Omnibelt - Today at 8:05 PM
yooo
Akinok - Today at 8:05 PM
Hello Mercer, Omni.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:05 PM
as the cool kids say
'what is up'
Omnibelt - Today at 8:05 PM
lets do this thang
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:05 PM
Yes quite
You ready John?
Akinok - Today at 8:05 PM
Yeah.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:05 PM
aight coo, so I think Mercer was going to get it started
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:06 PM
sure was
Akinok - Today at 8:06 PM
Just a heads up, do to the on call nature of my job I might need to step away if I get a call.
I will let you know if that is the case, but it's been slow.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:06 PM
-slaps table awkwardly, presses button on the top of my ballpoint pen four times annoyingly-
Omnibelt - Today at 8:06 PM
np, shit happens man, I get it
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:06 PM
Yeet
No problems here
So then!
What was it that changed your mind and made you decide to return to the GM team?
Akinok - Today at 8:09 PM
Hmmm, well Circle returned to VLC and I decided to come back because there were some people I honestly do enjoy. Didn't really plan on gming though. Then we did some co-op sessions and I enjoyed it a great deal. I forgot that as much as vlc can make me mad with it's scale and different philosophies of play, it also has some very fun people who rp and get into it. Gming for those people is always a treat, and it made me yearn to do it once again.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:11 PM
That's fair, that's the nature of the LC beast I think. Lots of varying playstyles, some that can be infuriating, but others that when you run for them you can just say to yourself with 100% certainty "this is why I do it."
Akinok - Today at 8:11 PM
Yeah. Plus, VLC is a great ground for random ideas. It's hard to pull off in a PC.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:11 PM
Mhm.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:12 PM
Totes malotes
Omnibelt - Today at 8:12 PM
aight
so
second question
unless Mercer has anything to add?
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:12 PM
Nope, go ahead Omni
Omnibelt - Today at 8:13 PM
kk
Do you think anything has changed in the community since you first left? If so, have they changed for the better or the worse?
Akinok - Today at 8:15 PM
Hmmmm. I would say it's about the same. The rotating council is still something I like. I have seen a couple changes that show the team is addressing gm/player disparity. Which is nice. Still not a great level of gms to ers. The canonizing of aps is cool though I fear spoilers for some aps I am running in. Which kind of sucks cause as a gm I would probably have to know those when we do that.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:16 PM
You don't really, it's all pretty hidden deep within the dark depths of council chat. My personal take is that I think a decent amount of the team simply mute the AP chat for that very reason.
Akinok - Today at 8:16 PM
Ah interesting good to know.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:17 PM
And yes, GM/Player disparity is exactly why I voted for the Level 20 slot restriction which has had such a mixed response
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:20 PM
Alright, third question since I have nothing important to add to that
What, if at all, do you think you'd do differently this time as a GM?
Akinok - Today at 8:21 PM
Not care as much.
Now that may seem like an odd answer, but let me explain.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:21 PM
please do
Akinok - Today at 8:23 PM
First time around I viewed it as a job. I cared about being professional, I was constantly upset by things like gm/player duels. Badmouthing players in gm chat. I hated council chat cause I was so invested in it. Now? I just want to run some sessions. Play with some people, have a good time. I can vote in council stuff, I can do approvals, that's all fine... But VLC just isn't as important to me as it was the first time when I joined. Which led to it stressing me out, I was too invested in it.
At the end of the day I am just looking to be able to run games for an online group, not get a second job.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:26 PM
That is a fair, and frankly, I think healthy position to take. As long as you can take enjoyment out of what VLC has to offer and let go the more distasteful parts that crop up from time to time I think that will go a long way. For anyone.
Akinok - Today at 8:27 PM
Yeah, honestly this way would be better for me. If I got in and am having a hard time this way should be easier for me to say "I need a few weeks break." instead of just stewing.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:28 PM
Well, with that point I guess we can probably jump into question 5 instead of 4?
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:31 PM
Hrm, I just wanna make sure of something here- while I think I agree with the 'this isn't as serious as I was making it out to be' mindset, I'm unsure how I feel about you implying that you won't care about being professional this time around. Could you elaborate on that more than you already have?
Akinok - Today at 8:35 PM
Ah yes. I am not going to go bad mouthing players, or attacking them as a gm. It's just.... I had a set of standards I held myself to, and they where higher then what I felt a lot of the gms at the time did. Example. Bad mouthing players in gm chat. I have heard several times "Better to do it there then to their faces" but to me that feels childish and unproffesional. A direct response is better then just badmouthing someone, escpecially when they one day could become a gm and find said stuff.

I will still not participate, but I am not going to confront the other gms over it. I am still not going to do things I consider super unprofessional in ooc, but I don't know if I have the energy anymore to try to bring it up in gm chat just to be shut down.

It's not a job, I won't be on council. I can act the way I feel is professional, but I don't want to sign up for trying to uphold other gms to that level, escpecially since in the past I have been shown that the gms don't need to be on that level.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:36 PM
I'm happy with that answer, thank you for elaborating
Omni, wanna get the next question?
Omnibelt - Today at 8:36 PM
Mhm, works for me too.
aight, yea, this'll be the last I believe
oh wait
no
uhhh
oh sure
sorry I'm all mixed up
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:37 PM
lol
it's ok
tyt
Akinok - Today at 8:37 PM
It happens. Take your time.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:37 PM
There was a sentiment pushed forward that recommended that you did not join VLC chat as it causes you a lot of stess. What are your thoughts about that sentiment?
Akinok - Today at 8:37 PM
VLC council chat?
Or just VLC chat in general?
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:37 PM
Council Chat I believe
Akinok - Today at 8:39 PM
It's fair. As a gm it caused me to attempt to step down once, and I flat out left it another time. Being less invested is probably helpfull to that. As for fully leaving the second time, those were special circumstances that I am unsure would be wise to go into unless you two feel the need for it. But I completely understand the point of view. I have historically (Except for the restructure) done poorly in council chat.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:41 PM
With that in mind do you think you'll participate?
(sorry if I stole your thunder Omni)
Omnibelt - Today at 8:41 PM
(heh sort of but it'll still work)
Akinok - Today at 8:42 PM
I am open to it. I can't imagine anything too crazy happening. VLC is already set up in a way I can't imagine too much stuff that will get me up in arms. Player issues being about the only thing that could rile me up. I have an idea or two I would like to introduce too.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:44 PM
That's understandable!
Omnibelt - Today at 8:44 PM
Okay cool, that works, as always its voluntary, and I don't think we'd keep you out if you wanted to join, we just want to make sure that this time around the things that made you stressed and unhappy can be avoided better this time
Akinok - Today at 8:44 PM
I appreciate that, I really do.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:46 PM
I don't know how to followup on that outside of 'I agree' and 'You're a cool person John so I don't want to force you to do nothing you don't want to do'
Akinok - Today at 8:46 PM
Dawww
THanks
*D'awww
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:46 PM

Omnibelt - Today at 8:46 PM
SO
I think we'll just touch on one last thing, and that's the whole "how we leave" sort of thing.
You mentioned it earlier that you'd just call a spade a spade in the future and label it as a break, ya?
Akinok - Today at 8:47 PM
Yeah.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:47 PM
It's when people do that, and let us know they intend to come back, even if it's not for a bit
it's not leaving us hanging so much
Yuki has done it twice, I did it for a week
Akinok - Today at 8:48 PM
Yuki does it often, and I think they have the right idea for how to handle it (From what I can see)
Omnibelt - Today at 8:48 PM
Yeah
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:48 PM
Yessir
Omnibelt - Today at 8:48 PM
If it's just a mental health break
just let us know
Akinok - Today at 8:48 PM
Of course.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:48 PM
It's cool, most of us get it
if not all
Akinok - Today at 8:49 PM
Last time... hmm, Last time wasn't an intentional leave. It was a "Welp, I just lost control of my anger and did something incredibly not ok. I need to leave now, save them the hassle of kicking me out."
So, sorry about that.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:50 PM
Yeh, shit happens John, glass houses and all that
Akinok - Today at 8:50 PM
Ye.
Omnibelt - Today at 8:50 PM
Its okay
Akinok - Today at 8:50 PM
Any other questions, concerns?
Omnibelt - Today at 8:50 PM
I think that's it!
Any questions for us?
Akinok - Today at 8:50 PM
Hmmm, not really. Has anything insane changed behind the screen that I should know about in like the next two months?
Omnibelt - Today at 8:51 PM
Mercer plays piano with a dog every friday on VC in council chat
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:51 PM
hold on
What
It's a cat
god
Omnibelt - Today at 8:51 PM
ehehehehhe
Akinok - Today at 8:51 PM
Excellent
Omnibelt - Today at 8:51 PM
but yeah, not really much
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:52 PM
also we duel to decide things but I think Circle told you that already
Omnibelt - Today at 8:52 PM
mhm
Akinok - Today at 8:52 PM
He did.
Well, no real questions from me then, I was around enough that if nothing major has changed there isn't much mystery
Omnibelt - Today at 8:53 PM
coolio! :]
well John-o, thanks for your time
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:53 PM
Yep! Thanks man
Akinok - Today at 8:53 PM
Thank you for your times both of you.
Mercer-chan - Today at 8:53 PM
We'll get back to you soon
Akinok - Today at 8:53 PM
KK
Omnibelt - Today at 8:53 PM
mhmm!
Akinok - Today at 8:54 PM
Ok for me to leave the chat now?
Omnibelt - Today at 8:54 PM
yeh