I agree with Zack (who didn't see that one coming?) and Tom. I like to think I, for one,
have been around long enough to understand the dislike of Zack business. If you haven't noticed, Wes won't let Zack run any sort of RP. Now it seems like he's blocking his tech, too, if not because its submitted by Zack, then because it's tech that will advance Nepleslia, and that's not what Wes wants. I understand the want to maintain the "soul" of the race--after all, Wes created it--but then Wes shouldn't have given control to a GM, or indeed to any players at all. I think I've made my opinion clear before about "interactive stories"--it's hardly RP when the GM decides exactly what will happen and nothing the players do will change that or any aspect of the plot at all. I think Tom put it very well in his last post.
I'd hope that Nepleslia would be GM-free, actually, but I understand that that's a long shot since the general style has changed to GM-run RP and it's just wishful thinking that any part of it would revert to free RP. Not to insult you, Tom, I think you've done an excellent job with what you've been given to work with. Still, I haven't had time but I am interested in pursuing that PvP gang war idea, nevertheless.
By the way, Fred, I'd think it's Wes who always needs to get the last word. He is the one locking Zack's threads, isn't he? I'm sure you're just trying to be helpful, but really, there
is a problem and it needs to be addressed publicly because it concerns more than just Tom: it concerns anyone playing in Nepleslia and anyone planning on playing in Nepleslia, like myself. This sort of thing has happened before. I'm not trying to insult Wes or anyone else, I just think that this thread is necessary to get everyone on the same page. If that means asking questions or making complaints then so be it.
I don't know if you'd call anything a complaint yet, but here's one: it really does appear like Zack is being singled out for "bull" as he put it...and there is a double standard for tech, both with Yamatai and Nepleslia as well as with Wes and everyone else; I know that you're in charge, Wes, but I think that it shouldn't matter and you should be subject to the same approval process as everyone else. There haven't been any outstanding instances lately but it's something I was discussing with someone else.
Edit:
I won't retract the referee bit simply because it's what a roleplay is about.
I absolutely disagree with this statement, and if you're really concerned with my reasoning I think it's all over the site in various threads, but I think any opinion on GM involvement is really more of a personal philosophy rather than fact.
I also think that Zack's issue is a valid part of this thread, because his concern is with tech that's been submitted for Nepleslia and has been refused because of either a dislike of Zack which I think isn't altogether improbable, or as you put it, Fred, Wes being the "doting father" of Nepleslia and concerning himself with its technological advancement when it's really out of his hands from an IC standpoint.