An NSGuide system that works
Sarisel
.::' ( O ) ';:-. .-.:;' ( O ) '::. Join Date: 2003-07-30 Member: 18557Members, Constellation
.::' ( O ) ';:-. .-.:;' ( O ) '::. Join Date: 2003-07-30 Member: 18557Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">no, not an oxymoron</div>In NS1, there was NSLearn for players who wanted to excel at the game. There was also, briefly, NSGuides which were supposed to help new players in-game to learn the basics and answer questions. I think both organizations should return in NS2 (NS2Learn, NS2Guides) but with much better organization, auditing, and official recognition. If done well, both systems could serve very important roles in NS2 in hooking new players and promoting the competitive scene. This topic is mostly for NS2Guides, since they seemed to completely fall apart in NS. My perspective of NSGuides: good idea, bad implementation.
Here's what I think is necessary to make NS2Guides work:
1. Official support and recognition by UWE.
Pretty straight forward - UWE would need to provide a community page (one on Steam would also be useful), icons for members (optional), and either provide official servers or communicate with server owners who would like to represent UWE's NS2Guides. There needs to be a team of trusted volunteers that can serve as the link between the directors of UWE and the NS2Guides and servers.
2. Servers dedicated to NS2Guides
As mentioned above, there need to be dedicated to the work of NS2Guides. These would be servers that are intended primarily for new players and NS2Guides, and should be available in all the major continents of the world. There should be as many servers as necessary to accomodate new players as they come in (i.e. all NS2Guide servers should not be full in any particular region of the world).
The NS2Guide servers should have a courteous atmosphere where players can ask questions about the game. Active NS2Guides would be indicated on the player list. Players could either ask questions directly to NS2Guides in-game or indirectly through chat. The NS2Guides website and forums (perhaps a subsection of the UWE forums?) would be advertised as sources of more information and as another area where questions can be asked about the game.
3. Application and screening process for NS2Guide recruitment
A system needs to be devised that allows for the selection of responsible and accountable volunteers. A recruited NS2Guide member should be assigned to answer to an experienced NS2Guide member in a probation period. Clear expectations need to be defined on what is acceptable and expected of the NS2Guide member.
4. Auditing
NS2Guides should be audited regularly by a UWE director or representative (not part of NS2Guides) to make sure that the expectations of the organization are being met. Meetings should be set up to discuss ideas and problems within the organization.
5. NS2Guides executive board
NS2Guide members should have the opportunity to run for executive positions within the organization (leadership roles will be defined). This will require elections that are supervised by non-NS2Guide UWE representatives. Executives will run for a maximum of a year before having to defend their positions through elections (if challenged). This will ensure that the organization remains fresh.
6. Constitution
NS2Guides should have an official constitution that defines their purpose and the rules for all of the above points. This should be refered to in disputes and in auditing of the organization.
More to come after lunch...
Here's what I think is necessary to make NS2Guides work:
1. Official support and recognition by UWE.
Pretty straight forward - UWE would need to provide a community page (one on Steam would also be useful), icons for members (optional), and either provide official servers or communicate with server owners who would like to represent UWE's NS2Guides. There needs to be a team of trusted volunteers that can serve as the link between the directors of UWE and the NS2Guides and servers.
2. Servers dedicated to NS2Guides
As mentioned above, there need to be dedicated to the work of NS2Guides. These would be servers that are intended primarily for new players and NS2Guides, and should be available in all the major continents of the world. There should be as many servers as necessary to accomodate new players as they come in (i.e. all NS2Guide servers should not be full in any particular region of the world).
The NS2Guide servers should have a courteous atmosphere where players can ask questions about the game. Active NS2Guides would be indicated on the player list. Players could either ask questions directly to NS2Guides in-game or indirectly through chat. The NS2Guides website and forums (perhaps a subsection of the UWE forums?) would be advertised as sources of more information and as another area where questions can be asked about the game.
3. Application and screening process for NS2Guide recruitment
A system needs to be devised that allows for the selection of responsible and accountable volunteers. A recruited NS2Guide member should be assigned to answer to an experienced NS2Guide member in a probation period. Clear expectations need to be defined on what is acceptable and expected of the NS2Guide member.
4. Auditing
NS2Guides should be audited regularly by a UWE director or representative (not part of NS2Guides) to make sure that the expectations of the organization are being met. Meetings should be set up to discuss ideas and problems within the organization.
5. NS2Guides executive board
NS2Guide members should have the opportunity to run for executive positions within the organization (leadership roles will be defined). This will require elections that are supervised by non-NS2Guide UWE representatives. Executives will run for a maximum of a year before having to defend their positions through elections (if challenged). This will ensure that the organization remains fresh.
6. Constitution
NS2Guides should have an official constitution that defines their purpose and the rules for all of the above points. This should be refered to in disputes and in auditing of the organization.
More to come after lunch...
Comments
I'm torn though. I think there does need to be a formal process but how much is too much?
1.) An official sub forum would probably suffice. There just needs to be a means of communication between players/guides/devs.
2.) Agreed.
3.) (ties into 5) Previously the devs chose all guides. I doubt this would change, but I think for an effective system some of this should be delegated to a PR person or two of some type. I'd imagine it wouldn't be so much an application process as a invitation-only thing.
4.) There should be oversight by someone, possibly the same one or two PR people.
5.) Maybe one or two people. You can't get too crazy with this or you'll run into Congress/Parliament with a lot of absent members. The duties of these one or two persons would be the above(inviting new guides, monitoring guides for activity, dealing with disputes of "abuse" or improper behavior)
6.) A set of rules sticked at the top of the forum would be good, just something like a.) always answer questions about NS2 b.) never insult new players c.) don't kick with out a good reason d.) Be active on a server for at least X hours a week etc
That's why I think "official" servers are important. The documentation can be more automatic. The servers keep track of online time/AFK Time # of players and that way guides can just focus on helping new players instead of trying to think about how they're going to document what their doing.
This seems like a lot more fun for the hosts than a chatroom.
To locally: A sub-forum may suffice. As long as there is access to posting FAQ lists, guides, contact info, etc, it would be good.
I don't particularly agree with an invitation-only process rather than applications - this puts a lot more subjectivity into the process of getting new NS2Guides. Applications give insight into which applicants are coherent, mature, and interested in contributing. If there are too many NS2Guides, then the applications would just be closed until spots open.
Also, when we talk about oversight - it is really important for somebody not involved with NS2Guides to be responsible for the auditing process to avoid bias.
To FW: I agree with your observations about the politics in NSGuides before. Also, a good point about the length of the term-in-office. I was thinking more IRL than gaming and 90 days sounds a lot more realistic.
About the documentation of activities: Individual documentation is useful for the creation of FAQs and guides that could be posted on the forums. Server tracking of online time is useful to see that NS2Guides are actually contributing. There should probably be some participation requirements (time per week) that are not too demanding. Perhaps a quality control system may be useful where players can submit any complaints that they may have about an NS2Guide.
Instead of concerning themselves with a NS2Guides, it'd be great if UW did the following:
<ul><li>create an official, interactive in-game tutorial (pretty much mandatory with a game as complex as an RTS/FPS hybrid)</li><li>provide a means for any player or group to create or expand a tutorial of their own using LUA that they can implement on their own servers</li><li>keep an eye out for solid, independent programs like NSLearn, and give them an unofficial nod by doing everything in their power to ensure new players know about its existence (a big link on the main page maybe) and perhaps give it some minor support (demo hosting, game servers)</li></ul>
I'd like to see justification for why UWE would want to do much more than that - especially given their track record with this type of thing. Just to be clear, I'm certainly not opposed to independent efforts for improving the game; I'm just wary of UWE dipping their toes in the water when they would be better off creating a cool tutorial or improving the game
I only think that NS2Guides should be officially recognized and supported because I think it would give the organization more authority and publicity. I do agree that icons can create problems, but I think that these were more due to poor management efforts rather than the icons themselves. UWE doesn't really have to do much here - most of the work would be within NS2Guides by volunteers.
Yes I agree that it would be beneficial to the community to have a player driven training system in. Icons would not be so bad if they were in the official Guides server just for identification purposes, though I understand the point of having a universal icon.