What do you look for in an intern?

Started by Zone, Dec 29, 2007, 11:53 PM

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Zone

Many of my friends ask me to make them GMs on the server I GM for.
I tell them they need previous experience, but how can one have previous experience unless someone gives them a chance?
I was given a chance by BragiRO, and I grew into the mindset from there.
While I was new to GMing, everyone on the server liked me.
Now on neRO, only 3 dislike me for banning one of them for excessive rule breaking [View Topic]
Other than that, people enjoy me being a GM for them.
I am just one example of how someone who has never GM'd before, becoming one of the most helpful, and important GMs for a server.

Back to the question.
What is it you look for to hire someone as an intern to learn to GM, when they have had absolutely no previous experience?

Mewi

Quote from: Zone on Dec 29, 2007, 11:53 PM
Many of my friends ask me to make them GMs on the server I GM for.
I tell them they need previous experience, but how can one have previous experience unless someone gives them a chance?
I was given a chance by BragiRO, and I grew into the mindset from there.
While I was new to GMing, everyone on the server liked me.
Now on neRO, only 3 dislike me for banning one of them for excessive rule breaking [View Topic]
Other than that, people enjoy me being a GM for them.
I am just one example of how someone who has never GM'd before, becoming one of the most helpful, and important GMs for a server.

Back to the question.
What is it you look for to hire someone as an intern to learn to GM, when they have had absolutely no previous experience?

Well first you'll probably want to know the people around that person.  They may have a fake personality that you are unaware of.  However, brown nosers are often easy to spot.

I'd make up a test for those interns,  tell them to begin studying and memorizing various rules, commands and GM protocols to follow.   Then you can test them with random questions,  if you find their answers satisfactory then...

You can place them with below average responsibilities and allow them to slowly earn them.    To many times I have seen GMs hired and given great power for the following,  being a friend, girlfriend, friend of friend, donations, programming, graphic design...  All of which have little to do with actual GMing... 

While multi talented GMs are valued,  GMs with only the knowledge to say code and zero knowledge of moderating ethics... probably will end up being abusive and corrupt.   That is why teaching them the basic ethics is very important.  All other things are second hand knowledge... Ethics is Priority.


Becoming a GM means you sacrifice a part of your soul forever, be prepared.

Zone

Hmm...Good points made.
When I started, I knew nothing of scripting or GMing, just make the players happy.
I made mistakes, mvp events, people got a hold of items far too over powered for the server.
luckily it was on a low population server, so that was easily fixed.
Eventually I came to be the most active person on the server, and I had to restock certain items ever 30 minutes...(A friend of mine kept buying all of the gems, all of them >.>)
So I looked up eAthena scripting, I started with editing a simple shop npc on Zairik's Beginner eAthena.
Then I progressed into scripting quests, warps, other miscellaneous npcs.
I just recently started custom mobs, items and such.
However, those I cannot test since I do not have X-Ray, and I do not know how to Hex a client, but I will eventually learn that out of boredom. /heh
As far as I know those are good.
Back on subject.
This is showing how having absolutely NO previous experience and knowledge can be qualities in a good intern looking to be a GM.
Proactiveness is very important as well.

Zone

Indeed, that has been shown a lot.

MrrgleCaek

I guess for me I'm strongly biased about I'd only hire players who are 17+ years old, kids are pretty unstable, they'll act loyal one day and next day break the rules you try to implement and justify it was something else, and yes I've had first-hand experience on the matter ~~;
Experience doesn't really impact me so much, I'd look for someone who's not all into "I want this server to be the best there is! I'll do anything for you master!", just someone who's talks at an equal level and responsible enough to take on their task without causing too much trouble.

asdfqwerty123

Loyalty and respect for others.  The rest fall into place.  These things cannot be taught, they either have it or they don't.  Ability to script should not be a priority whatsoever.  If you can't manage the server editing yourself then don't make one, it's as simple as that.  Relying on others to write code or edit your server is dooming it to failure 98% of the time.  One thing I've done is give Interns homework assignments.  They should report to me once a week with their hours per day, every week it's due by Friday.  This has become quite an effective method of staff evaluation.  Regardless of what you see when you first meet a person, it doesn't mean anything until you see them in action.

Pow

Quote from: Zairik on Jan 21, 2008, 12:48 AM
Loyalty and respect for others.  The rest fall into place.  These things cannot be taught, they either have it or they don't.  Ability to script should not be a priority whatsoever.  If you can't manage the server editing yourself then don't make one, it's as simple as that.  Relying on others to write code or edit your server is dooming it to failure 98% of the time.  One thing I've done is give Interns homework assignments.  They should report to me once a week with their hours per day, every week it's due by Friday.  This has become quite an effective method of staff evaluation.  Regardless of what you see when you first meet a person, it doesn't mean anything until you see them in action.

That sounds too much like school to me.  ;)
Divided we stand, together we fall.
There isn't any god that can save us all
So don't pray on your knees, just beg on your hands
There is no belief in this promised land

Aris

What we do on LRO is have GM Assistants. They pretty much just have mod power on the forums and access to GM information. It's to show if they're good enough to GM and so on. Every current GM pretty much went through the process and imo it's a nice way to filter out the bad and the good lol.

To be asked to become a GM Assistant you pretty much have to show a understanding of the server rules, respect other players so be a nice honest player and so on.

I hate it when people randomly ask you to become a GM tho... I mean come if every second letter of a word in your letter is in capitals then do you actually think you stand a chance lol.

Zone

Yes, scytheRO has those too, Interns.
But my question is what about those servers who don't like that method?

Aris

Ah well then I'd look for any of these things...

Maturity
Good sense of humor - a 24/7 serious GM is boring for the community...
Good knowledge of RO - even if it's a Event GM... I would still want them to answer questions by players.
Honesty - Hard to find on the internet tho...

QuoteI guess for me I'm strongly biased about I'd only hire players who are 17+ years old, kids are pretty unstable, they'll act loyal one day and next day break the rules you try to implement and justify it was something else, and yes I've had first-hand experience on the matter ~~;
Hay I'm 17 ;(. Youngest GM on LRO.

MrrgleCaek

Quote from: Aris on Jan 25, 2008, 09:59 AM
QuoteI guess for me I'm strongly biased about I'd only hire players who are 17+ years old, kids are pretty unstable, they'll act loyal one day and next day break the rules you try to implement and justify it was something else, and yes I've had first-hand experience on the matter ~~;
Hay I'm 17 ;(. Youngest GM on LRO.

I didn't mean older than 17 I meant age 17 and up, if I said "older than 17" I'd be a hypocrite =x

pfja1st

i played pRO(Philippine Ragnarok Online) and playing RebirthRO...
all these years, i think that i do really know not much about ro!?
i'm already 23...
turning 24 this coming last quarter...
i'm not so matured when it comes to alot of things but i think i would like to be, sooner or later!
right now i'm just an ordinary player of RO...

back on topic... for the first time around!
i think that being an intern in any field of career/job must have the person's absolute honesty and loyalty!
the person must also acquire all basic and fundamental skills which are required in that job...
then, after awhile, the person may respectfully acquire advance skills and techniques to fulfill the job...
with that said and done, the person must also learn to love what he/she is doing for the greater good of all.
no matter what it takes, they must do a hell of a good job when it comes to customers...
with truth and honesty, the server will always prevail!
mmhuaa hahahah (^_^)

Pandora

Keep an ear on your server, spot those players who are already helping other players selflessly, who are nice and respected from your community. Ideally, not woe-active, less chance of drama & bias.

I like the intern idea, although I guess aside from the title it's similar to sub-gm level 20/40 and so on. Basically it's giving someone a test run with minimal powers, can never be too cautious in whom you trust.
[color=darkblue]heRO is a great friendly, pre-renweal, unique and fun server with a great community, give it a try![/color]



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asdfqwerty123

#13
The average trial period time on interns is simply too short in my opinion to bother giving interns any kind of powers.  If you're given powers immediately then you haven't earned it so it's actually devalued. 

If you're looking for a perfect staff member simply by glancing at a player or their information then you'll never find one. 

The whole point of having interns is to try out people you don't know anything about, and who don't have problems with the current staff. 

The initial process actually comes with finding active players, then weeding out those who don't fit the standards of the server's staff.  It doesn't matter if you have the best staff member in the world if they aren't online enough to make a difference.  The worst that could happen is they don't turn out how you thought and you just kick them from the staff guild or whatever other method of organization you use.

Internship should be a filter, not a lasting position.