Special apps

[Lakota]

And for the sake of balance, I contend that they shouldn't. I'm done.

[Cerelum]

And for the sake of balance, I contend that they shouldn't. I'm done.

And for the sake of common courtesy and respect for all they did for the game, all the different stories they added.  I say they should be able to play any damned thing they want.

The only thing I think that should be taken into account is not counting the legends when looking at things like, "Should I approve this mindbender application, there is already Halaster and Enerah (Sorry if I mispelled) playing them."  That way there is really no negative to having legends play.

Right now the only bad thing I see is IF the legends are taking up all the good shit.  You need to spread that around!

JaRoD

[jcarter]

I've been with this MUD for probably about 5 to 6 years now. I've been a Byn sergeant, a maxxed out and pissed off Krathi, a Nilazi, and even a templar. I've never had anything I'd even consider near negative feedback. Some constructive, but that's about it. I've got a grand total of two karma.

I really don't believe that karma level is anywhere near pertinent to qualifying how good a player is. It's easy to get overlooked because you play offpeak, or you favor playing independents, or you've got a rotating schedule that you'd need to hire a private detective to follow.

I've seen some things done in game with higher-karma characters that I thought were questionable and didn't agree with, but whatever, it's not my call and it's not my problem. I don't run this show, the staff does, so let them handle it however they want. Don't get bitter and post on the GDB about it. I've had players IM me telling me they didn't think something a past char or whatever did was really what someone would do, and so on and so forth. And I've pretty much told them to shut the fuck up, because it was my own call to make and I've got my reasons for every call. Think about that next time you go talking about how terrible that Nilazi in the Gaj is on the GDB.

[Cerelum]

You gotta ask for it.  They have too much shit they are doing to be remembering who did awesome at being a Byn Sergeant.

Just write up a nice request in the request tool and ask for the Karma.  If you never ask, you never know what they will say.

JaRoD

[jcarter]

You gotta ask for it.  They have too much shit they are doing to be remembering who did awesome at being a Byn Sergeant.

Just write up a nice request in the request tool and ask for the Karma.  If you never ask, you never know what they will say.

JaRoD

I'm not concerned about it and don't mind it as much as I mind people using karma as an absolute value of a player's abilities and integrity.

[musashi]

I'm done.

Great. Now we can be done with the thread.

[Vanth]

I went through the special apps for 2008-to-date and found some interesting statistics.

Of the accounts that submitted special apps this year (there were 112 such accounts):

87.5% of them submitted 1-3 special apps
which accounted for 68.5% of all special apps

12.5% of them submitted 4+ special apps
which accounted for 31.5% of all special apps

So you people who submit a new special app as soon as the last one dies/is rejected...you are accounting for 1/3 of the work the special app imm has to handle.  You also account for most of the complaints about the length of time it takes for these apps to be reviewed.

[Clearsighted]

I went through the special apps for 2008-to-date and found some interesting statistics.

Of the accounts that submitted special apps this year (there were 112 such accounts):

87.5% of them submitted 1-3 special apps
which accounted for 68.5% of all special apps

12.5% of them submitted 4+ special apps
which accounted for 31.5% of all special apps

So you people who submit a new special app as soon as the last one dies/is rejected...you are accounting for 1/3 of the work the special app imm has to handle.  You also account for most of the complaints about the length of time it takes for these apps to be reviewed.

That's an extremely interesting statistic. That basically 1/10th of the people account for 1/3rd of the work.

[Doppelganger]

Actually, it's 1/20 of active player base for 1/3 of the work, keeping in mind that roughly half of the base didn't apply at all.

[Lizzie]

Are you counting in those special apps, sponsored roles that require special apps, that are promoted by the staff?

Such as templar, noble, GMH family member. Is there a way to "discount" those, if they are included in your stats, so we can see the stats on just random unsponsored roles?

[Nyr]

Those roles are not placed in the special app/request queue.  They are handled through e-mail and then the normal application process.
The person handling special applications does not have to deal with sponsored roles that are requested on the GDB on the Staff Announcements board. 

Due to the nature of sponsored roles, I would say that they are not present in the above statistics; all of the above statistics are just for "random unsponsored roles."

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Wow. Given that those stats do NOT include nobles, templars and the like, that's astounding.

[Doppelganger]

To be honest, I am not at all impressed with those numbers and I think better about playerbase now.
98 people special apping 130-140 times per year does not look unreasonable. We know that part of their apps is rejected, so it basicly means only one pokemon per apping player per year.

Very special 14 players, for whom special application is no longer special, are odd and sad creatures indeed, but I am not worried about special applications anymore.

[Halcyon]

Actually, it's 1/20 of active player base for 1/3 of the work, keeping in mind that roughly half of the base didn't apply at all.

This is a very typical number for any kind of customer support system.

[SMuz]

I don't really find it that surprising. I think those 12.5% who did apply for a few have a lot of interesting ideas. I don't think I've ever seen a 'special' character played wrong. Maybe a 'gicker or half-giant who emotes/spells badly, but most of the time, I love watching them and being around them.

Personally, I'm fond of special apps. Nobody really uses them to wreak havoc, most of the time they add to the game

[Reiloth]

Hell, if I had it my way retired staff members wouldn't be allowed to keep their accounts and the max karma that comes with it, but that's just me.

I think that's a bit overboard.

I think that's really overboard.

If you think someone's play is twinkish or in poor OOC taste, send up a player complain. As Nyr said, while the system is not perfect, if there was no means of special app, it would force people to play high-profile characters in hopes to gain the Staff's attention. No longer would you see beggars, whores, and common thieves. Instead, you would see a large percentage of the populace striving to improve their standing with the staff, in hopes that when they ask for their account notes, or request a karma review, they will have made a difference! They will have won the game.

Just my projection, of course.

I'm very fond of special apps. I don't ask for them often, and I think the month downtime between requests is good enough to keep people focused on their current role. There are people who just app and app and app and app until one gets through. I'm sure the Staff are aware of these people, by those statistics Vanth showed in the last month. Many players of Armageddon don't even consider karma, or special apps, when making a character, and some have even been playing for 10+ years. I don't really care about Karma, and I special app once in a while when I have a -really- whacky idea. I've played a handful of magickers / bizzare roles, and always seem to come back to the warrior, or the assassin.

[SMuz]

I have a few ideas for special apps, but I'm sifting through them carefully because I know I only have a few. Frankly, all of them are great ideas which would add a lot to the game for everyone. I'd probably do better at them, then playing a d-elf, just for the sake of having a karma point to do it. I like the special app system. I think a lot of people who have a lot of interesting ideas also have the experience to pull them off well.. too bad some of those players aren't more active.

Anyway, I find that the few 'nuclear weapons' out there die early and die quick - within 2 or so days because they felt invincible and tried to take on a salt worm or a high-ranking warrior. The best players seem to live quite long.

[Jingo]

Eh... my last specapp died in a couple of hours of playtime.

I guess I'll give it six months before I try again.

[mansa]

My special app was rejected because I gave up my magicker karma

[brytta.leofa]

My special app was rejected because I gave up my magicker karma

Karma indeed, if it was for a 'gicker.  

[musashi]

My special app was rejected because I gave up my magicker karma

*twitch*

[a strange shadow]

I can't help but get a chuckle out of the people that gave up their points in the great Karma-Off demonstration, but continued to special app roles and/or quietly requested that their karma be returned to them, at a later date.

* a strange shadow is footloose and karma free.

[mansa]

lawl alawl lwalw.

No, it wasn't for a magicker class.  No, I didn't ask for my magicker karma back.   No, I still believe the karma system is broken and Yes, if you've read the "karma off" thread, you'll notice that I was suggesting for a different type of system to handle characters - in fact one that was based around special applications.  No, it was my first and only special app of 2007-2008.

[jcljules]

I can't help but get a chuckle out of the people that gave up their points in the great Karma-Off demonstration, but continued to special app roles and/or quietly requested that their karma be returned to them, at a later date.

* a strange shadow is footloose and karma free.

Why give up the karma when you can just stop playing the roles? Do you need to give it up, cause you don't have the self control to stop rolling up Sorcerers or something?   Besides, I -do- want to see fewer magickers... but I'd miss seeing muls, d-elves and fearing mindworms. So don't give up your karma, veterans!

[musashi]

You should read the thread they're referring to jcjules, it was actually pretty interesting. Like a big karma bonfire.