| Tsu's State of the Region Address |
Dearest South Pacificians —
As a wrap-up to this wonderful Anniver-tsu-ry festival, I’ve been asked to asked to provide a State of the Region Address. And really, it’s high time I get on this; I don’t remember when the last I addressed all of you formally. First — the boring. Our region remains stable and strong. We have several nations with high influence able to protect from and in-game threats and many watchful eyes on interregional politics. As of now, we have little to fear and can feel safe and secure in our government. Now, the rest. What I’m about to lay out here is a bit different than the arguments I’ve been making for some time, however, I think it’s important to note this difference so we can find productive ways forward. For better or for worse — our community is divided. We have on set of active nations on the Regional Message Board and another set active on the off-site forums. Some people are active in both circles, but there remains a clear division. It was never intended to be that way. The offsite forums were originally created to facilitate a better government for the in-game community. However, in the years since the offsite’s inception, it has grown and changed in unanticipated ways. I say this now because it is becoming obvious that the governmental structures set out by the offsite government do not work for the needs of the in-game region. As we have a great Local Council promoting and working to keep the general population informed, the differences have never been more apparent. The RMB-side wants a fun, light-hearted game. The offsite is run largely by bare-knuckled politics. The RMB-side needs to get to the point and move on. The offsite has lengthy debates about the nuances of bills. The RMB-side is largely indifferent to political changes and interregional fights. The offsite thrives off politics and has individuals dedicated to interregional communication. We are still one region, but the divide the deep. Normally, this is the point where I would suggest that we need better communication and integration between the two sides. However, after making this argument for years, I’m not sure that’s as much the case. Instead, I’d like to issue a call — or a challenge if you will. We have the ability to reimagine the relationship between the in-game region and the offsite forum. Recently updated legislation makes it easier for the in-game leaders — namely our Local Council — to develop laws, electoral structures and the like. We need these to work in conjunction with the offsite government, certainly, but there is a freedom I hope we can utilize. For the offsite users, I hope we can understand the different needs of the RMB, be willing to help and explain how governing bodies are formed. For the RMB side, I hope that we can understand that this is always a process of trial and error. The offsite has had much more to experiment and find the right governing process, but I believe we work together, we can find the processes that work for the RMB. And for both — please do not take this speech as a capitulation that our communities are totally separate and irresolvably so. We are one region, after all, and will remain so. Rather, I hope we can take this as a call for consideration, attention and, most importantly, creative solutions for how to maximize the game experience for everyone. I, for one, am interested to see what new ideas can come to the fore. Which, brings me to my final point. We all care deeply about the friends and the relationships we’ve made in the game — whether those have taken place on the RMB, the offsite forums or any number of venues in between. At the end of the day we have a lot in common — including wanting what’s best for TSP. Thank you for listening. It’s been a pleasure to address you all in the spirit of celebration and not crisis. To life, liberty and the longevity of The South Pacific!
-tsunamy
[forum admin] |
| Users browsing this thread: |
| 1 Guest(s) |