To be or not to be, that is a GM :|

[Keyaz]

on many occasions i\'ve thought about what I\'ve done to help (and destroy) our community.

I\'d liek to think that i\'ve done more good then bad, but hell i\'ve made a ton of mistakes.

As some of you may know i stepped down from being a GM (GM5 or Mediator is is ingame)

I\'ve given varied reasons, some valid some not.

In the short time i\'ve gone back to being a normal player I would play and notice the things i would do as a GM, that need doing, sometimes a GM just needs pointing in the idrection to do it, sometimes they are not there, and sometimes they need a damn slap to do it.

but anyway.

I\'m thinking about re applying as a GM and I want to know what the community thinks about it, I\'ll get a poll open with a simple Yes/No/Abstain option system.

Everyone is allowed to vote etc. but it helps if you actually knew what did do as a GM and so forth.

Now, to keep this tidy I want a little co-operation from everyone *looks at Zanzibar, Efflixi, Kiern, Draklar and some of the other members who love to get their point across*

it\'s quite simple really, if your going to post your opinion, do so, make sure you get everything done in one go, and try to keep it sensible.

do NOT reply to other peoples opinions, please, thats what brings a quality topic down to a flame fest, if you want to argue over something, theres a nice big fat juicy PM button waiting for you to use it.

I myself will not reply to any opinion, or question unless it is in a Private Message, and I would liek the Moderator\'s cooperation to Delete any posts that do not abide by the above request.

As a side note, whatever way this vote goes, is not a final decision on my future, sure if the majority do not want me to GM i most likely won\'t. but if i get a mass of \'please save us from doom!\' doesn\'t mean I will GM.

at the end of the day the decision is up to Vengeance, Acraig, Talad, the Dev\'s and the GM council.

Vengeance has already stated

\"step down and you step down for a long time\"

not exact to those words but close

it means i won\'t instantly become a GM next week, it will be a long while yet.

anyway, enjoy getting your opinion out.

EDIT: Ok to clarify

GM\'s

Zayek, Pirakika, Makratok

[AryHann]

Personally, I am just totally confused by your general confusion.

You change name every week, you don\'t know if you want to be GM or not, and so on. I think your ideas float around too easily.
If you want to be GM I think it requires also a degree of matureness, that - personally - I haven\'t noticed from you (as well as from others GMs) in my little experience.
That is simply because being a GM requires a lot of nerves, objectivity, constance, patience, organization and creativeness. This is of course IMHO. Probably other people see the GM group in another light.

My question is: why would you like to be GM again?
And, why do you think it is better make other people help you in your decision?  Because you want some feedback or some confirmation?
If you have realized your previous mistakes I guess you will know how to be a GM differently, independently from other people\' opinion.
And I really think these need to be public questions/answers and not private.

Stick to a role, player, GM, character, whatever is my suggestion and you will make the community a little bit less confused!

[zanzibar]

Originally posted by Keyaz
Now, to keep this tidy I want a little co-operation from everyone *looks at Zanzibar, Efflixi, Kiern, Draklar and some of the other members who love to get their point across*

If you had wanted to keep this thread tidy, you would have started with your own post.  Good job.



Anyway, assuming your post is sincere and not just a grab for attention, what was your name in game?  I don\'t remember ever seeing a GM named Keyaz, so I\'m assuming you identified yourself differently in-game.



Edit:  Just noticed, it\'s Zayek.  This explains the tone behind Keyaz\'s other posts on the forum.

Edit x 2:  Zayek/Dem says he wants me to post my opinion, so here goes.



I think that Zayek could be a GM if he significantly betters his behaviour.  He\'s known by a lot of people for abusing his GM powers, interupting RP, making OOC comments in a public chat where people are trying to RP, being rude in general and making threats.  Essentially, \"power tripping\".  I also know there was an incident or series of incidents with him actually using the invisible command to spy on someone out of a completely personal and out-of-game interest in that person, which I think is sick and stalker-like.

His post was misleading to say the least, but a lot of the details simply don\'t need to be made public.  This isn\'t the case of Demarthyl simply deciding to be a GM again - the other GMs and devs have to accept his return.  

A lot of people know what my personal experiences have been with Demarthyl as a GM, and needless to say they\'ve been very negative.  I\'m not the only one who feels this way about him.  Also, there are probably a lot of other good reasons for him ~not~ to be made a GM again which I\'m simply not aware of.  I think in this case, the other GMs and the devs have to make the call.  I know that certain devs have been collecting information on Zayek\'s actions, and they\'re in a much better position to make a judgement than any of the players are.

[Draklar]

Ditto to what zanzibar said.

And you know my opinion. Serious abuse of GM powers isn\'t exactly what I want to see (non-intentional pun here) again. I just hope if you\'re getting reaccepted, you have the ability to learn from your own mistakes.

[Kiern]

I vote that name-changing on the forum is not allowed, because it is annoying as all hell.

Oh yeah, and less drama please.

The End.

[Valbrandr]

Well as you know Dem, we are friends...

I dont know about ingame abuses and most of the ones I heard of were from one player who likes to complain so I cant believe everything.  The only thing I didnt agree with was how you have been rude on the forums here and there though you seem better about it as of late.  And I do like the fact that you are asking the people, hopefully only people who know you and what has occured will vote.

But I was told by a good friend that you were someone that was very needed on the GM team... and since he is a very good friend who is trustworthy I would have to agree with him... from my standpoint I would have no problem with you joining once again... you just have to make up your own mind though and either way dont let public opinion sway what you want to do too much..

Good luck

[Drey]

well... i know sometimes we are friends and sometimes we are not so if my opinion counts

but on the whole i think you were good as a GM, i think i could claim i learnt to change names from the \'master renamer\'

from when i knew pirakika she was always nice, and fun even if a little rough with her

I wouldnt say you made a ton of mistakes, just some big ones though there are some other smaller things that i dont think you should have done.

i think zanzibar and kiern made some good points i have to change rooms now, so  ill read the other posts and finish this in a bit.  

Drey, over and out


Teh Post Part Two.

In the short time i\'ve gone back to being a normal player I would play and notice the things i would do as a GM, that need doing, sometimes a GM just needs pointing in the idrection to do it, sometimes they are not there, and sometimes they need a damn slap to do it.

i think that some times you can be a bit other the top.

I wouldnt mind seeing pirakika back, although sometimes i annoyed with you and you may know that and im sure the fealing is returned.

also i didnt like the ways you did some things. like the whole platyna/opinions thing and your response to me afterwoods (now that cannot be how that word is spelt)

now this bit, the opinion but im not sure i have any credibility with you or others. I think that you could return as a GM i think pretty much all of us would take you back if there was some more maturity about things and more stabiliy.

now from that people may want to call me a hypocrite but from those who know who my gm is i dont think there are any complaints about my GMingness, ive never had any about my GMing in game and if there ever have been any complaints about me they should have come to me if not first at least at some point in the line. i know that at other times i may be a little childish and some of you have got it into your heads that i am a spammer of extreme proportions. but i am not (spammer that is). now this is turning into hi jackage so..

-fin

[Wired_Crawler]

Hey, Keyaz, I would say: Pirakika come back !
You were the GM, which conducted the ceremony of my initiation in PS world I mean, You changed my bad name to the good one. You were very patient, You explained (with details), why my name was bad, You let me choose another, You waited patiently for a long while, when I was trying to find alternative, and because I was unable to do it in reasonable time, You gave me a name, which I like and I still use it (and Pirakika was on my buddy list until the wipe). If You are going to be always like that day, You should be GM.
Cheers.

[Seytra]

Sadly (or luckily) I know almost nothing of the incidents described or hinted at. I think my position towards those stating them is known very well, but I also know how easily power can corrupt a person. Only you will know what and how and why things really happened or not happened.
I thus can speak only of what I know and have observed and concluded from that.
For quite some time, you were one of the few GMs that I have seen actually care about performing a GM role instead of just idling.
I am specifically referring to names: you\'ve been one of the few who didn\'t take the easy route of shrugging off anything that isn\'t obviously offensive. I always regarded you as one of the better GMs, a tad on the (justifiedly) harsh side of things when people think they must be \"smart\".

Until in the end when things got a bit erratic. Probably it was burnout, coupled with the way things went behind the scenes. I see how very tiring and draining and frustrating it is to try to maintain a point one feels deeply is important and right and yet to have an endless supply of people arguing against it without real base. I can only imagine how hard it is when you also have to put up with the constant ramblings about abuse of GM powers and such.

So what can I say: things won\'t change from what they were when you quit. I cannot know if you can handle it better / longer next time or at all.

Therefore, I will likely have to abstain.

[Pip]

I found Zayek to be helpful and understanding.

As to anything else, I know nothing, so will have to abstain.

[Lolitra, Celorrim Purrty Twins]

We do not know if we really have the right to comment on any of the above, as we have had nothing but a great experience  with you as both a DM and as a RPer in my introduction to PS and in my endeavour to RP to my fantastical imagination, which I hope all who join enjoy, you made the time \'real\' for us in our imagination time.

Having played RP for some 30 years, it is sad to see anyone bicker about a GM without going to the GM first... and have heard unfounded comments spurred by spurious rumours - and know how difficult it can be to please all most of the time, it is impossible.

But, you Keyaz, what you do need to do is decide for yourself what you want to do , set yourself a standard, and stick to it.  Then you will gain respect, even from those who you have to chastise as they know you are fair and just by your own standards.

Also PS is a game, and a very enjoyable one too, but it is fantasy not RL, if people want RL, they should go elsewhere...  

Keyaz, If RL gets in the way of being a GM, take a break, and recoup... maybe RP with friends and leave the GMing for others during your recoup time... then come back refreshed and set to stick with your standards fairly.

To sum it up, you are the only one who knows whether or not you have the desire and commitment to be a GM, and the TEAM are best to judge if you can return.  But you have shown maturity in inviting comments on your abilities as a GM, and do so openly - and therefore get our vote of confidence...

In relation to:

i know responding to the post of others wasnt desired, but i think that statement is wrong. it is a choice that he should make himself and not have to involve all others. many people here will have no clue what alot of this is about but in the end i guess its his choice.

DREY

It was only a vote of confidence ~ if you read it in context, you would realise we already said it is his choice alone... and acceptance is via the Team..   but as in all political campains (for that is what it is...) he is placing his past up for judgement and constructive critisism thus feeling for support as to whether or not to stand for such an important role within the structure of the game. He may also learn much from this exercise, like where he might improve upon his ethics as a GM and how to ignore others who are just out to goad him...

Never-the-less we wish him all best and hope he deliberates carefully how he wishes to move forward within the \'family\' of PS and its wonderful development.

[Drey]

But you have shown maturity in inviting comments on your abilities as a GM, and do so openly - and therefore get our vote of confidence...

i know responding to the post of others wasnt desired, but i think that statement is wrong. it is a choice that he should make himself and not have to involve all others. many people here will have no clue what alot of this is about but in the end i guess its his choice.



Purrty Twins, Yes you two, you know im talking to you. What im trying to say this is his deciscion, his problem. not something that should be dragged out across the whole forum. he should deal withit himself. - but then thats just my view on how things should be done.

also there is the whole \"i wont reply\" thing, so this is a thing he will read for his own gratification.

[hitancrias]

Hi!

I think you have been a good, dedicated and helpful GM most of the time you were a GM. Though the few occasions you were not made you controversial and therefore it?s wise you stepped down. You always seemed to raise a lot of dust and I honestly think it?s better if you stayed a normal player. At least until everything calmed down around you. As much as I like you, I think you are a bit too impulsive, impatient and insecure about what you want, to be a good GM for now. I?d say: get some distance from (the core of) Planeshift for a little while to figure what you really want.

By the way, don?t underestimate how much you can contribute to the community as a normal player. Encourage RPing by RPing, be helpful and friendly to newbs in game and on the forums, fight for the survival/revival of the guild you?re in, and you can be pretty sure your Planeshift contribution balance is positive, to say the least.

Good luck!

[Cha0s]

Well, as you know, I would hope to count myself as your friend and I personally would like to see you resume your post as a GM. You can be abrupt, abrasive, and pretty harsh at times, but you actually take action and make sure that Planeshift\'s rules are carried out to their fullest degree, even though some would feel it too much work to do this. Sometimes you can be a bit hot-headed, and, if you end up returning to the post of GM, I\'d strongly urge you to think twice before doing something or saying something in a harsher manner than necessary. Overall, however, I think you were a positive force as a GM and I would like to see you resume that position.

Summary: Yes.

[Ralas]

Dem,
I am torn.  You were,  in my opinion, one of the best, most active GMs.  People seemed to complain a lot, but I always just figured that was because you actually enforced the naming policy, among other things.  I  never saw  you be anything but courteous, and overall I think your GMship was an incredible asset to PS.

I also know there was an incident or series of incidents with him actually using the invisible command to spy on someone out of a completely personal and out-of-game interest in that person, which I think is sick and stalker-like.

This, if  true, is disturbing.  There is just  no getting around the fact that this is blatant abuse  of powers.  I do consider you a friend and it pains me to have said that.  But there is no  denying it.

That  being said, should it preclude your being eligable to GM?  Obviously, you are human and you make mistakes.  We all do.  This is essential to human nature and is forgiveable.  The only real question is, can we be sure that you will not make similar mistakes in the future?  If we can be sure,  then there is absolutely no reason why you should not be allowed back on the GM team.

I, of course, cannot be sure one way or the other.  No one can but you.  I, for  one, would take your word on this, at least one  time, as I suspect that your value as a GM by far outweighs the risk of a repeat mistake.

So, if you are convinced that you have learned enough from   your mistake to not repeat it, I think that you should reapply.  There is no question that we need more GMs, especially some with your dedication.

EDIT: spelling