Recommendation requirement

[Retz]

I've been holding off on making this suggestion for quite some time hoping that the staff shortage situation would improve on its own, but it still hasn't. 

 

To put it bluntly, I think the recommendation requirement for applying for staff is completely unnecessary and is hurting the server more than it's helping it.

 

Out of every single gaming community I've been a part of in my time (a lot), Flux is the very first one that I've been a part of that has had this staff recommendation requirement for applying for staff. 

Out of these communities, a lot of them were/are very successful despite not requiring you to get recommended by staff to apply for staff which clearly shows that this requirement is completely unnecessary.

 

If all of these other very popular communities out there with much bigger player bases don't have it as a requirement and are still doing just fine, why did someone think it would be necessary on Flux? The only way I could see this requirement actually being necessary is if Flux was a supermassive community that got multiple staff applications a day and the requirement was there to limit the number of applications, but Flux doesn't get a lot of applications, in fact, it'd be lucky to get one or two in a good week.

 

Having this requirement in place severely bottlenecks the number of potential staff candidates, and I think this requirement is one of the biggest factors contributing to the staff shortage problem we have at the moment because not enough staff are recommending people and in the rare occasion that someone does get recommended they usually don't get accepted.

 

Don't get me wrong, recommendations from staff should still be a very big +1 to your application, but I do not think they should be a requirement to apply.

 

The way I see it, removing the recommendation requirement wouldn't hurt the server or community whatsoever so there's really no reason to not remove it.

Removing it would however benefit the server greatly by allowing more people to apply for staff which hopefully would mean more staff getting hired.

The biggest problem the server has at the moment is a lack of staff members online during the 'off-times', I believe there should always be a staff member online and the only way that is going to happen is if a lot more staff get hired which simply won't happen if this requirement stays in place.

 

One of the biggest put-offs for new players to Flux would be when they hop on the server, see no staff on whatsoever, and see that everyone's just RDMing and breaking the rules. That isn't fun for anyone and especially not to people who are new to the community so chances are they will never hop on the server again. 

 

 

 

 

If you believe that the requirement should stay in place, please let me know why you think so because I genuinely can't think of a single benefit that this requirement brings to the server.

[Wookie]

There was a stage where we had the recommendation as an optional requirement, however we were flooded by applicants and it turned out that the only people who were successful in their application were those who had asked for recommendations despite it not being necessary, thus it was made mandatory again.

[Retz]

Well if it stays mandatory I still think staff should at least recommend a lot more people.

Maybe enocurage staff to keep their eye out for people they think would be good staff and have them message that person and let them know, not the other way around. There's probably a lot of people that would make great staff but they never get recommended because they never message the staff to ask.

 

I don't care what changes, I just want something to change so more staff are avaiable. Most weekdays I rarely see any staff on, and on the rare occasion that one does get on they're on for like half an hour then get off again.

 

I don't know, it just feels like the server is neglected on the off-times. I know for a fact that there's a bunch of people who want and would make great staff members and can play pretty much all the time, but none of them ever get recommended.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I see the Recommendation as a requirement because it stops CERTAIN people, Minges, and toxic players from applying, as most of the staff are aware of who they are usually. The reason why it seems staff aren't online during the down-time is because we do have lives, as well as some times we do get sick of the server with constant abuse from some players.

 

While I do see your point of view, as how it is difficult to get a staff members recommendation. There may be alternative ways to go about it. But As wookie said it is mandatory, It could be changed who knows.

[Retz]

I get that it could stop some bad players from applying, but why does that matter? If a bad player applies, they'll get denied, simple as that.

 

I also get that staff members have lives and can't play all of the time, I'm not blaming them for not being able to be on the server constantly, I'm just saying that new staff members getting hired would hopefully make it so there's never a time when there's no staff on the server, and there isn't anyone applying.

[Slowe_Ninja]

I really like the idea of staff reaching out to players who they would be willing to recommend as staff as some people would be good for staff but don't know how to ask a staff or just haven't really given it much thought that they could apply for staff. You can't expect at least 1 staff member to be on at all times though Retz as staff have similar times as most for when they play, there will always be periods where people are playing and staff can't get on.

[Retz]

I really like the idea of staff reaching out to players who they would be willing to recommend as staff as some people would be good for staff but don't know how to ask a staff or just haven't really given it much thought that they could apply for staff. You can't expect at least 1 staff member to be on at all times though Retz as staff have similar times as most for when they play, there will always be periods where people are playing and staff can't get on.

 

Exactly, there's a lot of people that probably don't know how to ask or haven't thought about applying, so staff reaching out to them would be really helpful. I think Staff just waiting for people to message them isn't a very efficient way to do things.

 

And that's exactly what I'm saying, most of the current staff all usually play at similar times and outside of those times, there's usually no staff. My point is that they should hire staff that are available outside of those times because I know of several people who are usually always available during the off-times and would make great staff, they just don't get a chance to apply because they don't get recommended.

[FaithlessWolfe]

Uhhh fam some staff already do message players and ask them if they're considering applying for staff, just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean it's not happening. Removing the recommendation requirement will just get the staff applications flooded with people making apps and most of those would be people that aren't gonna get it. Honestly if people want staff they'll put in the 5 minutes required to message a current staff member and ask for a recommendation, it's not a hard thing to do and if they can't even be bothered doing that then why should they get staff?

[Predzee]

Staff should be encouraged to scout candidates. In economics, to eradicate a shortage, you decrease the price of your good or service. The same principle can be applied to recommendations. In this shortage, managers should be open minded, and give obliging players a chance to prove they can staff. Staff make a commitment to a server, and the excuse that you get bored, or you have lives, is fallible. Make a commitment to someone else.

[Retz]

Removing the recommendation requirement will just get the staff applications flooded with people making apps and most of those would be people that aren't gonna get it.

 

Again, I don't see what the problem there is? If 'bad' people apply, they'll get denied. It's not a lot of extra work for anyone. Denying and locking staff applications takes about 30 seconds. I was a Forum Admin in a community that got a half a dozen staff applications on a slow day, and that was super easy to manage. 

 

With the current state of the staff team the higher-ups can't afford to be cherry picking staff applicants. Without a lot more active staff there's going to be so many new players that get put off the server because they join a server with no moderators and sees all the RDMing and rule breaking going on and get put off.

[FaithlessWolfe]

"the higher-ups can't afford to be cherry picking staff" uhhh yeah they can. Just because more staff are needed doesn't mean they should just give it to anybody, giving the wrong people staff is worse than having no staff on the server.

[Predzee]

I left the server 30 minutes ago because White Flame was indiscriminately stalking and trying to kill me.

That was among other issues, including: rdm baiting, revenge rdm, chat spamming. Not fun.

Would have referred to @TTTMod on discord but i'm chat banned for offending somebody.

 

What are the online staff doing now?

Taylor: Minecraft

Menace: -

Room Service: -

Accel: Counter Strike Global Offensive

aRe yOu aN aDmiN: do not disturb

Fun Police: Dota 2

Aeyon: Moderating the server

Garett: Another Garrysmod server

Let me on the cold ones: Spotify

Mau5stick: -

Tom The Wizard: -

 

Never seen  Room service, Accel, Let me on the cold ones, Mau5stick or Tom The Wizard on the server.

Active Staff: Aeyon, Garett, Zoidberg, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon.

Some regulars i know that want staff: Wolfe, Haywire.

Other people that want staff: I don't think we going to get a recommendation from progressive admins. 

Did Ruby get staff: No, conflict with staff. Seriously? Wait, of course, someone got offended. 

Flux Staff: We're inactive, let's give somebody else staff. No one is eligible for staff. 

My other post: How about you take the time to teach somebody to be staff. 

Me now: Looks like i forgot you were active. r/wooosh

 

The problem won't solve itself. This is pathetic.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I left the server 30 minutes ago because White Flame was indiscriminately stalking and trying to kill me.

That was among other issues, including: rdm baiting, revenge rdm, chat spamming. Not fun.

Would have referred to @TTTMod on discord but i'm chat banned for offending somebody.

 

 

Never seen  Room service, Accel, Let me on the cold ones, Mau5stick or Tom The Wizard on the server.

Active Staff: Aeyon, Garett, Zoidberg, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon, Aeyon.

 

http://prntscr.com/npun1u

 

I just wanna point that out to you predzee. While you couldn't have Tagged us because you are chat banned there are three simple solutions around that

 

1) DON'T GET CHAT BANNED

2) Dm another player asking them to tag staff for you.

3) Message a Staff member. Half the time I don't even see the Discord Tags I get, So I usually ask people to DM me, in which they gotta friend me to do so. Either that or message me on steam for my attention.

 

The other thing too. 

 

Room Service (Generic) Does get on, While it's not frequent it's because he is busy with IRL stuff.

 

Accel is a COMMUNITY MANAGER the manager of discord, It's not his job to join TTT and be a staff member, He does it when he is available. It is not expected of him.

 

Let me on the cold ones (Genghis) Yeahhh... I really got nothing for him

 

Mau is currently busy with IRL problems trying to fix them, and they have his attention over the server. This is well known by most active members in the community.

 

Tom The Wizard (Tim) he is busy in his last year of school. I know what thats like, I was there last year lots of exams and what not does tend to make it difficult to get on everytime someone beckons you.

 

As for Aeyon, Garrett and me, Aeyon is yes more active then Garrett and I. However, he is also busy with work atm and as you may not know he has actually just gotten a second job.

 

Garrett is also allowed to play on other servers if he wishes. As am I. As are you. You cannot expect staff members to be a "One" Server Pony, who only plays on server or gamemode. I can say for a fact that I use to play on 3 other TTT's when I first got staff.

 

I myself am busy trying to find work, and sort my life out as at the moment, I am still working out what I wanna do with myself.

 

The other thing is staff have their breaking points, while some can cop a beating from users, others cannot. There is a reluctancy of people wanting to get on. At the moment I have a huge reluctancy when certain users are on as I honestly don't want to deal with their shit. No one does, yet we d

Some regulars i know that want staff: Wolfe, Haywire.

Other people that want staff: I don't think we going to get a recommendation from progressive admins. 

Did Ruby get staff: No, conflict with staff. Seriously? Wait, of course, someone got offended. 

Flux Staff: We're inactive, let's give somebody else staff. No one is eligible for staff. 

My other post: How about you take the time to teach somebody to be staff. 

Me now: Looks like i forgot you were active. r/wooosh

 

The problem won't solve itself. This is pathetic.

 

 

As for the Regulars who want staff.

 

Wolfe has made an attempt at getting her staff back, and has expressed their interest and received a recommendation from myself and others.

 

Haywire, He may want staff but he has something like 7 warnings I believe from memory. All from stuff he has done wrong, they are valid warnings despite him saying "Ohh they're only from Aeyon so they don't count." Doesn't matter if all your warnings are from ONE staff, they are still valid unless you can prove otherwise. With Haywire saying things like this I get the impression that he will be going off at other staff causing issues, hence why I'd say no to him getting staff despite him being a regular.

 

From my understanding Ruby just didn't get staff due to unresolved issues with some of the staff, from what I know there were other factors, but it was a main issue with the unresolved issues.

The staff are by no means inactive they are busy with their life. Something you should be if you have the time to come on to the forums and bitch about it, instead of finding a solution to your first problem. Not to mention, you were ALSO someone who -repped Ruby's staff application, which I'm questioning as to why your complaining she didn't get it when you clearly didn't want her too?

 

As for your other posts, you need to tone it down slightly. As you have been a condescending prick. I've read most of your posts, I can live with you however you have actually causes some issues such as a user being confused about whether he can actually post reports on players on the forums or not, because you were saying it's a trivial matter and it's not worth posting reports on 1 or 2 RDMs

Again, a trivial matter. rdm when no staff are on is unavoidable. You can contact staff on discord with @TTT Mod if you feel the server is being overwhelmed by rdm. 

It's pointless reporting someone for 2 cases of rdm on the forums.

 

 

It doesn't matter ultimately IF it is one or two RDMs. It's helpful when people use the forums to report as it's what we staff tell people to do if they CANNOT GET ANY STAFF ON. You appear to butt into things you are unaware of the full situation, and it needs to stop. I'm aware I'm probably being aggressive, but I don't appreciate you calling people who have volunteered there time on a game that is ultimately just 1's and 0's inactive, and saying there is a lack in staff and the problem won't solve it self. They are most definitely aware, and are trying to solve it. While I recognise that some of your points do have good points to them, some are just outright not required.

 

I'm sorry If I did come across aggressive but I really don't care. As There have been recent things IRL for me, that has taken my patience and my fucks I gave away. I'm aware I am probably being a condescending prick as well. but face it I've been called that a lot by people. So I'm owning it <3

[Despair]

I would have liked to known why I was denied so I could work on that and re-apply. I'm not complaining, I just wish I knew what to work on so i can actually try again.

[Slowe_Ninja]

Just because you dont see them on the server doesnt mean they don't go on, Tom is on every once in a while (not as much now) but he is still active, Room Service is on a bit as well though his ingame is Generic, accel I'm not sure, Let me on the cold ones, not sure who that is but wild guess is that its Kowmap and he is active and on often but I guess u might not notice since he is changing his names a lot recently. The other staff don't get on as often and may get on at different times to when u are playing, this does not mean that they don't get on at all. Also staff have lives, they may be having IRL things going on which is why they haven't been playing as much. Wolfe was previously staff and resigned so... and other people who want to be staff may not get it because of their previous history, staff may want to wait a bit to see if they have really cleaned up their act. I think one of the main reasons the staff are being more strict was TEOIN, he said he had cleaned up his act and they gave him the benefit of the doubt as it did look like he did but after a while he went back and got himself perma banned again. This has meant staff are trying to be more strict so that it doesn't happene again. While yes I do agree with people not getting staff purely because of differences between the staff and the player is not fair it normally means they have done something wrong or its their personality which wouldn't be suited for staff. Staff also need to be able to get along otherwise they would be fighting amongst themselves instead of looking after the server. Teaching somebody to be staff is part of what a trial mod is, not only is this a period to make sure they do the right things as staff but it is also when they are taught how to be staff and the different commands and how to deal with different situations.

[Retz]

I would have liked to known why I was denied so I could work on that and re-apply. I'm not complaining, I just wish I knew what to work on so i can actually try again.

I'm in the same boat, I've been asking staff what I need to improve on to get a recommendation and the majority of them just ignore me entirely. How am I supposed to improve in this community if nobody will ever tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[milk]

I would have liked to known why I was denied so I could work on that and re-apply. I'm not complaining, I just wish I knew what to work on so i can actually try again.

I'm in the same boat, I've been asking staff what I need to improve on to get a recommendation and the majority of them just ignore me entirely. How am I supposed to improve in this community if nobody will ever tell me what I'm doing wrong?

 

Maybe don't be a fucking moron on the TTT Servers? That'd be great bud lol, if you were a staff member I can already tell you'd be horrible and short tempered. I don't appreciate being called a "mutt" and dealing with your shitty attitude whilst I'm being falsely accused of being homophobic! :)

[Retz]

Maybe don't be a fucking moron on the TTT Servers? That'd be great bud lol, if you were a staff member I can already tell you'd be horrible and short tempered. I don't appreciate being called a "mutt" and dealing with your shitty attitude whilst I'm being falsely accused of being homophobic! :)

'horrible and short tempered' - 'shitty attitude'??? I'd love to see proof of either of those things because they're not true at all. 

As far as I can see, you're the one with a bad attitude and short temper. In your first sentence, you called me a 'fucking moron' but me calling you a 'mutt' is apparently going over the line... if you want people to treat you nicely start by treating them nicely. 

 

Please keep your drama off of this thread, nothing you said is relevant to the post.

[milk]

You asked what you needed to improve on, Retz. I simply assumed that it would be your trash attitude and the fact that you need to victimise yourself in every situation. But I'm not staff although you should definitely be asking the community about why you're not getting staff...what's it gonna be your? 3rd attempt? Surely you realise somethings wrong by now..

[Predzee]

Taylor responded, rejecting Despairs moderator application 30/04/2019, "We believe you are not suitable for this role." Taylor, you threw a concussion grenade at Despair.

If you contacted eachother privately and discussed why the application was rejected, disregard this; Despair is offering his service, and the least you can do is tell him why the application was rejected.

I believed Despair was a good candidate for the role of trial moderator, and maybe investing some time in him, so he could fix the fault in his stars. 

Is the purpose of the trial moderator position not to test the player whether they are worthy for promotion to moderator? It seems like, an application for trial moderator, is really an application for moderator.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I have told despair one of the main post of his denial that I noted. I also mentioned it on my response on his application. While he maybe a great user, the issue was in a community games night days before he was making racist comments and saying "metagaming staff in the staff chat" and was breaching community rules during a community guidelines. The community and staff are expected to follow the rules during community games nights as well. Despair should be aware that he's need to inquire with staff as to why he was denied.

[Predzee]

Taylor responded, rejecting Despairs moderator application 30/04/2019, "We believe you are not suitable for this role." Taylor, you threw a concussion grenade at Despair.

If you contacted eachother privately and discussed why the application was rejected, disregard this; Despair is offering his service, and the least you can do is tell him why the application was rejected.

I believed Despair was a good candidate for the role of trial moderator, and maybe investing some time in him, so he could fix the fault in his stars. 

Is the purpose of the trial moderator position not to test the player whether they are worthy for promotion to moderator? It seems like, an application for trial moderator, is really an application for moderator.

 

My question was, is the purpose of the trial moderator position not to test the player whether they are worthy for promotion to moderator. It seems like, an application for trial moderator, is really an application for moderator. The purpose was to outline the unrealistic idealistic expectations of staff for the role of trial moderator, and their unwillingness to trust employ anybody, where i don't see the server progressing from the recessive period of toxicity. You need to trial somebody instead of trial moderator being a pathway to moderator. It's called an investment, a risk. 

[Jack]

I’ve been waiting to enter my staff application for a while, but the thing that I 100% agree with is the unnecessary staff recommendations. Whilst I also agree with zoidberg that staff do have lives and not subjected to be on the server 24/7 when there role as a staff member is VOLUNTARY I think it is unnecessarily hard to approach someone that;

a) doesn’t play enough to vouch for you

b) doesn’t like you because of your affiliations with friends or finally

c) outright ignores your request for feedback on how you are tracking/ likelihood of getting a vouch.

 

I have finally given up on the hopes of getting staff and moved on since then, because simply it being above and beyond a high expectation and effort.

 

I don’t think character of a good staff member should be based of affiliation with other disliked users or because they have dramas with someone wether it be staff or another player. At the moment the criteria should be based from time they invest into the server and ability and knowledge of the TTT game mode and ULX commands.

 

Good luck with future employment of staff but the likelihood of people wanting to apply, and follow a set of rules and expectations like a good behaviour bond from court is rapidly decreasing. The server cannot function properly without active staff and with more and more resigning and no knew blood being enlisted past Garret which is the first trial mod I’ve seen since like last year. The server will turn into an RDM fest and the player base will die without immediate course of action

 

Please take this into consideration...

[Haywire]

In response to Uber’s (Zoidberg) comment on me in response to Predzee’s rant on the forums,  this is a clear representation on staffs views on who should be a part of the staff team, for example, he judges all my chances of getting staff on an “impression” of me he gets from a sarcastic comment  I made about my warnings “not counting” because they are from Aeyon, of course they are valid and of course they count (with some exceptions), it was pretty clear that it wasn’t a serious comment. This then leads him to “get the impression that he (me) will be going off at other staff causing issues” which is a false claim, as i don’t have anything against any of the staff on flux (even Aeyon). So, this is just a cheap excuse based of a sarcastic comment that hinders my chances of going for staff, which is exactly what Jack and Predzee talked about, where staff focuses so much on the past imperfections of individuals rather than the actual potential and knowledge they might have to become staff. Also, I’m sure this is the only dirt that staff has on my past issues, but this specific scenario brought up is all wrong. Which leads to my next argument, my past. Yeah, I understand my past on the server has been rough and I have done some dumb shit and made mistakes, but over the past 4-5 weeks I’ve been making things better for myself and clearing up my image somewhat, yet the staff cling on to those negative moments and hold it against those going for staff, like Uber bringing up a past event as a way to say I am not a good candidate for staff. So, imp basically saying that they are not entirely in the wrong to be judging if an individual is fit for staff for their mistakes in the past to an extent, but I believe that, with a serious shortage of staff, both active and in general, this shouldn’t be the main source of judgement on whether or not someone should be staff. (which is what Jack’s response talks about so im not going to brush over that any more than i need to, along with Predzee’s most recent post)

 

This post is directed to the higher staff in hope that they take into consideration the points made in not only this post but other posts on this thread, on how they should go towards recruiting staff and the steps towards this.

 

[Retz]

I think it is unnecessarily hard to approach someone that;

a) doesn’t play enough to vouch for you

b) doesn’t like you because of your affiliations with friends or finally

c) outright ignores your request for feedback on how you are tracking/ likelihood of getting a vouch.

 

I have finally given up on the hopes of getting staff and moved on since then, because simply it being above and beyond a high expectation and effort.

 

I don’t think character of a good staff member should be based of affiliation with other disliked users or because they have dramas with someone wether it be staff or another player. At the moment the criteria should be based from time they invest into the server and ability and knowledge of the TTT game mode and ULX commands.

 

Please take this into consideration...

 

This exactly, I messaged literally every staff member asking them if they'd like to recommend me and if not what I could improve on and I got the following in reply:

 

 

- A SINGLE reply and all that reply said was that he would keep an eye out for me in-game because he's not very active.

- Every single other person just ignored my message. No feedback, no nothing.

 

A lot of staff aren't even on the servers enough to be able to recommend people because they don't play enough to get to know people outside of their friend groups. 

A lot of people seem to still hate me over something that happened over 2 months ago despite how much I've improved since then. I've been nothing but good since then, but they still judge me over how I acted back then. Just look how people treated me in the above replies, I've gotten used to being treated like that even though I don't deserve it whatsoever, yet I still want to help out the server.