I'm starting this thread in hope that we could streamline player/staff communication and events by creating a calendar with staff availability timeslots that players can book.
I was looking into Microsoft Bookings, and I am sure that there are plenty of other free resources online that can be used in its place.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microso ... ooking-app
Here is a short video on how MS Bookings works:Microsoft Bookings makes scheduling and managing appointments a breeze. Bookings includes a web-based booking calendar and integrates with Outlook to optimize your staff’s calendar and give your customers flexibility to book a time that works best for them. Email and SMS text notifications reduce no-shows and enhances customer satisfaction. Your organization saves time with a reduction in repetitive scheduling tasks. With built-in flexibility and ability to customize, Bookings can be designed to fit the situation and needs of many different parts of an organization.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=647C4gZt9Fo
I came up with this idea in response to this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=77027
Response times to requests:
The current response time is absolutely atrocious. I made a joke on my discord that it takes 4d4 weeks to get a formal response to have something done - This in my opinion is unacceptable. A simple message within 12 hours should at least be given to the player making the request that is has been noted and up for discussion. The DM replying should also post the request under the DM subforums for discussion. Requests should NEVER go unanswered.
I believe it is up to the team to actively try to close open requests - not up to the player. Some requests are so simple that it should not take even a day of discussion and should be automatically approved - such as a scouting mission.
It is VERY demoralizing for the player to try and negotiate an event for weeks when they know that his or her character would have already completed the task if not for OOC politics. It should not be the players responsibility to constantly send reminders on a weekly basis and get a few sentences in response, while they see DM approved rumors on the IC rumors feed of opposition players actively working against them.
Most players and DMs use discord. Hit them up there and have a live chat about what they wish to do and calendar it.
Split your focus equally on both sides. If you hold one event for TG, make sure you hold a second for TE.
Impromptu events are great for this. Spawn a boss monster (example) with some nice loot on drop and place it in some map somewhere. Let the players know and have them deal with it. There are many events that you can generate that don't need your direct supervision.
People come here to try and make a change in the world - help them with that. If it is not something that can be done to the players liking - compromise!
Get the events rolled out for both sides - you will have a happier player base in return. This is the responsibility that you accepted when applying for the DM position after all.
I've already made my position clear on the above - and I will concede that this is not a job, but a hobby. I am not trying to make this feel like a job, but I would like to see a level of organization and consistency so that both the staff and player base will be happy.Avanos wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 5:58 pm What I do criticize the team on is communication.
REPLY in a timely manner! That's all I ask for!
Rhifox - you have a ton on your plate and you have set a GOLD standard. If I pm you with an issue I already know that I am guaranteed a reply within 12-24 hours. You even follow up yourself on issues without players needing to remind you (from what I've seen so far). This is my expectation from the rest of the team.
If one or two messages were to be missed - I'm sure people will not cause a fuss. But do the back-end research. Go through PMs and check to see how long it takes for most events to get processed.
As far as criticism, this will come with the territory - in any job really! You need to steel yourself against all forms of personalities and need to know how to accept criticism whether it be right or wrong. Its the only way to learn and move forward. I've been chewed out by my higher ups on more than one occasion. There are times when I knew I was wrong, and other times where I knew I was right - but I accepted the criticism and learned from it.
We are here to help the DM team as a player-base too - its not fun to log in as a DM and see only one or two people playing. It is a relationship that needs to be maintained.
Being a staff member on BG is just like having any other job. I know that it is unpaid - but at the end of the day, you signed up for it! You accepted the responsibilities of an unpaid position.
As for the DM Request tool:
viewtopic.php?f=444&p=937422#p937422
We need more transparency. We have no idea if something is being worked on or not and I'm sure that players do not want to keep reminding the team.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
A system like this will accomplish the following:
Transparency
DMs Set their own schedule
Players book timeslots based on DM schedule
Improve Communication
Expedite Events
Expedite Plots
Maintain Consistency
I think that a system like this is at least WORTH testing - no harm will come from a trial period of a month. There is nothing to lose and we can only gain from it.
Thoughts?