DRAMA. EBA members, what do we do about it?

[A. L. Aljan]

Wow. There's a lot of drama in full-swing around here, and we're losing members, many of whom are my FRIENDS.

There are people out there that think our ideals are too rigid. There are others that think we should stick to our guns, regardless of others' actions or opinions. Is there a happy medium? Should we consider any changes in our club's ideals and code of ethics?

I'm not going to include a poll here because I want to hear from MEMBERS ONLY, as I'm trying to serve our members' interests... you're my "constituents'! (If we decide we want to hear from those outside of our club, I will open this to non-members, too) What do you think about what's going on (what are your immediate concerns)? What do you think we should do about it?

Please help me to keep this from forcing any more people out of our community!


~ Amanda @ Aljan

[Misty Glen]

Personally I feel that the club has moved away from its central ideals and become too rigid and constrictive to players, which has acted as a catalyst for the drama you are referring to.

The club is all about making sure players breed responsibly, but lately it seems to have been about making sure they don't breed at all.

A player whom I would consider to be a responsible breeder would
- respect an animal's rarity
- honour contracts
- place animals on the market for reasonable prices.

By 'respecting an animal's rarity' I'm referring to how much the animal is bred. This quantity should be no more than what is reasonable for its rarity and certainly not excessive. Plenty of players like to improve the colours, details, etc on a breed and breeding is the best way to do this. I see nothing wrong with this. And if they occasionally sell one, I don't see an issue with this either.

I don't believe a creator has the right to place limitations on an animal if they don't own it. If a creator specifies certain conditions before sale, then this is fine, and the new owner should honour them. If none are specified before sale, or the owner has obtained the animals through another source, then it is out of the creator's control. If the owner is a responsible breeder then they'll be fair with the animal anyway and not a great deal of breeding will go on. If they're not, then they'll earn a bad reputation and suffer the consequences of that, and I think that's only fair.

If a creator wants to be able to strictly control the population of something they plan to create, they should make it AE, since this will mean it can't be bought as a foundation pair. If they can't afford that, then they simply can't expect to be able to have the same level of control if they make it a lower rarity instead. This is why AEs cost so much. Control comes at a price.

I also dislike it when I see creators demanding players sterilise a particular creation before they sell it. If there were conditions attached to the animal preventing this, that the player agreed to before they bought it, then the creator has a valid point as the player is breaching a contract, but if no such conditions existed then I don't believe the creator can reasonably ask that of the player as this will dramatically decrease the value of the animal.

If a creator doesn't want to see their creation sold whole then they can instead contact the player to negotiate an alternative, keeping in mind that the player is not obligated to do anything for the sole reason that the creator is asking them to. Most reasonable players are more than happy to sterilise if they are compensated for the decrease in value the animal will suffer. This way they still get the same amount for the animal, and the creator also gets what they want.

[Vitani]

I'm kind of on the fence about the whole debacle...

On the one hand, I most definately agree with the ideals of the EBA...On the other, I don't completely oppose the players who think some creators are overly strict.

Its hard to know where to stand. In this game there are NO gaurantees about your creation unless you create A/E and ONLY sell sterile. The minute you let one out whole, you are putting your absolute faith in that person to treat the creation the way you would. Not everybody does. How many A/E's are overbred? Quite a few in actual fact. And yet there are some lower rarities that, perhaps by Murphy's law, are safe. Not everyone can afford A/E....Even before the current economic situation. I sure can't! So I make the rarest I can afford at the time and hope for the best. At the end of the day its all a player can do...

I'm very attached to my creations. I created them, after all. And while I understand those that say "it's just pixels" it equates to crying over spilt milk. You paid for the milk, but can't enjoy it...All you can really do, is invest in a better cup, or not be so clumsy in the pouring....That made sense in my head lol, but I realize it probably doesn't to anyone else

At the end of the day? A game isin't worth losing friends over.

I try to not buy foundy pairs unless I can help it. And yes, I do breed to replace things. Yes, I sell endangered creations. But very, VERY rarely do I sell an endangered that is actually player created. I figure an Orbis creation is fair game when I need to offload surplus or make a few bucks. Not everyone agrees with me on that, but I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion...
On the odd times I wish to sell or gift something of high rarity ( its not to say I don't respect lower rarity, I'm just more mindful of the expense of endangered versus uncommon etc ) I make feasible attempts to contact the creator. I give it a week minimum to hear back from them if they are active, 2 weeks if it appears they aren't. Heck, some players think I'M not right now, because I haven't examined in 65 days....

Er...I've waffled on and kind of gone off track...And now I can't remember what the point I wanted to make was

I like the EBA. Thats why I joined. I like its ideals and ethics. Just the way it is. I like knowing I'm trusted to have animals whole even though people know I do my own breeding...I think its a fair trade off for affording others the same respect. In saying that...I tend to only DO those kinds of whole animal deals with other members so in the end, however it may be viewed by 'outsiders' ( meaning no offense ) the EBA serves its purpose to me...If your not a member, I tend to assume there is some reason for it other than laziness...Since its free to join and requires nothing other than you be responsible...

*offers cookies in apology for waffling*

[A. L. Aljan]

What do we think about simplifying the club's main page? What do we think we should make as main "bullet points"?


~ Amanda @ Aljan

[Misty Glen]

[A. L. Aljan]

I absolutely remember the GREAT work you did for that page - I was impressed and thankful.

I would love to see what you've got in mind, as you were highly instrumental in the workding and format of the original... and thanks in advance for all of your hard work!

... and BTW, `Tani, I'm grateful for your input, too! Waffling? Mmmmmm... waffles... and cookies too? How'd you know I have an insatiable sweet tooth? HAHAHAHA!


~ Amanda @ Aljan

[Cecelia]

Well I don't know how much my opinion is worth because I haven't been the most active member in the world but I think in some cases we have gone overboard. I have a really hard time ot snapping every time I hear only breed to replace. What if the person wants to have about 4 or 5 threatened animals what's wrong with that. Or what if she paid good money for this animal that really doesn't boost her prestige that much and wants to get a little back. Why are people so scared to place almost any good animal on the marketplace? I loved the original ideals and ethics of this club but that has changed so much now.

Cecelia~thellamallady~

[ChocolateGal]

I think we should have a rule before entering into the club that the person will not leave or make rude comments to another person from the EBA in a desicion, otherwise they have to suffer some sort of punishment.. I don't know, this could apply to putting animals on the market and making auctons??! Maybe explain in the front page that by entering into this club, you have to be okay with ohers decisions with out blowing up or leaving..

The fact is, SBF is just a game, (a very special game) and in the end we shouldn't be losing friends about some little tiff...

That's my input anyway!