Complaints Go Here

[Flame Dragon]

Members like to PM me about how much the mod team sucks. One person regularly does it and a handful will chime in here and there. I want a better picture though so I figure I'd open it up to the whole forum.

 

If think the team sucks use the space below to tell us why. I will be over seeing the thread to make sure things don't get to crazy. If you'd rather say something in private my PM inbox is always open.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

I think a big issue is that, when you are PMd with a complaint about another mod, you are very agreeable. You make the person feel validated, and point out how their concerns are those you share. More than once I've been assured by you that things would change. You'd hold other mods accountable to their behavior, and their actions, and things would either improve, or something would be done about it.

 

I've seen no improvement. I've seen only superficial change. Not on things I pointed out back in November, not on things I've been pointing out for the last year, or even longer.

 

To have my concerns heard is important, yes, but it doesn't mean much if all that comes back are polite nods and empty promises.

[Phantom Roxas]

Not exactly my own complaints with the mod team, so much as I’d rather there be more specifics than just “the mod team sucks.” That kind of complaint always seems like, even when there are legitimate concerns, just blaming “the mod team” seems like there’s more that could be said. The mod team, to put it simply, is a collection of individuals. Sometimes the problems may not be inherent to the mod team, and could be more the fault of specific individuals.

 

It also seems that, no matter how many mods leave or enter the team, it’s not enough to change the perception that “the mod team” is inherently flawed. Regardless of the individuals, it’s the team that’s to blame. Again, a lack of specifying individuals makes it difficult to really resolve certain issues. If there are issues inherent to the “idea” of the team, what are those issues? Does altering the roster of the team change it?

 

This is a massive generalization, but I think at least a good way to offer some insight on critiquing the mod team would be to distinguish what an individual member of the team is doing wrong, and why the team as a whole is perceived as responsible. I think getting into specifics, and hopefully highlighting individual flaws, can offer more of an idea for how each moderator can improve.

 

As for actual criticism, that we even need this thread at all seems to be an issue. Something that’s come up is that, while it’s nice if you to invite people to PM you, other members have found other mods completely unreliable in that regard. The main reason I accepted abolishing the PR mod position was because I believed that all mods improving their own PR skills - effectively folding the former position in with basic duties - was the perfect compromise. But if mods are just going to ignore messages for whatever reason, it completely flies in the face of that idea, and shows that mod failing at PR. If the mods aren’t interested in communication, then don’t expect us to accept the loss of a dedicated PR mod position

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

I'll elaborate later on specific mods. I second Giga. You keep saying you're not evilfusion (thus not the "head" of the mod team) nor are you a black (a rebel with clout to push the team get desired reforms). I appreciate your willingness to talk, but at some pt it seems like all you can do is give a sad shrug and wring your hands bout your inability/unwillingness to command

 

It's not your "fault" but we need more than "empty words" as Giga put it

[Simping For Hina]

I think the biggest issue I have had with the Mod team is the current standing of how that using name and avatar situation was handled. Sakura is the moderator who has taken this role, as it has become apparent that the mod team had no such understanding of the event. Zai and Dad had confirmed this through different measures;  Dad posted in the main thread, Zai commented on one of his posts.

I don't want to attack Sakura for anything other than terrible management of the situation, as I am not personally attacking him. I am attacking his ability to moderate the site and communicate with members, as it has been nothing but inconsistent and unreliable.

 

Sakura has taken measures into his own hand to enforce rules that do nothing to provide for the overall health of the forum and completely dismiss most other issues. I have had my threads, that pertained to the issue at hand, locked without as much as any answer to the issue. My account was tampered with without request or acknowledgement to anything, not even bringing it to my attention until CowCow made a thread.

 

Sakura consistently makes excuses for the inability and inconsistency of his moderation, blaming it on is real life applications but has done nothing to fix this problem or learn from these mistakes. He constantly dismisses issues that continually come up, even asking us to brush it under the rug for the same reasons (real life gets in the way). His persona contradicts his appointment to modship, was repeating the same issues with the same mistakes and yeilding no difference that would help to make this site better or even act in a better manner as a moderator.

 

Sakura lacks communication on any level, using passive-aggressive and victim-based reasons to try and set foundation for his inability to properly moderate the website, as apparent to the most recent issue by enforcing a rule and then neglecting that rule himself. He uses ill-put reasons and then reflects on the fact that the mod team is seem as terribly run, but want the members to just go with it.

 

I can use examples if desired, but Sakura lacks that ability to communicate, handle situations, accept his own mistakes, and improve on any level that is noticeable. While he has good intentions, there has been no effort to prove that he has the ability to act as a moderator.

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

My numerous problems with Zai aside, I only have one currently. He does this bait and switch action (not with ill will I assume)

 

He's gone for periods of time due his rather tenuous work, he'll lurk but not do much. Critsism of him will flare up, and he'll be like, ok this time for real, I'll make changes. He'll give some attempt at PR, it'll die out in a day or two, and then he'll be gone for a long while

 

Flame - already noted above

 

Sakura - Dae does a pretty solid job of explaining it. Pretty sure the same thing happened to me with Sakura hiding my post in Enguin's thread and locking it without reason. I checked, bumps in suggestions haven't been locked even when bumped in longer intervals. And mods sure as hell never hid posts

 

Someone also changed Enguin's threads. I'm not 100% certain those were all Sakura, but only 2 mods go around being invisible, and Smear doesn't exist

 

Dad is good though needs to uh...be careful how he talks sometimes, almost more flaming than people he warns lol. I've always taken it to be good natured. And I think it is.

 

Night really doesn't do much. You've mentioned how him and Zai do a lot about mod discussions. I'd like you to justify why mod consultant needs to be a position if they don't do much else. A former mods spent his latter days doing the same job, and nobody at the time felt it was a valid reason to stay a mod

 

---

 

General Mod Team:

 

You guys have little to no regard for the rules you agreed to uphold and make the rest of us follow. In Dae's case you guys violated a rule you were trying to enforce. In my case, the ban scheduled that was put into place 2 weeks ago was ignored. When asked why, the team just said they didn't wanna keep up the dance. I'm sorry, but the that ban schedule was put into place to safe guard against that very attitude

 

Recently you guys did the SAME thing with Enguin after Dad gave his explicit word that just because you guys did it to me, doesn't mean you would do it to others. 

 

Enguin is actually even more egregious. Not only did he not get his 1 Month and 1 Year bans (the latter of which you wanted to gut Flame), he didn't even get his 1 Week ban, it was revoked partway with the mod specifically telling him the ban was wrongly given.

 

You guys then proceeded to ban him for a less crime than one you guys progressively handled just months before.

 

It seem much like a kangaroo court, rules for thee, not for us. This is the exact kinda thing Black (and to a degree Evil) fought against

 

---

 

I keep hearing the line about real life making the mod's ability to spend time on YCM cramped. That's fine, and I empathize. But RL being rough, does not give an excuse to half-ass YCM modship like many of the team members are doing.

 

If it was a job, you'd be fired. If it was volunteering, you'd be released of your service. If it was an unpaid intern, you'd be sent home

 

This kinda conduct and then passive aggressive excuses aren't ok

 

When Bree had life issues, she stepped down

 

When Dad had life issues, he stepped down

 

When Yui had life issues, he stepped down

 

When Aix wasn't contributing much, he stepped down

 

---

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

I...here we go, I suppose. Was debating making a thread but....

 

Nothing will ever change unless we change it. Big time. I have issue with how each mod handles things honestly and I'll summarize them here. Going down the list.

 

Broke.N: I can't actually say much here because I don't see him ever. Though I did see some issues with his suggestions in that he seemed to almost be passive aggressive about the very thought of people questioning his changes. It was weird. Like he almost wrote it like "So I am trying to help but SOME people think that's bad."

 

Flame: You're the best out of these but I HAVE noticed you tend to take a more passive stance. A "Well there are problems but unless everyone agrees I can't do much". Which is odd cause you're basically the senior/top mod right now. You're the Red Ranger, Flame.

 

Sakura: What happened? I sometimes feel Sakura's mental health has been damaged. Not an attack, just a concern, they seem more stressed, more snippy, and less agreeable than they once were. They tend to get more defensive and have become a hell of a lot more rigid with rules that are, honestly, still very wobbly. I've already talked in my thread how bad this Dae stuff was, though forgot to mention that the locking of his threads showed that even that's not enough to get answers.

 

Dad: I love you, you should know that man, but I do worry about your tone. You probably don't mean much by it but I've seen you respond to people in an almost flame/harassment way that's not okay. Sometimes its fine but there are times I read something you say to someone having issues and think "Whoa, should...should I report this?"

 

Night: gdi man why'd you literally leave me hanging during that PM stuff? Like, what, where do you vanish to? You pop in, make a deal about changing things, and kinda vanish after that. There are days I think you feel modship is some sort of...privilege you have and not a position.

 

Smear: Done deal, pass

 

Zai: I worry how you seem to pop up only at the worst times to sorta...just say basically that the mods are in the right. It's weird, and for most members who don't know you well it seems like you literally only come in to say these almost condescending things.

 

 

Overall...The mods need something different. The mods we have aren't adequate to do what is really needed now. And that's someone who people can feel comfortable with messaging with any issue and who can be trusted to actually at least try and find a solution. Someone besides just Flame that they can take their concerns to without worrying that it'll just be ignored or brushed aside. Someone who is known to bring up this sheet.

 

Yeah, I'm still saying I should be a mod. Even if y'all think it's not a good idea. Wrong place to say it? Maybe. Sounds hella arrogant, yeah. But like...I'm tired of this, I feel helpless, even that thread I did to straight up get answers took forever and the answers given were pretty damn rude.

And what's wrong with someone thinking they can help anyway?

 

I just want y'all to let someone in that won't be the same old. Not just me, either, in case you're thinking that. I think that there really does need to be a bit of shift in how things are done.

 

Ya know, when the Power Rangers got too busy with their lives they passed their power down to new Rangers. (I've been waiting to say that one >.>)

 

#themooderator2018

[Flame Dragon]

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

Post Evil? You imo

#themooderator2018

This is so punny you should feel ashamed

[King K. Azo]

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

You guys would have to be a cohesive unit to have a head.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

Night is more of a transient concept than he is a mod, and Sakura is... Well, I think it's pretty clear to everyone why Sakura isn't the leader of the show, or at the very least shouldn't be.

 

You get it by default. Not exactly the best way to be a leader, but I'd rather it be you than pretty much any other member, evilfusion included.

 

You are level-headed, reasonable, and understand your own limits. That's more than can be said for the rest of the team.

[Yui]

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

Once evilfusion stepped down, I'd always assumed you were the new head of the team. I'll pass on the airing grievances regarding the mod team, but want to say that I agree wholeheartedly with what cow said earlier with the power rangers mention. It may be time to weed out who in the current team isn't up to everyone's expectations due to real-life issues, figure out what to do with them, then bring in a new wave of mods so that we have some guys ready for when the old guard inevitably retires.

[Ralsei]

When Bree had life issues, she stepped down

 

There was even a brief time where she was open to coming back to the team, but when she told them she was totally open to it, she just wanted the team to bring it up with the members first before the promotion happened, there was no follow up from what she's told me. It's kind of a reoccurring theme, lots of talk, but no follow through unless it's something that wasn't discussed at all, which causes a lot of issues after the fact.

 

From what I can tell, during my little time here, the team seems to value LOOKING like a cohesive unit more than actually being one. Which is, you know, kinda scary. You can justify anything when you do it under the name of being a team, which isn't how things should be done. The right thing isn't always easy to do, yeah, but...

 

I dunno. I can't give huge input, but from the eyes of a newer member, it definitely feels like the team values looking like it's coordinated more than actually being coordinated, or doing what's right when they make a mistake. That said, the Dad Dude's responses to the one thread about Dae's situation were a great step in the right direction, acknowledging that there was a problem and trying to get down what happened. It's not a change that people expect to happen over night, but some sort of actual... Improvement would be welcome.

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

There was even a brief time where she was open to coming back to the team, but when she told them she was totally open to it, she just wanted the team to bring it up with the members first before the promotion happened, there was no follow up from what she's told me. It's kind of a reoccurring theme, lots of talk, but no follow through unless it's something that wasn't discussed at all, which causes a lot of issues after the fact.

 

From what I can tell, during my little time here, the team seems to value LOOKING like a cohesive unit more than actually being one. Which is, you know, kinda scary. You can justify anything when you do it under the name of being a team, which isn't how things should be done. The right thing isn't always easy to do, yeah, but...

 

I dunno. I can't give huge input, but from the eyes of a newer member, it definitely feels like the team values looking like it's coordinated more than actually being coordinated, or doing what's right when they make a mistake. That said, the Dad Dude's responses to this thread were a great step in the right direction, acknowledging that there was a problem and trying to get down what happened. It's not a change that people expect to happen over night, but some sort of actual... Improvement would be welcome.

Yeah, I'm talking about her first tenure as Mod, she stepped down because she said she had other life obligations. I mean like a prompt resignation. No pussy footing. No waiting a year. No one had to make a thread calling on her to resign. It was very professional 

[Yui]

With an anonymous third party's blessing, I'd like to deliver the following report. Apparently, somebody who's in a good relationship with an active member joined a forum whose name escapes their memory (I'll be sure to report back if ever we get the name remembered), and our mod team is apparently that bad that we're basically a joke to them. And this third party got banned for defending us. The fact that our mods, who are supposed to represent the community, are that bad, to where somebody actually got banned from another website for trying to defend it...

 

Just. Wow. I swear on my puppy's anal virginity this is legit, I just don't want to namedrop anyone.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

With an anonymous third party's blessing, I'd like to deliver the following report. Apparently, somebody who's in a good relationship with an active member joined a forum whose name escapes their memory (I'll be sure to report back if ever we get the name remembered), and our mod team is apparently that bad that we're basically a joke to them. And this third party got banned for defending us. The fact that our mods, who are supposed to represent the community, are that bad, to where somebody actually got banned from another website for trying to defend it...

 

Just. Wow. I swear on my puppy's anal virginity this is legit, I just don't want to namedrop anyone.

Though it can be considered indicative of our site overall, I don't think we should pay much mind to things like this. The arbitrary hatred between different forums is no new thing. If someone got banned on another site for defending YCM, it speaks far more toward the incompetence of that forum's staff than it does that of our own.

 

EDIT: what the funk do I always talk this fancy?

[Yui]

Nerd Virgins at MTGMaker at it again?

If it was MTGMaker then our third party would probably remember that. That said, Parenthesis does have a good point about this being more indicative of their problems than ours, but my point stands. However, I'd rather not be the one to have made the post that got us off-topic, so for now let's try to stick to the topic of issues pertaining to this site, and the moderators therein.

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

If it was MTGMaker then our third party would probably remember that. That said, Parenthesis does have a good point about this being more indicative of their problems than ours, but my point stands. However, I'd rather not be the one to have made the post that got us off-topic, so for now let's try to stick to the topic of issues pertaining to this site, and the moderators therein.

I was mostly joking. I've never been on MTGMaker 

 

I'll report my post to have a mod kill it

[Dad]

My anger issues have not improved.  I've put in minimal effort to improve it and it affects my actions.  It's one of the reasons I stepped down the first time.  Abuse does that to a person.  That's less of an excuse and more of the truth.  I think I should take this time that school will pull me away from YCM and use it to improve.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

My anger issues have not improved.  I've put in minimal effort to improve it and it affects my actions.  It's one of the reasons I stepped down the first time.  Abuse does that to a person.  That's less of an excuse and more of the truth.  I think I should take this time that school will pull me away from YCM and use it to improve.

For what it's worth I believe you can do it, you're fine most of the time imo.

[Fusion X. Denver]

Well

I don't have a complaint with any specific mod, but I think the past couple years and the last 4-5 shitstorms I can think of all related to some sort of communication issue and the mods ultimately accepting responsibility and saying they should have handled the event better. That has been one recurring pattern, and the other is that there's a large, vocal dissatisfaction amongst the members with how things are.

 

I haven't gotten the sense that the mod team as a whole wants to address those concerns, it's more about riding out the storm behind an action taken or not taken. I've seen individual mods express their concerns and I myself have no personal issues with any of the mods right now, but I don't think those individual concerns carried out to the actions of the whole team. Like if I'm complaining to my Senator, they can help placate my concerns and I do believe that they are listening to me, do care, and want to help, but it's a matter of working with all of the other Senators to make something happen.

 

I suspect part of that is that it's always the same people participating in the discussions and demanding/suggesting change. It doesn't matter whether they're voicing absolutely legitimate concerns that should be considered or total bullshit, I think subconsciously there may have been a feeling amongst mods thinking "they're impossible to satisfy" and "it doesn't matter what we do" so there's little to no motivation to make an effort to work something out. It's become a vicious cycle created over time where members overreacted harshly albeit with good points and mods tried to make peace against the harsh tone and defend their new mod or tried making up for their mistake and meeting in the middle never quite worked out for either side. 

 

I guess what I want is for each mod to be honest with themselves and ask: do you still care?

If you don't, that is okay.

It is perfectly okay if you stopped giving a sheet about a Yu-Gi-Oh! forum, that's more than okay! It's expected! You think any of us jackasses are gonna be here in 15-20 years? Why the hell would we? That's not crapping on YCM, it's just very unrealistic for this crowd to still be around when we're in our 30s and 40s. It's a phase of our lives and a phase in yours, do you want to be a mod here in 10 years? (If you do that's cool, I address that further down) I have seen generations of YCMers come and go at this point, people I talked with every day have moved on from this site for many years now and that's completely acceptable and the way life goes.

 

But if you do understand how you feel and accept you don't care anymore...move on and step down! Whether you go tend to real life or stick around the forum, there is no shame in not being a mod anymore. Just today, no one told Smear to not let the door hit him on the way out, they thanked him and left it at that.

Not being a mod anymore doesn't invalidate who you are, it shouldn't.

Like my buddy Black, he got on just fine after not being a mod anymore. You know who else did? J-Max, Icy, Striker, Yankee, Koko, Opal, Yui, Pika, Rinne, funking Crab after getting banned, I think evilfusion and Roxas are doing fine after recently stepping down, same with Rai and Aix I'm assuming they're having a good life somewhere. I could go on.

 

If you do still care, and you want better for the forum, you have to show it. Actions speak louder than words.

Maybe that'll involve bugging your fellow mods to come online for a group meeting at this time or next week or whenever. Or it can be including an ETA like with the Birdie thing, "I understand you all are rallying for Birdie to rejoin, please give us about a week to get back to you." Even if you're telling someone they need to wait and it'll be another week because you need to hear from 3 more people, it's better to receive some form of acknowledgement than nothing at all. 

Maybe I'm underestimating the difficulty in doing this and rallying the troops. But I've seen ex-mods criticize the status quo like Black, Koko, Yui, and Roxas, so I believe their experience lends the perspective that change is doable, but isn't being done.

If you do care about being a mod and YCM, and you envision yourself being here a few more years and beyond, I ask that you not take the role for granted just because there's some unspoken tenure and recognize that members are feeling shunned and not really being listened to. 

 

And take note of this: all these members that come into these threads every time something happens care about the site and want to make changes to better the community and foster site growth. I can understand how it's difficult to separate the good intentions behind posts and only feeling attacked and that they're ungrateful. I work in customer service, I seriously get it. It can be a thankless job sometimes.

 

There is a generation ready to pick up where you left off. It's not about driving you out, it's about letting them step up and a chance to assess your priorities. YCM has members with ideas, community involvement, and the 

--->time and activity<---

that the job demands. I think they should get a shot if the position doesn't make a difference to you.

 

If you really do want to do something about this negative climate that's pervaded the site, please start making strides. If not, you can step aside and be rest assured someone will step up in your place. That's not giving up, it's prioritizing your life. My friends won't give me sheet for never beating a video game if I'm taking time out of my life to do something else instead, they let me live my life.

 

This whole essay (I actually wrote a damn essay sheet...) is directed at each mod, but not out of any personalized context. I haven't been active lately, I don't know what that name-change drama's about and I don't give a sheet. I don't know who's been doing what, who's in favor and who's not. 

 

Think hard about what you want to do...and go do it.

[Phantom Roxas]

Might have to reread through some of the other posts, but I think it's best to at least answer this one right now.
 

Since Winter brought it up, as did Cow, who do you think is the head of the team? Or are we a chicken without one?

 
I'd say you're a chicken without one. I was saying this to Winter in a status update this morning, but I frankly don't think there's really anyone in charge at the moment. Because Evilfusion was in charge, but while you and Sakura are both Super Mods, I'm not sure I could say either of you live up to that position the same way.
 
There was something a while ago when the general mod team was restructured, and some mods were demoted from Super Mods to regular mods. Though it wasn't because there were any problems, so much as the team really did just need a restructuring. I think there needs to be something similar now. Not necessarily removing or adding new mods, and I certainly have no interest in asking any particular mods to step down. More that I believe the current "hierarchy" of the mod team, such that it is, needs to be reevaluated.
 

Though it can be considered indicative of our site overall, I don't think we should pay much mind to things like this. The arbitrary hatred between different forums is no new thing. If someone got banned on another site for defending YCM, it speaks far more toward the incompetence of that forum's staff than it does that of our own.

EDIT: what the funk do I always talk this fancy?

 
I'm inclined to agree with this. Going to avoid delving into my own personal experience here too much, but I will say that if some other forum hates us so much that they'll ban anyone who defends us, that's their problem, and not ours. I don't think anyone here should feel obligated to improve things just because some other forum doesn't like us.
 
But that isn't say we shouldn't improve things at all. We do have our issues, but that's for us to decide. This is our community. What difference does it make what some other forum thinks of the team here?

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

Would Bree even be willing to return @North & Black?

 

She mentioned this place was getting her down when she took her recent break

[Blake]

Would Bree even be willing to return @North & Black?

 

She mentioned this place was getting her down when she took her recent break

The frustration with the team's handling of her potential return was part of the reason for leaving. She's also not the only one to receive such things and be left with radio silence, she just didn't press as hard as Cow did when the team's promises of discussion fell through. I assume she still would, though I won't speak for her, I'll aks her to post here later.

 

I'll be back later. We're currently DRV3ing.

[Phantom Roxas]

I think evilfusion and Roxas are doing fine after recently stepping down

 

I'm sorry, but I'm not. I'm really not. I think it's best if I don't go into it, so I'll just leave it at that.

 

 

With Smear formally stepping down, let's look at the current mod team.

 

- YCMaker and Falling Pizza already don't count, since they're inactive.

- Broke. N is a Junior Mod.

- Dad and Zai are regular mods.

- We've got Flame, Sakura, and Night as are Supers. Really, these three in particular are why I'm suggesting the restructuring of the hierarchy.