Crosseyed Gamer: History in the Making

[Crosseyed Bunny]

I'm hoping this to be an accurate history of Crosseyed Gamer. A blog to keep track of all that we have achieved. Please feel free to add to any information that you experienced along the way.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Once upon a time in XGC, I was a lowly News Team Reporter, trying to make a difference. A cross between Lois Lane and Polly Purebred. I wasn't. As a section leader, I sucked. My one call to fame was my Dear Bunny column that always made me laugh, few others laughed but it was fun.
One day I get a message, July 16th, 2009, from none other than the Great XGC Hylander XC. The message title, "AN EVIL IDEA" Something about XG's great foundation, but not quite enough, blah, blah. My first thought was "I can get Hylander kicked out", nah, I'd never do that, but it stayed with me for a couple days.
He played games with us, talked about some plans, ideas, costs. Making a great place for gamers. It was becoming doable.
August 12, 2009, we bought a VBulletin Website.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

It was a start. Hylander started working like a mad man. He was interested in a name. Being a Crosseyed Bunny amused him. Said the crosseyed idea was awesome, (I already knew that) and he wanted to use it. I agreed. The geeky gamer, (I didn't and still don't consider being Crosseyed Geeky) the average, addicted gamer would relate, and want to network with other like minded gamers. A place to post and visit profiles of other gamers without worrying about honor codes, double posting crap, and PLAY GAMES. We were use to an Arcade with 41 games. We could do better. We were use to finding game news and trailers, post them and wait for someone to upload them. We could do better. We were use to keeping our mouth shut and follow rank sturcture when things didn't work right. We could do better. WE ARE ACHIEVING THAT.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

September 7, 2009. XGC removed XGC Hylander XC and XGC Bunny XS. We were told a few days before we could stay, we didn't have clans etc...but on Monday they had changed their minds. Most of the members in the party were very kind to me. The XC's in the party were not. With in 2 hours 30 people removed their names off my friends list. I found out who my friends were. Thats a good thing. What was surprising were the friends I had had for 4 years who ignored my messages and game invites. I guess that was their way of showing that they were choosing sides. Hylander and I never saw it as a side issue, it is after all just a website. There are millions of them, who has the right to say which websites you register on? Why would a supposed friend remove you for a website? Priorities become misplaced and people pay the consequences. Is this website worth the pain of that? It will be in time. Building a playground for gamers and great friends is by far more fun than wasting your time building something for the unappreciative. We will continue to listen to gamers and keep moving forward. There is no returning.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

The Clan battle.
We were never going to have clans. We were in a clan, why would we need them? CrosseyedGamer was to be a place where ALL gamers could come and network, play arcade games and post with their friends without having to join a clan to do that.
Once I was removed for XGC I no longer felt I had a home. I wanted that back. Crosseyed, Crazzy, Hylander and I talked about it to some degree. It was no question for me, I wanted a clan to work and play with. Crosseyed agreed. Hylander put up a poll to ask the gamers, "To Clan or Not to Clan" I didn't pay any attention to that, as far as I was concerned we were doing clans.
Hylander and Crazzy had other ideas. In the lobby a week after we were removed they tell me the BIG PICTURE. CG is a gaming net work. To put up our own clan would cause confusion to people registering. People may think they have to join a clan to play here, completely opposite of our main objective. We would be right back where we started, and that was not going to happen as far as they were concerned.
I could see that. As devastating a fact as it was, I could still see it. I thought well I'll just join another community. They said No. They had valid reasons but all I heard was Blah, Blah, Blah. I was being kicked out of 2 clan communities in 1 week, one I was building. How did I get myself into this? I vaguely remember saying "If I had know this I wouldn't have come here" I meant it.
For some reason, some here felt that we owed XG NOT to have clans. That really pushed me over the edge. After all Hylander did for them and then just KICKED him out without a THANK YOU, we owe them, are you serious? I didn't do much, but I thought I was making it a better place. To be told, "Don't go away mad Bunny, just go away" let me know they didn't care what I did for them, and now I can't be in a clan for some sense of loyalty on our part! Im not that nice.
After a day or two of devastation and regret, they decided to let me have a clan. A big mistake in their minds, but they would give it a shot. It couldn't have our name so no one would confuse the Website with the clan. Fine. 4TW was a name I had originally wanted for the site, but now it was to be the clans name. Cool Until we realized a Game Tag can't start with a number. That ended that. People were waiting for the name, lining up to join and we weren't set up yet. It was going to be a good thing.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Setting up Clans,

Here we have CG Hylander, better known through out the gaming world as XGC Hylander XC. The man who wrote the book, gave leadership classes for years on Clans, and he doesn't want to be a part of it. Where do Crosseyed and I begin. It has to be different. It has to be better. Am I up to the task. NO! Can I change it later. sure but it's going to cause mass confusion. We are all crosseyed so there is the chance that no one will notice. Roll with it.
What I hated about XG.....not much really. I hated watching video of people tea baggin with them in the party. Hated that. T Baggin would have to be addressed unless we ignore it. Ignore it we shall. No more wasting a night of gaming watching video to make someone feel bad for being a gamer.
I hated treating someone with respect who is totally disrespecting me. Kiss their butt while they chew mine. Not ever going to do that again. To be honest, they had to hate me to do that.
Code of Conduct No. 6, Butt Kissing is never tolerated. It's been 2 weeks and people have it on their sigs and Bios. It struck a cord with people. I remember accidentlly sticking a community leader once and they threatened to remove me. Everyone laughed but it was said. If that EVER happens here, that person is out, I don't care who they are. We are all fellow gamers just trying to play with friends. No one is better than anyone else.
How to put that in a Code of Conduct, I don't know, but thats the principle we hope to move forward with.
Hope thats as clear as your crossed eyes can make it.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

The starting up of Clans:

How to start. The catch 22. You need people, you need a home for people to go to. Which do you start with? You need a code of conduct for people to agree to. Do you get a consensus of what people want and go with the majority or do you go with what you want and hope you get a following. To rank structure or not to rank structure, and if you go with it, how do you make it your own? All questions that happened with in an hour of posting "CEG is now a clan Community"
Our first clan is CEG Revolution. A fitting name for the days to come. We've heard that CEG is a SCANDLE, group of Poachers, Drama Queens and the worse from a leader of another community ****'s. I don't have a clue what that is but it can't be good in their opinion. Thats fine, it simply proves our point. All members of CG are created equal. No one here at CG considers themselves above anyone else. Fellow gamers who are trying to improve their game, look for the next must have game and buy a t-shirt, ok maybe I do need a hoody with my home clan name on it. That would be sweet. That's all we want to do, Play, get stuff we want and post and chat with our friends.
Can we do that without starting a Revolution? Apparently not, so revolution it is. You better go and get you armor, Your going to need it.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

A United Front:


CG Crosseyed, CG Crazzy FS, CG Hylander and I are all now involved in clan activity. It took some doing.
We have 3 leaders, CEG Kenpachi, CEG Delta RS and CEG Swagger. All three stepped up to organize an train the new troops. CEG Revolution was the first, Followed by CEG Militant, CEG Typhoon, CEG Vengeance, CEG Hell Bound, CEG Devils Rejects and CEG Deception. The Faithful 7. There are others getting organized but these have a solid footing and we couldn't be prouder.
Whats so great about the Faithful 7 is how well they are posting and playing together. We still have some things to set up but we are moving along amazingly.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

A new way of thinking:

Code of Conduct No. 6. Butt kissing is never tolerated. Love that....Everyone does. Is it still here? Im afraid it is a bit. It will take some time to get adjusted.
Rank structure inspires people to go out side their normal comfort zone to do great things. It pushes them to achieve things they didn't think possible. We need that. It also prompts the Butt Kissing to go into effect. We don't need that.
How to stop it? We can't, we can try to overcome it and stop relating our self esteem with our rank. Here a rank is simply the job you are doing. Thank you for all you do, we appreciate it. Thats it. No one is better than anyone else.
We have an amazing group of people, some who risked a lot to join us from the very beginning, others we met in a game lobby. Some are here because they were homeless and need shelter 'FROM THE RAIN' We can help with that.
What are we asking? For all to work together, and enjoy yourself. This is your spare time, use it to have some fun. If you were in another community and had issues with some people or how things were done, LEAVE IT IN THE OLD COMMUNITY. This is a new beginning. Don't bring it here. Give it and yourselves time to make it different, make it better. WE can do that, if we all have fun together.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Ownage


Highlander and I started CrosseyedGamer. If you ask him he denys it, but he did come to me with this Evil Plan. He also had others in mind. People he liked who seemed to have the same off beat way of looking at things in the gaming world. We asked them, and they agreed to play here. XGC Crazzy FS and XGC Crosseyed became owners with us.
The first month was busy and exciting for the 4 of us. By the second month the excitement was normal and the stress was building. People were here, ideas keep rolling in, rank issues are an everyday nightmare and at times I wanted to turn my computer off and never turn it back on. Crosseyed wasn't having fun and did just that. We all fully understood.
The 3 of us could have moved on alone, but realized we needed help to accomplish all we wanted to do. CrosseyedGamer in our minds is the Mother Ship in our plan for Crosseyeding the gaming planet. We are building other ships to help in this battle. Thats where CEG Savvy CM and CEG Scooter CM come in. They too have a vision for a gamers paradise, and together the 5 of us can accomplish all we have in mind. We asked them to join us in Ownership of the Mothership. They Agreed.
It's a good time to be Crosseyed.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Great Expectations!

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.....oh wait...wrong book but it still works for us. Sometimes the gaming world actually reminds me of Oliver Twist. The orphan child who is housed in a workhouse since birth with little food, but had the nerve to ask for MORE. Most of us here have come from other gaming communities that seemed at times to be workhouses. We gave our valuable gaming time and sanity to help other gamers with meager assistance from leadership. When we asked for more....live game feeds....music on our profiles....more games in the arcade...all we got was the same HOW DARE YOU stare that little Oliver received.

Some of us thought " it's possible, lets see if we can do those things." The response of the Workhouse leaders? They threw us in the streets, or some had the good sense to run away, they were the smart ones. After succeeding in creating a place that has everything we ever imagined, what happened to the workhouse? They copied us, and ended up as all copies do, looking like a cheap imitation of the original.

We had a thought, a need actually, to give gamers something MORE. Our expectations were seriously not that high. We've made a home, It's great but now is the time to do More, come up with new ideas, better site designs. If things look different from time to time, go with it, Don't trip out, we will make sure your forums and profiles are still where you can find them.

We are raising our Expectation level. Raise yours! Think outside the box, if you have ideas or wants for the site or your squad, tell us. We're going to make it happen.

[Rick Lewis]

Did the history lesson end?

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Sorry for the delay. We got BLOGS. Got to love that, but unfortunately some of my History lesson went into blogs for a bit AND I've been BUSY. We have a community around here.

It takes a lot of work to make things seem smooth. We broke the 1,000 member mark. The clans grew to the point where 1 Clan Manager couldn't keep up with everyone. I had always saw the clan manager position as a 3 person panel. In accord with that plan, we promoted CEG Deadly1 CM and CEG SoupaphlyCM to help out CEG Swagger CM. The 3 of them are our first Clan Managers to work as the team we had originally planned. Soo Sweet! Will that grow to a larger group? Yes, as the community continues to grow and our clan managers start stuttering and drooling, we will move ahead with the growth and add as needed.

The site looks great. Highlander continues with his Nav. Bar obsession and rearranges the forums about once a week. All to our advantage. New ideas keep us very busy. Pod Casts continue to be a main focus for us. We want to find our own Web stars. We have more ideas than we do people interested in those areas. Pod Casts are a primary feature on most gaming sites. They will be here as well. Easier said than done, but we will get there.

One of the main things I still am looking for is our custom profiles. We had them, they will be here again one day and when that day arrives mine will have polka dots. End of subject.

We have lots of big surprises coming up in the next couple of weeks. Big stuff and fun for the whole community. Next history lesson will give you ALL THE DETAILS.

Until then, game on people. The Reach Beta is still here for a day or two, Red Dead Redemption is out today and I just pre-ordered my copy and one to give away you one of you of Call of Duty: Black Op.

Keep moving forward people, we've knocked down a few walls and made some more room, we are always under construction and improving for you.

[Syn BigPapa]

This is awesome bunny

[Crosseyed Bunny]

We don't have a plan!

Crosseyedgamer, what is it? A community of living, breathing gamers. Some are arcade nuts, others first person shooters, then there's the "just give me a game go play with my friends" gamer. We are all here. How do you make a game plan for a community like this? Saying something like "Our Plan For World Domination" can't work. Your dooming your community to failure. One plan doesn't fit everyone in a community.

You have to have a heart felt PURPOSE! Plans change, just plain fail, or are to strict and rigid. Obstacles get put in front of you that cause some in a community to stumble. Sometimes members have personal issues that cause them to not keep up with the plan. That's discouraging to them and they don't come back if they feel they've let you down.

A community with a purpose, that's another story. Our purpose in being here is to have fun with our friends, give them something to be apart of, and a place where they can put their ideas in motion. If we don't have the tools for them to do that, we'll get them. How we get them or go about making this possible is up to all of us.

Part of that Purpose is to keep moving forward with new experiences in gaming. Our big surprise is our COMMUNITY PLAY DATE ON XBOX LIVE. The date is July 14th, 2010. The time is 8pm-11pm est. The game is Halo 3 this time. Be sure to get on the box early and we'll switch out gamers so as many as possible can play. Hope you all can make it. We will be having another in Modern Warfare 2, and once we have a date set in stone, (announced on Xbox live) we will pass it on to you.

The next big event is our 1st anniversary on August 12, 2010. This is a big day for our community and we will have some prizes and game nights set up to celebrate. Highlander is ordering pizza so come hungry.

We've also have seen some members in the community step up and take some staff positions that have made a big difference. CEG Arty and Crosseyed Doc are working hard on our Pod Casts. This is our primary focus at this time. Anyone can make a podcast, but to have one that people want to listen to is another thing. These two are working hard on this.

CEG Illusion, CEG Stealth and our newest Staff member CEG Big Papa are making new ladders and tournaments in the Crosseyed Arena. Finding the games our members want to play is always changing with the release of new games happening every week. This is a never ending job and we appreciate all they do.

CEG Big Papa has also done an amazing job getting to know everyone and posting in the forums has been one of the ways he's doing that. So many of you make the website the Social place it is. The forums have really picked up and becoming even more of a fun place to play.

Did we plan any of this. No, but it's always been our purpose to get done.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

One Hot Summer

It's the middle of July and people are on vacation, playing on ball teams, moving (that's you Soup) just out having fun. Summer is always the quiet time for a gaming website but we are still growing. I'm a bit surprised by that and it's been a lot of fun. The Community meeting on Sunday has been totally full and we are going to have to start dividing up in different games to accommodate everyone who wants to be there. The sites very busy, the Join The Dark Side We Have Cookies promotion has been a big hit and everyday the cookies are going out in the mail.

The Community Playdate was a huge success. Lots of new people and the community was out in force. Some members don't play Halo 3 or even own an Xbox for that matter so we had a Forum party so everyone could join in the fun. I can't wait to do it again in Call of Duty. More people have that game right now and it will be even more fun for all of us.

We have a new design for t-shirts, can't wait to get them and put them on the site. Finally after 11 months we are in the place we want to be at for the products our community wants. Talked to them today about hoodies. Fall will be here before we know it and we want to be ready. Look out for new stuff on the site and on you bods.

All is going great in Crosseyedgamer, hope it is for you as well.

[Crosseyed Bunny]

Crosseyedgamer is 1 Year Old!

I can't believe it's been a year. 1,300 members and just learning to walk. It's been an awesome year and we had a great party to celebrate. Lots of great games and even better gamers. I played one game in Modern Warfare 2 that was Riot Shields and knives. I hated that game only because I can't use a riot shield or a knife. I quit trying and just watched, it was so funny I wish we had capture carded it. At the end we were behind by 7,000 to 4,600 and Scooter yells, "We're behind, Start Shooting!" It was the best line of the night.

I switched over to Halo 3 and had a blast. We played one game of Sniper Oddball and I spawn sniped 7 people in a roll for a Killimanjaro, Life doesn't get any better than that. Bunite ended up with 77 kills with half of those headshots. Syn Xile was close behind him. Check out the stats:

Players....................Kills.....Headshots.... .Deaths

LADIESMAN77..........20.......0.................51

IOv3rKiL1I................43.......9.............. ..41

Scooter CM..............37.......7.................41

CEG HIGHLANDER.......37.......5................46

SYN XILE.................69........34..............41

XGC Monte Mac.......54..........3...............48

beef1996................10..........1............. .50

LoadUP...................14..........4............ 31

Reapin Russian........23.........2................26

CEG Bunny EQ..........53.......15................34

Crosseyed Doc.........16........2.................47

Syn TopGun.............15........1.................33

Crosseyed Arty.........34........9.................42

Mr Slayer.................65........9................ 27

xX Bunite Xx.............86.......35................28

It was a great night and the prizes will be worked out today. We'll post them on the home page but I hope everyone wins.

I spent some time last night wondering what we'll do for next year. How we could make it even better? I came up with a few ideas but you'll have to stick around till then to find out. One thing I know for sure is with all the things we have planned already it's going to be another great year, or I'll end up killing Highlander and/or Scooter and getting a medal and 2 mandatory days in jail. I'll be sure to blog about it for all of you. Either way it's going to be awesome.

Can't wait till we learn to run, hope your here to see it.

As Always, Your Friend, Bunny