Staff - Player Interaction.

[CynicalChoco]

Im just going to throw something out there about battles. I have been staff for a very short amount of time but from what I have gathered I feel if staff member blablabla battles some players then staff member lalala will get hounded with "well blablabla battled us"

Can confirm, though it is something that I haven't had recently.

My opinion as a player (and the very reason I post from this account as this should be a player feedback topic):

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
On staff accounts, no. Its not like you lose all access to the game when you become a staff member and you can no longer play on alts. When you are on your staff account you should be doing your job.

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
As other people have said, as long at it does not bring any bias into play. I left my guild when I became a staff member because I know that it could have made things difficult if the situation arose.

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
See #1.

4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
Small events like Hide and Seek I'm ok with but bigger ones should always go through the other staff members first. Anything that has been legitimately caught/earned/donated for by a member of staff is a fair prize.

5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
Outside of special events, no. The Legendary tournament was, in my opinion, a good idea in theory and I'm not against other mixed staff and player events in the future.

In short, most staff members still have active player accounts and there is no reason why these can't be used for these things.

 

[Merse]

The main problem with staff-player interaction is that even the rumor about a staff member abusing his power in any way could trash the reputation of the whole team. That's why things like guild membership or trading should be reduced to the minimum - preferably to none - with the staff account. And even so, the staff member has to do his/her business very carefully to avoid event the remote possibility of such rumors.

 

[CheckeredZebra]

*stretches*

Lady Teck, due to the nature of my thoughts, I sent you a PM as that was more appropriate, because the situations I used as exampes could be misconstrued by the public.

Also to be honest, I feel like my opinion is strongly rooted in a more half-staffy area when you wanted strictly player, but I hope my alternate opinion could be interesting at the least (and it caused strong divides in player/staff trust recently enough).

To make this worth a post:
I don't feel like any of these are worth discussion aside from the guild one. The rest either don't matter or are mired in common sense.

 

[HitmonFonty]

I play on my staff account and have done for the most part since I started as staff. I have only traded once I think in the years I've been here- a bad stat dratini to get money for my kids to buy bikes and such. And PvP only a handful of times, so interaction between my account and other players has been minimal and it makes more sense to me to just keep playing on my staff account and being available to help out ingame when needed, rather than playing on my old player accounts and not be as recognisable to many as someone who is ingame to help out.

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
I see no reason for this. We can already get legitimately caught pokemon transferred to our player accounts if needed via GMs, and I think it is good to have that in-between staff member to double check we aren't bringing pokemon into the main game that shouldn't be there. I don't see any need to trade with other players myself when that can be done as easily and more safely via our player accounts.

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
Yes, I agree this shouldn't be restricted.

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
No, I don't see any reason for it.

4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
Without Authorisation? No, I don't think so. It's too random, it means you can only 'give' what you have gained legitimately ingame as a player on your staff account really. That's too random and some staff will have better prizes on hand than others, some games/events will therefore be more profitable depending on who runs them. I think staff run games/events should be more organised with set prizes. So once set up and authorised they can be run whenever a staff member has the time to do so.

5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
I don't think random battles should be allowed either. Some have already stated the main reasons for this:
First, many players will want to battle to see the legends etc on our teams either for fun or pokedex data- which is all well and good. But if we as staff just battle randomly and inevitably with friends and friends of friends many will miss out and see it as staff favouritism.
Secondly staff are likely to again get spammed with battle requests from players if this is allowed again.
(Again though I think a more organised arrangement could be set up in advance so staff could hold mini battle events. These mini battle events could be held in a different channel and only staff should be able to challenge players- perhaps in the order they join the room and declare they are part of the event. That way only staff will challenge players and players cannot use this as an excuse to spam staff with battle requests and there should be no cries of favouritism, only missed opportunities if you're not around at the right time or staff run out of time to battle you.)

 

[Tendou]

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
In some part yes, not really a trade, just to help people to evolve their pokes as players still afraid nowadays.

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
I see no reason to decline, their alts doesnt have in-game powers even knowing thats a staff, he/she just need act nicely as usual and avoid bad-looking ones.

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
Another reason to do not say no, but to avoid unecessary spamming better avoid joining guilds with a staff account.

4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
No, it is better pointing out their head staff first, even if it is a donation gift or such but to turn the event clean and not soo vague as reports may happens and head staff will be aware.

5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
I don't see anything wrong with that but once they tends to battle with a player tons of players will bug the staff member therefore another uneeded spamming in game. But ,if yes, better avoiding the use of staff only pokes due pokedex.

 

[Julio~]

[glow=red]1) I think staff members shouldn't trade with players because that can bring some benefits to other players. And if they have player accounts that isn't necessary.

2) I don't see why not. In this accounts they're like any other player and they're free to do what they want.

3) Like I said on the first one if they have player accounts that isn't necessary. When staff members are in a guild they can bring a form of "superiority" to the guild and make other guilds understimates.

4) I like this idea because it is a way for members of staff are interacting extensively with the players. Prizes are nice too, I think shinies rares like some people said are exaggerated for short events, but pokedollars and common shinies are fine (tokens too ).

5) I think there's no problem with that because people who invite a member of staff to battle know that they can battle using Pokémons lvl 100+ and some legendary. I just think they shouldn't use pokémons with level very exaggerated (The system also dosen't allow ).

Thanks for the questions, Teck.​

[/glow]

 

[Hionn]

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
Never.
2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
No.
3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
No.
4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
This game should have more events, it's boring without events
5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
Staff should be allowed to battle for fun with who wants

Edit: Staff should be neutral, and support in-game players making it more fun like hosting events and the chance of battling legendary pokes

 

[KaiReborn]

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
My view on this one is rather neutral as long as it only concerns pokemon caught in a legit fashion

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
I see no problem with this one tbh

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
Anyone remembers the official tourney earlier this year and the senseless conspiracy theories based on butthurtness? I'm going with no for this one even though my pov on this one is rather neutral a staff account being on a guild could lead to claims of favoritism.

4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
Depends of the prize in question. Anything above s rare should require authorization imo

5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
All depends on the willingness staff has to battle on their accounts... personally, I see nothing wrong with it

 

[Tecknician]

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
I see no problem with this one tbh

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
Anyone remembers the official tourney earlier this year and the senseless conspiracy theories based on butthurtness? I'm going with no for this one even though my pov on this one is rather neutral a staff account being on a guild could lead to claims of favoritism.

Couldn't favoritism also take place even if it was just their player account on a guild? What's to stop staff members treating their guild members differently even they join on their player account? Even if unintentional?

For number 5, if staff members are battling, then they aren't doing anything to improve the game. I am rather surprise at how indifferent players are because I would assume players would want staff to be working on the game, and not just playing.

 

[Saric]

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
I see no problem with this one tbh

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
Anyone remembers the official tourney earlier this year and the senseless conspiracy theories based on butthurtness? I'm going with no for this one even though my pov on this one is rather neutral a staff account being on a guild could lead to claims of favoritism.

Couldn't favoritism also take place even if it was just their player account on a guild? What's to stop staff members treating their guild members differently even they join on their player account? Even if unintentional?

For number 5, if staff members are battling, then they aren't doing anything to improve the game. I am rather surprise at how indifferent players are because I would assume players would want staff to be working on the game, and not just playing.

I don't see an issue with CGs or GEs being in guilds. However GMs/Admins/Devs I can see an issue with leading to favoritism.
As far as player accounts go I don't think this really matters as most of these have player accounts that are unknown to everyone else.
EDIT: However this doesn't stop them from favoring them on their main staff accounts but at least the other players are being taken out of the equation. And I imagine if a staff member decides to favor one (or some) over another they could be reprimanded fairly easy

 

[Jinji]

Ironically Teck, the one you've identified as your most surprising result is actually the one I personally find LEAST surprising. I can't say I find any of the current majorities favourable to my own views as to how games should be ran; but I'm not discussing this now. However, my view on why people don't see a need to restrict battles are, as the game's enforcers, Staff are naturally going to be the more attractive targets and people will want to be able to brag for beating an "ultimate opponent". Also, I think a lot of people deep down see truth in the saying "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" - no-one really wants Staff to work 24/7, they just want to be sure their personal time doesn't come to the detriment of the game. That seems understandable to me...

 

[Orean]

Also, I think a lot of people deep down see truth in the saying "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" - no-one really wants Staff to work 24/7, they just want to be sure their personal time doesn't come to the detriment of the game. That seems understandable to me...

Theoretically, an occasional staff-player battle may not seem very time-consuming that it would truly divert one's focus on staff work. However, whether or not it's the proximate intention for these battles to take a staff member's focus away from their routine role, it's for some to indulge themselves in; especially if they feel burned out from their actual staff role, one may not see as much zest in resuming their actual role, compared to battling players if it's no longer considered impermissible.

I don't necessarily find this worrisome for the current staff, I just feel as if this is being overlooked in the majority's rationale for their stance on staff members battling players—many seem to expect it to be an acute interest in an occasional battle, while there's the very real possibility that a staff member's focus could ultimately be misoriented due to this, even subconsciously.

 

[Tecknician]

Also, I think a lot of people deep down see truth in the saying "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" - no-one really wants Staff to work 24/7, they just want to be sure their personal time doesn't come to the detriment of the game. That seems understandable to me...

Theoretically, an occasional staff-player battle may not seem very time-consuming that it would truly divert one's focus on staff work. However, whether or not it's the proximate intention for these battles to take a staff member's focus away from their routine role, it's for some to indulge themselves in; especially if they feel burned out from their actual staff role, one may not see as much zest in resuming their actual role, compared to battling players if it's no longer considered impermissible.

I don't necessarily find this worrisome for the current staff, I just feel as if this is being overlooked in the majority's rationale for their stance on staff members battling players—many seem to expect it to be an acute interest in an occasional battle, while there's the very real possibility that a staff member's focus could ultimately be misoriented due to this, even subconsciously.

English please, you don't impress anyone by forcing them to open a dictionary.

 

[Jinji]

I understood him without one, Tecknician. Creobis' point is basically, a single battle may in theory not seem to be a hugely time-consuming activity and would not offer significant distraction from work. The problem is, if we allowed them to do it without restriction, Staff who felt bummed out by Staff duties could take to fighting on a regular basis and might find their Staff role less enjoyable as a result - therefore become less willing to do it. So one could argue even Staff with no intention to ignore their Staff duties could find themselves concentrating less if they are allowed to battle often.

Creobis feels that our current Staff are unlikely to fall into this trap; but worries that those voting to allow Staff battling are not currently considering this possibility and so it should be kept in mind for those still to offer feedback.

 

[Guest]

I understood him without one, Tecknician.

 

[EcoWOLFrb]

As it has been said before, most staff hide their identities so it should be no issue for player accounts to be in guilds given there would be no peer pressure for special privileges in regard to guild mates. If the staffs identity is already compromised I would suggest that they are likely already heavily involved in social activity within a group to the point that officially being a guilds member would make virtually no difference.

 

[Tecknician]

I understood him without one, Tecknician.

don't get me wrong, I understood him, just was rather annoyed I had to think about a word a second time instead of reading it quickly.

 

[Jinji]

I understood him without one, Tecknician.

don't get me wrong, I understood him, just was rather annoyed I had to think about a word a second time instead of reading it quickly.

Fair point. There are a lot of threads I can't fully read myself because they have so many posts and few of them put their points across short and simple.

 

[AFLAX41386]

Back to the initial point:

As a non staff person, I absolutely think that staff should not be trading, or battling, on staff or player accounts, and def should not be in guilds either way.

When you guys chose to be staff, you stopped being normal players and are now held to a higher standard and regardless of the biases you may think you are able or unable to avoid, you're going to be biased towards your friends. Decisions you make directly affect the game.

This game has a history of staff who trash/delete the forums, all kinds of corruption, and other various forms of nonsense. I can't count how many staff have been banned over the years, I don't think I need to name names. Given the PWO staff history I think its silly to even consider staff members being in guilds, etc. Yes, its a volunteer role and why should they want to do this without being allowed to play as a common player anymore? But this question also juxtaposes that a volunteer has no real honor to the game and thus, will do what they like if there are not hard lines drawn. People tend to go where the lines blur.

Its like being a teacher in a school and wanting to play with the kids at recess, its not why you're there and if you do this you destroy the line of respect that is supposed to be formed with your position, not to mention it also sacrifices the kids you're supposed to be supervising to begin with. If you're not happy with your duties, get a new job that allows you to go play at recess.


Simply put: there is way too much grey area for staff persons to make bad decisions if you allow them to play like a normal person. Staff made the decision to be staff, and should have done so knowing they would be above a common player with access to things we aren't and should be treated as such.

 

[Boora]

1) Should staff be able to trade in game for legit reasons using legit pokemoney/pokemon with players?
no, after all they're just valunteres and mistakes do happen.

2) Should Staff members be able to join a guild on their player account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
yes, dont see why not, after all ifthey cant trade, i dont see a reason for them not to make friends and socilalize with other players

3) Should staff members be able to join a guild on their staff account? Which staff positions should be restricted if any?
not on the staff account because it'l show a bit of favourisim after all, and even though he cant actally do anything or giveout anything, it'll be better if it'll be on a player account

4) Should staff hold mini events and give out prizes without other staff authorization? What types of prizes should be limited if any if answered yes?
HELL yes, and i hope people dont dissagree with me on this i always said that there should be way more events then is, and i always got the response that you guys are trying but u need to be synchronised about it, it'll be awesome if gms could hold mini events like the hunting events that guilds were forced into doing because there was no events for ages, (not blamin just saying) and after there's a winner he'll have to wait fr an adamin to give him set price

5) Should staff be allowed to battle players using their staff accounts? What limitations should be enforced if any?
unless the "collectors tab in pdex" idea actally gonna be implamented i dont see why not, and even if it'll be implemanted , i still say yes but with no 4th gen,legends,
i mean it'll be more fun and exciting to beat a gm ;p