Staff

Qualities Needed For Staffing

Consistent Availability

Staff bits will be removed of their privileges after 14 days of inactivity regardless of the reason behind said inactivity. When you return, you’re free to ask to come back onto staff, but we do not keep people on the +staff listing if they aren’t here because people need to know who is available at a glance.

Delegation Skills

It is much better to admit that you have too much on your plate than it is to keep people waiting. You need to be able to keep track of whether you are processing your +jobs in a timely fashion (avg. 3 day turnaround except for plots). We need to be aware of whether we need more staff.

Conflict Resolution Skills

If you are afraid to drop the gavel on a disruptive player, you should not staff here. Players look to staff to finalize decisions and resolve disputes players feel they can not/should not resolve amongst themselves. You need to be able to be a leader, not just a storyteller or +jobs processor, and you need to be confident that you can handle objections respectfully.

A Clean Slate

We do not screen players for candidacy on whether or not we “like” them as staff. However, you can be disqualified. We will not accept staff applications from players who have documented accounts of poor behavior. If corrective action becomes necessary for you at any time while you are on Staff (such as disrespectfully handling a situation with a player), you will be removed from staff.

Applying For Staff

To apply for staff, send in a +Request to tell us

  • Your time zone.
  • What you would like to do on staff.
  • Whether you are currently staff on another game (so we know your workload).
  • Anything else you’d like to say.

In Case Of Absent Staff

Absent For 5 Days

If you haven’t logged in for 5 days, your +jobs and plots are free game for others to delegate to themselves or whomever they see fit unless you have asked them not to in advance.

Absent For 10 Days

If you have not logged in for 10 days, we will start to look for a replacement for you. This will occur regardless of why you are gone. Even though you might have a good reason, it doesn’t change that we need someone in the meantime, so please don’t take it personally.

Staff Expectations

If you read anything, read these. These rules are important enough that if you break them once, then you are dismissed from staff.

If it would get you fired from a job, it will get you banned from staff.

Especially when it comes to how you speak to players. If you would get fired for saying it to a customer, you will get removed from staff for saying it to a player.

Rules changes must be acknowledged by Chromeo to be valid.

I know this sounds strict but players go to head staff to ask questions and so head staff needs to know what the hell the rules actually are. New house rules under discussion can not and will not apply to any player or +job whatsoever until the rules in question are acknowledged by Chromeo.

I don't particularly care a whole lot what the rules are and trust peoples' ideas to be good, but I need to know my own game's policies and I have learned people don't follow the 'Tell Chromeo Before You Change The Rules' rule. So, we're going to try the 'The Rules Don't Change Until Chromeo Says So' rule.

Do Not Request To Change Rules Mid +Request.

The core books are the rules. If we did not put in house rules for it, there are not house rules for it. Period. Even if there really need to be house rules, a player’s +request is the wrong time and place to decide that. Process the +request with the existing rules or lack of rules. Then inform the player, “I’ll be processing your request with the current rules, but, we may be changing the house rules for requests like this in the future, so please be aware for next time.” House rules are not enforcable until they are approved. Their +request was filed before you decided to change them. No takebacks.

Three Strikes And You’re Out

Staffers are subject to a strike system (3 strikes and you are permanently removed from staff). Anything that refers to having a “strike” on you refers to this self-explanatory system. Players are perfectly entitled to report staffers for a Strike. Please understand that Strikes are not personal, but a mere account of events that happened.

Chromeo and RiloKiley are the staffers who may apply Strikes because they are not afraid to enforce the rules.

One Strike Offenses

+Job Neglect: If any single +Job on your queue sits unresponded to for 3 days or more, the +Jobs system will mark that job as “AWOL STAFFER,” which cues other staffers to look at it in context and apply a strike. If you incur 3 strikes of Job Neglect (and Job Neglect only), then you will be furloughed for one month. Please understand that the situation causing your +Job Neglect does not change the fact that you can not keep up with your +jobs.

Two Strike Offenses

Disrespectful/Disruptive Conduct: I’m not going to tell you how to not be an asshole and what constitutes being an asshole because you know what being an asshole means already by merit of having the social skills to play this social game. You are entitled to one warning about any problematic, personal behavior and one warning only.

The circumstances behind your behavior do not matter. You can recognize that you are in a bad mood or having a bad day. If you are in a bad mood or having a bad day, then you should sign off of your staff bit until you are no longer in that bad mood. If you choose to come in here with a bad mood, the laws of etiquette and expectations of conduct do not change for you.

If being a dickbag is “just how you are,” I am sure we will get along as people, but I will still remove you from staff.

Three Strike Offenses

Rage Quitting: If you rage quit, when you sign back on, you will not be a part of staff. Staffing can be stressful. Frustration can and will happen. If you make a broadway musical out of your malcontent, you are not coming back to staff no matter what. No matter what.

Weaselquitting: Weasel-quitting is when you hide from the game by playing on other games or your alts and then feed players/staff bullshit about how you’ve been too busy IRL. If you feel you need to take a break, take a break. Honesty doesn't come with penalties. Lying to people does. If you are found on other games but told us, “Sorry, I’m too busy,” we will remove you.

Not Following Staff Expectations: Read the staff expectations. Follow them. If you break them, you are gone because these procedures are, indeed, that important to follow. If you tell me, “I didn’t know,” that means you did not read them and thus should not be on staff.

A Guide To Handling Situations

Corrective Action Policy

Staffers are selected for their willingness to be storytellers and retained for their capability to be mature, capable leaders. If you have an issue or concern, be up front and proactive about communicating. We do not want an environment where users marinate in un-aired, festering drama. If someone chronically over-reacts to negative feedback or tends to placate the loudest player at the expense of others because it's "easier", they should be relieved of staffing sooner rather than later.

Be Respectful And Clear

A disagreement or objection to something needs to be handled in a direct, adult manner in order to be as efficient as possible and let the game return to an enjoyable state. When you have a disagreement with someone and you need to do something about it, do the following:

  1. Point out the behavior and why it is a problem. Ex.: Your OOC comments are disruptive and disrespectful.
  2. Point out what effect this behavior has. Ex.: These rude interruptions are grinding the scene to a halt.
  3. Point out the consequences for this behavior. Ex.: If you don't stop, then I'm dropping you from the scene.
  4. Point out the behavior you want to see instead. Ex: You need to withhold these comments or leave.
  5. Confirm that they understand. Ex.: Are you willing to do this or do you need to leave?
  6. Document the instance (shoot staff a summary @mail, +request, etc.) so that if the behavior is habitual, we know about it and can address it. A summary of what happened is just as sufficient as a log (do try to get a log though).

Do Not Be Afraid Of Being Reported

Players will either get completely ripshit pissed and report you or understand and comply. You will never get in trouble just because a player is mad. If you speak to them disrespectfully, this is another thing, but if they’re complaining because you did what you said you would, then that’s just you doing your job.

Stay On Task

Players receiving this sort of corrective feedback tend to try and distract the point of the conversation by bringing it back to the problems of the game. Their feedback is probably actually really, really valid, HOWEVER, it doesn’t change that they’re being an asshole. So, don’t let them derail the conversation.

Here’s a line to use so you can get it back on track: “That is unfortunate. I will want to discuss how to fix that with you. However, I need you to understand that we still need to resolve the current issue at hand, which is <what you came here to talk about>. We need to address this first. Then we can work together to fix <whatever they’re giving feedback about.>.”

The Problem Player Field Guide

Check out Our The Problem Player Field Guide for some lols and advice on handling certain types of situations.

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