Bjørn wrote:Platyna, I agreed with the move as did ElvenProgrammer (who had to change the DNS settings). However, I'm sure neither of us knows much about what's going on in this community these days. If you only just found out, then I can only conclude the same counts for you.
I do not endorse the direction this project is going in general. The idea of developing an own server has been abandoned in favour of fixing up tmwAthena. Client development has been outsourced to ManaPlus. Both are projects driven by a single person, so as far as I can see there's nothing left of the team we had years ago. To me it's depressing, but I've accepted it as there is nothing I can do about it.
My advice to you is, let it go. The Mana World is driven by new forces now, but at least it's driven by forces at all. They got time in their favour, like we had in the good old days. Let them improve and fix The Mana World as they see fit. Maybe we will be surprised by what this project can achieve.
Bjorn, this quote from you, taken from the start of this very thread, pretty much endorses Platyna's version of accounts. You state that you didn't know much about what was going on in this community these days, that you did not endorse the project's direction in terms of fixing up tmwAthena and ManaPlus, and you felt the idea of developing a unique client and server, the original goal, had been abandoned. You advised Platyna to "let it go", which is presumably what you had done, as well.
Only, Platyna had not let it go. She remained an admin, rule maker, infrastructure builder, and final arbiter to us, from 2006 to 2013, during which time most of the development for TMW actually occurred.
I have nothing personally against the TMWC. I have great respect for many of the people on it. My issue is more the way the committee came into being and what they have done since. First, they voted themselves into existence instead of making this a community decision. If it was truly going to be a new beginning, with new leadership, they certainly didn't ask what the community thought about that, before the move. Also, they disguised (my opinion) the overthrow of Platyna as a routine move that was just to get rid of some lag. They kept the new hosts anonymous, at their request, even though Madcamel (our current host) is a very controversial player, who even now makes vulgar remarks that would get any normal player banned or muted. They have thus far made no constitution that could govern the rules of succession and data-file ownership going forward, to avoid the problems of the past. They are not transparent at all to the community, although perhaps those actually in the TMWC and others with access to their work and communication feel more free, that freedom does not carry down to the rest of the community.
Obviously the data-files have to belong to somebody. Platyna was not just "some host". She took the project over for years, during times when no one else wanted to, and I personally would rather she be declared the owner over another competing group. At least her record is clear. I know she is difficult to get along with, but she is also extremely fair, a reliable admin and host, and she will work with others, even if she doesn't get along with them. So having Platyna in charge seems to be the only way where everyone would be free to actually return to doing what their jobs were before March 9th 2013, during which time the game ran just fine and experienced much development over the years.