Speak Your Piece

[Guest Sandman9000]

Aight. In the past two months, we have had two members quit, one of whom is the founding father of this thread. It's one thing to quit if you simply become burned out on this, or have no more desire to continue. That is understanable. However, CWM and Caboose left under what appear to be dubious circumstances. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

 

So, I'm proposing this. Anything you have to say about the fed, speak your piece now. You don't like how your person is being booked? You don't like how the matches are made? You don't like the people in charge of this shindig? Speak it now.

 

I want to get any political bullshit out of the way before we continue with this fed. Because we've just gone through this, and I don't want to have to go through it again. Let me remind y'all of something I said after Caboose left.

 

I don't know who else saw this, but this is an example of what happens when you let politics get in the way of your enjoyment,

 

http://www.thesmartmarks.com/forums/index....732d7a681c96965

 

Let me just say this: If we EVER go through with something along the lines of what they went through, I walk. I do this because it's fun, and I enjoy it. If I stop enjoying it, then I'll stop. And the quickest way for me to stop enjoying something is to drown it in politics.

 

I'm not joking. If I feel this is more about power then enjoyment, then I'll walk and not give a fuck about everything we've planned.

 

Caboose's departure and everything around it was strike 1. This, CWM's departure, is strike 2. We all know what strike 3 is.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Link doesn't work Sandie.

 

I've said my peice. I think Agnes should be the one to talk for the most of the one side since alot it got started over him

[Guest Tony149]

CWM, BPP, AS, Alf, Zack and Jingus (if he wants) head over to the Pre/Post-Production Studio folder. I've come up with 3 options - all of which are excellent IMO - to sort out this problem.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

I'm talking with CWM on AIM tonight, and with Tony in the Production folder. I'm not saying anything until it all gets worked out, but all I have to say is this...no way in hell is this fed "going under". Not while I'm here.

 

This is the first place I come to when I come online mostly. Not any other folder, or any other website. I come here. Why? Because it's the most fun I could possibly have while on a computer. The sheer randomness of the thread, and the downright excellent creative minds at work have made for some great entertainment in the past near-year.

 

I will say this. I get along with everybody, so I'm not going to delve into the issues that brought us to this point. I want to keep everyone's respect. But I refuse to let something that I enjoy as much as I do this forum start turning people away.

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

Somehow I think this all comes back to me, but as such, Im really really confused at this point. I come back from dancing and such to find that im being called to leave or step down or something.

 

but i really dont have a clue what i did, and looking in the pre/post folder, i still dont see what exactly happened....but i know its gotta be me, because cwm and i were talking on aim about angle-plex, and then he signed off quickly and that post was made.

 

so i feel like shit, and dont know what to make of it, so why dont you all just decide what to do, im just going to stay out of it...i dont want us to be swf...fuck that

 

so i tried to listen to everyone's storyline ideas, tried to put everything together...i probably made a few bad suggestions, but id like to think that i listened when yall called me on those.

 

man, this sucks...i feel like crap, im just going to go to bed. just someone let me know whats finally decided.

[Guest Angle-plex]

I'll post more later, but I just want to tell all the newer guys (Zsasz, Andrewisyourhero, Brock Austin, ect.) that this usually NEVER happens. This only happend once before when Caboose quit, so don't think this is a regular occurance.

 

More later.

[Guest Angle-plex]

Alright. I've been talking with Superstar, CWM, and even TC about this whole thing a lot. I think I have a pretty good understanding of everyone's views.

 

My main problem is this: I don't mind being a joke, or having jokes against me (I actually like it, in a way), but what gets me pissed is when other people as writing as my character, and they book me as a total opposite of what I want to get a few laughs. I'm not going to post specific examples, but it's been done before.

 

I believe this whole thing with CWM heated up over a storyline he suggested. He and I came up with a storyline that would make me a hoss, thus giving me some crediblily. According to him, the whole thing was rewritten to be a joke, going against everything we had planned. Then he read into the Caboose thing a little more and it went on from there.

 

I'm not sure what we can do to resolve this. BBP seems to be going away temporarlily, so maybe we could suspend everyone involved from creative power until maybe Zero Hour to see how things work out. Maybe we could make Zack or Tony head booker until we decide what to do?

[Guest Sandman9000]

You said that people are writing you the opposite of how you wanted to be written. How do you want to be written, then, so we avoid making such a mistake?

[Guest SP-1]

I say this: Popick has never given me pause since I've been here. He's gone out of his way to incorporate my ideas for SP and Dandy. Not once have I had any reason to pull an Austin and leave for creative reasons.

 

As for the whole thing with giving money to the board, I have always taken that as Popick joking around. I've seen him as doing the opposite of what he seems to be percieved as doing. I'd joke around about that too.

 

However. If this stuff continues, I'm done. I'm out. Sorry, Dandy, but I'm sure if that comes you can handle it buddy. I enjoy E-fedding and I'm sure I can concentrate my talents for the hobby elsewhere. Do I want to leave? No. But this is getting rediculous.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

I would be more than happy to step in and help out more creatively while this whole thing gets sorted out. I just don't want to step on anyone's toes by doing so. Popick, I have no problems with you and you know that. CWM, you and I have talked already. I'm staying passive and keeping a clear head while this is going on, because for everybody to get involved is only going to slow down the healing process.

 

I'm throwing my name into the hat, but I'm leaving it up to you guys. If you need me to handle storylines, at least for a little while, I'm willing to help the fed anyway I can.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

One more thing I'd like to add:

 

I'm at work for at least 8 hours during the day, so while I'm not always able to hop on AIM and speak with you guys directly, I am on TSM the majority of the day. If anyone needs anything, just PM me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

[Guest Angle-plex]

I'd just like to ask everyone to stop from quiting until we have time to figure this out.

[Guest Angle-plex]

You said that people are writing you the opposite of how you wanted to be written.  How do you want to be written, then, so we avoid making such a mistake?

I'm not being written the opposite of how I want to be. The storylines have been cool and everything. The only complaint I have (and Superstar I think) is something like this:

 

SUPERSTAR

You're just pissed because my legs are as smooth as a baby's tush. AAAAHHHHH!

 

Superstar goes flying out the window. Followed by his leg.

 

ANGLE-PLEX

Excuse me. I'll jus throw myself out.

 

AP goes flying out the window.

 

SS's leg starts moving and reconnects onto his body.

 

Angle-Plex screams like a girl.

 

ANGLE-PLEX

H-How did you do that?

 

SUPERSTAR

Months after I started using Unmanly Smooth Legs shaving cream, my legs became tender. One day I was playing football by myself -- you know I'm a superstar, so I don't have much friends. Uh, but, uh, I do have a lot of friends. I kick the ball and my leg just flys off. After a few seconds it crawled back onto it.

 

ANGLE-PLEX

Oh.

 

SUPERSTAR

Now Unmanly Smooth Legs use me as a test buddy.

 

ANGLE-PLEX

You're one of those Miss Piggy thingies.

 

SUPERSTAR

No silly. I'm a "test buddy." They probe me and stuff. You should see what I can do with my little superstars. Wanna see?

 

ANGLE-PLEX

(excitedly)

Do I?!

 

Like when my (or SS's) character is actually saying stuff like this, that's what I don't like. I don't mind if everyone else going to call me a jobber and everything, but when my own character is saying I want to see Superstar get probed, that's just sad.

 

EDIT: And just to clear things up, I'm NOT threatening to quit. This is just something that has been bugging me lately.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

cwm is leaving over... a CREATIVE problem? Fuck that. There is no way in hell it should get this far. If an angle doesn't go the way you like; it can be altered. For a respected poster like cwm to quit over a dumb mistake is heartbreaking.

 

SHIT HAPPENS. Don't give up good times because something goes wrong though.

[Guest SP-1]

For the record: I'm not threatening to quit. I'm just saying that if crap like this keeps coming up I will.

[Guest Tony149]

Holy shit, AP! You were upset cause of that? That was the original opening for the Angle Awards which I wrote, but have you seen how award shows open? It's normally with a big over-the-top feel. The skit I wrote was a semi-spoof on 50s Alien movies and the Terminator (leg going back together). Like all commericals I write, there done in a way like something you'd see on the Super Bowl. There supposed to have this special feel to them because I needed something to make my productions (PPV) stand out over BPP's IZ & CWM's HD (when that was around).

 

I never make Agnes jokes, call SM: "Sandie" or Zack: "Zackie." The commericals/skits are designed to be over-the-top.

 

As for your idea CWM had -- I'm sort of at blame for this as I made a few jokes which I guess were taken seriously due to the way it was written -- unless you were becoming The Joker...side-effects besides the one mentioned would happen, so it either becomes a joke and we have fun with it until your character snaps, or we need to tweak it somehow. Plus, we found it somebody else debuted that way.

 

And another thing, if you guys have problems, you better say it. That's why shit like this happens, and that makes the OaOast look bad.

[Guest Tony149]

For the record: I'm not threatening to quit. I'm just saying that if crap like this keeps coming up I will.

Stuff like this hardly happens. When I first became the Executive Producer in May 2002, I wanted a realistic feel to the shows...I got a few complaints over that so I dropped my case. I hope people aren't forgetting this is and parody e-fed.

 

As for control of the OaOast - I have the highest spot on here, but I let the others hand day-to-day operations which BPP was the most involved with. Looking back at it, that could of been a mistake since I was brought in as the guy who calls it down the middle, but I'm looking to change that where the communication between the roster and Production staff becomes more important.

[Guest Sandman9000]

Actually, there is something else that has been bothering me.

 

I've booked many IZs, I've posted the last two PPV's, I wrote the Rumble, but yet I can't see the Booking Folder. I would have asked before, but since half the roster is already modded, I didn't want there to be mod overkill for me to see.

 

I don't know if this is a valid complaint for me, but it was just something to get off my chest. Don't know how we can rectify this.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

I would agree with Sandman becoming a mod.

[Guest Tony149]

I'm okay with SM becoming a Mod. I'll do it right now.

 

EDIT: For whatever reason, I'm having trouble making SM a Mod. I keep getting an error message. While it says he's a Mod, he doesn't have it under his custom title. If I can't fix it, I'll have to get Dames or somebody else to.

[Guest The Superstar]

Besides being made into a joke (which I think has stopped, I hope), I'm ok with the OAOAST. Not great, OK. Hell, I'm in the main event.

 

BUT...I don't appreciate 'someone' calling himself a "Head booker" and forgetting a major storyline idea I told him JUST 3 days ago.

[Guest Tony149]

We're not "head bookers." I changed the name to Production staff so people won't think it's our way or no way. And I haven't forgotten about your idea. I'm under the impression we're still using it. If we weren't, we are now.

[Guest Some Guy]

I saw this shit coming with the all the organization and more serious approach. This is supposed to be fun. The posters are supposed to make their characters and define them. When Caboose and I came up with what the whole aWo thought was a great angle to reunite it, the thign was immediately reworked and I lost all interest. It wasn't fun anymore. I lost control over what my character was doing and when I and Caboose tried to come up with a fun angle to liven things up a bit and garnered support from those involved in the story and got their input and incorporated it the angle was still mangled.

You don't need a head booker or anythign else you need two guys to work out their own deal and a few to look it over and help out with suggestions. 6 months of planning ahead is not necessary and kills the enjoyment. Where's the fun when your character has been programmed for a half a year and your opinion isn't really revelant because it doesn't fit the plan? You need other people's shit to be kept secret from you, not your own.

That's the reall reason I left and what seems to be the reason that people are pissed. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not, but that's how I see it. Take it for what it's worth.

[Guest The Superstar]

Yeah, I know, it wasn't you. It was Popick. I asked him if he still remembered the idea and he said no. I thought he was kidding, but it took me retelling him AngleMania stuff for him to remember.

[Guest evenflowDDT]

For my piece... I'm just... well, to put it bluntly, what the fuck is going on? I don't check in for two days and everything's changed, and I can't find any clues as to where or why. I realize the arguments/threads that sparked all this are probably private or something, but, well I guess this is my mini-complaint.

 

Why does there even have to be a bookers folder? I realize its mostly for the element of surprise, which I appreciate, but at the same time, when something major like this or caboose leaving comes up it leaves non or only occasional writers like me totally in the dark. Not that I really give a damn as a writer, but as a person, I originally just joined OAOAST to have some fun and post whore, but after all these months I'd say you're all my friends, and I guess its because a similar situation is going on for me in real life... but I HATE being left out of the loop.

 

I know I can't do anything to help or comfort anybody or anything, but when I don't even know what the hell is going on with my own friends it makes me feel like a terrible friend. As is, I'm really confused, and a bit angry/sad at myself for not knowing whats going on.

[Guest treble charged]

I saw this shit coming with the all the organization and more serious approach. This is supposed to be fun. The posters are supposed to make their characters and define them. When Caboose and I came up with what the whole aWo thought was a great angle to reunite it, the thign was immediately reworked and I lost all interest. It wasn't fun anymore. I lost control over what my character was doing and when I and Caboose tried to come up with a fun angle to liven things up a bit and garnered support from those involved in the story and got their input and incorporated it the angle was still mangled.

You don't need a head booker or anythign else you need two guys to work out their own deal and a few to look it over and help out with suggestions. 6 months of planning ahead is not necessary and kills the enjoyment. Where's the fun when your character has been programmed for a half a year and your opinion isn't really revelant because it doesn't fit the plan? You need other people's shit to be kept secret from you, not your own.

That's the reall reason I left and what seems to be the reason that people are pissed. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not, but that's how I see it. Take it for what it's worth.

I pretty much agree with what SG says. Why do you need 'producers' and 'head bookers' and the like? Sure, there should probably be a person or two 'in charge' to set up the shows and such, but the posters should really have control over their own characters, IMO.

[Guest Tony149]

If you really want to know what the problem CWM has, I'll tell you. He's not happy with BPP. BPP is very hands on with the creative side of things while I and the others mostly just sit back. He's mostly the one planning things in advance. Not me or anyone else with access to the folder. The only thing we ever planned in advance was the current aWo angle SG gave us. It's our fault too - instead of saying anthing we just sit back and let him do his thing.

 

As for the "bookers folder" -- you seem to think we have everything planned in there. Guess what? We don't. It's there for us to start posting IZ or the PPVs so we could edit/add anything before we put them out to you guys. We also talk about any ideas somebody gives us.

 

For those who like to run-in and complain, I got news for you: Getting people to make sure the place was organize didn't hurt a damn thing. Everybody seemed to think things were changing and just stopped posting in the OAOAST thread. Why? Nobody said stop posting there. Why didn't anybody have the balls to say anything then? If more people would of made it more clear back when Caboose & SS felt we should of let things stay the way there were instead of keeping their mouths shut and only opening them when signs point to the ship sinking...we wouldn't have a problem. And you know what? We don't have a problem. What we had was a huge communication breakdown between CWM & BPP. If they would of gone to each other in the "bookers folder" and settled their issues there where everybody would be allowed to speak their mind and figure out what went wrong, then this whole thing doesn't seem like the place is burning to the ground.

[Guest Angle-plex]

I would agree with Sandman becoming a mod.

I agree with Zack.

 

Tony, I wasn't really upset at the Angel Award thing (I can see why superstar would be), it was just an example. I'm trying to have my character do a 180 degree turn. Instead of being a pussy heel, I have been trying to change him to a tougher, meaner type. I just get a little mad that when other people write as my character, I'm always saying gay refrences, or wanting to see Superstar shave his legs.

 

EDIT: Some Guy said it better than me.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

I feel that everyone has complete control over their own character. All we as a "production staff" do is organize the shows and create SOME angles. Guys creating angles for themselves is not out of the question, and we don't come down and say "this is it, do it our way or don't do it". I'd like to think that when we come up with ideas, we cater to who it involves. I'm the type of writer where I try to put everyone over. Look at some of the matches I've written, Superstar and Mike Van Siclen (not around here anymore) would vouch that I made them look like a million bucks. I just don't want everyone to think that a lack of communication on someones part is the start of some "political manuevering" here in the OAOAST. We've all got ideas, and the forums, PM's and AIM is to share those ideas.

[Guest treble charged]

I was just going by what I was told last night by a few people, if I was wrong, I apologize.

 

And, I don't really thing I was 'complaining', more making an observation.