Paazin's platform / Q&A thread

[paazin]

Do you prefer protoss, zerg, or terran?

Terran, always. Otherwise you actually have to work at winning and can't just hoard battlecruisers

Do you believe any part of the current governmental structure needs changing?

I would say a good number of groups within ALFA should be changed around some. One thing that is key is to trim down some of the excess; this has been done already but we really do have much too many positions that simply doesn't even make sense to even fill. This is something we'll need to discuss as a whole, see what suggestions people have. I worked under the PA for some time, as both a OAS DM and an application reviewer - sometimes I found the groups suffered because of the compartmentalization of the groups, and the lack of contact with the DMA and the general DM group.

Vendrin brings up the Standards group as one for reform - something I definitely agree with him on. I've only been a member of the standards group for a short while, but I can see the benefit there would be for expanding it from what's viewed as an 'invite-only' club to something that represents the will of the average ALFAn. Ideally it would be under the Lead Admin and I'd like to see the discussion expanded - simply even making the forum world-readable would be a step in the right direction.

Are you Nalo?

Are you Vendrin?

Yes to both. Don't tell anyone but we're really all just the same person.

Do you think server teams from NWN1 should hold the same voting power on NWN2 issues as teams from NWN2?

It's a good question; ideally no, for pure NWN2 issues. I'd expect the same of NWN2 server teams having voting power over NWN1.

However, anyone tasked with both NWN1 and NWN2 (staff heads, admin, etc.), understandably, should be able to have a deciding vote on the issues.

Do you believe we can cut back on funding?

No! Absolutely out of the question!

[paazin]

Well this makes you kind of a tease, now doesn't it?

[paazin]

Will you vote Obama or McCain?

Honestly? I haven't a clue yet. We'll see after their debates.

[paazin]

1. A common theme in ths lead race is what's viewed as an excessive power held by the DMA, makng him some sort of overlord Admin. Do you feel this is a real issue, and if so would you try to do anything to amend it, by doing something like moving standards to lead like it's being proposed by Ven?

Yes, I think Vendrin's idea is a very good one, one that could help the balance of powers within ALFA. I'd still like the DMA to have a good deal of say within the committee, as ultimately he is tasked with making sure the DMs implement those standards.

2. Back in the last election there was a lot of discussion on what should be done to prevent decision making from taking forever. This was discussed more after the election, compromises were made, etc. Yet here we stand almost two months after live and we still don't have a decision on the warlock/ favoured soul debacle, despite all discussions in the standards forum having effectively ceased. What will you do, not only to resolve this situation, but to prevent it from rising again with other topics?

Making the forum readable to every member of ALFA should help a good deal to alleviate this. Standards, after all, affect every player so there should be little reason why everyone shouldn't be able to comment on them.

3. I've heard you say more than once that you wish for standards to be made public. This is also something that has been raised many times and was always met with resistance. Is that something you're willing to push for? And also, in which way (i.e. stardards doc is public, but forum is still private, or forum is public but with restricted posting rights, etc.)?

Ideally I'd like it public with restricted posting rights - but I would be willing to work with the sitting DMA to seek a compromise. I understand there may be reasons to keep it private, but in this case the greater benefit far outweighs any disadvantages.

4. Staff and voting rights. Do you think we have too many? And is that a problem?

Yes, and yes. We had already begun to trim down on the amount of offices that have little point and we can do more to reorganize. The current state of ALFA doesn't warrant as complicated by-laws as we have; I'd like to have an active discussion seeing people thing could be excised.
Relatedly, I would like to look into the reasoning for the voter rolls; I find one common complaint is that it's difficult for your opinion to be heard, if you aren't a staff head or HDM.

[paazin]

What kind of "Don't vote for stupid." platform will you run on? Just how stupid are your opponents?

The same platform your mom ran on.

Last night.

Your trolling is wasted on me, frend.

[paazin]

One of the traditional roles of Lead was community outreach and player retention.

Will this be a focus of what you do?

Yes, most certainly. My platform is an attempt to deal with the issue of player retention; what'd I'd consider the biggest complaint at the moment with NWN2 is the lack of servers and lack of DMs - hence why I recently stepped up and started DMing on TSM myself.

As far as community outreach, it is a difficult task. Ideally I'd like to make a quick poll to see how, exactly, many of our current members found out about ALFA, and which methods look to be the most effective in recruitment. We can then concentrate our efforts, hopefully making our jobs easier in that regard.

Do you think that ALFA's player base is too big, too small, or just right (for NWN2)?

This is one of those discussions which never has a truly effective resolution, I find. The player base can always be bigger; few disagree with that. As stated above, I'm certain once more servers are up and more DMs are involved in the life of the average PC, ALFA's ranks will swell once more.

[HATEFACE]

Every term by every Lead has one overriding legacy and one overriding unreached goal. What would you like your legacy to be and what do you suspect will be your unreached goal? Asking this now, before any term, ensures that the candidate goes into his term looking forward.

I think the absorption of Standards under the Lead portfolio is a good idea. How would you go about it?

How would you support the PR team?

Thank you.

Fix'd.

[Rick7475]

LOL, a moderate

[JaydeMoon]

Paazin, how do you feel about individuals who are very vocal in this community, yet do not actually contribute anything, even so far as to have stated their intent not to play, DM, help out, etc.

They just make noise and disparage the community on a regular basis.

Do these people have a place in ALFA?

[ThinkTank]

Honk!

[Valdimir]

Many of you might not know me. I've not been as vocal as some with the various roles I had within ALFA. However, I've been around long enough to get to know the heart of this community; the people that make it the immersive, interactive world, rich in story and detail - which is what keeps us here, despite all the strife and drama.

Paazin,

First, let me say I am very impressed with your well-considered and mature platform. As you stated above, you have not been as vocal with the various roles you have had within ALFA. As a bit of a 'mystery wrapped in an enigma' I wonder if you would expand a little on your experience and the various positions you've held? Who has had the biggest influence on your development within the community?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Valdimir

[Brokenbone]

LA's current charter role:

A. Lead Administrator—Oversight of Administration, Veto & Referral Authority, and Public Relations. Also responsible for resolving disputes over domain classification of any particular issue.

Arguably, the LA hasn't got a lot to do with the NWN1 / NWN2 game, except for promotion (PR). Guess there's a significant, but indirect game-changing power if they pick an Admin whose views they feel more sympathy for, in categorizing a cross-domain dispute (i.e., policy making by proxy, pick someone whose views match yours and claim it was due to "blurry domain lines").

Other than domain classification, LA does have a chance to stop or at least delay game-changing policies which originate with other Admin. Could be based on their own views, could be because some group has lobbied them to exercise power due to reasons they argue well enough to move the LA to action. Veto though is not final, other Admin & HDMs can always override that.

Anyhow, if you support giving LA an actual "game-changing" item in the portfolio, would you also support one or more admin also gaining veto powers? I.e., today, Standards policies out of the DMA can be vetoed (not that past LAs have done much of that), in the future, could Standards policies out of the LA be vetoed? You do not need to describe in any detail that "yes, each will have a veto", or "yes, any alliance of two can veto" or any other formula, just seeing if this tradeoff has been considered. Note I do not see the lack of any other Admin authority to veto "PR policy" as actually important ("hey, I veto using a blue background for that logo?")... it's the game-changing stuff I am interested in.

Basically, making a "checks and balances" Admin into a "policy making admin" might mean someone or everyone else needs to borrow some of the "checks and balances" power. As a candidate for Lead Admin, are you supportive of this idea?

[paazin]

Every term by every Lead has one overriding legacy and one overriding unreached goal. What would you like your legacy to be and what do you suspect will be your unreached goal? Asking this now, before any term, ensures that the candidate goes into his term looking forward.

I think the absorption of Standards under the Lead portfolio is a good idea. Do you agree and how would you go about it?

How would you support the PR team?

Thank you.

I see my future legacy as an improvement of the civility of the community and an increase of transparency in the system as a whole. In a sense, do my best to bring trust to the Admin and ALFA. Drama will always exist, true, but there has been success in diffusing 'bombs' by getting those involved to agree to talk and showing to the average ALFAn that there is no subterfuge on part of the admin.

I hope that nothing that I plan will be 'unfinished' by the end of my term; however, I realize that discussion of ALFA's governance do take time and changes come slowly. I want the average player to see ALFA as being run not by a 'cabal' of just a few old-timers; instead it should be viewed as governed by the community as a whole. I'd like to begin sincere discussions on if the governance-system itself can evolve to fit our current needs. My expectation is that any dramatic changes will not come simply and within the term allotted to me, but my hope is that it will be.

I do agree with Vendrin's proposition. I think it's something that we as a community need to discuss, the players, the DMs, the admin; but the reasoning that it is an ALFA-wide issue, not only a DM-wide, is sound.

As far as the PR team is concerned, my plan is to do a period of study and analysis of our current PR methods and devise which ones are the most effective; which methods get our voice heard.

[paazin]

LOL, a moderate

Haha, yeah Rick - someone has to be, after all

[paazin]

Paazin, how do you feel about individuals who are very vocal in this community, yet do not actually contribute anything, even so far as to have stated their intent not to play, DM, help out, etc.

They just make noise and disparage the community on a regular basis.

Do these people have a place in ALFA?

Though this would be a fitting time to just paste in Burt's 'NO! BAN!' animation of Vendrin's old avatar - it ain't that simple.

I feel the annoyance along with everyone else of those who simply insult and disparage without offering anything back, especially those with the constant 'tude.

As far as dealing with it, The buck stops here. If a player is constantly abusive, corrective action will be taken (including a simple ban). We need to make sure the reasoning is sound and transparent - as everyone loves having more Drama