Today, I have been with EdgeGamers for 2 years. I decided to write down a brief summary in 3 parts of my experiences over this time. Everyone?s experience is either a little or a lot different. For those that are new here, I hope it gives you some insight as to what might be possible, some of what you may encounter, and the courage to get involved. I hope you enjoy it
My First 2 Years With EdgeGamers
- Thread starter Bones
- Start date
2 years! ? Part 1 of 3, EdgeGamers Is More Than A Place To Game
I never really envisioned what joining EdgeGamers would mean at the time. I got the game so I could play online with my nephews who live in other states. We had trouble finding servers that were full, or language that would make a sailor blush. I started hopping around from clan to clan finding a few regulars that I enjoyed playing with. Most of those clans would disappear after only a few short weeks along with the players that I was starting to get to know. I really second guessed how the heck a game like Day of Defeat could grow or sustain itself through this kind of change.
.
Then I found EdgeGamers. The clan seemed quite a bit larger and more organized than any other clans I had seen before. I played off and on for a couple of months seeing that many of the players were regulars on the servers. Even more important were that many of those regulars were actual members. I started making friends on the various servers in EdgeGamers with people from all over the world. I only knew them online as we defended a flag or tried to capture one. After much encouragement from one very special admin at that time, I joined EdgeGamers on January 31, 2008. It was he alone that brought me in. So never think that your recruitment efforts are pointless when we have so many other members to do the job.
.
That is when my life really did start to change. That is when I found that EdgeGamers was more than just a place to game. It is an entire community with many roles to fill. At first I was just excited to find a home where I could regularly game. I found that our threads and posts would compete in content and variety with any of the technical bulletin boards that I have accessed on the internet.
.
I was nervous with my first posts. I was opening myself up for criticism of my viewpoints and thoughts on gaming. It did not take long for me to find out that EdgeGamers welcomed me in with wide opened arms. Sure there were people to disagree with me, but there were more people that followed what I had to say and added to it. And then I started watching to see how many people might actually read a thread that I started. This is another part where the community aspect really kicks in. You find people you are talking with that are not even in game.
.
As we got Ventrilo working well, we started having public meetings where many people from all over the clan showed up. Vent meetings would actually fill up. If you did not get there early enough, you would miss out and only hope to get in if someone else left. If you missed it, you would have to wait for a few days to listen to a recording of the meeting or ask your friends about it. We added more games and each game got its own section in Ventrilo and on our WEB site. This community was not only already big and organized, but it was growing.
.
I was fortunate enough to be able to help out with the clan from time to time so I gladly started contributed financially. This has never been a requirement of our clan. Different people contribute in different ways as it works into their lives. That is what being a member of a community is about. It takes the people to keep it going and to make it grow. This was after all a place where I could log on anytime, fire up a game, or chat with my old and new friends.
I never really envisioned what joining EdgeGamers would mean at the time. I got the game so I could play online with my nephews who live in other states. We had trouble finding servers that were full, or language that would make a sailor blush. I started hopping around from clan to clan finding a few regulars that I enjoyed playing with. Most of those clans would disappear after only a few short weeks along with the players that I was starting to get to know. I really second guessed how the heck a game like Day of Defeat could grow or sustain itself through this kind of change.
.
Then I found EdgeGamers. The clan seemed quite a bit larger and more organized than any other clans I had seen before. I played off and on for a couple of months seeing that many of the players were regulars on the servers. Even more important were that many of those regulars were actual members. I started making friends on the various servers in EdgeGamers with people from all over the world. I only knew them online as we defended a flag or tried to capture one. After much encouragement from one very special admin at that time, I joined EdgeGamers on January 31, 2008. It was he alone that brought me in. So never think that your recruitment efforts are pointless when we have so many other members to do the job.
.
That is when my life really did start to change. That is when I found that EdgeGamers was more than just a place to game. It is an entire community with many roles to fill. At first I was just excited to find a home where I could regularly game. I found that our threads and posts would compete in content and variety with any of the technical bulletin boards that I have accessed on the internet.
.
I was nervous with my first posts. I was opening myself up for criticism of my viewpoints and thoughts on gaming. It did not take long for me to find out that EdgeGamers welcomed me in with wide opened arms. Sure there were people to disagree with me, but there were more people that followed what I had to say and added to it. And then I started watching to see how many people might actually read a thread that I started. This is another part where the community aspect really kicks in. You find people you are talking with that are not even in game.
.
As we got Ventrilo working well, we started having public meetings where many people from all over the clan showed up. Vent meetings would actually fill up. If you did not get there early enough, you would miss out and only hope to get in if someone else left. If you missed it, you would have to wait for a few days to listen to a recording of the meeting or ask your friends about it. We added more games and each game got its own section in Ventrilo and on our WEB site. This community was not only already big and organized, but it was growing.
.
I was fortunate enough to be able to help out with the clan from time to time so I gladly started contributed financially. This has never been a requirement of our clan. Different people contribute in different ways as it works into their lives. That is what being a member of a community is about. It takes the people to keep it going and to make it grow. This was after all a place where I could log on anytime, fire up a game, or chat with my old and new friends.
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2 years! ? Part 2 of 3, Promotions And Responsibilities
After a couple of months being ranked as an “e”, I wondered what it would take to get a promotion. I was beginning to really want the “eG” rank. After asking a few people about it I found that I needed to show my participation and involvement with both the forums and the servers. I knew I was almost there and was told to be patient as it would happen. Once I got it I proudly showed it off and let my nephews know about it too
. I even brought in one of my long standing best friends at the time, Quaffer, who has made quite a name for himself within EdgeGamers.
.
The rank of “eG” brought with it certain powers like the authority to warn and kick players. At that time there were no training classes, so you would get tips from the “eGO” players on how to handle different situations. It took a couple of weeks before I started dealing with the more aggressive troublemakers.
.
After several more months, others were getting the rank of “eGO” and I felt like I was being passed by. I did not want to admit it, but I was bothered by it. My friend Quaffer actually made it all the way to an Advisor level by then. Oh how the beers were bitter at that time, lol. But I was told month after month to be patient and not push the issue, which is exactly what I did. The promotion lists would come out and I would even be checking them from work, only to find my name not on the list – sigh. But sure enough, one day I was promoted to “eGO” rank. It was a feeling that the clan finally accepted me as someone they could trust to maintain the DoD servers even if I was the only one there at the time.
.
Once again I had to learn how to use my new powers by working with fellow “eGO” admins. That first ban was a bit nerve racking, but they promoted me and everyone else that received the “eGO” rank for the purpose of watching over our servers. It was important to learn that there is a line between abusing the powers granted you, properly maintaining the servers, and being an observer thusly doing nothing. Through the commitment of fellow admins and leaders, EdgeGamers started offering classes on how to admin to help the new people get started and as a refresher or confirmation to others. Some leaders and admins even posted admin exercise threads at both the “eG” and “eGO” levels.
.
Even after the training, once in a while I found myself either questioning my own action, or knew that I made a mistake. Hence, Bones Learning Experiences was born. I was very nervous about doing that. I was sharing with the entire community where I goofed up as an admin, or was part of some confusing situation. Talk about feeling like I just threw myself to the lions. It turned out to be very well received. I was mostly surprised when people thanked me for sharing my experiences as it helped them in their own gray areas.
.
Lastly, I was offered the chance to make even a bigger difference by becoming an Advisor. This was a huge honor. Let me assure you that it takes a big commitment for those that travel down this path. It offered me the chance to further help the clan make changes and new directions. It provided me yet more powers where once again I was nervous when I first used them. I asked where the executive wash room was and I was shown the outhouse that Slayr was just coming from (just kidding).
.
But seriously, the entire admin experience at ALL levels has been an awesome experience.
After a couple of months being ranked as an “e”, I wondered what it would take to get a promotion. I was beginning to really want the “eG” rank. After asking a few people about it I found that I needed to show my participation and involvement with both the forums and the servers. I knew I was almost there and was told to be patient as it would happen. Once I got it I proudly showed it off and let my nephews know about it too
. I even brought in one of my long standing best friends at the time, Quaffer, who has made quite a name for himself within EdgeGamers..
The rank of “eG” brought with it certain powers like the authority to warn and kick players. At that time there were no training classes, so you would get tips from the “eGO” players on how to handle different situations. It took a couple of weeks before I started dealing with the more aggressive troublemakers.
.
After several more months, others were getting the rank of “eGO” and I felt like I was being passed by. I did not want to admit it, but I was bothered by it. My friend Quaffer actually made it all the way to an Advisor level by then. Oh how the beers were bitter at that time, lol. But I was told month after month to be patient and not push the issue, which is exactly what I did. The promotion lists would come out and I would even be checking them from work, only to find my name not on the list – sigh. But sure enough, one day I was promoted to “eGO” rank. It was a feeling that the clan finally accepted me as someone they could trust to maintain the DoD servers even if I was the only one there at the time.
.
Once again I had to learn how to use my new powers by working with fellow “eGO” admins. That first ban was a bit nerve racking, but they promoted me and everyone else that received the “eGO” rank for the purpose of watching over our servers. It was important to learn that there is a line between abusing the powers granted you, properly maintaining the servers, and being an observer thusly doing nothing. Through the commitment of fellow admins and leaders, EdgeGamers started offering classes on how to admin to help the new people get started and as a refresher or confirmation to others. Some leaders and admins even posted admin exercise threads at both the “eG” and “eGO” levels.
.
Even after the training, once in a while I found myself either questioning my own action, or knew that I made a mistake. Hence, Bones Learning Experiences was born. I was very nervous about doing that. I was sharing with the entire community where I goofed up as an admin, or was part of some confusing situation. Talk about feeling like I just threw myself to the lions. It turned out to be very well received. I was mostly surprised when people thanked me for sharing my experiences as it helped them in their own gray areas.
.
Lastly, I was offered the chance to make even a bigger difference by becoming an Advisor. This was a huge honor. Let me assure you that it takes a big commitment for those that travel down this path. It offered me the chance to further help the clan make changes and new directions. It provided me yet more powers where once again I was nervous when I first used them. I asked where the executive wash room was and I was shown the outhouse that Slayr was just coming from (just kidding).
.
But seriously, the entire admin experience at ALL levels has been an awesome experience.
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2 years! ? Part 3 of 3, The Future
There are so many roles and responsibilities to take on as a member of EdgeGamers. I look forward to stepping down from one role and taking on a new one. My personal life and career demands are constantly changing. There are times (like the past few weeks) where I don’t have much time to play or participate on our forums. Yet every time I log back in or start up the game I am warmly greeted by my fellow clan members. I have seen other players leave and come back after many months. The thing is, EdgeGamers continues to grow and adapt. Even now, we are adding servers to new games, and creating our own versions of those games.
.
EdgeGamers is full of people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Got a computer problem? - Check out our forums. You might be surprised about what else you find in there. And for each new person that joins our clan, the wealth of knowledge grows. The coolest part is that it does not matter what you do or who you are when it comes to gaming! What does matter is that we are all gamers and we share a common purpose that is anchored by EdgeGamers.
.
As we continue to grow as a clan, we are also growing as individuals. I could not have imagined all the experiences, the opportunities, and the people that I have met as I have been here for 2 years. Those of you that know me also know there are many more stories to share. I can only imagine what is in store for me over the next 2 years.
.
I am truly excited for those of you just starting out with us. No telling what doors might open up for you.
.
Thank you EdgeGamers
There are so many roles and responsibilities to take on as a member of EdgeGamers. I look forward to stepping down from one role and taking on a new one. My personal life and career demands are constantly changing. There are times (like the past few weeks) where I don’t have much time to play or participate on our forums. Yet every time I log back in or start up the game I am warmly greeted by my fellow clan members. I have seen other players leave and come back after many months. The thing is, EdgeGamers continues to grow and adapt. Even now, we are adding servers to new games, and creating our own versions of those games.
.
EdgeGamers is full of people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Got a computer problem? - Check out our forums. You might be surprised about what else you find in there. And for each new person that joins our clan, the wealth of knowledge grows. The coolest part is that it does not matter what you do or who you are when it comes to gaming! What does matter is that we are all gamers and we share a common purpose that is anchored by EdgeGamers.
.
As we continue to grow as a clan, we are also growing as individuals. I could not have imagined all the experiences, the opportunities, and the people that I have met as I have been here for 2 years. Those of you that know me also know there are many more stories to share. I can only imagine what is in store for me over the next 2 years.
.
I am truly excited for those of you just starting out with us. No telling what doors might open up for you.
.
Thank you EdgeGamers
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- Joined
- Sep 24, 2007
- Messages
- 356
You are great bones. i love the learning experiences. great sum up of you 2 years.
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2009
- Messages
- 2,849
Great story.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2009
- Messages
- 131
your story of how you wanted to be an eG reminds me of me ;p congratz man!
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2009
- Messages
- 3,370
wow, awesome story, thanks for sharing it
- Joined
- May 13, 2009
- Messages
- 5,332
Wow Bones! That was a great story! Congrats on your two years, and I will see you on the severs!
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