Support

[Raesanos]

A pattern I've noticed is that staff who spend a lot of time managing request tool requests or account mail a lot of the time end up getting burnt out and take time away from those kinds of duties or even away from the game in general.  We really like providing a lot of individual support and deal with things a lot of MUDs don't do.  We've amassed a pretty large staff to do this: looking at some data we often will have a 5:1 player/staff ratio logged into the game.

I have done a lot of work improving processes by making them more automated or more streamlined.  I appreciate it when people are good sports about meeting us half way: I know the request tool is more of a pain than writing an email but it really helps us out.  There are other things I'd like to do too: allowing players to store their own characters is something I've been thinking about lately.

I'd like to involve you guys in the process more though, since it obviously effects everybody.  Here are some questions I'd like to open up a discussion on to see how you all feel.

What are things we don't do that we should do?
Is there anything we do that you feel is unnecessary?
What things do you need a staff member to help you with that think you should be able to do yourself?
How do you think staff support will change in the new structures (such as clans, cities) in Arm2?  How should they?  Shouldn't they?  Is this a good thing?
Super general question: What do you think is the ultimate goal of staff support in a MUD?  Are we achieving it? :)

Most important, with any suggested change, suggestions on how to do it are great, since thats what could really end up resulting in changes.

[Mood]

Since the keyboard I'm on sucks pretty badly, I'll just answer...

What things do you need a staff member to help you with that think you should be able to do yourself?

The one thing I'd really like to see (in Arm1, as well as Arm2, if it's at all possible), is, as you said in your post, the ability to store a character by yourself, without having to go through the process of filing a request.

I'll edit the post to answer more questions when I'm on a better keyboard.

[Cutthroat]

What are things we don't do that we should do?

Please, please, please keep the playerbase informed on the Armageddon blog. Your last entry (Gluing maps together) was a good read because you showed the RMBT is getting faster. Small and large steps alike should be noted in the blog, and seeing new updates daily or every other day would be optimal. A quick few sentences is all that's needed, really - the rest could be discussed on the GDB.

Is there anything we do that you feel is unnecessary?

Hmm, can't think of anything here.

What things do you need a staff member to help you with that think you should be able to do yourself?

Ideally, players should be able to shape the world themselves without a lot of staff help. Granted, the process players would have to take would be hard ICly, but if all the IC work can be done (or is already done) getting staff to coordinate with you should be a cinch. An important thing to remember is that the staff should work with the player, but not necessarily work with the -character-. The amount of challenge a staff member can create for a player that wants to change the world is great.

Also, as Mood said, please favorably consider allowing us to store our own characters. That being said, staff should ask questions if a player stores a leader or plot-specific character. But storing immediately is a lot better than taking a swim in the Silt Sea, and requesting storage from staff is a strain on players (we need to wait until the storage is complete before jumping into another role) and probably the staff (another request to handle).

How do you think staff support will change in the new structures (such as clans, cities) in Arm2? How should they? Shouldn't they? Is this a good thing?

I think a lot of the staff should start PCs in Arm2 as leaders of groups that would have already been established, so as to get plots rolling along. As players start to take the staff's places, the staff should begin to step back and largely let the playerbase control things, doing things the staff normally does now.

Super general question: What do you think is the ultimate goal of staff support in a MUD? Are we achieving it?

The ultimate goal of staff support in any MUD is to essentially support the playerbase. Right now it's done with wishing and the request tool. This can even be fun for the staff if they use their own PCs to move plots along, support new players, etc. That being said, yes, the staff does achieve it, but I think in Arm2 it can be achieved with different methods.

[Lizzie]

Only one thing I would love to see that comes to mind immediately. It has to do with all the cloned NPCs that show up after a game reset. The first time I wished up about that in the past few months, someone 'sent' me a message telling me that NPCs don't dupe during game resets. Perhaps they don't. But they do dupe.  Some, often. Some of them seem to clump together too instead of walking around like I think they are meant to do. Like, they'll be walking, then walk to the same room as a couple others, and they all just end up sitting there indefinitely, the whole bunch of them, never moving again.

So you end up with 4 "green-eyed hag elves loitering on the side of the road" and two of them are standing together, next to the exact identical twin of the "blue-haired little boy playing ball" as the blue haired little boy playing ball 6 blocks away, who looks suspiciously like a blue haired little boy playing ball 4 blocks in the other direction. Of course between all those hags and ball-playing boys, are 8 Soldiers of Tektolnes, standing in the middle of the road, doing absolutely nothing, in the same spot that two RL days ago there were only two. And yesterday there were only four. It's like they duplicated themselves by groups. 2, 4, 8...if you wait long enough you wonder if you'll see 16 tomorrow.

I'd love the code to prevent that. Or, for whatever IMMs are around, to take turns checking areas that are known problems for duped NPCs, just to break up the groups or delete the dupes. There aren't that many areas like that, that I've seen. Maybe a dozen between the two major cities combined. I bug them, but even if someone breaks them up/deletes the dupes, they're back usually a day or two later.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

That's actually just  an error with resets, or, the game not understanding that the other NPC is there. Technically, the game won't dupe NPCs, but right now, we're seeing a bit of a bug, I think.

[Lizzie]

It isn't a recent thing though. It's just that IC circumstances have placed more NPCs into the public view so there are more to dupe now than before. This dates back to 2006 when Vanth did something that caused dupes, posted an announcement about it, and asked people to typo them when it happened. It never -stopped- happening after that, and no one ever said to stop typoing them, so I've just been typoing them. I just find myself doing that more often. But it definitely isn't something new.

[Southie]

I would love an automated tool that could let players submit objects/NPCs/tattooes/etc online instead of by email. This way you could go ahead and write things up as you got inspiration and have them stored there in some nice easy format for staff to look over.

I would love a way to be able to look at our account notes more easily. I understand that editing notes is a time-consuming process for staff, since some notes aren't meant to be seen by players; maybe starting with the new game, notes could be separated into "visible" and "invisible" categories, and players could request and recieve an automatically generated list of their "visible" notes on demand?

Overall, I think staff support is great. The goal should be that player requests are documented and responded to in a reasonable time period (like within 24 hours for apps, within 48 or 72 hours for urgent things, a week for most other issues and longer for nonessential things like special apps.) For the most part I think the staff does this. What I think would be really great is if every email going in to the staff could get a reply, even if it's just a "Got this, thanks for sending" for stuff like clan reports. Responsiveness, timeliness and communcation should be the focus, and again, you guys do a good job at that already.

[Malken]

I also agree that keeping the Arm 2.0 blog updated as much as possible is very important to keep the "buzz" going, to keep us interested in it all. Even if you might think it's not worth a blog, we're all REALLY starving for any infos on the new game

I would also suggest adding the many clans that are not available in the Request tool, I can think of many northern clans that are not available to choose from in the Add Forum list, and that is why I had to send an email requesting to be added to the clan. Then I was told to use the Request tool but the clan I wanted to join wasn't available. (Most newish noble clans aren't there I believe).

Automatic storing is also fine, SoI does it and if you abuse it, they don't think twice about removing your option to store your characters. Easily done and undone for those who abuses of it.

[Gimfalisette]

When I look at the things that I have requested from the staff, I see:

-- Kudos. These probably can't be automated. But maybe they could be more automated than they are now, by adding fields with for "Character Name" and "sdesc" and etc.; whatever would help the staff field these more quickly.

-- Reimbursements.  If the game never crashed, or if there was an automated way to get things reimbursed, then these could be wiped out totally. (Automated as in: What if the game -knew- what items I should have in my possession, and if there wasn't a current item of that type in the game that was tagged for me, then the game would allow me to spawn one? I dunno.)

-- Questions. These are always things that need a staff answer.

-- Interaction from staff on story points. This stuff can't be automated, but I suspect it's also the kind of stuff that staff would love to be spending their time on, for the most part.

-- Interaction from my clan imms on OOC minutia like adding storage space for me, or making sure someone's job for the clan is set correctly, etc. With player-run clans and the right tools in game, a lot of this work for staff could be eliminated.

Overall I think you guys do an awesome job. I just wish there was more automation to provide players control over many of the little niggly things, so y'all had more time for really being storytellers.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I certainly would say that the answering of my emails would be at the top of my list. When I'm in a clan, I'm always tryna get things going right. When I'm leading the clan, it's even more important.

[RogueGunslinger]

I think it's funny that I -know- it can take up to three weeks for someone to check on my special app and send me a reply email. But I still check it every few hours.

I can't help it. I'm so interested in getting reply back from you guys. Also an email I sent out for information on something has me eagerly waiting, checking my inbox. So I have to agree with T7DV here.

I also just want to thank all the immense amount of effort the IMM's put into this game, and also how much they seem to want to know how we feel about things.

[Mood]

I think it's funny that I -know- it can take up to three weeks for someone to check on my special app and send me a reply email. But I still check it every few hours.

I can't help it. I'm so interested in getting reply back from you guys. Also an email I sent out for information on something has me eagerly waiting, checking my inbox. So I have to agree with T7DV here.

I also just want to thank all the immense amount of effort the IMM's put into this game, and also how much they seem to want to know how we feel about things.

Same here... I often excitedly jump to Gmail when Gmail Notifier pops up, hoping it's from the imms about a pending request... I'm usually disappointed by spam.

[manonfire]

As far as PC leaders of merchant-type organizations go, I'd love to able to access the master list of loadable inventory available to that organization, and be able to actually load it. I'm sure loading items is a massive chore for you guys.

I'm sleepy and stuffed with turkey, pie, and beer. That's all I got.

[Only He Stands There]

As far as PC leaders of merchant-type organizations go, I'd love to able to access the master list of loadable inventory available to that organization, and be able to actually load it. I'm sure loading items is a massive chore for you guys.

I'm sleepy and stuffed with turkey, pie, and beer. That's all I got.

This is something I thought on, too. Loading objects is a pain for GMH and similar clan leader immortals that they really don't need to have to go through. If there was a way to access a list of objects and load them onto the stockpile NPCs, where they could then be purchased for their base cost -- even if this took a 48 hour timer, or whatever -- we could take loads off our clan immortals' backs.

[brytta.leofa]

This is more work, not less...but it would be nice to get some feedback for every email / request, just so I know someone's alive up there. ;-)

Code Select Expand

All right, got it.

Code Select Expand

The code doesn't support players taming halflings as pets...sorry.

Code Select Expand

You have been issued trouble ticket #9232. We'll look into it.
The staff/player ratio makes it a necessity, I suppose, but it's disappointing when things seem to just disappear into the black hole of the mud account.

I know you guys already put a tremendous amount of your time into the game...thank you.

[Agent_137]

i've always thought that staff shouldn't be focused on running their own plots for us but instead on making the world real for players trying to do their own plots.

Or for characters just walking along in the desert.

The staff plots I've seen have scented of being forced.

I'm not complaining, i'm just proposing a shift in focus.

i don't have a lot of inside information, so maybe they're aready there.

[staggerlee]

This may be a bit off topic, but I absolutely love the request tool, particularly the player/staff kudos bit.  It's brilliant.

I don't know if it's feasible code wise, but automating the kudos system system is the best idea I have to take some burden off of the staff.

I've had great experiences since I started, and I like being able to interact with the staff, but I also realize that every email/request is one more on top of an enormous pile.  So rather than suggest things the staff could be doing I think it's in our interest to take work away, so that you have more time to do other things.

There's obviously something to be said for giving players more control of clans and related things in the next incarnation of the game, since that should take some burden away.  Hopefully once the world flows a bit more organically the staff can tweak it and give stimulus, instead of trying to micromanage.

I realize that wasn't particularly insightful or new, I just dumped my brain out onto the forum in a big gooey mess.  But I've been impressed.

[Barzalene]

I'd like the ability to change your own mdesc. Maybe this should be reserved for those with a certain amount of player play time, or karma, to reduce the possibility of abuse, but  don't want to have to write in and bother someone because I typoed or what have you.

[X-D]

Something I dislike in the current incarnation of the game is when staff steps in, for any reason on PC VS. PC action...UNLESS it is a situation where NPC/VNPC SHOULD step in. Too often I see the (as Mansa says) Uber powerful NPC with abilities NO PC could ever get step in and save some PC. Sure, that PC may be important to a plot line. BUT, the PCs attempting to kill said PC may be trying to advance their own plotline by ending the other. And for a staffer to step in, most likley protecting their own plotline SUCKS.

Next, Sadly there is no way to say for sure if it is abuse or just being absent minded, but when a staffer uses staff gained knowledge in a plot when they shouldn't. I do not know how this can be stopped or proven from a player side. Sadly it has ruined many plots for me and others...FAR more I think then the use of OOC comunications has from player side. Again, this I think is part of the "npc/vnpc with powers no PC could have deal" I as a player cannot call a staffer on such cheating (IMO it is cheating) Because they can just turn around and argue that some unheard of superubermindbendersorcdragonundeadvampireof DOOM overheard this carefully planned plot where EVERY step was taken to make sure it was NOT overheard and often by players and PCs that KNOW every single way that a PC could overhear such a plot.

So...in Arm2 I would love to see a Highlord whos only real job is to, without the calling of the players, make sure that all staff keeps everything IC and on the up and up. To prevent like has happened with the Muark/kurac favoritism in the past from happening again
To stop staff from protecting plots with unrealistic means when the players basicly have that plot beat. Meh...sorry if it seems like a rant...and happily most the staff who I would have accused of such deeds have long since been fired or retired...but still...it happens too much IMO.

So...I am hoping more is put in to stop such things from ever starting.

/rant

[Shara]

Super general question: What do you think is the ultimate goal of staff support in a MUD? Are we achieving it?

To create an original game, with endless amounts of playability and on going plots in a way that is comprehensive and enjoyable.  I think the staff pulled it off on Armageddon's current version.  I think what Tlaloc and I'm assuming Vanth at the time did for Tuluk was an incredibly positive jump.

What are things we don't do that we should do?

Right now I do not feel like the GDB is taken seriously.  There was a period staff did not answer ask the staff questions that I noticed, or some are answered some are just completely ignored.  There is really not much of a moderation system in progress.  And as mansa mentioned, just asking the players to moderate themselves does not seem feasable.

The website, I think it needs some flash, I think it needs some flare.  As well I think it would be neat if people on the GDB could have avatars and some other little whistles and bells.

I think that characters in leadership positions should be obliged a response weekly if they are required to send an update weekly.  It's only fair and it will keep leaders with proper guidance.  But not only for the leaders but for all of the players to allow them to help keep plotlines going.  Sometimes I can't tell what is more important coding etc or keeping plotlines going.  I don't really know why this isn't done, the only thing I've been able to think of suggesting is more IMMs.

Is there anything we do that you feel is unnecessary?

Require IMM approval to store your character.

Require IMMs to load items for merchants in merchant Houses.

I think that several NPCs classified into various types:  shoes, tops, bottoms, hair, handware, furniture, accessories (bags, incense, perfume, books, pens) A seperate NPC to redeem tickets (see above)

That would be Kadius for example and the inventory would be available for the Kadian.  It would be the equivilent of the merchant going to the warehouse or the crafter and requesting they make something.  For rarer or larger items the crafter would give you a ticket (like the tailor) which you could reimburse once the item was complete.  It could take a day to a week to a month for the rarest, largest items.  Gone are the days a merchant is e-mailing constantly HOPING an IMM will upload the correct thing in a timely manner and gone are the days the IMMs are constantly going back and searching the inventory etc.  No more two year waits for say a pair of shoes.

What things do you need a staff member to help you with that think you should be able to do yourself?

See above.

How do you think staff support will change in the new structures (such as clans, cities) in Arm2? How should they? Shouldn't they? Is this a good thing?

I really do not know what the current problem is when I do not receive but a one sentance response after a month of updates is.  And I'm not trying to point fingers, I have had more than one character in a leadership position and it seems sometimes an IMM will forget about you all together for weeks on end at times.  I think the request tool has really assisted non-clanned or non-leader characters.  But I am not the only one that I know of that as a leader has wondered why they are not receive responses and then PCs in the game are left hanging for various reasons.  I think my suggestion above would REALLY help out with the merchants.

[Mood]

Something I dislike in the current incarnation of the game is when staff steps in, for any reason on PC VS. PC action...UNLESS it is a situation where NPC/VNPC SHOULD step in. Too often I see the (as Mansa says) Uber powerful NPC with abilities NO PC could ever get step in and save some PC. Sure, that PC may be important to a plot line. BUT, the PCs attempting to kill said PC may be trying to advance their own plotline by ending the other. And for a staffer to step in, most likley protecting their own plotline SUCKS.

Next, Sadly there is no way to say for sure if it is abuse or just being absent minded, but when a staffer uses staff gained knowledge in a plot when they shouldn't. I do not know how this can be stopped or proven from a player side. Sadly it has ruined many plots for me and others...FAR more I think then the use of OOC comunications has from player side. Again, this I think is part of the "npc/vnpc with powers no PC could have deal" I as a player cannot call a staffer on such cheating (IMO it is cheating) Because they can just turn around and argue that some unheard of superubermindbendersorcdragonundeadvampireof DOOM overheard this carefully planned plot where EVERY step was taken to make sure it was NOT overheard and often by players and PCs that KNOW every single way that a PC could overhear such a plot.

So...in Arm2 I would love to see a Highlord whos only real job is to, without the calling of the players, make sure that all staff keeps everything IC and on the up and up. To prevent like has happened with the Muark/kurac favoritism in the past from happening again
To stop staff from protecting plots with unrealistic means when the players basicly have that plot beat. Meh...sorry if it seems like a rant...and happily most the staff who I would have accused of such deeds have long since been fired or retired...but still...it happens too much IMO.

So...I am hoping more is put in to stop such things from ever starting.

/rant

Agree with pretty much everything here.

[mansa]

I believe the there is a boundary, and a US vs Them mentality that exists between Players and Staff that harms the game.

I believe the focus of the game should be reassessed from an Macro Level.  What is the game about?  What is trying to be produced?   I think the game focus has lost itself.



As I've grown up in the game, I've shifted the reasons why I play the game.  You could call it maturity, or you could call it something else.  This is what I think needs to change:

#1
A focus towards storytelling of characters within a game world.

What does this mean?
-It means that the players and staff of the game should compile their stories and publish them on the website when they are complete.
-It means these stories should be able to be sold to the general public.
-It means that characters who die because of silly typos or "forget to log out and die of starvation within their own barracks" should be able to get a 'rez' because the point of the game is to tell the stories of the characters lives, and not to type everything correctly.
-It means that characters should be able to change their backgrounds and bio entries while external to the game.
-It means that the characters themselves are more important than what they accomplish within the game world.
-It means that the NPCs should remember old characters, and react accordingly.
-It means that NPCs should grow old and die, and new NPCs should exist.
-It means that NPCs should keep a record of all their interactions with the players, if they ever get inhabited by an Immortal.

#2
A focus towards "hands off" clan creation / maintenance.

What does this mean?
-It means that the staff don't control the clans themselves, or have a say with how their politics deal.
-It means that players will have to amass everything and pay for NPCs and vNPCs.
-It means that players should be able to promote and become a 'leader' of a clan without having to wish up.
-It means that there should be clan options to change external to the game.
-It means that clans will have more flux than anything else within the game, and will live and die based on the characters lives.


#3
Magick should be mysterious and dangerous, and NPCs should react to every type of magick effect violently.
-It means that if you're invisible in a bar, and you say something, all the NPCs should clear out.
-It means that if you walk into a bar with a ball of life floating, either the NPCs will clear out or attack you.


#4
Players should have easy access to create new content, and be able to have it 'submitted for approval'.
-This includes NPCs, Rooms, and Items.


#5
Staff Interactions should be focused solely on keeping the world live and fresh and new and interactive, while strictly keeping the role-play quality up high.


#6
Bi-Annual Player-Staff meetings to discuss whatever the playerbase thinks needs a change.


#7
There should be Players who are Moderators on the GDB.  Moderator Moe, you got my vote.
Why?
-This creates a new level into the politics of Armageddon, and the gap between Immortal and Player smaller.


#8
More promoting player input and creativity - with More Artwork, Songs, Poetry, and other aspects that the community enjoys.



Sorry for just spewing out information.

[Jherlen]

I am in complete agreement with mansa.

[staggerlee]

This post is pretty pointless... but yeah Mansa strikes some very good points there.

Basically what you'd be doing is shifting the staff off of administrative details and getting them back to helping the world and the players in it tell stories.

I like it.

[Raesanos]

I like a lot of these ideas.  I'm definitely going to work on some of these things, and I'd like to hear more!

Some of the ideas I've seen (while very good) are kind of ways to improve the game overall, and are not focused on support.  But I realized I didn't really define support very clearly so here is a shot at it.

By support I mean this: Armageddon is the result of what we do, we code, we build, you play PCs, we animate NPCs, we run plots, etc.  Sometimes, as a player of Armageddon, you end up with a problem that can't be solved in the Armageddon "system."  You need a human being to help you solve this problem outside of the typical Armageddon goings-on.  Thats what I mean by support.  Generally, this involves a wish, an email, or a request, explaining your problem, and a staff member to provide the support you need.

There are two goals.  First, we don't want you guys to have problems! We know you don't like having problems.  Second, we want to spend our time building, coding, etc. rather than fixing problems.

So basically, ways to reach those 2 goals are what I want to focus on.