Let's get our affairs in order, shall we?

[Skulty]

I would apply to the PerD if my life was nothing but Cantr, but since it isn't, I think entering the ProgD one day eventually is going to consume enough time out of me... The problem with entering ProgD is that without anyone to give us tasks and evaluate our job, how are aspirants supposed to show how good or motivated they are?

About the forum I haven't much to say that has already been said. I'll join it when it's decided where it will be and hope I never have to use it...

[Doug R.]

This is where I start to complain a bit about the bureacracy of the staff setup. I moaned a little about this before, as it can get in the way. It's not just in the way but brings things crashing down if the bureacracy requires input from chairpeople and game admins who aren't active...

Since this has gone entirely off-topic, I might as well join in.

The staff structure is almost entirely responsible for all the problems in the game. The only problem it's not responsible for is the limited talent pool of programmers.

The game is currently set up like a corporation, with a CEO (Jos) and a board of directors (GAC). There are departments within the corporation, which have department heads. Then there are the peon employees.

This structure works in the real world, because people are compensated for their time. Not so here. There are only two reasons to join staff: for power or altruism.

People that join for power, unless they are kind-hearted, generally wind up causing more problems than they're worth. I can think of several examples, as I'm sure you can too. A plus (or minus) is that they're getting some level of compensation for their time (power), so they tend to hang around. A broken staff system simply means they can consolidate their power more efficiently.

People that join for altruism quickly are sapped of their will to serve by the endlessly complaining players, those members of staff that have joined for power, and the realization that the staff system is almost entirely broken from the top down. Their only motivation to work when things turn sour is guilt, which is unreliable at best, or the retention of acquired power (which only works if they've hung in there long enough to acquire some power, which most don't.)

How to fix the current system:

Complete the corporate structure by introducing compensation and accountability.

All staff members should be compensated for their time, and the amount of compensation should be proportional to the time they invest in staff duties. I'm not talking dollars, I'm talking game percs. I agree 100% that game percs should never be purchased for money, but people that donate their time deserve something.

One possibility: a hypothetical stock system.

Each player that joins owns one share of Cantr II. When a player quits, their stock is put on the free market. Members of staff can be compensated in points, which they can redeem to buy percs, including open shares. The GAC, then, would be composed of the top stock holders. Theoretically, GAC members that went inactive would have their share holdings eventually topped by active players, keeping the top of the administration active. Staff could even form cooperatives and pool stock. The CEO would be elected by the GAC on a regular election cycle. All share holders would have the right to vote for department chairs on a regular basis, giving regular players a small yet tangible vote in the running of the game.

A system like this gives staff much deserved compensation, can keep the administration active and involved, makes department chairs accountable to the players by being elected, and gives all players the ability to have a say in the administration.

Now, I'm not stupid. I know something like this would create new problems and not address some current problems, but is the current system working at all?

Let me address another pervasive problem: Distrust of the staff. Electoral accountability isn't enough. The current system is secret by design, and as we all know from the secret Guantanamo terrorist tribunals, secret justice, even if dispensed fairly, doesn't fly with the public.

The workings of the PD, GAB, and GAC are secret to protect the confidentiality of players, but as we've seen time and again, this secrecy only serves to force out staff members who can't defend themselves. Things need to be put on equal footing.

Method 1: Complete anonymity of the PD staff.

Problem: Won't work. There are too few, and we know who they are. Plus, staff will be figured out based on writing style or because they can't help but tell their friends who tell their friends who tell their friends that they're in the PD.

Method 2: Make all investigations public.

Problem: Violation of player privacy

Answer: Even if innocent until proven guilty, people in real life are arrested and tried in public. It's a system that's been proven to work (on the whole) for hundreds of years.

Doing this for minor investigations would be over-kill and labor intensive, but major problems, say, if three players were cooperating OOC as pirates to wipe out whole towns, and other instances that directly affect large numbers of players, could only benefit. With case transparency, nothing is hidden, and therefore no he-said-she-said, or players accusing staff of things that staff can't prove they didn't do. It would also be easier for staff to find other players that can affirm or refute testimony (say, based on what someone said in irc or some such information that PD would have no idea existed in a secret investigation).

That's my two cents, and I know it's not worth a damn. I like my opinion and I like to hear myself "talk," but at least I'll admit it. Feel free to find the most minor incongruence in what I said and beat it to death, ignore me, or agree with me. Whatever. I think I'm done talking at you for this week.

[trexdino]

I think we should first try to contact Jos. If we can somehow, then he might be able to sort out this entire problem. Only problem...does anyone know who to contact him?

[Solfius]

good rant

I'll just add that administering Cantr could easily be a full time job for a couple of people, but as volunteers, most people won't have the time available to work on Cantr compared to what it demands.

Unfortunately, Cantr doesn't generate enough money to employ anyone, and in its current state, I'm not sure if enough people would be prepared to put up money for employing paid staff.

It's also difficult to conceive any means of creating revenue that won't create a 2 tier system, unless it's for something like extra minutes or characters

[Joshuamonkey]

That idea might work if there are certain people at the top to control things. Having the most active people have the most power is suicide unless you have people you can trust at the top who can overpower them.

Oh, by the way, can I be a programmer? Who is it that checks the staff requests, anyway?

[formerly known as hf]

I think we should first try to contact Jos. If we can somehow, then he might be able to sort out this entire problem. Only problem...does anyone know who to contact him?

Very easily, the guy does have an email adress.
Thing is, the plan was that Jos need not be the 'go to man' - he has his own life to get on with. Hence there's the GAC, GAB and chairs. As much as it's nice to think so, he doesn't have the magic wand to make it all better.

@Doug:
I'm not sure I agree. In-game perks, for me at least, would be a turn off. I have two characters. That's all I want to manage right now. Perks would be useless.
Also, perks would encourage applications from just those people you mention we don't want - those who are after power in some form.

So far, in my experience, Cantr staff has been populated by those who love the game and just want to help out, or (particularly in RD and ProgD) have their own pet project with which the chairs etc. agree with.

Personally, and this is a tad tangential - I would prefer a more anarchic system (in the technical term of non-hierarchical decision making, rather than the popular use as chaos / disorder). Open Source projects tend to work on this principle, unfortunately, that's a no-go for Cantr as the drawbacks of OS (bad programming, malicious intent) are (theoretically) written out by a majority of competent users.

Rather than going through narrow channels of authority, which requires (constantly) active, participating figureheads, power should be distributed slightly more evenly. This is, actually, how things - in my past experience - have tended to work. It's often slightly more informal than things might suggest. Formalising that informality might help.

[Doug R.]

Also, perks would encourage applications from just those people you mention we don't want - those who are after power in some form.

Not everyone seeking a staff position for power is bad, just the ones that would abuse it, or make life harder for other staff.

Back in the day, I joined PD so I could learn what went on behind the secret veil. I joined for knowledge, and knowledge = power. I stayed on the PD to retain that knowledge, and had I not unsubbed my first account, I may have stayed on.

While I've been making a bit of a stir in my current position as shepherd (the aforementioned pet project borne of altruism), I don't think there is anyone who would complain about my performance on the PD.

Having the most active people have the most power is suicide unless you have people you can trust at the top who can overpower them.

Having people with the most power not care/not have time anymore is equally suicidal.

[Tiamo]

This structure works in the real world, because people are compensated for their time. Not so here. There are only two reasons to join staff: for power or altruism.

People that join for power, unless they are kind-hearted, generally wind up causing more problems than they're worth. I can think of several examples, as I'm sure you can too. A plus (or minus) is that they're getting some level of compensation for their time (power), so they tend to hang around. A broken staff system simply means they can consolidate their power more efficiently.

Your analysis of motivation for joining staff is correct. So you don't want people who are joining for power in the staff. You want people who are helping for the love of the game.
Then why do you propose creating extra reasons for power-loving people to apply? This is counter-productive, this will attract all the more people you don't want, and don't need!

If you want people with the correct motivation you should make sure there is no reason to pursue a staff position other than helping manage the game. No compensation at all, no position of power, and most definitely no in-game percs.

What you do need is accountability, and a way of getting rid of staff members who are malfunctioning or obsolete. This gives staff members an extra reason to do a good job, helping the overall performance of the staff, and at the same time gives the player base a reason to trust that staff are doing a good, altruistic job.

Cantr should be manageable by just a few people, not the masses of staff we have today. Game abuse, CRB's and players causing problems will have to be dealt with, software problems will have to be addressed and the production tree (including animals) will have to be overseen to preserve the game balance. And there should be someone coordinating this, making sure everyone is doing their job. In fact, that is just about it, regarding the game proper.
The forum and the wiki are not part of the game itself. They will have to be moderated/updated, but not necessarily by staff members.
Changes to the game (design, description, building, testing) should be made by project teams rather than regular staff. This includes adding/changing game features, but also introducing new animals, resources and projects. Players are providing a constant stream of suggestions for this. Accordance and implementation would of course still be a staff responsibility.

[Solfius]

the plan was that Jos need not be the 'go to man' - he has his own life to get on with.

Whilst what you say is true, all the server hosting, domain name registration, and financial stuff is all in Jos' name, so ultimately, he will always be the go-to man unless that changes.

[Joshuamonkey]

I know of the issue, but there is nothing I can do. Joshua (Wichita) is trying to help.

Jos

[Solfius]

I know of the issue, but there is nothing I can do. Joshua (Wichita) is trying to help.

Jos

Where's that from?

[Redbeard]

Anybody feels like they could do a more active job of recruiting and managing the staff is more than welcome to apply for a PerD position. Please. We need someone in there handling that at the moment.

You need to post a job description if you are seriously trying to fill this role. I don't even know what "PerD" means... I can guess... but it is just so much clearer if you tell the whole story instead of these bits and pieces.

I have an application for the marketing department lost in the bit bucket right now. If you want someone to review applicants and move the process forward, find it and take a look.