Okay, why does Ryker have a stickied thread? Where’s the queue? Why haven’t I liked this post yet? All that and more to be answered in short order.
Here’s the quick version: The queue is gone. If you want to host a game: open a thread, get the sign-ups and start.
Here’s the long version:
I’ve approached both Raz and Marshy with the intent to end the queue. I believe it is a flawed system that’s dated and only inhibits us at this point. As it stands, you have to wait around a year, maybe more for your game to come up in the queue. First, that number is insanity. It causes all kinds of nasty problems and doesn’t incentivise players to grow as hosts. We get half-assed set-ups and games the mod loses interest in after Day 2. We get games that have been in queue for so long that the player base consists of players who signed up long ago and can’t devote the time anymore and players who signed up recently just so it fills and the next game in the queue can come up. With a year and a half wait time, it’s also very hard for hosts to improve as they have to wait so long before they get a chance to try again after a mistake (not to mention the fact that their queue spot is guaranteed and they don’t really have to put forth effort to give players a better experience). Reform needs to happen and the best way to tackle it is to create a competitive environment where you are rewarded for hosting a good game.
So, we’re going to try this. It has a lot of room for good things to happen. However, we’re going to need to change people’s approach to signing up for and hosting games. Here is what we need from YOU to make this work:
1.) If you’re not interested, don’t play.
Look. Now you should have a selection of games to choose from. Do not sign up if you’re not going to play. I am going to start blacklisting people who drop out of my games and I HIGHLY recommend other hosts do so as well. We don’t have to tolerate people ruining games and they should be punished for doing so unless there are extremely extenuating circumstances. To this end, I will be requiring a much more solid excuse before I go seeking a replacement and I strongly suggest other hosts do the same. “I was at a tournament and don’t have the drive to catch up,” or “I really lost interest in this game, sorry guys,” will no longer merit a replacement from me. We need to stop allowing people to do things like that, especially when replacements could be used to get games that are looking for sign-ups past that phase.
2.) If you’re not interested, don’t host.
I swear, half the games in that queue were not signed up because they wanted to host a game, but because they wanted to have the option to host a game down the road since it would take so long. We want inspired games with hosts that care to put on a great show. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Unless you take great joy in putting out set-ups, I hope you will let others host rather than simply adding to the total. That is not to say don’t host if you have a set-up you want to run, but don’t host without one simply because you can.
3.) Hosts, make your games memorable.
Sort of goes hand-in-hand with my previous post. If you have an inspired mechanic, think it out well and don’t rush it. Seek peer review and make sure it is perfect. If you don’t want to run something complicated and want to run something basic, run it well. Look at Gova’s Revenge of Meta Knight Mafia. It was a very basic set-up, but you wanted to see every mod post because even his vote counts were entertaining. Every game should be treated with care and if you can’t do that on your own, find someone to help you. We want to make sure games are of the highest quality. If you don’t get sign-ups then you need to move to make it more appealing. We’re trying to give people choice, so make it a product people want.
4.) Be polite.
Look, it’s not hard. When there are multiple games taking sign-ups, wait until some fill. If you’ve run two games back-to-back, chill out and let other people run for a little bit. Don’t run something with the same or very similar flavors until one finishes (ex. If someone is running Fire Emblem 7 Mafia, then don’t start Fire Emblem Awakening mafia if you’re just going to be competing directly). Use some common sense.
Okay guys, there we go. You can use this thread to talk about this change or to seek set-up advice and critique. I’m going to turn this into the central hub to talk about set-ups and what is right or wrong with them and how to improve them. Soon I’m probably going to post my set-up for Ryker Mafia 3 and the thought process behind it, but first I want people to get to see what is going on around here. In the mean time, go sign up for Marshy’s game. It was next in the queue and it’s likely going to be amazing based on what little I’ve heard. The thread is up now.
Peace nerds (this means you, Xonar).
Here’s the quick version: The queue is gone. If you want to host a game: open a thread, get the sign-ups and start.
Here’s the long version:
I’ve approached both Raz and Marshy with the intent to end the queue. I believe it is a flawed system that’s dated and only inhibits us at this point. As it stands, you have to wait around a year, maybe more for your game to come up in the queue. First, that number is insanity. It causes all kinds of nasty problems and doesn’t incentivise players to grow as hosts. We get half-assed set-ups and games the mod loses interest in after Day 2. We get games that have been in queue for so long that the player base consists of players who signed up long ago and can’t devote the time anymore and players who signed up recently just so it fills and the next game in the queue can come up. With a year and a half wait time, it’s also very hard for hosts to improve as they have to wait so long before they get a chance to try again after a mistake (not to mention the fact that their queue spot is guaranteed and they don’t really have to put forth effort to give players a better experience). Reform needs to happen and the best way to tackle it is to create a competitive environment where you are rewarded for hosting a good game.
So, we’re going to try this. It has a lot of room for good things to happen. However, we’re going to need to change people’s approach to signing up for and hosting games. Here is what we need from YOU to make this work:
1.) If you’re not interested, don’t play.
Look. Now you should have a selection of games to choose from. Do not sign up if you’re not going to play. I am going to start blacklisting people who drop out of my games and I HIGHLY recommend other hosts do so as well. We don’t have to tolerate people ruining games and they should be punished for doing so unless there are extremely extenuating circumstances. To this end, I will be requiring a much more solid excuse before I go seeking a replacement and I strongly suggest other hosts do the same. “I was at a tournament and don’t have the drive to catch up,” or “I really lost interest in this game, sorry guys,” will no longer merit a replacement from me. We need to stop allowing people to do things like that, especially when replacements could be used to get games that are looking for sign-ups past that phase.
2.) If you’re not interested, don’t host.
I swear, half the games in that queue were not signed up because they wanted to host a game, but because they wanted to have the option to host a game down the road since it would take so long. We want inspired games with hosts that care to put on a great show. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Unless you take great joy in putting out set-ups, I hope you will let others host rather than simply adding to the total. That is not to say don’t host if you have a set-up you want to run, but don’t host without one simply because you can.
3.) Hosts, make your games memorable.
Sort of goes hand-in-hand with my previous post. If you have an inspired mechanic, think it out well and don’t rush it. Seek peer review and make sure it is perfect. If you don’t want to run something complicated and want to run something basic, run it well. Look at Gova’s Revenge of Meta Knight Mafia. It was a very basic set-up, but you wanted to see every mod post because even his vote counts were entertaining. Every game should be treated with care and if you can’t do that on your own, find someone to help you. We want to make sure games are of the highest quality. If you don’t get sign-ups then you need to move to make it more appealing. We’re trying to give people choice, so make it a product people want.
4.) Be polite.
Look, it’s not hard. When there are multiple games taking sign-ups, wait until some fill. If you’ve run two games back-to-back, chill out and let other people run for a little bit. Don’t run something with the same or very similar flavors until one finishes (ex. If someone is running Fire Emblem 7 Mafia, then don’t start Fire Emblem Awakening mafia if you’re just going to be competing directly). Use some common sense.
Okay guys, there we go. You can use this thread to talk about this change or to seek set-up advice and critique. I’m going to turn this into the central hub to talk about set-ups and what is right or wrong with them and how to improve them. Soon I’m probably going to post my set-up for Ryker Mafia 3 and the thought process behind it, but first I want people to get to see what is going on around here. In the mean time, go sign up for Marshy’s game. It was next in the queue and it’s likely going to be amazing based on what little I’ve heard. The thread is up now.
Peace nerds (this means you, Xonar).
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