UnSeen

I just took a look into my videos and pictures from various meet ups and this has got to be a favourite memory.
@UnSeen @Hypnotized @Mintlou
 

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xoxo

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xoxo

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xoxo

Hey
Many of you are aware of it already but this is the public post to make it official.
After taking a long time to come to this decision, I have decided to step down from Head-Admin and being part of staff. It took so long to finally decide as for a while I felt that I couldn't step down in a sense, but I feel like the timing is right and I didn't want to continue in a role which I was struggling to find the will to work in.
There are a multitude of reasons for it being now and people can feel free to message me if they want to talk further, but I'd rather talk about my time as staff rather than focusing on the leaving.
Outbreak has put countless obstacles, challenges and environments in my path for me to deal with and given me a depth of experience that not many people can say they've taken from an online role. From running events to dealing with people on a more personal level, I have been able to grasp an understanding of people from so many different backgrounds.
Unlike back when I was moderator on CSS, there was a level of emotion to it this time that I never had before and I can only say I'm grateful for being able to work on this community in that way. It might just be an online gaming community but it means a lot to me. Outbreak became something that putting time into was more valuable to me than a lot of things which other people might have thought should have taken priority, but I'm glad that it did.
One of my few regrets is that during my time we weren't able to establish expansion on a server level for a prolonged period of time. We grew as a core community and, in my opinion, became far more unified than we were before I entered the position but it appears the task of further game server expansion is on the shoulders of those who I will leave.
I'd like to thank everyone who has ever put or will put voluntary work into this community, as staff or otherwise. I will still be around as a member (though busy due to exams for the near future) and if I ever decide to return to staff I'll work my way up, the way any ex staff member should.
My only request is that as a community we try show our appreciation for those who put effort in a bit more. I'm aware many of you do appreciate people's efforts and you do mean well, but showing that bit of acknowledgement and perhaps turning the whining or picking into doing or constructing would go a long way towards progressing this community further.
For anyone who is confused: Kwaheri means Goodbye in Swahili.
Thank you Outbreak
Mathew

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

bro wtf wheres the tl;dr i cant read

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

When an OB thread actually gets some actual responses for a bit ?
Just to Wist and Venga's posts, that I think present the issues of most of OB stretching further back than even when I was HA but also the way most of OB have been looking at it.
I completely agree that there is a divide and you have to consider about uniting the community somehow and/or letting one group take the lead, but you both address the fact to solve this you have to find a server platform that fits and I'm asking you if there really is single one that fits like we used to have? It's good to realise the overall problems but no one has ever been able to actually suggest game platforms that would solve it. Furthermore, whatever suggestions are put forward in a public thread or channel often just put pressure on staff to oblige rather than make their own decision, work on it and set something up.
There is a lack of fresh games atm (imo at least) that allow for community building that the core(s) of this community would actually keep returning to for an extended period of time. Which leaves you either to focus on a game mode that a small minority of the community will play but could bring in new people, or whether you want to focus on bringing together the current community and get it back to a more welcoming state. I personally would pick the latter first, I joined OB for the people and thriving community - any fucker can own a game server, does OB need one right now to function?
I'm not around to judge the current situation aside from reading forum posts so I could be wrong, but this community can flick itself back on easily. OB also has a bad habit of being melodramatic. I would recommend people who have actual physical suggestions to take them directly to staff, for me that would show you are sending it because you want to contribute rather than jumping on thread bandwagons or applying unnecessary pressure (obviously if you want a wider discussion about something that's different, but you get my point).
either way,
memes xoxo

First off, I'd like to point out that Sony is an irredeemable shit cunt.
 
Secondly, largely agree with Wist's points, but I think SOME of the problem is age related. Big gaps in ages mean a lot of us fogies won't get on playing something like Jailbreak, which is actually an amazing game mode for community building. I'd suggest either:
 
1) we try find some silver bullet that fogies enjoy, young LADS enjoy, but is also conducive to community building.
2) we let the young LADS take the lead. I'm sure there are good characters among them who would help populate servers. That I don't know more definitively on this says more about me and my TS habits than it does them. This I think is the more obvious way forward, but less ideal in that it won't use ALL of what OB presently had to offer wrt characters in the community.
 
ps I'm gay

tl;dr: a siloed community will derail any project in the long-term
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I'm flattered people thought I was a good owner. Hats off to Conor, who I really just supported.
 
One thing OB HAS to solve is how siloed it's become. OGs in one channel, and I don't even know how many others groups hang around in the other channels. Is that my fault? Probably slightly, but I am less active than I've ever been now. No, it's not black and white OGs vs. the world, but this community is circles within circles. Conor had a fair point when he said people don't talk to him on the day-to-day from these posts. They had a point when they said, conversely, Conor didn't talk to them.
 
Why did it work in the old days? Coherency, for one thing: people played with more or less everyone, and OB had (and I'll say it again, as I have for the last year) a brand. OB Members were consistent: consistently good CSS players, good wardens, good Ts, good community members. They were almost all friends, too: at least without the immediate trolling. I think people have rightfully pointed out that when the mods felt obliged to police the community, people did care more about being inclusive. It meant they actually played together, and the community was exactly that: a community. And because we had a coherent community, it meant OB could and did take jailbreak dramatically more seriously, and more creatively, then most any other rival jailbreak community in existence. For two years, whenever we ventured onto Hellsgaming or any of the other JB communities, we always stole the show with our commanding. Thus, a virtuous circle.
 
How do you fix it? I know I'm sounding like I'm reeling off corporate bullshit here, but OB needs to produce a product again. Two parts to this: it has to be
good marketable Yes, I know this is obvious to everyone. But if it is going to be (1), it has to be consistently good, which means getting the community - yes, the real, whole community - to play it together. Break down the barriers, meet the new upstarts, or the old fogeys upstairs, whichever one you are. And if it's going to be (2), it actually has to have a realistic chance of success. Minecraft servers do not achieve this because unless they're massively innovative and set-up like Hypixel (which is, as far as I can tell, a multi-million dollar company) because Minecraft is not, to my memory, particularly conducive to people stumbling across it. Without VoIP, it's also very hard to actually give an OB-brand or touch to. Jailbreak's genius was that it was a game that revolved around characters. Our best wardens were good characters. Outbreak has, and still does have, a wealth of characters. People here are funny as hell. And they're funnier now than they've ever been, no doubt. Unless OB is hoping to transition to a soulless corporate machine like Hypixel, then it has to solve all these problems simultaneously:
What will actually bring the whole community together? If the answer is genuinely nothing, then you've already got two+ communities. What gamemode is actually conducive to people stumbling across it? YouTube or Twitch help with this stuff, but there has to be some natural osmosis - e.g. a decent and reliable server browser that we can feasibly sit on top of, all day long. What game has sufficient controls and mechanics, as well as VoIP, such that OB can actually put some character into it?  
If I'm sure of one thing, sustained contact builds community bridges. Gaffer and Mintlou hated each other. Five years on, and Mintlou will make an appearance at Gaffer's (send out the damn invites already) wedding.

fuck you for leaving this shit turned into a weeb fag fest

no one wants to be seen out with u

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@UnSeen
Someones clearly been missing the CIV games...

Good to see you haven't changed at all in 6 years, now go get a gcse for me xoxo

You'll be looking for a while, I don't live at home anymore ?
ye

You'll be looking for a while, I don't live at home anymore ?
ye

You'll be looking for a while, I don't live at home anymore ?
ye

You'll be looking for a while, I don't live at home anymore ?
ye

anyone here gay