My take on things

I really like the people in this guild

That being said I can understand where steve is coming from with his post that i beleive was removed so no one else could see his opinion. Steve is responsible for bringing many of the people in this guild to the guild and the ones he brought to the guild are the only ones that have actually gone through the screening process. yet in all of your discussions about the guild officers who are working hard to make this guild great you only mention Leon Kat and Will. Lately there have been a bunch of people added to the guild without putting them through a screening process or apprenticeship. Which has resulted in a few undesirables. 2 of which have since been removed. I like this guild because it is mostly made up of mature adults. Some of us here just want to play the game and not be told to post on forums or else were gone. I personally think the web site is cool and the forums are great for those who care to use them. however i have never been one to spend much time on forums or browsing the internet etc. I join these online games as a place to play and take my mind off my problems and to socialize. nothing more. So to tell people post or your gone it crazy. you wanna get rid of the innactive people try playing the game and see who is on. Cause i can tell you I am on this game more than anyone and theres only 1 officer on when you need him and its Will. I thought by now getting to lvl 33 and being the most active and one of the oldest members of the guild (39) I would have been offered an officers spot by now. I joined this guild because Steve helped me and chris with our grenade quests and because he is very active. I will probably leave the guild to join him if he starts a new guild.

We respect what Leon and Kat do with the website and the guild inside the game, but

People like myself, scot, marc, Eric, Steve, will and a few other in the guild are extremely active, not only in the game but on the website. We make lots of money, level up fast and talk to each other more than we do our families sometimes. We're always there to help anyone who needs it and feel a little lost when some one tells us that we'll be booted for not being here for roll call, I'm only 30 but haven’t been in school since 1996 and don’t like the sound of that. If you want to drop the bomb on someone drop it on the new people that aren’t into as deep as we are.
We help you find people to bring into the guild, and give an opinion about people to get the boot on a regular basis. We know the kind of people that need to be here, and who needs to be out with the rest of the overly dramatic and somewhat immature gamers on Pirates online.
I still pay 10.00 a month for this game; mostly because of the people in Blades of daring. It makes the game more fun; I get lots of help from my brother and sisters in the guild and wouldn’t have it any other way. Maybe we’ll not be exchanging Christmas cards anytime so, but we’re becoming/making friends to have fun playing the games with, making asses of our selves, picking on one another, talking about problems out side the game and just HAVING FUN…….
The next time you want to do something like this ask the brotherhood what they think first then go from there. If you don’t know who belongs under the category of Brotherhood, this might not go very far.

ok, I'm going to try and address as many points as I can from both posts here, so please bear with me if I miss anything. Also, you're always welcomed to email me directly.

We all know that Steve was an asset to the guild, no one denies that. And I know that I'm going to miss having him with us. Only, lately, he was MIA for a bit due to his training and fighting schedule. No big deal, life happens, right? He had even mentioned to me that we might have to demote him because he wasn't going to be around. I told him that I wasn't going to jump the gun and do that. And we didn't. Then suddenly, he's leveling a new character and now he's left the guild. So I really have no idea what's going on there. And his post was not deleted,it's right here - https://bladesofdaring.forumakers.com/roll-call-f18/guild-roll-call-t20.htm. I see no reason to delete someone's post, whatever their opinion might be. And honestly, I think it's rather wrong of you to accuse us of deleting the post when you couldn't find it.

But as for the screening process, that never went as planned. For anybody. How many members actually filled out the online application and then had the officers consult over them? None. In fact, the only one did fill out an app was Matthew, and that was because he wanted to. The screening process basically became plundering for a few runs to see how the potential recruit worked out, if majority of the officers voted to invite them in then that was that. The Apprentice program was more so for bringing lower level players into the guild, around 15 or so. So before you say that there is no screening process, just know that new members were brought in the same way that you were brought in. By an officer vote.

Now, the reason that I only mention Leon, Kat and Will is because we are the only three officers here now. And Steve was MIA for so long that he missed the three of us consulting on various things. It wasn't as if I was deliberately trying to leave him out. And now, with losing one officer, we are on the lookout for another because four is the way to go until we grow larger. However, on the application it does ask directly if you would be interested in perhaps one day obtaining a higher status in the guild, i.e. as an officer. Had we known that you were interested, perhaps we would have already invited.

As far as being able to be on the game. People's schedules are all different. Some of us work at night, some of us work in the day. Some are in class, dealing with various other obligations, etc. It's difficult to be on all the time. I'm glad if I'm able to make it for a few hours when I get home from my 9-5, sometimes 9-7, and before I crash to wake up again for the next day. That's why I play all day long on the weekends, to get my fix! It's awesome that Will's able to be around as much as he is to help everyone, and sometimes I feel guilty that I can't be here more. For instance, this next week through next Tuesday, I won't be able to be here very much due to family obligations and whatnot. Think that I'm not going to miss playing with all you guys? Of course I am. But it can't be helped.

As for the newer members who haven't been around. Personally, I give them a few more days to return. If not, they're gone. If we want to keep this guild as a family, so to speak, that means that everybody needs to interact, missing for a week and coming back isn't going to work. So we can definitely deal with this. But again, it's not a matter of logging hours.

I'll agree with you, the 'post or you're out' was a bit harsh. But here's the thing, I think that it was only phrased incorrectly, the sentiment behind it is true. Which was why I was trying to clarify that in my other post. It wasn't post on the site all over the place or you're gone, Leon was merely asking for a response to that one thread. To see who is reading the forums, to see who reads the guild announcements, info on meetings, fleets, plundering. That's all. But I know personally that I have posted a few questions on there to see who needs help with something specific and I received maybe a couple of responses (thank you to those of you who did respond). So that means that everybody else doesn't need help getting more gold and already has their war ship?

That's all that was trying to be said. Neither of us are diplomats, and personally I have never headed a guild before. So yes, I am going to make mistakes. Some might be insignificant, some might be huge. But I'm open to constructive criticism, so if anyone has a problem with me directly or has an issue that they would like to bring up, please email me. I'm open to talking to anyone.

Kat
katsheffield@bladesofdaring.com

Look That message on the main page isn't directed to scot OR chris I'm not going to name anyones names I'm really not... Steve HIMSELF decided he didn't want to be an "official" leader two days prior to our first guild meeting. Also if you guys missed the news post a week or so ago there is a section dedicated to us thanking steve for everything he's done. I have no issues with him leaving I really don't. I see where hes coming from and I completly agree with him.. There are other people (once again not naming names) who were just downright rude and disrespected what myself and Kat tried to build. I know steve was a leader but he gave up that position WEEKS ago to another position. Then he went inactive for a little while as Kat stated then said something about being demoted It never was ironed out then he just left. You guys can take that as you want. I'm not pissed at You Scot Or you Chris just some things were brought to my attention that needed delt with thats why the lengthy post is in the news section... I'm actually thinking about editing it because I posted it when I was fuming.

Wait who's deleting posts? Cause I'm sure as hell not. I WANT to read those posts so I can see whats happening.

Actually Scot another thing about the officer level we were debating the other night on another officer you're name came up and so did marcs.

Steve left the guild and told me he left a post on the forums, that I should read it and when I went to read it I couldnt find it. so I wrongfully assumed you deleted it and it upset me that you made it clear that posting on the forums was mandatory yet his opinion was deleted because it was negative. and I realize Steve was away for like a week, but he was the one who mentioned not being mentioned in the posts about how Leon Kat and Will were working to make the guild great and he said it was mentioned a few times how the officers voted and he said last he knew he was still an officer yet it was news to him.

My only beef was how Leon came on the guild chat a couple of times and talked to us like we were too stupid to figure out how to use the forums I can't remember exactly how he put it to quote him but it was something like "I guess I didn't make it clear" then came the post or else your gone message. As far as people working and not being able to be on much thats great I honetly wish my business would pick back up so i couldnt be on as much. The point I was making wasnt be on here more, the point was we dont have enough officers because Steve was absent and Leon and Kat are too busy to be on more than a few hours in the evening at the same time. so I am usually on here day inand day out (except a few hours between 5pm and 10 pm and when I sleep (if I do) and I never see any officers except will. A few nights ago there were 6 of us from the guild all sailing together and that is when it all came out about people not liking being forced to use the forums so I took it upon myself to try and be a voice for the people before we ended up having a mass mutiny of the guild members.

I am sorry I gave you the impression I was pissed off I like all the guild members in this guild very much. I feel we have a very mature group of people and I commend you Leon for doing a great job with the web sites and the forums. and I am sorry i can't be on in the evenings when the meetings are held. I guess that keeps me under the radar with you and Kat cause the only times I am afk seem to be in the middle of the night or in the evening when you 2 are on. I don't beleive any in this guild has any hard feelings towards anyone. I know I don't so lets move on. Thanks for reading all my run on sentences. Im a contractor not an english professor

I admit I did get snippy with everyone And I am saying sorry to everyone.. I've been stressed at work alot latly and I took it out on the wrong group(not to go into a sob story but one of our workers was injured and I'm doing his work and mine) so I've just been putting in 12-14 hour days at work and miss ALOT then i get more pissed and end up taking it out on u guys