Hey everyone, I wanted to formally announce that we currently have some unexpected leaves of absence (LOAs) on staff, which might become a little noticeable with various GameMaster activity. I don't update the wiki or org charts for this for various reasons, and typically this hasn't been something we announce to players because there is usually around a couple LOAs at any given time. With the Premium festival happening, a lot of questions have come up that have been answered in various places about where certain GMs have been. This is me putting that in one place for easily access.

Due to this, we are tentatively going to start looking at GameMaster applications for various roles on staff. We are looking primarily at Premium, Platinum, Systems, Events, QC, and World projects to be filled. I do want to stress this is just tentative at this time. If anything like that seems interesting to you, please put in your applications at the link below. And if you have an application filled out already, please make sure it has been updated since 2021 so it helps us know if you're still interested.

We are not looking for Development roles, but Systems works on a lot of odds and ends. There is no timeline when or if we might interview. Depending on the number of applicants, you may not get an official response.

If you have any questions, I will try to answer what I can on the forums.

https://www.play.net/gs4/apply/apply.asp

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Wyrom, PM

Also, what does a World projects work entail?

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^Conrash, dwarven cleric of Icemule and follower of Oleani

I can give a breakdown of the teams.

Admin and Training: Team is responsible for onboarding new GameMasters, overseeing QC on the player experience side (shops, grounds, messaging, items, etc), the GameHost Program, and various admin tasks. We are currently looking for at least one QC person for this team. Team is led by SGM Isten.

Development: Team is responsible for combat, magic, creatures, treasure, guilds, and functional approvals of items. They handle technical QC of those systems. We are not actively looking for any staff on this team. Team is lead by APM Estild.

Systems: Team is responsible for areas that involve player systems like OSA, player shops, quests (Reim, Trouble Waters), and expanding and creating new tools. It's also a lot of odds and ends coding, helping out non-coders, and currently bogged down with script QC. We are currently looking for several staff members here. Team is led by SGM Retser.

Subscriptions: Team is responsible for Premium and Platinum. Merchanting, customer service, Premium and Platinum perks, etc. We are currently looking for several staff members here. Team is led by SGM Sleken.

New Player Experience: Team is responsible for redesigning the tutorial and onboarding process to new and returning players. In doing so, they are creating new lore based in a new area of our world. We are not actively looking for any staff on this team. Team is lead by SGM Kaikala.

World: Team is responsible for our towns and cities, CHEs, MHOs, and mentors. There is heavy merchanting, storytelling, festivals, and customer service. We are looking for one or two staff members for this team. Team is led by SGM Galene.

Events: Team is responsible for our 5 paid events for the year, which are currently Duskruin (2x), Rings of Lumnis, Rumor Woods, and Ebon Gate. We are looking for several staff members for this team. Team is led by SGM Thandiwe.

Few things on the teams. We no longer work in "silos" when it comes to cross-production teamwork. You can dabble with projects with other teams, but your team you're on are your primary tasks. GameMasters work on projects and do not have a direct or constant schedule. Training can be roughly 3 to 6 months depending on how fast you want to get through it. A good idea on time commitment is roughly 60 hours each months We do not have a time requirement, but it's the best way to explain a measurement for projects. A lot of being a GameMaster requires self-starting drive and the ability to communicate over text. GameMasters receive a comped player account and are compensated a percentage based on a "shares" pool of the gross monthly revenue.

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Wyrom, PM

The WordSmiths application is still there on the website. Is something like that still functioning, or is the path to working on documentation now only through applying for GameMaster?

Just a quick update about the Events team. While we run festivals with towns, Premium, etc, those aren't part of the Events team. This was a team we had for a long time that we've been reforming in 2021. The Events team does a decent amount of coding for items and systems. It's a good mix between player experience and development, in terms of projects, but it has a very specific goal.

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Wyrom, PM

While the old saw about "Caesar's wife must be above reproach" might not fit, the one about "it is not so much impropriety as the appearance of impropriety" seems apt.

Basically, even if you were as pure as the driven snow, SOMEbody somewhere will make the accusation that you are leaning a thumb on the scales of "your" House. Because, obviously, everyone knows that that is what really goes on.

.

Don't give them ammunition. Don't have the (possible, potential) conflict of interest.

I, Goldstr, AM an officer of a CHE AND an MHO. The rule is that you can't be an officer in more than ONE MHO. That does frustrate me a bit but I do see the reasoning.



Goldstr

> I, Goldstr, AM an officer of a CHE AND an MHO. The rule is that you can't be an officer in more than ONE MHO. That does frustrate me a bit but I do see the reasoning.

Goldstr, that's not what this is about at all. In the past, players who wanted to become GMs had to resign officer positions from CHE and/or MHO (formerly PRO) if they accepted a position on staff. Whether or not this is still the case is what JL177 is asking after.

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Some lady softly says, "Naamit is over-rated."
You reply, speaking to the lady, "At least I have ratings."

GameMasters are asked to leave all sorts of leadership roles if they wish to become staff because of the time commitments involved and possibility of a conflict of interest. You can no longer GameHost, hold mentor leadership, MHO officer roles, or CHE officer roles. Becoming a GameMaster is about transitioning away from being a player and becoming game staff. You can be involved in any of them still. We encourage everyone to continue to play, but it's a secondary role. If you're not quite ready for that, it's best to hold off from applying.

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Wyrom, PM

#Priorities

- Andreas

>>Wow. That's really tough. While I can understand the reasoning behind it, it seems to be that would make GMs "lose touch" with the playerbase and being an actual player. Seems like it would create a disconnect between the players and the GMs (in that after so long, you kind of lose the perspective of a regular player without GM tools). I can't say that I have any ideas on how to improve that. It was just my first thought when reading this.

You can still be a member of those groups and participate, you just can't be an officer of them... Other than choosing to spending GS time doing GM stuff instead of being a regular player, there's no reason you should be losing touch with those who you used to play with.

- Andreas

Does being a GM pay well?

The term "beer and pizza money" was definitely before my time on staff. GameMasters earn based on gross revenue for GemStone IV. The better the game does, the higher that amount is. Depending on the type of projects you work and how many projects you work will determine how much you can earn. Personal projects tend to earn the least. Projects that align with the business goals pay out the best.

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Wyrom, PM

Had some questions come in about if we've already interviewed potential staff members or when we plan to have new GameMasters start. The hire at this point is still tentatively happening. We currently do not have anything finalized on numbers, as we have a larger staff roster at the present time.

Interviews likely won't start until after the 16th at the earliest.

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Wyrom, PM

Any updates on this? I know Wyrom said interviews would start, at the earliest, on the 16th... just wondering if everyone who's going to be interviewed has been contacted yet, or if more people are still going to be contacted?

Thanks!

~Cylnthia Kythnis Ardenai
~Inquisitor of Kuon
~Rose Guardian, House Sylvanfair

::nod:: Good to know, thanks for the update!

~Cylnthia Kythnis Ardenai
~Inquisitor of Kuon
~Rose Guardian, House Sylvanfair

Wyrom just responded about ten days ago. For my team, I submitted my list of the people I am interested in to the Admin team. That team has to investigate the potentials. It is going to take time.

SGM Sleken

<That explains the guy in the bushes outside my house with a camera!>

Ut oh.... revenue must be down.... they used to use black helicopters...

Starchitin, the OG

A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.

>>Ut oh.... revenue must be down.... they used to use black helicopters...

>>Starchitin, the OG

#welp

>antsy-wanting-updates-ness

::bumps:: Yeah, I realize there've been things that have probably interferred, just any sort of word, even if it's a "we're still working on this" word, would be wonderful. :)

~Cylnthia Kythnis Ardenai
~Inquisitor of Kuon
~Rose Guardian, House Sylvanfair