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Sariel
01-13-2001, 08:21 PM
Q: What is the StoryGuide Program?
A: The StoryGuide program is a volunteer initiative that we're launching, where players who enjoy playing in a Skotos game can choose to help make their community a better place. We envision it as part of an overall StoryTeller program that is filled with players who are taking proactive roles in different games.

We're kicking the StoryGuide program off with Castle Marrach in January 2001. We'll be offering similar opportunities in our other games, beginning with The Galactic Emperor is Dead, as soon as they come on line. We'll also be offering the framework of the StoryGuide program to any external StoryBuilders, to use as they see fit.


Q: How Does it Fit in with the Rest of the StoryTeller Program?
A: We have a concept of StoryTellers at Skotos. These are people who provide services in existing games. StoryTellers in general run games, while StoryGuides take on a small subset of those responsibilities, by helping players. StoryGuides deal with problems and questions. StoryTellers deal with plots and characters.

For Skotos-authored games, external StoryTellers and StoryGuides will work with StoryHosts--who are Skotos employees helping to coordinate things and provide direction. (For that matter, StoryHosts will also be offering some high-level support for external games, such as those created by the Skotos Seven.)


Q:Why Are You Creating a StoryGuide? Program?
A: Two reasons: (1) We know many of you want to make our games even more enjoyable -and- (2) We know many of you would love to have assists and conflict resolution available during our unstaffed hours. So, we're giving some people the ability to do these things.


Q: What Exactly Does a StoryGuide Do?
A: StoryGuides resolve essentially OOC problems. These include helping out with how to play the game, providing basic information, and mediating OOC player conflicts. StoryGuides have nothing to do with the characters and plots of a game, despite the misleading word "Story".

We provide StoryGuides with a small set of powers that allow them to help out. They can see assists, they can talk among themselves, they can teleport to someone, and they can teleport someone to them. They can also mute or temporarily banish trouble characters, though we hope that won't be needed much.

StoryGuides have special StoryGuide bodies that they use when they're helping out.


Q: How Will Players Interact with StoryGuides?
A: As a player, you'll probably interact with StoryGuides every once in a blue moon. If you send an assist or you're involved in some OOC conflict, a StoryGuide? might offer their aid. In general, StoryGuides will only involve themselves if assistance is requested or if things are really bad.

Usually, StoryGuides will be able to answer your question or resolve your problem. If they can't, they'll flag the problem to be resolved by a StoryHost. StoryHosts are Skotos employees, and their official hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 3-11pm.


Q: How Can I Become a StoryGuide?
A: Check out our next post to this topic for details.

Sariel
01-13-2001, 08:30 PM
So you want to be a StoryGuide??

This FAQ provides more information on the whole program, so that you can decide if it's really for you.

Q:What are the Responsibilities of a StoryGuide?
A: As a StoryGuide? you'll have two responsibilities: (1) To occasionally help people out in the game -and- (2) To make appropriate use of your StoryGuide powers.

If you ask to become a StoryGuide, it should be because you want to offer occasional aid to other players, and we'll expect you to do that. Likewise, we expect that you'll use your StoryGuide powers only for that task: not for advancing plots, not for helping out with IC interactions. A StoryGuide's persona and powers are totally separate from any other characters that a StoryGuide might play in Castle Marrach.

By taking on these responsibilities, StoryGuides make the Castle a more enjoyable place for everyone ... including themselves.

Here's a couples of things that StoryGuides are specifically not responsible for:

*StoryGuides do not have to sign up for any type of schedule.
*StoryGuides do not have to promise to put in a minimum number of hours a week.
*StoryGuides do not ever have to sit around, waiting for questions.
*StoryGuides do not have to answer a question or assist just because they happen to be on.

Q: What Problems Will a StoryGuide? Resolve?
A: A StoryGuide? resolves OOC problems. These can include technical problems, basic information questions, and minor conflicts and TOS infractions.

Basic Information Questions are probably the most common query. They include: What do I do? How do I get around the Castle? Where is the Tailor's Room? Where is Joe? StoryGuides shouldn't give out IC information often, but stuff known to most players--such as where to get clothing and where people gather--is fair game. StoryGuides should never give out information that a normal player couldn't get, such as were a character is currently located.

Technical Problems primarily relate to being unable to understand how to play the game. This could be an inability to understand the parser; difficulties logging in; or other issues.

Interplayer Conflicts are all those issues which involve Terms of Service (TOS) infractions and OOC problems between players. If someone is making life unpleasant for other players, that's when a StoryGuide? comes in. A StoryGuide? might resolve disputes, rename badly named players, talk with disruptive players, and mute or temporarily banish characters if required.


What are the Criteria for Becoming a StoryGuide??
Here are the main qualifications that we're looking for in a StoryGuide?:


*Familiarity with how the game works.
*Proven ability to help new players.
*Proven ability to be firm with troublemakers.
*Ability to keep IC and OOC separate.
*Trustworthiness, honesty, and common sense.
*Good communication skills.
*We want to find people who are just a little intimidated by the position of StoryGuide.


How do I Sign Up?
Send mail to ce@skotos.net with the subject "I WANT TO BE A STORYGUIDE". Tell us what game you're interested in StoryGuiding? for and why (briefly!). Also, list three references for us--folks in the game who'll be able to tell us that you have the qualities we're looking for.

Faith
01-14-2001, 12:26 AM
Do StoryGuides get different names? I noticed I didn't know any of the names of the new StoryGuides...so new names for StoryGuides?

Caroline *Faith*

Kyle
01-14-2001, 12:45 AM
Great! sign me up!
Retribution, I think Ill rename you... Bob
JK http://www.skotos.net/ubb/tongue.gif

Retribution
01-14-2001, 07:23 PM
Ok, time to question you... first off Sariel... what if you want to be a Storyteller? How doest one go about that? Just curious cause that is a position I would LOVE to have http://www.skotos.net/ubb/smile.gif
*begs annoyingly*

Anyways.... Bob isn't such a bad name.... at least its better than Kyle.... http://www.skotos.net/ubb/wink.gif

Ret

LadySilverwolf
01-16-2001, 06:38 AM
I am tickled to no end to see this stuff develope and come out to us! (ok ... so the old lady in me showed up in the above words http://www.skotos.net/ubb/smile.gif ) I look forward to the other programs that you are also adding!

Thanks a bunch for letting some of the players assist ya'll during non-staffed hours! I am sure this will help out new folks immensely!

Sariel
01-17-2001, 08:38 AM
A few questions answered about the StoryTelling program (I hope).

To clarify - the StoryTelling Program is an umbrella term for the player volunteer programs. A StoryGuide is an Out Of Character position that helps to deal with Out of Character (OOC) issues for players. A StoryTeller is an OOC position that very roughly speaking creates large scale plots for Castle Marrach.

There are a few more parts to the overall StoryTelling program that do not have a formal title yet. These parts cover opportunities that may be offered to some players to take on pre-established characters in the Castle or may be encouraged to found previously unseen societies/guilds (as mentioned in the "Changes in Castle Marrach" post in the Castle Marrach Forum).

StoryGuides are players in Marrach and they create completely different personas to be StoryGuides. They do this to make it very clear that StoryGuides are strictly for OOC issues and have nothing to do with IC issues or roleplay. The current StoryGuides are in part testing and verifying the functionality of features before we continue to add more StoryGuides.

Those currently interested in participating in the StoryGuide program and have sent or will be sending applications, should know that these applications will be kept and reviewed but will not be acted upon in any way for at least a few more weeks. We will post in the forums when we are open to more StoryGuides joining and you will not need to resend your application if you have already sent one.

To become a StoryTeller, you do not need to be a StoryGuide first. A potential StoryTeller should be someone with the desire to make plotting for the many and not playing/advancing his/her character(s) in Castle Marrach his/her main focus. As with the first set of Guides in the StoryGuide Program, StoryTellers will be selected by StoryHosts.

When we have more information ready about the StoryTeller position as well as the others we will post it in the forums. In the meantime, CE will continue to develop these programs. Thanks to everyone for their patience and support - we've appreciated it greatly.

Sariel