This will likely be a controversial subject, please know I'm not trying to attack anyone, but address a growing sentiment on the server.
When we set up our charter in December of 2018, we decided as a group to increase the build requirements for Baron, the first voting rank. What used to be 20 builds for Lord became 35 builds for Baron. This is an important rank, as so many benefits are granted to it.
It concerns me that after a year and 2 months, many of our barons still do not meet this requirement that we set for all new members. It also concerns me when I see these members still utilizing their votes to affect gameplay, when they don’t seem to be participating in said gameplay.
I’ve spoken with a number of people on the server, both Nobles and Lowborn, both people who meet their rank, and those still struggling to do so, and I’m not the only one concerned with this fact.
The solution I’ve come up with will be a controversial one, but just giving it time does not seem to be doing the trick. I’d like to set a deadline. I’d like to propose an amendment that only goes into effect 6 months after the passing. 6 months after the amendment passes, anyone who does not meet the build requirements would be listed as Non Participating. This would mean their votes would go untallied, and I would also limit other perks granted at baron for NP and Withdrawn members. Specifically, I would like to officially state that NP and Withdrawn members cannot run as Minister or serve as Deputy Minister, make land claims or offer vassalage to new members. Regardless of the feelings on our grandfathered members, it seems like people who are inactive to the point of becoming NP or withdrawn would not be doing those things anyway, but I'd like it written out in the charter.
It is my fervent hope that nobody would actually need to be made NP after the 6 months have passed, but rather, this deadline will be the kick in the butt some of use need to reach our own rank’s requirements. However, If after 20 months there are still barons that do not have the build requirements that most new members take 2 months to get, can we really say they are participating in this world building MINECRAFT server? Do they really deserve to keep the benefits we deny new players until they meet these requirements?
I don’t want to discount what was done on Aldemeria, but that server was taken away from us. It's a terrible thing that happened, but at some point we have to accept that, and start focusing on the server we have.
It was also requested that I specify specific situations where I have seen members that I feel aren't that active were influencing stuff with their votes. These are situations that had me specifically questioning whether they were active enough to really be swaying things. I feel no animosity to these members, but feel I must be specific to actually get my point across.
The first situation was last September, when Memo and Bryson were running for Minister of Infrastructure. This was a vote I was impartial in. I chose to abstain from that election, and second the tiebreaker election, as I felt both candidates would make a great Minister. But when I look at the votes now, Memo had many votes from people I would not consider active on the server. The most concerning though, was when Knaris was specifically told to vote on the last day of the tiebreaker vote. Knaris, who as of today, has not been seen on the server for 5 and a half months, and at the time was mere weeks away from becoming NP by current standards, came around only to vote, and ended up swaying the election in Memos favor.
The second situation that made me a bit uncomfortable, was In December, when Lawnboy restarted a discussion on our current progression system. His proposed two lane system (only a 1st draft) again increased the requirements for baron, from 35 to 50 total buildings, more than double what Lord was on the last server. I’ve spent vacations with Lawn and consider him a friend, and I don’t mean to attack him, but I found it very strange that he would consider upping the requirements again, when he still hasn't reached the current requirements that a new person would have to reach to be able to put forward such a discussion. That conversation never really went anywhere, and others made a second draft that brought baron back to 35, but the initial situation of a member who had not reached the requirements for his rank, suggesting an increase in requirements that would make it even harder for new members to achieve the same level as him, had me again thinking whether something should be done to force people to catch up. I would like to note that at no time do I think there was any malicious intent, people were just spitballing ideas. But I happened to notice the discrepancy there.
Closing Argument: At the end of the day, we all agreed on these requirements, and at some point, we should all have to meet them to continue enjoying the perks granted by it. I feel 6 months of notice before any action taken is plenty when we consider we’ve already had 14 months. I know myself and other more active members would even be willing to donate materials to help people with limited time maximize their efficiency online. If the voting is going to affect what happens in Candarion, I feel those with a vote should have met the requirements ON Candarion.
Please don't hate me.
