My time is up

[Stracius]

As I warned when I took the leadership position, in less than two weeks I will be headed overseas for a good 3 months. This leaves us with two, maybe three active players in the kin - I can't be certain, I haven't been on much in the past week myself. I could be overestimating it.

Choices are few, which should make it easier. I can keep the leadership position during my absence (which I don't think will do anything but contribute to our decay) or I can hand off responsibility to someone who will be here. That, or just disband the kin. I'm already unhappy enough about headhunting that's been going on with ex-members, but I don't think it's worth our time to lament over it. Leaving > Entering = bad situation for everyone left behind.

I've discussed the situation with one of our current players, and they said they'd be willing to hold the position as a temporary post only, on condition that I resume when I return. I can't say it's my favorite of ideas, but again choices are few.

I'm sure we have a few ppl that pop into this forum from time to time, so thoughts are welcome. I'll try to catch the in-game people htat don't frequent the forums as often and discuss it with them.

I guess that's my state of the game address, lol.

[Anubis]

Before you guys fully get into this issue, I think that now is really the opportune moment to be asking "Is this still fun for those of us who are left?" I can only speak for what I am seeing on the forum, but activity and membership are apparently drastically reduced - and if by headhunting you mean what I think you mean (former members trying to poach the kin?) the situation is fairly grim.

Ed famously once said "If it stops being fun, stop doing it." and that's a very good point. To me, it makes little sense going through the rigours of sorting out the leadership issue now without asking do we *really* want to keep going with the situation as it is? Perhaps, with things as quiet as they are and (presumably) the group able to do so little now due to such a short roster, it may be time to allow the group to hibernate for a while as the NC2 group did, and re-emerge when people come back to the game in time.

Don't feel like I'm encouraging the group to give up the ghost, because that's far from the truth. The group has achieved an awful lot in a short spell of time, but I see parallels between this situation and the FFXI group a while back. Sure, there was one of us left in the game, but it wouldn't have been fun for him to him to effectively play the game with only the occasional friendly face popping in just to keep things afloat. There's no way if I can determine whether the situation is the same from this side of the fence, but I do think it is a possibility that it could be.

My advice is to think about it for a couple of days, think whether you'd still be enjoying the game if you appointed a new/temporary leader for three months and carried on as you are, think about whether you'd still be enjoying the game three months down the line. If you can say yes, then come back and sort out the leadership issue. If you can't, and the majority of those left agree, then perhaps it is time to think about letting the group go to sleep until people return once more.

- Anny

[El Oso]

Since it's over a year since launch & the cap hasn't been raised, recruiting is difficult. It would take an influx of high-level players to give us needed numbers, and ironically without having an existing player base, we're not going to get that. I'm hoping that Moria's 2 new classes will bring in some new players, but that's still far away and not a guarantee...


I have seen the poaching too and frankly I'm really dismayed about it. I thought better of the people who did it. And who left.


At any rate, I've been playing again, so that's 1 more active member, but Delmore & Bel have announced that they're leaving... That leaves 3 of us as active members, with another 1 or 2 popping on occasionally... I consider myself to be SSX & will surely call the boards here a home but keeping the kin alive in-game is becoming less & less feasible.


-Keepin' the name alive, Faernath Kinbreaker

[Anubis]

I consider myself to be SSX & will surely call the boards here a home

Just as a general note, anyone who wants to stick around is welcome. You don't have to be currently active in a group to still be SSX, just stick around the community as you say. Glad to see that you're planning to at any rate, shows there must be something right about our ideology when people feel strongly enough to stick around even should they not be currently playing anything with us

[M.Steiner]

Several years ago in NC i had my own little clan with riccko, cyma & a few other peeps. We got to a point where there wasn't many active people in the clan anymore but us, a few had already left, and the game was just really dragging for us at the time. Rather than us keep struggling to become active enough to participate in higher level activities, we decided that all 3 of us would look around for another clan that we could all agree on, and could all join together. (Which is when we joined SSC)

Depending on how you guys play etc, that could be an option too maybe. At least that way the few of you that are still active could continue playing together and be able to do the things in game that you probably can't do right now cos of activity levels and hopefully get some more fun out of the game that way, just under a different name. You'd still be SSX here.

Just a suggestion that came to mind anyway, might be better than continuing to struggle on etc. And ofc there's nothing stopping you guys from trying to resurrect this place in the future if you choose.
The only other thing i can think of is mass recruiting and i don't see that as ever being a sensible option for us, so i won't suggest it lol.

[Christhalion]

I'm just posting to let you all know if there is anyway I can help let me know.

I wish you well in your trip Stracius, and I'm sorry to see things as they are here at least in the LOTRO part of SSX.

Haven't see many of you all on in game, but if you do get any game time, give me a buzz, would love to hook up and play again. Can help out with instances and books and such if those left here need.

[El Oso]

Ok... well, getting back on topic...
Delmore & Bel have left the in-game kin; so once you turn into a pumpkin, Strac, we'll officially be down to 3 active members & (from what I can see) two semi-active recruits.

[Christhalion]

Good to hear from you too!

Wasn't posting to change the subject.

Again if any help is needed let me know. I love SSX

[Syro]

I support the current player base in whatever decision they make. If we disband then the remaining players should explore other guilds. We can always reform at a later date if there is interest.

I think an active player should have the leadership position if the guild remains.

No need to keep a name alive if the player base wants something else. Our friendships remain strong as a gaming community. Gaming relationships and fun have really been our primary objectives.

Stracius - thanks for all you have done for us! You will be missed, but I hope you have a wonderful adventure abroad.

btw - Chris... read Rev's cloak!

[Cyowen]

I'll sure miss Aldayne!! I will be back on as soon as my computer is fixed after our power outage. Sorry to have been away so much these last 3 weeks, but daughter and grandson were here! I'll be happy to do anything that's needed, but have gone back to work and will only be on evenings and weekends. The kinship has been great, and it was wonderful to know everyone. I'll check in when my computer is up, and see if we still exist! Greetings to all!

Cyowen

[El Oso]

I'll sure miss Aldayne!! I will be back on as soon as my computer is fixed after our power outage. Sorry to have been away so much these last 3 weeks, but daughter and grandson were here! I'll be happy to do anything that's needed, but have gone back to work and will only be on evenings and weekends. The kinship has been great, and it was wonderful to know everyone. I'll check in when my computer is up, and see if we still exist! Greetings to all!

Cyowen

Looking forward to seeing you on again!

[Orinol]

Sorry I've been away so long... moved into a new apartment, and I've been struggling with the landlord over internet (not a great wireless signal, and he won't let me run a wire )

With that said, I'm looking forward to getting back in-game as soon as I can, as I have purchased a lifetime membership and figure I might as well use it! I've heard through Faer that the kin has been struggling, and unfortunately am far too inactive to provide insight. It has been awesome playing with all of you, and I appreciate everything everyone has taught me in-game. I do look forward to grouping with old friends once I am able to get a solid internet connection, but as of right now that will take a battle with the supreme over/landlord.

Wish you all the best of luck with whatever direction you choose!

-Big O

[Syro]

Big O

Good to see you. Be nice to your landlord.

The land of Hobbits will be waiting for you....

[Stracius]

I believe the remaining members are discussing disbanding and heading to another kin w/ friends. I'd rather not actually disband it so I'm just going to leave leadership on Aldayne, and everyone else can move as was planned. Looks like we'll be putting the SSX into sleep mode in LotRO.

Still have peeps playing that are members, of course. May archive this forum at some point though. I'll be keeping my account active for the duration, so if anyone needs something important fire me off an email. I should be able to check in now and then. If you don't know how to find my address, check the buttons in my profile

Cheers, and thanks for the good times everyone.

[El Oso]

Cheers, and thanks for the good times everyone.

Good luck Al, we'll see you in-game in a few short months!

[Anubis]

We can leave the forum open for a while without a problem. Generally its only after a few months of inactivity I start to think about closing them anyway, so as long as there are members playing that want it I'm happy for this place to remain open.

Also, I think you've probably made the right call based upon what I know of the situation - seems to be what will be most fun for all in the long run. I think that choosing to let the guild sleep rather than disbanding it is also a good decision - leaves things wide open for any revival in the future.

I should also say, for the record, I think that this group (under its four leaders) has done an awful lot in the relatively short time that it has been around, and with that in mind I'd like to congratulate and thank all members, and those four leaders in particular, for the time and effort they put into it. I hope you had as much fun ingame as I have had following your exploits on the forum

Everyone is, of course, welcome to remain with the SSX even should you move on in LOTRO - the community is happy to have you. Hopefully, we'll see everyone back under the LOTRO banner at some point down the line should people return to the game. Until then, make yourselves at home here

[Syro]

Also, I think you've probably made the right call based upon what I know of the situation - seems to be what will be most fun for all in the long run. I think that choosing to let the guild sleep rather than disbanding it is also a good decision - leaves things wide open for any revival in the future.

Amen. And Amen.

It has been a fun ride. Lots of great folks have found their way into our gaming lives through this SSX-shared experience. Very beautiful. And the adventure still continues.

Thanks!