For simplicity sake, let's put every player in one of three groups.
Group A: The Takers AKA The MeMeMe's
This player signs in and treats the game like it's single player. Everyone is here to entertain them, especially the GMs. They do little to give back to the game ICly, and their RP is usually pretty selfish. They don't create RP so much as are a void for it. RP goes in, but nothing every comes out. The more you give, the more they want.
Group B: The Uninitiated / The Part-timer
This player is new to the game or only plays part time. They get involved with some plots and generate some RP but more often than not there are big gaps in their play schedule so their RP stays close to the surface. That's OK, they play when they can and do what they can to contribute to the community.
Group C: The Giver AKA The Lifer
Role play circles around this player like a gathering storm. They always have some plot they are involved in, machination they are working on or job that needs doing. You might call them a player GM-- if you're in their RP circle you're flush with things to do and have a great mentor to model your RP after. They know how to scale the difficulty level of the situation to the characters involved. They know that they could do most things themselves, but asking others to do those things generates more RP. They strive to move higher, get others under them, continue creating RP, and over all, entertainment for the community.
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So, those are the three groups, again, for the sake of simplicity. There are many more nuances to all of you, but it's too much to try to discuss every possible combination.
Group A is a time sink. They take take take and never give anything back. They are a net negative for the game. They are not part of our community so much as taking advantage of it.
Group B needs GM attention, and should get it. They are important.
Group C-- well, I actively believe that the GMs should spend more time empowering and propping up Group C, than any other group. This group of players is the most focused on creating RP for other characters.
If you spend your time entertaining other players, creating RP, doing cyberpunk stuff, and have RP circling around you at all times, the GMs are going to notice. They are going to think 'shit, here is a player who is doing as good a job creating RP as I am' and then they are going to think 'I should devote some time to making sure this player has what they need to continue making RP happen'.
That doesn't translate to 'getting all the things'. Don't get it twisted. However, it does translate to a higher degree of trust, and more attention from GMs, because they are going to recognize that giving you a touch of RP is going to snowball into a ton of RP for a multitude of other players.
Looking at the alternative. That same GM could spend 5 hours RPing with someone from Group A and have entertained one single player. No snowball.
Which players do you think the GMs should spend their time focusing on? The ones that are going to create RP for other members of the community? Or the ones that selfishly sign in to treat Sindome like a jRPG on playstation?
If someone from Group A applies for a management role at NLM and someone from Group C applies for a management role at NLM-- who would you want to see in the position? Someone from Group A that is going to collect the paycheck and hangout in their limo at their donation pad on Blue? Or Someone from Group C that is going to actively hire, fire, plot, plan, train, give jobs...
I know who I'd pick. Also, sorry Group B-- you lack the experience in the game to have one of these roles. If you are experienced and don't have a lot of time, well, that's the other problem right there. You lack the time to effectively handle a role with actual in game responsibility.
I won't fault anyone for playing Sindome that doesn't cause a problem or break the rules. However, it is up to each and every one of you to recognize that your IC actions as much as your OOC actions and availability, play into your ability to get certain roles in the game. It's just a fact.
We can't have gang leaders that sign into the game twice a month. We can't have management level employees that never do their job. It's bad for the game. It's bad for the community.
There are plenty of roles out there for part timers that can only play a few hours a week.There are plenty of roles out there for the handful of Group A folks that just want to play this like a single player game and not generate any RP.
What are your thoughts on this as a player? Do you understand why it's important that the limited GM resources be directed, in larger amounts, to the players that are going to snowball those efforts the most? It's not favoritism. It's pragmatism. We have a limited amount of time available to us. We want to touch the most players possible. This means minimizing interactions with Group A. It means maximizing interactions with Group C. And it means Group B gets touches from GMs and the Player GMs that lead the way on the player side.
Again, we aren't leaving anymore out. We don't ignore people just because they haven't had a chance to show us how great they are at RPing. You all know that. But if you want to succeed. If you want to rise up and have your name be known. If you want the GMs to trust you to run big plots, to fill big positions...
Strive to be Giver. Be a creator. Be a player GM. Be a role model. Be an example. Be a storm of RP that is constantly swirling, sweeping up everyone in it's path, newbie and oldbie alike.
-- S