Having a job on a server
 

I thought we could just sit and discuss how to hold a successful job on a server-- wherein if everyone acted like this, a server would take a long step in being overall successful.

1. Work for a goal, not glory. I've said something similar before, Graal is not a kingdom to flaunt your power in. If you're going to try to get a job, do it because you want to better the server, and because you enjoy doing the work. The best way to keep you and the server happy is if you really enjoy doing the stuff you're doing. Nobody likes a bitter co-worker.
2. Dedicate yourself. Don't stretch your skills beyond even a couple of servers. Dedicate yourself to a few... if you can't stand just working on one. One would be nice... but I guess that's rare in Graal. You're not helping all those servers by working on all those servers... and you're definitely not going to help yourself. You're going to tire yourself, or just run your motivation dry, and end up doing nothing. Just pick one server... or a couple. Why work for more than one other than to brag?
3. It's not all about the power. Relax... you don't need full level access, NC access, banning powers... if you're just a new LAT. In fact, the only thing you should have access to as a new LAT is access to a 'work to be done' folder where staff can place levels that need work, and an 'uploads' folder, where you can upload it when you're done. Of course there are other minor things like a way to record errors so higher staff can let you fix them, and warping rights... that's about it. Either way, this might not be exact, but you get the point. How is banning rights going to help you make levels? How is setting player attributes going to help you make levels? It isn't. The same goes for any other job, be happy with the powers that you need, otherwise you're just in it to have fun with powers you don't need... ie, abuse.
4. Give it up. If you're not around more than a few hours a week, you hardly work anymore... give the job up. This goes for managers and lesser jobs alike. The only thing you're doing by leaving your name on that list and not quitting when you know you don't have the time is stagnating the server. While higher ups wait for you to work, nothing gets done... they could have better spent the last 4 months waiting for you by hiring new staff and getting it done 3 months ago. This applies to GP's and ET too... you're just not helping anyone by not coming around. Be the bigger person and help everyone by just quitting, and reapplying when you're more interested and have the time... this applies to higher staff more than anyone else. A MiA NAT will maybe put more work on another NAT, but a MiA head NAT will stop all scripting to a halt if the NAT's aren't sure what to do. Managers... if you get bored with a server just leave, you're doing nothing but killing the server yourself.
5. Higher-ups, don't be afraid. Running a server, or helping it run, is a job first, and fun later. Working on a server with a bunch of people that get along is an amazing experience in its own... but not if no one's actually working. Just because you're a friend with someone, doesn't mean they have to stick around if they're not working. If they don't apply to the above notes, and they generally slow down the work of a server... it's time for them to go. All too much I see people stick around just because they're friends with the manager or some other high staff.
6. Quality is better than quantity. Cliché, but all too true. Having 5 NAT's and 7 LAT's and an army of GP's and ET's isn't going to save your server. How is having 5 NAT's that struggle to get even the simplest of things done, because they got through on stolen work, really going to help your server? Not to mention, the more people you add, the harder it is for those who actually care and work hard... Scripting is a delicate thing, it's hard to understand 5 different NAT's methods of scripting and style. The same goes for LAT's, mixing more LAT's just makes it hard to keep one style of levels... and yes, the same goes for GAT's. In the end, yes, even two workers can have a server clash of style... but the more you add the more troublesome it becomes. Just have a couple of people that work good together and understand each other... it'll get a lot more done a lot faster, and it'll work a lot better.
7. Be happy. A good work environment is a productive work environment. Try to get along with people, it'll pay off. Management... if you see someone is overall destructive of the work environment... constantly causing arguments, flaming others, deleting stuff, abusing powers--get rid of them. You'll be happy in the long run, no matter how good of a GAT they were... it's just not worth it.
8. Free lance. It's not that bad of a life... unless you really like to flaunt your work... but that's not helpful to servers. If you really like what you do, but don't have the time to dedicate yourself to a server, just free lance. Help people with simple tasks... they need a small icon done? Do it, send it via e-mail or messenger and be on your way! RC with no rights other than an upload folder is all the same I guess. When I would free lance, I'd ask them for rights to a folder I can upload it, and told them to put requests in my comments. When I was feeling like it, I did it and uploaded it. For management... don't rely on freelance! It's not their job, they're just helping when they can. Relying on freelance is like relying on an inactive staff. Just accept their help when they can, in the end, what can you lose from it? I found I was happiest when I was just helping when I could, and not tied up to a job and responsibilities... I was just more productive. Everyone is happy?

Well here's some things I think, if followed, will help those working, and the servers. Post your own opinions on these, or more tips if you'd like.

Most stuff i agree with about people being staff on servers and what they should and shouldn't expect, but you also must note that there isn't many developers today who do have any motivation to do work constantly for free. So you will have to expect slow progress on servers due to this factor. And most managers will rely on the most inactive staff because dedicated skilled staff is rare today.

Also having a lot of level makers isn't bad at all. Maybe alot of scripters, but Most level makers today have a generalization of how detailing goes now.

Guess the bit about levels are true... I haven't really had any experience in the field of actually working on levels for a server so I wasn't sure how easy it is for an LAT to adapt a style.

As for the bit about motivation and such... also true... but what can I say? There are 100+ servers, of course you're not going to find staff. But for anyone who REALLY wants to get a server done, you have to try to set standards. And I just don't see the point in relying on inactive staff, are their few contributions a month really helping? If they're the only one on your staff that has that kind of skill... it'll take forever to get the server done. I'd rather see a server full of mediocre stuff that's actually done than a server with a few good pieces of work.

I've noticed that (particularly in programming that ) one of the main flaws people go through is they try to make the server perfect in every way ( graphics, scripts, etc etc ). This usually causes massive delays in the construction of the server and usually ends up making a major overhaul of the server itself ( rescripting everything ). This is NOT productive. If lag is an issue, code to refactor later on ( or at least isolate what you think will lag, to better work ). You don't know what will lag until you finish the server. So about the 'quality over quantity'... I think people will rather a server that works ( Zodiac is a good example ) than one that is perfect.

Additionally... Compromise. Don't go making your own server because you think its awesome. Most of the time, there is another server that has similar objectives. They probably have more content than you, AND they already paid for the server. Some of the most anticipated servers have died because of no support in development.

Well what I meant by quality over quantity, was simply that it's not the best to just get as many LAT's and NAT's together to get stuff done instead of getting a few that are decent at what they do. It just doesn't mix well together... at least when it comes to graphics and scripts. Scripts are more important though. You make a good point though, I agree that quality isn't everything in a server, I enjoyed Classic back then and I'd probably enjoy it now, but you just have to take into consideration getting the most staff you can isn't going to help that much over just a few that work well together.

Ideally, players shouldn't be made to feel like they need to develop to actually enjoy the game; sadly this is the case though on most servers. When it reaches that to where you feel as though you need to become staff to actually enjoy the game you paid to play rather than develop to improve, development becomes a chore.

I agree almost 100%

All too often I see people *****ing and moaning that they don't have rights to do this and rights to do that and try to step up on the chain of command. Sure there should be one, but you shouldn't be so caught up on it that you spend all the time you should be bettering the server on getting promoted.

Aw, I hate people who do that.
I hate those standard staff positions as well. I call everyone I hire "staff" and me and Jim are the Owners. No other ranks. That way people won't be restricted to one school of development, savvy?

And yes, I agree that you shouldnt work for glory. I work for the heck of it :) And to beat all the other servers out there, to show them that if you want, you can do anything on graal.

I work cause i dont find any of the other servers interesting, so if i build my own i can perfect it :O

Still the staff motivation example applys. There is lack of decent developers these days and rare to even find skilled ones so managers will keep all the help they can get unless they already have some pretty dedicated staff and can wipe the inactives which usually isn't the case in most servers today.

And the 100 + servers wont change except get bigger. Everyone wants to buy their own server to get OMG KOOL LVL4 RIGHTZ to abuse. And cyberjoueurs will just love it because its more money for them with the addition that this server will not even use up much bandwidth or space. I cannot imagine how many servers i hopped on, gave critique on the quality of the content and heard "Do you want to get banned?". Just for pure abuse people want to buy them, think up ridiculous ideas they can never get accomplished because there isnt much quality developers these days to go help new people. You literally don't get quality developers unless you have a good friend whos real good or if you're known around the community.

But you will never see a successful playerworld that isnt on the classic/hosted tab again because more and more developers quit. Except for maybe toms server, it has potential ;).

Ya, there isn't a fix for it... but the advice still applies when it's possible.

Love that. Did that on Esteria, Nico had the idea to do it, I just said "K". Now I always use it so people don't go "SHE/HE SUCKS WHY'S HE THE <position> ADMIN!?!?"

I actually like to think in a way that I'd never get any more Graphics actually.

I've never found a decent dedicated GAT, so I literally scrapped anything that had to do with graphics and re-did the ideas so they can work with the pre-existing original graal graphics, and let me say I recommend that if you can't find someone to do you work on a ceartin part of development (except NATs, if you can't find one you're screwed regardless), to just simply work with the server without the possibility of that ever coming again, ever.

With regards to freelance, I don't think enough is done to make that possible. Shame there isn't a list somewhere of projects that staff could submit to the community and people could submit work for, to be considered for use! But that is partly also the attitude. If a server not on the public list asks, people will reject it. As for those on the list, I think people would be scared of the opinion of people who would judge the server as not having enough staff!

I guarantee my server will become classic.

Sooner then you think. ;)