Conquest of the Horde

I wonder if maybe you need more help. Yourself and the GM's do a wonderful job but I was looking through random old forums a Moonlightblossom or w/e who I think was a GM was talking about peak times being around 25 or so. I assume roughly the same amount of GM's (7 - 12?) were helping out during that time. Now it peaks around over 60 or 70 which would've been unheard of around when I joined. So maybe since there are more members there is more work and there just aren't enough GM's to keep up with the increase just an observation that could be wrong.

ThePharaoh Wrote:I wonder if maybe you need more help. Yourself and the GM's do a wonderful job but I was looking through random old forums a Moonlightblossom or w/e who I think was a GM was talking about peak times being around 25 or so. I assume roughly the same amount of GM's (7 - 12?) were helping out during that time. Now it peaks around over 60 or 70 which would've been unheard of around when I joined. So maybe since there are more members there is more work and there just aren't enough GM's to keep up with the increase just an observation that could be wrong.

Come to think of it, that isn't a half bad idea. To expand and go out on a limb here, things might be going in the reverse direction than what they should be, because we have a growing population, but not a growing number of staff members to accomodate for that? I understand keeping the GM staff limited to those who the GM team can trust, but I also see a need for a recruitment drive, of sorts, to help handle a new bulk of players. Basically, why not expand membership to the club? It gives the GM team the bulk they will need, and it also opens up opportunities for the new GMs to understand what it's like to be one. A learning experience, I guess.

Edit: I just restated what ThePharaoh said, didn't I? ._.

Yes, the GMs are approachable for the most part. Yes, the GMs are regular CotHers like us. BUT the rules clearly state "If a GM tells you to do something, do it." This includes putting on a dress and dancing around or else you'll get banned, for all we know. Obviously, this isn't the case, but it does create a lot of fear.

Then the GMs ask for brutal honesty. People give brutal honesty, and some GMs are thankful for the opinions but other GMs and players try to wield Rule #1 like it's a way to invalidate any argument not phrased in ye olde gentlemanly English. It's not. People who are being slightly rude still have very good points a lot of the time.

That's my feedback on what's happened in this thread so far (or at least the pages I read). As for my brutal honesty to the GM team... You guys are doing a lot for yourselves and expecting us to fill in the gaps in your work when we can't always do that, and don't always want to do that. This example has been brought up before, but Mimiron's Anchorage. The GMs built it, and hardly anyone has RPed there for more than a day. I've heard more than one GM complaining about the fact that it's not used. But... No player ever asked for it. The GMs just decided to build it without any interest having been expressed, and on top of that, there was no difference between the Anchorage and say... Booty Bay. You can say it's the job of the players to run events and create storylines, but A: We have no reason to do it there instead of a place that already exists, and B: Isn't that the entire purpose of Content GMs?

For enforcement, one thing you could all improve on is sticking to the same set of rules. To bring up a rather old issue that hasn't been controversial in a long time: Curse words in Chat and Barrens. A few months ago, you could either get kicked for saying "Damn" in Barrens, or you'd be allowed to say the F word in Chat without any consequences, depending on -which- GMs were on. Make sure that in enforcement, the GMs have the same set of rules. It's like you're 13 years old and one parent says you can't buy an M rated video game and then the other one goes out and gets it for you.

One more thing. GMs can't put their own RP above being a GM. If you don't want to do -all- the work that goes along with being a GM at almost -all- the times you are online, then don't accept the invitation to join the GM team.

Expanding the GM team isn't necessarily a good idea or a bad idea. Some of the best times I had on CotH were when there were only 3 GMs besides Kretol and Grakor. It's not the quantity, it's the quality. That's what CotH is all about, for both players AND GMs.

Last, but not least... Kretol, I was in Boston yesterday! And last weekend! You nub!

I wouldn't say we have a 'growing population'.

Surely we're bigger than we used to be, but people are always leaving COTH, and then being replaced by new members. Permanently or temporarily.

I'd say the community's numbers have been consistent for months now.

May I add that we seem to have a low GM-coverage specifically for Oceania Time-zones? Low to zilch, that is, unless Krilari logs in just before he heads off to school. . .We need some love down here too! =D

Quote:One more thing. GMs can't put their own RP above being a GM. If you don't want to do -all- the work that goes along with being a GM at almost -all- the times you are online, then don't accept the invitation to join the GM team.

I disagree, while GMs gain additional tasks they shouldn't solely be doing GM work. They should be able to enjoy RP as well for which we all came here for, instead of being bugged every three minutes for a request of another. We all came here to enjoy CotH, why should GMs lay their RP aside to focus solely on GM tasks?

Quote:For enforcement, one thing you could all improve on is sticking to the same set of rules. To bring up a rather old issue that hasn't been controversial in a long time: Curse words in Chat and Barrens. A few months ago, you could either get kicked for saying "Damn" in Barrens, or you'd be allowed to say the F word in Chat without any consequences, depending on -which- GMs were on. Make sure that in enforcement, the GMs have the same set of rule

While I haven't seen this happen myself, I do believe that a team can only work properly together when all their noses are pointed the same way regarding rules. If that hasn't been the case, I say try to improve that and get all the thoughts of the GMs together, to put up a guideline section on how to deal with things. Compromise, yet keep all the noses pointed the same way. If one GM says something is fine, and the other disagrees and brings it up the next time you do it, that brings a lot of confusion / preferences from people to GMs.

I mean, we all are going to talk to the GM who allows us more things then the other, no? I would in all honesty.

That's all I had regarding this post. ^.~

This...isn't...funny...any...more.

Terant Wrote:Mimiron's Anchorage. The GMs built it, and hardly anyone has RPed there for more than a day. I've heard more than one GM complaining about the fact that it's not used. But... No player ever asked for it. The GMs just decided to build it without any interest having been expressed, and on top of that, there was no difference between the Anchorage and say... Booty Bay. You can say it's the job of the players to run events and create storylines, but A: We have no reason to do it there instead of a place that already exists, and B: Isn't that the entire purpose of Content GMs?

I don't really understand how the Anchorage causes so much anger. To the best of my knowledge the engineering city was requested. Events also were planned, but due to human error (The building process was finished just before my Christmas break, and even then the first few days in I was scrambling to push out a thread to explain what the thing was, since a portal had been created already).

Also.

Quote:This place makes me happy. Needs more tinker/engineer RPers.

Quote:I think it's a sweet concept and although I think the layout is a bit too spacey, I'm so gonna roll a paranoid Gnome engineer. They are watching me!

Quote:I wuv this town. I only have one bit of criticism though, the fountain looks out of place.

Quote:Thanks for making this area, some neat things here that others don't have. Like sand, everyone loves sand!
Really though, thanks. The houses are nice, although it may just be me but I feel rather intimidated when trying to pick one. Just so many of them, it's a good thing though.


Thanks again.

Never once in the comments did I see 'We didn't ask for this', 'We don't want it', or anything negative, really. These opinions should have surfaced sooner, not later. If you want things to run smoothly you don't hit the brakes after you've already crashed.

Due to issues of timing for other GMs or such I haven't put any idea of the date of which my events on the Anchorage will begin, but recently I've been wondering if people would just avoid it out of spite, regardless.

I'm not at all saying it was negative that the place was built. Quite frankly, I think it looks awesome. But I have seen GMs (I won't give names) on multiple occasions in GMI wondering/complaining about why people don't RP there, and even getting mad over it. I was just explaining the reasoning.

And nobody's going to complain about a place being built. Just don't complain to US when it's not used after it's built. What I'm saying is that building the place is a good Step 1 to creating new RP, not the entire thing.

The idea has been proposed a few times to open applications for certain GM ranks. Notably, seeing who'd be crazy enough to want to be a forum GM.
We also have been meaning to contemplate bringing up and discussing new candidates, but my attempt at staying sane lately has postponed that.
In regards to GMs building stuff like Mimiron's, there was interest in a sort of engineering city, let alone another sort of neutral locale, as well as making use of those islands. Since the Ratchet arena has been a hot topic, I personally didn't want it remade, especially since there was a pre-built one just a boat ride away. And, to note, the arena in AC was made to try and get more RP to that locale for the 'gooder' folks... but it seems more people are still fine with hanging out at the seedier places like BB and other goblin places.
Will add more later!

(Posted via my phone)

Well, scratch my comment on no interest then. From the information I had, it seemed like it was just a spontaneous thing. Sorry for the misconception. But most of that point on GM-created events still stands.

Spiralin Wrote:I'm amazed this has received 15 pages so far, obviously there's a lot that needs work.

Flawed conclusion is flawed.

And even if it were true? This just as easily can go both ways.

I think people like to hear the sound of their own voice


or words. I'm...still confused how this made it to 16 pages, It's like people have been storing things for this -exact- moment.

Quote:One more thing. GMs can't put their own RP above being a GM. If you don't want to do -all- the work that goes along with being a GM at almost -all- the times you are online, then don't accept the invitation to join the GM team.

No.

Just no.

Not one of the GMs asked to become a GM. It was always a request to be accepted, as far as I know. So you're telling me that they should take on an already thankless job where no matter what they do, someone will complain and whine about the decision they make. Now on top of that, you're telling me that they should drop everything at a moments notice to cater to us like we are some sort of king?

They don't get paid enough for that. [Aka, not at all]

Have you ever been a GM? If so you'd know how ridiculous that sounds. It's a stressing enough job as it is and as silly as it sounds, it can keep you up at night worrying if you did the right thing, if that player really deserved to be scolded, or if maybe you caused someone to leave if you did things just slightly harsh enough to get the point across, but of course it offended the player.

They were players once too.

No one in their right mind would take up the position of a GM if it meant that came first before everything else first. I'm pretty sure many would step down if it even had the notion of becoming like that. Where would that leave us then? No one qualified and new would step up to take on such a stressing position and we'd loose the old ones.

Think of it this way.

They didn't have to bring in the bronze tokens to do more work for themselves. They didn't have to clear out certain area's for people to set up RP ideas. They could have just said free-for-all in towns and cities and let whomever do whatever without coming to puppet a bruiser.

But they did.

Kretol put this server up for people to enjoy. He spends his own money on it via upgrades and vent. He didn't have to do that for us. He could have made it one of those donation special privileges server in order to keep his money on himself, but no.

TL;DR:

GMs are players too. They do things they didn't have to introduce to the server in the first place, putting their workload up.

Give them a break.

GM's, with all do respect, get a lot of...friendlyness, as well as the abuse, if it's thankless, I sure as hell am looking in the wrong direction.