Post by Neko Hiro on Mar 8, 2015 21:40:59 GMT
WHAAAAAAA!? PATCH NOTES!?
Yeah, it's been a while since one of these have been made. Usually, it informs the playerbase of changes that have been done to the story, or to inform them of what is to come very shortly. While the latter part of that is very true, since we have a few things for the very, very, very near future for everybody, this also serves another purpose. I'm here to inform you guys of some changes with the moderators, how things work with us, and general changes for the betterment of this site's future.
The first thing to bring up is the fact that there's only a few mods that can be considered active. Don't jump on this, because this isn't a drive for more moderators. What I'm bringing up here is that there hasn't been a lot of cooperation between all the moderators, as of late. I will make no excuses here, this one's on us. However, we have begun to form regular meetings to keep everybody updated and in the know for what's going to happen, how, and why. While this may not seem like a huge change, it is done with the intent of keeping us all on the same page, and bringing bigger and better things for the members.
One of the things that have been instated is a Moderator Probation system, comprising of three levels: Easy, Medium, and Hard Probation. This is to keep everybody informed of who is or isn't able to do mod work, or moderators that have been MIA (missing in action) for a long time without the knowledge of the other moderators, and then coming back to do work again. Basically what the probation is is that the moderator in question has to fill out a certain quota per X amount of time (varies), in order to be considered a normal moderator once again. If the moderator cannot or does not fill out this quota, they are likely to be dropped as moderators, and a replacement very quickly found afterwards. Of course, the quota and time are different, given the different levels of Probation.
Easy Probation: Moderator has forewarned the staff of a short leave, and can be reinstated once said leave is over.
Medium Probation: Moderator has not performed tasks involving their division or moderation work altogether for over a month, without proper explanation as to why. Reinstatement requires a week+ of activity as a moderator, before being considered for their position once again.
Hard Probation: Moderator has not performed tasks involving their division or moderation work altogether for 3 or more months, without proper explanation as to why. Reinstatement may not be granted, based on length of time, but may require an appeal to the other moderators as to why and how they are able to perform duties once again.
So, what good does this do for us, the members? Well, a lot of things, really. It eliminates some confusion as to who is active and who is not. So if your claim is sitting there, because one of the moderators is gone, or on probation, then it should be handled swiftly afterwards by another moderator that isn't in probation or on leave. If another moderator hasn't gone over your claim quite yet, feel free to PM one of the active moderators in that division, and request it be taken care of. Again, this is ONLY IF THE MODERATOR WHO CHECKED YOUR CLAIM BEFORE IS ON PROBATION, OR ON LEAVE. Don't ask a moderator to check over something that hasn't been looked at yet.
Now, you're probably wondering:
One last thing that will influence the site is the 3x3 Moderator Box at the top. Frankly, we hate it now. It gives the wrong impression of who is active or not. So, instead of something like that, a recommendation by our very own Murasaki was that we put OTM's, of "Of The Month" tags in that section. Basically, peoples' favorite things that are done on the site, to give them a bit more love and appreciation. I'll be honest here, though, that this may or may not be a final decision. We may come up with something better in the meantime, or we may scrap the idea entirely. I personally enjoy the idea, but that's just me. What about you guys?
Alrighty, so now that all the moderator changes have been laid out, it's time for the fun stuff. Within a week or two, the long-awaited Lune Arc will begin its Beta phase. As such, there will be another board for the Lune area to be accessed, and a separate board in the Character Applications will be made for the People of the Land that can be created to partake in the early stages of Lune. Keep in mind, this is only for People of the Land that are created for this purpose. A character application for this will be made within a day, as well as the boards to RP in Lune shortly afterwards. So, now's the time to decide: What is your favorite color?
The next thing on peoples' minds is probably something for the rest of the players to do in the meantime, yeah? Like, Adventurers and People of the Land created prior to Lune. This was an idea that I'm personally proud of, and had come up with in last night's meeting with the moderators. To be released at about the same time as the Lune boards, will be either a GM thread, or a few GM threads, due to some troubling circumstances that are rising in Londinium. What could it be? What is happening to our beloved
So, this is basically everything that I wanted to cover here. Keep in mind, not everything in here is set in stone. Some things can, and will, change if necessary. Now, tell me: What do you guys think of all this? Moderator changes, OTM's, Lune, London in danger, everything. Feel free to comment, post your thoughts on things, and let me know of some other things you might like to see. All of us are rather interested in your opinions, so flesh 'em out!
