Shadowed in Darkness
Replies: 17

Walking Softly
Replies: 1

Walking Softly
Replies: 6

Walking Softly
Replies: 2

Alyss
Replies: 15

+ Styleful Nutter, epigram, + Shadowed in Darkness, Ophy Sunn

Another new part of the update, we're now proud to introduce the Admin Assistants! A special group of members, the Admin Assistants work alongside the administration to help clear out spam registrations, as well as validate legitimate new members of TUL. They'll have access to a small portion of the Administrator Control Panel, and, admittedly, will also have first shot at any open staff positions.

At this time, I'd like to also recognize the creator of this idea, Walking Softly, who also happens to be the first Admin Assistant! Welcome to the team!

On that note - if you'd like to be an Admin Assistant, please PM me, and we'll set up an interview as quickly as possible. Thanks!

- Locke

Hey, TULers, Locke here. It's been a little over 2 hours and 20 minutes since we've started this upgrade, and I believe we're finally, totally finished. (Notwithstanding any bugs that may be lurking somewhere in the system.) It's been a while, and taken a good deal of planning, but we're at the finish line, and we really hope you all enjoy it! A few of the updates are aesthetic, but more lies beneath them:

The Karma System

One of the suggestions given to us during The Reset period was a method of being able to publicly 'warn' someone for bad actions and grammar, so we spend some time looking around for a way to do this - as allowing permission to the warn system would invite all kinds of trouble to members and staff of TUL - before stumbling upon a modification that did it for us. Thus, we have the Karma system, where you can rate - by give or taking one Karma point per day - any member's actions, from the greenest newbie to the most hardened staff. We hope you'll enjoy it, but...if we see abuse, we'll reconsider our decision there.

The Cafe and the New Reviewers

One of the biggest changes and newest features to TUL involves the old Gallery, which has survived, in part, as a portion of the new Cafe forum, located just underneath the Lounge. Here you can post works up, and have them reviewed by the community, or by select, certified (but non-staff) portion of the membership base known for their good quality work. As a member, you are also allowed to give reviews yourself, on any piece of art or literature that's posted - just be sure to read the rules!

The c-box and Roleplay Promotions

Mentioned in the earlier upgrade topic, the c-box is no longer to be used for discussing on-going roleplays and plans, beyond a few lines or sentences telling people to get on it and post up. The c-box is not meant to be a main discussion board, it's built simply to be a place where we can all communicate at once. Shutting off from the rest of TUL by talking about your roleplay tends to shove other members away from the c-box - and just so you know, it IS theirs to use as well.

However, we now as that you use the Roleplay Promotions to talk about and discuss next moves in roleplays.

Tech + Media

Also new to the Lounge is the Tech + Media subforum, where you can discuss movies, games, upcoming events, music, computers and much more! It is NOT, however, an official support area - so if you come asking for support on how to do something, please use discretion.

Other New Roleplaying Rules

In order to help make sure no one stumbles upon a topic they don't want to, we ask that you use the guide available in all roleplaying forums to help define your roleplay better - or find the roleplay you want. Onexones are also protected by rules now, so if you're roleplaying a onexone or a specific group roleplay, you can report anyone who interferes in said roleplay. One final rule lies in the cut-off time: all roleplays that have not been posted in (or put on hold) for more than 60 days will be archived.

Well, that's it. Welcome to the upgraded TUL, and I'll be seeing you around!

- Locke

Behind the Scenes
Meet the Staff

As every website The United Literates has a team of staff to help run the site. Below we have complied a list of the staff members, as well as a description of each of their jobs. If you are interested in joining the Staff Team here please see the notes at the bottom of this document. I hope you enjoy this backstage tour, and if you have any questions at all be sure to PM an admin; we'll be glad to help you! Managers are in bold.

If you have a complaint about one of our staff members, please PM Locke and he will file your complaint and see what can be done about it.


The Administrator is the back bone of TUL. He does just about anything from editing the skin to updating topics, to giving support.

What should I contact this group for?: Contact the administrator for anything, he will be glad to help you on any subject. These may include, but are not limited to: Technical support, problems logging in/posting, information on any of TUL's features, future events, complaints with staff, suggestions...

Users in this group:

• Locke (ROOT)
  

The Sub-Admins are the "ribs" of the community. This is the highest position reachable on TUL. Only the most qualified are accepted into this position. They help with nearly everything on TUL.

What should I contact this group for?: You can contact the admins for just about anything. They will be glad to help you with nearly every subject! These may include, but are not limited to: Technical support, problems logging in/posting, information on any of TUL's features, future events, complaints with staff, suggestions...

Users in this group:

• 
  
• Eccentric Feline (FOUNDER)
  
• Roxas
  
• Rocks with Holes
  

The Evaluations Crew work in the Cafe. They are generally some of the best writers on TUL and have a knack for critiquing. They write reviews for users.

What should I contact this group for?: If you have a question about the review you received from that user, feel free to contact them. Also, if you are unhappy with the review you've been given, please PM either the person whom you got the review or the team captain. (Note: a plus sign before the name indicates a captain.)

Users in this group:[/size]

• 
  
• --
  

The Moderator Crew helps make sure everyone keeps TUL's standards in check. They moderate all of the boards - finding spam, illiteracy, arguments, finding misplaced mature content, and excess posts. Their job is to keep the boards clean and safe.

What should I contact this group for?: Contact any of the Mods if you find rule breakers, spam, or anything that causes clutter on the boards. If you have questions regarding why you were warned feel free to contact the Captain, or the Administrator. (Note: a plus sign indicates a team captain.)

Users in this group:[/size]

• 
  
• --
  
• --
  

The + Admin Assistants are the newest addition to TUL's Cat Spies. They are members who have been approved for the ability to validate new TUL members, as well as clean out any spam accounts that build up during the year.

Users in this group:

• 
  
• + Walking Softly
  
• + Shadowed in Darkness
  

Hey, guys. I know most of you don't give a flying shit about these things we post, but for those of you that do, this is for you:

As it goes, we find ourselves at a crossroads. TUL hasn't grown in what is going on a year now. And by not grown, I don't mean that it's died; just that we have nothing. No new members, or really good ideas, or staff, or applications, or anything. Most of you will take this as me bitching about the state of the site, but just shut up and read until the end before you decide to make your comments.

When I inherited this site from Feline, I went in knowing that this was an established community with it's own social structure and ideas, but a community that was moving dangerously close to fracturing - so we made amends. As the newest face of the administration, I didn't have the conflicts of interest that most of the other staff had, including disputes with members and other members of staff. As the level of membership dropped, fights increased - members believed staff didn't care and weren't listening, as well as abusing their powers.

So I put an end to it.

Yet, even if most of the combatants are no longer here, I would like to say one thing, without judgment or being critical: You stunted TUL. You damaged it beyond repair, and your little idiot cliques have damaged a website that was far ahead than others in delivering quality roleplaying and discussion - damaged it, as I have found in recent months, to the point where I can no longer single-handedly fix it. This may be as much a statement on me as it is on you, the members and staff, but whatever you choose to do, remember this: You have effectively crippled, if not killed, TUL.

That said, it lives on, in your groups and ideas and roleplays, which is a good thing - more than I can say for many other roleplaying forums who have gone down our same path. It stirs, but the flickers and life of the old community are gone - snuffed out by we who, in essence, failed the original ideals of this site...myself included.

I realize that I am not completely absolved of blame either - my freshman year of college has drawn me away from my duties and responsibilities here at TUL. It's distracted me, and the roleplay I've begun may or may not have withered away by now, taking away a bit of the right I have to say any of this.

Regardless. The life of TUL lies now at a cross-roads, as, ironically and perhaps metaphorically, does my own. As the sole administrator and power of TUL, I ask you, the members and staff, where do we go from here? Make note that, no matter how you chose, it is with no hard feelings - I understand, whichever way we choose to follow.

We can fight for TUL, revive it, work out the kinks, attract new and old members back to the community, and build it back up. We can force life back into TUL, give it a second chance, and really, truly bring back the golden age of our roleplaying world. This, however, takes dedication - if this is the course we take, there is no bullshit, no games played, no slacking off. It takes restructuring, and it takes participation from those of you who use this site as your own personal AIM or MSN.

Or - and, again, with no hard feelings or regrets - we can let TUL go, and complete the cycle. In this case, you're free to keep using the website for roleplays, but the power structure will no longer exist. Staff members will be retired, applications will be closed, and the website will be kept up as long as there are people here to roleplay on it. I myself will resign, a burden lifted off my shoulders, and begin roleplaying with greater ease.

It's a choice that only you can make, and only you can follow. For this, there is no deadline. I'll know simply by the responses to this topic. With genuine love - and regret - for TUL past and present, I ask you to help decide it's future.

Good night, TUL,
- Locke