Staff Purge

[Tethras 278]

((Warning the post below may not contain language appropriate for a certain audience, if you feel like you may be offended by said language please do not read the below.))

 

Good evening LoTC! My name is Dave, or Tethras/Afrodave, whatever you really want to call me. As of late I’ve had a recent thought crossing my mind more and more, the said thought you can see in the title. I ask you to bear with me in this post, as lengthy as it may be because I feel it is important, and effects you as a player on this server. Now with the introduction out of the way, let us begin!

 

For long time now, there has been a certain plague upon this server. This said plague affects us from player factions to staff, this plague is called inactivity. I'm going to be blunt, and In advance I shall apologise but I feel that if you’re inactive in any staff position you should have the guts to step down. If a GM to AT is inactive for over two weeks, regardless of being on “Hiatus” or whatever, he/she should step down. The staff member in question, if they’re truly good would get the position again if they should reapply. Rather than stay in this inactive mode, that doesn't really help the server or themselves.

 

I'm going to compare this to a similar scenario, albeit a little different. I was in a in-character position, and I was inactive. Due to my laziness or fear, I didn't step down until I was really forced to. I only realised until I stepped down what I fool I was, I had not helped anyone during my period of inactivity not progressed the nation. Despite my past achievements. I may be arrogant but I shall compare this to the staff, from what I've been hearing many are under quota. Surely isn't is reasonably that if someone is inactive they do the right thing to step down? Being beneficial to the server rather than doing this for personal gain. I feel for the benefit of the server, that they’re meant to be helping these people should step down. After all they’re not staff on the server for themselves, but rather the player base.

 

To summarize, I'm calling for a purge of staff from Admins to AT. Every group needs to be reviewed, apart from the Coders because they’re not something we can easily replace (besides them being awesome). Even if they’re active for 1-3 days, the people who do the audit should look at their past month or so of their activity to look. Promises are all good and all but they’re most likely be empty.  Admittedly it will be difficult with low amount of staff for a short while, but I feel it will be beneficial to the server to rid ourselves of those who’re inactive. Who act in a way, forgive me for lack of a better term like a parasite. Damaging the server, rather than helping it. Just to reinforce, I'm asking the inactive staff to step down, I think it would be reasonable for them to re-apply again when they’re actually active. But if they’re inactive, isn't it reasonably they step down and give someone else a chance? Or to do it to help the server, rather than simply posting a comment or two in skype.

 

(Just a note at the end, I admit I’m not writing this in a fully good state of mind but this is my thoughts. I’ll write a decent reply to those who would argue against me. An additional note, this post is subject to edit, as I wrote it at 4:31 am.))

[Samsan99 274]

I dont believe this is a good idea leaving us with even more staff members and a big job of the staff to recruit more. If they are hentius i think they should not be made to step down at all, Your boss doesn't fire you when you take holiday leave so why should the server? the server at least for me in GMT is lacking staff i wouldn't this just add to that issue with the server not adding new staff as it is? (( well gms and such))

[Daisy 9735]

I completely agree with this man's words.

[JVQ 1719]

Go to bed

[Nug 2011]

yes pls

[nppeck 601]

Do you believe the server is in such a state that something as radical as a staff purge is necessary? So long as the applications get done and the modreqs get answered I don't think this is that needed. At least whenever I log on I only see 1-2 modreqs that need to be answered and I have not seen applications pile up from more than a day or so. I do not believe this is a good idea as the costs of training new staff would far outweigh any benefits that might come out of it.

[gam 386]

Do you believe the server is in such a state that something as radical as a staff purge is necessary? So long as the applications get done and the modreqs get answered I don't think this is that needed. At least whenever I log on I only see 1-2 modreqs that need to be answered and I have not seen applications pile up from more than a day or so. I do not believe this is a good idea as the costs of training new staff would far outweigh any benefits that might come out of it.

 

Actually, it is 100% necessary. First off, training new staff does not "cost" anything and is incredibly easy to do, don't see why you're complaining there. Not to mention that with 4.0 coming all hell is about to break lose, with a massive surge of modreqs due to the new map, many players returning, etc etc. And I'm sure the word will get out, causing a possible surge in applications. So yes, if there ever was a time to do this, it would be now. Better to prepare ourselves for the future then to procrastinate until it's really needed and scramble for help. 

 

 

To you Dave, I say +1. Wonderful idea.

[Hiebe 2493]

Basically what we all think.

 

But the GMs dont see it, admins dont, so waste of effort, threads like this pop up all the time and the administration sees no reason to remove their "buddies" and make this a professional server.

[ski_king3 0]

Suitable replacement for every staff position (aside from coders) are easy to come by, as there are very few particularly difficult staff positions on LotC. None of them are hard if you have good leadership. However, staff members never step down due to inactivity because there are some staff leaders who don't add back players who did a good job on the team previously when they reapply, and sometimes overlook them for new blood because they want to take a gamble of sorts and try to give new players an opportunity as well (*cough* AT *cough*).

 

This would only work if the Admins/Staff Heads did not set a "minimum" that needed to be met, but instead just kicked off people who they noticed repeatedly slacked off. Otherwise, staff members will just continue to be largely inactive with spurts of "bare-minimum" activity to keep them on the team.

 

I know it's hard to kick people off of a staff team when they've arguably done something of merit recently, even if it's at an unacceptable level. There's a certain level of entitlement that's hard to argue against over something so trivial as a position of power on an internet game. However, the position is meaningless if it's just a title that is inalienable once it's been earned.

[everblue2er101 906]

I've been a staff member for 21 months. Sat on or had contact with all staff teams. Put hundreds of volunteer hours into the server and watched others do even more. So clearly, I'm biased. I can also honestly say that this is a terrible idea.

You're proposing taking away the experience and knowledge of people who have been doing this for ages, who know how to get done what needs to be done. Just the retraining of a new batch of staff would take... I can't even imagine. Weeks, more likely months. And then who's to do that? If the App Team, say, was entirely rolled over. Including the team leader. Who's to go about telling the newbies how to do the job? This applies to every team. Some will say that it's easy to find replacements. Maybe. But finding good replacements who can do a better job than those already staff? Not likely.

Then there would have to be a period where the server has no staff. It might not be long, but how exactly are things supposed to function between old staff leaving and new entering? The server could quite literally have to shut down entirely for a period of time. Not desireable, especially with 4.0 on the horizon. Running a skeleton crew is possible, though it would put a great strain on the chosen individuals. And who's to choose who stays?
 

How does one define activity, anyways? Some staff have a lot of time on their hands. Others are parents, employed, in school or busy with whatever else. Sometimes RL issues arise. Like, my great-uncle died yesterday. I've got finals next week. Clearly, I'm going to be fairly inactive for the next while until things sort themselves out. Should I be removing myself from all staff teams because of this, and then trying to get back on? That's rhetorical, by the way. No, not all staff are completely honest with themselves or others. But the majority are and are as active as they can be. 

 

In short, the proposal is to take away all the experienced staff and replace them with new people in a way that would force the server to shut down all because it's believed staff don't know when to quit. The staff isn't perfect, of course. But automatically going for the most extreme option, as this is, will only cause more trouble.

 

As as the case with you, I'm quite tired. It's late and I've had a long few days, so this may need clarification. But I'm tired in other ways. Of players constantly doubting the staff. The feeling that no one trusts anyone anymore. That staff are devalued and treated as something other than the human volunteers we are. This can be for another post.

[Aislin 4354]

They made Viper "Head of Staff" so he could monitor all the teams and keep them active. Then he went inactive. Now we're here.

 

Calling for a staff purge is silly. Calling for new leadership in the admins and team leaders, however, is not. This isn't to say all at once, but they need fresh blood.

[MamaBearJade 2090]

well part of it I do agree with. The staff who do not seem active or do enough should be purged. Those that are actively doing modreqs, doing Applications, putting effort into their job, should keep their job.

[gam 386]

I've been a staff member for 21 months. Sat on or had contact with all staff teams. Put hundreds of volunteer hours into the server and watched others do even more. So clearly, I'm biased. I can also honestly say that this is a terrible idea.

You're proposing taking away the experience and knowledge of people who have been doing this for ages, who know how to get done what needs to be done. Just the retraining of a new batch of staff would take... I can't even imagine. Weeks, more likely months. And then who's to do that? If the App Team, say, was entirely rolled over. Including the team leader. Who's to go about telling the newbies how to do the job? This applies to every team. Some will say that it's easy to find replacements. Maybe. But finding good replacements who can do a better job than those already staff? Not likely.

Then there would have to be a period where the server has no staff. It might not be long, but how exactly are things supposed to function between old staff leaving and new entering? The server could quite literally have to shut down entirely for a period of time. Not desireable, especially with 4.0 on the horizon. Running a skeleton crew is possible, though it would put a great strain on the chosen individuals. And who's to choose who stays?

 

How does one define activity, anyways? Some staff have a lot of time on their hands. Others are parents, employed, in school or busy with whatever else. Sometimes RL issues arise. Like, my great-uncle died yesterday. I've got finals next week. Clearly, I'm going to be fairly inactive for the next while until things sort themselves out. Should I be removing myself from all staff teams because of this, and then trying to get back on? That's rhetorical, by the way. No, not all staff are completely honest with themselves or others. But the majority are and are as active as they can be. 

 

In short, the proposal is to take away all the experienced staff and replace them with new people in a way that would force the server to shut down all because it's believed staff don't know when to quit. The staff isn't perfect, of course. But automatically going for the most extreme option, as this is, will only cause more trouble.

 

As as the case with you, I'm quite tired. It's late and I've had a long few days, so this may need clarification. But I'm tired in other ways. Of players constantly doubting the staff. The feeling that no one trusts anyone anymore. That staff are devalued and treated as something other than the human volunteers we are. This can be for another post.

 

He didn't say we should wipe everyone and start over from scratch. He said to boot the inactive ones. Therefore, there would still be others to train the newbies. Plus, training newbies really isn't as hard as you people are making out to be. There's really not a lot of complicated things to learn, and a lot of it can be learned on the job. 

[Hiebe 2493]

If you have personal stuff arise and you cannot put time towards mc then leave, real life comes first. No point dragging the rest of us players down because you cant set your priorities right and resign for months at a time.

 

I suggest more of a term limit.

[zaezae 1098]

Oh please. There is no reason to put pressure on people who are doing things for you /for free/. Nobody, including players and staff, are entitled to time or labor from another human being. If I knew that I couldn't go on hiatus and face losing a position I possibly worked for, I might honestly think twice before putting my needs first. That's unethical to even make someone consider. There are better ways of handling this issue /if/ it is even one.