From the Infant Roots to the Towering Communities: Representing a New Beginning

[Xeadin]

It's been a long siege for me throughout these two years of exploring the various Minecraft Communities. There have been a lot of tough times and even tougher decisions made, but I'd have to say, these decisions have had a very big impact on my life-- both as a Minecrafter and as a person.

I started off as a wee ol' player, just like anyone else. It was probably the most hectic part of my life (well, not really, but it was a greatly moving change), and all I could really think of was, "What should I do next?" I founded my footing in what most people call nowadays 'cracked' Minecraft (the version that lets you play singleplayer, but not really a multitude of multiplayer servers), and soon I discovered the Classic version of Minecraft.

This was where the real development began.

My roots eventually spread to the Opticraft community circle-- at that point, things were pretty much a blur. Spleef was a hot topic at that time, and a vast majority of people that came often went. Adjusting from Survival to Classic wasn't too hard, but what was really hard to grasp was the notion of dedication. In order to build something in MC, you had to have a certain amount of dedication towards it. There was something that most people call today, called Ranks, that rewarded the dedicated players and gave them a sense of motivation for the community-- whether it was motivational or personal dedication, they had earned a spot in the community that others could follow suit one day.

Developing this idea of dedication, I had worked up the ranks in the community. There were a group of people who were referred to as the operators (or moderators/ admins in some circles) that had achieved a greater reputation from the community members. Some had respite towards the ops, while some held praise. It didn't take too long to realize that becoming one of the 'operators' was going to be tough work. I pressed on anyway, and eventually was granted that title amongst others. From there, things had drastically changed.

This was also when I found the Team9000 community shortly after. The community had a different crowd, but the prospects were, relatively, the same. Minecraft Classic, at this point, was at a booming pace, and the communities were flooded with new players, veteran players, and the common trolls. It took a lot more dedication to reach the same point as I did on the other community, but, in the long run, it was worth the effort to prove myself again. It was also then that my maturity and self-esteem had heightened. Dealing with the constant bickering of the trollish players and helping out the occasional lost new player had given me a greater insight on the meaning of 'community.'

Then, after a year of Minecrafting, things had changed. Much was starting to occur with many communities-- Survival had kick-started with a new era of opportunities that presented itself in new ways. This was also when I gained access to the real version of Minecraft (what people refer to as Premium today). The Opticraft and Team9000 communities still had a booming rush from Classic, but the crowds slowly shifted towards what people called Survival Multi-Player (SMP for short).

Not too long after, a new community had been recently brought up, and I was only slightly exposed to it, until it had caught me in its hooks-- Brony-ism. Little did I realize that this would change my perspective on the world around me-- both in the communities and in real life. I finally had a place to connect with, and things seemed much more clear. It was at that point that I had found the Brohoof community. I hadn't come too far, but the dedication of building had brought me back to my glory days when I first started. I was at a point where dedication mattered, even if it didn't seem so.

Every little thing mattered, no matter which community I had visited. A lot of people had traveled that same road as well, and I was just one of the many.

Recently, I reached a point where my self-confidence and my experience in the Minecraft communities had come to a point where it was about time for me to prove myself once again-- the will of dedication. You never expect to become something most people yearn to become. Today (well, just a few days ago really), I had reached an important milestone-- representing the community of Minecraft as a whole, along with dozens of others at the same level as I am. Out of several millions of other Minecraft players and community members, I am one of the select few, in a team of individuals, to become a member of the Minecraft Forum staff team. Most people think of that as a prestigious accomplishment, while others don't really look beyond the looking glass. I have personally viewed this as just another community to prove my dedication-- the only difference being that all sorts of communities collaborate together in this "Hub" community (smaller groups within a larger, broader group).

This accomplishment not only has taught me a valuable lesson on dedication, it is also a way to represent a New Beginning. We all eventually look back on our lives and think about all of the things we have done and what accomplishments we have gained. Some of us applaud ourselves of these treasures and some regret, but the most important thing is how they have changed us as a whole. I had changed quite a lot since I was introduced to the Minecraft community, and I cannot thank each member enough for all the great memories I have had, and that I will continue to share and cherish for as long as the communities stand together.

From the infant roots to the towering communities, I bid you adieu and happy Minecrafting.

[iGenerator]

Wow... I dont think I am understanding this all. Are you leaving?

[jcgaming]

are you leaving it?

[RuthlessTomato]

I dont  believe he is, maybe.

[DeeKay]

If you guys actually took the time to read it, no, he's not leaving.

Anyway, very well said Xeadin.

[iGenerator]

If you guys actually took the time to read it, no, he's not leaving.

Anyway, very well said Xeadin.

I did read the entire thing, twice actually, my comment was referencing how he was saying he enjoyed his time here and was biding a farewell

[butterflywolves]

Xeadin I congratulate you greatly. You are a true role model for me and many others. Your story has also helped me to think about working up dedication. As for brony-ism, I to would gladly join your herd. It is a great fortune to have you as one of our Operators. Now all you have to do is go on random servers and say "I'm from the Minecraft forums, make me admin" I just kidding. Once again congratulations, hope to see you ingame soon!
Signed,
Butter

[RuthlessTomato]

If you guys actually took the time to read it, no, he's not leaving.

Anyway, very well said Xeadin.

I did read the entire thing, twice actually, my comment was referencing how he was saying he enjoyed his time here and was biding a farewell

bidding adieu

[Wratkie]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us Xeadin! And congrats to your new position on the minecraft forums.

[DJAlphaWolf]

Inspiring story about true dedication. Thank you for sharing it with us . I too, though I haven't gotten as far as you have,
have been through many obstacles. But I kept forward. When I achieved classic operator, I was proud of myself. I achieved a rank I worked hard for, a rank that took me ages to achieve. Of course I was lazy when it came to building but that never stopped me from helping out and logging in everyday. I spend every day playing minecraft. Minecraft has become a major portion of my life. I have gone through several major MMO's but none of them have really stuck for me. Its the minecraft community that continues hold my grasp. I currently hold 3 staff positions on 3 different servers and i find it amazing that on each server I began at the bottom. I am now an Opticraft classic operator, an SMP moderator, and I have recently been promoted to Manager on another server (its under the admin rank, more important than the operator rank). Its just amazing how far I've come.

Well my story was hastily written and isnt as beautiful as yours xeadin. But i am happy for your achievements. I could not imagine you NOT being an operator. Your dedication to improve yourself and the community is incredible and i thank you for taking the time and effort on us.

Oh and before i forget..

a congratulations on becoming an MCForums Sectional moderator! I am not at all surprised that you have gotten as far as you did in the minecraft communities.

[Xeadin]

No, I'm not leaving. It was just a way for me to end the blog. I'm staying for as long as I would like

[butterflywolves]

As your signature suggests I love the fact that you represent Opticraft

[square_skull]

Xeadin, I never knew that before the day you posted this, that you
weren't a forum moderator. Of course, it is not suprising at all
that you deserve this privilege. I congratulate you in your
latest success, and also I also agree with the others that you
have inspired many, and confirmed to me that determination
can come with great rewards.

One now inspired by your example,
Square_Skull

[Dalei]

Inspiring! Congrats Xeadin. You are now on my list of "Most dedicated Opticrafters"! Now...mod apps are gonna be talking about dedication.... Seeya layters!

[Wyboth]

This shakes the argument that video games are worthless to its foundations. Very well said.