By the way things just keep growing around here, it looks as if I'm really going to have to seriously consider revising the front page layout.  From our newest addition of the calendar system, which is still in its early growing stages, we've now recently tossed in a flashchat.  Yes.  Ugh.  I know.  Most of you are full well aware of my reservations regarding flashchats as a whole, but what the hell.  If the members are going to make use of it, why not?

The idea for this started when Mike brought it up on our General Discussion forum under the very simple inquiring subject title of Chat Rooms?  Since that time the rest of the administrators and myself have gone and poked around at the potential possibility of installing a flashchat here on Mutual Endeavors.  There seem to be over all mixed feelings concerning it, as the post in question and linked to above will reveal.

Personally, I see real no need for a flashchat.  Most of us participate in role-play in our own places and in our own ways.  Mutual Endeavors was never designed to be an actual environment.  It isn't so much Rhy'Din as it is a place for role-players who participate in Rhy'Din style role-play to get together and meet.  Share their stories and drag new people into the fun with them.

First and foremost: I must say that I do not want any ME supported flashchat to be used for role-play purposes.  That's what places like Dragon's Mark and the member created environments on AOL are best reserved for.  Our purpose is to support FFRP, not to provide a place for it to happen.  Excepting in the case of the message boards, which is an entirely different cup of tea to begin with.  Most of our boards are used for OOC purposes, but we do have the others reserved for telling IC stories.  Interactive or otherwise.

However, HGLowe brought up a decent enough point.  A flashchat on ME could help bridge the gap between people who don't have AOL and don't want it with those who do have it and love it still.  Though there also all those Trillian users and AIM users and all whatever else out there.  We still firmly support AOL role-play, but not half as much as we support role-playing as a whole, wherever it happens.

That said, at least please do not turn the linked-to chatroom into a role-play environment.  Use the service to create your own private rooms, if you like, but please do not turn the main room into character meeting paradise.  At this point in time I want it to stay an OOC only room.  Until we work out all the kinks, iron out the wrinkles, and figure out how to customize it all to better accomodate your role-play needs.  Hence why it stands currently as "chat test." 

I can't say whether or not we're going to keep it.  I suppose this really depends on how much people actually use it.  I know I for one probably won't.  Which is a pretty bad thing for the figurehead and founder to say about an option, but this site was never about me.  Though the acronym is ME, it is not all about me.  It is about you.  The players.  What YOU want YOU get.  But I'm not psychic, so you really have to speak up to me about what those wants are.

Preferrably in IM or e-mail or PM form, as I have the hardest time telling whether or not someone's left a comment under my news posts. Yeah. Yet another kink.

Last update: 24-09-2007 22:26

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