Hey guys, across our Empire career we have each had/have a period of time where we want to become a staff member. Some people wish to become staff member their entire EMC career. It just makes me wonder what influenced people to apply for staff and why they applied for staff. For the Non-Staff who wish to become staff: Why do you want to become staff? Has anything/anybody ever influenced you to make you want to become staff? For Moderators - Senior Staff: Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? Why did you become staff in the first place? What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? What are some difficulties of being staff? What are some positives to being staff? (This is mainly for people to get a glimpse of the life of a staff member) Managers: Why would you want one of the most difficult jobs on the Empire? Who/what has influenced you? What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? What are some difficulties of being Community Managers? What are some positives of being Community Managers? Developers/Owner: What is it like to build up the Empire with your code? What/who influenced you to become the Owner/Developer? What are some difficulties of being a Developer/Owner? What are some positives of being a Developer/Owner? Are you guys really monkeys? If you are too uncomfortable to answer any of this, then feel free not to.
Managers: Why would you want one of the most difficult jobs on the Empire? I don't see it as that difficult. I love it! Who/what has influenced you? Um, I'm learning a lot from Aikar as we go, so I'll put him =) What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? People that don't listen What are some difficulties of being Community Managers? See above answer. Also I can't make everyone happy all the time. I'm not Magic and there are some things that I just can't fix. I don't like it when that happens....
Moderators Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? ninjaboy5656 and helping people is something I love. Why did you become staff in the first place? To help EMC strive and grow. What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? Lots of dings from chat. What are some difficulties of being staff? Keeping up with chat on a busy day for sure. (This is mainly for people to get a glimpse of the life of a staff member)
Thought I'd contribute another opinion despite not being a moderator for the time being due to school. For Ex-Moderators - Senior Staff: Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? After I played on EMC for around a year, I started to realize that it had given me so much. A place to spend my free time, opportunities to meet some pretty awesome people who would later become good friends, and a fantastic community. I felt it was time to give back, and moderating was something I thought I could do to help out, among other things such as building. Why did you become staff in the first place? I'm not sure how this is too much different from the above question... What did you encounter on a day-to-day basis? What are some difficulties of being staff? One thing you only realize when you become a moderator, is that you're not as good as you thought you were. All those skills you thought you had, it's as if they don't exist. They only start to emerge when you gain experience. People sometimes look at staff and are like "Ooh I'm perfect for this and it must be awesome and fun". The reality is, most of that statement is false. At least for me, I had no idea what I was getting myself into at first. I approached it cautiously, and gained experience from the help of fellow staff, and eventually started to learn the ropes. I'd say it took 2-3 weeks before I was "fully" trained to handle day to day scenarios. After all that stuff, you end up dealing with some pretty strange scenarios, and they require really good judgement. Definitely put your situational (not a word) skills to the test.
Old Olaf response (what my reasons where when I was 12-13.4) : As just about everyone knows, a while ago I was obsessed with staff. I probably sent in 20 applications back then. I was obviously in it for the wrong reasons. I felt like having a green name was somewhat of a status symbol. You got fame and recognition. Being a hormonal teenager who had no real life friends, was constantly bullied, and going through a rough RL situation, recognition and fame were two things I wanted really badly. I talked to two staff, and in each of the conversations, I learned more about if I wanted the staff position or not. I was good friends with 5weety for a while, and we had a few chats about the subject. I admired her work. She helped me out, and she told me about the job. It seemed cool, so I set my heart on getting the position. The second event was one conversation I had with krysyyjane9191. I force-claimed a blank smp2 res, and I offered to return it to krysyy. In the meantime, we had a nice chat and she gave me a tour of the TARDIS, and we talked. It was either right before she was promoted to senior, or shortly afterwards. I talked to her about staff. She said that she enjoyed her job, but it was a hard job, and it was definitley not for everyone. The views of the current Olaf_C: I honestly do not really care about staff. I would not turn it down if I was offered, but I do not expect it or really even care that much. Because of my ban, age, and current maturity, I could not even really see any chance of an invite. I do not see any pro's to being a staff member, and I honestly think the job itself is somewhat of a burden. What would make me want to take the job if I was offered is that I love EMC, and I love helping people. EMC for a while was my home away from home. As mentioned above, I was having a ton of problems in school and in real life. EMC was such a supportive community, and put up with my sassy and immature attitude. I made my best friends (and for a while only friends) on EMC. I found comfort in the community, and I want to pay EMC back for what it has given to me. I do not think I would be alive without it. I also realize that there are more ways to help the community than just being a staff member. I was able to successfully become a Contributor, and I am a very active community member. Helping EMC grow through those actions and any other is how I show my gratitude. I would love to help EMC as being a staff, but I honestly do not care that much. I also like helping people. It is my nature. I like going out of my way, even at my expense to make someones life the slightest bit better. I think staff expands potential to do that I currently have no influence besides two friend who will remain anonymous. They know who they are, though. Joke response since I was staff for one second: My philosophy on helping one another and trying to put others needs before my own Because I said I did not want it, and aikar made me one for one second I encountered nothing on a day to day basis, because I was mod for one second Not sure
For Moderators - Senior Staff: Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? I asked BrenJone if I should. He said, "idc." That was a definite maybe for me, so what the heck, I applied. Why did you become staff in the first place? Levelheadedness, a habit of helping others, and a mostly clean record. What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? Questions and requests for assistance/help. What are some difficulties of being staff? Dealing with those players who refuse to listen to their fellow players and staff when it comes to following the rules.
Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? The community Why did you become staff in the first place? It's a rewarding job What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? Fatal Error - API failure, timeout (keep you guessing what that means ) What are some difficulties of being staff? Well, it's not fun to ban or be stern with people
Don't want to become a mod/staff and here's why: Moderators They do a lot of troubleshooting for the community and a lot of work regarding the community. I see a majority of the moderators work being done in the forms watching for people posting terrible hurtful remarks *or sometimes not so, and they just want to assert their authority*. The job is just way too community oriented for me - and basically I just don't enjoy talking to teenagers all day. Contribution Basically get's all of the boring/disregarded work and they don't get much shown from it aside from some gold in their name. I think they deserve more recognition by the community and should get more fringe benefits. Admin Although it would be fun to fly around and have drop parties and stuff like that, the constant badgering by the community would be really annoying and quite aggravating *full /ignore list*. Developers I don't know how to code, so basically out of the question for me.
I wanted to become staff because I love helping, not only that but I have had a lot of experience with managing, and having a lead role in businesses and in organizations. I feel like I could be an asset to EMC. Also, I believe that a lot of players need help and not many of the mods and available or online. I am usually on all the time so I would have no problem in being online. Also I love going to other servers and helping out. EMC has inspired me to help others not only in real life but in the game world too. I feel like EMC can help me further my experience and knowledge if I became staff. I love meeting and seeing knew faces in EMC it makes me smile every time I see a new player join! Yes, many things/people have inspired me to want to become staff. My friend highlancer54, and chickeneer both made me feel like it was right to apply to be staff. They showed me through their actions how much being a staff made them happy with helping others through their kind hearts. I want to become like them and help others making myself feel good about doing so. Also, something that inspired me was the community and how they always seek for help and need, I am not saying EMC needs help I am only saying the community needs guidance sometimes and needs that staff member to help them. I hope this answers your questions :] Thanks, Kissthenerd
Shalom's Story! So for the first maybe like 3 months I really looked up to staff I mean but who wouldn't there pretty green and purple names just stuck out like a sore thumb. by the time I was 6 months into Empire Minecraft I started to consider applying for a moderator. But then I thought "This will be to much work for me to handle along with other things that are happening..." shortly after (still on smp1 at this time) I had a lot of fun with a moderator. I know it is a retired moderator but can't remember who it was. none the less on that day was also the first day I was kicked from empire minecraft. NO IT WAS NOT A BAD REASON as much of a disaster I created I made a monstrosity called "national Kick day?" basically you got kicked for the reason "Kick Day" by whoever that staff was now only the people who laughed when I was kicked or said "I want to get kicked" were kicked but still like I think 7 or 8 people got kicked that day for the exact same reason. What this made me think of is that being a moderator may be hard work but it is also fun for you and others around. this is what made me want to apply even more. 1.3 (yes. this gets its own paragraph) So around the [Update Shall Not Be Named] time when the empire was down for months there was another server I played this server no longer exists. either that or I just don't remember its name. moving on I played this server much less than I did Empire Minecraft at this time and the time the [Update Shall Not Be Named] rolled around and when I accidentally said "yes" to updating so bye bye Empire for several months. shortly after [Update Shall Not Be Named] came out maybe no more than 2 weeks the other server supported [Update Shall Not Be Named] due to there wasn't very many plugins (there was I believe 3) so after spending many hours on this server I eventually became an admin. and it was hard trying to keep everyone happy and I won't deny it but sometimes I felt like "why did I accept that offer?" but a week later I got used to it and the whole server was having a ton of fun. my famous thing I did was create a basic mob arena to look like the stone hedge and tped everyone who wanted to come to it and just had a blast and spawned in enemies via this fancy redstone contraption. I was an admin up until the server had to go down but I learned that being a Admin/Moderator wasn't easy. Last August. So skipping everything until last August. So early August I Finally thought "ok I have experience else where and I have been on this server for nearly 3 years. I think it is time to apply." as you guess I did a apply it was conviently around the time they chose multiple new moderators. I wasn't one who was chosen but as everyone else did I congratulated them and all that stuff. honestly I didn't care and I knew that the sheer amount of people who applied made it a low chance of being accepted. Late September Early October So after so much has changed in my life and I had nearly a entirely new perspective on most things I thought "ok I should reapply for Moderator due to very little of that description actually fits me anymore. so I reapplied around the time I reapplied my Grand mother was put in the hospital. everyone expected here to be in there for months. but then a miracle happened... after 2 weeks she was entirely recovered with the exception that her emotions were still very depressing. I already have a whole thread about that so I won't add that here. after that I found this thread and read everyone else reasons to become a moderator and that gave me even more perspective to why others want to be moderators and I learned that everyone wants to be a moderator for different but similar reasons Other than sticking out like a sore thumb in game. yeah... I apologize you all you readers who don't want to read all of that text. I don't blame you just skim the titles it will make much more sense
Fun fact: Staff does not have an ignore list. No matter how much a player badgers me, my job is to still be available if they need me.
Very clever! I almost didn't catch it xD. And that'd be frustrating ;w; - I'd hate to have to communicate with people I wouldn't want to. Nopenopenope.
I would definitely not want to be staff. I love the staff. They do an amazing job. I know I wouldn't be able to handle it though. I would make wrong choices, and the consequences would be much bigger than they are now. People I don't even know would expect things from me. Sure, it's fun, and the staff team has great people on it, but being a regular member is also fun, with many great people around you. I think lack of time isn't the only reason I wouldn't be capable. It's also just that it's very hard to communicate and talk with some people. And a moderator shouldn't just log off when he really doesn't see it anymore. I've never really got why many people want to be moderator. I really don't want to, and I perhaps never will.
ExModerators - Senior Staff: Who/What has influenced you to apply for staff? I remember there being one specific person, and I can't remember for the life of me who it was (which I feel really bad about >_>). Might have been Twitch1. Why did you become staff in the first place? Because awesomeness. I was definitely one of the people who pretty much completely knew what I was getting myself into, rather than having a "this is going to be completely fun, YAY!" approach. What do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? At least one person not understanding that "I'm dealing with your report currently" doesn't mean that it'll be instantly solved. At least one /report for griefing/PH, with literally no evidence, and no response if I asked for evidence. On bad days, the report queue getting completely flooded. It's amazing how quickly it happens, and it seems to happen in waves too. During events, the amount of people who refused to listen, even with big bold text in a completely different font in chat (and with a huge bossbar at the top of their screen). That's why during mob-arena's etc. ran by me, you'd be getting at least a 10 minute ban for infractions, rather than a kick. If staff are running something nice for you (using their own rupees/IRL money/time), then please have the decency to actually listen to them. The same questions, over and over again. This wasn't all that bad with macros to answer them all (and with half the wiki links memorised), but it still wasn't great. People moaning about "why is feature X/Y not here yet", when you know the release is pretty much definitely in the coming days/weeks. You can't really say anything, and basically have to talk them into stopping moaning without revealing anything. That's not easy. At all. What are some difficulties of being staff? Appeals. Reports I can handle fine for days, but appeals are pretty hard to deal with. Generally with me, if you'd obviously done something wrong and were trying to do a "sorry, but not sorry" type thing, then I'd make you wait a few months before a reappeal - but if you were a decent person who actually said "I'm really sorry I did this, it was because of this, I should have done this, I was wrong" then I'd be a hell of a lot more likely to put your permaban down to a 10 day one (with a purge). That said, if your profile page crashes Square when I open it due to the sheer amount of infractions there (yes, that has happened before), then don't expect me to actually appeal you. Square is great, most of the time. But Square's logs are sorta selective, so when people expect you to be able to magically pull up evidence for everything ever and then don't listen when you ask them if they have any evidence/keep saying stuff like "I'm sure it's there, keep looking", then it's ever so slightly annoying. WorldEditing Stage's spawn without crashing that place. Actually playing. You spend more time doing mod stuff than actually playing on some (maybe even most) days. Square was always quick to notify you about anything ever, so when something important came it, you generally have to go and stop what you're doing and deal with it. Occasionally, knowing that someone 100% definitely has done something, but you don't have evidence for it. That said, the reverse is also true - some people have 5 paragraph long staff notes of evidence on their Square profiles from me.
