Global Development Team additions

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by LordSquirt

What exactly did you do on your time on the team?

I don't want this to offend anyone, but I still don't get what the point of GDT is and haven't seen any contributions other than some of Streetys work.

Can a GDT elaborate on some things that they accomplished because from my standpoint I haven't even seen anything done.

I'm afraid I was only recently added before this juvenile in-fighting started. It's not very impressive.

[LordSquirt]

Originally Posted by Stephen

I'm afraid I was only recently added before this juvenile in-fighting started. It's not very impressive.

When you were hired were you supposed to do something? Maybe assigned to do something?

I just don't get the responsibilities of the GDT. So can someone explain? I want to know how the GDT is supposed to help me as an Admin on a server.

[Vulcan]

Right now the GDT is nothing more than a glorified think tank and will continue to only be that until Bell puts in place some sort of leadership structure so that jobs can be properly assigned and pushed down the chain of command.

[Matt]

GDT is just to identify quality developers, in my eyes. I remember a few threads months ago that the GDT could work on, but haven't seen any major projects be started. I mean there's the Polling System, and the website revamping being worked on by a select few, but i doubt either of those will be a complete success.

I think i noticed only 3 of the GDT roles being fulfilled.

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Right now the GDT is nothing more than a glorified think tank and will continue to only be that until Bell puts in place some sort of leadership structure so that jobs can be properly assigned and pushed down the chain of command.

This was posted while i was typing everything before this, but that's what i wanted to hear and sort of figured. I hope that's taken care of soon.

[LordSquirt]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Right now the GDT is nothing more than a glorified think tank and will continue to only be that until Bell puts in place some sort of leadership structure so that jobs can be properly assigned and pushed down the chain of command.

Oh, thanks for clearing it up for me. Lets hope that you get it up and functional then Vulcan.

[TSAdmin]

Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake here, but who EXACTLY is Katie? I've never heard of her, and from what I am reading there's a lot of implying that she is Tig's girlfriend? Personally I don't really care if she is or isn't, but I do care to know what everyone else is asking:

1) Documentation of additions
I said it with the last intake, and I'll say it again: Without documentation, no wonder the team is falling apart. No one knows what's going on around them in their immediate vicinity, metaphorically speaking. Not telling anyone that someone's been added is only cause for confusion when they pop up and say "I'm in the GDT, but you will have to take my word for it until you can ask ____"

2) With this addition, what skill are we boosting in the team? Specifically in the Levels department.
Going to the Misty Mug is just 1 place. Saying she's submitted tons of work to UN is just 1 claim. Where's her credibility being displayed in specific detail?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by TSAdmin

2) With this addition, what skill are we boosting in the team? Specifically in the Levels department.
Going to the Misty Mug is just 1 place. Saying she's submitted tons of work to UN is just 1 claim. Where's her credibility being displayed in specific detail?

That's what everyone is getting at, you put it in a much better format though.

[Twinny]

GDT members should expect to have their credentials and skills questioned, especially if they are not an active public member (forums, communal PW work etc.).

I have seen a few GDT members and I mean no offence to the team but most of the time I don't know who they are or what they are capable of. This is probably because I am rather antisocial unless I know you but it leads up to my feelings on these circumstances.

If I see a player with a GDT tag, I will not simply go, "Oh hey a GDT tag! Awesome! Have all the access you want!” While I'm sure the application process is thorough and I hold Tig, TSA, Skyld and the other senior members in very high esteem, I would still like to verify the player myself.

What I don't want to see is, "Hey. I'm GDT. I'll need this much access as I've been requested to do <blah> from above". I don't want to see, "I have a GDT tag and I'm a global and that's plenty enough to trust me". Personally, I would put them through the same process as any other player as I see them (and by extension, the GDT team as a whole) accountable to the Graal community.

Now, you could come back and say, "The GDT is outside the community. The members will be set on PWA/GST created tasks and will be working outside of the community" but if this is the case (and I don't think is), I don't think they deserve a global tag.

I see global tag is a privilege and as such, I would have expectations. I want to see the GDT take an active part in the forums. I would like to see each member held to a quota of, say, one knowledge base article on the wiki every fortnight in their particular field. I want each potential member to be judged by the community before being added. I don't want members to be added because, "they work for this server" or "they are my friend and I know they are a good developer". Should be a community decision rather than one member taking it upon themselves. (I don't know if this was the case with this current issue)

If the team won't be taking an active interest in community opinion and standards then I will never want any part of their dealings. The GDT started out with community interaction and support and I'd hate to see a fallout.

[xnervNATx]

Originally Posted by TSAdmin

2) Saying she's submitted tons of work to UN is just 1 claim. Where's her credibility being displayed in specific detail?

id like to see the work she submitted, maybe these were plain levels.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by TSAdmin

I've never heard of her, and from what I am reading there's a lot of implying that she is Tig's girlfriend? Personally I don't really care if she is or isn't

It is relevant if her addition is not only based on her skills and also of having close connections to another staff.
We all know there are some excellent and for many years active developers on Graal, why nobody ask them first?
Another question is why also the GDT members get to know about her addition here in this thread?
Additions to the global staff team should be made in a better, decent way.

[TSAdmin]

Originally Posted by Sam

It is relevant if her addition is not only based on her skills and also of having close connections to another staff

I agree entirely, but what I mean is that I personally don't care if she is or isn't his girlfriend. I care about the reasons she was added. If the reason she was added was not on a professional scale then it is definitely a problem and I would care about their relationship interfering with business and all. But if her addition were professional, many here would love to see and hear of the deciding factors that are current considering the secondary level bothering many people: We know nothing of this person or what she's bringing to the table.

I'm making sure not to sound like a hypocrite here toward Tig though, as I have also been in such a position where as Manager of Era I hired my girlfriend as an LAT, and regardless of the fact she was entirely skilled and her addition was strictly professional, it did cause an uproar much like this is and while I don't care about their personal relationship, I am merely hoping that it has not affected Tig's judgement regarding this choice to add her to the team.

[Matt]

Why not make a GDT Application forum on here like the rest of the 'Global' positions?

[Codein]

Originally Posted by Matt

Why not make a GDT Application forum on here like the rest of the 'Global' positions?

I agree

[firefighter]

The GDT is annoying
Someone of the GDT logged on my server because I needed help, bothered me and logged out. Thank you for the "nice" GDT staff...

Useless anyway (if I ask, I just get bothered and not the help I expected)...

What is the GDT for (if they don't help with the development of hosted servers)? I had to do nearly all the stuff at my own but its a way too much (okay, most of the things I need are done).

[Twinny]

Originally Posted by firefighter

The GDT is annoying
Someone of the GDT logged on my server because I need help, bothered me and logged out. Thank you for the "nice" GDT staff...

I do the same sometimes....the first level can be an incredible warning sign

[Hiro]

if katie was a good addition then the GDT should have zero problem in proving that she was a good addition, and that should apply for every member on that team. if she is a proficient leveler, then when questions about credibility arise there should be ample examples of her levels to show the public, the same for any part of the team. having these additions be on the sole judgment of global staff with no explanation to the public community, especially when they are not well known in the community already, raises the question of why they were really added. if you've got nothing to hide, then prove it was a solid choice and we can move on

[firefighter]

Okay, then I am not the only one who has problems with these dudes. Continue this "good" work - but without me as it is at the moment! I don't and won't generalize them but I think that there are many derailments in this and other areas (especially global staffs)...

Besides many of them are just idling, making grimaces or never come online. So please explain me, what the sense is!?

Not just abusing or the need of more and more rights and other advantages? Where will it lead to?

[fowlplay4]

Well from my GDT point of view...

GDT lacks iron fist, assignments, and leadership.

We need actual assignments (as Twinny mentioned even small documentation tasks would be good) assigned to us by the leaders, failure to complete the assignments should result in the individual's removal from GDT.

Until then, we're the same people as before with a global guild tag doing what we feel like, which is fairly obvious.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Well from my GDT point of view...

GDT lacks iron fist, assignments, and leadership.

We need actual assignments (as Twinny mentioned even small documentation tasks would be good) assigned to us by the leaders, failure to complete the assignments should result in the individual's removal from GDT.

Until then, we're the same people as before with a global guild tag doing what we feel like, which is fairly obvious.

Well said, i agree 100% with all of that, especially the leadership reference. I just hope the GDT doesn't concentrate much on lower priority things such as the Website.

[Elk]

Agreed!

[Liberated]

Originally Posted by Matt

Well said, i agree 100[percent..<] with all of that, especially the leadership reference. I just hope the GDT doesn't concentrate much on lower priority things such as the Website.

The website is a high priority thing imo, if the website looks better, more people might decide to try it out, and might get hooked.

[cbk1994]

The GDT still needs a purpose. It's not hard as far as scripting. Just go to any of the random wiki pages on scripting documentation, such as list of NPC-server functions, and start filling in documentation.

It also helps, for example, to write guides; I know Jerret is working on a nice one, hopefully that will be done in the near future.

I still don't see a point to the GDT, and I guess I'm just going to hear that I shouldn't draw conclusions until Bell is back, but that's going to be another few months.

My question is this: what can the GDT do that normal players can't?


As for the application process, I agree that it should be an open application (like the PWA apps, etc), and players should be allowed to comment and ask questions. There should be a list (probably on the Wiki) of every GDT member, with some kind of example of their work (screenshot for levels, link to a Code Gallery post for scripts, etc), contact information, and anything they specialize with (e.g. "Works best classic tilesets"). I'll see about starting such a page later today if people like the idea.

[Darlene159]

Originally Posted by firefighter

Okay, then I am not the only one who has problems with these dudes. Continue this "good" work - but without me as it is at the moment! I don't and won't generalize them but I think that there are many derailments in this and other areas (especially global staffs)...

Besides many of them are just idling, making grimaces or never come online. So please explain me, what the sense is!?

Not just abusing or the need of more and more rights and other advantages? Where will it lead to?

As with anything else, it will take time to get the team right. It's a work in progress. It will never be right without someone to oversee it and organize it though

[firefighter]

Originally Posted by Liberated

The website is a high priority thing imo, if the website looks better, more people might decide to try it out, and might get hooked.

Fail. Graal is mainly a game not a website. I like the forum and the main website as it is at the moment because I don't like these "complicated" websites with dominant nick-nack. And before you try to get more players, you guys should improve the game and its playerworlds at first (less buggy and laggy; more optimized). If there were more players attracted, they will leave graal as fast as they came if these things are not fixed. Hard words I know...
This process can take a while. It just needs time and good and active management and staffs. It's not a thing you can finish in a few days or even months but years.

But you guys can get it working well if you just do and manage it right!

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by firefighter

Fail. Graal is mainly a game not a website. And before you try to get more players, you guys should improve the game and its playerworlds at first (less buggy and laggy; more optimized). If there were more players attracted, they will leave graal as fast as they came.

This kind of thing is probably best left to playerworld staff, with globals (meaning the PWA) pressuring them.

[Liberated]

Originally Posted by firefighter

Fail. Graal is mainly a game not a website. And before you try to get more players, you guys should improve the game and its playerworlds at first (less buggy and laggy; more optimized). If there were more players attracted, they will leave graal as fast as they came if these things are not fixed. Hard words I know...
This process can take a while. It just needs time and good and active management and staffs. It's not a thing you can finish in a few days or even months but years.

But you guys can get it working well if you just do and manage it right!

It's a Development platform, atleast that's what the admins (atleast stefan) call it, and even a Development platform or game needs a website to give clear information and interest people in the product.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Liberated

It's a Development platform, atleast that's what the admins (atleast stefan) call it, and even a Development platform or game needs a website to give clear information and interest people in the product.

Well i didn't mean the website should get neglected, but the GDT should be for in-game development, not the website. Especially when there's great possibilities the template(s) created may not even be used the slightest. Wasted effort. That's Stefan unix's job.

[Stephen]

Graal can only be found by new customers through the website.

[salesman]

Stop using the leadership problems as an excuse and show some initiative . I can think of two reasons for joining the GDT: a fancy tag and false sense of authority, or actually wanting to help. If your reasoning is the latter, then it shouldn't require someone telling you what to do to make a difference.

This isn't directed towards all or anyone in particular, but it's disappointing to see that only a small few have actually attempted to do some good instead of constantly making up excuses.

[cyan3]

Originally Posted by cbk1994

There should be a list (probably on the Wiki) of every GDT member, with some kind of example of their work (screenshot for levels, link to a Code Gallery post for scripts, etc), contact information, and anything they specialize with (e.g. "Works best classic tilesets"). I'll see about starting such a page later today if people like the idea.

If you need any help with the page I'd be happy to help. Also I've listed a contact list of the GDT member on the contacts page here which could be used on another page but its mostly only links to the forum pm addresses.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by salesman

Stop using the leadership problems as an excuse and show some initiative .

If GDT members are expected to show initiative and do things themselves, then disband the GDT. There's basically no need to be all dramatic and consider them globals, set Roles and Goals ect, if that's the case. Leadership of a small group such as the GDT in a community such as our own, is necessary, and a valid excuse.

[Crono]

GDT needs to be more than just "lets try to help out servers and people every now and then!11" because honestly even I've been doing this on and off for years for random servers both public and private. GDT needs to be a real global team. They need to be able to pull off big tasks such as Graalympics with ease and excel in every aspect of development while being able to work together. This is a very high standard, imo, and reaching it will be quite difficult.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Crono

They need to be able to pull off big tasks such as Graalympics with ease and excel in every aspect of development while being able to work together.

That's what i was expecting to be honest.

[benpoke103]

Originally Posted by Matt

That's what i was expecting to be honest.

Originally Posted by Crono

They need to be able to pull off big tasks such as Graalympics with ease and excel in every aspect of development while being able to work together.

Myself as well..

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by salesman

Stop using the leadership problems as an excuse and show some initiative . I can think of two reasons for joining the GDT: a fancy tag and false sense of authority, or actually wanting to help. If your reasoning is the latter, then it shouldn't require someone telling you what to do to make a difference.

I agree. It's not hard to get started on things, you don't really need someone telling you what to do. Go around and ask people what they want, and you'll figure out what kind of things you should be doing.

[fowlplay4]

Originally Posted by salesman

Stop using the leadership problems as an excuse and show some initiative .

Unfortunately due to time constraints such as college, managing/scripting on Zodiac, etc. Attempting to do the job of the people who started the group is at the bottom of my priorities.

If they aren't going to do anything with the group, they should just get rid of it, cause this limbo state that we're currently in sucks but maybe someday it'll get better or we'll just end up being Stefan's slaves if we're lucky.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Unfortunately due to time constraints such as college, managing/scripting on Zodiac, etc. Attempting to do the job of the people who started the group is at the bottom of my priorities.

You designated it a priority to help them with their job when you signed up.

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Unfortunately due to time constraints such as college, managing/scripting on Zodiac, etc. Attempting to do the job of the people who started the group is at the bottom of my priorities.

If they aren't going to do anything with the group, they should just get rid of it, cause this limbo state that we're currently in sucks but maybe someday it'll get better or we'll just end up being Stefan's slaves if we're lucky.

It's a shame hearing that from you since you're one of the people who's actually done things (e.g. your scripting tutorial).

In other news, I started the GDT page. It should be accurate, though I still need to fill in the other members. If anyone wants to help, that'd be great as well.

[fowlplay4]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

You designated it a priority to help them with their job when you signed up.

Helping Graal and it's community yes, becoming a GDT Leader no, which was mainly what I was referring to.

I wish we didn't need gold to edit the Wiki.

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

I wish we didn't need gold to edit the Wiki.

I agree. Apparently it's to prevent vandalism, though that's totally pointless on such a small wiki.