What is the role of GMs

[Karyuu]

Guys, I can\'t believe that this needs to be explained to you yet another time.

If you need a list of reasons why the last GM team was restructured, do say so. But I think most of us are well aware that it wasn\'t working well - there were a ton of complaints, people didn\'t know how to react to problems, and the basic structure of the team was falling apart. Before frustration from both sides reached breaking point, Talad decided to \"fire\" everyone and start the \"hiring\" process again - judging every new application himself through an hour-long interview that would show him exactly how capable each and every applicant was, and is. The GM team fell to a number of 10 people, and we were in a testing stage - we needed to see how well we would work with each other, how well we could help with organization, how well we could do our jobs - help players - and basically do things right this time around. The number was small because we needed to have a select group of people Talad could easily look over, guide, and give aid to as we were all learning about each other.

Now we are a lot closer to letting the team grow, but not just yet. We still have some bumps that need smoothing out before new people can come in and confuse things a little more.

Frankly I am unsure what this whole \"cryptic smile\" business is about - and you and Pip both are being really weird lately, honestly... But I thought that after explaining what happened to the GM team over and over and over, people would understand? We are still a work in progress, the team. So yes there is a small number of us, but that will change in time, probably in a few weeks.

Is there something I\'m just not understand about this thread...?

[DaveG]

I think it\'s just that from the player\'s point of view, GMs are mysterious...  Get to the other side of the coin, and it\'s really not that mysterious.  

GMs are (and after next update should be more often) invisible often and just \"around\".  They\'re not supposed to jump to your whim, but a GM or a dev is usually around within a reasonable amount of time (see: not necisarily in 3 seconds) to deal with most issues.  Yes, you may have to goto IRC, but like it or not that\'s the primary real-time communication method on the Internet, and our main contact method aside from here.

Yes, we don\'t really have an optimal amount of GMs for the current average number of players online.  They\'ll add more at some point, but it\'s not a big deal.  We have enough for now.

I would also like to point out, that some players are calling for GMs when they shouldn\'t need to.  GMs may run events from time to time, but it is not their job to regulate how anyone decides to play the game.  Please don\'t bother the GMs (or devs) with RP matters unless you\'re requesting participation.  They\'re police, not babysitters.

[neko kyouran]

Originally posted by DaveG
I think it\'s just that from the player\'s point of view, GMs are mysterious...  Get to the other side of the coin, and it\'s really not that mysterious.  

GMs are (and after next update should be more often) invisible often and just \"around\".  They\'re not supposed to jump to your whim, but a GM or a dev is usually around within a reasonable amount of time (see: not necisarily in 3 seconds) to deal with most issues.  Yes, you may have to goto IRC, but like it or not that\'s the primary real-time communication method on the Internet, and our main contact method aside from here.

I would also like to point out, that some players are calling for GMs when they shouldn\'t need to.  GMs may run events from time to time, but it is not their job to regulate how anyone decides to play the game.  Please don\'t bother the GMs (or devs) with RP matters unless you\'re requesting participation.  They\'re police, not babysitters.

1)  As I once was a new player, yes that is indeed the case ( or it was for me anyway)  The name alone is something to think about.   \"game MASTER\"  Oh my gosh this person must be like super 1337 or something. But you quickly learn that they are merely players like you that just have a few more abilities, to settle conflicts and ocasionally turn players into Groffels on Halloween.

2) As much as I despise IRC, Dave is right, it is the simplest, and quickest way for people to have \"real-time\" communication.

3)  Drat, I was really hoping you could watch my kids for me this weekend Dave, I wanted to go out.  Oh well, maybe Drey or Miss K will do it.

EDIT: spelling, what else is new.

[LigH]

if thats in anyway aimed at me...

I may have aimed, but didn\'t wield any weapon. I perfectly understand not being in the mood for PS for some duration.

I know that you do a good job as GM and hope that you are there more often. But I know it is your decision when.

Also I agree that a few more GMs could help to cover the day better; but ... while we are at it: I myself would not even want to become one. At least not as long as I neither know nor agree completely to the terms under which I would have to work.

[Cerejha]

Don\'t forget Game Masters make it in its free time, for free.

We have family, work, duties and other things to do in Real Life.
And what Drey said, we like to play other games too.

By the way, have an IRC client  runing in background, is also more tolerable, and easy, during work than a game.

On the other hand being in IRC,  if not being able to be always ingame we can bring up to date everything that are happening in game, by the conversation between other GM\'s and players, saving us thus time in the search of some information that could be needed, in the next time we will be in game.  

[josephoenix]

Speaking of IRC master... ;P

Anyhow, PlaneShift is a resource hungry program. If there was a way to keep it open in the background and notify using some kind of status icon when a petition was submitted or so, I\'m sure the GMs would be able to be \"on-call\" more.

As it is, being \"in game\" pretty much means you can\'t do anything else. With IRC, this is not the case, so people can leave that open, go do other stuff, and drop in if someone calls.

There is a channel set up for the sole purpose of finding a GM, not that many of the current GMs seem to use it :\\

If you need a GM, you should first use the petition system. If there aren\'t any GMs online, you can try the channel made for the purpose of flagging down a GM: #planeshift-gmtalk on irc.freenode.net (instructions on connecting to IRC are here)

Even though I\'m no longer technically a GM, I found your comment about \"gassing about nothing\" more than a bit rude. I\'m wondering where you get your \"information\" about what goes on in #planeshift-gms. Last time I was there, it was a bit hectic but, get this, everyone was talking about GMing! :O

So, GMs are gassing about... GMing? GMing is nothing?

josePhoenix