Staffing

[Sanvean]

I've gotten 4 or 5 emails in the past month asking about whether we'll be taking on new staff soon, so I wanted to post to answer questions that other people may have as well.  My apologies to the folks I haven't replied to yet; I will soon.

Yes, we'll probably be doing a new staffing round within the next few months.  I say probably because right now we're in the process of evaluating what areas in the game need more coverage, and because sometimes retired staff members come back.

The process is this:
We post in staff announcements with a list of questions for the application
People apply within a set period of time.
A number of people are selected from that group to interview.
People are interviewed.
People are selected.

I've talked before about what we look for, but I'll recap some of that:

Trustworthiness: If you've had a lot of trouble with OOC communication in the past, it's not going to help you.  Depending on how recent it is, you might want to work on mending your ways before applying.  I think some people are not aware that we consider frequent OOC communication a genuine problem that would keep us from bringing them on staff so I wanted to stress that.

Ability to work as part of the team: The Armageddon staff, at least when measured against the staff of other MUDs I've seen, works together with remarkable smoothness and lack of infighting.  I'm not saying there aren't personality conflicts from time to time, because there are, but contentious people seem to get eased off staff fairly rapidly.  Can you get along with other people?  Can you take criticism?  Can you resolve problems through communication rather than logging off in a huff?  Have you worked smoothly with staff as a player or player leader?  One of our classic questions for interviews is "tell me about a time you failed and how you dealt with it", which tells a lot about a person.  I'd much rather have someone who has shown themselves capable of dealing with mistakes than someone who claims they've never made one.

Knowledge of the game: Experience is a big plus, because we know you have a feel for the game.  If you're someone that's consistently done unrealistic things, though, experience isn't going to help.  Leadership roles and how you've performed in them usually tells us a lot about your experience.

Initiative: Are you the sort of person who likes to find problems and work on fixing them, or will you sit on your butt as a staff member waiting to be told what to do?  I much prefer the former.

Skills:  It's nice to have good writers, and spelling and punctuation are a big plus.  They're not a given, though, because there are other qualities that (to me) outweigh that consideration.  You may be a fabulous writer, or have worked on 17 different kinds of muds - if you've been bad with OOC or shown yourself incapable of getting along with people, we're still going to pass on you.

I've probably forgotten something Very Important there, but that's a starting list, at least.

I posted this in General Discussion in case people have questions about the process or what being on staff is like; I'll be glad to answer them.  Does it spoil your enjoyment in the game?  I don't think so, but it does radically change your perspective.  Some people like being game masters; others like to play, and there's nothing wrong with that at all.  But you can't come on staff -and- expect to have some part of the game remain a mystery to you.  People have tried that in the past and I've yet to see it work well.

[mansa]

The current system of choosing staff seems to be the best of two evils.  The old system was ... well ...  I'm not going to say.

But the current system also has it's flaws.  I see people who have been chosen for staff, mainly on their ability not to screw over some of the staff that are there, currently.

Sanvean (Or Nessalin) collects the immortal applications, and they are the first ones to sort it out.  They remove the ones that they think have no chance in hell to be apart of their team.  Then they post the application on the immortal board, and the other immortals chime in at who they like, and who they dislike.

And then you have some immortals who will post, 'If this person gets hired, I'll quit!'

...


Like the discussion board that we have right now, there are strong personalities and vague personalities that are immortals.  You can't run a successful game when everyone is exactly the same, so there must be some difference in the people involved.  And immortals also are human, and they have emotions, and when a player which they have supported and helped throughout the years decides to screw them over, you bet that they will be tainted towards them.

However, the current system is a lot better than the old one.  People that the staff have never seriously contemplated about joining the team can now send in their applications.  You could be a superstar and only play the game for 6 months and become an immortal to help run the game and change it into an awesome and new direction.  You could be an old player who's tired of playing all the simple roles, and who wants to try something new, instead of quitting the game altogether.

I just wish that it wasn't so much a popularity contest...


... And No.  I'm not going to apply this time.

[Vanth]

Mansa, I don't know where you're getting your information from, but you're wrong on at least two counts.

[mansa]

You're right.  I am applying this upcomming round.

[Halaster]

mainly on their ability not to screw over some of the staff that are there, currently.

Yeah, we tend to not like people on staff who "screw other people over".  We like people on staff who are considerate, yet fair.  Who can see the game for the fact it's a game.  So, if you're the type of person who screws other people over, yeah.. don't apply.

I posted this in General Discussion in case people have questions about the process or what being on staff is like; I'll be glad to answer them.

Do you actually have a question, mansa, or are you just posting to complain?

[jhunter]

I -think- what Mansa's saying is that personal feelings about people are part of the decision of whether or not they will get an honest chance at being on staff.

I'm of the opinion that personal feelings about someone should -never- be part of the decision.

Oh, and I have no desire to be on staff...I enjoy playing too much.

[Sakra]

How about we hear some of the experiences of the staff that joined last round? That may encourage/discourage some of the players who are thinking about applying this time. I think at least one thing you liked about joining staff, and one thing you didn't like should be sufficient.

Like did Nessalin and Halaster -really- lock you in a room until you had fixed all the grey/gray descriptions?

[mansa]

I'm whining, because I view the system isn't the best around, but I haven't brought forth a new system to be put into place instead.  I hope my complaints will get people to read what I write and respond to it, much like you have done, Halaster.  You've brought out a point that wasn't said, before, regarding people who screw other people over.

This game we all play and run is a role-playing game.  We take on roles that are different from our own experiences and our own lives, and we run with it and play it out to the enjoyment of ourselves.

And in this harsh desert planet, we will screw over anyone we can, in order to 'get to the top' and become a legend of the game.

As we play these characters, we'll even screw over our siblings and family, and clans, and lovers, and everyone else there is to screw over, in order to survive.   There are some dirty tactics that will be used, and it will appear that certain characters have no heart or soul.

And you bet that I will screw over any character that you're playing, just to survive.  In the name of Role Play and Character Consistency, in this themed world that we have.

...


However, to some of the staff, the evil and currupt characters that I play will be the only glimpse into the personality and reality that I as a human being and I as a team member is.  You only see me, acting.  You don't see me, being me.

...

And some people have a hard time determining what IC and OOC reasonings are.  Is it an IC reason, or an OOC reason, to kill your lover off?  Is it an IC reason, or an OOC reason, to fight and kill some random PC in a Bar?  Some players have a hard time to disguinsh this aspect, too.

People have screwed over their own clans, all in the name of roleplay.  And some have done it, because they hate the immortals in charge.  But after it's done, those human beings watching it will cringe when they see those players, who in the past have screwed them over, back in their clans.


***

Yes..  I'm trying to say that the thing I don't like about the system is the human decisions that we make.  We're going to vote on the people we like, and we're not going to vote on the people we hate.

[sarahjc]

Wow Mansa.

I would likely never apply to be staff, mostly cause it's time that I definitely don't have can because I don't think that I have nearly enough game knowledge to be any good at it.

That said, it's actually very disturbing hear about how the process is completed. I always thought there was some kind of meeting where all the apps were put up and people voted right from the get go.  

I have sometimes thought that imm selections were questionable. And though most of the staff I have always thought were friendly, responsive and helpful.. There have been some where I just shake my head and say.. Where you guys on crack?? There are also some clans where I think Imm control is an issue and how much is too much.

Anyway, my questions are.


What exactly in Mansa's post isn't true, cause some of it I find down right disturbing.  


And How much thought do you give to the personality of the Imm candidates on things like territoriality,  Open Mindedness, and Personal responsibility.

By personal responsibly do you ask questions that show that the person handles day to day life well. Things like, How often are you late to work, do you ever pay bills late, How many tests have you missed in school to play arm?

Those may seem like weird personal questions, but they also show signs of what may be "exterior" problems and lead to difficulty in managing simple responsibilities that day to day life requires you to juggle. .

[Sanvean]

Sanvean (Or Nessalin) collects the immortal applications, and they are the first ones to sort it out. They remove the ones that they think have no chance in hell to be apart of their team. Then they post the application on the immortal board, and the other immortals chime in at who they like, and who they dislike.

This is absolutely fucking untrue.  Every single app goes up for consideration.

<edit> Furthermore, people discuss how they think the individual would perform as a staff.  It's not a case of who likes who.  People look at how the person has behaved in the game, as a clan leader, in email, etc.  There's no like or dislike involved, and I believe you are confusing having a personality that would work against one in a team situation with being "disliked".

[Sanvean]

I'm going further to say that I -don't- think it's a popularity contest, and that -no one- has ever gotten knocked out of consideration because they screwed someone over IC.  We do ask that people have integrity; we don't demand that of their characters.

Here's an example of things I would consider demonstrating a lack of integrity:

Spreading information from clan docs to non clan members.
Spreading gossip and falsehoods in RL.
Betraying other people's confidences in RL.
Spreading gossip about who someone plays or played, when it's obvious that person doesn't want that spread.  That includes outing staff members who don't want it known who they are.

We focus on someone's ability to be a staff member and what they bring to the game, as explained in that list I posted to start this thread.  No one gets put on staff because they're "popular" and I am outraged that you're spreading lies like that and that people are actually believing it.  If you honestly think the game is that corrupt, then please find another mud.

[Bakha]

I can definitely say that it's not a popularity contest. There have been extremely popular players that have been passed over (since Mansa said that he submitted and wasn't put on staff, he's a prime example, as he's quite popular among most of the staff and the playerbase at large). There have also been extremely unpopular players that have made it onto staff. I know of one current staffer that quite a few of the staff was initially opposed to but, after debate and discussion, was eventually accepted. That person has gone on to be an extremely capable and productive staff member.

From my experience, I can't emphasize OOC conduct enough as a requirement of getting on staff. There's nothing wrong with the IRC room or IM, but constantly chatting about the game in those venues isn't necessarily a good thing. The lines are crossed between proper and improper very easily during OOC communication. OOC coordination is a constant problem. Rumor spreading is a constant problem. Building a reputation for engaging in either is a black mark for future staff.

[Vanth]

About the process:

The process is this:
We post in staff announcements with a list of questions for the application
People apply within a set period of time.
A number of people are selected from that group to interview.
People are interviewed.
People are selected.

I think Sanvean made the process pretty clear.  Staff comment on the applications and interviews, but one or even two staff who feel iffy about an applicant isn't an automatic refusal.

The comments that are made relate only to our opinion of the applicant's ability to do the job.  When I came on staff I got to see what people had said about my application and interview.  It was all polite and professional, and there was no reason to hide anything, because any reservations anyone might have had, were based on wanting the best for the game, not because they disliked me as a person, disliked one of my old characters, or disliked opinions I expressed on the GDB.

Regarding personality:

Imms are indeed people like everyone else.  We have fellow imms who are friends, we have fellow imms who sometimes annoy us.  It's impossible in nearly any situation to get together 20 people who all get along all the time.  The key is being able to be professional and civil, even when disagreeing.

The application and interview questions are designed to see how an applicant will deal with tricky situations.  Past player/imm interactions also come into account.  For example, if an applicant is really thin-skinned when it comes to criticism, or has an ongoing tendency to be rude on the GDB or in email, or tends to need someone to tell them what to do all the time, they might not make a good imm.  If they always have to be right, assume that imms are eating their brains everytime something doesn't go right for them, or have trouble keeping up polite and honest communication with their imms, they probably won't make a good imm.

I don't know that any further exploration into personality is necessary.  If you take, for example, Halaster and Vendyra: they are very different people, and I think most would agree they've both been great imms.

About my experiences as one of the newest imms:

There's a lot to learn.  About everything.  I still learn something new almost every day, and I've been on staff for almost four months now.

You have to be the kind of person who can take feedback and criticism.  Sometimes you have a great idea but then everyone else pokes holes in it.  Sometimes players don't like changes you make.

Sometimes you have to be mean.  Sometimes you have to tell a player 'no, that's not realistic'.  Sometimes you know that Something Bad (tm) is going to happen to one of your clannies, but there's nothing which you can realistically do IC to save them.  These are not easy decisions.

You have to be able to responsibly separate ooc knowledge from IC knowledge.  As an imm, you have all the ooc knowledge.  You know who plays which PC, who's screwing who over, who the secret magickers are, who's running what scam.  You know all about Steinal, and the Silt Sea, and the Dragon.  You know what color underwear Tek wears.  Every time you hop into an NPC, or play a PC, you have to ignore all that.

Being on staff is fun.  But it's also serious.

[Dracul]

I have a couple questions:

The first and most important would be could you post some links to information regarding the general coding of muds. (although I suppose I could look this up myself...so it should be null :/. But maybe altered, if you have preffered sources)

Does current karma/time playing affect?



As for myself in example...maybe in a few years I would offer an app for staff, as now I still only know parts of the game, (know basic computer programming) but know nothing of mud coding/building, and have only played for about as long as my gdb account is and have according karma.
Before I'd even want to attempt asking/offering I'd like to actually have something to offer.
Although lately Ive been playing more with the different roles and even writing up a special app. (oooh)        

[Adhira]

I'm still a pretty new addition to the staff team. I've been through the application process myself, and also participated as a staff member commenting on the last round of applications.

I believe that the process for choosing staff is a good one, extremely professional. I would compare it to applying for a job in the real world and when I applied for staff, this is how I approached. When I took part in selecting the next lot of immortals to come on board I treated it with that same respect and seriousness, my personal opinion on who was a 'nice guy' didn't come into it. Work ethic, reliability, trustworthiness and a genuine appreciation and love of the game are what comes into it for me.

All applications are posted onto the Immortal board, all staff get the chance to comment on each applicant. A small group are chosen to interview and then those interviews are posted for staff comments also. Staff will then go through and nominate their top picks. This can vary -greatly-. The whole process is very open and is taken very seriously by all involved.

When I joined staff I read the comments about my application. Some people said "Yes great, let's have her", some didn't have an opinion on my application either way and some people said "No, not her".  I've never seen an "I will quit if you hire this person" comment, that would be childish.

To would be staffers:

- Consider your application seriously. As others have said you will know -everything-. Not only will this take the mystery from the game for you, but you will need to scrutinise your actions when you do play a PC to ensure that you are not using your Imm-gained knowledge. This can make playing hard work.

- Be prepared. Being on staff is hardwork, there's a lot to do, people rely on you to answer emails, animate npcs, keep plots going, be consistent, build, monitor and guide.  

- Not everyone is nice, people will say 'bad things' about you, it's a given. People will write you nasty emails, people will tell others who you were before joining staff. I don't know why, but some people just feel the need to treat others this way, it happens, you need to make sure you're ok with that.

- Staffing isn't for everyone.

I love being on staff. There are occasions where I've wished that I hadn't joined, that I'd played such and such a class, or this or that role -before- the mystique was taken from the game, but in general I find it very rewarding. It can be challenging, it can be timeconsuming and it can be a whole heap of fun. If you've read all that and you still want to join a great team of varied personalities all striving together for one aim making Armageddon a great place to play, then I'd recommend giving it a go.

Dracul: Karma isn't really that much of an issue when being selected, some staff had seven karma before coming on staff, I only had three.

With coding - I'm a techno idiot, I don't do code. I do build, patient people and extensive documentation helps me with that. You don't need to have experience in this to apply.

[Sanvean]

The first and most important would be could you post some links to information regarding the general coding of muds. (although I suppose I could look this up myself...so it should be null :/. But maybe altered, if you have preffered sources)

Knowledge of coding, or previous experience with muds, aren't a requirement.  Indeed, the number of people who have code access is limited, although anyone on staff can create scripts.

As for places to learn about MUD coding, I'd look on TopMUDSites, where this question comes up often.  You might also look on MUDConnector.  I myself had no coding knowledge before coming on staff; I started by fixing typos, and now can do simple code things, but wouldn't trust myself anywhere something complex, like sockets or the furniture code.  

People with all levels of karma have come on staff; that's not something I'd worry about.  If you think it's something you would enjoy and if you know you could contribute to the game, then apply.  Don't be discouraged if you get turned down the first time; people have been turned down in one staffing round only to be picked the next.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Sanvean, have you considered calming down and editing your posts for example, to take out the swear words?  It made me cringe, and I'm certain that isn't the person you really are.

[Armaddict]

She's fine.  I get the point a lot better when people swear at me, heh.

[Dracul]

Sanvean, have you considered calming down and editing your posts for example, to take out the swear words?  It made me cringe, and I'm certain that isn't the person you really are.

I liked it. ...I would argue that cuss words add 'emphasis'.


Ahem....I only derail.

[jmordetsky]

A little "fucking" never hurt anyone.

[Sanvean]

I apologize if I've offended anyone, but I'm offended by people making assertions about a process they've never seen in action or spreading lies about the staff and its processes when we've actually got the fairest system in place that I've seen.

[Bakha]

Sanvean, have you considered calming down and editing your posts for example, to take out the swear words?  It made me cringe, and I'm certain that isn't the person you really are.

I think cringing is the point. Curse words, when used in abundance have no meaning. Curse words, when used by someone that usually doesn't curse, have much meaning and power. I think the cursing pretty much gets across how passionately Sanvean feels about this matter and how seriously she takes it.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Yes, I understand that, and I think you have a right to be offended in this instance, and during the course of life in general.  But I don't think that becoming outraged will help the situation, and since I see that you've edited your post, I'm glad you understand what I'm trying to say.

[JollyGreenGiant]

/me snickers at jmordetsky

Let me see if I have all the facts straight.  Mansa applied for staff once and was rejected.  Staff selection comes around again, and he rants about the selection system while declaring his intentions to apply again?  If I printed the thread out and put it under my pillow, the irony fairy would leave me a quarter.

All silliness aside, it just sounds to me like a job interview.  You apply.  People look over your application.  If you're qualified, you get an interview.  If you interview well, you might get an offer, or you might get passed over.  Compatibility with the existing team always plays a part in getting a job.  You can be brilliantly qualified and not fit with the existing team, and if that is the case, passing you over isn't something sinister, it's just good sense and saves everyone a lot of trouble in the long run.  Including you.

[Bestatte]

I don't think it's -anything- like applying for a job in real life. In real life, the supervisor doesn't ask his employees whether or not they can work with the applicant. The supervisor TELLS his employees whether or not they WILL work with the applicant, depending on the supervisor's decision. If an employee has a problem with that, then the employee knows where the unemployment office is. If the applicant has a problem with any of the employees after being hired, the applicant also knows where the unemployment office is.

People don't have to like each other, in real life, in order to work together. They're not being paid to like each other, or even "get along." They're getting paid to do a job. Regardless of personality issues - if that applicant can do the job better than other applicants, then he's the one who gets hired. Well except in cases of nepotism, but even then, daddy's little girl can only use being the boss's daughter only so much before her ass gets tossed on the line as well.