IMPORTANT QUESTIONAIRE : How do you feel about the Hive

[Jamski]

In the interest of providing the best for you, our citizens and comrades, the Department of Statistical Anomalities has commissioned this report. Could everyone that still wants to be a member of the Hive simply fill in this questionaire and post below. Copy and Paste is your friend here, I'd say.

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?

b) public?

c) reliable?

d) responsible?

e) effective?

f) successful?

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?

8.) If not, why not.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?

15.) Do you care about this forum?

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?

17.) Would you like to play a turn?

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?

Thankyou for taking the time to answer these questions. The Chairman and I will be very interested in the results as we work together to build a better Hive. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EITHER REPLY IN THIS THREAD OR BY PM OR E-MAIL WITHIN 14 DAYS WILL BE CONSIDERED MISSING IN ACTION AND/OR CYCON SPIES, AND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE MEMBERS LIST AS NON-PARTICIPANTS. If you are just here for the ride, then please at least post to say that you don't care enough to fill in our questionaire, which is, after all, to save us having to nervestaple you all for your benefit, and a chance ti give your opinion on the Hive.

-Jam

[Nubclear]

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
Of course I am! Who wouldn't be

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
Yep.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
Yes.

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
Of course

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?
Yeah.

b) public?
Da
c) reliable?
Of course
d) responsible?
Um...What do you mean?
e) effective?
Apparently
f) successful?
Apparently
6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
Nope.
SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
No
8.) If not, why not.
Not enough active participants
9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
YES, more
10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
YES, more
11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
YES, more
12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
YES, more
13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
I don't care
14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
Ha! No.
15.) Do you care about this forum?
Of course
SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
No
17.) Would you like to play a turn?
No
18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
Methinks your still projecting onto us with this question
19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
Methinks that your projecting your feelings onto us with this question
20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
Fine

[Kody]

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
I forgotten what it says.

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
I guess, but I didn't realise they finished allocating it yet.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
I suppose I can.

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
I suppose I do.

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?
Yeah

b) public?
No always....

c) reliable?
So far so good.

d) responsible?
Yeah lots of checking helps.

e) effective?
We might be overdoing the planning.

f) successful?
Yeah, the number of mistakes have been reduced.

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
Should be relabled spam machine.

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
Nope

8.) If not, why not.
It would be nice if certain game decision threads weren't so throughly spammed to.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
Sure more polls, but need someone else to run them.

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
Yep, more

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
If you can increase the other areas. Then spam is okay, but I suspect that if you reduce spam maybe more discussions and roleplaying will occur.

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
More discussions.

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
There's plenty of dissent from what I see, just it doesn't seem to get very far.

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
Yep very afraid. OMG I need to erase what I've written.

15.) Do you care about this forum?
Just a sec, first need to powder and diaper this forum.

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
It would be nice having that for preturn chats. However, the turns often come in at odd intervals. I've noticed they mainly appear around 12:00-18:00 GMT +0. This is mainly due to Hercules waiting until the time just before he usually logs off before sending the turn to buster.

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
Sure.

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
I think I do. Although it would be nice to have infiltration of the other 3 factions.

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
Yes to both.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
I actually don't have a clue.

[Vev]

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?

I haven't read it, but I've heard it has good vibes.

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?

Yes, although Comrade Claire Forlani needs a more public figure.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?

Yes. Plus with enough spam people will go insane.

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?

Yes, but sparingly.

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?
Yes

b) public?
Yes

c) reliable?
Yes.

d) responsible?
Yes

e) effective?
Yes

f) successful?
Yes

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?

Can we all have iron gauntlets?

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
Yes

8.) If not, why not.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
Depends how useful the polls are.

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
More!

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
More !

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
Discussions of what? If spam and roleplay, Yes!

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
Only in roleplay

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
Oops, too late for me.

15.) Do you care about this forum?
Yes. Deeply. After all it is partially responsible for 2/3 of my posts.

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
Depends how important the events are. If everything is quite, then something causal can be done. If big things happens, then perhaps more input by others would be useful to go through the turn and spot anything or come up with new useful ideas.

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
Yes

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
Nah, I deliberately left myself out of the game for practical reasons.

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
Nothing that cannot be sorted out with a good battle royal.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
What experience?

[Voltaire]

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
Yes and no. I believe that it turned out well in terms of what it was attempting to do, which was bring more participation into in-game decision making. And no I am not happy with it given that it has not in reality increaser the in-game decision making participation.

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
No, we need more people to participate.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
LOL, good one.

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
Indeed.

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming decisions is :
a) fair?
Yes, all decisions have been thoroughly discussed with active and prominent Hive members before taking effect.

b) public?
No, most of the discussion has taken place on MSN.

c) reliable?
Yes.

d) responsible?
Yes, for the same reason that it was fair, all issues have been thoroughly discussed. Also Comrade Kody has always explained his plans to myself and numerous others before gaining approval. During such discussions the quality of the policies proposed by Kody and others has improved through suggestions and modifications.

e) effective?
Yes.

f) successful?
Very.

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
Though we could simply run the Hive government as an effective dictatorship, I believe the democratization, or perhaps rather the participation of active members has improved the quality of its decisions. If more members were active it would make the government function better.

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
No.

8.) If not, why not.
Same reason as Kody, too much spam in game discussion threads.

In order to solve this I have put into the new Constitution a policy of creating office threads for the various Departments where only discussion about that departments policies would take place (similar to what we had during the first demogame). These threads have not yet been created given that not all the positions have been filled.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
More, but they need to be official. Meaning that the polls should be started by department heads and other government officials, and that the polls should pertain to the policies of that particular department.

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
More. Much more.

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
About the same, so long as it doesn't spill over into serious threads.

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions?
More, hence the department office proposal.

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
What dissent?

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
No; the reason I do not voice my opinion on many matters much on the forums would be that I have either a) voiced my opinions to members in private via MSN, or b) feel that as Chairman I should take a neutral stance and base my decisions on information received from other members.

15.) Do you care about this forum?
Yes.

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
Yes and no... I think it would be beneficial if everyone (or at least more people) could attend turnchats regularly, but given the timezone differences, as well as real life commitments this becomes unfeasible. And it really isn't necessary given that most decisions are made far in advance.

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
No, though I don't mind playing the turns I feel that there are members out there better suited with that responsibility (coughkodycough).

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
Indeed I do have a feel for the progress of the game, but more importantly having had a chance to examine other peoples strategies of play I have gained much knowledge and modified my own methods.

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
I agree with the policy fully, given that I'm the one that put it in place.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
IMO we are doing as I expect us to be doing... though given the long time between turns it appears as if our progress is slow. Normally in game the progression of the early game passes quickly since there is no need to wait unlike now.

[Snowflake]

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
I have not read it but I have a blind trust for the Chairman being the good Hive citizen I am always

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
I think it's ok, given that there's no competition for any position really

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
to some degree, maybe, if I try real hard, most of the time, no

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
sometimes I do when my head is turning

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?
I think so

b) public?
Not sure about that. From what I read I suppose many disscussions happened outside of this forum and unfortunetaly I have not been present in every MSN chats

c) reliable?
I trust it is (again rather blindly)

d) responsible?
don't know, I think so

e) effective?
I believe so

f) successful?
depends on how do you measure it. If you measure it with how good we are doing in the game, looks like it is rather successful. I didn't think that our one and only goal is winning the game, I thought we were aiming to have some fun too. But maybe I was wrong.

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
I'm afraid most positions are going to be powerless and thus useless

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
I love it, but am not entirely happy with it

8.) If not, why not.
In the good old days I saw people take interest in the game, discussion happened, I learnt a lot from them. Unfortunetaly looks like the interests are dying, or at least dying in this forum.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
I don't think this is the problem

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
Yes I think we do need more roleplaying

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
With everything else gone, this is the only thing that makes me attached to the forum. If that is gone also, I'm not sure what will make me check the forum everyday.

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
I think we need more discussions

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
If it is dictationship then there will be dissent, if it is democratic, I don't see many things that can be classified as dissent

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
I have never been afraid to give my opinion, I don't care if I look wise or stupid, but that's just me

15.) Do you care about this forum?
You know I do, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this right now

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
It could be nice, but I realize that it could be impossible to find a common time slot that most people will be available. I think the second best is to make sure there are SOME people available, and these some people can be different ones for different turns

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
That'll be nice but it's ok if I don't get to play

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
I used to get the "feel" by reading the threads and participating in disscussions and now I have to try harder to get the "feel"

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
Kody is a good Comrade who works very hard for the game, although it may be nice for others to take part in it too. If all major decisions are discussed and made ahead of time, and there is turn chat for the actual play, I don't see why it has to be one person who actually do the turn. If we win the game but I haven't really participated, I will say congrats but will not be overjoyed. If we lose the game because some mistakes happened due to different people playing despite all the precausions, I will still feel it is a rewarding experience and feel happy.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
In game, I suppose we are doing good. Although it is from what I heard, not actually what I feel. Since I can't feel it much any more.

As for the health of the team, I wouldn't be so optimistic. Some people feel that there are too much spam so the real discussions are sacrificed. I feel otherwise. It's a question of chicken and eggs. My experience is that I used to benefit from the democratic discussions, and when it slacked off I tried hard to contribute and keep it alive, even if when it meant that I had to fight. But I finally had to give up for one can only do so much. When people get to be distrusted, their right and responsibility gets to be limited, the game discussion dies. People can only use more spams to compensate and keep the forum from dying. That is just my personal view.

Dear Chairman, please don't blame people for not participating actively. If they don't even see a screen shot for the current turn when the turn is passed to us, if the turn is played within couple hours of receiving and no update of what other teams have done in the new turn is given, if most decisions are disscussed privately without most people even aware of them or truly understand them, I don't see how they can actively participate. Maybe Hive is meant to be played as dictatorship (dictators consult people too, that doesn't make it democratic), we just had the false impression that this is going to be "democratic". I guess I will try to be a good quiet blindly trusting citizen. But with my nature I may not be able to hold long without becoming a dissendent (maybe I have already become one. ) I foresee the next step I would be resigning from whatever powerless and useless government positions I still have, and if the dictatorship deepens I may have to resign from the team all together. It's not that I will lose much. I would not learn much anyway if things are kept like this. I could have more game fun playing with my own PBEMs. The only thing I will miss is actually the spams, but my life will not be a completely darkness without them, and I'll be able to cope with it.

Sorry for the long post. My head is turning again.

[Octavian X]

It appears my previous attempt at a post failed...

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
Yes. That's what the nervstapling has taught me...

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
No, I should be the Chairman Yes.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
Yes

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
I guess

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?

b) public?

c) reliable?

d) responsible?

e) effective?

f) successful?
Yes to all, especially the turn chats.

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
More xenodoughnuts!

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
Just a BIT spammy, but ok

8.) If not, why not.
N/A

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
Well, yes

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
More is nice.

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
Spam good for Comrade Octavian's postcount!

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
Discussion is good

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
Dissent, you mean someone actually wants to oppose the Chairman?! He must be killed re-educated!

Otherwise, dissent is a good way to open options.

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
I already look stupid. What do I have to fear?

15.) Do you care about this forum?
Why yes!

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
[b]Nah. The faster we get to send the turn off, the better[b/]

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
If I had SMAC/X, I would gladly do so.

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
It's good

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
Works for me.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
It'll be fine. With all this activity, we'll survive for the time being.

[Haon]

SECTION 1 : Hive Policy

1.) Are you happy with the current constitution?
-I have not scrutinised it, but I trust it.

2.) Are you happy with the current allocation of positions?
-They seem fair, I admit I have been absenta, so I cn not be sure.

3.) Do you feel that you personally are able to influence decision making in the Hive?
-Somewhat, provinding commentary and ideas here and there.

4.) Do you personally WANT to influence decision making in the Hive?
-I would like a job, but I dont want to force you guys to give one to me, I am fine just being a paer pusher, for now.

5.) Do you think that the current system of making gaming descisions is :
a) fair?
-yea

b) public?
-yea

c) reliable?
-yea

d) responsible?
-yea

e) effective?
-so far

f) successful?
-to early to tell

6.) Do you have any more comments on the Hive Government?
-So far so good.

SECTION TWO : Hive Forum

7.) Are you happy with the Hive forum?
-well I have nothing I am unhappy about.

8.) If not, why not.

9.) Do you think we need more/less polls?
-Voting is fun, the illusion of democracy is fun.

10.) Do you think we need more/less roleplaying?
-I wish I had more time for role playing

11.) Do you think we need more/less spam?
-I spam at my other forum.

12.) Do you think we need more/less discussions
-talk is good.

13.) Do you think we need more/less dissent?
-talk is good.

14.) Are you afraid to give your opinion, incase you look stupid?
-no, even the Politburo had different opinions.

15.) Do you care about this forum?
-yes, I just wish I had been spending more time here.

SECTION THREE : Hive gameplay

16.) Would you like to have a fixed turnchat time so that everyone can attend?
-best to have a schedual, but dont discount sponaneous chats.

17.) Would you like to play a turn?
-not now

18.) Do you have a "feel" for the progress of the game, or do you feel left out?
-I have been off the forum for a while, I need to catch up.

19.) Do you agree with the current policy of Kody playing the turn and posting updates, or do you feel like an idle spectator with this method?
-I trust Kody.

20.) How do you think the Hive is doing, compared to your experience?
-I have played single player transcendence, but never multiplayer, but it seems we have good ideas, and that we are going well.

[Jamski]

Keep them coming loyal comrades, everyones input is NEEDED.

-Jam