this problem out to be our own fault. In addition, no one has been able to answer my question about the negative side effects of leaving the fansite program. I'm sure you all can imagine the opinions of the RuneScape Wiki members in regards to this. The efforts I see people go through on here are just not worth it.

Threads about the lack of communication and the need for more interaction have come and gone. I am not interested in being involved in another failed attempt. Just look at the threads we have right now that haven't fallen off the forum yet. Jagex support, Jagex support, foreign languages, foreign languages. Events can be hosted on the respective websites with the moderators communicating however they wished - they seem to die off easily here, and are not relevant to the issue I've raised.

There is hardly a one-on-one with Jagex here, and the nice perks I listed in my first post no longer exist. I don't see any communication reforms working in the long-run, they never have. Do remember, this is the new "overhaul" to the fansite program, with a new forum and everything. If what Jagex intended was a place for fansite staffers to communicate with each other, I'm not interested.

Fergs
What do you gain from leaving the program though? Freedom of choosing your own ads? Or is it more of a statement against the program?

02-Apr-2014 00:55:38

May

2008

Ryan M

Posts: 3,095 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Concord said :
-There -seems- to be a lot of bias for RuneZone, and I used to be irritated at this until I got more involved in fansite/Jagex liaising for my own site. In my experience, Jagex is actually great to work with and offers great support if you have actual meaningful content for promotion, potential for community boosting, etc. Complaining about not being supported is valid if you have some podcast that was blatantly ignored when asked to be promoted. So far their help with twitch has been awesome. Perhaps bias for RuneZone does exist, but it is not as bad as it seems.
You've never read or been in the high level forums then. A bias does exist, for all fansites. Whether it be for the Wiki being editable by anyone and everyone, for RuneZone and whatever reasons those may be, or for Sal's being outdated for years. I brought up RZ in my post as I often see RuneRadio promoted enough to warrant at least a single mention.

You can attribute part of this thread to the lack of the support for the "Wikifest" we, the RSW, had on 29 March after it had been said to be scheduled. Does one grievance make a thread? No. This thread had been a long time coming, honestly (before Mod Mike entered the fray).

Edit:
helerskeler said :
Fergie Angel said :
[snip]
What do you gain from leaving the program though? Freedom of choosing your own ads? Or is it more of a statement against the program?
You're joking right? The RuneScape Wiki is hosted on Wikia Inc. If we had the freedom of choice in our advertisements, we would have been in the top tier of fansites YEARS ago. The only things we get to have a say in is removing cheating, gold selling, adult, and the like kind of advertisements. You're also answering a question with a question.

02-Apr-2014 01:02:01 - Last edited on 02-Apr-2014 01:12:38 by Ryan M

Fergie Angel

Posts: 2,840 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

For most members of our community, it would be a big statement. No one appreciates the circumstances Jagex has put us in (and I am not referring to just the Jagex Wiki). Personally, it would ease the anger I feel every time I come here and see nothing but people pleading for communication or feedback. The absurd roundabout posts from the J-mods infuriate me as nothing gets solved, ever.

Even now, they ask what can be done to fix the problem. Never mind the numerous posts that have addressed just that over the past three years. Geez, at this point I'd be happy with just a piece of concept art here or a tweet or two there - both unacceptable, as outlined by Matonym.

Fergs

02-Apr-2014 01:08:50

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