Weekly Update questions about Staff

Moved to Legend status (inactive): Atshen, Zagren, Shinigami, Ogun.

Seems these were fairly high-hitters in terms of doing stuff and being wonderful Storytellers. And it seems like when people retire like that they do some sort of announcement. So not meaning to pry, but what's up?

Just got tired of the staff life? Not enough time?

Anyways, good luck in future endeavors, I think I've dealt with some of you, in some way at least. (I know positively that Atshen has been responsible for implementing some of my items, so thanks a lot for that ^_^).

[Delirium]

Well, now I know why it's been so quiet.

No more teeth gnashing.

But on a more serious note, sorry to see you guys go. Hope that mysterious enigma known as 'Real Life' treats you good. Stop by and visit.

[Krath]

Krath, Seriously when they go to Legend it means they are done?

Ugh, we are going to miss you all.

[Carnage]

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3801

Sounds like RL crap for Shinigami.

[X-D]

I did, and another thing I noticed, no new craftable items since Sanvean went on vacation...sigh.

It certainly has seemed like a general staff exodus over the last 8 months.....don't like it one bit.

[Xygax]

These are just my thoughts, (though my perspective is now that of a staff-member), not the thoughts of the rest of the staff...  I don't think some slow churn in the staff is necessarily a bad thing.  A lot of people leave staff or drop to Legend status because they want to play the game, and oftentimes they're the great leaders and powerful forces that move the world along.  A lot of times, staff burn out from having worked -really- hard at their clans or tasks and just need some time off.  When they come back, they have a fresh perspective and renewed energy.  And sometimes, a departing staff-member leaves space for a new, optimistic, and hopefully energetic baby-staffer to come on, and start to contribute a wholly new perspective to the game.

I miss these guys as much as you do, don't get me wrong.  But the Armageddon staff is still active, involved, busy, and familiar with the game (something a lot of online games can't necessarily brag about), and it's at least partly due to this neverending churn.  Mind you, if Vendyra leaves, I'm gonna go...  I dunno...  work or something.  

-- X

[Krath]

Hey, Thanks X, I honestly did not know that was some of the reasons why they did go legend

[Malifaxis]

If Vendyra leaves (Which she WONT *hopeful stare*) I'm going to join that f'd up french cult/corporation, and clone her several times.

In fact, if I do, I think I'm just going to clone the heck out of Halaster, Zaggypoo, and the rest as well.

New blood is a very good thing, but without the old guard to guide them and show the ropes, sometimes new blood is spoiled.

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This is just a suggestion, and not me touting my 1337 skillz, of which I have none:
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I know on the mud that I formerly immo'd on, we had kind of an 'apprenticeship' god-thingy going on.  If a staffer began to burn out (because you can usually feel it coming for a few weeks in advance at least) or knew that that hideous thing known as RL was going to intrude,
the staffer would choose someone of promise, and spend much time imparting knowledge on to them, and then would ocassionally (if possible) return to check on the progress, or stay in touch to give tips or some such.

Please note that this is *NOT* me saying that the current staff needs to be hand-fed, and led by the hand crossing the street.  I have a healthy respect for the current staff, I am merely saying that this helps *very* much during those transitional times... the ebb and flow of staffhood remains much more constant, if you get my drift.

-Malifaxis, who just knows that somehow this is going to be taken wrong, like most of his posts are.

[Savak]

1) Deleted a few of the more chatty posts.

2) Relax.  All of those people had not been active in the game for weeks to months, but we have only just now officially moved them to Legend status.  Children, marriages, work, and the Marine Corps have all played a role in that.  It's not a case of four people all going from 8 hours per day involvement to bye-bye just this weekend.  That -would- be scary.

As with all things, we go through and review staff roles and responsibilities on a regular basis, and make adjustments based on areas of need or the availability of a given staff member.  This is a reflection of that.  Didn't mean to freak anyone out by announcing it all at once -- didn't actually think about that interpretation.  Heh.

-Savak

[John]

Just a question.

Were all of the staff that retired given a reminder e-mail? Did they e-mail in asking to be retired? Was it decided they didn't have enough time to contribute as much as needed? Did they just drop off the face of the Earth? All of the above?

I was just surprised considering a couple of them had announced they would be gone for a set amount of time (with the assumption that they would be back) That and staff normally make an announcement when they retire

Just me being curious old me

Have fun with real life/playing Arm to all of the recently retired staff And welcome back Tlaloc! (didn't realise he had retired )

[Savak]

Everyone's a bit different, so the response on this varies.

Staff members who have been around for a long time usually plan their retirement to some extent and make more announcements as to their departure.

Very new staff members who never took control of a clan usually don't make much noise about their retirement.  Occasionally they simply fade away and stop answering their emails, at which point we retire them in absentia.

We generally assume that staff don't need a reminder that they're on staff and have some responsibilities as such.  However, if someone has suddenly stopped logging in we do try to figure out what's happened and at least make contact before officially transferring their responsibilities.  In some cases they will eventually return.  We've had several 'Legends' return in the past, and may again in the future.

Most of the time retirement or changes in responsibilities depends on the staff member asking for that to happen.  Only in rarer cases of people obscurely dropping off the face of the earth do we handle it in-absentia.  But it happens from time to time.

-Savak