Hi all! I'm Xev. I'm the self-appointed, tongue-in-cheek Empress of Ur. I've taken a leave of absence for a few months prior to the new housing release, but have returned to reconnect with friends and explore new features. Some of you might remember me from my ridiculously successful marketing scheme to promote an underground splank club (which is not dead or forgotten, just resting).
Now that that's out of the way, this isn't going to be a dramatic post, or a lecture (hopefully). It's also not a goodbye rage-quit type of thing. It's just some observations I want to share - whether or not they are relevant is up to you. I'll also try to keep it brief.
1. Glitch is a game that is a lot of things to a lot of people, many of those things are often contradictory. I find it amusing when people attempt to define what Glitch is in any sort of authoritative way.
2. Along that same vein, defining what Glitch isn't also seems to be pretty popular. If something is not very Glitch-like, someone's going to make a post about it. What you enjoy about Glitch and what is "Glitchy" to you may completely contradict another person's definitions of those very same things. Don't fight that. And don't fight about it. It's like pissing into the wind.
3. Few things are absolute. Most things aren't. Remember when people fought viciously about whether or not people could be evicted from their homes? Remember how those debates continued without pause even after the new housing plans were announced? Shit changes, and those changes, especially here, tend to be literal game changers. When discussing new features and new potential features, try to take into consideration both sides of the issue. Remember, Glitch is a lot of things to a lot of people, and your idea of a good time isn't necessarily someone else's. Don't assume that other people have nefarious intentions just because they disagree with you. We are all occasionally guilty of this, including me. Take a step back and try to see the other side of the issue. Don't just latch on to one thing that offends you and use that as a straw man to debate the entire topic.
4. Don't worry about it. There's very little point in getting all worked up over stuff that is still in beta. That isn't to say that your opinions aren't important or relevant - they're especially important and relevant because we're in beta. Just try not to get so upset. Passion is a good thing, but not if it's getting some of you so riled up that you start freaking out on the forums and doing things you'll probably regret when you're a little calmer. This is a game that you can pick up and leave off as needed. Take a break if you're not feeling it. No one will hold that against you.
5. I think if I could identify one universal truth about Glitch, it's that we LOVE beating dead horses. I'm sorry, lobe? Is that what we're calling it now? Dead horses. We beat them. We get these looooong, rambling threads that usually devolve into people commenting on how it's stupid to comment in the topic anymore. While I get a tiny thrill from this ironic rebellion, it's pretty disrespectful to the people who are debating the topic in earnest. Even if the debate has gotten absurd.
But all these things aside, Glitch is a lot of fun. If it wasn't, none of us would be here. We all can't be wrong, can we? As the game changes, our idea of fun necessarily changes. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. When our style of play is forced to change it can be upsetting, especially if Glitch has become a favorite past time. There's a certain injustice to that that doesn't really have a good outlet.
The game IS in beta. The game, by definition, will change, and it will necessarily affect all of us. That said, those feelings of frustration are completely legitimate. And there's really only so much TS can do to mitigate that frustration. Digital creamy martinis and iMG only goes so far to soothe some wounds that we haven't figured out how to talk about. The forum is a great place to blow off that steam, and it's the best place to do it.
Tl;dr? It's okay to be frustrated when the game changes, even though that's what you signed up for. Your opinions and ideas are totally important and relevant. So are everyone else's. It's a little scary when everyone is being heard, especially if that means someone's idea that you don't like is being taken into consideration. But don't worry too much. We're all in this together. That's what makes Glitch great.
P.S.
Don't be too hard on the people who handle these pressures in a way you don't think is appropriate. It's 'just a game,' but it's not just a game. It's a lot of things to a lot of people. Let it be.