A lot of people I have talked to have explained to me that they feel Neocodex has changed over the years, and I have to agree with them. The factors most frequently brought up were that the spirit of the place, and people's incentive to work towards a goal has diminished. A lot of people have told me that they are losing the main focus of why they are putting work into the site, and admittely, I believe I did question why I was putting work into the site myself.... after all, we *thought* we met our goal (to provide the best neopets cheating environment on the internet) and thus felt there was nothing more to do.
That is not an excuse! For a while, we didn't need just competition!
The reality is that we still have a goal to work towards. It wasn't just Digibliss, or any other competition that compelled us to work: It was the satisfaction of a job well done that boosted the spirit of the site. It was cooperation and teamwork that made it all worth it. Many who I spoke to also brought up the situation that they didn't feel like they were part of a team and felt excluded from the integral work effort of everyone. This is by far the worst issue we have to address in my opinion, as we will never experience community spirit unless everyone is involved.
Personally, I have been here for about 2 and a half years, and have seen mostly everything that this site has gone though; as a member, programmer and as a leader. The happiest I have ever been on this site was when we pulled through multiple hardships as a team. It was the time when the spirit of the place would truly demonstrate itself in its ultimate form: when our way of life on the board was threatened. Although it seems like a grim situation at first glance, it was the time when the spirit of the site was readily seen by everyone and serves as a good example of how a complete team effort can demonstrate spirit.
I cannot stress the importance of remaining together as a team and working towards a goal, as that is what we've been taking for granted. We must include everyone in the effort. I am fully convinced that a great deal of spirit is still present, as we would not be here if there was none. What we must do is allow for an easier system so that anyone wishing to contribute can do so (whether it be programming, graphics, or just board activities through collaboration projects, etc..) and to treat our fellow members with respect, as I believe that the only way we can experience the "glory days" once again is if we work together.
Hopefully my message will inspire some of you. Even if the message gives a small push, the message will have served its purpose.
--------------
On a different note, we believe that in order to provide a suitable environment for this, a bit of board organization needs to happen which is why we have a few things planned.
It may take a while to make some of this possible, but I think it will make things a lot better for the future.
