New Staff Policy Give Us Your Input.

[Lirinya 4021]

As long as the GM's don't lock themselves in channels, I'm happy. I know we could always message them if we needed something, but what if we wanted to just chill and talk? I personally feel weird PM'ing a GM, going "Hey Danny, can I have the pass to your channel?" It just makes me feel as if I'm intruding in their fun. That's me personally, though. Apart from that, I think these changes will be the things that save LotC.

Perhaps then you have to take into consideration that if the staff member wanted to 'chill and talk' with you, they would invite you into their channel? You don't have to ask for the password, you know full well they can move you in a couple of clicks should they wish to talk.

[cruzazul 2815]

Good post, I agree with you 100%.

[Jchizz 115]

Perhaps then you have to take into consideration that if the staff member wanted to 'chill and talk' with you, they would invite you into their channel? You don't have to ask for the password, you know full well they can move you in a couple of clicks should they wish to talk.

That's one of the bigger issues, though... a lot of players feel that the staff doesn't want to chill and talk with them. They feel as though the staff only want to socialize with other staff members and a select few players. Now, just like everyone else in the world, every staff member has the right to choose who they like, who they dislike, who their friends are, and who they socialize with. I will never, ever tell someone, staff members included, to socialize with people that they do not want to socialize with. However, there is something to be said for reaching out and making new connections. Believe it or not, players like to feel appreciated and valued just as much as staff members do. As in any social group or community, when a person is reached out to by someone of authority, power, or popularity who that person respects and/or looks up to, that person feels absolutely great! Anyone can tell you that. Wouldn't you want someone who you admire to come pick you out from the crowd and talk to you?

I'm not saying that staff members have to go out of their way to socialize with players if they don't want to. That's their choice. What I am saying, is that if the thought ever crosses any of the staff members' minds, don't hesitate to give us a chance. After all, as Sultan said, you, the staff, aren't so different from most of us. Well, that would mean that the opposite is true. We, the playerbase, really aren't so different from you guys.

[VonAulus 2082]

I would like to ask for the demotion of Respiren. He made a comment in the Q and A in which he said he is only sticking around to ban a few people. That is not the dedication of a true staff member. He obviously does not have the server as a whole as a priority, just his own personal schemes. Before you give me a warning or say no evidence, there were many others in the channel that may heard him say that. Do not deny it.

I hope you do not just sweep this skeleton under the rug.

[Lirinya 4021]

That's one of the bigger issues, though... a lot of players feel that the staff doesn't want to chill and talk with them. They feel as though the staff only want to socialize with other staff members and a select few players. Now, just like everyone else in the world, every staff member has the right to choose who they like, who they dislike, who their friends are, and who they socialize with. I will never, ever tell someone, staff members included, to socialize with people that they do not want to socialize with. However, there is something to be said for reaching out and making new connections. Believe it or not, players like to feel appreciated and valued just as much as staff members do. As in any social group or community, when a person is reached out to by someone of authority, power, or popularity who that person respects and/or looks up to, that person feels absolutely great! Anyone can tell you that. Wouldn't you want someone who you admire to come pick you out from the crowd and talk to you?

I'm not saying that staff members have to go out of their way to socialize with players if they don't want to. That's their choice. What I am saying, is that if the thought ever crosses any of the staff members' minds, don't hesitate to give us a chance. After all, as Sultan said, you, the staff, aren't so different from most of us. Well, that would mean that the opposite is true. We, the playerbase, really aren't so different from you guys.

That's just their mindset though. A staff member shouldn't be forced to socialize if they don't want to. Same as a player. I wouldn't expect a player to want to be dragged into a conversation should they not wish to join, or told they must socialize. I am also not on TS to 'make conversation or socialize'. I'm only on TS in case anybody needs to contact me whilst I'm not in game, or if they have any issues. When I am on to socialize, it's with the people I want to talk to. I personally don't have time to channel hop.

Anyone can tell you that. Wouldn't you want someone who you admire to come pick you out from the crowd and talk to you?

Silly thing to ask me. I would say no straight away. I can see how some people would but, directing that to me is wrong as I can instantly say no, I don't link being singled out regardless of who it's by.

We're not different but the same goes for players. There are small groups who hand around, those who make temp channels just to talk to certain people. We all have our own social groups whether you;re a player or staff member.

[Casamir 42]

We're just two halves to the same community baby, I've never had a bad experience with GM's honestly, I don't really get involved with you guys much (I'm not a TS or Skype kind of guy) and Although I have many posts on the forums, I'm not really popular or known like some LOTCer's

I did however mostly deal with native, that guy had a way of getting stuff done, I did have an odd "off" ecounter with a GM, where I was buy additional blocks added onto my plot. It just was one of those things, like old VIP plots where not everyone was on the same page, and I ended up getting about 4 blocks extra in one direction added, and 4 on the other side, for a very steep price it seemed (the one direction was mostly so I could have a nice front path that connected to the road)

Maybe it's just because I play games like WoW and SWTOR, were the staff is professionally paid people, I always treat them with respect (I've seen some of the types who play )

[Leafwind 38]

-snip-

Lirinya, I feel like your responses are basically covering up the fact that you, personally, do not want to socialize. But don't you think as an admin of LotC it comes as a responsibility to get to know and help out the playerbase? It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Also, I'm curious as to what keeps you busy as an admin on a daily basis.

[Lirinya 4021]

Lirinya, I feel like your responses are basically covering up the fact that you, personally, do not want to socialize. But don't you think as an admin of LotC it comes as a responsibility to get to know and help out the playerbase? It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Also, I'm curious as to what keeps you busy as an admin on a daily basis.

I haven't PERSONALLY got the time to get to know players. I spent a hell of a lot of time when I first got GM speaking to ever player I could, getting to know the community and in term almost failed my school course. I've spent the course of this year dealing with problem after problem with the community and in turn am failing this year too. And no, I don't think the admins HAVE to get to know the playerbase because as GMs they will have done that to their best extent, one would assume.

If you're really that interested I backseat mod the Guide team and App team.

It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Surprisingly 100% accurate.

[Secret Lizard President 313]

Lirinya, I feel like your responses are basically covering up the fact that you, personally, do not want to socialize. But don't you think as an admin of LotC it comes as a responsibility to get to know and help out the playerbase? It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Also, I'm curious as to what keeps you busy as an admin on a daily basis.

I think you're being a bit aggressive, or maybe even passive aggressive with your remarks there. An admin, GM, or anyone shouldn't be forced to socialize if they don't want to. I think Lirinya does a great job at what she does without having to talk to random players. I know she wouldn't mind talking to you if you have questions for her, but I think it's ridiculous for you to expect someone to go out and socialize with random people they don't know, and if they don't then they're subject to losing the admin position they've worked so hard to get.

Couple this with the fact that admins have real lives as well, and that Lirinya has plenty of stuff on her plate IRL and in game-related things, she shouldn't have to take time out of her day to go into random TS channels and say, "Hi." Yes, it'd be a nice gesture, but should it be mandatory? No, it shouldn't. I wouldn't expect you to do it and I don't think anyone should expect the staff to do it either. I think staff should be allowed to talk to who they want to when they want to unless the absolute need calls for them to discuss an issue with a player.

[Alec 269]

Lirinya, I feel like your responses are basically covering up the fact that you, personally, do not want to socialize. But don't you think as an admin of LotC it comes as a responsibility to get to know and help out the playerbase? It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Also, I'm curious as to what keeps you busy as an admin on a daily basis.

From reading how you are speaking to her, I don't blame her from hiding away in a locked teamspeak channel. Shame on you!

Mind you, we are technically players like you. Though we make room of our time in our life to make this server what it is, we are not obligated to spend 24/7 on this server, yet we give up our precious time to make this server something you all can enjoy. If you cannot respect that, you are not welcome here.

[Cosmik 220]

• No staff member should be in charge of a nation.

THIS.

SO.

HARD.

Coming from a former Elven prince, GMs are a requirement to run a nation smoothly, but they need to be there as an asset and a friend for the leadership, not a manager themselves. Heck, I'd be all for rotating staff assignments towards nations on a regular basis to prevent bias for or against nations.

[meg 1994]

I think the thing about Gms "hiding" in their locked channels is kinda silly. Have you ever sent the gm a poke or pm, asking if they could move you in? That's what I do when I want to talk with them, and 95% of the time thry'll move me in, the other 5% is when they're doing Gm stuff, and I respect that. I think the players are just acting too entitled. You think a GM is just going do invite you into their channel? That's like expecting someone you barely know to invite you to their house. You have to take the initiative. Gm's aren't just going to automatically want to hang out with you, you need to try and be their friend first. It's not that hard people, try being nice for a change.

[Secret Lizard President 313]

From reading how you are speaking to her, I don't blame her from hiding away in a locked teamspeak channel. Shame on you!

Mind you, we are technically players like you. Though we make room of our time in our life to make this server what it is, we are not obligated to spend 24/7 on this server, yet we give up our precious time to make this server something you all can enjoy. If you cannot respect that, you are not welcome here.

I wouldn't ever go as far to tell a player he's not welcome here for saying something like that as you might hurt their feelings, but he does need to understand that you should not feel entitled to having a GM come to your channel and talk to you for no reason. PM them and ask to chat or something, but by no means should a GM or Admin be forced to talk to you unless you have an important issue.

[Eleatic 1033]

I agree, Giver. No matter if the admin is doing a good job, players need to have the opertunites to have leading roles. Rather then admins/GMs doing such, I believe if the GM/Admin makes the nation -- It's fine. But if an admin just comes in on a new map, and says. "Mien". I think it should be disallowed.

[Charlie4vb 26]

Lirinya, I feel like your responses are basically covering up the fact that you, personally, do not want to socialize. But don't you think as an admin of LotC it comes as a responsibility to get to know and help out the playerbase? It's like avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays.

Also, I'm curious as to what keeps you busy as an admin on a daily basis.

If an Admin stopped to talk to everyone on the server, especially a server as expansive as TS, you'd be writing another post in another thread complaining about how the admins do nothing but socialize. If anything, the fact that she doesn't want to socialize works to her advantage. She has more time to help people in her spare time, rather than talk to someone about the weather. Not to say communication with the player base isn't important, but it's more important for GM's who are brought in for PR (public relations) to do that kinda thing. It's proper distribution of work. Lirinya is admin for what she has done for this server. And unless the server punishes people by giving them admin (which isn't a bad idea) I'm assuming she's done something pretty awesome to get there. I do think you're in your right to question the GM's and Admin's position and personal quality. Go for it, keep them on their toes! At least try to ask valued questions backed up with empirical data, not just "You look kinda anti-social or lazy" or as you cleverly put:

"avoiding your relatives when they come over for the holidays."

Also: I think if a GM were to be leader, they'd be a specific GM with limited capabilities. For example, no spawning of items or money, but can access mod reqs and tp. Also is included with GM private discussion. In my experiences and from what i've heard from dear friends who've been GM and leader, it's too much for one person to handle without either full time job commitment or some form of cheating. It takes away from what a GM should be, which is to help moderate the public.