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Old 04-12-2017, 06:35 PM   #1
Jerichi
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Bulbasaur FB Mod Election - Phase 1 - Nominations

Hey guys!

I have been requested by some members to help oversee FB's first mod election. For phase one, we will be requesting nominations. You can either self-nominate or nominate other members, though nominees can decline the nomination if they do not wish to be considered.

To get a sense of each nominee's intent and background, each nominee must answer the following questions:
1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?

5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps). (Optional)
This thread will stay open for nominations through Friday, April 21, after which we will proceed to Phase 2. As a reminder, the below will be how we will proceed:

Quote:
Phase 2: The candidates will then have a discussion among themselves on the three most qualified members, with people able to defend others or point out their flaws, but can’t defend themselves.

Phase 3: Once it has been narrowed down to these three, the forum will then give their results to the community to vote on. Each mod will be voted on individually, and as such must have a yes majority to be considered elected. If they do not have majority vote, then the process will start again until three mods are approved by the community.
We may also have an additional period for member questions directly to our 3 candidates prior to the final vote.

Thank you and good luck everyone!

Last edited by Jerichi; 04-12-2017 at 06:40 PM.
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Old 04-12-2017, 06:38 PM   #2
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I'm going to start us all off here by nominating someone half the community has been rooting for for some time now.

Missingno. Master

You've got a great attitude even when the flames of hell itself are burning around you, and I think you'd do great here.
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Old 04-12-2017, 06:52 PM   #3
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Gonna place a nomination of my own of someone who has experience in FB and has been, at least in part, good with taking initiative and pushing discussion.

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Old 04-12-2017, 07:53 PM   #4
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Gonna step up and say Sneaze has gotten pretty involved with this whole process and has definitely been helping to ensure it's gone smoothly. So yeah,
there's that.
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Old 04-12-2017, 08:05 PM   #5
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Because I was told I am allowed to, I'm nominating Marion Ette

edit: Sorry for not going into more detail.

Other people have already stated why. She's already proven herself a good leader, is probably one of the best RPers around here, has already outlined some pretty good ideas (that would possibly make an old timer like me want to finally come back if executed), and has the old-school wit and know how of the OG FB >13 years back. Seems like a no-brainer

Last edited by deoxys; 04-13-2017 at 09:31 AM.
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Old 04-12-2017, 09:20 PM   #6
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I'd first like to relay the small piece that Nick had to say about this in a recent Skype conversation I had with him.

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Originally Posted by Muyo
I don't think you really need an active FBer as head mod necessarily, so much as you need someone who can handle drama, streamline things, has new ideas and is at least tolerated by the community...Oh, while also having time to do things, rather than REAL LIFE taking ultra precedence over everything. Not that they can't have a real life, but at least they have enough time to talk to the members.
I'll be completely honest: In my opinion, there is no one single member we have who perfectly fits all these criteria to a T. I think that much is understandable; to compensate, I think it is wise to at the very least have a competent team that covers all these bases. With this in mind, I have two nominations to make, one of whom has already been mentioned.

My first nomination goes to Sneaze. My primary reasoning is that he generally has sound judgement, a level head on his shoulders, and most importantly actually has good organizational skills. The FB mod team requires someone who can effectively lead community discussion and then turn that discussion into workable policy. (See: Sneaze's successful restructuring of ASB's own economy for a practical application of this skill.) Additionally, he certainly would make an effective mediator, and I feel that he is an effective problem solver as far as potential community problems go.

My second nomination goes to Lit. My reasoning: In terms of passion and willingness to put forth and propose original ideas, I think Lit is second to none. Through this discussion process, he has been there every step of the way both offering his own opinions and, perhaps more importantly, actively considering, critiquing, and evaluating both the positive and negative implications of the ideas of others. If nothing else, Lit has both proven to both be open to the suggestions of others and to be an active, positive contributor to said ideas. Additionally, I think there is benefit to having a "junior" FBer on the moderator team, as he or she may be able to offer a different perspective. Variety, in some sense, is key.

I personally think that these two members cover each others' weaknesses very well, and could effectively work as a team to accomplish great things! (That is not to say my nomination is in any way contingent on them working as a team, only that I think such would be very positive.)
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Old 04-12-2017, 10:59 PM   #7
Marion Ette
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Aegislash Speak her name, and she appears...

I support the nomination of Missingno Master, and would additionally like to nominate uhhhhh. In my interactions with him over the years, I believe that he has a fair, balanced perspective, and I trust in his judgment.

---

As for Deo's nomination (thank you, Deo,) I feel I should quote a statement I made on Discord from last night, in the interest of being open about my own flaws (you know, before someone else drags them out) - so let's get this out of the way now:

"See, I'll argue for my position as a ZA, or exert my influence in the development process - but in my old age I've come to know myself as fickle, prone to rage and better at manipulating powers than being them."

I also take long hiatuses that come with almost no warning, and - being a woman in her late twenties - starting a family is a thing that might happen in the next five years.

All that said, let me answer my own damn questions... Running FB alone would be out of the question, certainly, but with the right people to back me up, maybe it's possible, even if I would have to potentially leave my position and open it for re-election within the next five years, depending on circumstances:

1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?

Frequent and open communication is key, here. One of my greatest disappointments in this area with the old FB occurred in roughly 2013, when Skype was the major method of communication among members - attempts were made to open a Skype channel with the former FB mods, in hopes of being able to speak with them, humanize them, get to know them and understand their point of view while also being able to provide our ideas in a more relaxed and laid back atmosphere - but they never joined, and in fact regarded the idea with some measure of paranoia. It was such a huge slight to us, and it stings even to this day.

Mods should be active in Discord - not in a policing sense, but they should be listening to the community both regarding serious concerns and in their day-to-day lives. Mods are not thread-editing robots; they are human beings, and they should be as much a part of the community as everyone else. Makes things more pleasant for everyone, and keeps the mods aware of the types of personalities attracted to FB, and what their wants and desires are. Also, the ability to privately message a mod with concerns is super important, and maintaining confidentiality is part of my training.

Rule changes should NEVER be surprises. I believe mod discussions of FB mechanics changes should be public and accessible. More sensitive discussions (member issues, private concerns, etc.) should be dealt with privately, of course, but things like changing shop rules or PC slot restrictions and whatnot should literally always be open from the get-go. That level of transparency, I think, would inspire confidence in members.

Suggestion threads, continuous feedback, movements toward ZA and Shop Owner created zones and shops, even the potential for free RP areas in addition to the bar - possible cross-RP with ASB and/or Wild Future - I think we're already moving towards an FB that welcomes member-created content with open arms. That's the direction I want to head in.

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?

Given that the folks on Discord have already drafted a proposal, with their permission, I would leave the ideas open for community input. After some discussion, a revised draft (created between myself and the other two mods) would be presented to the community for a final review. This would serve as the basics for FB's structure in the short term, with the understanding that feedback can still be given at any time, that rules can be changed, and that particularly in the next couple of months, FB would be experiencing a lot of trial and error. Mistakes will be made, and that's okay.

Elections for ZAs and calls for Shop Owners would be the next step. I would also want to reach out to Tess to determine how she wants to proceed with the separation of UPN FB from Serebii and BMG, so that the transition can go as smoothly as possible for all involved.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?

Long term, I want to kick ass and have fun. I know that seems like a BS answer, but honestly... in the long term, I want FB to shed its association with rules, red tape, incessant waiting and socio-political landmines. I want to shed the pretension that this is anything more (or anything less) than a fun social game for Pokemon lovers and roleplayers. I would want to avoid creating too specific of a mental map, as I feel the community should be shaping FB more than any one person - and while I have lots of ideas, I want to keep a free and open mind to what others have to say, and go from there. I'm pretty flexible, and pretty lax as far as rules go, so...

Whoever earns the modship needs to work with a population who has dealt with constant mistrust and an unsettling distance between leadership and membership. It will take time and effort to remove the negative connotations associated with FB leadership, but it absolutely can be done. In a year's time, I want people to be able to actually have respect for their mods - perhaps not agreeing with every decision, or even liking them necessarily - but respecting them. And the only way this can be achieved is by treating the members with respect. You get what you give. So, the long term plan is have fun, kick ass, and respect the members.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?

Maybe I'm a bit weird in this respect, but... I like conflict. I enjoy conflict within communities, BECAUSE it means that said community is able to express dissenting opinions and not bop along like a fucking hivemind. To a point, conflict is good - provided said conflict is ultimately able to resolve, even if that resolution is the unfortunate "agree to disagree" circumstance.

I believe moderators should not involve themselves in conflict UNLESS a member or members are feeling threatened or personal attacks are involved, as the moment that conflict becomes bullying, mods need to step in immediately. Member safety should be the #1 priority.

"Problem members" was vague intentionally on my part because how a person defines it says a lot about them and what their potential mod style could be like. To me, a member who spouts unpopular opinions should not be treated as a problem. People disagree. Whatever.

If someone is breaking FB-related rules, warnings should be given, and should be clear. The member should be allowed to amend their mistakes. Frequent or intentional rulebreaking may need to have more dire consequences, but I believe mod consensus should exist before anyone has to face something any stronger than a "please don't do that" as far as FB rules are concerned.

As far as threats or bullying, however - perhaps a perpetrator of such offenses could be let off a strong warning if the individual is penitent, but this is not a behavior that should be tolerated. Period.

5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps).

Moderator of the RP forum, ZO of the Haunted Mansion (2003-2005), ZU in Phantom Isle (2012-2013), hardcore RP advocate.

Last edited by Marion Ette; 04-12-2017 at 11:04 PM.
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Old 04-13-2017, 01:29 AM   #8
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So a lot of these nominations are people I thought of nominating in that first reply but didn't want to immediately bog things down in such a way, so I applaud the idea of pretty much each and every one of the names mentioned thus far.

Before I get properly going here I do want to say thanks for the nominations, especially as I was somewhat on the fence about throwing my hat into the ring myself. I know a lot of the FB regulars might not know me particularly well if you lot don't venture to ASB but I am super happy to finally be back in this RP now that things will be moving in a positive direction and do hope to get to know everyone better if I haven't gotten to know you as of yet.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerichi View Post
1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?
Well, I for one am firmly of the opinion that everything that gets pushed through has to be approved by the community beforehand. With the exceptions of things like events that should be kept a surprise, or, as Marion stated, more private matters, there is no reason for things the mods are doing to not be regularly in the public eye. As noted in one of the nominations for me, I have been putting a fair bit of work into helping with the proposal and have been one of the people pushing hardest for complete transparency and a proper democratic method to deal with any changes to come, whether that be the proposals themselves or even this entire process for electing mods. Do I think the proposal we've put forth as of this moment has flaws? Absolutely, but it also has a lot of things covered spectacularly, and the process is already working wonderfully as the member base as a whole has suggested plenty of wonderful ways to fix up the issues that remain. Anyone that knows me from ASB knows full well that I am all about taking what people suggest as cogs and putting it all together as one working machine. And the only thing preventing that from happening as of current is our lack of mods here to push things forward and streamline everything, hence the current discussion. So I hope to continue this process for any and all changes for the future of this RP so that it can prosper as it deserves.

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2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?
First things first we need to address the major roadblocks hit by the proposal as it stands so that it's ready to ship and we can get everything running proper. As it stands these issues seem to be the economy, which is mostly just clarification with the odd bit of tweaking (re: Candies), whether resetting will be a thing and in what capacity (I have a few ideas I'll lay out in the thread for people to discuss and so as not to drag this post too far from the point), and the precisely which shops will be sticking around and in what capacity (this is probably the biggest one in my opinion due to a lot of mixed feelings about a lot of shops). Once those roadblocks are cleared things can be made as needed, hiring of ZAs and SOs can be done, and we can try to get things up and running and make minor tweaks along the way.

Quote:
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3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?
I feel almost cheeky saying it but the only thing I hope for in a year's time is for FB to be properly active again. And I don't mean in literally just the free RP sections as it has been for quite some time now, I mean thriving zones with adventures for everyone, enough ZAs and ZUs to allow for everyone to adventure where they so please without having to worry about over stressing those that run the zones. I want for things to be much more lax than they have been for the past decade, without having to link across a handful of threads just to throw a Pokeball. I want Fizzy Bubbles to be properly fun again. Do I know exactly how I plan to get us there? No, not precisely, I'm not a psychic after all. But I think with the steps we're taking we're headed in that direction already, and if we veer from that direction I would be honored to be one of the members helping to push us back on course. But perhaps most importantly I want a year from now for new members to be able to join and be greeted with kind words about everyone they might come in contact with, even if all of us don't see eye to eye all the time, just out of respect for the fact that this is our RP and this time around we've done it right.

Quote:
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4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?
While first and foremost I don't really believe that community conflict is an inherently bad thing, I do think that every now and then arguments need a soft hand to sort through everyone's feelings and pick out a common point, and also a firm hand to stop things if they start to get out of control. At the end of the day, a spat is just a spat, and every conversation, even if initially negative, has the potential to be turned into something constructive, and I want to be able to sit down the participants and figure out how to build off of any broken ground. As for "problem members", it really takes a lot more than most people joke to push my gears. I may come off as gruff but in the end I'm always willing to give a second chance to those that listen, and I don't believe in treating rule breaking with immediate firm action, instead a simple message of "Hey this isn't okay" is usually all it takes. Now, that's not to say that there won't be bad seeds. Everyone and their mother at this point knows all too well of my poor relationship with Aposteriori (and by extension EG). Note that this is something that had stemmed after years of second chances after second chances only for the hand that fed to be bitten time and time again. And of course while I will gladly give second chances to those willing to learn from their mistakes, there will always be those that don't. And if decisive action is what it comes to handle those that consistently bully, rule break, or commit similar actions, then so be it, but it would not be solely my foot coming down. Rather, it would be after a talk was had with the other moderators in regards to the issue and the decision was made that the necessary action would be that of discipline. But let's all hope that case never occurs, I know I'd like to remain lax and have good relations with everyone that comes to join FB.

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5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps). (Optional)
ASB Sig Approver, Admin of a Gaming Group and Discord Server (including a fair number of UPNers), Phantom Isle ZU (2013-2014), Head Admin of a Video Streaming site (2011-2012), Various positions of management in BronyCon staff (2012-2016)
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Old 04-13-2017, 05:06 AM   #9
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I would like to further support the nomination of MM. His temperament is wonderful, and he has a flair for helping newbies and taking them under wing. He is easily one of the oldest active members, is very knowledgeable about the game, and is a premier example of the RP culture we want to return to.

I really feel that he would have a key role in a mod team of leading by example, and would be able to approach issues with a sense of temperance. He would be especially valuable in dealing with new members -- I feel -- as he demonstrates the patience required. He is approachable, and appears to have a fair amount of time to spare for FB, which is important for a moderator.
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Old 04-13-2017, 05:49 AM   #10
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Going to go ahead and nominate Emi and second the nomination of Ex-Admiral Insane. Insofar as this initial restructuring process has gone, both of them have actively and competently not only contributed towards the discussion, but also at times led the discussion and helped steer it in the relevant directions. It cannot be understated how much leadership qualities are needed within this new administration, and both members have shown these within regards to the community.
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Old 04-13-2017, 10:20 AM   #11
Emi
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A little surprised that I've been nominated, but I will throw my hat into the ring.

1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?

The biggest thing of importance is that being a moderator means there must be a balance between oneself and the community. The community is the most important part of Fizzy Bubbles and the moderators should always remember that. At the same time, moderators should be viewed not as tyrants or dictators, but people who are human, sensible, and willing to listen to the community where past leadership has failed.

I, myself, am more than willing to seek compromises or even shelve my own ideas if the community feels differently. Part of being a tyrant is lording your opinion over everyone else's, and that's something that I want to avoid. My opinions as a moderator holds just as much merit and weight as other members in the community, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

One of the previous issues with the moderation was the lack of communication and transparency in the decision making process. Rule changes were often done without the communities input and on some occasions, we as a community were even lied to. This all needs to change. In no way should the rules ever be made behind closed doors. From day one, the community should be aware of the potential rule change AND of any potential plans that impact that rule in the future (i.e. making the Arcane Realm mandatory). Ultimately, the community are the ones that are going to have to deal with these rule changes most of all. In addition, I would be willing to hear feedback on the rule change if its enacted, to see how the community feels about it after its gone in effect. This allows the rule to take hold and for people to see how it actually impacts them; paper and practice are often two very different beasts.

On the communication front, I myself have always been extremely active within the community, whether on Discord, Skype, or on the forums. I know most of the community, many of them are people I respect or am friends with, and I think that's important. It's a grounding experience that our former mods didn't have. I see no potential change to this becoming a mod. If anything, it will inspire me to more active.

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?

The big thing for me is ironing out much of what is in the proposal; seeing which ideas the community wants to go forth with and which ideas will need tweaking or changing, or even scrapping. Getting a lot of that done will set FB very well in at least a short-term setting. From there comes more pointed discussion: coins, updator rewards, staff shop, shop rules, and updator test, among other potential things I may have forgotten.

Making sure we get our zones up and running is also of the utmost importance. ZA elections would likely be run as soon as people agree to how to do so, and from there will be the oppurtunity to select which zones we may want to keep from the older FB or if we desire new zones in order to keep things fresh.

One of the other biggest concerns is setting down the ability to find new membership. While I have no doubts that many of the people currently in FB are passionate individuals, ultimately any large-scale RP is going to need new members in order to continue going. Whether this is by advertisment in places such as Reddit, Tumblr, or other RP forums, or by securing some sort of deal with Tess in order to make sure we can get continual exposure on SPPf, this is one of the things I want to tackle in the short term.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?

FB in a year's time should be an active, flourishing game and community. Not just in the Free RP sections; although they are always a great thing to see in action, I have always viewed them as simply life support for FB. Ultimately, activity in the zones, adventures are the most important thing that keeps FB going. My goal for FB in the long term is see zones be active, more active than I've ever seen them be in my time in FB.

This will mean gradually peeling back a lot of Tess FB that made the game unfun, tedious, and shop centered. Many of the restrictions that were in place will need to be removed. No more will FB be Hyrule, a land of links. It will be the FB that we decide it to be; the FB that we've pushed for in the last four years.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?

For the most part, community conflict is something that is always going to happen, although I feel FB on a whole is a lot more relaxed and chill than other communities I've been in. For the most part, there isn't a strong reason for moderation to step in when there is conflict. Most of the time, the members in our community are mature enough that they can settle things themselves without any hard feelings. In the event that an issue escalates however, I would step in either to make sure that the conversation descalates or that both people stop. Conflict is a good thing, but escalation is not.

For problem members, it really depends. A good moderator should be able to know the difference between community witch hunting and when someone is actually being an issue. I tend to be a little more hardline when it comes to disciplinary issues than other people based on my experiences in ASB; where people in my opinion got away with too much bad behavior, but I feel that for the most part, discipline should be gracious but fair and just. In addition, so that I do not make any decisions in anger or annoyance, I would at least discuss the issue with the other moderators and potentially a forum admin such as Jeri if needed. No disciplinary action will come from my hand alone, because I am a biased human being. Other mods will hold different opinions than I do, and its important to take that into consideration.

5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps). (Optional)

Updator of Cortoza, GM of TftU (unfortunately, this died out, my bad), Ghost GL of ASB. Ultimately, I know the one thing I do lack is sound mental health experience, and hence would gladly want to work with someone with moderation experience.
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Old 04-13-2017, 01:35 PM   #12
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First of all I'd like to thank Alto for the nomination and the reasoning behind it. It feels nice that someone is backing me at least. On the topic of nominations, I'd like to further the nomination on Marion Ette and second the motion on uhhhhh/Rue. I also do agree that Sneaze is a great candidate as well. Anyways, here's my responses to the questions within the OP.

1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?

As a mod I would be completely listen in terms of the ideas of the community and do my best with their concerns. With the push for FB being more community oriented, it'd be good to have a moderator who is passionate about the game and will have some sort of longevity to them. In terms of ideas suggestions and improvements are always good. It allows the members to create an open discussion with the mods, and I'd be more then willing to participate in these discussions and give varying sides to all ideas given. It is important to feel heard, it makes people feel that they belong and matter.

Besides, Fizzby is really open in terms of creativity and imagination. It makes no sense in trying to limit the community after what has transpired in the past few years. We should be promoting growth and change, and give all ideas a chance no matter how scant or complex they are. I'd definitely would try and bring the Development forum to UPN if I was modded and would be an active participant in both member created threads and mod hosted threads. I have a lot of ideas myself and it would make me still feel like I'm a member instead of a moderator. Of course, everything proposed needs to end up being healthy for the RP. There will be ideas that don't go through, and that's okay. What matters is the terms of discussion, and not so much the end result.

In terms of concerns I would try my best to remedy them. Even if I am sarcastic and can come off as rude, I do truly care about people. I often check up on my friends and I somehow manage to get info on both sides of a conflict involving them. I try to mediate in these situations to the best of my ability, and push both sides in trying to positively solve these situations. We need to promote healthy discussions and make sure people are heard.

If anyone has a problem with the direction FB is heading, bringing it up to the mods is always a good idea. I will take these concerns seriously and try to see a feasible solution that won't negatively effect the game's health. I do understand there will be slow periods, but I don't want to see FB stagnating again. After watching behind the gates for years I understand the sentiments and I can see how great FB can be. While it will never truly be perfect, I hope to at least accomplish a better way for both the members and mods to communicate and work together.


2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?

For short-term, the first priority would to be getting Zones back up and running. Zones should be the core of FB, and making sure we have active Zones is important. While the Bar and other Free RP areas are good, our main selling point is the freedom and flexibility of Zones. You can have wildly varied adventures in the same zone no matter how much you go back to it. There are so many things to do and explore in all of them, and most of their themes are interesting and allow a lot of fun adventurers between the updater and adventurer. If I got modded tomorrow I would try and push for at least one or two zones being up and running by the week's end.

Next would be to get the basic shops back up and running. While places like the casino can wait, the longer something like the Daycare or the Pokemart is closed, the worst the strain is on People in terms of both leveling and supplies. While shop culture needs to be greatly reduced and not take over FB again, the shops themselves are still quite useful and would be beneficial to have up for both new and old members alike.

Lastly on the short term agenda is the implementation of Gen 7. While the Pelago is a great idea, I feel it would just be easier to introduce Gen 7 now through a belated Easter event or something. I know people are itching to get their hands on the likes of Mimikyu, or evolve their Cubones in Alolan Marowaks. While not everything will be implemented at once, at least the Pokedex and new Pokemon should be here ASAP.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?

Long-term I have a lot of ideas! As a mod I would hope that I'd have learned and grown over the year period to be able to better serve the members of the community. Also, to have at least lessen the stigma against the mods. It's a hard job and is going to be demanding, but I also feel it's rewarding and would allow people to grow. While a perfect harmony might be out of our reach, having mutual respect is important for the growth of FB and I hope in the long run this respect is established.

Some of the things I want to work on include Shadow Pokemon and expanding the UPC, as those are some of the things that makes FB unique. In a years time FB should be healthy and fun, with a lot of the things that keep FB, well, FB. I'd hope we'd constantly getting new members and that everyone is active and having fun. This next year is going to be difficult with the reconstruction, but when push comes to shove it is something we need to do and make sure it is done well.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?

See, my thing is that conflict can be healthy. Humans are naturally competitive and often take different stances on things. As long as it is positive and constructive, it should be fine. The thing that isn't fine is open hostility and an us vs them mentality. It creates a rift that just causes people to feel uncomfortable and reflects everyone in a negative light. If two or more members constantly are going after each other then mod intervention would be the most logical thing.

The thing with "problem members" is that people can be problematic for certain reasons. I do agree that Pokemon sniping and hording is quite rude and that people who consistently go out of their way to do this should be talked to. Same with members who are more annoying others to the point where members talk about them behind their backs in a negative manner. While they aren't specifically breaking the rules, it still is behavioral and something that should be discussed with that member.

Now, if someone is constantly breaking the rules, then that's a different story. I feel a warning system would be the best, but let's be honest, sometimes that does not work. A repeat offender will have to deal with harsher punishments, it's pretty simple. There is only so many chances you can give someone no matter how much you want them to get better.

On terms of harassment and bullying, I personally will not tolerate this. As someone who was horrifically and excessively bullied when they were younger, this is a very personal issue to me. If someone comes to me saying someone is bullying them, I will discuss this with both of them and will request chat logs or PM logs. A lot of us here have mental issues in some way or form, and harassment tends to make the community more distrusting of people. If someone is going out of their way to detract from someone's experience or forcibly trying to rip the community apart, then they will be dealt with.

5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps).

I've ran multiple RPs over the past few years with varying degrees of success. I've also been Treasurer of my High School GSA and am a driving force in my college LGBT club. I've also been the head of many group projects and been able to get not only work done, but people to do their parts as well when needed.
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Old 04-13-2017, 02:56 PM   #13
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Alright, well, first and foremost, I'd like to support the nominations of uhhhhh and Marion Ette. And now, I'd like to thank Sneaze for nominating me, and Marion and Tate for supporting said nomination. I'm pretty flattered that I was nominated at all, let alone the first person to be nominated, to say nothing of all the support this nomination is getting. I had to really think about this- I'll be up front and honest, I have no experience being a moderator or any kind of leader, which led to no small amount of concern on my own part as to whether I ought to accept the nomination or not- I'd like to think I'd do a good job and live up to everyone's expectations, and yet I can't help but worry, y'know? Don't want to let you guys down. But I get the feeling that a lot of mods were probably worried about how they'd do at first as well, so as it stands right now, I'm not gonna let this stop me. Instead, I'm gonna tackle those questions.

1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?
I'd be very open to ideas about FB, whether to implement something new or to correct an existing problem. I'd make sure members of FB know that they could feel free to approach me- or indeed, any of the mods- if they have an idea, or a problem, or a concern of some sort, and that I'd take them seriously. Back in the day, I would be quite hesitant to go to the mods with a question or concern, I'd be worried about them getting pissed at me, which is not the kind of attitude people should have to have about the people in charge. I would do my best to be much more approachable than that- one of the biggest problems FB had been suffering from was the divide between mods and the rest of the members, and I'd do my best to bridge that gap however I could. Now, I'll be honest- I don't do Discord, nor do I see that changing, but by no means do I see that interfering with my ability to be active in the community- I'd be just as active in the TO as I've always been, and anyone who wanted to ask me anything about anything in FB need only drop me a PM or VM.

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?
I'd play a very active role in trying to get the most important details worked out of what needs change around here. I've tried to be active in the recent discussions about all the changes that we're planning to make (despite being one of those people who doesn't do Discord), and I plan to keep that up, if not be even more active than I've been thus far. I'd do my best to help us work out what changes would be best for this community, make these changes happen, and get the new and improved Fizzy Bubbles off to a good start.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?
A year from now? Personally, I'd like to see Fizzy Bubbles looking kinda like it did when I got back into the swing of things back in 2012- back then, it was bustling, thriving, lots of active members, lots of active zone adventures, so much activity in the Bar that it could easily go through a whole page's worth of posts in just one day, things like that, it was awesome. Now, I don't know if my mind's making that year seem better and more active than it actually was, or if it really was thriving like that back then, but either way, that's how I'd like to see this RP in a year's time for real. My long term plan would be to do what I can to ensure that anyone who is able and willing to update a zone gets to do just that, and that everyone who wants a good opportunity to RP gets it. In months past, I've sometimes compared Fizzy Bubbles to a Slaking (it may not move as fast as you'd like it to, but when it does move, you're gonna like what you see). In a year from now, I'd like to be able to compare Fizzy Bubbles to a Vigoroth- active and thriving, always moving.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?
If members of FB have a problem with each other, and it's escalated to the point where someone should probably intervene, I'd hear out both sides of the issue, try to help them work it out if possible, and if I can't help them work it out, I'd take it to the other moderators, discuss things with them, and we'd decide what should be done. If someone breaks a rule, I for one would consider the extenuating circumstances. A veteran member intentionally breaking a well-known rule that's hard to miss, that would almost certainly earn a harsher punishment than a new member breaking some obscure rule that's hard to find, if indeed it's listed anywhere, not out of malice but due to an honest mistake on their part. Additionally, in the case of the later, I'd also make sure the rule in question is easier to notice, to try and prevent further honest mistakes moving forward. As for problem members... well, as I said earlier, I'd take seriously any problems or concerns brought to my attention. If I keep getting informed of problems about a particular member, I'd probably confer with the other mods about said member, and we'd decide what should be done.
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Old 04-14-2017, 05:31 PM   #14
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First off, let me start by saying thank you to those who nominated me for the position. I was a bit unsure of myself about whether I should continue with the nomination at all. Mostly because there are a lot of other great candidates, some of which have mod experience, but also because I wasn’t entirely sure whether I could handle the tasks that would be required of me, and whether I was in it for the right reasons. Not that I’m doubting myself, just that I’m being very critical of whether I meet my own conditions of what I want to see in a mod. That said, I am passionate about FB and want to see it thriving, and for that I’m prepared to fulfil the tasks ahead and continue working on it to see that happen.

As for the other nominations, I have no new names to bring to the table. Most of the potential candidates I could see taking up the mantle are those who have been mentioned already in this thread. Each of these have contributed, to no small extent, to FB and in discussing the new changes that need to be made, and I’m in full support of each of the candidates that have been brought forth.


1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?
It’s important to note here that it is the community by and large who should get to decide how FB is run. We have a good discussion going on in the thread and on Discord in which we try to allow for everyone’s voice to be heard, and that is something I want to continue even after we’re finished with the overhaul. Similarly to Lit I want a Development forum like the one we have on Bulbagarden put in place here on UPN so that members can continue providing their insight and ideas. I don’t think mods should have the power to say “yes” or “no” on an issue – that is a power that belongs to the community. What I want to do is help push the discussion of a new idea and try to help people form their ideas into workable plans – either by providing my own suggestions or addressing the issues that will have to be overcome. That’s not to say that every idea will necessarily be put in place, but each idea should at the very least be discussed and not ignored. And if an idea won’t or can’t be implemented I will do my best to explain the reason why and not have the person feel ignored.
As for concerns, I believe mods should be open to receiving PMs, Discord chats or Skype messages from the members – whatever the two have for communication. I might not always be the fastest responder at times but I try to make sure I at the very least get back to every message I receive, in a timely fashion – and I will continue to do the same for any concerns that would be raised. If an issue is raised more than once or by more than one member, I would definitely discuss the matter with the other mods (and ZAs if necessary), and eventually talk with the community on what changes need to be made to best resolve the issue and ensure it doesn’t happen anymore.

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?
On the short term I think we need to finish up the proposal. We’ve had some feedback and new ideas on it (and I hope we get a few more) but we need to establish what we’re going to continue with and how best to integrate the feedback into the proposal.
After that, the next topic I want to move on to are the zones and roleplaying in general. FB is a roleplaying forum first; The Zones are the lifeblood of FB and the basis on which it stands. Only after we have successful zones, appointed ZAs and given the members some place to continue roleplaying can we finally start focussing on the other aspects such as shops, calendars and registration - all of which are important of course but only secondary to the core of FB; roleplaying. The shops will eventually be set up and running but I think we can focus on getting a few zones as a start. I would want to discuss with the other mods into finding active, competent (and hopefully experienced) ZAs. In the meantime I want to shift the focus of the thread and Discord chat towards the topic of zones, polling what the expectations are of the community. This way, we can appoint ZAs while knowing what is being requested for the new zones – as I believe these two aspects may very well influence each other.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?
My hope is that in the long run we have a vibrant community of members new and old who can continue doing in FB what it is they enjoy doing – writing, attaining a Pokémon team, creating a base, battles, contests, whatever it is that the community has sanctioned, but with roleplaying still set at the heart of FB. Some members might not like a few of the new changes that will be made but my hope is that in the end it won’t deter them from continuing here in FB.
My long-term aim is to create a FB that is more autonomous (away from mod approval) than what we have now. I want a FB where if the mods happened to disappear for a month or two the forum itself could still function on at least a basic level without them. This means that ZAs can still hire new updaters and not have the mods decide who is and who isn’t capable of being a new updater. This means that updaters know they can turn to ZAs on questions about rewards and storylines. This means that most of the shops won’t remain still and stagnant if the mods disappear, and instead have shop owners who can continue without them. Mods will still be required at times of course, providing such services as oversight, new implementation and feedback reports, but the basics of FB should not be dependent on a mods presence 24/7. If the mod's were temporarily absent or were deemed incompetent the community should have the power to overcome that and continue on.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?
No one conflict is the same as another and so not every conflict can be handled in the same way. Most small conflicts can be handled passively I think with the instigators sorting out their differences by themselves, requiring almost no interference.
It is only once conflicts rise to the point they domineer a thread discussion or crossed a boundary (say; bullying or discrimination) that someone should intervene, and it makes sense that mods should shoulder this responsibility. In all cases I would remind the instigators to continue personal spats via PMs instead of clogging a thread. In most cases I will try to act as a non-partisan mediator between them. I would listen to both sides of the argument, ALWAYS, as I rarely believe there’s such a thing as a “completely right” or a “completely wrong” side. I would try to be reasonable and friendly, but most of all I will try to be unbiased and not have any of my relationships with members influence my decision. In case of the larger offences, I would discuss with both the other mods (and forum admins if necessary) on how the person in question should be dealt with.
Actual “problem members” tend to be those who are repeat offenders or those who repeatedly antagonise a large part of the community. In most cases I think a first offence would merit a warning, informing the offender of what they did wrong and trying to have them understand. Repeat offences would require harsher punishments and this is something I believe all the mods should decide and agree on. As far as actual punishments go they should be tough but fair, which to me usually involves having a punishment that fits the crime. Someone who’s behaviour has continuously caused friction with the community for example, despite earlier warnings, is someone who should be barred from interacting with the community for at least a while – whether that’s by a temporary ban or some other measure we can use.

5) Please let us know of any prior moderator/leadership experience (including things such as being a shop owner, updater, ZA, etc.) or roles that you think will contribute to your ability to be a moderator of FB (does not necessarily need to be UPN/FB related but this helps). (Optional)
Within FB/Forums: Updater of Phantom Isle 2016-2017
Outside of forums: Part of a small, student activity committee for a few years in which I’ve also had the position of chairman. Thereafter I was on the board of a student bar where I had a more specific role and duty.

Last edited by Ex-Admiral Insane; 04-14-2017 at 05:56 PM.
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Old 04-16-2017, 02:20 PM   #15
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Whoa, I didn't think I'd actually be nominated... I'm not sure if I'm exactly the right person for this position but I'm honestly touched that you guys think that I'm capable of at least having a shot at it. Also, I think that each of the other nominees here are a good choice and ones that I would have nominated myself. With these people in the running, I think that regardless of whoever is elected, I feel that FB will be in good hands. Without further ado...

1) As a moderator, how do you intend to address the ideas and concerns of the community?
I'd happily listen to ideas that can make FB better and I'd personally encourage them to approach me whenever they do. As a mod, I'd like to establish myself as someone who's approachable and is open to many ideas that the community can bring on the table. Communicating with the mods was a huge problem with the members back then and with this opportunity to change FB for the better, I don't want a repeat of that. I'd also try to be as reasonably transparent as possible with regards to mod discussion so that the community can be aware of any upcoming plans.

2) What is your short-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? If you were modded tomorrow, what would your plan be for the week ahead?
See, the main goal right now is that we iron out all the important deatils before we fully begin to implement them and have FB up and running. We already have a proposal but I know there are still ideas there that may be changed depending on what the community wants. Once that's settled, I plan on putting the zones and the basic shops at least back in operation and hire the necessary people for the job to operate them.

3) What is your long-term plan as a Fizzy Bubbles moderator? How do you want the RP to look in a year's time?
My fondest memories of FB were in 2012 when I got to meet a lot of cool people both old and new, the zones were thriving and it was fun to read through the others adventures while doing my own, and even get to roleplay with some of them in the Bar. As a new member that time, it left quite an impression on me and it's that kind of FB that I want the community to return to and perhaps make it even better... an FB where we can all have fun, build friendships in, and be able to respect one another. In the long run, I just want FB to return to being a fun and lively community as I remembered it before.

4) What is your strategy for dealing with community conflict and "problem members"?
In any kind of community, it goes without saying that conflict is unavoidable and personally I don't mind such things as long as it is kept at a healthy and
constructive level. In fact, I think having to butt heads with people from time to time can in its own way get us to know each other better and sometimes great ideas can come out of it. I'd like to think that most of us here are mature enough that we can resolve our issues on our own at least. It's only if the conflict takes on a personal, and/or sensitive level that I would step in and be a mediator.

With regards to "problematic members", it really depends on how "problematic" the member is. Usually, I associate those with repeat offenders and those that threaten the community as a whole. I'd give them a simple warning if they do such things, but if they continue to persist then I believe that harsher measures may need to be taken. This is not something that I'll do alone of course and delicate matters such as these will require mod discussion before we decide on anything. I do honestly hope that this case does not happen though.
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Old 04-18-2017, 10:58 AM   #16
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First of all, best of lucks to Fizzy Bubbles in this new period of its history. It's been a long time coming, and it's a pity this much-needed renewal didn't come sooner.

If ex-players are still allowed a say, I'd like to vouch for Ex-Admiral Insane and Missingno. Master; consistent dedication to a game, even in the driest and most near-death of moments (and there have been many), is the only real measure of love for the project. Regular input on how to improve what we love shows a level of care that must be acknowledged, and both members have always displayed that passion.

However, never let any administrative role interfere with your sheer enjoyment of the game. Moderating duties can sometimes taint the experience, especially in certain communities, and it would be a shame if whoever gets voted lost sight of that and stopped having actual fun.

Again, congrats on the initiative for reviving FB, and although I'll be watching from afar, I'll make sure to stop by every now and then to silently enjoy your progress! ^^
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