Questions for Thorin as potential DMA

[Rumple C]

Is there anything from the other candidates platform that you think is a good idea and would adopt into potential policy should you win?

Where do you stand on (significant) xp for delivering mail?

Where do you stand on potentially massaging the flow of time in ALFA?

Do you strongly disagree with any of the recent decisions made by any admins?

How much will you pay me to declare you the winner regardless of results?

Pie or cake?

[Thorin]

I've never really found any use to the platform soap box ALFA uses to equate to policy. My main concern is keeping our playerbase content, and bridging the gap between the older players and newer players, And there is only one way to do so:

Active DMs interested in role play, and non static quest rewards.


First all, I should state I am not in support of xp for anything other than role play and DM guided content. If statics are in, then the xp for them should be greatly reduced.

It can't hurt us to slow time down. It isn't necessary to have a sped up calendar. I think it makes it more confusing for players and DMs, and it can be a tad unrealistic. I don't think DMA really has say over this.

As for recent decisions, I am wary of the CvC rules to appease players. CvC within Role playing should be permitted, with consequences in game of being charged with murder if caught.
I think the 2 PC rule is a solution to a lack of DM coverage, and could be phased out if we had more timeslots covered by DM. Again these should be community decisions, not personal ones.

I would rather see any type of big decision be ruled on by a cohesive group, with player input, not as a decree.

I think it is important we contact old members or recruit individuals looking for DM content, and I think doing a OAS or password-less server is a good idea, even if it rotates or occurs certain times of the month or year.

I can pay you in mushrooms, but I'm mainly here to bring back something ALFA needs: More DMs, and organization of DMs to make sure they are providing content to the playerbase. I do feel any decisions or ideas should be also discussed in public, and with playerbase input before any implementation.

Not everyone likes change, and in some circumstances, change to appease a lack of DM coverage is not how to keep a community based on role playing. Making ourselves more like a MMO or 'what other servers do' should never enter our minds or plans.

I am for less administration, less rules lawyering, and get back to DMing and playing. A DMA to me, should be concerned with recruiting and maintaining DMs and keeping players interested, but people interested in role playing and not static quest mining. We can decide as a group big decisions, and each administrator, player and player rep should provide input .

[Rumple C]

No mention of pie or cake preference.

Are you a secret struddle supporter?

[Darkmystic]

Do you have the irl time to give alfa the DMA it needs? The last DMA was a busy man and I havent seen you on much at all.

[Thorin]

Not sure if you know this, but I've been a regular in the ALFA IRC chat room since 2000.
Seriously, I'm usually in there.

I'll be available from 4am -3 pm est in chat, on the forums, and in game.

[Darkmystic]

Still, do you have the time for this work?

[vergin_sacrifice]

Thorin, I have only just met you though I have seen your name on IRC and forums for as long as I have been here.

It was pointed out by another, that both of the other candidates have had some anger issues at one time or another during or over something to do with responsibilities they have accepted in service to our community of ALFA.

In a situation in which your anger is piqued in the execution of your duties as DMA, how would you handle it? What is your experience in the past with like situation, and how did you deal with it or learn from it?

[CloudDancing]

Do you know the issues affecting the active player base?

Do you have a working relationship with the tech team?

Do you have the technical abilities to manage the technical side of being the DMA such as coding, scripting, and working with the greater upgrades to Alfa?

Do you have the ability to develop a vision for Alfa that encompasses the needs of the current player based verses your own personal vision?

Will you be there when people need you, for six months entirely, with no burn-outs or disappearing entirely?

[Thorin]

Thorin, I have only just met you though I have seen your name on IRC and forums for as long as I have been here.

It was pointed out by another, that both of the other candidates have had some anger issues at one time or another during or over something to do with responsibilities they have accepted in service to our community of ALFA.

In a situation in which your anger is piqued in the execution of your duties as DMA, how would you handle it? What is your experience in the past with like situation, and how did you deal with it or learn from it?

Well, VS, I take a break from computers if anger affects me, and I come back to the situation with a clear head. I feel personal feelings should stay out of these decisions. We have rules and guidelines, and that's what I prefer to stick to. In Exodus, if players went beyond three strikes, they were banned. I firmly believe this system works well to control real trouble makers. Otherwise, sensible discussion works quite well.


As for the question of time, if I can answer things during the daylight EST hours, then sure.

[Thorin]

Do you know the issues affecting the active player base?

Do you have a working relationship with the tech team?

Do you have the technical abilities to manage the technical side of being the DMA such as coding, scripting, and working with the greater upgrades to Alfa?

Do you have the ability to develop a vision for Alfa that encompasses the needs of the current player based verses your own personal vision?

Will you be there when people need you, for six months entirely, with no burn-outs or disappearing entirely?

I am up to date on the issues affecting players, from cvc, to running, to the infamous 'letter' and it's why I actually came back to DM. If I'm not in chat, I'm watching my one year old.

I know Acadius quite well, but I am not a coder, and I do not build. While I understand what tech teams and Foam do, I don't have the free time to commit to building or scripting, just to DM.

I won't be disappearing unless I lose my internet, I've always stuck around even when I was not playing. Even when I ran Exodus, I remained in Alfa, played occasionally, and kept myself involved in the chats. I even, back in beta, had a few bans, and managed to keep myself informed, and active, even enough to have the bans removed. It's funny how one Administration can negate that of the previous. Of course, this was all a decade ago, so I'm a very different person now, as is ALFA.


I think the issue is what cohesive player base exists, because from what I can tell, we are dealing with two distinct populations. We need to get these working together, to move beyond petty concerns to ensuring alfa remains true to its original concept,. a role playing based pnp style session in a persistent setting.

[Adanu]

I think the 2 PC rule is a solution to a lack of DM coverage, and could be phased out if we had more timeslots covered by DM. Again these should be community decisions, not personal ones.

So 2 PCs is because we're bored, and not because some of us might actually want to have 2 PCs?

[Zelknolf]

I know Acadius quite well, but I am not a coder, and I do not build. While I understand what tech teams and Foam do, I don't have the free time to commit to building or scripting, just to DM.

Do you know who does the tech work lately? Acadius kinda withdrew from tech work back in 2011. Claiming that relationship as a working relationship with tech seems like missing the mark.

[Ithildur]

I've always understood one of the DMA's most important jobs is doing what it takes to help facilitate ALFA having a solid crop of competent, inspired, and motivated DMs.

If you don't mind I'd like to see your thoughts on this laid out, with perhaps ideas on recruiting new DMs along with their training, feeding, grooming, and care. I personally have some concerns that there's been a dropoff of DMing standards in ALFA, some of which is inevitable when you have guys like Ronan or OGR no longer actively DMing and the ranks being shored up by people who are completely unfamiliar with ALFA/NWN/DnD being inadequately trained and thrown to the sharks. On top of that even the best can get discouraged, frustrated or uninspired whether it's due to the client/other mechanical/technical reasons or problem players, etc; to me this is an area that needs to be the highest priority.

It was pointed out by another, that both of the other candidates have had some anger issues at one time or another during or over something to do with responsibilities they have accepted in service to our community of ALFA.

For the sake of clarification (not an endorsement of any candidates)... two candidates were accused, by several individuals who are widely known for their discontentment with ALFA, of letting anger affect their decisions - lest we all come to the conclusion that every one of us that's ever done that (supposing that the two candidates did actually do so) has had 'anger issues'.

Which leads to my other question for Thorin; can you talk about the circumstances that led you to stop becoming involved with Exodus? Not implying anything/accusing, just wanted clarification.

[Ithildur]

Thorin, I really would like to hear your thoughts on this.

[Thorin]

A better application process for DMs, including a live q&a with dms and staff, with the applicant, as well as DM training is the way to go with this.

As for recruiting? It takes willing individuals who want to DM, which means finding people in our community or other role players, who want to DM and not play. That's not always easy to do, so recruiting via social media is the way to go, as well as reddit, something awful, socery.net, places we could find role players looking for a home.