Global Helper role with no perms? (just to answer basic stuff ect)

So I got an idea where there is a role just soley focuses on answering questions that are asked in chat :

Reasons:
1) Its hard for mods / helpers / staff ect to be online all the time as we are all busy with IRL stuff daily to answer basic questions and most other stuff can just be solved through Discord like player reports with proof or where help that needs perms can be requested from discord.

2) Mods are ususally busy with doing more important stuff and have a harder time answering simple, very repetitive questions over and over again. This will help mods to reduce their workload and have a faster seperate role to help answer the questions which improves player experience.

3) More recognition from the community as it is hard to get a positon as a staff member even if very qualified/very well known to be helpful. Also creates an opportunity to encourage players that like to help to help more.

4) An extra helping hand for mods, ususally players do report slurs and other types of profanity and this role can help do that to, with a more direct connection with the real moderators.

More suggestions for the "helper with no perms role":
1) Weekly/monthly system maybe? Like have to renew if they still want to help or not. To prevent inactive "helpers" from taking on the role too long.

2) More easy entry requirements, like have a certain playtime, have clean track record, seen helping people alot when online, good attidude ect when chatting. No need that strict as no perms are involved.

My experience:
From my experience playing SB for abt 10 months, there are may times where players ask questions and people just ignore for extreme periods of time, like 5 - 10 minutes, and they keep asking. I am sure some questions have become unanswerd as they have gave up asking.

During active times also sometimes players are just too busy with their own stuff to answer or are just too lazy to answer and the new ones are left ignored. You can argue that they should get some common sense and start exploring themselves and its true, but asking is so much more faster and convienent.

Personally I always prefer to help people even though some request are abusrd, unless I am busy as I find the fun in doing it, its part of my "fun" playing SB as sometimes it just gets boring and stuff. I personally know some players who help alot and are very frienly and nice but they failed to get a position as staff which I will not mention and some who did not apply as staff but are profilic "helpers". I feel like is a hidden resource waiting to be tapped and felt like sharing my ideas to try help improve SB, and make everyone happy about what they are doing and improve the quality of life for all SB players including staff members which I accounted for.

Edits :

Main goal :
My goal for this role is for new players to get directed to a single/multiple players with this tag instead of shouting into the void.

Like I hope this role reduces the amount of excessive amounts of repeated messages from annoyed players that keep asking for help in chat, like I hope it will divert them to the people who actually willingly can help them.

As it's common instinct for new players to call mods specifically for help. And they usually fail here and just shout into chat and get mad.

Also having this tag gives a player a responsibility, like a normal player can decide if he is in the mood to help. This will make them answer the questions / as motivation.

 

so you mean a normal player helping out other players? why would you need a special role for that?
if there are people on who are willing to help other players they will do so with or without a special rank or role, i dont really see the need for this

 

I like it, keeps them in their place and they can't abuse their perms at an early stage

 

But one of out best "Community Helpers" was just perma banned for no reason. He built us a quarry and all but you won't let us have it

 

Yeah you are absolutely correct, I have thought of that too. I completely forgot to type above, good reminder haha.

My goal for this role is for new players to get directed to a single/multiple players with this tag instead of shouting into the void.

Like I hope this role reduces the amount of excessive amounts of repeated messages from annoyed players that keep asking for help in chat, like I hope it will divert them to the people who actually willingly can help them.

As it's common instinct for new players to call mods specifically for help. And they usually fail here and just shout into chat and get mad.

Also having this tag gives a player a responsibility, like a normal player can decide if he is in the mood to help. This will make them answer the questions / as motivation.

Edit:

To add, they get a clearer link to the staff members as they are recognized/known to have this role. So staff will know it's business when they contact staff.

And like I said above, it's super hard to get a staff position now, so I feel it's more fair to players to have at least something without compromising by them abusing their powers as they have none. Like queen said in a new comment.

 

Yeah, exactly.

 

My goal is to make everyone happy. I have alot to answer here, I'll go by from beginning of what you said to the end.

1) Yeah, this rank is more for a "comeon just give me a staff" person, as like I said it's hard AF to get staff.

2) Yay, I have succeeded in my idea then, in making everyone happy. Instead of what you said, just make another tag. Also, I suggest a system for renewal of position, which can mitigate the problem you brought up. Which can be implemented for this (hopefully) tag or globally for all staff.

3) TBH yeah it might happen, but what I was thinking is players might relate them to as Mods as they are new and they don't understand they don't have perms (I didn't know anything about mod perms and stuff even until now, I even though helpers had no perms)

Also they have a more direct connection to the staff members, it's alot more efficient for them to report if anything goes wrong. Like they are not really helpless when trolled, just maybe a slight inconvenience for more stuff to report.

 

The application process for helper can be 12+ months, I don't see the point of adding another role if people who apply will need to be vetted as well taking most likely just as much time. I also personally don't see the point of having a role that has zero power, because when you get a chat rule breaker, spamming, racist, etc etc, these people will be as powerless as any other player, as it stands people in chat report it and mods *mostly* get to it fairly sharply.

What would be a more rounded solution is for the staff team to actually treat the helper role correctly, and have more helpers. There are literally multiple great players with top notch knowledge and behaviour waiting months and months to get on the staff team and have a chance to make an actual difference. Sort that system out before adding another role. Just my opinion.

 

id just like to add, the point has always been driven home that "staff are players too"

 

Yeah I think you missed abit of what I am saying. I was thinking this role will have a separate system of recruitment, like I said above in post. Which is different from main one as it's basically impossible to get staff now. So there is a easier to get role for the ones who really wants one.

And yeah, you have a really good point in the second one.

The third I absolutely agree, but I don't feel like it will become a reality. I do really hope it will happen tho. My idea is just to compensate for this. As it's just so so much more less labor intensive for the staff to screen through with alot less restrictions.

flaming_tree_ , you gave me an enlightenment. I realised that maybe it's because of the hardness to get a role as staff, no wonder staff are defending it so hard.

Also I cannot see staff stepping down as there is no way for them to recruit the needed amount of people using the current method.

For the method of reporting I never even though of forums, I feel its completely obsolete for fast communication, more for posts for people to read and discuss. I never used it and always contacted Mods straight on discord. What was floating in my mind was just that the mods know the people, and know it's business when they contact them.

Yeah true for the trolling stuff, but now maybe I'm asking too much from this role. It's main goal is to help. Good input though, can always modify the targets as it's just in idea stage.

But yeah they will have to endure the trolling if they can't manage to report. I mean it's a trade-off just to get a tag. And I already suggested a system where people will have to renew the role, like when u get tired u just resign and let others take over.

But they are staff, and they MUST work when they are online and drop everything they are doing in SB if something goes on/ need reply. They are not entitled to "oh they are players too". Like no excuses. Please.

This is same, but alot less entry requirement, alot less intensive and alot more freedom. As they just answer chat and screenshot, and mods will handle the rest. Where mods have to do both moderating and helping chat.

I feel this is a good alternative for people and helps spreads the load for Mods.

And you can say this is actually helping the mods, so they are able to play more too due to moving the answering role from them/reducing.

 

Am i wrong, or do a good ammount of players already help out in chat

 

From my experience, it's based on timing, the questions asked, and what players are online.

Sometimes people flood to answer one simple question, sometimes no reply even simple questions for many minutes, until they eventually give up. There is like no consistency, every new SB player experience will vary alot depending on when they join. I hope to get people enthusiastic of helping thus improving the experience for new players, and I don't want them to be steered away/ discouraged by how hard it is to get a role as staff.

Also, I also feel like making this a chance for players who are passionate in truly helping get a "rank". And help Mods do the "annoying work" like answering questions from players.

It's not really about "oh people already helping" actually, it's more about having more people helping online. And more people = more consistency.

 

This is the case for both players and staff, plenty of times staff are online and not answering basic questions, and players answer first.

Would a better fix to this not be improving the staff application process? I wont name names or bring up players that arent myself, but there are many instances of players who are more than qualified applying for staff and not being accepted, or delayed for a long time. Meanwhile there are staff who dont get online often at all.

Simply being passionate about helping IMO is not deserving of a rank, plenty of players help out whenever they can, thats just common curtesy. Also, staff signed up to HELP, if any staff looks at answering questions as annoying work they should resign. (im not saying any current staff do)

 

True, I agree with what you say. But I just don't feel like it will become a reality. I do really hope it will happen tho. My idea is just to compensate for this. As it's just so so much more less labor intensive for the staff to screen through with alot less restrictions.

Yeah thats true too, but for me I feel like its a easier option for them to apply for something if they want. Like some people just can't handle the full beans of being a staff, but still are able to help great and are maybe hoping for a "rank" or something. My personal opinon tho.

 

I also wish it would become a reality, sadly if this rank is used to be a "fix" or to "compensate" for the staff aplication problems, then the issue will only persist.

I agree, everyone likes to feel useful or special (myself included), but it feels like a needless distinction in this case

edit: i do believe that this would be a good way to help new players, but i dont think SB would benefit

 

Ahh ok then, now I just I feel like the issue is staffing then. I feel there should be a mod on always and, maybe im expecting too much from mods?

 

I think that the issue is indeed staffing. I believe that staff should be a position that is also taken away from people. There are plenty of good staff, but for some mods to go through long periods of not being online, then coming online for a day and then resuming a long break is absurd. Having a mod always on is a little much, but having active mods is very important

edit: ion wanna de-rail this thread but j some food for thought

 

Ahh nahh, it makes alot of sense. Just now just hoping if higher ups will take either one. My way easy way but not really good, yours is hard but proven way.

I hope something does change down the line.

 

something is always better than nothing