Community Adviser Program

[Hanne|SDS]

Community Adviser Program

As a newcomer you may now be greeted by a Community Adviser as you enter the Calypso Gateway! These are real player volunteers whom are dedicated to helping newcomers with friendly advice about life on Planet Calypso. You can easily identify these helpers by their names and their blue uniform.

The Community Advisers will also take on the guide-role planetside, helping newcomers as they exit from the Gateway. This time the guiding will be done from their own main avatars, so the name won't say "Community Adviser", but they too will wear the blue uniforms. They may also create free events and activities directed towards the newcomers, so keep an eye out in the Clientloader, where there will be a banner for these, and other newcomer-friendly, events.

About the Program:
Since we started up the Calypso Gateway earlier this year we've been keeping a close eye on activity there.

The Community Advisers is an extension of the old and well-known guide program. However since the Gateway doesn't allow Teleporting to and from the area, we have decided to allow some veteran guides from the old program to use specially created avatars with the sole purpose of guiding and advising the newcomers stationed on the Gateway.

 

[Wody]

Yay guides! eehhmm community advisers. oops!

 

[ranpha]

And we are back !

and timing is perfect because Saturday there is already a Bridge of Death event !

 

[RavenJade]

This is great news.
Congratulations to the selected community advisors. I want to thank you a I know you take alot of your own personal time to help noobs.

 

[Haxtor moogle]

we have decided to allow some veteran guides from the old program...

Why are the same people chosen for these types of programs?
Personally I wanted to be part from the beginning but never got a chance to get in
How can this be called a "Community" Adviser Program if a select few are chosen every time?

 

[mastermesh]

hmmmm...

This is a good idea... but making it so that the advisors have 2 avatars is not a good idea, and is an indirect violation of the eula sort of... of course you all already know that, lol.

What would have been better would have been to create a special device that only those special avatars involved got that allowed teleporting in to the gateway... maybe built in to the blue suits... that way it's easier for new members of the community to have contacts that they can contact, etc. from both the gateway and calypso itself.

Doing things as you are doing seems to encourage individuals to have multiple avatars, and even worse, do so from the very beginning where avatars are first introduced to the virtual universe...

As I've mentioned before in other threads, as transport fees continue to exist, and more and more new planets come in to being, more and more of the community is going to be tempted to create second avatars... by doing stuff like this, the second avatars for the bank owners, etc., and not doing much about the other various instances where it's obvious that second avatars or shared avatars are in play, it's only encouraging more and more to take on second avatars.

 

[Hanne|SDS]

Why are the same people chosen for these types of programs?
Personally I wanted to be part from the beginning but never got a chance to get in
How can this be called a "Community" Adviser Program if a select few are chosen every time?

First of all that isn't quite true. There is a few new faces among the Advisers, and if I told you their name it may very well be that you didn't know they weren't guiding! They, just as the veteran guides, been a part of that crowd who's playstyle in a large part revolves around helping newcomers, also before and after the guiding program. These players are the "usual suspects" because they are guides, its not just a title.

About the name: They are part of the community (they are not developer staff) and they are advising newcomers to the community.

Mastermesh: The avatars does not "belong" to the advisers playing them, they belong to FPC and is being monitored. Secondary accounts are still not allowed.

 

[ranpha]

This is a good idea... but making it so that the advisors have 2 avatars is not a good idea, and is an indirect violation of the eula sort of... of course you all already know that, lol.

What would have been better would have been to create a special device that only those special avatars involved got that allowed teleporting in to the gateway... maybe built in to the blue suits... that way it's easier for new members of the community to have contacts that they can contact, etc. from both the gateway and calypso itself.

Doing things as you are doing seems to encourage individuals to have multiple avatars, and even worse, do so from the very beginning where avatars are first introduced to the virtual universe...

As I've mentioned before in other threads, as transport fees continue to exist, and more and more new planets come in to being, more and more of the community is going to be tempted to create second avatars... by doing stuff like this, the second avatars for the bank owners, etc., and not doing much about the other various instances where it's obvious that second avatars or shared avatars are in play, it's only encouraging more and more to take on second avatars.

Mastermesh we do indeed agree with you on the second avatars. But these babies are FPC avatars now. Which means , closly monitored, cant do anything with and fixed to the gateway. It is a workaround because there is no (yet) way to tpp freely between gateway and calypso. I imagine breaking one of the rules wont be a pretty picture.

Also the name kinda gives it away that we are official at the gateway


P.S. i really dont the wraith of Hanne raining down on me ...

 

[Jennson]

First of all that isn't quite true. There is a few new faces among the Advisers, and if I told you their name it may very well be that you didn't know they weren't guiding! They, just as the veteran guides, been a part of that crowd who's playstyle in a large part revolves around helping newcomers, also before and after the guiding program. These players are the "usual suspects" because they are guides, its not just a title.

About the name: They are part of the community (they are not developer staff) and they are advising newcomers to the community.

Mastermesh: The avatars does not "belong" to the advisers playing them, they belong to FPC and is being monitored. Secondary accounts are still not allowed.

Well not moaning here (o.k. yes it is moaning, but i try to keep it constructive at least ).
Already back in VU9 i was at NAZ fairly often to help out newcomers. And still nowadays i often help newcomers with advice, guiding to TPs, and so on.

Back then when there was the possibility to apply to the Guides program i sadly didn'T have enough time for it, but now there aren'T even announcments on the forum you are loooking for some. This time i had enough spare time, but there was never an announcment you are looking for Guides / Advisors. This is sad because even when the mentoring will start again which considers rep of the mentors there won'T be any chance to get some because it's already blocked by a permanent circle of Volunters.

As i see this there is hardly any incentive for those who wait at PA for newcomers or in swamp trying to teach something because when you try to start you just might hear ( in the future ) I already have an Advisor / Guide / Mentor / however you call it in future.

Quite disappinted about it.

Kind regards

 

[SODERD]

free labour!

I wish i could get my customers to work free for me to

As ppl mentioned, this should be offered to more then just a few ppl... we cant have 5 avas with 8 recognition armors each. gotta spread the freebies.

 

[Wollongong]

Why are the same people chosen for these types of programs?
Personally I wanted to be part from the beginning but never got a chance to get in
How can this be called a "Community" Adviser Program if a select few are chosen every time?

Same here.

So much for dedicated players

 

[ranpha]

Same here.

So much for dedicated players

Most of are already dedicated players

 

[Ludvig|MindArk]

Bah, this program is stupid since the start...

Sure, some of the guides are doing a great job, but not even going to comment on some of the others...

 

[Stave]

Community Adviser Stave reporting for duty

 

[Fishface]

Fishface, reporting for duty. (I'll not answer to Community Adviser Fishface)

 

[ranpha]

Community Adviser Stave reporting for duty

Fishface, reporting for duty. (I'll not answer to Community Adviser Fishface)

Wot !? New Recruits oOMG ... I need to train you guys just like I did Jot

 

[Wollongong]

Most of are already dedicated players

It was a referral to my earlier remark that being "selected" and "being dedicated" are two entirely different things.

 

[Hellraizer]

Jot is not trained, he is programmed.

Wot !? New Recruits oOMG ... I need to train you guys just like I did Jot

 

[ranpha]

It was a referral to my earlier remark that being "selected" and "being dedicated" are two entirely different things.

So dedicating myself to newbies before the Vu10 or any kind of guide program is not enough for you ? The only reason i came back was to help newbies because it is fun.

Even been dedicated enough to buy a netbook to play in the hostipal during the guide program..

Nope I am not dedicated enough ...

 

[Hellraizer]

So dedicating myself to newbies before the Vu10 or any kind of guide program is not enough for you ? The only reason i came back was to help newbies because it is fun.

Even been dedicated enough to buy a netbook to play in the hostipal during the guide program..

Nope I am not dedicated enough ...

Don't take it so personal.

 

[RavenJade]

gratz to fish and stave for being "new" in the program...

Though I think those two choices are good considering how much time and effort you both spend helping newbies



And I don't think they are doing it to get "freebies" as someone mentioned earlier about spreading the freebies around.

Sure it's nice to get something for helping..but it shouldn't be the reason why someone donates their time... if that makes sense.

 

[Hellraizer]

It was a referral to my earlier remark that being "selected" and "being dedicated" are two entirely different things.

And to this.... The first guide program was made form those chosen due to attitudes and integrity and spending alot of time in an area that MA chose fit to add official guides AFTER they started hanging out and helping out there.

Circumstance and timing..not deliberate selection.

And good luck guys and gals of the new program (Rather you than me )

 

[Wollongong]

So dedicating myself to newbies before the Vu10 or any kind of guide program is not enough for you ? The only reason i came back was to help newbies because it is fun.

Even been dedicated enough to buy a netbook to play in the hostipal during the guide program..

Nope I am not dedicated enough ...

If you took the time to read the post to which I (tried to) link(ed), you would realize that your reaction is not appropriate. It is not those few that get rewarded/chosen I am talking about. I am talking about all those unseen heroes who don't even get the chance to show their dedication in an official programme because it is always the same people who end up being chosen (which is understandable due to their trackrecord, but also disencouraging for aspiring new "Big Names").

 

[ranpha]

Sigh

just that

 

[Fishface]

If you took the time to read the post to which I (tried to) link(ed), you would realize that your reaction is not appropriate. It is not those few that get rewarded/chosen I am talking about. I am talking about all those unseen heroes who don't even get the chance to show their dedication in an official programme because it is always the same people who end up being chosen (which is understandable due to their trackrecord, but also disencouraging for aspiring new "Big Names").

I don't know how they went about choosing who to invite or not. I can fully understand what you are saying though, because I felt somewhat similar with the first two guide programs, neither of which I was invited to. Guiding is something that I enjoy doing, and so when the new PA came out, I realized that the new players coming from the gateway would all come into PA at the same place, so I started going there daily to answer questions, etc. I've been going there daily ever since (except days when i am unable to play due to work).

This last week or so, Hanne has been seen in PA, standing near those of us who are there welcoming the new players and answering questions from them. In retrospect, it makes me suspect that she was there scouting out who was doing this already without any official guide program.

I suspect that this had something to do with the selection process, since all of the people that I have seen invited so far have been people who have been in PA lately the same as I have been.

Not everyone who was a guide in the previous programs is in the new Community Adviser program. Or at least as far as I know, anyhow. In fact, at first glance it looks to me as if most are not.

 

[AlphaGeek]

It's great to see this program (re)instituted!

AG

 

[Tass]

Unlike FPC's other recent approches to the strange subject "community" I think this program basically is a good thing.

Basically,... the execution sounds improper again.

 

[Spawn]

Does this also mean mentoring will not be reintroduced in the game?

 

[ranpha]

Does this also mean mentoring will not be reintroduced in the game?

No No. MindArk is working on it. We Guides/advisers will bridge the missing link between the newbie and helping. It could be that tomorrow suddenly MA gives a update with mentoring and everything is scrapped you never know.

 

[SuperKanjo]

Why does it always have to turn so negative. At first, this is not about the guides/advisers, it's about the new players. They get guidance from a select group of people who have been helping/guiding new players for countless hours before. And when new players have a good/better start in this universe because of the gateway combined with the guides/advisors it's good for us all.

About the "selected" few, yes maybe it's the same people again, but those are the people who were helping new players for long times. They were doing it even when they didn't got the recognition, and i can say for sure (for the guides i know) that they would have done it even without reward. And i'm sure that since FPC rewarded those people the list of candidates only grew. But that is not the people we want to do this task.

As for the "unseen" heroes, you can still do the task if you like, lot's of players that you can support and guide into this game, no need to be a "official guide/adviser" for that. For the ones that wanted to be a part of this "selected" group, you can do the same thing as they do, there is no difference.