Disclaimer
Hello everyone! Before I get into the deeper ends of this suggestion, I’d like to make it clear that
this is meant as a serious suggestion and I’d like it to be handled as such. I’d like for people to remain civilized regarding any discussion around this topic and for the Forum Staff members, you are free to remove replies that are off-topic or are causing drama, but I’d prefer you keep this post unlocked so that those with serious intend to discuss the matter have the ability to do so.
The inspiration for this serious suggestions came from these 2 forum posts listed below.
This post will be built up with different sections, and parts to each section. You can find a table of contents below
S1P1. And I would like to state that
quite a lot of the things said and written are as per my opinion. And I may not be a super active member in the community anymore but I still care about it as it has delivered me lots of fun in the past. With that said...
S1:P1 - Template
I have a suggestion regarding the community as a whole. And as per standard procedure, I’ll provide the template below as
here.
Server Name: Zarp Gaming (Community)
Suggestion Title: Rework the Community Manager Election Process
How would it benefit the server community: I feel that the process to select a new community manager is too loose and that proper policies should be put in place for this. Looking through the
policies page on the forums itself I found no policy that regards Community Managers and how they are selected. Something that I feel should be specified for all to see and streamlined based on the previous elections that have occurred in the past. The purposes of CM's should also be stated more clearly and with the new Community Council (CC) I feel they fit perfectly as the head thereof.
Potential Issues / Exploits: I’ll go into more detail about this later, though as always there could be unintended loopholes found within the policies which some may exploit, something that the people who will write the final policies regarding the subject will have to handle.
Additional Notes: I do not have any additional notes, however, I will put the rest (and the majority of the suggestion below. See that as the additional notes, if you will.
S2:P1 - Table of Contents
The suggestion below will have multiple sections (hereby referred to as ‘S’) and parts for each section (hereby referred to as ‘P’).
Section #1 - Introduction
Section #2 - Organization
- Part 1: The Table of Contents
Section #3 - How it currently works
- Part 1: How the current system works
- Part 2: The Community Votes
- Part 3: The Community Team Votes
- Part 4: How do community managers benefit the community
- Part 5: What can we do?
Section #4 - New Policies
- Part 1: The Community Manager
- Part 2: Selecting a new community Manager
- Part 3: The Voting Process
- Part 4: Removing a community manager
- Part 5: Length of Service
Section #5 - Closing Statement
- Part 1: My Final Thoughts
Section 3 - How it Currently Works
In this part, we'll go over how the current methods of selecting a community manager works, this has nothing to do with the suggestion as it stands but will grant those who are unaware of the process through which a community manager is chosen the knowledge they need to make judgement calls on their own about this suggestion.
S3:P1 - How the Current System works
Currently, we have observed two methods through which a community manager is chosen. Both will be specified below, through whichever way, there is always a vote involved the ones eligible to vote are based on which method of selecting used.
S3:P2 - The Community Votes
Through this method of voting, we utilize a
First Past the Post method of voting, in which each member of the community at the time gains 1 vote which they can cast on any of the applying candidates. This method is probably the more liked one when it comes to the community, however, FPTP makes it so players their votes are easily lost if they vote for a non-dominating candidate and encourages people to vote strategically regarding which of the dominant candidates they like most. This method of voting has multiple drawbacks, though it by itself also has a few positives.
Positives
- Voting is easy, everyone has 1 vote, and no more effort needs to be put in.
- The community may feel themselves be involved in the selection of a CM.
- This voting process, though not foolproof is capable of making people who wish to sway the votes towards one candidate's favour needs to put in lots of effort due to their votes going relatively unnoticed.
Negatives
- The community may select a candidate that they like more, but that is incapable of performing the duties with which they will be presented.
- Due to the sheer amount of votes, it is possible for people to sway the votes into a certain candidate's favour, something that has happened before, as was explained to me by two individuals that will remain unnamed to not break TOU.
S3:P3 - The Community Team Votes
This is the 2nd method utilized to select a community manager, something that once I first saw I found disgusting, as I thought at first that something called a community manager has to be capable of being selected by the community itself, not just by a couple of people at the top. However, with the glaring negatives presented above, I can see why such a choice was made. But I still feel like it should not have been handled that way, rather been done through a hybridized state.
In this method of voting, each member of the community team may cast their vote on who they would like to see as a community manager next. A small group of individuals in this current moment consisting of 3 people who include and are limited to
TheXnator,
ChuteUK, and
EMP get to choose who the next community manager will after an interview with each member has been conducted.
This method by itself has some advantages, but it too has its own negatives. Some that may arguably be less glaring than the ones presented above, but it is in no way a foolproof system.
Positives
- Simplicity - This method of voting provides the simplest process. An interview is conducted with each candidate and then a winner is chosen. The only thing that has to be thought about is the interviews itself, as well as the candidate application.
- Capability - Through this method the person selected would often be someone who is capable of doing the job as judged by those who already work that high up.
Negatives
- The community may dislike the chosen member and take it out on them often causing a more toxic environment.
- The smaller amount of eligible people to vote, will make it much easier to sway the votes towards one specific candidate, something I am not going to accuse anyone of, but it has to be said. It is possibly easier to bribe, or otherwise, persuade your way into the role.
S3:P4 - How do community managers benefit the community
Community managers have always been an interesting role. It allows a person, (often someone who already has high ranking status in one or more servers) to join the Community Team, a place which previously was responsible for things like handling suggestions, working on updates etc. A community manager had the power to share their ideas and should have been able to be the bridge between the community and the team that leads it.
A community manager should (in my opinion) operate based on the communities wishes and bring to light issues that those at the top might not be able to immediately see. The Community Council is something that currently serves a purpose very close to it, however, the council is small and only few members are allowed in especially those who make a lot of suggestions and the like. Though it has been made clear that a lot of suggestions (especially for non-SSRP servers) are forgotten by the council, so I think it too has its flaws and might need to be reorganized to include members of each server of which the amount per server is determined by its player base, something that the Community Managers should be put in charge of as they are the elected representatives of the community. (Provided that the Community is the one that voted for the managers)
S3:P5 - What can we do?
As I currently see it, there are three options one of which we should pursue as a community.
Option #1 - Abolish Community Managers with the current way that we've seen community managers be selected there is always going to be a flaw regarding their selection process. By overhauling the council, reworking the way it is organized and how the members that are a part of it are chosen we may be able to give the council the power to do as a community manager did. I'll provide an extra policy below that restates how a member is selected, how many members each server gets and how the voting should take place.
Option #2 - Work Together Community managers should be a role where people of the community are able to voice who they want to be the next community manager, it should be a representative of the community and be someone who is capable of making changes to the community by pushing new wanted policies and reforming certain aspects of servers that people do not like. The rest of the suggestion will be based on this option as I feel that striking a balance between the community and the Community Team is vital to keeping the environment in which people play nontoxic and progressive.
Option #3 - Tis but a rank The third, and final option is to just make Community Managers a rank that is given to people by the people. Something that you are given which makes you a representative in the community meetings and the community council. This would take away almost all the powers granted to a community manager and more or less make it an honorary rank that can be handed out once every year or so.
Section 4 - New Policies
Going forward I will assume that we are going to go with Option 2 (as specified by
S3P5) this option seems the best to me and I would like to make sure that it is the main option that goes forward as this suggestion goes along. If you do not agree with the Option #2, please skip Section 4 and move to Section 5.
From here on out I will present drafted policies, (which might need some rewording etc to be used) these policies serve to set in stone what it is the community manager can do, how a community manager is selected, how a community manager can be removed from power, and how long a community manager will serve the community for.
S4:P1 - The Community Manager
Community Manager refers to a person (or people) who are selected by a voting process (as specified by
S4P3) and will work to bring issues in the community to light with the server owners and the CM team. They will work to constantly improve all the servers. They will oversee and work on the community council and they are the ones who should be approachable by anyone within the community.
They are required to think about future ideas for the community, they have access to all meetings and serve a prominent role in weekly server owner and community council meetings.
Community Managers have the following rights and powers:
- Can handle report abuses against all server ranks.
- Access to all server meetings
- Access to the server owner meeting
- Access to the Community Team meeting
- Access to everything in-game including server options for all pointshop servers.
- Access to Teamspeak Head Admin powers
- Access to Forum Administrator Powers
- Access to DarkRP Head Administrator Powers
S4:P2 - Selecting a new Community Manager
Selecting a new community manager is an event that happens on a yet to be determined date every 2 years. Throughout this time a post will be announced where all people wishing to apply for the role of community manager have the ability to write an application and thereby be considered in the race for community manager. To be eligible for the role of community manager you must:
A: Be a member of the community
B: Not be a staff member in another community.
C: Conduct an interview with the current Community Team (as specified per
S4P3)
When running for community manager are able to revoke your application at any time before the elimination process (as specified per
S4P3) after which you will be locked into the race. During the elimination period, the Community Team has the ability to eliminate you from the race preventing you from reaching the final stage in voting. When you are eliminated the Community Team
must provide you with a valid reason for elimination (E.G. Known Rulebreaker, Recently Banned, Lack of Interest Shown, Deemed Unfit etc.)
S4:P3 - The Voting Process
The Community Manager votes, as previously referred to by the
Section 4: Part 2 will start when the post is made announcing the opening of the Community Manager applications. Each member that holds up to the prerequisites (as listed by
S4P2) is able to make an application during a 2 week period from which they are officially considered a candidate. Their application will serve as a way for them to share their ideas and the CM team may choose to formulate questions regarding the candidate's application.
After a 2 week period, the CM team will attempt to arrange an interview with each of the candidates, during which the CM team has the ability to eliminate people from the runnings for community manager, when they do so they must provide valid reasoning for eliminating a candidate from the race. Reasons of which have been provided in
S4P2 the CM team is required to make an announcement once all the interviews have been concluded. And any new applications made during this period will be disregarded.
Upon conclusion of all interviews, the community gains the ability to vote for the remaining candidates through a ranking system. They gain the ability to rank each of the candidates from 1 - X (X being however many candidates remain after the elimination). The person they ranked as 1st is the one who is granted their vote, and the remainder of the preferences are used at a later stage. An announcement will be made that the community has a yet to be determined amount of time to cast their votes.
When the end date has been reached the votes are tallied and the person with the least votes is eliminated from the race. The people who voted that person as their 1st preference their votes are moved to their 2nd preference and this process is continued until only 2 candidates remain. The one of which with the most votes is then considered the next selected Community Manager.
S4:P4 - Removing a Community Manager
Community managers
should be kept normal policies. Though the only people capable of handling these reports are Community Owners or any other Community Managers which may be in power at the time.
S4:P5 - Length of Service
A new community manager is selected every 2 years and a community manager gets to hold the rank for 4 years after which they have to either be chosen again or leave the station retaining possible positions on certain servers. The terms of which will have to be discussed with the Community Team.
(NOTE: Clear policies will possibly have to be designed for this but I have no idea as of now of how to handle it. I'm also choosing to add durations to the terms for Community Managers as occasionally it is healthy to bring new ideas to the table and it gives the Zarp Owners plenty of time to evaluate someone for possible promotion to Community Owner as per this policy.)
Section 5: Closing Statements
Writing this suggestion was one hell of a ride, and to be honest, I am afraid that most of it will fall upon deaf ears. In either case, I want to see this community keep its charm and streamline things so that we know what goes on behind the scenes. Community Managers are usually seen as a prestigious position that is granted only to the most trusted of community members and I feel that process selecting community managers should be set in stone and not be something that is changed every year if it is even done once a year.
This community has lived as long as it did due to dedicated players, staff members and developers. The constant flow of new content has severely extended its lifespan and I hope that bringing the fresh, new minds to the CM team every two years will assist in ever-improving the servers. Regardless this is my view on how to improve Zarp and what I think needs to be done to move forward. This post is as long as it is as I wanted to propose my ideas including policies and alike this isn't as much a rant as an honest idea on how to improve things. And I'd love to get your
hopefully drama-free ideas and opinions on the suggested policies and methods of handling it.
In either case, that's all I had in mind. I'm looking forward to any ideas that other people may have and criticism on how to improve the method I have suggested above.
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