If we're going to have a discussion about how to 'properly' play a paladin (lol) I think we need to make a new thread for it. Let's keep to one topic per, eh, topic.
As to the nature of this particular thread, I think elitism is all fine and good until it's the only thing remaining, or is considered so standard that when a post is made to try and open borders, the first two responses read like someone getting personally offended by the fact that someone is suggesting making an effort NOT to be elite. I'm sorry, CCL and Kudark, but your posts confuse me deeply, and not for the reasons I think Kudark got defensive about. The OP wasn't referencing you directly, to the best of my knowledge, but you took it upon yourselves to point out that you're NOT expanding beyond your group and that your plans are hidden, which...good for you? But that doesn't have anything to do with what #SOA was really getting at. It's like we were talking about refrigerator maintenance and you decided you were insulted we HAVE refrigerators, so you went out of your way to point out you use an ice chest in your basement. They're both legit ways to keep Diet Coke below room temperature, but we aren't really discussing the finer points of YOUR method, we're brainstorming ways to improve OURS.
My understanding of the OP's intent is that it's supposed to be an initiative to discuss ways those of us who are interested in doing so 'fix our refrigerators'. Again, being elite is fine. But if you're going to BE elite, and you want to STAY elite, discussing a different program in those terms is...what word did Guardian use? Bizarre.
That all being said, I'm as much a proponent as I can be about anything towards player initiatives absent DM control, as I noted in my previous posts. Allowing ourselves to put the onus on each other instead of exclusively on them is, in my opinion, a good start. If we can keep our wheels turning, the staff won't be obliged to grease them so much. I think Commie has the right idea - I shudder as I type
- in setting up times and places that are pure interaction. It's the most basic and easy to follow route, simply posting a time, topic, and letting people show up of their own accord. In my experience, even the simplest RP can be the gateway to something bigger, so organizing a class on History of Pottery or what have you doesn't seem like an elephant to pull off, and if multiple interests are being forwarded at the same time, more people will be inclined to join in.Setting up a specific place and time, I think, would allow more people the luxury of assuring their RP interactions, as opposed to logging in and hoping you find someone (or, as is more likely, looking at 2/65 and not logging on at all). From there could spin more complicated plans and events if folks find themselves so inspired, but the important part is that something should be DONE to encourage that inspiration. We're concerned with Good alignments, yes? Set up an ethics seminar, discuss law/chaos among goodly actions, try and convert neutrals to the cause, organize a crusade, gather people up to dispense food and clothes to the poor, go find bandits and dismantle their organization. If we think we can handle it, we could even set something up in an open area so evil PCs can gatecrash or just troll everyone, if we'd like a little more edge to the conflict. I believe we have the capacity to make a better experience on our own, and the potential maturity to expand what we get out of it.
TL;DR (the 'oh my GOD shut UP Overneath' edition) - Start broadcasting player-driver interactive events beforehand (in multiple time zones by multiple folks, if possible) to encourage the mindset of 'hey, I know for sure people are showing up, I should too'. The important part is that this is player-driven, not DM-dependent, although obviously if a DM sees this going down and drops in, more power to all involved.