Work in progress -- New way to submit requests

[Raesanos]

In progress right now (well, its done sans some features and tweaking) is a web page that you would use to submit requests related to your character or account.  The workflow is like this:

1) Sign in using your existing Armageddon username / password
2) Select a request category
3) Select a request type and fill in the given fields
4) Submit it.

Types of requests include description updates, complaints, log submissions for stat increases, and so on.

Advantages to this system include:

* Requests are categorized on our end by what level of staff member can resolve it.  The request will automatically be available to the staff who are able to resolve your request rather than routed through one person in the mud account.  This means faster responses.
* The request form will automatically submit your account name.  It will ask you for all information we need to fulfill the request.  This will reduce back-and-forth emails asking for information that was not provided.  Again, faster responses will ensue.
* Reduced odds that your request is never received or misfiled.
* Staff workload reduced overall, making time for more projects that enhance the game,

What do you think the impact will be on your end?  Do you think this will be easier or harder for you?  Do  you think it will be worth it overall?  What suggestions do you have to make this system work best?

[Lazloth]

What do you think the impact will be on your end?  Do you think this will be easier or harder for you?  Do  you think it will be worth it overall?  What suggestions do you have to make this system work best?

The process will be simplified, accessible and apparent to everyone.

Additionally, it may (here's to hoping) scale to eventually handle spec apps, item submissions, perhaps even character application.

It'd be nice to be able to login to a status-type screen.

edit:  Cool idea.

[Maybe42or54]

Will this work for account note requests also?

I think it will take a little more work on ourside to lighten the work on yours, improving response time.

Will we get emails saying that what we sent was recieved? I never know if anything I sent was recieved until a month later when I don't really need it anymore because I gave up.

[Pale Horse]

Frankly, I can only see how this would be a great advancement .  Many times I've thought to send in a request concerning my character, but I always hesitated for fear of wording the request wrong, or it never reaching a Staff member's eyes, ect.
While the few times that I have requested something i.e adding a scar to my character after a traumatic result, removeing a level of karma since I felt that I was not quite ready for the option, ect, the staff always was relatively quick and always polite and responsive to my emails, this website idea is brilliant.  Quicker and easier to use and send in a request in an orderly manner..I like it.
...The only downside I see is that it might possibly increase the number of requests sent in for review...

[spawnloser]

Raisin, you rock.  That's all I can say.  This would be a wonderful thing, and I can see no problems with it.

[Tamarin]

This will be great.

What about submitting items, both general and custom?

[Larrath]

Beautiful.

I can't wait for this to be implemented so I can start asking for account notes every other week.

[Yokunama]

Kudos.

[Cale_Knight]

I imagine this system is going to increase the amount of requests y'all recieve by several hundred percent simply by virtue of sheer ease of use.

[Folker]

impressive, very nice. At the moment, I cant think of any additional features, I'll think on it some more. But I hurry to express how great the features already mentioned already are.

[Maybe42or54]

Yes it is a great idea, like the new way of making weekly updates so they are easier to put up in the archive. I hope this idea works better then that one.

[Tamarin]

It's in, and a few things have already been submitted.

I poked around through the system and it looks GREAT!  Really, really well done.  I'm exceedingly impressed with whoever put this together.

Cudos to you.

[flurry]

Sounds like it would be very efficient, and I don't see any negatives to it.  Thumbs up.

[Morgenes]

Just a fyi, what has been posted is the Original Submissions Wizard, which is a different beast from what Raesanos originally posted about.  The Original Submissions Wizard allows you to submit Original Submissions for that page on the website.  Raesanos is working on a similar tool for submitting other requests.

[Tamarin]

Are they going to be all tied in together, or will you have to log in from two separate places?

Will this system be extended to apping characters from the web, rather than logging into the game port?

[Morgenes]

The login system is part of the new website that we are working on.  It uses your Armageddon game login as a single sign-on to all the tools.  Once you login you'll be able to access all of the login-based tools.  And yes, a web-based submission of characters is one of the planned add-ons.

[Ghost]

Wow!  That is neat!  You rock guys!

[Raesanos]

If you please, try out the new request tool and offer feedback either by posting here or by emailing me directly.

http://www.armageddon.org/request/

As the tool says...

This tool is currently for evaluation use only. Requests submitted during the evalutation period will not be considered. Please submit all game-related requests to mud@armageddon.org and CC your clan staff if appropriate.

[Raesanos]

Also note that this does not necessarily represent the final version of the tool.  I want to incorporate your feedback into its design to assure ease of use.  Other changes may be made as well.

[Larrath]

First of all, this tool looks utterly wonderful.  I think I would change a few things as far as the categories go.

I can see the tree working like this:

CATEGORY 1: GDB
1) Join a game clan
2) Suggest new group
3) Join a board group (publicity, Helpers, et cetera).
4) Complaints and Appeals (against Twit flag, etc.)
5) General suggestion

Category 2: The Game
A: General
1) Bugs
2) Suggestions
3) Complaint against player
4) Complaint against staff
5) Submissions

B: Character specific
1) Stats modification
2) Skills modification/addition
3) Guild modification
4) Reimbursements
5) Resurrection
6) Description changes

C: Account specific
1) Account notes
2) Email change
3) Password change
4) Transfer absolute value of Karma to Larrath's account.

CATEGORY 3: Website
1) Bugs and Errors
2) Ideas
3) Submissions (documentation and Roleplay tips)
4) Generic request to have a document clarified.


Personally I am much more comfortable using email for my game-related update report emails.  Also, giving log-sending its own category is mostly confusing.


This is totally awesome.  Thanks.

[Delirium]

The 'details' section needs a way to format the text that's put in there so that it doesn't all run together in one messy line, or I can forsee a lot of headaches already.

[Seeker]

Larrath's tree rocks.  This is a great idea.


Seeker

[wizturbo]

Vastly improved over the old e-mail and hope it went to the righ place method.

[Raesanos]

Changed the categories a bit based on feedback.  We now have:

Code Select Expand

Request Category  Request Type  
Account Related Email Change
Account Related Account Notes
Account Related Password Reset
Character Related Reimbursement
Character Related Skill Change
Character Related Description Change
Character Related Stat Change
Character Related Ressurection
Game Related Complaint about a Player
Game Related Submission
Game Related Complaint about the Staff
Game Related Bug / Typo / Idea
General Discussion Board Suggestion or Idea
General Discussion Board Complaint or Appeal
General Discussion Board Join a Clan Forum
Publicity Contact
Publicity Idea
Update Character Update
Web Site Clan Page Access
Web Site Bug / Typo / Idea

Also, we are going to add a Fancy Text Editor Thing so you can have formatting in your requests.

My next step is to adjust the fields that appear for each request type.  There are also changes on the staff back-end tool that need to be done before this goes up.

[House Rising Sun]

Are clan-specific requests on the block for this? Could a clan leader use this to ask for updates, changes, contact with npc leaders, and so on?

Also, can it be set up to retain a text field when you go 'previous'? Losing everything because you had a wrong option selected and went back to change it is always a pain.