An open letter to all PALGN users

[Discosis]

This is an open letter to all members, users, moderators and staff of PALGN - past and/or present.

It's time to stop.

What exactly am I asking you to stop? There's a number of things.

I'd like you to stop banning users and hurling such utterly hateful and disgusting abuse at anyone who simply disagrees with you. Stop editing users' posts to twist their words. Stop taking shots at the departing staff for airing their grievances. Just stop.

All of these things accomplish nothing. I'm amazed that you even bother. It's childish and immature, and it has to stop. No-one on either side deserves the kind of mud that's been slung around here recently. Nothing good can come of continuing this behaviour.

Please, for the sake of everyone involved - stop. Take a breath. Look around. Is it worth it?

Egos are bruised, feelings are hurt, tensions are high and offence has been both given and taken, whether intentionally or not. This is painfully obvious to us all.

It's time to start moving forward.

Many of you have chosen to leave PALGN. This is fine. No-one on this side of the fence intends to give you any grief over your decisions. I'll fight that tooth and nail.

It's time to start bringing a dialogue thats respectful of others and their opinions. Former staff are all still welcome to participate in the forums, should you want to, though I'm under no delusions that most of you don't want this. If you want to criticise the staff that have moved on for doing so, perhaps you should discuss the matter with them in PMs or email.

It's time to start acting like the professionals you want to be seen as.

You might like to think that no-one's watching, but in the last week you've got the attention of both journalists in the Australian gaming media, and publishers with whom you'll want to continue dealing with professionally for years to come.

This is the industry you want to make a career in. It's your passion. Many of you are extremely talented writers. Is this really how you want to present yourselves to your peers? How do you think this looks?

To the staff who are departing, I'm asking you all to please go on, and make an absolute kickass site. PALGN stands as proof that you're capable of producing awesome content. Isn't it time to start focusing your energy on creating, instead of destroying?

I wish each and every one of you well. Make no mistake I'm sad to see you go, but I wish you well.

It's time to stop this madness and start moving on.

Sincerely,

Jason

[vizzini111]

[Fyuusii]

Excuse me, but as much as I may sympathize with your view, I thought you were here "to move the 0's and 1's around".

My question is why now are you involving yourself with the forum politics? Why isn't the guy who's supposed to be doing it, doing it?
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[Island_Wolf]

I'm confused.

At first, I thought all applies to forumers in general but as I read further, it seems like it alternates audiences. Stuff like who is banning users? who do you say is the one that is getting the attention of media and publishers? who is taking a shot at departing staffs? who needs to act like a professional? this is bringing in more questions!

Part of me thought you were gone (not saying this in a bad way) but this post proves you are here to stay.
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[vizzini111]

[A13x]

Sorry guys, I'll stop banning users effective immediately.
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<3

[Crank]

Post seems a bit confused on a number of levels, betraying its author's basic lack of familiarity with his audience.

Nonetheless, the basic message is sound, and for that reason alone, I'll plus it.

Still...

EDIT: On second thoughts, I changed my mind. The basic message is still sound, it's the source and delivery that leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

[Smurf80]

[LeonJ]

Kind of agree. I can't read keep up with the General forum at the moment with every man and his dog having a goodbye post with some rant.
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[Exodus]

It's kind of sad because as a relatively new user who has come on here regularly in the last year and a bit (just in time to witness the fiasco with the Game Exchange and such) the majority of the forum and its community I thought was at least fun, interesting and informative has just collapsed into a rabble of bullshit. All the "veteran" posters who "contribute" so much in comparison to the newer or less active users are merely, at least in my experience, spamming up the forums with all manner of mindless meme pictures, swear-fests, popularity contests and f-you's, as well as immaturely trolling newer or less active members, either because they can get away with it (as a certain mod admitted to me when he messaged me back when I complained days ago) or when the newer members show (understandable) weariness of the way the boards are going.

I am in no way supporting the way the newer leadership has handled the situation, as eloquently exposed on Pastebin, but the "veteran" community (excluding the staff and writers, well, some of them) are just encouraging newer or less active users like me, who don't want to put up with immature meme fests, farewell and goodbye threads, and gang-up trolling attacks, to stay here on PALGN or merely ignore this new Rocket site. They're just giving the impression that Rocket will merely be made up of this clique mentality bullshit that has reigned (also understandably) on these forums; anyone not part of the "contributing veteran" circle of PALGN will probably not be too thrilled to move with the rabble.
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[Cyph]

I think in all honesty it's just people blowing off some steam. The activity has peaked and is now declining. Once something rocket comes along people who called PALGN home will move on. Also, if Roland or who ever is responsible for this place now days actually does something will it then that will cause an effect as well.

I see your point Discosis, and I agree, but maybe it's time some *other* people try to do something proactive to help the situation.

[ObsoletE]

while all this was happening, i was happy to continue modding the forums as best i could. i did remove some of the swearing, until it simply became too much, too quick, and as I do also work full-time, i am really only able to act as a mod after-hours, since if i'm hear from between about 7am and 6pm, then i'm connection via my phone, not a computer.

but i've now been stood down as a moderator, without warning, nor explanation.

i'd like to think i've been a good moderator in the past. i don't believe i abused my responsibility, and aside from creating a joke image "banning" Roland for inciting a "riot" (for want of a better term), this was only done to vent some personal frustration, and quite obviously it's not something i could "submit" anyway, i'd like to think i've remained relatively neutral on the whole situation.
i was not involved in the editing of other people's posts where opinions were shared (with the exception of aforementioned swearing, which is something in our mandate as moderators), and i did not condone the editing of Roland's post regarding the future of the site - quite frankly, i'm of the opinion that as owner, he should be allowed to say his piece. (though i do also believe he should've left the post unlocked from the start, to promote dialogue, if this was ever actually possible.
i'll admit to errors either in judgement, or in simply missing something, but then who can't say that here? (this is not a call for Jesus to post again.)

if i don't fit into the scope of the site as a moderator going forwards, that's fine, but i would've appreciated a note giving me a heads up and/or explanation. (well, i guess i can understand not sending me a note saying "we're cutting you off in 2 days, but this means you have 48 hours to go nuts")

I'm not, and never was, planning on simply leaving the room and never coming back, and even if i remain "merely" a user, i'll probably stick around to see what direction the site heads in, but i can't say my feelings weren't hurt to not even be given an explanation.

so yeah - i guess that's my piece.
to the users, thanks for being generally well behaved, these last few weeks nothwithstanding.
to former-staff, thanks for making this somewhere i wanted to read articles.
to former-owners, thanks for entrusting some of the trench-work on the site to me.

and i suppose i'll see many of you on the other side.

-Mike

(edit: wow, many posts in the meantime...)
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[Cyph]

Nice post ObsoletE. It seems to be an on going theme; how those dedicated to the forum have been treated. From myself and I assume other users, thank you for your hard work all this time.

[Smurf80]

[sonicwired]

I think most of the anger and frustration right now stems from how badly PALGN's new management has handled the situation. Did you or Roland really expect people to behave any differently?

I'm not condoning some of the personal attacks which have been made (not that it will affect my status here anyway) but I do understand why people are upset.

Ironically, a incident very similar on IGN's forums 10 years ago was exactly how PALGN started in the first place.
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[Crank]

Ironic, or the circle of life?

[sonicwired]

Chaos theory.
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[NeoSanity]

[grim-one]

Jason:
While your message here is warranted with the behaviour of late, respect must be earned. Cutting the legs out from under respected staff and mods (e.g. ObsoletE) is not doing you or Roland any favours in the community's eye. Nor does keeping us in the dark as to the future of the site's editorial or technical aspects. But this post is a good first step. Keep working at it.

BTW, the letter 'form' of your post doesn't really ring true here. We're a lot more informal in general.
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[LeonJ]

What mods are left? Obs is a bit of a shock. Falling like chickens
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[Gtpod]

Absolute shambles. PALGN is a website without staff or moderators, where Falcondude, Discosis and Roland are ranking members, and the hardworking are dishonoured without explanation.

This marks my final post on PALGN. It's been a ride folks.
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[LeonJ]

FalconDude has say here? I thought he was pushing some other site? Wtf
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[Fyuusii]

[BurnZ]

[emech]

All this post demonstrates is that the chaos IS reflecting badly on Roland et.al. which is kinda the reason its been layed on so thick.

Those of us that feel burned wanted the consequences of the situation to fall where at the feet of those who caused it. Clearly the current ownership is trying to prevent the fallout sticking to them by calling for a new calm. I am glad that in "the last week you've got the attention of both journalists in the Australian gaming media, and publishers" as its these people who have the power we don't to effect pressure on the management team to consider their actions (through affects of ad revenue / cross-promotion support decisions and writer contribution consideration)


Having said that.... I think what we have seen here is genuine grief. We have seen evidence of Shock (though this was diminished as we knew something was up long ago); expressions of pain and guilt; plenty of anger - and we are moving into the reflection stages.

Acceptance will come (and obviously can't come soon enough for some) but this outpouring demonstrates to me the genuine love we have had for PALGN and the genuine concern we have felt that its community has been attacked by those with only self-interest in mind.
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