SSS is No More
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 7:41 am
Copied from the SS forums.
The title says it all, but I have more to say.
After being severely burned out and undecided for two weeks, and suffering through a period of the flu and some serious work after a major news event which you have all heard about and can understand the pressure I was under, I came back tonight...
...only to find that everything has been a total unmitigated disaster.
Before anyone starts saying "It wasn't me", listen very closely: I am not blaming anyone in particular.
I am blaming everyone.
And that includes me.
The problem with Superstars this time was that I didn't listen to my gut feeling. The first day of retail, it already had become the biggest LS on the server and it didn't stop. It did so because most people from beta landed on this server because of me. That was fine and since I busted my butt getting everyone here, I can only blame myself - but I'm still glad I did it.
The bad news was that since everyone was there and almost nobody had any seed money, everyone wanted a Superstars pearl. It was fun at first. But then everyone wanted to add their friends and I just didn't feel like saying no because everyone was so happy to be back - me included. In retrospect, I should have been a little more stern about that.
But what's done is done. Superstars boomed, and then faded as many finally got into their original respective linkshells, leaving a lot of clueless people behind who stayed, which was nice because some of them are great. Some stayed, some left, most wanted their friends in as well.
Then a lot of the old timers grew a little upset over the fact that it was so different, which I can understand, but they took action which I could not and simply left for other linkshells. I don't blame them for this because that's only natural.
Now, most of the original people are gone and visit infrequently at best. We have a group of people with no basis for fellowship like we did in beta, because the recruiting was so random, of which I am completely to blame. I see that, believe me.
But I do remember telling people to cool it, and to make the LS the best in the game by being the best example of friendship and helpful attitudes both in private and public. And it didn't happen. Nobody listened. Nobody did it. Nobody cared. Maybe some of you did some things which were token, but believe me, a hell of a lot of crap came back my way from other linkshells - a lot of whom I was very close with at one time. Not only that, I've started getting a bad reputation in the game because of the actions of some others, and because of the fighting and bickering.
So what to do? I come back and it's a disaster. Do I kick most people out? A lot of people might be fighting with each other for legitimate reasons, but they're still fighting and how can I punish some and not others?
No I've decided not to "punish" anyone. I'm going to drop the LS soon. I'm giving everyone some time to adjust and move on to other shells. Fizzle has quit the game and I don't see any reason why he should have to host these boards any longer either, so I will probably try to archive them someplace and then ask this place to be closed down as well. I am not going to be joining any other linkshells, at least for now. I am going to change and be quiet and I am neither going to lead nor follow until I decide what is best for me.
I'm very sorry, upset, and incredibly sad that it has to end this way. But I see that it ended a while ago, only I was so burned out that I didn't do anything about it. Now I'm suffering even more because of that. But yes, it is over. I'm not changing my mind.
Superstars was a great group in beta, and sometimes in retail. But because it was the central point of so many different groups of people, it was never bound to last in retail. There was too much randomness about it after we restarted it. We had nothing in common. I don't even think I've met half the people who are regularly on it by now.
I'm sorry it has to be this way, but it is for the best. Time for you, and the rest, to start fresh.
I won't destroy the pearl right away but be ready for it soon so make all the arrangements you can. I'll still see you in game, if I'm playing - because I'm still not sure I'm up to it anymore. But that's another story. For now, I'm fed up. I'm fed up of getting a bad name when I told everyone to cool it, and I'm fed up of being smeared online and in game for the behavior of others, and I'm fed up of seeing a chat room for insults, bashing, and total disrespect between members. You can blame me for a ton of things, but I never - ever - went on the LS to just bash members like some have done.
Well, it's over. I had lots of fun, and some painful memories as well. I may be upset with some but I still love you anyway. But this is the way it is.
I hope you all understand and forgive me.
Berry.