Excalibur is now a gmod with advisory status (basically meaning we expect his input on important matters). I'll like to thank the members with providing constructive criticism and patience with the situation. It was really my fault, to be honest, as the jump from regular user to admin is quite a leap, it can be too much to handle. I know I was frustrated when I first became an admin. He did do quite well for the most part, in my opinion, as things I would have just let slide he took care of, which was the necessity of him being admin in the first place: my shortcomings in moderating.
Ex did make a couple mistakes too many while being a little too cocky and we apologize if there was any wrong done on his part. This apology, though, certainly doesn't apply to a lot of the immaturity that went on. I hope you realize if I'm talking about you.

Now, thinking about the future, Excalibur will continue to moderate the forums. As he gains actual experience, I'm really hoping he will be admin again once more. He does have a lot of potential and is definitely dedicated.
We thank Excalibur for his time and effort, and please note any effort to make fun of the situation or otherwise disrespect him over this change in status will be considered flaming. In Ex's reign, I've come to expect a lot more maturity out of all of you.

I am Falkoner, and I approve of this message.

I ask all posting in this topic to choose their words wisely. (It should most likely have been posted with a premature lock.) While this decision was as much mine as it was IP's (unlike the hiring), I am aware that revenge, hatred, immaturity, bitterness, jealousy, and frustration are all working to destroy us as well as reason and wisdom itself. This destruction only breeds more of itself - it is parasitic, a plague. I have not surrendered. I ask you, SEN, to not give in. Learn well, SEN. Learn well.

Lol, Moose. While I still disapprove of the rapid position shift, I feel this is a much more suitable position, considering what his job requirements are. Bad first call, better second call. Yaaay improvement.

Give him some time to grow; seems reasonable enough.

Failing to see the change.

I am pleased with this solution.

Seems like a rational decision to go through with. I think he'll make a decent global moderator.

What mistakes did he make specifically?

The only big difference really is that admins can make other people mods. Did he make some of the wrong people mods or something?

No, I have personally made all of the recent additions to the moderating team.

I do not feel it would be beneficial to debate the reasons for this change.

I can see him being less active here now, and more active at Maplantis. Even though he'll just deny it, and say that his priority was always Maplantis.

I feel that it would be beneficial if I elaborate more. There are many people on SEN who operate on different levels of intellectual, moral and ethical reasoning. Unfortunately, many people primarily understand only fear and self-interest. I do not see good derived from indulging them.

There is far more in play in communities and society than who is getting punished in what way and why -- more than just the self. There is far more in play here than "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine." -- more than simple self-interest. There is more than just scattered relationships between two individuals or SEN and an individual. These are juvenile perspectives.

As a community, I am hoping (perhaps too optimistically) that we can develop and improve ourselves and reach higher ground. It is from this higher ground that we can see that there is a bigger picture. Some people are already here. For others, the journey will be rougher. Some will never leave the bottom of the previous paragraph. Yet others are young and simply need time to bring about maturity. With any luck, it is not futile that I believe that merely by making people more aware of this it becomes more apparent who they are and why. All are welcome to join us.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 30 2009, 11:34 pm by Mini Moose 2707.

Sometimes I wish you would lower your language and talk at a level more like IP does. Just sometimes.

O, and I enthusiastically support this decision - not that it matters.

Yeah moose. How dare you provide philosophical insight for your decisions!

Yeah, what a jerk. What kind of administrator posts in a manner that s/he feels comfortable with?

I think I can translate for you guys:
"We can be better"

Says Dapperdan?

Actually at our current level, its more like "We are useless, but we could be better"

My reasoning behind this, even if we call ourselves a community, we still are a community that was influenced by a game, and though that game faces a decay every day of players, ideas, and influence, we should never give up on what we did come here for. Creativity is only so much on this forum, but its limited maybe because other sections exist that hold people back from why we do come here.

Others will say, SEN shouldnt map anymore, I dont belive that.

From what I took from Moose, is that a lot of us are acting like idiots on some random web page instead of acting like a community, each playing their part to make it better so that things like knowledge can grow. Instead of wasting time bickering over stupid shit, do something constructive like help another test a map or improve understanding on some crazy method for pushing starcraft's limits. Even little things can help a community grow and become stronger.
Also we don't really play off our strengths at all. Like for example, we should have exploited the fuck out of Temple Siege and other popular maps to try to bring more activity to SEN and hopefully, more mappers that would contribute to knowledge, maps, discussions, and etc, which only creates a snowball affect. Some of the best things are a team effort, and who knows what would have happened if some random user would join and pair up with another user.

And it should be sorta like mapping, yeah it's hard work, but you also derive fun and pride in it. Do what you're good at.

There is more to it than that. I am talking about the reasoning for being better.

You're on the right track. But, I'm not pushing for mass specialization or min-maxing of various aspects of SEN. It is not so much about what we do as why we do it.

Do members follow the rules because they will get punished if they don't? This is fear. This will last until moderation shuts its watchful eyes or turns its back.

Do members follow the rules because they will be rewarded if they do? This is pure self-interest. This will last so long as there is a clear benefit that members can be convinced they will have.

Do members follow the rules because they will obtain the respect and approval of the community? This is less childish. To a degree, it is more self-enforcing. We can take another step.

Do members follow the rules because they respect SEN and know that the rules are important to follow because they (are intended to) promote and maintain a healthy, well-functioning SEN and community? This is respectful and this is mature. The reason a member does not spam is not because he'll get a fine or a suspension or severity points or a warn level increase or get banned. It is not because the community approves of those who do not spam and disapprove of people who spam. It is because he realizes that spamming is disruptive to discussion and by extension detrimental and disrespectful to SEN.