More focus on being on the mud

[Pariah]

So something that @Coda said in the Karma thread got me thinking.  I've seen many times when staff referred to staffers being "on port" which I assume means actually logged in as their invisible staffer, doing shit IN the game, answering wishes and animating and all the other stuff they do.  As well as being "off port" doing the boring shit, like answering requests, approving people for board access and stuff like that.

@Coda said that staff should be more approachable, and I agree, but think that right now they are too far split from the core game in some instances.  So when I had access to discord it wasn't out of the ordinary to see three or four staffers active on discord at a time.  Commenting or joking and all that shit.  You can also click the who's online button on gdb and normally see a few staffers lurking around the boards.

I myself have never been a huge fan of the request tool process, and forum process myself because it forces me to leave the mud window and go dick around somewhere on the internet or goto discord to bullshit, when I could.

I always wondered why they didn't just make an opt-in ooc channel on the game port itself.

If I'm bored in the game, waiting for my favorite vict-merchant to show up and sitting idly because it's dusk-dawn, it would be nice to be able to keep interacting via the mudclient.  Many other games have ooc communication tied into the mud port and I've always wondered why they fight it so much here.  Just make it a toggleable thing, hell you can even make plugins that go from mud to discord and back again, making you able to discord straight from the mud.

I'm sure it wouldn't be rocket science to develop some type of request tool tie in to the actual mud either.

I just have always felt when I'm actively logged in and playing arm or any mud really, I'd rather have all the things to do with that mud streamlined through my mud client.  Even things like player complaints could be handled via the mud.

Pcomplaint the burnt tanned man (krathi of course) He referenced Christmas in the game, there is no Christ in Zalanthas, we should kill him as a heretic!

If there was an Ask the staff channel in the game itself, you'd be able to get real time answers from staff who doesn't have discord, the gdb and the game open all at the same time.

Newbie questions would have a place to get answered, all sorts of shit could be handled "in the moment" versus post a message and hope a staffer answers it before a week passes.

I just think if we melded all these outside communication methods into the mud itself, we would have a more streamlined experience.

[Fredd]

I HATE, HATE, HATE OOC channels In client.

In sindome, I turn it right the fuck off. It's distracting. It pulls me from my roleplay. It facilitates cliques, which we have a problem with. (discord still does this, i know)

It takes the piss out of very serious situations, as some of my European friends might say.


But take this with a grain of salt. I'm literally scared to talk to ya'll OOCly. And anytime I do, I replay or reread those interactions for a week to make sure I didn't fuck up. (Social Anxiety is a bitch)

edit: That being said. A Newbie chat isn't the WORST idea. If implemented correctly. We have a very very steep newbie curve.

Edit 2: I'de probably limit a Newbie channel to Karma 0 people, personally. And only helpers or staff can answer.

[Pariah]

Yeah I'd be all for it being toggleable.

[Trevalyan]

But take this with a grain of salt. I'm literally scared to talk to ya'll OOCly. And anytime I do, I replay or reread those interactions for a week to make sure I didn't fuck up. (Social Anxiety is a bitch)

I'm extremely surprised. I'm not qualified to diagnose or treat your issue, nor would I change your preferences even if I wanted to. But you've always struck me as very engaging and pleasant to talk to.

[Fredd]

But take this with a grain of salt. I'm literally scared to talk to ya'll OOCly. And anytime I do, I replay or reread those interactions for a week to make sure I didn't fuck up. (Social Anxiety is a bitch)

I'm extremely surprised. I'm not qualified to diagnose or treat your issue, nor would I change your preferences even if I wanted to. But you've always struck me as very engaging and pleasant to talk to.

Thank you

But yeah. I legit get panic attacks. It's one of the reasons I love Arm/RPI's. I can kinda "method act' and be someone else for a bit. I don't get the same reactions emotionally from IC talking to people. I guess because there is a layer of disconnect there?

Leader roles are interesting. Because on one hand, I LOVE being a GMH family member, or noble. On the other... I get scared of my staff interactions because I know that my social anxiety can make me VERY defensive when I start getting scared.

You don't see it, but I've had to walk back interactions with staff because of it. (this tends to come from miscommunications with staff where I think I'm doing what they said, but I'm apparently not)

I think this was TMI... But I'mma leave it.

[Lizzie]

If that was a thing when I was on staff I would've kept it shut off all the time.  And then people would complain that I responded to wishes, but that I was shutting them out on everything else.  No thanks. Not interested in that drama at all. I can't speak on behalf of any current staff but I wouldn't wish that on any of them.

[whengravityfails]

I personally dislike OOC channels in game. It's jarring for immersion and RP in general. I suppose a toggle-in newbie help channel in wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as long as that ability to be toggled on and off was there at will. I dislike pointing newbies to the Discord to use #help because they'll likely step into the toxic pit that #general can be.

[Kaathe]

As a staffer who jokes in discord, i do it when bored for fun and then I walk off and ignore it for long periods to get shit done in game and irl.  I like the separation. I wish there was more. 

Ask the staff and newbie questions ... can be wishes right?

the goal for the client should be immersion, not to be a one stop shop for all things game related ic and ooc.

[Patuk]

Just make it a toggle and everyone should go home happy imo

[Pariah]

As a staffer who jokes in discord, i do it when bored for fun and then I walk off and ignore it for long periods to get shit done in game and irl.  I like the separation. I wish there was more. 

Ask the staff and newbie questions ... can be wishes right?

the goal for the client should be immersion, not to be a one stop shop for all things game related ic and ooc.

As all online staff members can hear wishes (if they
so choose), use the command _sparingly_, and make wishes direct and to the
point.

Makes it sound like you're not supposed to use it much.

[papertiger]

As a staffer who jokes in discord, i do it when bored for fun and then I walk off and ignore it for long periods to get shit done in game and irl.  I like the separation. I wish there was more. 

Ask the staff and newbie questions ... can be wishes right?

the goal for the client should be immersion, not to be a one stop shop for all things game related ic and ooc.

Real question - are you actually allowed to use wishes for questions? It soun

As a staffer who jokes in discord, i do it when bored for fun and then I walk off and ignore it for long periods to get shit done in game and irl.  I like the separation. I wish there was more. 

Ask the staff and newbie questions ... can be wishes right?

the goal for the client should be immersion, not to be a one stop shop for all things game related ic and ooc.

As all online staff members can hear wishes (if they
so choose), use the command _sparingly_, and make wishes direct and to the
point.

Makes it sound like you're not supposed to use it much.

This is how I interpret it. It sounds as though its for only game breaking type stuff.

[Armaddict]

I'm pretty against global channels as a whole.  It would have to be far more moderated than any other game communication we've had.

I think using it sparingly means 'as needed' and not for...being chatty, or for something that would be better served by an email.

Wishing up for an immediate need is good:
"Hey, I'm doing <x> and <y> is happening, could we get interaction from <this npc>?"
"Hai staff, I've encountered this problem here, can someone tell me if this is a bug?  Either way, this is keeping me from getting where I need to go."
<Kaathe Posits this is okay> "I'm new and I'm lost, can someone tell me where to go?  Is there an OOC channel?  What's the deal here, this mud sucks."

Wishing up for non-immediate or long term need is bad:
"Hey just fyi I'm working on this with my character."
"If Garg is on, I won't be available next week."
"I just noticed you guys can't spell this word in this description, and it's everywhere."

Wishing up casually is bad:
"Haha, did anyone see me kill that spider?  REKT!"
"So I'm bored and no one's at the bar.  What's up?"
"Is Halaster online?  Yo dude, let's go play some Ark."

I don't think it means try not to use it.  I think it means be respectful of staff's time with it and try not to spam them out, they might have a lot going on already.

[Pariah]

The majority of my wishes are, "The southern guards of Luirs are fucking around in the red desert."

[RheaGhe]

I'm pretty against global channels as a whole.  It would have to be far more moderated than any other game communication we've had.

I think using it sparingly means 'as needed' and not for...being chatty, or for something that would be better served by an email.

Wishing up for an immediate need is good:
"Hey, I'm doing <x> and <y> is happening, could we get interaction from <this npc>?"
"Hai staff, I've encountered this problem here, can someone tell me if this is a bug?  Either way, this is keeping me from getting where I need to go."
<Kaathe Posits this is okay> "I'm new and I'm lost, can someone tell me where to go?  Is there an OOC channel?  What's the deal here, this mud sucks."

Wishing up for non-immediate or long term need is bad:
"Hey just fyi I'm working on this with my character."
"If Garg is on, I won't be available next week."
"I just noticed you guys can't spell this word in this description, and it's everywhere."

Wishing up casually is bad:
"Haha, did anyone see me kill that spider?  REKT!"
"So I'm bored and no one's at the bar.  What's up?"
"Is Halaster online?  Yo dude, let's go play some Ark."

I don't think it means try not to use it.  I think it means be respectful of staff's time with it and try not to spam them out, they might have a lot going on already.

I wish for 3 reasons:

1. to see if anyone has some spare time to look into a bug that's presently occurring to my character.
2. I'm about to do something stupid and need parental observance of it.(Killing someone, etc)
3. To hopefully see if I can get the world to respond to something taking place. (Something like an elf being yelled at and called a thief by multiple people in a bar. Or a horde of animals that have been pulled into the gates by Fatso the Mul/HG hunter)

[Kaathe]

I hope newbies know if they're confused or stuck we're all eager to help.

As a staffer who jokes in discord, i do it when bored for fun and then I walk off and ignore it for long periods to get shit done in game and irl.  I like the separation. I wish there was more. 

Ask the staff and newbie questions ... can be wishes right?

the goal for the client should be immersion, not to be a one stop shop for all things game related ic and ooc.

As all online staff members can hear wishes (if they
so choose), use the command _sparingly_, and make wishes direct and to the
point.

Makes it sound like you're not supposed to use it much.

i mean if you're talking about stuff like open ended questions about the nuances of dwarf Rp then yeah that's a bad use of wish.

Stuck player or confused newbie - good use

The big practical problem with ooc channels is moderation. Who wants to moderate yet another channel while they're actually in game? Even if they do it's not an experience I'd wish on people.

It'll be like
Gone sorry gotta moderate this guy 

[undoubtedly]

I personally dislike OOC channels in game. It's jarring for immersion and RP in general. I suppose a toggle-in newbie help channel in wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as long as that ability to be toggled on and off was there at will. I dislike pointing newbies to the Discord to use #help because they'll likely step into the toxic pit that #general can be.

I think a toggle newbie channel for characters less than 2 weeks old, with people flagged as helpers, would be an absolute boon to new player retention.

I use to play a mud/mush many years ago which introduced this and was a raging success. You only have access on new characters - or new accounts, etc, u less you're a newbie helper and toggle it on.

[Lizzie]

I personally dislike OOC channels in game. It's jarring for immersion and RP in general. I suppose a toggle-in newbie help channel in wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as long as that ability to be toggled on and off was there at will. I dislike pointing newbies to the Discord to use #help because they'll likely step into the toxic pit that #general can be.

I think a toggle newbie channel for characters less than 2 weeks old, with people flagged as helpers, would be an absolute boon to new player retention.

I use to play a mud/mush many years ago which introduced this and was a raging success. You only have access on new characters - or new accounts, etc, u less you're a newbie helper and toggle it on.

I'm cynical - but my cynicism is based on experience.  There are some solid, legitimate, genuinely new players to this game who sincerely need and deserve assistance at times.

There are also players who have been banned, or rage-quit, and return with new accounts with the full intention of trolling staff and wasting staff and player time, intentionally to take players away from playing the game, and focusing on helping a "newbie" who isn't new and doesn't really need help with the game. They do need help - but not with Armageddon. The system works as is. It can be improved, sure. But not by sinking more resources into entire new opportunities for the trolls to troll more efficiently.