Tuschunreal
Active Member
I'm a relatively new Archmage for Relax and Be Merry and recently got onto the forum after support helped get me a login. I am just exploring and am happy to read what others struggle with and do. The fellowship was basically a parking place with no real rules when I first joined in June. I was a new player and was overwhelmed by all there was to learn so had no idea what I wanted nor what was possible so “The Best Fellowship” worked for me. I started cities in other worlds and learned a lot from the different archmages from pretty chill but supportive to strict minimums with chats to those not getting it done for all to see (peer pressure). In short, I discovered there are all kinds of fellowship cultures. I can have a lot more fun with more structure and with some expectations to the fellowship.If you play a game that offers mega rewards for playing tournaments and doing spire, why would you do NONE of those? (compared to sitting with your finger up your nose, they are mega rewards) Why would you refuse to participate in FA if half your fellowship is? (These are newer players not oldies, and notice I did not mention rewards, yes, I know they are not good) Heck, why would you join a fellowship at all, as you are getting absolutely nothing out of it.
Rant over.
I am about to institute minimum requirements for membership. I do not know why I thought folks would follow examples of other productive members. Any suggestions for how I should word it other than put up or shut up...shoot I can't say that because they never interact. I could say get the H E double hockey sticks out, but that would be insulting and I am not about that. Words fail me right now. Suggestions please.
I started helping the archmage in The Best Fellowship and as we chatted I discovered he was getting tired. He asked if I wanted to take over which I did. I created a 6-12 month plan for my leadership of the fellowship. I figured it would take time to transition to a 10 chest tourney, silver spire and regular FA fellowship. Yes, I established a goal for myself and no I did not take a pole from the existing members. I felt that a slow change from where we were to where I wanted to take the fellowship would slowly change the membership. Folks will adapt and join in the journey or leave and find a fellowship more in tune with their ideal fellowship.
The first thing I did was change the name of the fellowship to “Relax and Be Merry” and update the overview. I decided I wanted a no stress but active fellowship. I wanted a place to leave the real world so I could relax with new friends and have a good time. I read at least 20 fellowship overviews and drafted a new overview. It has a set of requirements (have fun, build city the way you want....) and asks (neighborly help 4 times a week...) for the members. My idea is to transition the fellowship from no rules to minimums rules by getting the group routine and growing successes. The asks will become the minimums.
We had dropped to 3 chests in the tourney and in a month are back up to 5. I reached out to Archmages and got great suggestions and advice. The single hardest thing I have done is removing players that are inactive. I decided anyone inactive 3 months would be removed, 2 months warned then removed at 3 months. I found a thread in the forum about avoiding burnout and starting posting there. I shared what I was doing about inactive players and Henroo shared his experience to drop in a month. While I struggled for a day I took Henroo’s advice and dropped all players the elvenstats showed as inactive and I had not seen in a month (no chat, no neighborly help). I worked with the prior archmage and we sent 2 week notice to all about inactive players being removed prior to doing so. We shortly after picked up 4 players then two more and are now at 17 active.
Finding players to join takes patience, patience, patience. Telling myself that not you guys. I am trying to communicate about once a day. Like in December that an FA was coming in January, how we did in the tourney (from Elvenstats report) to congrats in chat on getting to 5 chests in weekly tourney.
So why did I tell you my story? I think it fits the title of this thread/area. As Archmage what can I do to inspire players to participate is an aspect of the question asked. I really appreciate the experience and advice I am getting out of the forum. Please share more experience and advice on any aspect of the journey I am taking with “Relax and Be Merry?. Thanks for reading….tuschunreal