An Appeal of sorts.

Hi all!

For once I'm going to raise awareness of something that seems to plague the community a little bit, and that is Staff.
"Staff member making a thread on staff this oughta be good."

I have friends in and out of the staff team, and if they're old enough, I'd encourage them to apply. Seriously, people see staff as these big, high and mighty figures that you don't wanna miss with, top of the food chain etc, and it's true that we have to stretch ourselves to a point of using authority against rule-breaking players. (Pretty obvious.) But back on the subject of encouragement to apply for the team, I hear people saying this one excuse everytime I ask them to apply:

"I don't wanna change."

The excuse is ridiculously stupid. No other words. We need to mature a bit, but if we don't have work to do, we still play on the server, have a laugh and talk with each other. It's not all serious business on the team, we apply ourselves when needed. But I feel that this "He's changing." Or " I remember the old version of her." Has an impact on friendships.

I've lost the friend group I've hung out with for a year and a half because I "changed.". Talking about me behind my back, hostility. This isn't me asking for a friend, or crying out loud for help. I've been insulted on forums, skype, instagram and in-game. And you'd think: "If I apply for staff will this happen to me?". I couldn't say yes or no, but it'll test who's loyal to you.

Somebody who is well known on forums, and a very skilled and talented mod had the same argument as I have with my "friends" now with me when they were promoted, and honestly it changed my perspective on staff. I was angry, and I racked up the warning points to the point I was almost banned. And now I think about it, I was stupid. I wanted to test staff to their limit and really piss them off.

And that's not the way to take staff. Don't fear us by any means unless you're doing something wrong. And please, don't ever think you'll change. Because believe me, you won't. If you've lost your friends because you decide to change for your own happiness, to make a new challenge for yourself, the people on my staff team are extremely kind, welcoming and respectable people. They're accepting and will offer support to you if you are unsure on a decision.

Second excuse and final one I shall clear up is that people feel like slaves to non-staff players:

That is completely untrue and wrong. If someone were to treat you wrong on the job, and hurt you, take action. Anything that harms you can be reported or dealt with by us if we see it. And to those who try to anger us, by no means should we offer our services to you if you treat us with utmost disrespect. You should consider our aid a privilege, not a right.

This wraps up my thoughts on how people regard staff, it's a touchy subject and will have people talking, but I hope this may encourage those who are thinking of applying to go the extra mile and do it. I hope you have enjoyed reading this, and thank you.

Joey.

 

I can see why people think staff members change who they are when they get accepted into the team. It's natural to believe that because, most of the time it is your first time seeing them in that type of role so that's the assumption you go to. You may not be used to seeing them in that type of "mature role-model" situation, which in fact, we sorta have to be to do the job properly. I'm not denying the fact that people do "change", though. I've seen many people been promoted, and I've seen many people resign. The weight of this job, the pressure it can give, and the sudden burst of having more power has the possibility to, as some people say, "change" their personality..for the "better or the worse". I've even seen some people, who I've respected during my time with this community, do/say some mean things behind the scenes. At the end of the day, though, we can't just say that "no one changes" and use that to describe the whole group. I'm a way different person than I was when I first got promoted, and I can say the same for many people. The argument simply doesn't work.

Most of us, if not all, do have a habit to overlook topics like this one. The inevitable, but the surprisingly drastic "change".

 

Great message my friend. I also went through the same crap that you did :/

 

I can only agree with Smg and, of course, you, Joey. If you become staff, you will have to change. It's inevitable. I know what I talk about. My staff experience, 11 months that is, changed and matured me so much that I didn't think was possible when I applied back in 2015.

Well written, Joey.

 

Exactly how I see situation. Thank you for wording it, by means of change, I'd meant to grow up a little just for your job. Being staff doesn't mean that there is no fun left and all you do is help.
For example.
Player1: Hey anyone up for HC?
HelperStereotype: Nah.
Player1: Oh, why?
HelperStereotype: I'm past those days.

But back to your standout point in my eyes.
"People changing once they get staff"
It's true in a way, and there's no saying it couldn't happen to you or me. (Even though your capable of handling problems, and I have belief in you for that.) (I mean, people have said I've changed for the worst.) But changing on that note doesn't necessarily make you a bad staff member. Your overall performance and judgement will gain opinions, both positive and negative.
Once more, well-worded. Really think that was something I should've added.

 

It's purely lies when they just say oh they got staff that changed them while in general we change one day at a time. But instead of doing it slowly your doing it quicker that's like really it. Staff is people with trusted abilities noting more, noting less honestly they're like our mini cops that's holding the laws (rules) in place correctly but when your friend becomes that cop or what you'd like to call it.

You get pissed of because now if you break a rule infront of your friend you'll be punished so they come up saying they've changed along being scared and want their staff friend away. I can name a few I had the same example towards, I was pissed and afraid as I couldn't do those things infront of my friends but I realized I can do those old things still but had to keep in mind they've a job to handle them self so that's really my thoughts of this thread. Good one.

 

Seriously the truth here. I've been called the worst names in the book because of it.

 

Great message. It's true what you said. No matter if you are Staff or not, you are still the person you are. You don't "change" just because you have a higher authority than everyone else.

 

I fully agree.

I was at Creative One with Cheezi in the chat, and maybe three or so people were in all chat "exposing" staff members and being hostile for no reason. Cheezi was there, thankfully. I felt disgusted how people would be so hostile to somebody that was either pursuing their dream or just being happy. "I remember old Cheezi", "Cheezi changed, staff sucks."
I don't argue with people but people's rights are something to be argued about.

 

In all honesty, i think that the power of being a staff member does change some people. I know a few people that got promoted to staff, and they have all turned hostile to me or they have ignored me, almost like it's an entirely new person. Even some staff members, as they get promoted, get more and more hostile/ignorant. Make no mistake, I know it doesn't happen to everybody, but it happens to some, you cant argue with that.
Back in my day of running servers, people say that i gained the ability to be mature when it's needed. Normally I'm a silly little shit fuck, but when the time is needed, i'm serious. I never had that before i ran servers, I always tried to make jokes out of something that was serious, I didn't know how to handle it otherwise.

In the past few months i've been active on this server, i thought the staff sucked ass compared to what it was a few years ago. But now that I'm reading threads like this by staff, i can understand their point of view and the abuse they have to take. I had a huge amount of punishments and warnings back then, but now that i understand their point of view, i haven't had a punishment in ages, and I don't know why. Maybe it's because i'm starting to understand them more, but my view on people changing with power has remained.

I hope in the coming months or even years, the bridges are built between players and staff.



Thank you for doing your jobs, as i know that the server wouldn't be the same without you.