TGOW's Philosophy of this Community ( Sorry for the Wall of text )

[Toys_god_of_War]

Always remember that this community" is about the "PEOPLE".
There is no such thing as a community with just one person in it.

 
This Mil-Sim Costuming Community is about people, without people there is no community.

Things like "Half-Life" or "StarCraft", are simply computer software programs that were written to follow certain rules, that programmers (another human), created.

It always has been about "the PEOPLE" that play the game together.

Understand and always remember this, it is VERY important if this group is to SURVIVE and have FUN.

If the reason you want to start a group, is simply to "BE IN CHARGE" of "your" game don't even bother to read another word of this article, because your idea is going to FAIL.

If you are an over bearing, self-centered, troublemaking, net-mosquito jerk, you do not have any sane person’s blessing to read, study, or use this.

However, if you enjoy helping friendly people and treat people fairly most of the time, YES! You have the blessing of many fun seeking people.

 
Here are the most common reasons there are FAILED Costuming Communities / Hobbies :

I. The Organiser is a power hungry ego maniac:
-If you are starting it to "simply to be IN-charge" of it, I would suggest not bothering start at all.

Because, that is the #1 reason so many groups DIE, it's the organiser started the community, simply to be "IN CHARGE" and to boss people.

The best group are run by people that actually enjoy helping other people.
Immature ego maniacs usually have no idea how much work is involved with running a "SUCCESSFUL" group that LAST any amount of time.

 
If you have a "BAD", UNFAIR", "LAZY", or "power hungry" leader, the Group WILL DIE.

 

To avoid this:
A Group should be ran by several people that SHARE the Work -AND- the SHARE the Authority AND ENJOY helping other people.

 
II. Too many of your MEMBERS are whinny lazy brats:
If you have a lot of immature and lazy members that demand everything from you, but NEVER help back (or help back very little), eventually YOU will get tired of doing ALL (or almost all) of the work, THEN IT WILL DIE.

 

To avoid this:

Make sure EVERYone understands that they absolutely must help their community about offering ideas, suggesting and advise.

Make sure that they all understand that the community is "not a magical refrigerator" on the internet.

The people that help MORE, should get MORE authority (or "say") in the clan. Please be fair and give the "workers" their "EARNED AUTHORITY".
Make sure EVERYone knows "what is expected OUT of them", "what to expect FROM the community and “what to behave in public”.

 
III. You let a troublemaker into the Group / Community:

NEVER let a person into your game JUST because he is a "very good".

 EVERY person has to be "friendly person" or you do NOT want them.

You DO -NOT- WANT JERKS in your "Game".

Sometimes, some of the best (not all), are the most arrogant self-centered characters on the planet, and all they ever do, is think about their OWN , and not about the community.

A troublemaker will go on to KILL a community, because of their rude UN-compromising behavior, "lack of team work", and nasty attitude.

 
Fun and FRIENDS, are ALWAYS more important then winning. It's better to play by yourself, and then be in a community that is a huge collection of trouble making morons.

 
To avoid this:
Simply talk to the people before you let them in your community.

Invite them on for an informal 'interview' to see what they want out of a group.

You can tell them "what will be expected out of them" and "what to expect from your clan". Its always a lot easier to NOT let a troublemaker in, then it is to kick him/her out. You should give TRY OUTS to new guys, and screen the jerks.

 
Note, not all great players are bad people, some are actually some of the nicest people in the World.


IV. A FIGHT starts, that grows bigger and BIGGER:

NO ONE IS PERFECT, therefore EVERYone must COMPROMISE from time to time.

If any group of people are to get a long, people have to compromise once and a while.
Any time you get a bunch of humans together, there is going to be "DISAGREEMENTS".


If even loving "FAMILIES" have fights, you can guarantee that a community, if it lives long enough and grows, will have a fight.

 

To avoid this:
Do NOT let a fight grow or "EXPLODE" and kill your community / group.

If a fight starts between 2 people, suggest that THOSE 2 people (and a moderator) get on a private channel and discuss it face to face, do not start a flame war on the forum.

 
If the fight is getting REALLY BAD, suggest to EVERYONE fighting, to "just take a break" and ""cool off" for a couple of hours, a couple of days, of if needed 3 weeks.

 
Sometimes simply saying "LET's just all get in a game and play" will stop the fighting and SAVE your group, remember that.


By having frequent meetings, misunderstandings can usually be avoided.

Communication between community members is very important.

Suggest to have scheduled monthly meetings for the group.


It helps prevent misunderstandings, and is also a good time to discuss issues and for members to offer new ideas too.

 
Also don't forget to reward the community's  hard workers and keep them happy and give them "earned authority". It is an EVERY MEMBERS' community, not just the Leaders' community.

 
Everyone should work a little, the ones that work the most, should have the most authority or "say", but it is ALL the members' clan and everyone should recognize that.

 

V. You FAILED to recruit any new members:

""A group is like a sack of sand with a hole in at the bottom that is slowly losing it's contents.""


People have and will Always LEAVE the community, no matter how good they are.

We have had people leave our clan for just about any reason you can think about.

 
We have had : a member that went to to jail, people seriously injured in accidents , people loose their jobs and people bored with games, people doing poorly in school, people going away and starting college, people moving, misunderstandings, and of course FIGHTS.

 
To avoid this:

You have to CONTINUALLY RECRUIT new QUALITY members if your community is to survive.

 
VI. UN-loyal "Community-Hoppers", and "Quit-a-thons":

Making a community is the EASY part, holding it together is the HARD part.


Un-loyal, bottom feeding, blood sucking, leeching "backstabbers", that go on to instigate "mutinies" or "quit-a-thons" can not be allowed around the community at any time.

 
Backstabbers create fights, simply so that they could recruit members away from the current group once people started to quit. These "split-off groups" always go on to be "flop-groups".


The reason is: people that are un-loyal to your clan will only be un-loyal to the "split-off" clan, mutineers NEVER stick together very long, NEVER!

 
"Community-hoppers" are guys that join a clan, then quit it, then join another community, then quit it, then join another clan, then quit it, etc, etc.

These "hoppers" never do any work and do not have any loyalty.

"Hoppers" are self-centered and only think of themselves. Usually they are whiners too. They seldom stay in a group for more then 3 weeks. Sometimes they join several community at one time and are not loyal to any of them.


To avoid this:

If someone quits your community, they can NOT rejoin.

 

It should take all the senior members to let someone in.

 

It should take all senior members to kick someone out of your group.

 

This will make the group stable and prevent it from being too easy to get in.

 

Do not make your group TOO easy to get into, that way members will VALUE your group's association.

 

You should give interviews to new guys, and give TRY OUTS before making someone a member, see, that's why running a "successful" community takes a lot of work ;-).

 

Make getting into your group a special time that is valued.

 

Maybe have a "Zany" initiation ceremony when a new guys passes their "TRY OUT".

 

Get all the members together and use a foam hammer or barrage with foam darts the new guy as you swear him into your group.

 

Do not let a "hopper" in your clan, if someone says he has been in 16 different communities, you do NOT want him in your group, he is a fickle "clan-hopper".

 

Be a STRONG and FAIR and everyone will respect you.

 

Act civil to people and respect all people, if they will let you.

Play games for fun, but don’t "play with people" by mistreating them.

 


VII. Please don't be a "cloner-group".

Only silly kids start a group and CLONE another pre-existing group's name.

We call these silly kiddy clans (that do this) "cloner-clans".

 

Usually leaders, that are not aware, and/or are too lazy or too stupid to even do simple checks to pick an "original" group name are usually starting up a "flop-group".

 

A flop-group runs for 3 months or less, then "flops" (dies). Make sure that your group’s name is an original name. Pick a clan name that you are proud of and is "presentable" (no cuss words).


VIII. Your community / forum will need some "RULES". It is very important to have some rules and to have them written down, so everyone can read them.

 

That way, they will all know what to expect from the clan and what will be expected from them

 

The community will need some basic rules about:

 

Showing up,

Helping out

NO cheating.

NO cussing.

Always treat people fairly and act civil and human to friendly people.

Clearly explain who is in charge (ie. the COUNCIL).

 

IX. INITIATIONS:

 

"Initiation Ceremonies" can be a lot of fun for everyone.

When you give "TRY OUTS" to new guys, if they pass the try out, part of their in-processing should be an "Initiation Ceremony".

 

The "Initiation Ceremony" of new guys being made a member goes like this is:

 

After the TRY OUT, everyone gets together.

The COUNCIL Member draws a circle on the floor.

The new guys stand on the circle.

Everyone else gets around the circle.

Everyone gets their foam blasters out.

The COUNCIL Member asks the new guy if he/she "Promises to always be loyal to your group".

The New Guy must say "YES".

The COUNCIL Member says "You are now OFFICALLY a Member of the [insert-your -Name] group, Congratulations!!”

Now EVERYONE starts shooting each another, the whole thing goes insane for about 10 minutes!!

[Toys_god_of_War]

The biggest problem with the local costumers and modders is the lack of passion

You don't get a sense of get-up-and-do it in the air.

Just "My mother told me if  I follow them, I will become a pai kia" disappointment.

Where is the sense of purpose?

As for some, they expect miracles without a touch of their own magic.

They have to realize that they play an vital role in shaping community in their roles - so that they're willing to go out on a limb and apply themselves innovatively. 

All for the positive contribution of the community.

Another interesting observation is the process of learning, modding and brainstorming in the works.

Innovation comes from experience and fresh ideas, combined with opportunity to step outside the box.

An undertone of "I know it all, already" and "You can't teach me what I already know" exists in many cases.

As well as pessimism over new ideas. the feeling of  the sense of personal pride in being the best - and adverse reaction to being taught something new, sometimes bruises fragile egos.

We all have to adopt 'people skills'.

The professional interpersonal relationship skills it takes, to guide and mentor and provide feedback positively.

Motivate fellow friends so they can be the best they can be in their hobbies.

We need to be open to feedback, take to guidance and learning.

Keep working on those ideas and solutions, it's perfectly natural to get it wrong the first few times.

Take feedback onboard positively and make it work.

After all, everybody is working on the same idea  "Out with the old, in with the best".