Hi guys. I really need your help for two research papers I'm writing on wotmania. This is part one. If you could take five minutes and fill out this survey, it would be incredibly helpful.

-What is your race?

White...I mean caucasion.

-Do you think that there is an explicit hierarchy at wotmania? If so, how does it break down?

Yeah. There're sort of two definers, the first being how long you've been coming to the site, and the second being how active you are. If you kow tow to everyone, post a few interesting links, and generally kiss up to the popular people, you'll advance more quickly than your chronological wotmaniac age would suggest. Therefore time as a newbie or otherwise is dependant on behavior, and popularity, as well.

-Do you believe that there is a hierarchy at wotmania, but it isn’t officially noted by anyone? If so, how does this hierarchy break down?

Well, since people have been claiming the title of elder and telling other people off since the MB was made, I think it's officially noted by most people "in" the community. Many of the lurks and rare posters don't care.

The real official hierarchy, as we admins see it from our secret cubby-hole, is us and them.

Only partially kidding.

-Do the terms Elder, Midbie, and Newbie actually mean anything for a person, or is it just a title that establishes how long someone has been at the site?

The titles have no specific relevance.

Some people need the title to feel more comfortable around here. To justify their involvement or hold power over others ("n00bs&quot. Others don't care.

I myself don't care how others see me, as I've been here longer than most of them and am an admin, which trumps community status when it comes to the actual workings of the site.

-Do you think that the admins on the site are in higher standing than the other members?

On official stuff, as pertaining to the structure of the site, yes.

As for all the cliques and groups and clubs, being an admin doesn't mean anything unless people want you to pass word along. Most of them only care about who's an admin insofar as it may interfere with their posting.

-In your opinion, do those who post on the Community MB think that they are “better” than those on the WoT MB?

Absolutely, with the very small exception of the few who do both regularly.

Many of the well-known CMB posters feel they've grown out of WoT, and take every opportunity to point it out in the Quickpoll and similar surveys. There are even some admins who look down on WoT, but that's their business, and not for the public. I myself feel no animosity towards people on the WoTMB, and in cases concerning it, I generally advocate in their favor in the Team Area, given that they have been, and likely still are, the largest percentage of incoming wotmaniacs (site visitors).

Similar attitudes of superiority exist in OF.

-In your opinion, do those who post on the WoT MB think that they are “better” than those on the Community MB?

Yup. And for the reason that they came to the site looking for somewhere to discuss WoT, and the jaded cynicism of the former-WoT readers strikes them as stupid when found at a site called "Wotmania." Massive post-battles ensue in which both sides ridicule the other and claim they have more of a right to the site, whether for "seniority" reasons (time at the site) or "legitimacy" reasons (reason for coming to WoTmania). Most of them end up keeping to themselves on the WoTMB, though there has been a trend of WoTSpam on the CMB lately, likely organized to return the favor for so much spamming done over the years (dating back before the board separation).

Thank you.

No prob. I expect those who answer honestly won't stray too far from these answers.


Arok Manok - Ex-admin Extraordinaire
Future Post-Apocalypse Warlord



I'd rather be throwing a frisbee right now