Post by oni on Nov 8, 2005 2:27:42 GMT -5
Now this was not written by me it was written by one of our seers, seer shadow... i have read it over and found it to be very informative... so all please read...
Staff Fundamental Guidelines:
By: GM Shadow
Last Updated: 7-12-05
Introduction:
Running a server is a difficult task, one that can not be done effectively alone. This is the reason that other people are hired onto the staff team. Staff members are there to assist the shard administrator(s) in the daily running and operation of a server. In most cases they are not there to play the game with the added advantages of having staff privileges.
Staff Rules:
When hired as a member of the staff on a server, it is always important to read and understand all rules set forth by the shard lead administrator(s) for staff. Each server is going to have different views on how staff should act, and what they are allowed to do. If a server has no set written rules, it is important to discuss what is expected of you with senior members of the server staff. The reason that rules are in place for staff is to make the server a fair and enjoyable experience for not only the other players, but other staff as well.
For Administrators:
It is important to write a set of rules and guidelines for your staff so that they know what is expected of them. This also allows you to have something written that you can enforce fairly on all members of the staff. It is important that you abide by your own rules, you can not expect others to do things that you yourself would not do.
Staff and game play:
It is always important to check the rules of the server you are working for and find out if staff members are allowed to interact as a normal part of game play. Most professional servers do not allow staff to be a normal part of game play. This means that you should not do things that a player would do to entertain yourself, for example fighting monsters and on some servers building a home. If you want to play the game make a player character, this is not what staff characters are for. If you are new to staffing it might just be fun to play around with your newly acquired commands, but if they were meant to be used to play around with then all players would have the commands.
In most cases changing stats or hues on items for players is not acceptable. While some might find it fun to run around and kill things in one hit, it ruins the balance of the game and makes things less enjoyable for everyone. It is also unacceptable on most professional servers to add items for players no matter how small or how insignificant. If players were meant to have any item they wanted they would have a command to add it for themselves.
Professionalism:
Professionalism is important for all members of the staff including the shard administration. It could be the difference between success and failure. While each server is going to have its own rules regarding professionalism it is important to keep a few things in mind. When dealing with players, try use proper English and grammar. Let each player know that you care about their gaming experience. Do not show off commands, items, or abilities that you have and they do not.
Disruptive or angry players:
From time to time one may encounter a disruptive or angry player. Players can get upset over many issues and it is important try to see things from their point of view. If a player is upset about something that you are unable to help with due to staff rules, it is important that you explain to the player why you can not do it, and let them know that you do care about them.
Arguing with a player will accomplish nothing, but simply make you and the player more upset than you both already are. If a player is being disruptive towards you trying to start an argument stay cool and ask nicely for them to calm down, and explain that you understand that they are upset but can not help if they do not cool off.
Unless a player is being disruptive to other people’s gaming experience when they are angry jailing is most likely not necessary. If a player refuses to cool off simply apologize that you are unable to help and hide. Make sure that the player is not being disruptive towards other players for some time then leave. If a player starts to disrupt another players gaming experience out of anger or pages over and over again after being asked to stop it may become necessary to jail the player and inform the shard administer or the person in charge of discipline.
Answering Pages:
Answering pages is an important part of the responsibilities of members of the shard staff. In some cases like that of the counselor, it is their only major responsibility. While it is expected that at first you will not know how to answer every single question that may be asked, it is important to ask questions and learn over time. When on a page do not be afraid to say “I don’t know” but always be sure to say that you will find out for them as quickly as possible. Also do not be afraid to ask for help in staff chat, this is why it is there.
When taking a page it is important to greet the player so that they know that you care about the problem. It also may be necessary to ask for more information if the page was not very specific. Do your best to solve the problem and leave, do not stand around and talk about things not related to the server. After a page is taken care of its nice to ask the player if there is anything else you can help them with.
Do not show special treatment to any player. Even if you have issues with a player on your player character do not show them any hostilities as staff. If you feel that you are unable to deal with a player do to issues on player character, simply let someone else take the page. Do not be rude, despite how much you may dislike someone. This also goes if you really like a player, do not show special treatment to players that you like better then others. All staff should be unbiased when it comes to the player base.
Depending on server policy it may be required that you show up on a page and not send a staff message. On other servers it may be required to answer a page with a staff message. If answering questions with a staff message try to avoid the use of the predefined responses. Be sure to find out from the shard leadership how they would prefer you to deal with pages.
When answering a player question try to answer all questions the same way each time you take them so as not to contradict yourself. It is also a good idea to watch how other staff are answering questions and answer them the same way so as not to tell one player one thing and another player something completely different.
Dealing with other staff:
Dealing with other members of staff is a very important part of your responsibilities as staff. You should always remain respectful to the other members of the staff, and not make them look like a fool in front of the player base. If you have an issue with another member of the staff it is best for you to report the problem to the shard lead administrator(s) or the person(s) in charge of the staff. Do not take matters into your own hands unless it is your responsibility to do so on the server you are working for.
If you notice someone answering a page incorrectly, do not show up and steal the page away from the person who is answering it. Instead tell the staff member in staff chat what they are saying wrong and how they should deal with the problem.
Do not move, hide, or unhide another member of the staff without first asking permission. Also it is important not to go to another staff member unhidden or show up on another staff member’s page without permission, doing this makes the person handling the page look bad in front of the player.
Be respectful to all members of the staff despite their access level or responsibilities; always treat others how you would like to be treated.
For Administrators:
Always remember to be fair to all of the members of your staff, do not show favoritism towards certain members of your staff while ignoring others. Show your staff that you appreciate their work, so they do not feel as if they are working for nothing. Also do not be afraid to give constructive criticism when you see them doing something inefficiently.
If dealing with a member of the staff who has been reported by another member of the staff as doing something wrong, it is only fair to discuss the issue with them. Make sure they did what they were accused of doing, and make sure they understand that it is wrong for them to do it and give them a warning. People make mistakes and unless it’s very serious firing and banning is not always the most effective way to deal with the problem.
Player Rules:
As a member of the staff on a server it is your responsibility to assure that players are following the shard rules. In order to be able to enforce the rules it’s important that you understand the rules clearly. Ask your shard lead administrator(s) if you have any questions about any of the rules so that you can better enforce them.
When enforcing player rules do it the same for everyone, do not allow some players to break rules and discipline others for doing the same thing. If you feel a rule is not fair or should be changed bring your opinion to the attention of the shard administration. Be sure to be polite and not demanding about what you feel the rules should be. You are not staff to give the shard administrator(s) a hard time.
The reason that players have rules is to make the game a more enjoyable experience for not only other players but the staff as well. When handling a player who has broken the rules be sure to follow your shard’s protocol. It may be necessary to explain to the player what they have done wrong and place a warning on their account. Jailing a player is a very serious action, it prevents them from playing the game so be sure to only jail if it’s a last resort or if it is part of your shard’s protocol for dealing with people who break the rules.
For Administrators:
It is a good idea to write a set of rules that players should follow on your server. If the rules are written then a player can not use the excuse of not knowing them and it allows you to fairly enforce the same rules on everyone. Try to make it so that punishments match the crime, do not have overly harsh punishments for people who break a simple rule. While banning may be used as a punishment for players breaking rules, try to allow the player to correct their actions before resorting to it. Always speak with the player and try to understand their side of the story before banning them so as not to ban them without them knowing why.
Conclusion:
Dealing with players is not always as easy as it may seem. Taking pages is an important part of the staffing experience. Do not forget how things were for you when you were new to the game, and always explain things in a descriptive way so as not to be confused. If someone is having problems take the time to walk them through all steps or explain all parts of their problem do not leave them until you answer all of their questions. I hope these guidelines will be of help to you.
Staff Fundamental Guidelines:
By: GM Shadow
Last Updated: 7-12-05
Introduction:
Running a server is a difficult task, one that can not be done effectively alone. This is the reason that other people are hired onto the staff team. Staff members are there to assist the shard administrator(s) in the daily running and operation of a server. In most cases they are not there to play the game with the added advantages of having staff privileges.
Staff Rules:
When hired as a member of the staff on a server, it is always important to read and understand all rules set forth by the shard lead administrator(s) for staff. Each server is going to have different views on how staff should act, and what they are allowed to do. If a server has no set written rules, it is important to discuss what is expected of you with senior members of the server staff. The reason that rules are in place for staff is to make the server a fair and enjoyable experience for not only the other players, but other staff as well.
For Administrators:
It is important to write a set of rules and guidelines for your staff so that they know what is expected of them. This also allows you to have something written that you can enforce fairly on all members of the staff. It is important that you abide by your own rules, you can not expect others to do things that you yourself would not do.
Staff and game play:
It is always important to check the rules of the server you are working for and find out if staff members are allowed to interact as a normal part of game play. Most professional servers do not allow staff to be a normal part of game play. This means that you should not do things that a player would do to entertain yourself, for example fighting monsters and on some servers building a home. If you want to play the game make a player character, this is not what staff characters are for. If you are new to staffing it might just be fun to play around with your newly acquired commands, but if they were meant to be used to play around with then all players would have the commands.
In most cases changing stats or hues on items for players is not acceptable. While some might find it fun to run around and kill things in one hit, it ruins the balance of the game and makes things less enjoyable for everyone. It is also unacceptable on most professional servers to add items for players no matter how small or how insignificant. If players were meant to have any item they wanted they would have a command to add it for themselves.
Professionalism:
Professionalism is important for all members of the staff including the shard administration. It could be the difference between success and failure. While each server is going to have its own rules regarding professionalism it is important to keep a few things in mind. When dealing with players, try use proper English and grammar. Let each player know that you care about their gaming experience. Do not show off commands, items, or abilities that you have and they do not.
Disruptive or angry players:
From time to time one may encounter a disruptive or angry player. Players can get upset over many issues and it is important try to see things from their point of view. If a player is upset about something that you are unable to help with due to staff rules, it is important that you explain to the player why you can not do it, and let them know that you do care about them.
Arguing with a player will accomplish nothing, but simply make you and the player more upset than you both already are. If a player is being disruptive towards you trying to start an argument stay cool and ask nicely for them to calm down, and explain that you understand that they are upset but can not help if they do not cool off.
Unless a player is being disruptive to other people’s gaming experience when they are angry jailing is most likely not necessary. If a player refuses to cool off simply apologize that you are unable to help and hide. Make sure that the player is not being disruptive towards other players for some time then leave. If a player starts to disrupt another players gaming experience out of anger or pages over and over again after being asked to stop it may become necessary to jail the player and inform the shard administer or the person in charge of discipline.
Answering Pages:
Answering pages is an important part of the responsibilities of members of the shard staff. In some cases like that of the counselor, it is their only major responsibility. While it is expected that at first you will not know how to answer every single question that may be asked, it is important to ask questions and learn over time. When on a page do not be afraid to say “I don’t know” but always be sure to say that you will find out for them as quickly as possible. Also do not be afraid to ask for help in staff chat, this is why it is there.
When taking a page it is important to greet the player so that they know that you care about the problem. It also may be necessary to ask for more information if the page was not very specific. Do your best to solve the problem and leave, do not stand around and talk about things not related to the server. After a page is taken care of its nice to ask the player if there is anything else you can help them with.
Do not show special treatment to any player. Even if you have issues with a player on your player character do not show them any hostilities as staff. If you feel that you are unable to deal with a player do to issues on player character, simply let someone else take the page. Do not be rude, despite how much you may dislike someone. This also goes if you really like a player, do not show special treatment to players that you like better then others. All staff should be unbiased when it comes to the player base.
Depending on server policy it may be required that you show up on a page and not send a staff message. On other servers it may be required to answer a page with a staff message. If answering questions with a staff message try to avoid the use of the predefined responses. Be sure to find out from the shard leadership how they would prefer you to deal with pages.
When answering a player question try to answer all questions the same way each time you take them so as not to contradict yourself. It is also a good idea to watch how other staff are answering questions and answer them the same way so as not to tell one player one thing and another player something completely different.
Dealing with other staff:
Dealing with other members of staff is a very important part of your responsibilities as staff. You should always remain respectful to the other members of the staff, and not make them look like a fool in front of the player base. If you have an issue with another member of the staff it is best for you to report the problem to the shard lead administrator(s) or the person(s) in charge of the staff. Do not take matters into your own hands unless it is your responsibility to do so on the server you are working for.
If you notice someone answering a page incorrectly, do not show up and steal the page away from the person who is answering it. Instead tell the staff member in staff chat what they are saying wrong and how they should deal with the problem.
Do not move, hide, or unhide another member of the staff without first asking permission. Also it is important not to go to another staff member unhidden or show up on another staff member’s page without permission, doing this makes the person handling the page look bad in front of the player.
Be respectful to all members of the staff despite their access level or responsibilities; always treat others how you would like to be treated.
For Administrators:
Always remember to be fair to all of the members of your staff, do not show favoritism towards certain members of your staff while ignoring others. Show your staff that you appreciate their work, so they do not feel as if they are working for nothing. Also do not be afraid to give constructive criticism when you see them doing something inefficiently.
If dealing with a member of the staff who has been reported by another member of the staff as doing something wrong, it is only fair to discuss the issue with them. Make sure they did what they were accused of doing, and make sure they understand that it is wrong for them to do it and give them a warning. People make mistakes and unless it’s very serious firing and banning is not always the most effective way to deal with the problem.
Player Rules:
As a member of the staff on a server it is your responsibility to assure that players are following the shard rules. In order to be able to enforce the rules it’s important that you understand the rules clearly. Ask your shard lead administrator(s) if you have any questions about any of the rules so that you can better enforce them.
When enforcing player rules do it the same for everyone, do not allow some players to break rules and discipline others for doing the same thing. If you feel a rule is not fair or should be changed bring your opinion to the attention of the shard administration. Be sure to be polite and not demanding about what you feel the rules should be. You are not staff to give the shard administrator(s) a hard time.
The reason that players have rules is to make the game a more enjoyable experience for not only other players but the staff as well. When handling a player who has broken the rules be sure to follow your shard’s protocol. It may be necessary to explain to the player what they have done wrong and place a warning on their account. Jailing a player is a very serious action, it prevents them from playing the game so be sure to only jail if it’s a last resort or if it is part of your shard’s protocol for dealing with people who break the rules.
For Administrators:
It is a good idea to write a set of rules that players should follow on your server. If the rules are written then a player can not use the excuse of not knowing them and it allows you to fairly enforce the same rules on everyone. Try to make it so that punishments match the crime, do not have overly harsh punishments for people who break a simple rule. While banning may be used as a punishment for players breaking rules, try to allow the player to correct their actions before resorting to it. Always speak with the player and try to understand their side of the story before banning them so as not to ban them without them knowing why.
Conclusion:
Dealing with players is not always as easy as it may seem. Taking pages is an important part of the staffing experience. Do not forget how things were for you when you were new to the game, and always explain things in a descriptive way so as not to be confused. If someone is having problems take the time to walk them through all steps or explain all parts of their problem do not leave them until you answer all of their questions. I hope these guidelines will be of help to you.