01SEP12 - Weekly Meeting

[Aryte]

[18:01:18] Aryte Vesperia: A very good evening to you all! Welcome and thank you for attending. Please be sure to hold your comments and questions until provided the opportunity to speak. Interruptions affect us all.

[18:01:44] Aryte Vesperia: Statistics

Sworn members: 275 (grand purge last week)

Cadets: 10

Applications

New: 9

Accepted: 1

Denied: 4

Review: 4

Operations

Defensive: 84

Offensive: 7

Allied Assistance: 0

[18:02:04] Aryte Vesperia: Diplomatic notes for this week forgone for primary discussion. On that, unit reports for the evening?

[18:02:12] Hollowmengitus Yifu: ME

[18:02:17] Hollowmengitus Yifu: OH WAIT, IT'S ONLY ME

[18:02:34] Aryte Vesperia: Professor Yifu.

[18:02:37] Hollowmengitus Yifu: Terra has had a slow week. Between school and Planetside 2, raids have begun to dwindle. Please ensure that minimum expectations are held before organizing in a gaming channel to take over some other world.

[18:02:48] Hollowmengitus Yifu: That's all, Dr. Vesparia.

[18:03:07] Aryte Vesperia: Vesparia. Yes.

[18:03:14] Aryte Vesperia: Any additional reports for this evening?

[18:03:38] Aryte Vesperia: Excellent. Then.

[18:04:13] Aryte Vesperia: To reiterate, thank you for taking the time to join us this evening. I had not intended drafting a statement so extravagant until after I complete my examination next week, but a narrative is being painted that so very clearly needs to be addressed and set straight.

[18:04:58] Aryte Vesperia: It would be axiomatic to say that there is a considerable downturn in activity across the community. This is something that we have covered several times. This certainly puts an impact upon our own ability to interact abroad—additionally, consider the trifecta of events engaging us at this juncture: new popular games, the start of the new school year, and the already existing sense of SLMC degradation. The effect is clearly reflected in our raid numbers.

[18:05:47] Aryte Vesperia: This is an unfortunate reality, to be sure, but it is hardly a reality that will persist indefinitely. It is a speed bump—one we will endure handily, grow from, and innovate from.

[18:06:48] Aryte Vesperia: Yesterday, an individual mentioned to me that this is a period of unusual turmoil. She suggested that has a sense of anxiety over the recent events: longstanding officers bowing out, group structure revisions, and a new sim build in the works. As I said to her at the time, I shall say to you all: it excites me. I see innovation, not turmoil.

[18:07:48] Aryte Vesperia: It is certainly regrettable to see members of “the old guard” erode away. Some of the individuals had been here for a long, long while. But time in service hardly makes one an infallible member of the command staff. Over the last several months, we have put an incredible amount of pressure onto the officer staff to be involved and pull the weight afforded to their positions. Some individuals have opted for the route of stepping down and honorably continue service. Others find that too difficult an option have opted to leave. I will let you draw your own conclusions, but I shall underline such with the statement that any of the individuals who left were hardly unexpected exits.

[18:08:49] Aryte Vesperia: There will be a couple of more individuals reassigned before this task is complete, but the vast majority of what is remaining of the officer corps have received letters of conviction and a round of applause for their ability to weather the storm. We are making advances through what is otherwise a tempest of community bullshit. With that, let me change tones a bit.

[18:10:09] Aryte Vesperia: One of the individuals who opted to leave, rather than make good on a pledge to be here until the bloody end, made some comments to me about “people feeling X way.” So, let me assuage everyone’s apparent concerns.

[18:11:13] Aryte Vesperia: Now, I will not name any names. If you happen to figure it out, I would ask that you keep it to yourself. This is not a grand standing or an attempt to defame. It is simply imperative to me to ensure that this purported moral panic be put to a very strong rest.

[18:12:12] Aryte Vesperia: The first matter I wish to cover is the statement that “there is nothing in Second Life to look forward to,” as such “many members of the Ordo are unhappy.” Now, to be sure, ladies and gentlemen, if such is truth I can understand that sentiment. Second Life has turned for the worse over a very long period of time. As for nothing to look forward to, I have to whole heartedly reject that. There is life left to live here on the grid. There are golden events left for us to find or foster. Whether or not you wish to be here for them, well, that is a decision that must be made personally.

[18:13:25] Aryte Vesperia: The suggestion was made that the Ordo should close up shop and leave Second Life, lest we “sink to a new low, like the Mercz.” Now. I have spoken to Lurdan Huszar on a many of occasion. It is true that the Merczateers are suffering matters alike the rest of the community. Some months ago, Mr. Huszar made mention that he was fairly concerned with the state of his group and asked my advice. My advice was: persist. Yesterday, Mr. Huszar notified me that he feels like his group has leveled back out.

[18:14:25] Aryte Vesperia: Friends, to be clear, the only problem the Merczateers suffered was dissolution of their will to persist. Members of their command threw in the towel. I expressed this, and was offered the statement that “the only thing keeping the Ordo together is you (Aryte). But even their loyalty and dedication to you can only last so much when they see their leader starting to crack. They know you're not enjoying this anymore.”

[18:15:28] Aryte Vesperia: Huh, now let me be very clear when I say: the only thing about me that is “cracking” is the fact I am pushing extraordinarily hard to obtain a solid score on an officer exam to launch my career in a new direction. The fact that I am not fond of Second Life is a matter that has been vivid and clear for years upon years. Nevertheless, my dislike for Second Life has never impacted my desire to be here. My dislike for those abroad and this community has done quite the opposite. I have sworn it, and I will swear it again: I would never leave you all to the wolves. I would never cut and run and let this group slip by the wayside. You will be in my heart, my mind, and in my interests so as long as there is one man bearing the Ordo banner.

[18:16:46] Aryte Vesperia: I am /not/ cracking. I have my bad days, my busy days, and days I just do not want to get out of bed. But we all have those days. Never. Never will I have a day so bad or so busy that it would drive me to abandon this group.

[18:17:49] Aryte Vesperia: The individual then suggested that the Ordo has already lost the desire to be part of the SLMC, and that a plan must be made immediately to transverse to another game. He or she suggested that remaining here is toxic, that it is damaging morale and friendships. To that, I very clearly state: we will make arrangements to grow beyond Second Life, but not before our flag is at the pile of rubble that is the SLMC. If individuals wish to run before that day, then let them run. I will make the Ordo anew in whatever platform we so desire, when we have finished our task here. We have obligations left to complete, and frankly, it would entirely foolish for us to assume that we could simply pull up roots and move to X game. We cannot shirk our founding. We are an SLMC organization. We must be certain that we remove ourselves from this community in a manner that respects the legacy so many men fought to

[18:18:29] Aryte Vesperia: Fought to build, rather.

[18:19:32] Aryte Vesperia: To be certain, there will be a time that we will move on. There will be a time that SLMC is no longer sustaining our growth. But now is not that time. Now is the time that we weather this storm. Now is the time that we grow, and push for more. We will bleed the SLMC of every man and woman worth taking, finish our battles, and respectfully step out when it is clear and apparent that our dominance is absolute. Not one damn moment sooner.

[18:20:26] Aryte Vesperia: To this, I was told that the Ordo could “degrade and collapse to the point where your decision to stick to it makes Ordo and you look like a laughing stock, rather than what you're aiming for.”

[18:21:30] Aryte Vesperia: Pardon me, my friends, but for all the effort and intelligence out there, I can so very simply summarize my sentiments with two words: fuck off. We will only look like a laughing stock if people prematurely throw in the towel and throw away those pledges to be there until the bloody end. We only look like fools by retreating in the guise of taking the high road. But I know that is not an option for so many of you. I have already received an outpouring of reaffirmed desire to make good. Although I have never doubted it, I appreciate that so damn much.

[18:22:41] Aryte Vesperia: The future is ours, if we so will it to be. This organization is not done here. Our path will inevitably be to move on. I want you all with me when we do move on. But until that day, I need you all to be convicted to making every battle the best. I need you to hold the line, push forward, and take the battle to the enemies—embrace it, not as a grim sentiment that “oh, the SLMC is going to die.” Embrace is as sense of going out with glory.

[18:23:09] Aryte Vesperia: It as a sense, rather.

[18:24:01] Aryte Vesperia: No time spent here is time ill spent. It isn’t like the traits, the skills, and the professionalism we build among one another in a sim won’t be valuable or transfer over to another platform. Further, we have no way to know if the SLMC is dead tomorrow, or a year from now. But you can rest assured; the Ordo will be here until the very last day. I just pray you will be here with me. And I pray that you all join me in wherever our next journey may be.

[18:27:10] Aryte Vesperia: I take my exam on the 6th. After which, I should have several months of time to devote my uninterrupted attentions back to the Ordo. Time that I will spend revitalizing our core structure and enhancing our standing in the world. Hold that line for me. Take the battle to the enemy for me.

[18:28:30] Aryte Vesperia: I have the utmost faith in all of you. In six years, that faith has never betrayed me.

[18:29:54] Aryte Vesperia: That is all. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us. Thank you for your time. Dismissed!

[18:29:57] Aryte Vesperia snaps his fist to his chest, presenting a brief salute.

[18:30:00] Wynand Doomdale thumps his paw to his chest and salutes.

[18:30:01] Blaze Wiles Salutes!

[18:30:01] conger Mint salutes!

[18:30:02] Shizzerk Kostolany salutes!

[18:30:03] Ken Bremer salutes!

[18:30:03] Christoph Batra salutes

[18:30:03] Heavy666 Bolden salutes.

[18:30:03] Afevis Sodertelge salutes.

[18:30:05] Intus Infinity presents a salute.

[18:30:05] Kurama Bingyi pounds his fist in salute and says something in Koreanese.

[18:30:05] Siaetto Resident salutes!

[Larry Furlough]

Beautiful.

[Dascede]

That was amazing. Thanks, Aryte, for that keynote. It was empowering.

[SalemAdams Wobbit]

That is a well-composed speech. Couldn't say anything better myself.

I would argue that the SLMC is just going through a rough patch, but I am also going to be optimistic. With some of the tools that are coming out and have been out, we may see the SLMC reinvent itself. Such as pathfinding and mesh.

I'm replying from my phone at this time, but I'll elaborate in a different thread when I get home.

[Aryte]

My pleasure. Genuinely.

[RobHusky]

It has been an honor to be apart of Ordo and you will have my gun until the end my Imperator.

-Salutes-

[Vincent Kroitschov]

Ordo, you have seen generations of new soldiers come and go but the truth is... we are a family.. yep I said it a family. We may bicker from time to time or lose our way, but we all have an extraordaniry drive to push forward when times are rough. I've been around long enough to know that the ordo WILL survive and will push forward if you believe that we can do it. I may be on loa but I do read the meetings when I can and it does pain me that small issues are blown way out of proportion. The best advice I can give you is to stfu and listen to aryte. He has lots of love for you and if you don't want it then gtfo. That said, keep dem raids popping! Because if I hear "I'm bored" or "there's nothing to do" ima shoot you in the foot myself! (Jk about the possible tk lol) but you can always take your strengths and turn them into something productive for the ordo. Even if all you know how to do is run around and shoot things, you can hold random training exercises. Hell even a training that is turned into a mini game of some sort would be awesome! The only ingredients needed would be fun, perseverence, and a granola bar for a job well done (helps you keep regular so you can go afk... lol jk).