The work of the team at the Bootleggers Buzz often goes unnoticed, and a lot of the time when it is noticed it is brought to the limelight through criticism. Now, I have written for the Buzz on and off since round five, so there is not a lot I haven't seen. The quality of the Buzz has been improved dramatically round on round, with the news becoming increasingly user friendly and accessible. Yet the mentality of those who make the most noise seems to not appreciate this. Why?
I believe the answer is simple. The game is in decline and that is something that is there for all to see. Sky is the peoples Moderator, in terms of having the vast support of the community, where Mika and Aldarion are often overlooked, where their care for the game is so blatant yet they are penalized for enforcing the rules put in place by the man in the big red jacket. This leaves the Help Desk Operators and also the Buzz staff to take the heat from all the trolls, as we produce the easiest form of targeting, care. Everyone at the Buzz and I would hasten to add as well, on the Help Desk, care about the game. We do not put the effort in to writing articles and producing the best issues we can for users on a week by week basis, because we are gaining anything from doing so. No, far from it, we receive nothing. The occasional appreciative BootMail is as far as any reward goes when it comes to contributing to the Buzz. Yet that is out of balance with the amount of criticism and trolling that is received. Often is has to be said, this should be ignored, trolls will always try and target people for a reaction, and some would say this very article is giving them what they want.
This to me, begs the question of where the game would be if everyone who provides the focus for criticism staff wise, were to say do you know what, you're all right haters, we are all going to jack it in. To kick things off, the Bootleggers Buzz would be non-existent. There would be no room for a lack of coverage, because there would be no coverage what so ever, meaning there is no easy way to catch up on things when you have some time out, no way of knowing the best possible information on stories throughout a week. It would all be down to you, the users, to establish all this information for yourselves. Further to this, the Help Desk Operators also become fed up with the widespread criticism of their duties, despite there being no tickets waiting in the Help Desk queue. You are no longer able to submit questions to them or ask them for help or advice when needed, because the Help Desk does not exist. There is no longer a go-to guy for new players or experienced players alike. The forums, which does not fall into the Help Desk Operators remit anyway, are also overrun by people able to post as and when they want and what they want without consequence without any support for the Moderators. The Moderators who are also constantly criticized then step down, this means all chaos in the forums, no enforcement of the games rules, dupes and cheating becomes rife along with scripts, there is no moderation of game money and before the month ends, the game would be in such disarray that before long BSF2000 is forced to close it.
Now all this has occurred, because the very people who care most and contribute the most to the game in terms of time and effort, have been trolled and criticized to such a point, where they have become so disheartened by it that they do not wish to put their time in any more. Resulting in the further ruin of the game that provides the very platform for the haters and trolls to operate from. But where does that leave everyone? Somebody cheated points and cash to kill you? Nobody to help. Somebody wiped three crews? Nobody to report. You need some help regarding a feature of the game? Nobody home at the Help Desk.
I do not ask that you do not criticize things where necessary. That's not realistic. But if you are going to make a criticism of someones work or effort, then you need to provide some concrete substance and suggestions for change regarding this criticism. Failing to do that, will just result in the increased frustration of those who are providing the very caring attitude that the community is constantly crying out for. I do not put hours of my time a week into writing article for you guys for any other reason but that I care about the game and want to see it improved. Now I have no doubt this article will attract all the trolls on the game. So your about to troll this article, but what if we all said stuff it we ain't doing the Buzz no more. Who you going to troll on a Sunday then? Think about what you say, before you say something that makes you look like a moron. Imagine the game without the Buzz, Help Desk Operators or the Moderators. Then think, oh shit, they actually put a lot of time and effort into the game and for what? Maybe you should help but putting some time into the game you want to see saved, rather than contributing to its downfall.
