i dont know if its been getting to me that much or something but I've been feeling like we've lost alot of members recently. and know it seems like I've been tryign to find more complaints against the VE as well. I've already had several thoughts of leaving. perhaps its the slow movement in ranks, or the slow actions it takes for new story ideas to happen. We're supposed to have fun here correct? then how come some of us can't create new story ideas without the permission of the HC. perhaps the reason why newbs leave is because we dont clearly identify who we are, club we are but what kind? and maybe we dont pay them enough to enjoy the stories. these are random questions and concerns but i would like to know how other ppl feel about this. feel free to post on or add onto anything amongst this. and im sorry if it seems soemwhat offensive.
 
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WO1 LoneWolf /Aegis 1-2 (Aegis two)/mSSD Atrus/VEN/VE/(=A=)(=JCPA=)(=SCPA=)[SRC][VC:Ebony]

CM/DJK LoneWolf/Sith/Eagle Sect/VEDJ
Army character: Ares

"We are born in pain, and die in pain, and know pain throughout. to deny this is to express belief in the unprovable." -Republic Senator Elegos

HC?  Divisions?  Who are they and why should I listen to them?  No, seriously, I've always believed that you need to be able to have fun at the squad level without relying on any higher ups(as some of you higher ups may have noticed and complained about).  Anyways, that's just my opinion on this.
 
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Argon Viper
IW COL Argon Viper{ret}
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"How boring life would be if everyone felt the same way we do..." - Argon Viper
"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" - Carl G Jung

Some leave because of lack of time. Others get into arguments and go their own way. Some of the newer guys get mad because they can't be an officer or in the HC after their first week. Promotions are "slow" for a reason. If they weren't, we'd have a ton of people just under officer ranks. Also, they go by quite fast enough even when you say they're slow.
 
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PRF-RC/BG Sierra "Talon" Taurus/HCA-1/VEA/VE[BC][IOC][LoC][SoS][BM][CDS][MSM]
WDN-SL/KO "Nightblades"/DC-4/Elite Griffen Sect/VSD-II Griffen/VEDJ/VE[IOC][OQD][WoS 2nd Class]
CEO Sierra "Talon" Taurus/ECHC-1/Endoven/Dome 8473/VEEC/VE
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CAPT/RA (L) Vincent "Claw" Taurus/ISD Nemesis/Offensive Fleet/VEN[=A=][LoM][IOC][IC2]
CE Vincent "Claw" Taurus/Endoven/Dome 8457/VEEC/VE

I'm almost afraid to talk. When I finish, people will be mean to me. But it doesn't matter, I suppose. Is there really anybody who's going to come and get me? People continually leave the VE because it is not what they expected. When I joined the site, a nice story was going on, and I jumped right in. Although I had been expecting and RPG, this easily filled in; then again, writing is a hobby for me. It is not for some others. Another reason is the lack of activity. People rarely get on IRC, even on Sundays when we hold the meetings. We have 90 members, supposedly, but the most I've ever seen on is 20 or 30. That is not a lot of people. And I know that not everyone posts. Some more stuff--No one actually plays the games. We always talk about it, always promise to play people later. The battleboard was a good idea, but it failed after several weeks. No one wants to play a game at the same time you do, so how are we supposed to play? The only way to get games going is to actually have our commanders organize a game in which everyone ( in our squadron, battallion, etc) will be able to participate. And thats why people don't stay.
 
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[PO1][Red5]/[Nazgul]-[1]/[Wing 1]/[None]/[1VENF]/VEN [=A=] (medals)

i believe i worded one of my questions wrong earlier. you see when chpt 7 was posted up alot of the VE if not the whole participated in it because it had a sense of "offical" meaning. now perhaps this is partially the commanding officers fault too but when squads hold private stories they either dont want to hold a too exciting of a plot OR ppl ignore it because, for example in saying: "oh its not important, not like i can get a promotion outta posting on that." kinda thing. that and it takes so long for the next chapter to come up and we dont even control the plot until it is launched. now for the slow movement in ranks. perhaps its not the rank that matters but the MONEY. im sure im not the one to point it out but look at it this way. we get paid once a month. if your a crewman in the navy the only real usful thing you can buy for stories is a fighter or a ship. obviously their not gonna buy a tie so well price one at 130k the crewmen gets paid barely 30k on his own. it would take him near half a year to buy that ship. with no help or promos or betting. now buying one ship isnt that exciting now so why not buy two or even a freightor which could crawl very well near half a million in credits. that takes a while to earn. and the last thing ill point out is with things going through the HC, is some of us have ideas which concern both divisions. they take it to their divison command and they take it to you instead of going straight across, then you take a while when a simple yes or no will do. i dont mean to cut off anyone's legs here but some of us dont know how to or have a clue to make our own webpages so we couldn't start an astral gaurd and others want to share thier stories with the rest of the VE if in that cases ppl would tear it up to peices saying it wasnt aproved. i know i sounded like i rambled on there but that should put more of my imput in clearly i hope.
 
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WO1 LoneWolf /Aegis 1-2 (Aegis two)/mSSD Atrus/VEN/VE/(=A=)(=JCPA=)(=SCPA=)[SRC][VC:Ebony]

CM/DJK LoneWolf/Sith/Eagle Sect/VEDJ
Army character: Ares

"We are born in pain, and die in pain, and know pain throughout. to deny this is to express belief in the unprovable." -Republic Senator Elegos

I have never been truly concerned with the reasons the numerous recruits who join the Vast Empire decide to quit after a few weeks/months of service (albeit, I take a peculiar interest in a few of them). When one numerically estimates how many of these individuals have joined/quit our club, the number could easily be in the thousands if not rapidly approaching on a million. I rarely ask myself, "Why do the recruits leave and how can I make more of them stay?" I am not callously indifferent about it, just... pre-occupied with other matters. Perhaps I do not see the need of the Vast Empire retaining every recruit and becoming a sprawling 1,000 member club. It would be nice if the VE was larger -- yes -- but sometimes our most idealistic goals have hidden pitfalls/side-effects we are unable to see. I am wary of trading the relative happiness of our currently undersized collective [The Shire] for a larger, possibly tumultous one [Mordor]. Then again, perhaps my sentiments that overshadow this aforesaid question are more focused on the active, dedicated members who decide to leave our ranks. It is a lot more painful to see a loyal person you have known for years leave the club either willingly (Raptor, VaderX, Spectre, etc) or unwillingly (Atrus, Reiner, etc). If you were forced to pick between the two -- who are more worthy of our "salvaging efforts": the learned, active members or the new recruits? Simply put, I find myself more often wondering how to make the dedicated members stay... how to solve their unique problems... instead of the countlessly egressing recruits. Usually, the reasons for both groups -- dedicated members and raw recruits -- are not the same... if entirely different.   ----------------------- "Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole,   I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.   Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." --- William Ernest Henley (1849 – 1903)