I agree splitting the server isn't quite there yet. But a US GM would help. And the possibility of things going on in game, events or activities other than the scripted game run ones.
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I agree splitting the server isn't quite there yet. But a US GM would help. And the possibility of things going on in game, events or activities other than the scripted game run ones.
An Event GM is needed/good idea for US. A nicely thought out spawn event couple times a week with a GM to support could help get the community motivated. I know it's hard for the current GM's to give much more time than they already do. Those guys have personal lives of their own as well as spending time balancing! I can imagine it can be a handful. Even if the GM doesn't have all the regular powers as a normal GM they can be on to field questions Noobs might have during the US prime time. Just my 2 cents. I'm guilty of not really logging for nothing more than to say hello on ooc but i will try more!Quote:
Originally Posted by Hodo
Has the NST tossed around the idea of having community leaders to help fill in where GMs are missing? There are a few US players on pretty much every night helping/assisting that would qualify.
Just having some folks who have the knowledge and abilities could help quite a few players and they don't necessarily have to have all of the GM powers.
It would probably make sense to have a NA ambassador. The problem as I see it is: How do you define/cone their role and ensure that they are consistently present instead of a being a total flake or power trippin'?
It'd have to be something along the lines of somebody in Stormbot armor with full 120/120 stats but without the ability to wield a weapon, or do any GM specialty stuff. Just somebody there with a lot of knowledge and some tradeskills.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divide
A normal vetting process would work to ensure the person is the correct pick for the job.
Why not give them the normal powers of ever other GM? There should be an American/Canadian GM
It would really be nice to have an authoratative figure on/available for these hours.
Agreed. Or even a German/British one who happens to be on at our times.Quote:
Originally Posted by Faid
I was just throwing out the Ambassador idea since many of us who play at this time would qualify for it and not necessarily a GM role.
I guess that an American would have to send an application. ^^Quote:
Originally Posted by Faid
You don't miss a trick do you sport! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by LeoPump
Or they could just not fire the one they had...Quote:
Originally Posted by LeoPump
There was certainly a reason for it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Faid
I don't know.. You could send an application ;>
There is a reson in everything we do!Quote:
Originally Posted by LeoPump
What I am wondering about is: is it really a GM (to answer tickets) which is needed or is it more the "councellor" type (answering questions on help) which is needed? If an authoritive figure (GM) why so?
Yeah, I know, Alduin! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Alduin
Dunno how many tickets come in, but I think they need/want a Counsellor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alduin
Although a Gamemaster for this hours would be very cool. (to answear tickets, fix problems with NPCs etc.)
I THINK that people usually are pretty good at answering questions (they seemed to be, the times where Ive been playing that late), so its probably mainly someone to answer tickets.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alduin
I could be totally wrong though, since I dont usually play at those hours..
I think the reality here is that if we want to grow the community, US & CA players deserve the same resources that Euro players enjoy which includes GM representation. This is someone who should not only be present for players via in-game requests, but also advocates for the NA community on the back-end within the NST.
In-game responsibilities should be to both handle tickets as well as drum up excitement by way of events. The North American community really feels underserved, and some coddling by a GM is both the most simplistic short-term method to reconcile this grievance. No new code, no marketing blitz, no dollar signs -- just manpower, which many current players would happily volunteer for.
If NA players can tell their friends "we've had multiple different events in the last few weeks that have been a lot of fun" As opposed to "I logged out in 15 minutes because there is nothing to do and everyone online is AFK" I would imagine that we would see growth before long.
It's more of the representative of the Devs that i was thinking about. Somebody to answer new player questions; somebody to interact with the runners; work on tickets (it really sucks when they go unanswered then just get removed from the queue); address the issues with player harassment; addressing borderline exploiting; etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alduin
My ideas of an ambassador were because they can do a lot without having the ability to cheat, and since there is not much oversight during our hours, it could be tempting to some people.
Events would also be a great thing to have during our hours. It is pretty miserable logging on late night in the Americas and there being nothing to do but grind. We've lost quite a few American players recently just out of them becoming bored of the lack of anything to do.
Just think about it when any of the NST logs in. Everybody turns into a fanboy and bombards them with chat. It's crazy when P1 gets overcrowded just because Bifrost is standing there doing nothing (not that Bifrost ever just does "nothing").
We've lost quite a few as well, relating to players who have been on the receiving-end of a permaban. I'm not talking about those who receive the ban, but the people they play with that lose interest and/or are infuriated after someone is banned. I've read more than once in chat from runners that it feels like the NST doesn't appreciate the fact that a single player means so much to such a small community, and that the act of permabanning over counselling makes players feel disposable and therefore ends in resentment towards those in the NST who are honestly trying to help.Quote:
Originally Posted by jj dynomite
I know this isn't the right place to really dive into this, nor am I sitting here questioning the actions of the NST, but the effects of a permaban ripple through the community in ways that I imagine the NST doesn't really intend. They want to permaban players that are taking away from the experience for other players. It's a testament either to the community size or collective personality that individuals who were legitimately cheating are mourned as significant losses when they are perma'd.
Personally, I'd rather play against a cheater than no one at all.
Don't blame the NST for the loss of individual players that results from permabans.
The exception marks the rule, but I would think that as a player, you have to make an effort to be on the receiving end of that stick. It has been made perfectly clear, that tolerance is not something to count on when exploits come into play. Blame the players that exploit and get their asses banned needlessly - simply convince em to play by the rules if you don't want to see them "leave". If thats too much to ask for, fuck em - that is them choosing to harm the community twofold:
1. by cheating and turning away fair players and
2. by getting banned and making their groupies unhappy.
Not here to place any blame on NST. I do agree that the player is to blame, and for one such recent player there has been a lot of shit thrown at them by myself and others for both being so stupid and also so selfish. None of us were aware that they were exploiting, so we couldn't make that plea beforehand unfortunately. Groupies being butt-hurt over the loss of a friend is the reality of life in-game or otherwise. I was simply pointing out the correlation between a single player ban and a multi player loss of interest in relation to the obvious fact that the NA community is fighting to stay alive.
Everyone can, and should, get behind anticheat mechanisms and enforcement thereof.
/edit:
I say this as someone who has had their own indescretions in the past and has been the recipient of corrective actions.
Genuinely cant believe i just read this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divide
Its a sad state of affairs if some retard got caught cheating and somehow that's a bad thing that they got banned.
When the server population is 2%, 1 player has a hell of a lot more presense than you can imagine. You are right, it is a sad state of affairs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Holliday
/edit:
It may be difficult to imagine properly what 2% feels like for players that don't experience the game. To illustrate what that feels like, here is an example of my own from Monday night:
945pm GMT-7 Log in, in Medi P1. Several (2-4) AFK LE players and myself.
I decide I'm going to look for trouble.
Run to PP - no one to be seen there or back
GR to MB and hop on a Quad - no one seen
Scour J1 and surrounding zones, the head east to Battle Dome for a quick search, then I dismiss my quad and GR to DRT - Still no player sightings.
<No conversation movement in any global chat mode during this time>
Wait for SI @ DRT, scour DRT and surrounding zones including Cycrow and the area entrance around Gaia - still no player sightings
Put my veh up in DRT & GR to TH
Spawn veh, head west towards Regants, in to Legacy, all the way down in to the boss room - no player sightings
1130pm GMT-7 Head back to TH, despawn my quad, genrep to NC surrounded by the same group of AFK's that I logged in with and log out for the night... Not having seen a single active player the whole damn time.
If you think that a single active player doesn't mean anything, you don't know what we go through night after night after night after night. Exploiter or not... it is someone who is playing. That alone is almost reason enough for me to kiss them right on their shitty mouth.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Divide
If your the preacher im the choir. i hear you. its why i don't play actively. without the balance there is no draw outside of the peak times. it wont bring people back without that first.
I'd rather play single player games than play with cheaters. I am glad they get banned and everyone else that helps them. Good riddance. Personal opinion.
Divide, When do you play? Every time I log on, you are no where to be found.
Agreed..Quote:
Originally Posted by William Antrim
+1, tbhQuote:
Originally Posted by William Antrim
Agreed.Quote:
Originally Posted by William Antrim
Mon & Weds ~4p-~6p MSTQuote:
Originally Posted by MayhemMichael
MTWT ~10p-~12a
FS ~10/11p-~2-3a
Usually don't get time in on a Sunday, but if I do it is between 8p-10p
Should get your skype or steam name or something so we can coordinate
my skype is mayhemmike. I hardly use it but I think it comes on during start up so should be logged in most of the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divide