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Trying to revive my fleet, need advice
magusj01
Member Posts: 13 Arc User
I get the impression that fleet management is kind of a thorny subject, but I really need some advice, because I'm new to being a fleet leader. Also, let me say that I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about this situation...I'm honestly not sure what to do here.
About a month ago, I was given leadership of my fleet by the old leader. She doesn't play much anymore, and we were never a big fleet to begin with...basically, there were only a few active players left, and when I offered to take over with plans to revive the fleet and do some recruitment, she happily handed over leadership and told everybody who was left about the change of leadership. I agreed to abide by a few restrictions: Don't dump old players we're hoping will come back (I'm OK with that), don't remove the original Fleet Leader who hasn't been on in four years (that made me a little uneasy, but whatever), try not to leave our sub-fleets behind while searching for a new armada (I didn't want to).
Since then, I've been trying to engage the remaining players to help me rename the fleet (no feedback), set a new code of conduct for the fleet (no feedback), set some recruitment guidelines (no feedback), get the last couple of Colony projects moving (no donations unless someone needed Fleet Credits), update the fleet uniform (mild disinterest), find an active Armada to join (no feedback), get some casual RP started again (silence)...you get the idea, I'm sure.
I cornered one of the other members last night and privately asked what was going on, why I wasn't getting any help, and the response was a disheartening "Well, you really shouldn't change anything until [old leader] comes back."
The old fleet leader has another half-dozen or so characters as Fleet Admirals who I need to demote, which is being done with her approval, but which is going to take a couple more months because of the one-at-a-time two week policy, assuming nobody cancels the demotions (like the original fleet leader, or someone she trusted with her login info). In the meantime, I'm starting to feel like there's nothing I can actually do without being knifed in the back if somebody doesn't like it and complains to her, and that the general opinion is that I'm not a leader, just some kind of custodian.
So my question, I guess, is this: Is there anything at all that I can do to in this situation? Or am I stuck and it's time to just get out and go searching for a new home.
Help a guy out! I really want to revive this fleet and make it active and fun again.
About a month ago, I was given leadership of my fleet by the old leader. She doesn't play much anymore, and we were never a big fleet to begin with...basically, there were only a few active players left, and when I offered to take over with plans to revive the fleet and do some recruitment, she happily handed over leadership and told everybody who was left about the change of leadership. I agreed to abide by a few restrictions: Don't dump old players we're hoping will come back (I'm OK with that), don't remove the original Fleet Leader who hasn't been on in four years (that made me a little uneasy, but whatever), try not to leave our sub-fleets behind while searching for a new armada (I didn't want to).
Since then, I've been trying to engage the remaining players to help me rename the fleet (no feedback), set a new code of conduct for the fleet (no feedback), set some recruitment guidelines (no feedback), get the last couple of Colony projects moving (no donations unless someone needed Fleet Credits), update the fleet uniform (mild disinterest), find an active Armada to join (no feedback), get some casual RP started again (silence)...you get the idea, I'm sure.
I cornered one of the other members last night and privately asked what was going on, why I wasn't getting any help, and the response was a disheartening "Well, you really shouldn't change anything until [old leader] comes back."
The old fleet leader has another half-dozen or so characters as Fleet Admirals who I need to demote, which is being done with her approval, but which is going to take a couple more months because of the one-at-a-time two week policy, assuming nobody cancels the demotions (like the original fleet leader, or someone she trusted with her login info). In the meantime, I'm starting to feel like there's nothing I can actually do without being knifed in the back if somebody doesn't like it and complains to her, and that the general opinion is that I'm not a leader, just some kind of custodian.
So my question, I guess, is this: Is there anything at all that I can do to in this situation? Or am I stuck and it's time to just get out and go searching for a new home.
Help a guy out! I really want to revive this fleet and make it active and fun again.
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on
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This discussion has been closed.
Comments
They meant don't remove them from leadership...that person has one character left as a Fleet Admiral, and traditionally they've been left there out of respect for having started the fleet originally. I was (and am) a little uneasy about this...but they've only been on once, for about a week, in the last four years, and just came in to run some of the new content before leaving again. So...
And yeah, the fleet uniform is relatively unimportant...but the fact that I actually got a bit of push-back against changing it, which is pretty much the ONLY feedback I've gotten so far, felt worth calling out in my post.
It's a situation that I thought - and that I believe the last fleet leader thought - was pretty cut and dried. But the other remaining members seem intent on her coming back and maintaining the status quo rather than helping me try to revive the fleet. It's getting weird, which is why I'm looking for some advice.
a) The player who owns the character chooses to demote the character or leave the fleet (and I believe even that is prevented if there are no other Leadership rank characters in the fleet)
or
b) The character at Leadership rank is the only such in the fleet, and is inactive for long enough that the game automatically promotes the next fleet member to log in to Leadership after a set period.
I would offer your fleet a compromise - assuming the above is true, point out that you can't remove the original leader or their corresponding fleet permissions even if you wanted to, and if they do return as an active player you are happy to step aside and let them reverse any changes you might have made if they actually want to resume the leadership role. But, in the meantime, it's better for you as the acting leader to make changes that encourage an active membership, so that there is still a healthy fleet that the original leader can return to.
If they choose not to be reasonable and flexible, I believe you are likely to be left with little choice but to either step aside, or simply go ahead and do what you think best for the fleet without their input, if necessary limit their permissions so they can't interfere with the process whilst still allowing them to access the resources of the fleet they helped build, and accept the consequences.
though from what it sounds like, it's going to come down to one of two choices either you accept your just a placeholder because they aren't going to respect you as leader. or you start demoting and kicking people until they accept your the boss.
this sort of thing is why I stay out of fleet/guild business in mmos.
if I stop posting it doesn't make you right it. just means I don't have enough rum to continue interacting with you.
This situation is somewhat familiar to me.
I've been with my fleet since I started playing like 8 or 9 years ago, been serving on our council and later as leader for five years or so. Only joined a few other fleets on some toons for some brief stints, but this has always been my 'real' fleet.
We also decided not to kick the founders and other people who were important to getting the fleet where it is now. Most of them have not logged on for years. Still, I think that policy is ok. Unless the roster slots are badly needed, why kick someone who may return one day (some of them actually have returned, even if it was for short periods of time)?
As for the other things you mentioned: during my years as a fleet leader, it has always been very difficult to get people to be active in the social sense, providing feedback and input when requested and so on. I just think either STO isn't really the type of game for large groups of players to be active in, or most players here just don't see the need to be actively involved in managing the fleet.
Note that also here on the forum, only a few fleets appear to have ever been able to attract sufficient attention for their events. The situation your fleet finds itself in, is not exceptional - I'd argue that most fleets are in this kind of situation where only a few people are trying to get everyone involved with little to no success.
My fleet still has a well-filled roster, but most of our socially active and initiative taking members have not been on for years. Chat is hardly if ever used. Filling projects is no problem and many people do log on regularly though. Whether you want to stay or look elsewhere for a new home is something you'll have to decide for yourself, depending on what your priorities are: keeping the stores filled, maintaining the work of others, or having people to play with? That's something you'll have to determine for yourself.
I just want to say that I can fully imagine leaving your fleet behind. I have considered doing that, in the end I didn't since I have been with them since the very beginning of my journey in STO. It's up to you to decide whether that loyalty is worth it.
[3/25 10:41][Combat (Self)]Your Haymaker deals 26187 (10692) Physical Damage(Critical) to Orinoco.
In my own fleets fleet founders and other people that have worked hard in the past and helped make the fleets what they are today all have a permanent place in the roster. Many have revisited the game after long absences (some greater than 4 years) and appreciate finding their characters intact and still with the fleet - many are actually pleasantly surprised. This is working as intended but I realize this approach may not be possible if you're at your membership cap. Then again if you're not at cap is there really any need for things such as 90 day inactivity purges that may have been appropriate in 2014? People take breaks...
A lot of fleets aren't as active as they used to be so introducing some changes may not be appropriate, appreciated, or at least greeted with indifference/lack of interest (hence you getting 'no feedback') so proceed slowly and in a respectful manner and be prepared to find some goals not practically achievable.
I don't think the current state of fleets in the game will necessarily support all the goals you have in mind but wish you the best.
Just a thought...
CM
Just shows how out of touch I became with fleet operations after taking a two year break a while back. I always knew the permissions by rank setup, but I must have misunderstood or just plain forgotten the rank 7 mechanics.
Admittedly my only experience was when I returned from the break and my two private fleets promoted the first character to log in to leader, it just never came up in my main fleet.
Anyway, @magusj01, I wish you luck with your fleet. Hopefully all the advice you have received above is of some help.