[S] Increasing community spirit

[Syaoran-Puu]

I have been considering this for a while..... I know a lot of people at one point were complaining that their are a lot of 'cliques' in soquili sometimes, groups that will communicate with each other but not really pay attention to the conversations or others.... which of course leads to people being ignored, now I am NOT saying that this is done on purpose, soquili is an insanly fast moving thread and it is impossible to keep track of everyone plus people generally only look for the replies of the people they are talking too when it moves quickly. It's just a fact.

However.... this sort of lacks the feeling of 'community spirit'. I know with the CYO plushies, more breeding slots and other things being offered their is a general air of satisfaction in the store; I personally think it is awsome that a lot of newbies and oldbies (can't ignore the oldbies now can we XD) have recieved plushy turned soq..... you colourists have done a great job of it. Still I feel something is missing..... yes, it is great there are so many soquili but I genuinely believe that soquili is about so much more than just getting a soquili. It is about family, friends, connections, stories, plotting...... what starts out as a friendship can turn to love... etc.

So down to my suggestion:
I remember there use to be a 'soquili press' or some such thing, and it was always fun to see what was happening in the lives of many of the soquili owners. Be it a really fun RP, a lifemating, a breeding slot after so much time, first soquili..... even finally getting a quest or just quest funds. It gave the store a feel of 'togetherness' and I would really like to see it back. I know we also have the spotlight awards but I think this is completely different....

The problem is:
It would need someone to monitor it or select the stories that make it.

However it could literally be a group of volenteers......
• There could be two threads, one for everyone to post things in that they would like to see in the more 'official' announcement. And the second a conclusion or 'article' written by the volenteers and including lots of different things that have occured that month........

Or it could be that it is just a thread where everyone posts their news..... the only problem is that this seems a little..... sterile to me, since there really isn't any togetherness or inclusion of everything. *shrug*
Same people being posted all the time. Could be a limit to one suggestion per person a month...... or every two months depending on how popular it is or gets.

The advantages are:
People start to feel like they are part of something.
Would continue to encourage stories and RP.... I am so happy the RP community seems to be thriving again!
May reduce the likelyhood of 'hit and run' newbies, since many fade out because they feel ignored or alone in such a large store.

Do you guys have any suggestions on a way to help increase community spirit? Please post!! Thanks! :) xxx

---------------------------

I do apologise for any mistakes and or sentences that don't make sence, no sleep last night so my brain is a little groggy.
*huggles*  

[Faid Shadowlight]

Hate to say I'm a maybe here. While I would love to see soquili have a more community feel I think this could backfire badly with the most vocal getting all the attention. I dont know about others but I'm not one for self promotion so I would probably never offer any news happy as I might be about plots, breedings or other things.  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

I think it would be a good idea.
But I also think maybe to help newbies feel more welcomed that everyone in the shop rally together into groups to 'guide' the newbies. Then they will have someone to RP with, talk to and to ask questions about the shop. Maybe there is a rotation to it as well? So that EVERYONE has to help. I think that will help raise community spirit. :]  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Faid Shadowlight

Hate to say I'm a maybe here. While I would love to see soquili have a more community feel I think this could backfire badly with the most vocal getting all the attention. I dont know about others but I'm not one for self promotion so I would probably never offer any news happy as I might be about plots, breedings or other things.

Completely understandable. In situations like this it could be that the person plotting with you suggests it..... or the volenteers who select things could possible try and look for random others ones to add to the list. I guess this would depend on how much time was available, how much time and how many posted suggestions for inclusion are posted.

Thank you for your sound point though Faid! =D

Anyone got any ideas to help sort this?
It is possible that with time more and more people will become more comfortable posting things for possible selection..... I dunno. smile  

[Graceangel]

I like the overall idea of this. However, while you did hit on it, I think it might be worthwhile to mention. If it ends up seeming like the same circle of people with major announcements, how is that supposed to take away the feeling that people have about their being cliques in soquili? To them it might seem a more perpetuating of existing cliques.

I think it might be good to do as Kiana says. To find a way to open up participation and activity to shop newbies.

I definitely like that it could be contributed to and in large part ran outside of shop staff. This way it is open to everyone.  

[Syaoran-Puu]

~Kiana_Nala~

I think it would be a good idea.
But I also think maybe to help newbies feel more welcomed that everyone in the shop rally together into groups to 'guide' the newbies. Then they will have someone to RP with, talk to and to ask questions about the shop. Maybe there is a rotation to it as well? So that EVERYONE has to help. I think that will help raise community spirit. :]

Thanks for the support! =D *huggles*

Although I like the idea in principle I do not believe we could force anyone to help.... it would sort of have the opposite effect after a while and people will come to recent it. However I do agree and like the idea of trying to help Newbies feel more comfortable.

If everyone tried to include a newbie every now and then then eventually more and more people will follow suit, and it would help them intergrate themselves into the store.

From what I remember from helping newbies they generally all have the same starting questions.
Where do I RP? (Open Canon RP)
How do I get a teepee? (Roll stats and request from from the teepee mule along with payment)
Where can I go to look for plots? (Plot section)
The confusion aspect of soquili is that there are two guilds and lots of subforums. Although they are obvious when you get use to them they are rather daunting to begin with.

Perhaps a newbie guide? Posted in the first post of the main store (just a link).... that may help answer most questions and prevent people feeling silling having to ask such questions. I know a lot of newbies tend to prefer to struggle because they don't want to look like a newbie.  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Graceangel

I like the overall idea of this. However, while you did hit on it, I think it might be worthwhile to mention. If it ends up seeming like the same circle of people with major announcements, how is that supposed to take away the feeling that people have about their being cliques in soquili? To them it might seem a more perpetuating of existing cliques.

I think it might be good to do as Kiana says. To find a way to open up participation and activity to shop newbies.

I definitely like that it could be contributed to and in large part ran outside of shop staff. This way it is open to everyone.

Now..... I have a little problem XD
Although I love newbies getting their soquili and stuff... soquili is NOT all about newbies. Yes they are important, add fresh blood to the store and activity to keep it active and diverse but the oldbies are just as important! /end rant XD (sorry)

But anyways, yeah I do agree that some way to prevent the same people always getting selected would be needed. Which is why I suggested the limit on one post per person every one or two months. Of course there may be some overlaps where person A has a plot with person B and C, and person B also has a plot with person C, while person D stands alone..... or whatever. But I suppose it would depend on how popular it is.... I think we would need to find a way to encourage people who wouldn't normally (like Faid said) post to post.... that would help mix and add diversity to the listings.  

[Syaoran-Puu]

@Lyda: Thank you for the support.

Generally I like your suggestions.... except maybe the 'staff member part'...... unless there was a volenteer from the staff who had time to do this I am not sure we should request on to (nor can we request that a new staff member should be hired), it would add more work to their already busy schedules and then you get the issue of what would you prefer to happen.... have staff make soquili or have them do other things.

Another guild may also become problematic.....

Also.... I don't think there would be a need for:
Details on the Shop's Spotlight Pets/Teepees
Simply because they are already announced in the thread, and are generally announced at a different time around the first week or so of the month. I guess it would all depend when the 'newspaper' article went out. That said, it would be nice to include it since it is part of the community, and would not count towards a persons volenteered suggestion for the paper since they don't have control over the nominations.

I must say that having a nomination were you can suggest someone else plot or RP that you read or enjoyed would also be a great idea to get people who wouldn't actually volenteer themselves involved. Thanks!  

[Syaoran-Puu]

LydaLynn

So while I was writing my post - many comments happened.

I know right! XD It's insane.  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Ah ok! XD Thankies for clearing that up... then yeah newspaper volenteer staff is fine. hehehe.
*huggles*

Yeah I understand why you wanted the newspaper guild, I just don't think many people will sign up.... plus it costs a lot to send a message to a lot of people, so maybe an official newspaper mule would be good? Or a thread in the RP guild with all the editions of newspaper posted by the paper mule.

I must say.....
I would love it if the paper also had volenteers to do doodles or art, maybe to support a particular good RP or couple.... or just as a random roll to see who gets it that month. This could be done by anyone who wanted, and wouldn't have to be a masterpiece. smile
Comics and doodles and art would be nice to break up a wall of text. May also give people added motivation to participate.  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

Syaoran-Puu

Thanks for the support! =D *huggles*

Although I like the idea in principle I do not believe we could force anyone to help.... it would sort of have the opposite effect after a while and people will come to recent it. However I do agree and like the idea of trying to help Newbies feel more comfortable.

If everyone tried to include a newbie every now and then then eventually more and more people will follow suit, and it would help them intergrate themselves into the store.

From what I remember from helping newbies they generally all have the same starting questions.
Where do I RP? (Open Canon RP)
How do I get a teepee? (Roll stats and request from from the teepee mule along with payment)
Where can I go to look for plots? (Plot section)
The confusion aspect of soquili is that there are two guilds and lots of subforums. Although they are obvious when you get use to them they are rather daunting to begin with.

Perhaps a newbie guide? Posted in the first post of the main store (just a link).... that may help answer most questions and prevent people feeling silling having to ask such questions. I know a lot of newbies tend to prefer to struggle because they don't want to look like a newbie.

Your welcome! :3 *huggles back*

Very true. Although, I think most of the people in the shop would be willing to if there was a rotation so the same people were not doing it all the time. Or a group of volunteers in general. :]

I shall come up with more idea's later! > biggrin