Tamos Shan

Oh, I know Agares. I don't expect instant results. That'd be foolish. I know things take time, and I have heard that CATI has slowly been improving, but I don't hear or see much else. Of course, I attribute that mostly to both my previous inactivity and my lack of overall experiance. I still think we could do much more. Shift the focus, like you said, become a little more transparent. I'm not saying we go out force other groups to act as we act. But perhaps just reach out to them. My other suggestion is, perhaps, we form some sort of diplomatic division on a more official capacity. What I found out was that we didn't actually have one. We only had a few individuals in the administration specifically tailored for diplomatic relations. Who are they? What do they do? How often do they do what they do? I don't really know, and i'm sure many others not of the Administration or "in the know" have any idea either. To me, having an official diplomatic office within Ordo would help immensely with transparency and community outreach, as it would be a visible effort, and show to other groups we're serious about making this community as fun and as fair as we can.

Thanks to Bracket Crowley and Kishoshima for helping me resettle back in and work on becoming active again. They've really helped me and answered all of my questions quickly and informatively.

I can understand the issues with doing anything to stem the tide of unfair tactics and rampant cheating. I totally understand that it's tough. But to me, that's all the more reason to try. When something gets hard, or seemingly impossible, is the best course of action to give up? Is the best idea to just, not do anything? Hell no. You try harder. You step up your game. Change your approach. I don't see Ordo as the kind of group to just up and quit. We're not quitters. We're also not a bunch of sissies who can't handle a little challenge. (And I don't mean facing cheaters and trying to win fairly. That's not a challenge, that's just asinine.) The community is not going to change itself. Nor should we expect it to. Expecting that would be tantamount to foolishness. We have an obligation to change the community for the better. We're a part of it, and it's our job to make it as fun and as fair as possible. Hell, I think we have more of an obligation than most other groups because of a multitude of reasons; 1: We're the largest SL mil on the grid. Our presence alone is enough to instill fear and respect. 2: We're one of the oldest/longest lasting groups. This alone shows we have the experience, the knowledge, and the ability to shape the community. 3: We're one of the most respected. Many groups and non-affiliated folks within the community look up to Ordo. They may not openly voice such a sentiment, but it's true. Just the activity against us alone proves that. You don't attack a small, weak group to prove your skill, prowess, etc. No, you go after the large, well established groups. Now, i'm not saying we control the community. Far from it. But we should reach out. Kisho mentioned the Diplomatic branch. I had no idea it even existed. I had no idea we did ANYTHING like that. To me, that means we're not doing enough to reach the community. If a member within your own group had no idea such a division existed, then there are issues that need to be addressed. We focus so much on the combat that the rest gets pushed by the wayside. Sure, i've not been around as much or as long as some folks. Sure i'm not privy to a lot of information that others may be. But what I do know, and what I do see, is that we're so focused on the actual military part of it, that the diplomatic, the community side of it, gets lost, pushed away, forgotten. My suggestion is we work to change this. We work to open up this diplomatic division we have, push it more. This community is not JUST about the combat. It's about the fellowship, the fun, the shared excitement of something we all enjoy doing. If we cannot highlight this, exemplify this. If we cannot make this valuable, and needed commodity more visible, then we may as well join the rest on the wayside, and watch this community fall further and further until it's just a mess of squabbling children, cheating asshats, and frustration. Just because it's hard, doesn't mean it can't be done. We don't give up.

I can understand that. But if we only act in accordance with what others perceive us as, we're never going to show how we truly are. I'm not saying we bully anyone. I'm not saying we tell others how to act. I'm saying...we should mentor these newer groups. Show them how it's done, rub off on them. Become...an example. You're more likely to get abetter reaction that way, than any other way. And if they don't wish to follow our example, and go their own way, fine. But if it goes beyond what we see as honorable, then we should not entertain their habits. As an example. Edit: And what I mean by Mentor, is not just do what we're doing now, but invite these groups to Titan or Chronus. Show them how we do things. How we fight. Tactics, how to take advantage of your surroundings fairly, etc. Joint training ops, etc. That sort of thing. Why do you think Erebus was the most fun to fight against? Many of us, though we may groan when they show up, love fighting them. why? Because they were mostly Ex-Ordo. They followed the example they were taught while in Ordo. They were a hell of a good time to fight. Some of the most fun i've ever had.

And yet, we don't go far enough.

I am not expecting it in a "video game". I am expecting it from fellow human beings.

Attacking other groups, yes. I will always defend Titan regardless of who is attacking. It is my duty to defend it. But on the assault, I will not entertain those groups we know to be flagrantly cheating, breaking rules, or using cheap and unfair tactics.

Before I start off, I would like to introduce myself to those folks who do not know me. I've been a long time friend of Ordo, only recently having joined their ranks in any official capacity. Though this happened near the beginning of the year, I took a break and moved to inactive duty due to real life issues. But I have slowly become active again in the past few weeks, even so much as going on my first ever raid with Ordo today. My first raid was lead by Krow Ames, along with 14 others, we attacked CATI. It took about an hour, but we finally left victorious. My second raid, followed a couple of hours later, led by Ron Bleac, along with 5 others, and a few neutrals, against X-Corps. We left within an hour, no true victory claimed. Sure we took a few points, but it wasn't enough or much of anything to claim. What i'm going to talk about is our assumed Moral High Ground when it comes to those groups who blatantly and continuously break their rules, our rules, and every other unwritten rule when it comes to fair and balanced combat. I understand we're attempting to show we're the better group, the bigger man, what have you. But when it comes down to constantly being beaten, or never even given the chance to win, that Moral High Ground devolves into the Doormat for them to walk all over. A fellow comrade told me that I should be appreciative of there even being anyone to attack. I can understand such a sentiment, to a point. There IS a line to appreciation. That line was crossed. I cannot and will not, ever, appreciate a group that holds no honor, no morals, no integrity when it comes to combat. We're here to have fun, to enjoy a unique hobby within this virtual world. But when one group unceasingly breaks every rule set forth by this hobby, when this group destroys the fun that this hobby is supposed to have, when this group does everything they can, regardless of it's morality, to claim a hollow victory, it turns this fun hobby into a stressful chore. Not only that, it brings us dishonor, and inadvertantly ingrains into them that they can continue with this reprehensible behavior unhindered. What do I mean by this? When we continuously entertain these groups in the effort of the Higher Moral Ground, we're inadvertantly allowing these groups to believe they can continue to act as they have. Cheating, breaking rules, utilizing dishonorable tactics to win. With our supposed Moral action, we're allowing these groups to believe what they're doing is okay. They will believe that they do not have to stop. That they can break more rules, go even further into the depths of depravity to garner a hollow victory. We become the Doormat in which these groups walk over with their falsely gained beliefs. We gain dishonor by allowing them to even attain such a thought. Why do we entertain this? We do we continue to allow this to happen? I understand this hobby, this community, requires other groups to actually be sustainable, but when some of the groups do anything they can to win, do anything they can to make our time as hard as possible, it does more harm to our community than ignoring them will. Let me make this clear. This is NOT about victory. This is NOT about winning. This is simply about being given a fair chance at attaining said victory. It is the chance to win that drives us. It is the chance of success that pushes us to work harder. But when we allow these groups, these stains upon our otherwise fair and fun community, we allow their actions to become the norm. And like a virus, other groups will pickup on that, emulate that, and spread, bringing our community further down into the depths of immorality, dishonor, and loss of integrity. We're Ordo. We pride ourselves on being honorable, moral, and with integrity when it comes to combat within the community. We should show this pride by denying these groups our attentions. Otherwise, we become no better than them, allowing them to continue their despicable actions, and turning the Moral High Ground into the Doormat. "If Ordo let's us, then it's okay." Do not let this become our legacy. Put a stop to this here and now. I, Tamos Shan E-2 Discens, hereby state that I will not actively involve myself with any group who flagrantly cheat, breaks ours and their own rules, or lies to win. I will not stand for it, not now, not ever. None of us should. Glory to the Imperator, Glory to the Ordo Imperialis

Wanna give thanks to those who have been extremely helpful with me my first few days, and dealing with all of my questions. Those include, but are not limited to Acheron Gloom, BurrWolf Qin, Winterz (Can't remember last name), Krow Ames, Ron Blaec, Kishoshama, and a few others I can't remember. I really appreciate taking your time to help me!

Greetings, everyone. I'm Tamos, and brand new to the Ordo, only been enlisted about a day and a half. I've enjoyed what i've experianced immensely thus far, and look forward to having more fun with you guys in the future!

I can't seem to be able to upload an avatar image. It's a Jpeg, 7.4 KB, and under 100x100 Pixels. What gives?

Joshua Cole Hamilton, Ohio (Near Cincinnati and Dayton) 513-544-1048 (Cell)

Hey, i'm the only crossdressing, bisexual, male neko in Hello Kitty Punk. I'm hawt. =P

Heya all, I was drug into the Munitorium thingy by Krow and Dagger. And then forced me to make a Chainsword and Powesword of uber win. Wanna see it, ask em, or me. Aryte thinks the Chainsword is badass. So, if that's any reason to see it, there! Bye!