Drama Llama

  It has reared its head.

  I logged in today to find one of my channels blinking. Switching over to it, I found the beginning of a debate. The channel was created by one of our own long ago to facilitate a wormhole group. This is the channel I got into my first wormhole from and all other since. The channel has been debated over before but it seems this time, a thread has arisen with the staff talking about us. Specifically, about shutting us down. I do not have all the specifics yet, because I don't have access to the thread. But this obviously affects me directly.

  Now before I get into it, let me state things clearly. I understand Uni stances on SPS (semi permanent squads) and the rationale behind things like that. They don't want elitist groups forming and cliques to break off within the corporation. Functions must be open to all. I get that and I get why. That's not my issue.

  We are not elitist. We are not shut off from the rest of the Uni and to try to shut down a private channel makes me twitchy. The discussion got heated both ways, but we are a mature group and the arguing was actually pretty constructive. We do not discourage new players. Heck, my first wormholing experience was from that channel, a C3 when I had never gone into a wormhole and my fit was sad. But I was encouraged and others have mentioned similar experiences. The channel is not set up to divide ourselves. The channel is set up so that a WH fleet can be assembled easily, quickly, and even include members not in our corporation. If you call for a fleet in the channel designated for fleets, which we have said perhaps we should, we will have to deny everyone that wants to come in a frig or cruiser and take time explaining why, still to be called elitist. The very nature of wormholes demands a certain skillset. Yes, C1 and C2s are much more lenient and easier to handle for newer players. But for many runs, you need to be able to fit a T2 tank and fly a battlecruiser and be ready to go.

  In no way do we hide ourselves. The very existence has been talked about multiple times in other channels, and people interested have been directed to it. We are the worst kept secret, if we are to be called one. The channel exists, in an unofficial capacity despite efforts to the contrary, to facilitate the education of pilots interested in wormhole space. That, I think, is well worth preserving. Not only that but the channel has donated percentages to the Uni as a whole, over 1 billion if I remember correctly. Yes, what evil elitist pigs we are. It has cost the Uni nothing and gained much for those that want it. It is not of the Uni, so I fail to see how it falls under Uni jurisdiction. Again, I know how directors function. I know it's a benevolent dictatorship. I know I can leave, and I intend to when my current training finishes. That was already planned before this event, mind you.

  To bring down the hammer on a group of mature and helpful pilots whose intentions coincide with the University policies is sad to me. If it is an issue of being official, then make us official. Give us a director, do whatever you need to cut red tape. If it is an issue of availability, like I said before we are open to everyone. Perhaps we can start calling for fleets in the channel designated for them. But it is ultimately up to the FC who goes and who doesn't. We could certainly put a Wiki article up for the channel and what is expected for operations. I don't see why not. The other exploration channel failed to be the same environment for one reason or another, so why is it such an issue that we have successfully done so?

  But my issue is that this problem arose, not from directorship, but someone who complains that we are a SPS. Directors are aware of us and even have mod access to the channel. Concerns were apparently raised on us apparently being a "clique" and thus bad for the Uni, that we are diverting talents away from a different exploration channel and are not making our experience available to that channel, we SEEM to be closed to noobs, and that we don't appear useful to the Uni....

  Quite frankly, I hate drama. And this is needless, pointless drama. I'm not rage quitting, I'm not saying how unfair anything is. I simply think this is a bit ridiculous and going a bit far in the name of internet spaceships. Forbidding me from using a channel that is open to all draws a line, if it does get drawn. I don't get the beef, but whatever. I am proud to be a Unista and I have made some great friends in that channel. We will be presenting a reasonable solution that hopefully is considered before deciding to just bring down the hammer. Let's make this work.

  To quote a comment in the channel: "If you want to bake a cake, you don't turn up the heat in your whole house. WHClub is big enough to have a wide knowledge spread, and small enough to be friendly."

  So what do you say, can we bake together on this?

-Mem