Mature staff
- Thread starter Dom_
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I've avoided this topic for a while but I think I'll weigh in.
I do think age should play a role in deciding staff, which does not mean to say my view is 18+ (or even 25+ as I think VMK was, not sure on that it's been a long time since I've thought of it). However, I have always been more mature than people my age truthfully and that made me think I was mature in the whole scheme of things but every passing year I can see how even though I was mature, I was still just a kid and although I may have had the best intentions I wasn't an adult. Even people who seem mature enough may not be ready for a staff role, I could have pulled off the most convincing portrayals of being mature, when partly I was and partly cause I know what to say and when to say but it wouldn't mean I would be ready to take on a leadership role in an MMO. It would probably be best to pick adults for staff, not saying it should be the criteria but being mature doesn't equal being ready or able to do this role effectively.
Next I do think staff members should be allowed a personal account, it's not a new idea and it doesn't mean people will abuse the system giving items to their non-staff account because they can. If you pick the right people then abusing the system like that won't happen whatsoever. Although any non-staff accounts created by a staff member should have no link to them being staff, they shouldn't talk about it, tell people about their staff account, give favouritism to people on their non-staff friend lists, which as said above won't happen if you find the right people. I don't think being a staff member should negate the person to have an account to play the game on with friends but I do think they should be in no way connected or known to other players.
Also you shouldn't just focus on staff who are good moderators who will enforce rules, sure you need them but you shouldn't forget a key aspect of the game was staff events, you need people who are good room builders and ride builders, even quest makers who can make fun community events. It's key to have people like that who also hold up the same standards of other staff.
Anyway you probably know what to look for and by now, shown by the other game you know how things can go if you don't pick the right people. There is always going to be a list of qualities you are looking for but even if they all that it doesn't mean they should be staff, I definitely think a big role will be CL's, players helping round the kingdom in the same way staff would but with less powers to abuse.
TLDR: I don't think you should base choice on age but also be weary if and when you look for staff, they can make or break a game.
I do think age should play a role in deciding staff, which does not mean to say my view is 18+ (or even 25+ as I think VMK was, not sure on that it's been a long time since I've thought of it). However, I have always been more mature than people my age truthfully and that made me think I was mature in the whole scheme of things but every passing year I can see how even though I was mature, I was still just a kid and although I may have had the best intentions I wasn't an adult. Even people who seem mature enough may not be ready for a staff role, I could have pulled off the most convincing portrayals of being mature, when partly I was and partly cause I know what to say and when to say but it wouldn't mean I would be ready to take on a leadership role in an MMO. It would probably be best to pick adults for staff, not saying it should be the criteria but being mature doesn't equal being ready or able to do this role effectively.
Next I do think staff members should be allowed a personal account, it's not a new idea and it doesn't mean people will abuse the system giving items to their non-staff account because they can. If you pick the right people then abusing the system like that won't happen whatsoever. Although any non-staff accounts created by a staff member should have no link to them being staff, they shouldn't talk about it, tell people about their staff account, give favouritism to people on their non-staff friend lists, which as said above won't happen if you find the right people. I don't think being a staff member should negate the person to have an account to play the game on with friends but I do think they should be in no way connected or known to other players.
Also you shouldn't just focus on staff who are good moderators who will enforce rules, sure you need them but you shouldn't forget a key aspect of the game was staff events, you need people who are good room builders and ride builders, even quest makers who can make fun community events. It's key to have people like that who also hold up the same standards of other staff.
Anyway you probably know what to look for and by now, shown by the other game you know how things can go if you don't pick the right people. There is always going to be a list of qualities you are looking for but even if they all that it doesn't mean they should be staff, I definitely think a big role will be CL's, players helping round the kingdom in the same way staff would but with less powers to abuse.
TLDR: I don't think you should base choice on age but also be weary if and when you look for staff, they can make or break a game.
I think maturity cannot be measured in age. However people should have a resume behind them. Running forums, running business, working in customer service. I think that the more experienced should be mentoring the less experienced. When I was a moderator in VMKMagic I was an adult but still began as a mini-mod and was mentored by the amazing NickyBeth. She taught me mainly about how to approach issues in a fair and kind way. Since VMKM I have worked on a few boards and I run 3 businesses IRL. No Forum has ever been as professional as the VMKM and I do feel both age, maturity and mentoring have played a part in that. Looking forward to seeing this project take off!!! Costumer (or player) service is the key to happy kingdom! 
Honestly, I believe that age is but a number. Obviously, the older the more experienced, but young adults need to start somewhere. Whether it be an online game, a job in the real world, a forum, etc. I know that some teenagers are more than capable to be a moderator either in-game or on the forums. As long as somebody has a good mindset, can adhere to the values, contribute their time and positive input to the community, and puts out a good vibe to everyone, I don't see why age should matter. I have worked in restaurants for years. I may not be quite the age that you all think is a "mature" adult, but I have grown up fast. Working in a restaurant is a job that is always revolved around human interaction. I, have learned many many things when it comes to dealing with different situations and I feel as if I would be able to handle a job like this even if I am not 25+. It really depends on the person, their people skills, possible experience working with others, and how they can handle situations. Honestly, I think no matter who they choose for staff, they should be monitored as WELL as trained, (or told what is expected of them) and if the can't adhere to this, they be removed from the team.
As far as the fairness aspect goes, I believe whoever is chosen as in-game staff should be allowed to have a seperate "fun" account. That account should be kept totally seperate, and by no means should anyone know the connection. I feel as if staff should also be allowed to relax and enjoy the game like everyone else. Obviously, monitored as well. If they get caught putting items on their play accounts, it should be a warning, and if it happens again, then direct actions should be taken.
Its not all about who is chosen as a staff member, it is also about Administration and how they adhere to their rules and keep a strict eye on their employees to make sure they are adhering to them as well. Think of it as a business. Without a boss, the company would be nothing. They would be all over the place and honestly, would be doing whatever they want. That is how this game works. Without a strong basis, we have nothing.
As far as the fairness aspect goes, I believe whoever is chosen as in-game staff should be allowed to have a seperate "fun" account. That account should be kept totally seperate, and by no means should anyone know the connection. I feel as if staff should also be allowed to relax and enjoy the game like everyone else. Obviously, monitored as well. If they get caught putting items on their play accounts, it should be a warning, and if it happens again, then direct actions should be taken.
Its not all about who is chosen as a staff member, it is also about Administration and how they adhere to their rules and keep a strict eye on their employees to make sure they are adhering to them as well. Think of it as a business. Without a boss, the company would be nothing. They would be all over the place and honestly, would be doing whatever they want. That is how this game works. Without a strong basis, we have nothing.
I so agree everyone has to start somewhere. That is why you need role models or mentors. There should be a mix but there need to be a few that even the mods in the game can talk with that may have a little more life experiences. Life experiences is different than maturity. You can be mature but not know how to deal with some situations because you have never had to deal with it. The older you get the more life experiences you have to draw on to help you with that. When dealing with such a diverse group those are great skills to have. I really believe if their had been a few adult ( with a lot of life experiences) we would still be on OVMK. Unfortunately most of the adults can also be tainted by life experiences and did not think this game would ever happen. Thus you had the youth who believed anything is possible. We have all been youth with that attitude to so many adults get it. Lets hope the admins chose wisely and yes get a mixture of experiences. 
Just an observation here, but I find that people who write off age as "just a number" tend to be on either extreme end of the age "bell curve". Most people at any age have that feeling like they have it all figured out only to realize 5 years later "If I only knew then what I know now". As LittleBelle says, maturity is only a part of the equation. Life experience, perspective, patience, problem solving skills, social skills and others will all play a vital role in designation of in-game staff. Unfortunately, these traits are not "measurable". Age, however, is. Age should certainly be a starting point for in-game staff.
As we've observed in just the past week, staff can certainly make or break the gaming experience for everyone.
Additionally, I do believe that in-game staff shouldn't necessarily be taking on the same roles on the forums (in VMK, these roles were separate and distinct on every forum). But, this is partially from a practicality stand point (we want our in-game staff focused on the game and our forum staff focused on the forums), as well as bringing some balance to roles of authority. I also believe that individual forum moderators should certainly have more leeway in terms of criteria (age, etc) than I would consider necessary for in-game staff. The forums can be a great place to start for a handful of younger members looking to possibly segway into in-game staff after gaining some experience.
As we've observed in just the past week, staff can certainly make or break the gaming experience for everyone.
Additionally, I do believe that in-game staff shouldn't necessarily be taking on the same roles on the forums (in VMK, these roles were separate and distinct on every forum). But, this is partially from a practicality stand point (we want our in-game staff focused on the game and our forum staff focused on the forums), as well as bringing some balance to roles of authority. I also believe that individual forum moderators should certainly have more leeway in terms of criteria (age, etc) than I would consider necessary for in-game staff. The forums can be a great place to start for a handful of younger members looking to possibly segway into in-game staff after gaining some experience.
As a former staff of OVMK, I find this a bit offensive. Yes, I agree that there were some staff hired that probably shouldn't have, but not all of them were bad. I'm not calling myself a great staff member, but I know I wasn't that terrible...
As for age/maturity, I think it all should depend on maturity. Age is a number. You can be sixteen and mature, or 24 and very immature. Age doesn't determine anything.
I trust Amy, Grizzly, and Kevin with any staff decisions that they make.
As for age/maturity, I think it all should depend on maturity. Age is a number. You can be sixteen and mature, or 24 and very immature. Age doesn't determine anything.
I trust Amy, Grizzly, and Kevin with any staff decisions that they make.
vause I do agree with you that it does not come down to age for maturity level and that it could go both ways. There are plenty of teenagers that are very mature and then some adults that don't act very mature at all. The main thing is for Amy, Kevin and Grizzly to perform a good interview with a possible staff member before bringing them on. With OVMK I saw Grace and some others act in a way that did not reflect good on the game or with VMK values. I do think adults with expereince in programming, website design, etc should be part of the admin team and the teenagers who are mature could help inside the game like a cast member at Disney. Another thing is maybe a probation period to give Amy, Grizzly, and Kevin time to get to know a person before giving them additional control in the game.
This might help. I found this list I did not created it myself. Though I do agree with the most of it .
So here are the top signs of emotional maturity.
1. You cope well with change. A person who is emotionally mature will not resist change. The change may be difficult for that person to make, but someone emotionally mature will realize that this change is necessary. An emotionally mature can handle changes and will adjust for those changes.
2. You are concerned with the thoughts and feelings of others. You are able to share love with others and realize that everything is not revolved around your wants and needs. You create an environment where you can place anothers needs above yours. You dont demand constant attention from others. You feel secure with yourself and are not jealous that your friends or significant other spend time with different people. You give respect to other people. You are able to open yourself to new ideas that others have about the world. You care that you might be hurting someones feelings.
3. You can control your emotions. When you are angry, you do NOT verbally or physically hurt someone. You can handle criticism, and do not feel attacked every time you receive criticism. You are able to forgive others and do not hold grudges for past actions. You do not become very frustrated with other people and have patience for mistakes that people make.
4. You seek solutions to problems in your life. When faced with challenges, you do not show self-pity and take little action to improve your situation. You are willing to find different solutions to address the challenges in your life.
5. You rely on yourself for your own care and have personal responsibility. You are able to handle your own finances independently. You do not need the advice of your parents or loved ones to make daily choices about bills to pay and how to best spend your money. You do not rely on other people for your well being. You manage your finances well.
6. You are patient with your wants. You do not always have to gratify your needs. You have self-control with your actions and can delay your gratifications.
7. You are hopeful. You believe that life can change and get better. You realize that life does not control your situation. You understand that with faith, effort and acceptance, things can improve. You believe that the choices you make can change your lifestyle.
8. You are a giver. You are able to give back to others. Not everything is about taking and using situations and people to achieve what you want. You believe in returning favors to others. You happily do kind things for loved ones. You are willing to sacrifice some of yourself to help someone achieve something he or she needs or wants.
9. You are independent. You can make your own decisions about life. You can take responsibility for your actions and can handle commitments. You are not afraid to be independent and do not feel completely lost when doing something on your own.
10. You are resilient. When times get tough, you learn to adjust and handle those difficulties. This may be a lengthy process but resilience happens. During breakups you do not spend years being unable to move on. Instead, you learn to move on, adjust and try and handle the situation. When being laid off work, you do not sit around at home, unable to apply to jobs and living off unemployment. You keep searching for jobs, sending out your resume and take advantage of any opportunity you can get.
11. You can step out of your comfort zone. You are willing to do something out of the ordinary and gradually get away from a situation that may seem secure. You can take risks in relationships, your career or with life decisions. You are able to pursue your dreams and purpose, even if it involves you doing something that feels a bit uncomfortable at first.
12. You live in the present. You dont allow past circumstances to strongly impact how you live now. You are able to realize that people change, and can learn to forgive. You try to not repeat mistakes from your past. You try to not misapply what happened in the past to what is happening now (i.e. my last relationship didnt work so now this relationship will not work). You believe that the present can be different from your past.
From reading posts on this forum you can see from the list above where a person might fit. Though not always. Carefully created questions can show how a person thinks and problem solves. I am sure there are much better lists out there. So yes you really could have a 25 year old which great maturity and a 35 year old who does not. I know both.
So here are the top signs of emotional maturity.
1. You cope well with change. A person who is emotionally mature will not resist change. The change may be difficult for that person to make, but someone emotionally mature will realize that this change is necessary. An emotionally mature can handle changes and will adjust for those changes.
2. You are concerned with the thoughts and feelings of others. You are able to share love with others and realize that everything is not revolved around your wants and needs. You create an environment where you can place anothers needs above yours. You dont demand constant attention from others. You feel secure with yourself and are not jealous that your friends or significant other spend time with different people. You give respect to other people. You are able to open yourself to new ideas that others have about the world. You care that you might be hurting someones feelings.
3. You can control your emotions. When you are angry, you do NOT verbally or physically hurt someone. You can handle criticism, and do not feel attacked every time you receive criticism. You are able to forgive others and do not hold grudges for past actions. You do not become very frustrated with other people and have patience for mistakes that people make.
4. You seek solutions to problems in your life. When faced with challenges, you do not show self-pity and take little action to improve your situation. You are willing to find different solutions to address the challenges in your life.
5. You rely on yourself for your own care and have personal responsibility. You are able to handle your own finances independently. You do not need the advice of your parents or loved ones to make daily choices about bills to pay and how to best spend your money. You do not rely on other people for your well being. You manage your finances well.
6. You are patient with your wants. You do not always have to gratify your needs. You have self-control with your actions and can delay your gratifications.
7. You are hopeful. You believe that life can change and get better. You realize that life does not control your situation. You understand that with faith, effort and acceptance, things can improve. You believe that the choices you make can change your lifestyle.
8. You are a giver. You are able to give back to others. Not everything is about taking and using situations and people to achieve what you want. You believe in returning favors to others. You happily do kind things for loved ones. You are willing to sacrifice some of yourself to help someone achieve something he or she needs or wants.
9. You are independent. You can make your own decisions about life. You can take responsibility for your actions and can handle commitments. You are not afraid to be independent and do not feel completely lost when doing something on your own.
10. You are resilient. When times get tough, you learn to adjust and handle those difficulties. This may be a lengthy process but resilience happens. During breakups you do not spend years being unable to move on. Instead, you learn to move on, adjust and try and handle the situation. When being laid off work, you do not sit around at home, unable to apply to jobs and living off unemployment. You keep searching for jobs, sending out your resume and take advantage of any opportunity you can get.
11. You can step out of your comfort zone. You are willing to do something out of the ordinary and gradually get away from a situation that may seem secure. You can take risks in relationships, your career or with life decisions. You are able to pursue your dreams and purpose, even if it involves you doing something that feels a bit uncomfortable at first.
12. You live in the present. You dont allow past circumstances to strongly impact how you live now. You are able to realize that people change, and can learn to forgive. You try to not repeat mistakes from your past. You try to not misapply what happened in the past to what is happening now (i.e. my last relationship didnt work so now this relationship will not work). You believe that the present can be different from your past.
From reading posts on this forum you can see from the list above where a person might fit. Though not always. Carefully created questions can show how a person thinks and problem solves. I am sure there are much better lists out there. So yes you really could have a 25 year old which great maturity and a 35 year old who does not. I know both.
I do agree with most of your post....but I think it is a bit incomplete. Just tweaking the post a little. 
I don't believe maturity automatically means going with any and all change. Change can be good even if difficult, but change is not always for the better. Maturity comes in with being able to recognize that and that sometimes not all change is healthy for each situation.
This one seems incomplete to me. *You live in the present* with an eye to the future. It is good to not let the past overtake the present. But with maturity, one would consider the future in decisions.
I don't believe maturity automatically means going with any and all change. Change can be good even if difficult, but change is not always for the better. Maturity comes in with being able to recognize that and that sometimes not all change is healthy for each situation.
This one seems incomplete to me. *You live in the present* with an eye to the future. It is good to not let the past overtake the present. But with maturity, one would consider the future in decisions.
Someone really needs to explain to me how ya'll plan to quantify and rank maturity.
I'm concerned that most people seem to be judging whether staff would be good or not based on whether they'd be fair or play favorites, etc. This is first and foremost a game where children are the primary target audience. Those who take on the staff positions are going to have the responsibility of ensuring online safety and COPPA compliance, especially for minors, lots of them. Secondary to that is going to be making sure the game is fun and engaging. These individuals are going to have to work together, even when they have disagreements and can't stand each other, *without* dragging the community into it. They're going to have to exhibit a high degree of critical thinking and awareness. And they're going to need a genuinely thick skin because no matter how much you may try to please everyone, it's simply impossible. Forum posts about staff have, historically, often pendulated from loving adoration to bitter hatred and whoever takes these roles is often going to have to bite their tongue and just take it. Based on the uproar in this thread at even suggesting a minimum age requirement, you can understand how dubious I am. Staffing is extremely important to the games success. I simply cannot stress that enough.
Soooo...fart jokes are still okay? Great list on defining maturity! I still would like to see staff with some practical and applicable real world experience in addition to some of these traits.
Soooo...fart jokes are still okay?
Great list on defining maturity! I still would like to see staff with some practical and applicable real world experience in addition to some of these traits.Though I agree with the Poster I have to disagree with some of the comments. Setting a minimum age is fine by all means do it. But the ages some of you are throwing out there are just way too high. I don't think maturity comes with age but with experience. Think about it, If you can have the responsibility to drive, and have a job at 16 I think you can sure handle moderating an online game. Maturity varies from person to person. I'm 17 years old and I can honestly say I am more mature than most adults. But come on. Maturity is boring, some people take it too seriously and dull out their lives. That being said, I think staff should be chosen more carefully than on Ovmk, (Although I don't know their policies when they were a team) I suppose a Skype interview would probably be the next best thing. Anybody can write an application and be a completely different person than what they write.
There is really no way to rank maturity. As I said before maturity doesn't necessarily come with age. If you really think about it the only thing that comes with age is grey hair and experience. I know numerous teenagers who are more responsible and mature who already have steady jobs while balancing school. But like I implied, ranking maturity is unheard of due to preferences. One person's idea of maturity can vary from the next persons perspective on it. All i'm saying is don't necessarily judge maturity by age. Of course, don't be thinking all 12 year olds are going to be the most behaved mature people from what i'm saying.
There is really no way to rank maturity. As I said before maturity doesn't necessarily come with age. If you really think about it the only thing that comes with age is grey hair and experience. I know numerous teenagers who are more responsible and mature who already have steady jobs while balancing school. But like I implied, ranking maturity is unheard of due to preferences. One person's idea of maturity can vary from the next persons perspective on it. All i'm saying is don't necessarily judge maturity by age. Of course, don't be thinking all 12 year olds are going to be the most behaved mature people from what i'm saying.
You have said it better than I ever could. I that is why I would never want to be a staff in the game. It is a huge responsibility. My skin is not that thick either. You would be hard press to find many who truly would want to do this as a volunteer. I know on many forums staff were criticized a lot. If a quest went bad post after post were how upset people were. Thick skin is a must but thick skin without having a do not care attitude to players is a must. Not an easy line to walk.
