Clone Wars Gamemaster problem

[Stern]

Synergy Roleplay, By the players for the player. 

Or so I thought.

I have been part of this server for about two/three weeks now playing every weekend and I am yet to experience an off Venator event. In the first hours of joining I signed up with the 212th attack battalion and then after a few days joined the Engineer class. And for the next few days I was so excited to show the server what I was made of and how well I had studied the engineering Manuel, So I started routine engine checkups and did my best to do my job. 

The first event was an alien hivemind who needed food for its hive. And they started in the Engine room of all places! I was so excited I commsed it in and everything, Worked with the reinforcements and had a blast.  

But as the days past it became clear that these simple events (Apparently called shoot em ups) are very rare, Espescially in my time zone. So I asked around. Surely there cant be a constant 90+ server population if there are no events. But I was proven wrong. Everyone I spoke to said gamemasters were in short supply, And even rarer were good ones. Apparently they only do events so they dont get removed from their jobs and are lazy.  And another thing which confuses me is the fact that you must first be staff then work yourself up to then only be a gamemaster. When I posted something on the forums before it was to make sure there are “No minges” on the gm team. But a simple solution is making a Staff and gamemaster applications seperate. If someone wants to become a gamemaster they go through the normal process, Application. Interview and then become a trial gamemaster for maybe 2 weeks and must create their first ever event that they have described in their application and excecute on the server. 

This will firstly make more gamemasters available for the server to do events. (Gamemasters should be there for the server not themselves)

It is more mingy having players on a server for hours with no events. Only thing keeping them entertained is a sim or passive  rp (Which is rare). And you wont have half the server AFK for credits.  

Secondly give a boost to the server population, Which can help with the new Battalion being added in. 

Thirdly, Making it an actual fun experience to be on the server. 

 

To make a long story short. Let people apply for gamemaster without the staff requirement(Although it might better their chances) like this:

Application on the forums with a requirement of 100-150 hours minimumn. 

Their application must include regular segments but also detail their own event that they plan to do. This event must not be bland, Must not me just another shoot em up. And must have its own flair that makes it just that much more fun for people like me.

This should also act as a wake up call for gamemasters to do their jobs.

[Shade]

I kind of agree with his point of applying just for GM, because getting from NA to GM takes a really long time.

[Nade Jones]

-1

[Baelfire]

I do agree. There are a lot of people out there who have ample GM experience i.e myself but we cannot help out the server or anything due to our STAFF rank

[Stern]

4 minutes ago, Nade Jones said:

-1

Please elaborate. I would like to hear your opinion.

[COC4IN3]

+1 

Im not a huge fan on seperating staff and gamemaster but if the gm team is lacking, surely we should be thinking of alternatives.  I think we should atleast put this to trial andif it fails just remove it.  Very interesting.

[Nade Jones]

15 minutes ago, Stern said:

Please elaborate. I would like to hear your opinion.

Okay this whole gamemaster branch to be separate from a staff is not going to happen, its been suggested multiple times and people need to understand you have to work hard for the position of SA which is required to be gamemaster, this is not something we can just hand out to anyone who apply as it is a  big responsibility and you have to prove yourself to us first, if we allowed people to apply straight for gamemaster we would have to restructure the staff team around the fact that you can just apply for a position you would have to work for like 1 month to actually get. You get access to many tools as a gamemaster and we are not going to give them out to people who have passed the application if you want to be a gamemaster you work hard to get there. Otherwise, use the event ideas sub-forum or contact a gamemaster giving them your event ideas instead.

[Riddler]

GameMasters need more freedom, its why the events in JAN-MAR were mostly positive and enjoyable.

Best time as GM for me was doing them back in the day.

[Fours]

That's where a suggestion should come in.

Thing is, this has been addressed multiple times in the past, and I feel like it just won't happen. There are pros, and there are cons. Speculations can lead to a bad experience just as much as a good experience.

[Baelfire]

I feel separating the branches imo is a fantastic idea. You guys treat GM like its some magical treat you get for being a SA+. That is not how Game master should be seen. Game Masters should be a whole different thing apart from staff. I.E How another BIG server runs it they are separate branches and it runs perfectly fine actually better then fine because they have the max amount of GMs they want and they are all experienced and LIKE to GM they have frequent and elaborate events. They are not forced to do it to move up in the staffing team if they choose that path and so on.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Mishue

[BigZach]

Being GM is a shit Treat for putting in so much of your voluntary time into the server. Feels sick calling it a treat

[Washington]

This is a great idea, a great attempt, but it will never happen. This would be HUGE if they allowed people to be GMs without having to do the long tiring grind of being a staff.

• It usually takes 2 weeks per staff promo (MINIMUM) to be promoted. So NA > A = 2 weeks. A > SA = 2 weeks. If you fast track through the staff team (which seems nearly impossible, since people with even 50 CCs trained and people who have a lot of tickets never get recognition) it takes 1 MONTH to be ELIGIBLE  to become a GM. No one has the time to waste for that. The people who do put the time and recognition usually seem to get promoted once a month, I've seen plenty of examples staff members who wish to become GMs, but simply just aren't noticed for their services.

 

• 3 minutes ago, Mishue said:

  You guys treat GM like its some magical treat you get for being a SA+.

  This man just hit the nail on the head. GM is treated like a reward that you ear. It should be something people who want to make the server fun should be able to do. The current state of the GM team (and the Staff team as a whole) is an absolute mess, and the same people in charge keep making the same sorry excuses for why it doesn't do well, or blames others for their shortcomings. Truth is, maybe the current system just isn't working.

 

• 5 minutes ago, Mishue said:

  forced to do it to move up in the staffing team

  Exactly this. People solely do events because they have to, to be promoted. You can talk all about how the "requirement is one event per week", that's not the issue. It is that the more events you put out = promotion faster (or so they think at least), and that just leads to these cheap events being made.

 

• Another solid issue, the people who have good ideas, who want to make events, don't want to be in the muck and mire of the staff team. I can name plenty of examples of outstanding people who would be PERFECT as GMs and they never will because the staff team is a road to burning out if you don't have a passion for it. I've tried staff twice, got to VA and SA both times, and by the time you get the GM tag, you are burnt out. Let people who can make this server fun have a chance.

 

• 44 minutes ago, Nade Jones said:

  use the event ideas sub-forum or contact a gamemaster giving them your event ideas instead.

  This literally never happens. If it did, maybe we would have decent events. Literally every event is the same cookie-cutter shoot-em-up, or some droid trading mission.

 

I could go on all day about this, but I believe I got the point across. Something needs to change in the GM system before it causes the server to continue to be a boring place with no fun things. High Staff continues to say "We'll it's not our fault GM team is bad" when the sole reason it isn't succeeding is because of a lack of action. Maybe the idea of a VIP-GM style thing isn't a good idea. But at least it is an idea. Something needs to change before it is too late.

 

 

[Shade]

You say people need to put in the work to be a GM but it's only hard because you make it that hard. It shouldn't be that hard to be a GM. Like Washington said 1 month is too much time to wait around to be GM.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Shade

[Zahariel]

5 minutes ago, Shade said:

You say people need to put in the work to be a GM but it's only hard because you make it that hard.

JK, I agree ;]

Edited August 18, 2018 by Zahariel

[Feds]

The only people that side with the Game Master team staying how it is are the people that are High in staff and have already done the time and think that the GM team should be held back and stay in it's state because they can't bare the thought of recruiting more that didn't have to go through what they did. This is a disgusting way to think and a selfish way to think.

 

The excuses used by them are atrocious and are only backed up by SA+ the Public wants something to change isn't the server founded on "What the People want" or are we just what the Staff Want? 

 

Disclaimer Icefuze is the only server that has a large population that has GM setup they way we do and look what happened to them.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Feds

[Nade Jones]

1 minute ago, Feds said:

The only people that side with the Game Master team staying how it is are the people that are High in staff and have already done the time and think that the GM team should be held back and stay in it's state because they can't bare the thought of recruiting more that didn't have to go through what they did. This is a disgusting way to think and a selfish way to think.

 

The excuses used by them are atrocious and are only backed up by SA+ the Public wants something to change isn't the server founded on "What the People want" or are we just what the Staff Want? 

I assume this is targeted towards me, First of all you do not assume my motives behind my decision it is a completely closed minded way of thinking, are you seriously saying that my reason behind this is: "I don't want this implemented because I spent a month getting the rank and I will be jealous if others apply for it" that's actually the dumbest shit I've ever read. I stated my opinion, along with my opinion I gave a statement that if you were to apply for gamemaster you are essentially getting the same privileges of someone who has spent 1 month getting to that position, Its not a matter of jealousy but instead a matter of trust, the staff who spent a month getting there have earned the communities trust, how are you going to detect that trust in a single application? There is a reason as a staff member you start off with limited commands and not with the privileges of a Senior Admin, people can't be trusted with all the commands from the moment of being accepted.

What the fuck is the 2nd part supposed to mean? Are staff not people? I have as much jurisdiction in the future of the gamemaster program as anyone else since I'm not directly affiliated with the Gamemaster branch high command, I'm simply stating my opinion as are you and many others...

[Shade]

Just now, Nade Jones said:

 Its not a matter of jealousy but instead a matter of trust, the staff who spent a month getting there have earned the communities trust, how are you going to detect that trust in a single application? There is a reason as a staff member you start off with limited commands and not with the privileges of a Senior Admin, people can't be trusted with all the commands from the moment of being accepted.

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to disagree, you earn the communities trust by having them +1 or -1 your app. Not by spending 1 month tping them around the ship or spawning droids for a sim. I'll say it again the only reason more people aren't GMs is because it's so much time and by then most people get burnt out. Half the time the people applying are trusted members of the community anyway, you can also require more hours, or have individuals vouch for you as part of the application process.

The only power you would be giving these non staff GM is the ability to TP, Spawn droids and possibly colour and spawn dupes. No banning privileges, or any other powers that should be staff only.

 

[IKE]

tbh all staff is in a horrible state. Do you know why? Because there’s too much things that have to worry about. Being staff is too much of a burden. And people leave due to that. And with people leaving it puts more pressure on the current staff. And with that comes crap events. And with that comes me making this post that will make no difference

[Tristan]

Look, I've said this before and it looks like I'm going to have to say this again.

I love the idea of a VIP Gamemaster, I would do it in a split. but the fact is, is that not everyone has been staff and understands the weight that being a gamemaster carries.

I have the experience that is needed in order to be a gamemaster, and that's not me tootin' my own horn, I've been staff and I was a damn good gamemaster.

It bugs the absolute fuck out of me when people get angry that they don't get good events every day. DO NOT mistake my motives here. Something needs to change, in my personal opinion, it needs to be completely restructured.

When you play in an event. Take one moment, thats all. One moment and thank the person who is taking time out of their day, time out of their finite life to give you some sort of entertainment, and then after that if you must bitch. then and only then. bitch.

[Feds]

36 minutes ago, Tristan said:

Look, I've said this before and it looks like I'm going to have to say this again.

I love the idea of a VIP Gamemaster, I would do it in a split. but the fact is, is that not everyone has been staff and understands the weight that being a gamemaster carries.

I have the experience that is needed in order to be a gamemaster, and that's not me tootin' my own horn, I've been staff and I was a damn good gamemaster.

It bugs the absolute fuck out of me when people get angry that they don't get good events every day. DO NOT mistake my motives here. Something needs to change, in my personal opinion, it needs to be completely restructured.

When you play in an event. Take one moment, thats all. One moment and thank the person who is taking time out of their day, time out of their finite life to give you some sort of entertainment, and then after that if you must bitch. then and only then. bitch.

Not really sure what your going for on this it sounds like your against the idea but your for it.

"When you play in an event. Take one moment, thats all. One moment and thank the person who is taking time out of their day, time out of their finite life to give you some sort of entertainment, and then after that if you must bitch. then and only then. bitch."

You insult people because their angry someone made an event that took them a few seconds to come up with and then grabbed random people to play event characters and then sent them on their way to shoot up the ship for the 300th time wow! Congratulation they did exactly what any person on the server could do.

This is a horrible excuse for the GM's team lack of quality, events of the quality we get don't take long to make and many of these events last 30 minutes tops.

 

We want the GM team to change we aren't insulting the GM's as people we want the Higher Ups to realize the error of their ways and to change the GM team for the betterment of the server.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Feds

[Fours]

@Feds 

You realise you can simply ask a GM to do an event idea you've come up with? Create a doc, poke one on teamspeak. There, you contributed.

You realise bitching on the forums won't do much? Yea maybe one or two things will change, but event ideas get recycled because there really isn't many different ways an event can go, ie fully rp (people love it but others hate it), fully shoot em up (people love it but others hate it), a mix (can be a god awful mess depending on many different aspects). 

I get that players get annoyed at the same thing, but seriously, like I said already, come up with an idea... instead of bitching about someone else's ideas.

If you want super over the top quality events, the amount of events will drop heavily. Killing the server on down times instead of entertaining them with a quick event out of the blue.

Game masters have insane ideas that they cannot fulfill because of the servers "serious" persona. The creative events would break most "lore friendly" aspects and being serious rp that's the only kind of events we can do. 

 

[Tristan]

I thought about typing out a long reply, but it just isn't worth it. I don't know if you've been staff before, but I don't think you have been based on your statements and I'm sorry if I'm wrong. best of luck

Just be thankful there are people that give you entertainment.

 

 

[Feds]

23 minutes ago, Fours said:

@Feds 

You realise you can simply ask a GM to do an event idea you've come up with? Create a doc, poke one on teamspeak. There, you contributed.

You realise bitching on the forums won't do much? Yea maybe one or two things will change, but event ideas get recycled because there really isn't many different ways an event can go, ie fully rp (people love it but others hate it), fully shoot em up (people love it but others hate it), a mix (can be a god awful mess depending on many different aspects). 

I get that players get annoyed at the same thing, but seriously, like I said already, come up with an idea... instead of bitching about someone else's ideas.

If you want super over the top quality events, the amount of events will drop heavily. Killing the server on down times instead of entertaining them with a quick event out of the blue.

Game masters have insane ideas that they cannot fulfill because of the servers "serious" persona. The creative events would break most "lore friendly" aspects and being serious rp that's the only kind of events we can do. 

 

Bitching is what got this server started and is what got people to start a new.

And this is not bitching people wanting the GM team to change but all we're met with and what we are told is stop your "Bitching" how about you stop and think why and how this could work out and how other servers make this work. If we have a high quality staff team why can't we handle a separate GM team do we not have enough strong minded individuals to make it work?

 

"If you want super over the top quality events, the amount of events will drop heavily. Killing the server on down times instead of entertaining them with a quick event out of the blue."

So your reasoning behind this is because Quality events would kill the server? Recruiting more GM's would make it possible for one GM to do a quality event then another can do one after them this can be a repetitive thing GM's take the time to plan their event while another GM is executing their planned event then the next person who planned theirs does theirs and this can keep going if we had a bigger Game Master Team.

 

"Game masters have insane ideas that they cannot fulfill because of the servers "serious" persona. The creative events would break most "lore friendly" aspects and being serious rp that's the only kind of events we can do. "

 

 

Red Lightsabers, Dark innerblades, all lore jedi on the ship at one time, all Null and RC squads on the same ship, and many things that aren't lore friendly. Stop making these false excuses to stop change that players want.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Feds

[miguz]

1 hour ago, IKE Targaryen said:

tbh all staff is in a horrible state. Do you know why? Because there’s too much things that have to worry about. Being staff is too much of a burden. And people leave due to that. And with people leaving it puts more pressure on the current staff. And with that comes crap events. And with that comes me making this post that will make no difference

and school starting

 

and work

 

yeahhhhhh

[Lix]

Personally i think that GMs need to be more creative and actually put time into their events.

 

also i think staff should start kicking NA-SA who arent doing shit

[Avavel]

sorry i make bad events ; . ;

[WaterMelonWolf]

There are things i agree and disagree. VIP Game master are NOT going to happen, zim has denied it 3 times now he will make it a fourth. I how ever do agree are current game masters are lazy and dont host as many events that are needed. I feel as if the higher up for GM need to do a whipe, or start promoting people to SA who seem passionate about hosting events. We need more of them lmao.

[Jax]

Throwback to when Synergy first started and GM was VA+ and Beb was the only doing events omegalul.

[Hero]

6 hours ago, Shade said:

I kind of agree with his point of applying just for GM, because getting from NA to GM takes a really long time.

I did it in legit 2-3 weeks.

[Hero]

Stop harrassinf GM’s for god sake, most of us actually try! We can’t always do deployments 24/7 because it takes time and setup and plot building and PREDICITINF THE UNPREDICTABLE THAT JS PLAYER CHOICE. If you want an event to be done, FIND A GM AND JUST ASK MOST LIKELY WE WILL SAY YES IF ITS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA. We Just got a new GMC and some changes (most likely for the better) will be coming. We can’t deploy everyone and legit the ONLY REASON i became a GM was because I wanted, BETTER EVENTS, MORE EVENTS, ACTUALLY DEPLOYING RANCOR AND SOBDE AND SO BECUASE EVERYONE HATES SO (S/O SO).  I didn’t like how slow i was going through the ranks so i fought for every ticket, every time i could help out, i went for GM’s and had them just watch me do an event while they did pretty much nothing and got a free assist out of it. If you have such a large problem with it, then slog through the ranks and put in some effort. I can’t do super large scale deployments so i try to do them bi-weekly with minor deployments in between, with this new update a lot will be benefiting the GM’s and we will hopefully be doing better events. And also, congrats, this is the first forum post i popped off on since i have been here.

[Twelves]

There will be a day when all of this shit will come and bite us in the ass. The server goes hours and hours without events, especially during downtime hours, I would apply for Gamemaster, but I have no intention of applying for staff and turning this server into a job. I come on here to play and to have fun with the boys, this shit has been suggested by the PLAYERS FOUR TIMES, Synergy is meant to be "A community driven by the players"  Well it seems that the players want this to happen, or at least give it a go, but hey lul, the Gamemaster team will just get worse and worse and in a few months time decent events will be nonexsistent.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Twelves

[Stern]

3 hours ago, Tristan said:

I thought about typing out a long reply, but it just isn't worth it. I don't know if you've been staff before, but I don't think you have been based on your statements and I'm sorry if I'm wrong. best of luck

Just be thankful there are people that give you entertainment.

 

 

I have also been staff before and when I applied I applied straight for gamemaster and it couldnt have been better. I know what its like to be a gamemaster, Events do not take long to do espescially with more than one gamemaster at once. Do you understand how quickly people can setup an event with three gamemasters? 

Being a gamemaster is not work, The system that is currently inplemented is work. Gamemasters now are lazy and burntout, Because the current process makes it that way. It makes it like a job. Which it is in a way but it doesnt help. 

I have seen no solid arguement about why we should keep the ridiculous system.

Why should we have to be thankful for entertainment? You have to realise people oon the server are playing a game. Entertainment is why they are there. 

 

I dont believe in VIP gamemaster though it is a shit idea.

[Feds]

1 minute ago, Stern said:

I have also been staff before and when I applied I applied straight for gamemaster and it couldnt have been better. I know what its like to be a gamemaster, Events do not take long to do espescially with more than one gamemaster at once. Do you understand how quickly people can setup an event with three gamemasters? 

Being a gamemaster is not work, The system that is currently inplemented is work. Gamemasters now are lazy and burntout, Because the current process makes it that way. It makes it like a job. Which it is in a way but it doesnt help. 

I have seen no solid arguement about why we should keep the ridiculous system.

Why should we have to be thankful for entertainment? You have to realise people oon the server are playing a game. Entertainment is why they are there. 

 

I dont believe in VIP gamemaster though it is a shit idea.

How is it a shit idea everything you've said leads to VIP Gamemaster.

 

Applying for NA you get powers and your just applying it's all the same.

[Taur]

You guys don't seem to understand the responsibility a game master has.

1 to become a decent GM, you  need to have SA powers. 

2 You can fuck up the server with SA powers. The reason why it takes so long is because they want to see if you are a trustworthy staff member who puts a lot of work in the server and is not likely to crash the server.

[Stern]

54 minutes ago, Feds said:

How is it a shit idea everything you've said leads to VIP Gamemaster.

 

Applying for NA you get powers and your just applying it's all the same.

I dont like the idea that anyone with cash can become a gm. Unless you apply along with payment then I think it could work.

[Twelves]

13 minutes ago, Stern said:

I dont like the idea that anyone with cash can become a gm. Unless you apply along with payment then I think it could work.

What the fuck? The idea is to allow people to apply to better the server without having to slave away taking tickets and training CC's, not pay for power? Hello??????????????????

[Stern]

1 minute ago, Twelves said:

What the fuck? The idea is to allow people to apply to better the server without having to slave away taking tickets and training CC's, not pay for power? Hello??????????????????

I said that people can apply for the server, But I don't think they need to pay as well. 

 

16 minutes ago, Taur said:

You guys don't seem to understand the responsibility a game master has.

1 to become a decent GM, you  need to have SA powers. 

2 You can fuck up the server with SA powers. The reason why it takes so long is because they want to see if you are a trustworthy staff member who puts a lot of work in the server and is not likely to crash the server.

That's why there is a trial process, I stated in my original post that There is an application process, And this is applying on the forums, Interviews, Doing their first event which they detailed in their application. Then are on a two week trial game master. This is the best of both world because minimizes time needed while also  letting that player prove himself to the server.

[Feds]

25 minutes ago, Taur said:

You guys don't seem to understand the responsibility a game master has.

1 to become a decent GM, you  need to have SA powers. 

2 You can fuck up the server with SA powers. The reason why it takes so long is because they want to see if you are a trustworthy staff member who puts a lot of work in the server and is not likely to crash the server.

You can abuse NA powers as well and you need to apply for that, should we make you it to where you have to become a TR to become staff now?

Edited August 19, 2018 by Feds

[IKE]

4 hours ago, miguz said:

and school starting

 

and work

 

yeahhhhhh

Oh yeah, I forgot about that

[Taur]

47 minutes ago, Feds said:

You can abuse NA powers as well and you need to apply for that, should we make you it to where you have to become a TR to become staff now?

Abusing NA powers is nothing compared to SA powers

[Bbstine]

14 hours ago, Stern said:

To make a long story short. Let people apply for gamemaster without the staff requirement(Although it might better their chances) like this:

Like VIP gamemasters, but without VIP.

We've denied something like this for a VERY long time.

And @Feds @Fours stop being dumb.

 

I get where you are coming from Stern, trust me I do and I completely agree. It's just that even as something as exclusive as VIP in the CWRP couldn't get this, neither can regular Users.

Love you, sorry.

 

[Stern]

1 hour ago, Bbstine said:

Like VIP gamemasters, but without VIP.

We've denied something like this for a VERY long time.

And @Feds @Fours stop being dumb.

 

I get where you are coming from Stern, trust me I do and I completely agree. It's just that even as something as exclusive as VIP in the CWRP couldn't get this, neither can regular Users.

Love you, sorry.

 

Gamemasters need to be active atleast. And the quality of their events must improve because at the moment it is disappointing.

Even if you don't let normal people apply for gm then at least tell the current gms to do their job.

[Tristan]

Okay. Fine. I tried being nice.

I'm officially pissed off now.

@Stern that comment wasn't about you btw.

You should be thankful for the entertainment you get from people that DO NOT get paid to be staff on this server. No one here makes a quick fuckin buck because they spend 1-2 hours to create something that they hope will give the players excitement. They are not obligated to apply for staff or be a gamemaster at all. Wanna know why?

Because Being staff on this server or pretty much any server is Volunteer work 

VOLUNTEER. Not paid.

I am for being able to be a gamemaster and not staff because I've gone through that grind of staff before and realize how tedious and time consuming it really is. I know what is required of the job and have the experience. I also realize that the community has a problem where "quality" (That's a relative term btw) isn't exactly at its highest point.

But the reason I am against regular players being a gamemaster is that not everyone that plays the damn server has the few billion brain cells required to actually do the job and do it well. Not everyone has been thru that grind, it takes TIME to learn how to do all the shit that's needed. Even more to be good at it.

I apologize for my foul words but Jesus Christ people.

[Twelves]

Can't wait for the day this bites us in the ass.

"A community run by the players, for the players"

21 hours ago, Bbstine said:

It's just that even as something as exclusive as VIP in the CWRP couldn't get this, neither can regular Users.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Twelves

[Alexz]

Maybe lower game masters to Admins and allow people who left as Admins or New Admins, to regain there rank?

[Twelves]

snip

Edited August 20, 2018 by Twelves