Another Open Letter

[sherman]

We have been 'suggesting and recruiting' for months.

How do I join?

That's what I wondered too really. Clear posts and requirements would help

[Theda]

You've got a link in your main page in the game. Below the links to make donations.

If you cannot find the link, let me know by PM and I'll send you a response with the application that you wish.

[Father Brian]

I thought that link didn't work?

[sherman]

I know about link but what I mean is that there's nowhere anything about requirements or anything really about jobs (just like when applying to real job you don't take it without knowing what you take.) So you don't know what to expect. I myself think it would help recruit people if they would know what to expect and know even before they apply are they fit for it.

[Theda]

I thought that link didn't work?

It works perfect to me. But, I insist, if you have problems with the link, let me know by PM and I'll send you the application that you wish.

[EchoMan]

I know about link but what I mean is that there's nowhere anything about requirements or anything really about jobs (just like when applying to real job you don't take it without knowing what you take.) So you don't know what to expect. I myself think it would help recruit people if they would know what to expect and know even before they apply are they fit for it.

This is on the todo list.

[sherman]

That's good to know! Thanks for reply Echo

[sanchez]

It would be great to see people volunteer to be forum and irc moderators again in the Communications Department. PD is a very different job, and it’s never been optimal for PD members to also have this responsbility in the forum. It’s an extremely awkward position to have to moderate discussion about things you cannot discuss openly yourself, and it’s unfair to put these same people out front and subject to personal abuse.

The forum rules, unlike CR, do come in a clear list: viewtopic.php?p=517533&f=1#p517533

[sherman]

That's really easy job actually, beside rules you only need to know about how forum works (which in this case is phpbb, already used widely since it's free and all). And yes I agree with sanchez that it's quite uncomfortable position and most games really have those separated.

[Ignacius]

When the people of this staff make something always there is a reason and this reason, sometimes, is not possible to be discuss in the forum and sometimes, there is a fail technical. You don't remember that this is a free game, that we are volunteers, or that we are humans. We have lifes, real lifes, but we are here because we love this game, and we give part of our time to try to make this game better.

I apologize, but this isn't a good enough explanation for the lack of transparency we've been seeing. I realize that staff are volunteers, and I also realize that sometimes internal working of administrators can't be discussed. But frankly, that's not the real problem here as I see it. The problem is a complete lack of transparency or discussion. It's a problem of bans being passed down without any explanation. It's a problem of a rule that, for whatever reason, says players can't discuss their own cases if they choose to, without fearing further repercussions. It's a problem where entire posts and threads are deleted from the forums, again without explanation, and then we're told that the IRC channel in inappropriate venue.

We all suffer from a lack of clarity, staff and non-staff both. Non-staff, I assure you, feel like we're shut out from any kind of information, and have no way of knowing what's happening in a game we love, even with our own accounts (forum or main game), for days or weeks at a time. This, I think legitimately, breeds frustration that sometimes gets vented in threads such as this one.

Staff, then, unfairly suffer by being put in the situation of being expected to know about or explain staff actions that they also apparently know little about. They face threads like this, where I don't think anyone is denying the good work staff does, but where people focus on their negative experiences because the only way we feel confident now that we can post without facing deletions or bans is in, well, a group.

I think all of that can be solved, easily, with just a little more openness. If a report is submitted, send an e-mail just saying it's being looked at, so it's not like a black hole I'm throwing letters into. If administrative action is taken, include clear explanations, so that the person affected knows what's happening, and so that staff doesn't face a flurry of requests to explain something they themselves don't understand. And mostly, really think about allowing players to discuss at least aspects of their own cases, so that you don't end up in a situation where a number of players have pent-up frustration because they feel impotent facing what they perceive (lack of information) as unfairness, while others are simply in the dark, still.

The words against EchoMan, the GAB and the staff... make me sick. You don't have the right to insult us, you don't have the right to say disrespectful words, accuse us to make something to harm you. Believe me, I don't waste my time and my life thinking of you and the ways to be your devil. Really, I don't mind. So, I'm not going to read anything else , because you are really unfair, unpleasant and ungrateful. And I don't want to be here to read you words, just to help (you and the game) and it seems that you don't wish this help which is offer by us.

Well, people, you have got a lot of ways to make a complain. You also have got ways to make suggestions, ways to help, ways to discuss and if you are not able to find them, you can ask by thousands of ways too.

So, to me, this drama ends here. If you have any problem, I will be here to try to help you. AS ALWAYS.

And remember, this is a free game, which has been developed by players over the years. If you are not happy, you are free to play it or not.

I agree with Marian above, I haven't seen insults or disrespect against anyone so much as I've seen the result of pent-up frustration. Some of us for days, some for months, and some, I'm sure, for years. I, and I suspect all of us, are very appreciative that EchoMan and GAB are apparently taking time to look into our concerns. Please understand that, due to the above lack of transparency, that also doesn't mean a lot in real terms, to the people in the midst of this. I, for one, have no real word about the series of bans/unbans of any kind, so I'm still facing uncertainty of if I can even expect to still be on the forum in an hour or a day. And where the larger concerns are, it's nice to know people are talking about them. So long as (transparency) we see some evidence, eventually, that something comes of it.

I also reject the idea that it is somehow "unpleasant or ungrateful" to ask for clarity in administrative actions, to ask for some amount of transparency from higher staff in a game we all love, and to not just simply accept whatever small tidbits of information we're given about situations that directly affect us.

[Rebma]

That was very well said Ignacius and I think very clear and concise and representative of what we are trying to get across.

Staff, then, unfairly suffer by being put in the situation of being expected to know about or explain staff actions that they also apparently know little about.

This. I am eternally thankful to Raynus, who came int a situation he knew nothing about when tempers were boiling and tried to at least give me information to clear up what was happening. He trie to answer the questions I had and we had a good, brief chat. He wasn't able to in the end, which was frustrating, but he tried. And then he escalated me up to some e who more likely -could have- answered things. I give that interaction 10/10 for professionalism and willingness to help a player.

Contrary to what some responding staff believe I am not personally attacking every member of staff. I have many friends on staff, and people that I respect greatly, two of which responded here! I love you guys!. What I am attempting to bring light to is the lack of transparancy, consistancy, and fairness in regards to two very specific issues, which hint at a larger problem in one or two places. I know none of you start your days thinking "how can I fuck with this player?" So when you read this, staff, I ask that you not take it personally. I ask that you let yourself know that I am not attacking you, I am critisizing a broken/faulty system that you have to work with.

[Alutka]

Theda, we all know that the staff has a tough job and that they do it for free. We really appreciate all the effort and hard work you guys are putting in. We’re honestly not trying to attack or insult you guys, because you do a really great job and we are very grateful for it. We have a problem with the conduct of one staff member in particular, but when we pointed this out in the last open letter thread, it was deleted and people were banned. Please don’t take this personally, because it’s really not a personal attack on you. I’m sorry that you all feel as if we were rubbishing you. There are some systemic problems with transparency but we know that you mean well and we are hoping to resolve it in a friendly way.

[EchoMan]

We (GAB) need to have a common ground for how we deal with everything concerning the game, forum, wiki, webzine and all. One of GAB's functions is to be a "ruling group" who create working guidelines for all the different departments to work from. We do that, and we take that job very seriously, to avoid any confusion, or excessive debate of enforcement of rules, and other staff behaviour.

We (GAB and the rest of staff) are only human, and sometimes we fail. In communications or in how we enforce these guidelines. Or we just run out of energy in the middle of an ongoing situation. It will happen, and no matter how much guidelines we create, there is always a human who in the end is supposed to flawlessly, accurately and timely handle any upcoming situation, without flinching the slightest, and the outcome shall always be perfectly fair for everyone involved. When someone finds a government, organization or corporation who does this with 100% accuracy, please let me know. I'd love to learn from them.

In the current case, some of you got a reply from GreeK, where he says "I will get back to you in regards to the messages ..." (not an actual quote, but the meaning is there). You can be 100% sure that GreeK or someone else will get back to you on that subject. Repeatedly demanding an answer or clarification won't make this happen faster. GreeK will get back to you, when he has the time, or when the GAB or PD has discussed a common ground to that reply, and perhaps formulated it in writing.

Every department in Cantr has their own forum, where the members can discuss anything freely. And they do. The chair of each department is automatically a member of the GAB, where Jos is chairman. All chair persons have full access to the other departments forums, and if there is reason to question something, we do. And we bring it to GAB to discuss among all chairs, and Jos.

I hope this clarifies a bit of what isn't publicly available to players, on how the constitution of the game is handled in practice.

[Ignacius]

In the current case, some of you got a reply from GreeK, where he says "I will get back to you in regards to the messages ..." (not an actual quote, but the meaning is there). You can be 100% sure that GreeK or someone else will get back to you on that subject. Repeatedly demanding an answer or clarification won't make this happen faster. GreeK will get back to you, when he has the time, or when the GAB or PD has discussed a common ground to that reply, and perhaps formulated it in writing.

With all due respect, Echo, as I stated in our PMs earlier, a statement that "someone will get back to you at some point" is no longer sufficient, at least in this particular case. I think a fair amount of the discontent you've seen in this thread is the result of those of us who have now been banned, unbanned, received a PM, rebanned, and reunbanned. Without some clarity on what's happening, even a short note, we have no idea what's going on. With our specific accounts. None. We don't know if we should expect to sign in and be banned, again, because it's happened before and we have no word either way on whether or not it will happen again.

This again goes back to clarity and transparency, and how we all benefit from even a slight increase. If we knew anything about what to expect going forward, I'm sure we would be less anxious, upset, or excitable. And that would, in turn, cut down on some of us feeling we need to post what we want now, fast, because who knows if we'll even have forum access in an hour. It doesn't require a long explanation, in this case; just a short note on what happened (if someone knows), and what we can expect going forward.

[EchoMan]

I am quite sure the message you received also says that the bans were out of proportion. That should give you a hint that you are not supposed to be banned. You will not get any more information until the information is available, for reasons I stated in my previous post.