Upcoming Change to the Request Tool

[Halaster]

In the near future, we will be limiting most requests in the request tool to a specific character limit (exact numbers below).  This is to help reduce the amount of time players and staff spend in the tool, particularly in regards to character reports.

Moving forward, the Request Tool will not be intended to be used as a journal.  If you want staff to know the details of your thoughts and every day actions, you can use the bio (biography) tool and direct staff to read that.  It will still be used for character reports, but they will need to be concise and directly to the point, calling out specifically what you need from staff.


Example below is 1,544 characters (which is short of the 2,500 limit we'll add):

Interaction and Report
    Who, What, When, Where, Why and How:  Amos has been spending time lately making the rounds, mostly tavern sitting.  He's had trouble making friends because he is an extreme introvert.  However, he did meet this one Salarri merchant that was really weird.  See my bio "Strange Salarri" for more details on how that went.  Amos has also been trying to build a giant steel tower dedicated to his best friend, Malik, but so far he's been having a very hard time finding metal on this obnoxious desert planet.

    Plots and Plans:
 I plan to have Amos try and rob Tektolnes' tower, because word on the street is that is where all the metal is.  I'm gonna bust up in there with my crew and bring the smackdown to all the templars and soldiers.  The best times I can do that is either Tuesday at 8pm ST, or Friday at 17:36 ST.  I am a precise person.

    Questions, comments and/or staff needs:
 I was wondering, what does Tektolnes do with all his metal?  Does have have a throne made out of it?  Is there any common rumors around town that describe his usage of metal?  Does he eat it?  Should I eat it?  I'm running out of example questions to make my point?  Do you like pina coladas?  And getting caught in the rain?
    Another thing I could use help with is getting in touch with Malik's player.  Could you reach out to the player for me and help me arrange a time?  Same times as above.
    Finally, do you have any feedback on my quest for a steel statue?  Is this realistic, or am I trying to achieve an unrealistic goal?

Or you can use the 'template' provided when you start the request.

The point of character reports (including those of a leader) are to briefly inform staff what you're up to, list out what you need, and ask whatever questions you need answered.  Ideally, most In-Character interactions between a character and their staff run leadership NPCs will be handled in the game, not via request.  We understand the issue of not being in the same timezone as your staffer, and the request tool can be used for that if your times do not match.  If you -are- able to come up with a common time you can meet, please handle it in the game.  In other words, if you can handle it IC in the game do that.  Only use the request tool as a backup.

Don't forget about the bug, typo, and idea commands.  If it's short, you can use those.

This change has two primary goals in mind:

1) Push as much of the interactions between characters and their NPC bosses/peers to the game.  This gives other people the actual chance to overhear what's being said, or the chance to spy.  We don't want risk-free environments (as in out of the game) for interaction.
2) Reduce the amount of time staff are spending on requests.  A very long request will typically consume a lot of time of more than one staff:  the ST involved, and the Admin of the team.  It also delays a response as staff are having to research answers, confer with others, and so on.

As with any change, we will review its impact at a later date, and adjust/rollback as necessary.

Below are the specifics of which requests will be limited to how many characters:

2,500 character limit  (roughly 3 - 4 average sized paragraphs)
---------------------
Account Related - Email Change
Account Related - IP Sharing Notification
Character Related - Description Change
Character Related - Ext. Subguild/Skill Bump Spec App
Character Related - Reimbursement
Character Related - Resurrection
Character Related - Stat Change
Character Related - Storage
Clan Related - Character Report
Clan Related - Clan Documentation Request
Clan Related - Item Orders
Clan Related - Join a Clan Forum
Clan Related - Leave a Clan Forum
Clan Related - Question/Request
Game Related - Player Kudos
Game Related - Question
Game Related - Staff Kudos
General Discussion Board - Complaint or Appeal
General Discussion Board - Suggestion or Idea
Web Site - Bug / Typo / Idea


5,000 character limit  (roughly 6 - 8 average sized paragraphs)
---------------------
Clan Related - Character Report - Leader
Game Related - Player Complaint
Game Related - Staff Complaint


No limit
--------
Account Related - Account Notes
Account Related - Karma Review
Character Related - Customcraft Submissions
Character Related - Special Application
Clan Related - Role Application
Game Related - Build Application
Game Related - Game Bug
Game Related - Staff Application
Game Related - Submissions
Web Site - Original Submissions
Staff Related - all items



Discuss!

[CirclelessBard]

This seems like a very reasonable change. I imagine many of the requests that are character-limited will end up being far under the limit (for example, a Join a Clan Forum request can easily be one sentence), but I appreciate that it is being standardized and the stated intent of the change as it affects character reports.

That being said, the only thing that feels off is the length of player and staff complaints being limited. I think they should not be. While I think it's important for complaints to be written in a way that is easily read and understood, I don't think capping their length necessarily achieves that. Formal and informal complaints often require the space to provide detail and context for what allegedly went wrong. And while staff can request additional detail and context as-needed from the player, and discuss such details in replies, it seems like that would actually be harder to parse than a single statement with all of those details included in the first place. Also, if logs need to be included, they can cut into that limit pretty quickly.

So, yeah. Sensible change, but I do think that it would be better if the complaints were shifted into the "No Limit" category, with the other request types that invite more elaboration and/or logs.

[mansa]

Is this a character limit on every post and follow-up post, or just the initial request?

[Kestria]

I don't think character reports should be limited, as, if there is A LOT going off at once, or several plots someone is involved in that need regular blab and updates about, 2500 might not cut it.  That being said, they could always add a note if need be heh.

[Halaster]

Is this a character limit on every post and follow-up post, or just the initial request?

Every post/follow-up

[Halaster]

So, yeah. Sensible change, but I do think that it would be better if the complaints were shifted into the "No Limit" category, with the other request types that invite more elaboration and/or logs.

The thinking here is that complaints sometimes get really long when the person filing it uses it to bring up lists of old grudges and goes off on long tangents.  It happens a lot.  I get why they do it, they're kinda unloading, but it's usually not super constructive.  The idea is that this will attempt to focus them on the issue at hand, and not get overly sidetracked.  We can always change it back if this presents problems.

[mansa]

Based on my experience of a customer service representative which primarily answered emails and support tickets, I 100% agree with these changes.



Then, when I started my career in the corporate world, my director at the time taught me, a lonely analyst, how to write an email to an executive in order to request that the executive do what I ask. They taught me that executives do not have the time or the energy to read emails, but they want to know the following answers:
1) What do you want me to do?
2) When do I need to do it?
3) What will the outcome will be?

You'll notice that "what is the problem?" isn't asked - but what the outcome will be after it is done is explained. The request is not framed as - Do you think this is a good idea? - but framed as - This is a good idea, I need your approval.

Some examples are:
https://www.jackhenry.com/fintalk/how-to-email-an-executive-six-tips-from-senior-management
https://hbr.org/2021/08/how-to-write-better-emails-at-work
https://medium.com/fast-prototyping/the-ux-of-emails-how-to-write-emails-for-high-level-executives-e35828e5b7d9


If the staff read your request, and want to know more details, they will ask you for more details - that's why the NOTE section is there - for your "proof" or "logs" or further detailed plans.

[tiny rainbow]

On average, text contains between 5 and 6.5 characters per word including spaces and punctuation:
---------------------
2500 = 384-500 words
-------Leader--------
5000 = 769-1000 words
---------------------
Kestria has a point but I wouldn't go as far as unlimited, Rathustra (who would sometime write really great IC replies to reports in the words of NPCs) used to say try keep reports under 1000 words which seemed reasonable, but half/less than that seems maybe a bit extreme? A lot of things don't really make sense without context to it, when things are complicated.

Corporate is probably a terrible style to use as a model since we're writing stories, not "actioning measures". If things were simple, or encouraged to be simplified, they'd be boring

[zealus]

On average, text contains between 5 and 6.5 characters per word including spaces and punctuation:
---------------------
2500 = 384-500 words
-------Leader--------
5000 = 769-1000 words
---------------------
Kestria has a point but I wouldn't go as far as unlimited, Rathustra (who would sometime write really great IC replies to reports in the words of NPCs) used to say try keep reports under 1000 words which seemed reasonable, but half/less than that seems maybe a bit extreme? A lot of things don't really make sense without context to it, when things are complicated.

Corporate is probably a terrible style to use as a model since we're writing stories, not "actioning measures". If things were simple, or encouraged to be simplified, they'd be boring

Have to agree with this. If truely, I had an IC meeting (preferably with prior notice so I can prepare and get my thoughts in order) every two weeks with my IC boss? I'd be up for it. But timing can be a carru.
What would happen now, is I would write my report in bios, and only ask actions from staff in the tool. Which just moves the problem, really.

That being said, moving more reporting to meetings would be nice. As long as they are not all 3am my time

[tiny rainbow]

Yeah I love animations With the Sun Runners there was some regular check ins where they'd just show up and start talking as we were gathered together, there was some amazing scenes with the elders and Sun Flower in particular I remember I really miss those times and I will put original submissions together at some point. I think that part is a great idea

[Trevalyan]

Write in bios? I cry. The last use of my bio on my character was almost three IC years ago.

[Fredd]

I might make a suggestion to make a category for Logs to be sent. It's already hard enough to fit them in the request tool. And staff do ask for them often enough.

I HATE the idea of sending in partial logs of a situation. It makes it to easy to take things out of context. And that's been an issue in the past.

[Brokkr]

Corporate is probably a terrible style to use as a model since we're writing stories, not "actioning measures". If things were simple, or encouraged to be simplified, they'd be boring

My dream as a Staff member is that everyone switches their character reports from narrative to bullet points.  Which seems very corporate.

[LetaSpringle]

I think roleplaying in the game is supposed to be the "unboring" thing. Reports are just a summation of recent events.