- Xy$
- -2.45
You named my favorite food group, black coffee. I wold love some beignets.
[doublepost=1454476178,1454475902][/doublepost]@Amysaurus here are your answers:
> To what extent do you think moderators influence a community (i.e. what kind of an impact do they have)?
Moderators have great influence on a community. Even in volunteer positions, in fun loving forums like this one, they are part of the leadership. Members looks up to them. It does not matter if a post is serious or silly, there is just something special about getting a like from a moderator. When a moderator states something on a post, watch out! Someone else may quote them, even if it is out of context. For new members, they up to the moderators to help them out.
> What (in your opinion) is the best part about this community? Do you think it makes our community unique?
In my opinion, it is the freedom that this forum allows us to have. It allows us to be a family, yet each be our own special person. There is just something about the spirit of this forum, and this old codger has seen a bunch in his days. It makes our community unique; you can feel it on the first day entering in. We are allowed to express ourselves as us, without being a bunch of carbon copies.
> What (in your opinion) is the worst part about this community? How do you think we can resolve that?
In my opinion, the worse part about this community is not having everybody embrace each other for who we are. So many want others to think like them. So many want free speech, but want to put restrictions on it. It would be nice to see some tolerance and acceptance that we do not all think the same. We can resolve that by letting people know that when there a diversity of views and ideas merged together, we can achieve unbelievable awesome visions. It was different people back the greater cause, the vision of the forum, that is when this will become resolved. It is achievable.
> What do you think is the most challenging part of being a moderator?
The most challenging part of being a moderator is reading what was written. Let me explain that. Sometime what was said in a sentence can have multiple meanings. We can even read the same paragraph over and over, and get slightly different interpretation each time. That is the time we ask a friendly question, to figure out what context the statement was meant as. This is especially true when we have different people from different cultures, and different languages, may have different interpretations.
> You start to feel overwhelmed with work in the community - do you ask someone for assistance, or do you work through it yourself?
When overwhelmed, I would ask for assistance from another mod, or if can be even helped with a staff member that specializes in that area. We are here to help each other out. Getting overwhelmed at work, and continuing to work alone could have detrimental results.
> An emergency strikes (maybe a huge argument, maybe someone spamming all over the forum), but you’re the only staff member on. Do you keep an eye on the situation until you have help, or do try and fix the situation yourself?
I would like to explain this in metaphorical language. There is an emergency, a big emergency. The forum is on fire, and I am one of the team leader fire fighters, but I am alone. As I approach the fire and see it is humungus, I 'call or text’ other team leaders, fire chiefs, and a few trained fire fighters. To the best of my abilities, I will attempt to put out the smaller fires that are feeding the larger fire. I am not going to let the fire get bigger. I am going to try to contain it and work inwards to defuse the fire. This may put out the entire fire, but the entire fire fighting team may be coming in to assist as needed.
> Do you plan to start (or continue?) trying to advertise this community? If yes, on what platforms and how? If no, do you think that’s something a moderator should be expected to do?
You called me out. I am already marketing, promoting, and recruiting for this forum. I have a strategy plan implemented, and am expanding it weekly. Some of my advertising is subtle. In the games area for the discussion area of Steam, I have listed two of my games. There is only one link and way to get those free games. They have to download it from here. My games are STORED here. With us having over 130 plugins and 100‘s of resources, I advertise this forum on social media groups. A good time to advertise is when someone asks where they can find XYZ. They are begging us to tell them here. I just got promoted in a RPG Maker social media group, and a major recruiting campaign is in its initial stages. I will give everybody another tip on free advertising for this forum. Many forums have two areas that you have most freedom with. Some have classified ad sections, and you can advertise this forum all you want. I advertised the Writing Prompt contest in a writing forum that I Modded almost 10 years ago. The second, even more lenient place is in your signature. I put a little banner or link to one of the events occurring here or a general banner.
Many may disagree, but as a moderator, you are a leader. Leaders go out and recruit new members. So yes, I expect moderators to advertise about our forum. If not, I will ask what are they embarrassed about; there is nothing embarrassing about our community.
> If at any point you had to pick a position to give up, would it be your spot on the Resource Team, or your spot as a moderator?
I am a writer, I am going to write. I will continue interviewing successful game designers, and others with the game industry field. I am more of a technical writer. I love writing. Stating that, it would be an honour to serve this community as moderator. If I had to pick a position to give up, it would be that of the Resource Team. Another reason I would give up is out of respect for my current Team Leader, Cate. She is a wonderful person to work with. In the past, I have had situations where I instantly out-ranked my supervisor. Work is possible, but the relationship is never the same. I work give up my Writing Team postion if I had to pick one.
Moderators have great influence on a community. Even in volunteer positions, in fun loving forums like this one, they are part of the leadership. Members looks up to them. It does not matter if a post is serious or silly, there is just something special about getting a like from a moderator. When a moderator states something on a post, watch out! Someone else may quote them, even if it is out of context. For new members, they up to the moderators to help them out.
> What (in your opinion) is the best part about this community? Do you think it makes our community unique?
In my opinion, it is the freedom that this forum allows us to have. It allows us to be a family, yet each be our own special person. There is just something about the spirit of this forum, and this old codger has seen a bunch in his days. It makes our community unique; you can feel it on the first day entering in. We are allowed to express ourselves as us, without being a bunch of carbon copies.
> What (in your opinion) is the worst part about this community? How do you think we can resolve that?
In my opinion, the worse part about this community is not having everybody embrace each other for who we are. So many want others to think like them. So many want free speech, but want to put restrictions on it. It would be nice to see some tolerance and acceptance that we do not all think the same. We can resolve that by letting people know that when there a diversity of views and ideas merged together, we can achieve unbelievable awesome visions. It was different people back the greater cause, the vision of the forum, that is when this will become resolved. It is achievable.
> What do you think is the most challenging part of being a moderator?
The most challenging part of being a moderator is reading what was written. Let me explain that. Sometime what was said in a sentence can have multiple meanings. We can even read the same paragraph over and over, and get slightly different interpretation each time. That is the time we ask a friendly question, to figure out what context the statement was meant as. This is especially true when we have different people from different cultures, and different languages, may have different interpretations.
> You start to feel overwhelmed with work in the community - do you ask someone for assistance, or do you work through it yourself?
When overwhelmed, I would ask for assistance from another mod, or if can be even helped with a staff member that specializes in that area. We are here to help each other out. Getting overwhelmed at work, and continuing to work alone could have detrimental results.
> An emergency strikes (maybe a huge argument, maybe someone spamming all over the forum), but you’re the only staff member on. Do you keep an eye on the situation until you have help, or do try and fix the situation yourself?
I would like to explain this in metaphorical language. There is an emergency, a big emergency. The forum is on fire, and I am one of the team leader fire fighters, but I am alone. As I approach the fire and see it is humungus, I 'call or text’ other team leaders, fire chiefs, and a few trained fire fighters. To the best of my abilities, I will attempt to put out the smaller fires that are feeding the larger fire. I am not going to let the fire get bigger. I am going to try to contain it and work inwards to defuse the fire. This may put out the entire fire, but the entire fire fighting team may be coming in to assist as needed.
> Do you plan to start (or continue?) trying to advertise this community? If yes, on what platforms and how? If no, do you think that’s something a moderator should be expected to do?
You called me out. I am already marketing, promoting, and recruiting for this forum. I have a strategy plan implemented, and am expanding it weekly. Some of my advertising is subtle. In the games area for the discussion area of Steam, I have listed two of my games. There is only one link and way to get those free games. They have to download it from here. My games are STORED here. With us having over 130 plugins and 100‘s of resources, I advertise this forum on social media groups. A good time to advertise is when someone asks where they can find XYZ. They are begging us to tell them here. I just got promoted in a RPG Maker social media group, and a major recruiting campaign is in its initial stages. I will give everybody another tip on free advertising for this forum. Many forums have two areas that you have most freedom with. Some have classified ad sections, and you can advertise this forum all you want. I advertised the Writing Prompt contest in a writing forum that I Modded almost 10 years ago. The second, even more lenient place is in your signature. I put a little banner or link to one of the events occurring here or a general banner.
Many may disagree, but as a moderator, you are a leader. Leaders go out and recruit new members. So yes, I expect moderators to advertise about our forum. If not, I will ask what are they embarrassed about; there is nothing embarrassing about our community.
> If at any point you had to pick a position to give up, would it be your spot on the Resource Team, or your spot as a moderator?
I am a writer, I am going to write. I will continue interviewing successful game designers, and others with the game industry field. I am more of a technical writer. I love writing. Stating that, it would be an honour to serve this community as moderator. If I had to pick a position to give up, it would be that of the Resource Team. Another reason I would give up is out of respect for my current Team Leader, Cate. She is a wonderful person to work with. In the past, I have had situations where I instantly out-ranked my supervisor. Work is possible, but the relationship is never the same. I work give up my Writing Team postion if I had to pick one.
I grew up in the 80‘s and you dare ask me perhaps the most difficult question…..
What is love?
Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love?
Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love?
A banana split. 
