Class Leaders

[Agrarvyn]

I'm happy to go with either of Simey or Al's suggestions. The class should probably be allowed to regulate its own leaders, if big enough, but if it's really too small to be autonomous, the patronage of any class leaders' council would probably be a good thing.

[Beowuuf]

Ok, so to try and summarise as I see it:

- it was perceived that basing class leader on post count (ie letting the fastest poster lead) was a bad idea. I don't think this has been seen as the case in the history of the site. Power posters seemed to have been rare in the four years, and those that were have been simply enthusiastic, and have contributed well onceboth sides have realised the strong reactions of the othe side. (Dusk Fox and Agrarvyn). Agrarvyn also shows that he infact brought the sages to great prominence. Someone who posts alot is obviously enthusiastic.

- it was perceived that actually making the first eligible person the automatic leader was a bad idea. I think this is true, as pointed out a great leader can do great thigns for the class. Class leader should be a position to those who want it and have the enthusiasm and desire to do it, not just a responsibility lightly given by rote.

- it was seen that level 20 was too low for a power poster, and too high for some great contributers. I think this is very true. Aguila Saber is a prolific poster of many great things, had invested alot into the Telchos too, and in that respect it was painful to watch the final levelling up to be able to offer the rightful, earned leadership. It was also painful seeing the only active members of two classes - Shadakine Buccaneers and Cener - not being given any means to influence their class.


Basically, I don't think an overly complicated structure should be put in place to control the class leadership. I don't think the basis of a lowest posting level before you become eligible is a bad thing.

I do think post count should not be the only way you become class leader. I don't think you should automatically get the right to be class leader.

How about, you become eligible for class leader when you are level 20 and have three months on the site, or when you are level 15 and have six months on the site, or level 10 and a year on the site. Classes can nominate around this, and people can petition, but in both cases with this baseline an outright 'no' is easier to give. However, internally there are no real rules, and on either a staff forum or class leaders board, a vote would be sought if the petition was championed.

In an active class with members, it would be up to the members to internally vote on a candidate who would be put forward - this would be much more likely to be granted without discussion.

A class leader loses his status if he is inactive for three months, although he may retain mod priveledges if agreeable to the class. Meanwhile, the eligible candidates may call for an internal vote of the class, or in a less active class petition directly for the role.

We might allow provision for the leader to be challenge voted by another eligible member, though in reverse this petition would need to be accepted by staff first, then put to an internal class vote.

Is this more the sort of system we would want? I don't like the idea of doing away with guidelines, but making them wider is a better idea. I also don't think we should always have an enthusiastic member having to prove themselves to staff of class leaders - especially if it takes too logn for the other class leaders to ratify a new leader.

Comments?

[Ghost Bear]

As long as 'eligible' doesn't mean 'going to get it', that sounds reasonable.

Although I'd suggest getting rid of the 'level 10 in a year' band - 120 posts in 12 months doesn't seem active enough for me.

But that's semantics - in theory I like it. Broad enough that it allows flexibility, while retaining some minimums for the sake of setting a 'base standard' as you say.

The system could be regulated by the 'class leaders council' (for want of a better name at present), and it pretty much regulates itself.

Incidentally, with regards to the concern of 'taking too long to ratify a new leader' - when we voted amongst the Kai (and amongst site staff in general if memory served) we set a voting period where everyone could cast their votes. At the end of the period, the majority vote won, regardless of how many people actually voted.

We found that this system worked well, and in actuality, most people did vote anyway.

-GB

[Agrarvyn]

And there I was, thinking that North Star was before your time, Beo

I like the idea, though you may wish to shorten the durations a bit, especially with the level 10/one year snag that GB mentioned.

[Simey]

Sounds good.

I'd have thought that someone could make a very strong contribution to the site in three months without posting enough to get close to twentieth level (it took me nine months to get there, though I'm not saying what I posted was a strong contribution - mostly complete nonsense! ;D)

But you have to set levels somewhere, so it looks pretty cool.

[Beowuuf]

Indeed, but then they would have a very good case for making a petition Again, Aguila Saber sptrings to mind, already a huge figure in the general LW community, should have been telchos leader due to the work much sooner!

[Al]

Lets not forget that Al was smeared as well as a power poster!

Bloody dwarfs

[Beowuuf]

really?

[Al]

Yeah, I hit the ground running at TOTS and was pinpointed in the staff forum as a power poster - I was part of the reason that post limits were introduced.

I had a very slow paced job, which gave me lots of time to post, but did not realize that I was doing anything wrong.

[Agrarvyn]

Of course, without such hard-coded post/level limits, such things (name/shame "power" posters and post limits) won't be needed again.

[Beowuuf]

True, but then you lose a fun little RP thing ah well

[Agrarvyn]

I think that the WW proved that you didn't need gold, experience or equipment to roleplay. People's characters managed themselves, often with barely any correlation to what all the HTML links claimed the character was or had.

[huntingmoon]

I like the idea, but I would like the staff to also take a look at what the class leader brings to thier class. There is a lot that can be conveyed in actions (and posts) for the flavor of their class but I feel that the class leaders should be contributing something, or has contributed something, meaningful the class as a whole. When we are nominating someone I would like the staff (or the class if they are big enough and active enough) to almost interview what the class leader plans to bring to the table.

[Al]

That is not a bad idea HM, and would definately fit into the idea of a seperate class leaders forum for which this would happen.

[Beowuuf]

Agrarvyn - I think the character stuff fo the site did provide a useful backbone to start from. The fact the economy went to hell of course then knocked everything, and the fast gain of levels. Fundamentsally there was nothign wrong wit hthe elements, just the balance.

And If EP and Willpower had also been tweaked to work better, and infact worked, then they would have been good too. You had the potential, if you didn't visit the site once in a while and post, to have your character die (which is what I thoguht happened) and need to create a new one at level 1. And if willpower recovered better, and could have blocked posting, it would have stopped power posting in lower level characters (perhaps better if lack of willpower removed endurance as a buffer)