Should I Become NH?

[Lyanna]

It is now almost a week. (It'll be officially one week in about 23 hours time)

 

I've been thinking hard about this, and I've come to the following conclusions. Firstly, the helpfulness/friendliness points are fairly unimportant. I don't see how helpfulness or friendliness by itself qualifies someone to be an "official" NH. To be official, a player needs more than that - s/he needs to know when/how to moderate a channel correctly, not abuse powers, and be committed to improving the community. So, what I'm really considering is how best to be of service to the EL community.

 

For a long time now, I've been called to focus on a lot of other things in my life (mainly, my commitments to my Christian Fellowship, my studies, and my church). Therefore, I will have very little time to spend in Eternal Lands - about 4-5 hours a week.

 

If Roja/Ent can accept that, and still allow me to be an NH, then we move on to the 2nd step: Of course, if they can't accept it, then problem solved and I'll still be happy to help out any way I can.

 

With these 4-5 hours, there are a few things I could do:

(1) Moderate the channel and be an NH.

(2) Compile the EL Fact Files, and work on the Storylines Forum

(3) Browse through the Forums and offer various comments and suggestions.

 

(3) is something I will do regardless, so that's at least an hour gone. With the remaining 3-4 hours, I can either be an Editor or be an NH.

 

(2) is heavily-dependent on a couple of things: Whether Ent will allow other people to contribute to the main storyline and quest development (in which case I need to spend a lot more time on it), and whether players are active in the Storylines Forum (which is currently nearly dead/paralysed)

 

Now, if both answers to the above questions are negative (ie. Ent's going to do it all by himself, and no one's interested in writing stories), then I have the free time to moderate the channel. However, if Ent is willing to accept player contributions, then I have to make a decision about whether to commit to becoming an NH, or throw myself into Editorial work.

 

The time at which I come online plays a very important part too. If I come online during late afternoon / early evening in my time (which would be 3-6 a.m. EST), I can do both storyline work as well as moderation, because it's fairly quiet, and I can get some other things done. It's also the time when no NHs or mods are online, and that is when one is most needed. However, this NH need not necessarily be me. There are others who are on at roughly the same time, and who could also be of service. (People like Crannog, regar, Desole, Elise, Blitzo, and a promising one called khali) If they were offered the position and accepted, then the problem of needing a moderator at that time is solved.

 

So...it boils down to these three questions:

1) Is it okay for an official NH to be active less than 6 hours a week, if they happen to be the right 6 hours?

2) Will Ent allow other players to contribute to the development of the Storyline, and hence, make me focus more on my editorial job?

3) Are there not other people who could help out equally well at the things that I do? (Not many can edit the Storylines Forum, but a lot more can help out on Channel 1)

 

Hopefully, Ent or Roja will answer these questions, and help me make that final decision.

 

-Lyn-

[Platyna]

You don't need to be an official NH to edit storylines. Sorry but I am starting to think I am reading some

NH comedy. All I needed NH powers was being independent in making contests which I like to do and

I am doing very offten, I started using these powers since I've noticed there is no one else active,

because I can be in game in some weird time. Ask away Roja and ent but I thing 4-5h/week is disquali-

fying you from being an active official NH/moderator. Also I see you want to be one, you just made that

poll to bring it as vox populi and you become NH no matter I will say here, well you are not the one

who, even if is not power hungry, would like to be "official".

Also, I am not picking up "my candidates" for NH according to who I like or not, for example if it would

depend from me if MoonShadow is still an admin or not I would probably keep him in this function

because he is doing it well and it doesn't matter I dislike him so bad. Same, you, I think I like you but

I wouldn't make you an official NH you are lacking of time and you have some naive thinking about

being a NH, you will start moderating a channel you will ge threats, swearing, stupid jokes and idiotic

abuse reports.

 

Regards.

[Lyanna]

Huh? I don't completely understand your post, Plat. Nevertheless, let me try to reply to it.

 

1) I forgot - it's not very well known that I already AM the editor for the Storylines Forum (took over the job since Tumaros said he was too busy to do it anymore). So being an NH has nothing to do with Storylines - in fact, it's the opposite. Being an NH would probably cause me to spend less time working at my current job. That's what I'm concerned about.

 

2) I agree...4-5 hrs/week DOES seem to be very little, so I'm hesitating a lot because of that. But, like Swiss pointed out, there are other NHs who are rarely on too. So will it be a problem, or not? I don't know, and I couldn't PM Roja (inbox full), so had to post it here.

 

3) I'm not sure what "vox populi" means, but if you're saying that I've already decided and just wanted to run a poll to make sure that a lot of people supported me, then it's mistaken. I honestly don't know. In fact, you're right in saying that I'm the sort of person who prefers to be unofficial. But I'm also the kind who believes in doing what's best for others, if it is in my power to do so. Currently, I have the opportunity to serve as an NH (provided Ent and Roja agree about the time thing). Is that what is best for the community? Or is it better that I help out unofficially and work at the storylines?

 

4) Perhaps I AM naive. But so far, in my experience, I've rarely met any players who have been really rude or threatening. I mean, yes, there were a lot of times when there were not-so-nice people on the channel, but even without any NH powers, I could (sort-of) deal with them. And I've usually had the support of the entire channel when doing so. (Actually, I've found that just asking them nicely twice, then stating warnings for two more times is more than sufficient to quieten down most people...)

 

-Lyn-

[Platyna]

"Just do what are you doing and do it as good as possible."

 

Regards.

[Lyanna]

Well, I've decided.

 

I decline the offer to become an NH after all.

 

Sorry Roja, and whoever voted "Yes". I appreciate the opportunity, but I just feel that there's too many things standing in the way of me becoming one, and I won't be able to contribute as much to the community as you deserve. (Haha...too bad, though. If there's one thing I would have liked to see, it would be the mod forums... )

 

Anyway, thanks to all those who posted in this thread and helped me make up my mind, especially Plat. Your points were excellent. (You know what - when I reread this thread, it struck me like a philosophical debate about the role of the NH...very interesting! ) Anyway, I'll just continue to do what I'm already doing now, posting in Forums, editing Storylines, and helping out occasionally on channel. (It also frees me to become a Healer again... )

 

-Lyn-

[Platyna]

Hehe now they who voted yes will hunt me thru EL with plasma cannons...

Anyway Lyanna, I hiope you only decline being an official NH, not newbie helper in general, because

people really like you on ch. 1. ;-)

 

Regards.

[Aepox]

[/b]~Soon

!!

 

Go swisch!

[Lyanna]

Hehe now they who voted yes will hunt me thru EL with plasma cannons...

Anyway Lyanna, I hiope you only decline being an official NH, not newbie helper in general, because

people really like you on ch. 1. ;-)

 

Regards.

Haha, of course, Plat. I'll still help out whenever I can.

(And I wouldn't think it's plasma cannons exactly...maybe landmines? )

 

-Lyn-

[Platyna]

I think Lyanna, that since you have not so much time and Roja proposed you being an official NH

you may ask her just to give you access to our forum, I think you could contribute few valuable

posts there. ;-)

And about that landmines - it would be too easy, they could just put mine on my favorite spot

at Raven. Hehe.

 

Regards.

[Lyanna]

I think Lyanna, that since you have not so much time and Roja proposed you being an official NH

you may ask her just to give you access to our forum, I think you could contribute few valuable

posts there. ;-)

Well, why not? I might as well. It's really up to Roja (or Entropy), though.

 

-Lyn-