By Elrohir (Elrohir) on Monday, June 25, 2001 - 10:36 am: Out of curiosity, I'm just wondering how many people have looked into the mill we're trying to replace, and given it more than a passing glance. No, this is not a pathetic attempt to prevent the demise of my beloved mill, but an attempt to assess why I see at least fifty percent of the "new" suggestions already in place with the current mill. Ironically, I'm almost swapped in my beliefs now. The following suggestion is to me quite radical, though it may not seem like it to most.
We can invoke a "sliders" concept (just once) and use an alternate form of the world already in place. The map already exists with a bunch of numbers; it would be simple to change the homepage to reflect names of new places. Same world, no three thousand pages of history. Then you all could build your form of play as you will.
This is not something I would at all like to see, but it is just another idea to consider. Also, while I'm seeing a lot of ideas being generated, few people are commenting on the ones already suggested. I'm not saying no one, since I comment at least two times daily, and I know Shadow does. But last I checked, me and Shadow wanted the least to do with the place once a form is chosen, yet we are the ones already seeming to subconsciouly direct this "new" creation. We need a few more champions to stand up from the crowd, argue with us, say an idea of someone's sucks, so here's a better way, etc.
Unless you *want* to end up with a place with guilds, stats, an extra-planar meeting place, and suggested characters translated by someone else, with little respect to alter-egos, as some ideas might suggest. 
By ETP on Monday, June 25, 2001 - 10:42 am: the reason you are seeing ideas similar to what is already in place, elhorir, is becuase we are beginning with a blank slate right now. So everyone is welcome to propose elements from the old mill as 'new ideas' in a sense, becuase we have nothing right now; therefore saying stuff like 'there should be a webpage with clickable maps' or 'someone should start a story, and others add to it' are perfectly reasonable suggestions. These people are casting their votes. To hell with whether or not those votes are reflected in the old mill. So please stop harping about people just rehashing old ideas.. some old concepts should be used for the old mill, and i dont mind people saying that.
By Elrohir (Elrohir) on Monday, June 25, 2001 - 10:52 am: What I'm annoyed at is recognition. I refer to the RPM what seems like every other sentence. I give it its due, I give it its own recognition. I'm vexed by people saying "hey, let's have a page with maps!" without even giving the nod: "Hey, the RPM home page has maps on it. I think that would be a good idea for our new world." Without a qualifier like that, it just sounds to me like these ideas are miraculously springing forth from other's minds as if they hadn't been thought of before. I'm not against using elements from the current mill to incorporate in the new one. One more thing vexes me: If the same old ideas are continually being brought up for use, why is the RPM dead, and why are we trying to build something different that's turning more and more into the exact same thing?
By Shadow (Shadow) on Monday, June 25, 2001 - 11:21 am: Elro, you know as well as anybody else why you're seeing things that exist(ed) in the RPM treated as new ideas. A lot of people haven't been there before. That's the point.
Most of what the War Mill and RPM were worked. Remember? There was a long long period of time when they were heavily populated and enjoyable in one way or another. I've looked at the situation over and over. As far as I can tell, the RPM dwindled into nothingness for two reasons:
1) The generation who started it left. People grow and move on. There was a second generation who replaced them but they have recently left as well. People grow and move on.
2) The second generation was not replaced. This happened because of two subreasons
a) The RPM had become a difficult thing to dive into. Extensive history, unclear mechanics, etc.
b) Bad P.R. No advertising (think about who provided this, at one time), etc. to draw in more people.
The idea with this board is to solve all of these problems at once. I'm doing my best on the P.R. end to bring people into this (been working well so far). The intent is to create a whole new generation who have a slightly more vested interest in this new world because it's one they had a hand in creating. In the process of design, we're also trying to make a world that will be a little more straightforward and easy to understand for newcomers. Smooth out some problems, etc.
But! The main things that this board is looking for are people. People. So let's focus on that, and the rest will come.
Now, let's get on with things.