MDA Restoration

[Firsanthalas]

A few points.

First of all a negative one.

I've always seen the archives as a whole, as a group to report and record information. You can debate the finer points as to the roles and functions of an Archivist or a legend Seeker, but as a whole, that is what I've always believed a major part of MDA's existence to be about.
So its a bit disconcerting to see that you are incorrect in information about your own land, let alone others.
In the past I've been approached about reps from MDA doing some kind of reports and records on Loreroot and the other lands. It seemed to get rather complicated and messy and I felt that I had to chase things up. In the end it fell flat before it ever started. From my perspective it was a stunning failure.

That being said. Things and people have changed. If I may suggest, you should contact people and seek out information. I know that your numbers are small, but start with what you have. I am sure that many people will work with you if you make the effort and if people see more output from the MDA lands (I know people have been running quests and there have been some story nights), that may bring more interest in joining your ranks.

Just be sure that if you approach someone that YOU chase it up, don't expect the other person to start chasing you. I for one find that really annoying and it turns me right off the notion of helping, because it makes me feel like I am being asked to do someone else's job.

On the subject of the MDNP, it was a loose group of people that wrote the articles for it. Chewy and Grido did most if not all the editing and some writing. Burns also did a lot of writing on it and I contributed a few pieces to it myself (there were others, so apologies to anyone still around that I haven't named). Maybe you should start contacting those who were involved in it already and then try to get a few extra bodies involved too?

As I said, I know people and things have changed in MDA. And my opinions may not be shared by everyone, but they are MY opinions. So please take this as an earnest opinion from someone in MD and some constructive criticism.

[Kafuuka]

I kinda oppose those suggestions.

1. I think that although theoretically it is not important who does what in MDA, in practice the issue will at some point be raised and if you do not have an answer at all, people will start to fight and set you back several weeks. It is better to 'waste' some time on it now than to waste a lot of time on it later. Plus clearly stating your goals is an important part of PR too. (And I reiterate that the archivists' rules really need a change imo.)

2. Do not start with the MDNP. Start small, work towards something bigger when you get more recruits and have more experience managing them. A newspaper, however small, is a horribly big undertaking in which you ideally have to disappoint 75% of your writers by not accepting their reports because although they are good, they are not supergood. If your reporter base is not large enough to allow you this at the start, you will most likely end up having to accept filler.

[CrazyMike]

Correct me if I am wrong but the most tedious part of the MDNP is arranging and editing right?

If I am right, current active writers from the previous MDNP is Chewy, Grido, Burns, Firsanthalas, Gremlin and myself. And I can spot other good writers out there like Tarq and Adiomino. Thats potentially 8 writers for the paper, not counting new players who might be just as good.

I know aphopys was an editor.

And he is still active.

The problem here is finding that one person who will glue us all together.

Curi, find that ONE person who is willing to consolidate the articles and put them in the correct format. It might sound too heavy but it is not a one man show. The ONE will be assisted by others who will help to edit and collect articles.

When Gargant was running the show, I never reported to him, I reported to Aphopys who reports to him.

Find the ONE!!!

[apophys]

CrazyMike, you misspelled my name. Twice.


I resigned my position of editor partway through the 3rd or 4th edition due to a lack of time in RL. I could return now if necessary.

My lack of time was holding up the line, due to the pecking order, so I felt I had to remove myself. After the paper had died, I proposed a restructure, which was implemented, that would keep this from happening again and would also allow smooth operation with a large base of reporters.

There is no need for "final editing" if a story already goes past more than one editor's eyes. A chief of staff only needs to decide what stories to run, set the layout, and copy/paste.

If you're serious about restarting the project, you will need a LOT of reporters, because not everyone will want to write something every month or every 2 weeks.
More like 25 than 8.


@Firs - It wasn't Chewy but Shadowseeker as the third editor. My memory isn't very clear on the subject, but I think he came in to replace someone.

[quote name='Burns' timestamp='1297147749' post='78628']
English is just my second language
[/quote]

You wield it better than many native speakers do. I know I've said this before.

Edited February 9, 2011 by apophys

[BFH]

My opinion (don't know if this has been posted It's night here and my eyes hurt, so I read fast)

MDNP

Talk with Grido first. He is the actual Chief of the MDNP. He is the one who knows the editing
process and the one who can post any edition in the MDNP interface. I feel it's not correct planing without
asking him first.

Suggestions:

Ask him why there isn't an edition? (I'm pretty sure the he have tried to bring it back several times)
Offer him ideas, plans, etc...

BFH

Edited February 9, 2011 by bfh lighthing

[Firsanthalas]

Yeah, I actually meant Garg rather than Chewy. I'm going senile these days.

[Kafuuka]

[quote name='CrazyMike' timestamp='1297211532' post='78659']
Correct me if I am wrong but the most tedious part of the MDNP is arranging and editing right?
[/quote]
The most tedious thing is to keep hammering people into a 'I will submit something of high quality on time" shape. High quality means little editing is needed. If you are going for a short but frequent journal, arranging isn't that annoying either. Below five pages you can even try it in word, although from the microsoft list, publisher is a lot less trouble. I think Gargant learned that the hard way.

[Curiose]

Alright, then it is settled.

OFF TO GRIDO I GO. ; D

Even though this is a big undertaking, I feel that it will lead to a lot of other things in MD, such as more activity, people actually doing things that are worth writing about. People will probably get hyped and want to know what is going on, and will be more attracted to coming to MD, and giving more to it.

I mean, I am even excited. I know I won't be able to man this, because I have other projects and besides, who wants one person running everything? : p Thank you all for your suggestions! They are wonderful.

[Chewett]

[quote name='CrazyMike' timestamp='1297211532' post='78659']
If I am right, current active writers from the previous MDNP is Chewy, Grido, Burns, Firsanthalas, Gremlin and myself.
[/quote]

To Clarify i never wrote any articles, I was there as a checker and general forum dude for Garg as a favor. I have since left any and all positions related to it as i have had other things to do.

[quote name='Firsanthalas' timestamp='1297247389' post='78683']
Yeah, I actually meant Garg rather than Chewy. I'm going senile these days.
[/quote]
Definately!

[Grido]

Might've been spoken to, really can't remember, meh

But yeah, like BFH says I have the access to the MDNP page, also the background image (not that it's hard to steal from the previous editions, that's where I got it) also set up on publisher

Also like BFH has said (and a few others I think) it's not the formatting / editing that's a problem, hell give me a few hours and I can edit the most badly written piece into good shape (I'd prefer not to have to, but I ~can~)
It's the writers, the ones that want to write, get busy, and so don't have the time to write for it, find consistent people, or get material consistently produced, and the paper is able to run, it works alright over as people are on holiday, but it needs to be able to survive year-through.


btw, I'd enjoy being chief of staff, I kinda became it when Garg left, but if someone else wants the role, then I don't have particular issues with that either, so long as they actually do it properly

[CrazyMike]

Yay..... Grido for Chief of Staff

As for materials, can I assume that there are already loads of materials collected from Story Night. No need to print all at once, but can be used for fillers when need be.

[Grido]

Kinda feels like MDNP is highjacking this thread now...

from the perspective of Chief, I'd have no issue with a story from SN in the paper, but it is a NEWS paper, so it wouldn't dominate it in any way

[aaront222]

Lots of post jumping done here.
Why not have someone make a Writing Submission Form with MDScript? Then people can submit their writings and whoever is in charge of that can handle the writing requests and organize them. Publish anything from quests to tutorials. Have people put up their quests there.
And most importantly-
Find a place you can have a bar in the MDA. (maybe the GGG becomes the Golden Globe Gazebo Pub and Inn)

[Kyphis the Bard]

There are already more than enough pubs in MD, adding a pub to the MDA would just be silly (especially considering the lands role)

Other than that, the idea of having a scripted submission form is a very good one (thanks to MD Script, We can do this ourselves on clickies, and not bug Mur about it please)

[aaront222]

We actually can do it with MDScript. Grido has an LHO application thing in MDScript.

Edit: Put the application form on the guy's desk.

Edited March 11, 2011 by aaront222

[Dragual]

What about Land Agents of sorts? A specific person designated to report on a particular land. i.e. Necrovion Agent, or Marind's Bell Agent.

[Peace]

Long ago the Archivists used to have one person assigned to each land to record the events. By they were enough people active for it to cover all the lands.

[Fyrd Argentus]

We DO have such - they are called Envoys. I am the envoy to Marind's Bell. Curiose was envoy to Necrovion before it fell apart. Kyphis was envoy to Loreroot before he moved to Archivists.

We are just spread sooooooo thin.

[Curiose]

Exactly.

If we had more people who would bust their buts and do things instead of using the ally for what it is like Vanasia, then we could have a good ally. But there won't be anything happening until we get more people part of it.

[Kamisha]

The main issue here I think is the ally. The people most qualified to report on a land would have to be an ally of that location. however from what i can tell you cant be an ally of a land and be part of the archivists. My personal opinion would have a citizen of that location be appointed by the king in order to report to an archivist of happenings in the land. However after appointed this person is not to be controlled by that king as to what to report and what not to. Thus this appointed person would have to believe in total transparency and freedom of information.The reason that the king should have a choice however is that they should know who in there land is online the most and also who knows the history of that location to the greatest extent.

As for members the best thing i think you can do is recruit writers and maybe create a newspaper again. I think most of the archivists where temporary reporters.

[Curiose]

The newspaper is a dud. No one wants to do anything except raise their crits, get wishpoints and complain. The entire thing would turn vindictive, I am sure, considering how MOST people in MD are as such.