<snipped for brevity>
Now, see, your experience of Dragon-Realms has been quite different from mine.
Back.. I'm guessing 2006/7 because I don't remember how far back it was, I took a strong dislike to this "prove you're otherkin" registration system. I voiced this dislike on the then Draconity IRC server (before the server crash), and a good debate was had. While one operator on the channel was taking the con side of the debate, one user defended my right to hold an opinion contrary to that of their site staff. After this happened, the operator in question rage-quit.
Now as sketchy as my memory of those events is, I do remember explaining myself a lot clearer after the mood had calmed to another operator. They passed that onto their mate who was an administrator on Dragon-Realms. I applied to join DR, half-expecting my own application to be rejected but it was accepted.
What I had heard from behind the scenes put me off using DR as a serious site, in addition to, a number of the things I'd witnessed on the forums themselves. What was said to me, was that the operator that quit, passed the conversation log back to his fellow site staff members, they all had a good laugh about it, and someone drew a 'drama llama' pic directed towards them apparently. This kind of childish and immature behavior is not something that should be held by any member of a site's administration if said site wishes to be seen as a bastion of mature and serious discussion.
Of course, I cannot verify any of this, and since it happened years ago, it's not even important, save, to highlight just one of a number of things I felt was quite, off, about the website.
Another thing, that seemed to be quite consistent, was the general snobbery. With various (usually the long-term) members spouting "respect me and my opinion because I've been here (on this site) longer". Users that would whine and rage if another user challanged their assumptions. It really did feel like, if you didn't agree with the administration and regular users, you were not wanted nor welcome on the site.
Dragon-Realms has always, to me, been a collective circle-jerk, which was why I'd avoided using it for all those years. While I'm certainly no saint myself and I've had my own and rather rough period of post-awakening adjustment. I've not always displayed the best or most mature attitude when dealing with others. I'm certainly no stranger to a temper either.
However, if a site like DragonRealms is to grow, and not become stagnant like Draconic, it needs to give people reasons to join. It needs to give people reasons to see it as an active, welcoming and mature community that doesn't shun and shy away outsiders that don't fit into the belief patterns of the incumbent members and administrators.
Surprisingly enough, I found myself far more at home, on a well known community site catering to far different ends and met some of the nicest and fun dragons in that time. I still lurk on sites like this when time permits, between work and other commitments I don't have much of it anymore.
Even this website, as open and free as it is, isn't entirely faultless, however, I trust the administrators and operators of this website, to listen to anyone who feels they have a valid concern or criticism with how things are done. If Dragon-Realms has changed from the site that I remember it being, all those years ago, and become a good community that's open to other people's differences of opinion and view, then it'll grow again.
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Topic: Help Wanted: Dragon Realms Revival Project™! (Read 2289 times)
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