A Land Far Away

Rusty has contacted me for the purpose of submitting his resignation as DM Admin. As such, self-nominations for the position of DMA are now open and will continue for seven days.

Since we are only about 2 months into the DMA's term, the successful candidate will only serve the rest of the current term until October 2008.

Please do not post in this thread unless you are self-nominating.

I nominate myself. I have no experience in dealing with Alfa admin, I've only recently become a PADM, and for most of the time I am completely unavailable, but I'll do my best to get back to anyone when I feel like it.
Oh and if you want to know my stance on things, the answer is no I won't allow it.

edit: I'm dropping out.

I've decided to run for DMA for the remainder of this term.

THE SPIDER BEHIND THE SCREEN

I joined ALFA in the summer of 2004, and though I had originally intended to use it as a playing outlet (I've never gotten much chance to be a player with my pencil and paper group, I'm always the DM), I became a DM almost immediately.

I infact was a proto-type PADM of sorts, I was allowed to DM prior to being a member for 30 days, as long as I was accompanied by another DM. I've been a proto-type PADM, ADM, EADM on two servers, and now HDM (though only very recently). Most of my DMing and building has occured on the BG server. I've held the DMA position once before. I've been a member of several groups within ALFA, including the Standards Team, Canon 101 instructor, and Admin staff.

Outside of ALFA I've been DMing pencil and paper games for more than a decade, most often in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting (brief stints into other settings, I enjoyed Darksun and Ravenloft once in awhile). I'm somewhat of a canon guru when it comes to the Realms, though, I do make mistakes, it's always good to double-check and look things up for yourself.

I'm very easily reachable in chat or on the forums at most times, and spend a lot of time at the computer, time I can devote to the ALFA vision.

STANDARDS

I do not believe Standards should be moved from beneath DMA purview. However, I do believe that Standards has in some regards overstepped their purpose. Some issues (playable races/classes) fall under multiple platforms and should be a general Admin decision.

ALFA DM SCREEN

I'd like to consolidate the spread of rules, systems, and guidelines a DM must follow into one easy to reference document. A quick reference and guidebook for ALFA DMs, similar to the APM but with a focus on Standards and DMing in general. Anything that makes a DMs stressful and often thankless job easier is a priority as far as I am concerned.

I am self-nominating for the position of DMA.

Platform and Q&A forthcoming.

Hello, my name is Mike and I’m running for DMA.

I decided to run, reluctantly, because I think ALFA needs a diplomatic DMA with experience as leader and a mentor.

Today, I'm asking for 2 months and a chance to make things better. It's a low risk chance to make some improvements. If it doesn't work out, I'm gone in 2 months and we all tried.

I care about ALFA still and want to help it. My goal is to help ALFA heal its wounds in the post-Rusty era and be a vital, active and accessible DMA. My agenda is to make needed changes to the structure of the DMA office, restore common sense, trust and fun by taking a hard look at our rules and simplifying them.

While the term is only for 2 months, I’m not running as a “care taker” or to maintain the status quo. Things very obviously need some changes here. I’m not going to force an agenda down anyone’s throat because ultimately any changes should be what my constituency wants. My platform is one composed of as many good ideas as I could find, and I don’t care who they come from. If you’re a DM and you have an issue, you will be listened to.

As for who I am, I’ve been a member since NWN1 Live – so 5 years or so. During that time, I’ve primarily played. I’ve also proudly served as a Staff Head for Tech, mainly organizing activities, handling diplomacy for Murky and working with the HAKs. I also served as a DMA staffer under Ava where I evaluated several servers for gold leaks and bugs, and helped fix them. I’ve also helped quite a few DMs learn the DM client and how to build encounters whenever I could.

Additionally, I was one of the original proponents for Standards on the boards, pushing for examining play balance through wealth control. Was it uniquely my idea? No, but I pushed hard and helped with the original iteration. Tdawg did a great job with them. I was also the original Constitutional Committee and had some minor input on the Charter that was ultimately Fluff’s brain child. I was also briefly a DM on the North Underdark, Daggerdale and OAS and have done a lot of building, quietly, for several servers around ALFA at various times.

At times, I’ve been controversial here. It happens over the course of 5 years. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve had bad days and bad luck or been as stubborn as the people who I’ve dealt with on occasion. A lot has been said about it at times, but there are two sides to now mostly distant issues. I’ve learned a great deal and evovled and I've never turned down someone who needed help in this community when I knew how to.

Whatever you may think of me or mistakes I've made, I'm running on a set of ideas to help this community. That is what it is about.

As for who I am, I am currently a manager at major bank with project management and technical writing experience. Prior to that I did contract work as a private intelligence analyst (i.e wrote reports, nbd), free lance video, general research and a lot of sales inter-mixed. By education, I’m a political scientist. Politics is the art of building consensus in my book.

As a gamer, I’ve mainly played war games and DnD since 2nd Edition and am proudly running one of the largest campaigns on the Giant in the Playground (home of the Order of the Stick). I’ve also played most of the major CRPGs as well and been in a few mod communities (BG2 primarily) during the day…

My actual platform is below…

1. The Pillars of the DMA Role

A) The DMA’s primary role is to be a mentor and support NWN1 & NWN2 DMs.
B) The DMA control’s ALFA canon. All “Realm Shattering Event” plots must be reviewed by the DMA.
C) The DMA must be an active DM on a NWN1 or NWN2 server.
D) The DMA shall work with server HDMs to support plots but not run servers.
E) The DMA will coordinate DM issues with Tech and Infra.

2. DMs United: My opinion is that there should simply be "ALFA DMs" not NWN1 DMs and NWN2 DMs, just DMs. DM on either side so long as you can use the client.

A) Current or former NWN1 or NWN2 DMs do not need to reapply. If an HDM wants them, that’s good enough. No PADM status. They must be able to use the DM client, follow standards and up to date o the plots. Only new DMs need to apply. Not to run them through a ringer but to get a sense of who they are.

B) DMA still reserves the right to veto potential DMs; rarely. An explanation must also be given any possible “path to DMing”. It’s about transparency and keeping things on a professional level.

C) The HDM of a rejected DM candidate can appeal to the full Admin. A rejected candidate cannot reapply for 1 year or until a different DMA is elected after that point, though…

3. DM Training: HDMs and EADMs are given a check list of things to go over with a new DM as part of orientation they do at their discretion. Why? Classes are logistically difficult and people don’t like to do them. They are also very time consuming. By making DM Training more accessible, it will help increase overall knowledge.

A “How to DM well”, how to use the DM client and a briefing on using Standards will be written up by the DMA team for review by new DMs instead of a class. eLearning works well enough for most of us at work, it can here too.

An Advanced class on using the DM Client will be run based on demand on how to get the most out of the NWN 2 DM Client. This would be an elective, but encouraged.

4. Standards: The DMA maintains a management role in Standards (i.e. Standards Lead is the DMA or delegated staffer). The only thing the DMA should have final say on would be magic item pricing (not including ban lists).

All other Standards issues (ECL/LA, available races, available classes, nerfs/buffs to any of the above, spell changes, etc) I think can be worked on by standards, but ultimately need to be discussed and decided upon by the Admin as a whole, to prevent any one Admin from determining what ALFA will be or not be.

A) Membership will be diversified with all the other Admins appointing as well.

B) Standards will be publically viewable.

C) Standards will be simplified. We have strayed too far from the DMG.

D) Wealth guidelines will focus on player equipment, not overall wealth.

5. Standards Outlook and Enforcement: DMs have become overawed with standards, in large part due to draconian enforcement and fear of running afoul of an incomprehensible set of rules. It’s safer to err on the low side. This actually leads to inconsistency and low wealth, attrition and a fearful climate.

Standards must be simplified. Not a blank slate, but a cleaner one that expects DM responsibility does not reduce everything to a spread sheet. DM trust needs to have a larger role here. Enforcement needs to be more congenial and cooperative. Understanding needs to be increased and a managed wealth needs to be adopted; which is what we should currently have.

A) Player Conduct: Players found to be in violation of wealth or item Standards would have the case handled by the Player Admin. The DMA’s office provides consultation only.

B) DM Conduct: DMs who violate reward standards are subject to counseling by the DMA. HDMs who run servers that have problematic spawns or other related issues need to fix them. Instead of threatening, the DMA office will coordinate assistance in doing so.

C) Server Approval – Trust but Verify: It should not us 10 months to build a server versus other communities. Surely we have them on quality, but the red tape of compliance audits by outsiders and such should not be holding up Live servers. That seems to be the hold up, not the actual building.

When they say the building standards are met, we will take that on trust. We will still verify that in cooperation with the Tech Admin and work to fix any issues by helping the DM team fix the issue and support any retroactive fixes, but will trust first.

6. DM Code of Conduct, Fairness Doctrine & Discipline: The DM Code of Conduct should be revised if necessary and reinforced.

A) Make the DM discipline system more open and understandable (and flexible) like the PAs system.

B) Requirement for DM neutrality: A DM with a serious OOC issue with a player or otherwise biased should not DM that player. Couples DMing each other are still allowed. That relationship is ultimately overseen by peers, the HDM, the DMA, the PA and Lead.

C) Fairness Doctrine: DMs cannot use “rail road” plots, punishing players IC for actions that should be handled administratively by the PA or force players to play with them against their will. Players are entitled to DM neutrality beyond a reasonable doubt. If it’s in question by either party, it’s probably an issue.

D) Fairness Doctrine: Players should always have a “way out” with only moderate consequence as not every DM /Player relationship is going to work. This is a GAME. Unless there is something requiring a case be filed against the player, move on. ALFA’s #1 pillar is to have fun. Regulated fun, but fun.

E) Community Leaders: DMs are community leaders. If you act like an asshat on the boards, you’re out for awhile.

7. DM v. Player Disputes: Disputes between a DM and a Player are reviewed jointly by the PA and DMA. The PA will make the determination on the case. The DMA may appeal this decision to the full Admin.

8. Restoring the HDM’s role in ALFA – Sort Of:

A) The HDM’s ability to override Admin needs to be clarified and reestablished. An individual HDM is just as valuable to this community as an Admin. The difference between the two should be viewed as a division of labor.

B) HDMs and Standards: As HDMs are required to implement Standards, they should have a say in the approval of the Standards. It’s about buy-in with the people implementing them.

9. Building Standards: This should be a joint venture between the DMA and Tech Admin. The DMA’s role here is to provide guidelines on static content (spawns and merchants, etc). The Tech Admin handles Server Standards. This includes naming conventions, what scripts to implement, etc.

10. Server Succession: HDMs will be required to provide a monthly copy of their servers for a protected FTP maintained by Infra. In the event of a technical issue or a change in DM leadership, ALFA cannot afford to lose a server. Disciplining a HDM unwilling to provide such an upload will just encourage them to leave and take the server with them. Instead this should be a litmus test for any potential server teams or appointing a new HDM.

Other Goals

Voting:

Restore some of the HDM’s role as mentioned above and give all community members the ability to vote for Lead Admin. DM Admin should remain a DM vote, however.

Constitutional Committee:

It becomes the Election Committee. Admin can decide on Charter changes per a reasonable method.

Reduce Voting Staff:

Regardless of what other Admins do, there should only be one voting Staff Head for DMA

Relations with Exodus

Sharing: There is no reason we cannot share technical resources. We already do in the sense that Acadius Lost does tech work for both ALFA and Exodus. What more can and should be done?

Neighborhood Watch: We should coordinate on membership with Exodus in the sense that anyone banned from one community would be banned from the other community. Good neighbors warn each other of bad characters in the neighborhood. More PA territory, but let’s run with it. Why not?

The self-nomination period is now over and voting has begun in the following thread.
http://www.alandfaraway.org/phpbbforum/ ... 867#476867