A Land Far Away

Hey Rotku,

I remember you as LA before, but still feel it's worth asking the same questions I've just posed to Rumple!

What do you feel the role of LA actually is?

Do you have any ideas of your own on how to approach Rumples goals:

How can we increase our DM coverage? (particuarly regular DM sessions)
How can we attract old ALFA members?
How can we attract new ALFA members?
How can we re-invigorate and re-capture that energy?
How can we re-invent ALFA for today?

Do you even feel they are issues and need to be met?

What do you feel are ALFAs successes and failings currently?

What is your view on the massively increased level up rate of PCs these days compared to a few years ago (or to old school ALFA1 for that matter)

What is your favourite kind of music?

How will you go about improving moral and reducing drama? Do you even feel it'd be your place or even necessary for that matter?

What is your view on Clouds suggestion that an Admin position should only be available to people that actually play?



That is all, thankyou very much for taking the time to answer these

What do you feel the role of LA actually is?

Unlike the other roles (DMA and PA especially), LA isn't there to make big decisions and take big actions (except in the constantly unfulfilled role of Public Relations). Instead the LA is there as the grease between the various cogs that make up ALFA. The Lead Admin sets the general tone of how the Admin body operates, the way agreements are reached and the timelines that decisions are made in. The LA also has a secondary role, through the use of Appeal and Veto, as a check on the other Admin powers - something which doesn't come up too often, luckily.

Do you have any ideas of your own on how to approach Rumples goals:

How can we increase our DM coverage? (particuarly regular DM sessions)
How can we attract old ALFA members?
How can we attract new ALFA members?
How can we re-invigorate and re-capture that energy?
How can we re-invent ALFA for today?

Do you even feel they are issues and need to be met?

While I am tempted to say most of these "aren't LA issues", I do find that the general mood of ALFA leads to improvements in a lot of these fields (and vice versa). When a lot of people play/DM, people are happy. When people are happy, more people play/DM. How to reach that though? Well that's the million dollar question. If I had a magic answer, we would already be seeing the servers constantly buzzing with players. I think it's more a case of been open to various ideas and looking at each proposal/suggestion based on their own merits, not on any doom-saying (the end of (ALFA's) days a near!) or extreme conservatism (No! If we change the colour of that, then it would ruin what it means to be ALFA!).

What do you feel are ALFAs successes and failings currently?

That's a hard one. I do admit that I am a bit out of the loop at the moment. From conversations (both chat and forum) I've had over the last while, one of the big things I've seen come up is a 'division' between what seems to be two different play styles in ALFA. While this is nothing new, when the mood is low (like it seems to be at the moment) it is something that becomes more prominent. I do think this perceived strife is currently one of the bigger 'failings' in ALFA. The biggest success is, and always has been, the members of ALFA. The amount of passion and commitment people show, the amount of time they invest in their PCs, their servers, and their world, is always amazing and definitely our greatest success.

What is your view on the massively increased level up rate of PCs these days compared to a few years ago (or to old school ALFA1 for that matter)

I don't like it. It's not the ALFA I know, and has put me off a couple of times. If I was DMA, I might want to look into what's causing it. But I'm not, so it's not an pool I'm going to dip my toes into.

What is your favourite kind of music?

Rock. Fairly mainstream rock. Pink Floyd, Greenday, The Who... etc.

How will you go about improving moral and reducing drama? Do you even feel it'd be your place or even necessary for that matter?

Force people to DM? Hire a bunch of goons who I can use to threaten people into DMing. More DMs lead to a happy populas.

What is your view on Clouds suggestion that an Admin position should only be available to people that actually play?

I can see where she comes from, but if I strongly felt that way I wouldn't put my name forward. I'm not going to be dragged into the debate though - both sides make a lot of sense and you're welcome to go read those arguments and make your own opinion on the matter

That is all, thankyou very much for taking the time to answer these

I hate when people say thank you for asking these questions, as they always do during these election things. So instead, thank you for wasting ten fucking minutes of my life, Blindhamsterman!

Going to try drawing the questions out of the shit-pool that Heero's thread turned into to. Forgive me if I missed your question.

Xanthea wrote:So where do these fine gentlemen stand on the ~*~very important issue~*~ of moving towards allowing one PC per server, or a more conservative variant of that?

This is one of these issues that I'm not strongly pro or anti. I can see both sides of the coin and could easily be happy with keeping the status quo or allowing a second PC, campaign PC or what have you. In fact, my last tenure as Lead Admin was in the final months of NWN1 and I managed to push through a second PC rule for NWN1 servers. It was needed then (although came a bit too late). I'm not 100% convinced it's needed now, but am open to the idea.

Cloud_Dancing wrote:Why not just get rid of the A Game then? Seems the majority of registered members couldn't give a sh** about the A Game.

But sure as hell everyone wants to be apart of the B game. And thus the A game is nearly extinct while other servers of NWN2 are still running 99+ players, even some permadeath ones.

I support this. I think we should switch off the servers and spend hours debating here! Think of the fun we could have! Oh wait... was that sarcasm? Never mind then...

Ronan wrote:What are the candidates' opinions on allowing more freedom for a player to switch PCs? I'm referring to proposals easing temporary retirement restrictions, allowing one PC per server, etc.

Haven't heard of any proposal relating to changing temp-retirement rules. But I'm open to the idea. Give me more details or a thread to read and I might be able to give some more firm answers.

Magile wrote:Are you suggesting that the idea of Rotku running ruins the point of playing?

I'd go one step further here. Rotku ruins the point of living.

I hate when people say thank you for asking these questions

I was just being polite, in actual fact I feel you as a possible Admin (again) are obliged to answer all the often pointless questions that I and others ask of you! (I Jest I jest)

I don't like it. It's not the ALFA I know, and has put me off a couple of times. If I was DMA, I might want to look into what's causing it. But I'm not, so it's not an pool I'm going to dip my toes into.

Cool, it's good to know that you're willing to 'deal with it' rather than trying to force things outside of your remit.

It's an interesting thing about the LA elections, people get really up in arms about it, and many that run for it make grand claims of what they'll do, when in actual fact it has always been and probably should always be, an intermediary role to try and keep 'the kids' (other admin) playing nice.

That's a hard one. I do admit that I am a bit out of the loop at the moment. From conversations (both chat and forum) I've had over the last while, one of the big things I've seen come up is a 'division' between what seems to be two different play styles in ALFA. While this is nothing new, when the mood is low (like it seems to be at the moment) it is something that becomes more prominent. I do think this perceived strife is currently one of the bigger 'failings' in ALFA. The biggest success is, and always has been, the members of ALFA. The amount of passion and commitment people show, the amount of time they invest in their PCs, their servers, and their world, is always amazing and definitely our greatest success.

Interesting answer, but probably a good one!

My next question to you then sir is, how would you as LA go about trying to get the lines between play styles and play groups to blur? And how would you go about toning down (if not outright resolving) some of the division ALFA seems to have lately?

As another question, do you feel you can remain a neutral party in debates between 'the kids' and ensure that 'the right' decision is made regardless of what you personally think of the idea and/or 'the kids' in question? How would you go about determining 'the right' decision?

Rock. Fairly mainstream rock. Pink Floyd, Greenday, The Who... etc.

Alas, it seems we have more than a name in common

We tried Temp Retirement and the sky didn't fall.

How about instead of Temp Retirement we try one main PC (on one server) and one alternate PC (on a different server).

There's a nice, simple concrete proposal for you.

For or against?

Hey there,

first of all, thanks for stepping up and offering me a way out. I'm sure you'll come to regret it soon enough should you actualy win .

Now, for some questions.

1. What's your opinion about ALFA's current level of lethality?

2. What margin of decisiveness would you consider adequate to change, add, or abandon a pillar of ALFA?

3. The current Lead Admin - a dashingly handsome devil, as I heard - had set out for himself some criteria to check against when appealed to for making use of his veto power. Under what circumstances would you veto the decision of a fellow administrator?

4. And now an easy classic - what's your relationship with the other Administrators?

5. Some Administrators like to run, or attempt to run, their administration with the "cabinet system", making full use of their three staff head positions. What staff head positions would you create, change or keep, and who would fill them? Why were they not part of your platform? (Bonus points: Who invented the cabinet system?)

6. What do you think of the portfolio conflict procedure, a relatively late addition to our charter?

7. Among the illustrious band of ALFA's past Lead Administrators, who's your favourite one, and why? Also: Should your answer for some unfathomable reason not be Veilan, how will you keep me from abusing my final days in power to ban you?

8. In your opinion, what's the most awesome German military vehicle?

Cheers and thanks for your replies, and best of luck.

Blindhamsterman wrote:My next question to you then sir is, how would you as LA go about trying to get the lines between play styles and play groups to blur? And how would you go about toning down (if not outright resolving) some of the division ALFA seems to have lately?

Fuck knows. My plan is to leave it to Rumple to solve, while I sit beside and have fun playing

Alas, it seems we have more than a name in common

We've got to meet up for a drink next time I'm in your part of the world. Same name, same age, same music. I might have found an evil non-identical unrelated twin.

Veilan wrote:Hey there,

first of all, thanks for stepping up and offering me a way out. I'm sure you'll come to regret it soon enough should you actualy win .

Now, for some questions.

1. What's your opinion about ALFA's current level of lethality?

Lower than ideal. The problems in the past is lethality would be high among low levels and low among high. In my ideal world, we'd have it consistent across the board. However, that would revolve more or less solely around DMs, as statics become increasingly problematic when dealng with higher levels.

2. What margin of decisiveness would you consider adequate to change, add, or abandon a pillar of ALFA?

I can't honestly say I've ever been a fan of the pillar concept. I really do think it depends exactly what pillar is involved. For example, there was discussion earlier the month about using this new space game as another platform for ALFA (if it ever gets released). That would go against at least two of ALFA's pillars (DnD based, Forgotten Realms and I guess Faerunian Scope). Yet if someone wanted to make a server using this space game, I wouldn't want to tell them no. I wouldn't think a general vote was even needed. Other pillars may be a bit more fundamental.

3. The current Lead Admin - a dashingly handsome devil, as I heard - had set out for himself some criteria to check against when appealed to for making use of his veto power. Under what circumstances would you veto the decision of a fellow administrator?

Use often. Especially against Ronan. He can't be trusted.

4. And now an easy classic - what's your relationship with the other Administrators?

Good enough.

5. Some Administrators like to run, or attempt to run, their administration with the "cabinet system", making full use of their three staff head positions. What staff head positions would you create, change or keep, and who would fill them? Why were they not part of your platform? (Bonus points: Who invented the cabinet system?)

Na. I've tried in the past, but in the end I'm just too controlling. The only times I've managed in the past was with Regas as AR Head and the various Admissions heads. Other times, I don't know if I've chosen the wrong person or what, but I find I either end up doing a lot myself or it doesn't get done.

6. What do you think of the portfolio conflict procedure, a relatively late addition to our charter?

Yes.

7. Among the illustrious band of ALFA's past Lead Administrators, who's your favourite one, and why? Also: Should your answer for some unfathomable reason not be Veilan, how will you keep me from abusing my final days in power to ban you?

Veilan. Definitely Veilan. Don't ban me, please!

8. In your opinion, what's the most awesome German military vehicle?

Eh? Does Germany have a military?

thanks for nominating.
hope to see you playing at least.

Rotku wrote: We've got to meet up for a drink next time I'm in your part of the world. Same name, same age, same music. I might have found an evil non-identical unrelated twin.

You're on

Rotku wrote:Use often. Especially against Ronan. He can't be trusted.

This is true. I once betrayed an entire server and made paladins cry.

Ronan wrote:

Rotku wrote:Use often. Especially against Ronan. He can't be trusted.

This is true. I once betrayed an entire server and made paladins cry.

Your end will be swift.