PSA: On Moderators!
((Edited to add: Day post will go up shortly after 6PM EST, at which point we will accept newcomers to the IC comm.))
It's probably past time for a PSA. We told you guys a while back that everything about this game is flexible; we know what the plot is, and so we know how the various NPCs and situations will change to react to your player plots, and it is more than possible for those player plots to affect the game plot. The game is a playground for you if you can find the right outlets!
But something we didn't think to mention is that you should feel free to talk to the mods. We're in marinachat a lot, but we're quiet and busy people, so we don't go out and hunt down random players to socialize with them. There's like 70 of you guys and only 2 of us! We're both really happy to make new friends and always willing to talk to you guys, but if you don't talk to us, we're probably not going to talk much unless there's a problem.
It's not that we're unfriendly, that we don't like you, or anything like that!! ;_; It's not that we play favorites with the people who hang out in chat a lot; it's just that the people who hang out in chat talk to us more often, so they may seem like they know what's going on better, and they're more comfortable with us and making assumptions for us. They're not immune to the rules or in possession of any special knowledge. And there are really great players out there that the mods admire but aren't close with. If you talk to us, who knows? Maybe you'll find out you're one of them!
We've recently had some complaints that we're not accessible mods and that people feel the need to talk to other players instead of us, although we've also had commentary that we're extremely accessible as mods. The difference is that the people who think we're accessible are the people who have actually communicated with us openly. If you wait for us to come to you, we're going to seem like punishing mods.
All we can do is encourage you to talk to us. Most people can verify that we make time for you, we're happy to talk to you, and we're willing to accommodate your ideas. Hell, a lot of the rules for the game are guidelines -- the IC rule against sex? we've said a couple of times that that can be changed if you try! the OOC rule about ten characters per canon? it says on the app page we'll bend that if you can convince us you have an awesome idea!
But you have to come to us. It's fine if you want to talk to other people you know and are comfortable with, but those people can only give you their opinion, and their opinion may not be that informed. If you talk to the mods, we will usually know what's going on, and can make things happen for you. And we want to make things happen for you!
We're just normal people like you and we are just as intimidated by awesome players, are just as excited when we make new friends, and are completely encouraging of you to talk to us -- whether you have a plot idea, or want to know if we've read the absolutely adorable thread between Conrad and Ammy, or just interested in asking if we've seen the latest gameplay videos from Final Fantasy XIII. We can't reach out to all of you, even though we'd like to, or we'd never get anything else done. But if you talk to us, we will always be there, because we love you guys. You're awesome. And you make the game awesome. So keep rocking!