important Rank Changes [READ]

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

Hey guys, I just wanted to bring up an idea that to me, would be great and would benefit us. I was speaking with somebody earlier (outside of GFL) about our current situation regarding bad server admins, etc. This specific person asked to list the ranks along with each rank's purpose. Since there was no official list of what each rank did, I had to think about them off the top of my head. After hearing what I did, I can easily say that I feel GFL's ranks are a bit unorganized. This specific person also highly agreed. After brainstorming for a couple hours, I've made a list of the new ranks I want implemented.

 

Here would be the new setup.

Board Of Directors (5)

People

• Roy
• Cypher
• Shuruia
• Floopyhiggle
• Kim
• ...

 

Secondary (Hidden)

• Denros - Implements website suggestions, etc.
• Amp (setup.sh) - Implements website suggestions, etc.

 

Description

The Board of Directors is here to keep the community running.

• Help build/fix the core of GFL.
• Communicate with the community about important changes.
• Plan for growth with the website and game servers.
• Review and implements suggestions to the website. 
• Be a role model to players and admins.

 

Division Leaders (4)

People

• Dano
• Domps
• Infantry
• OtakuSupreme
• Snoopy
• Thomasdavid097
• Violator

 

Description

Leads a certain game division for GFL.

• Helps support/build/fix game servers.
• Approves admin applications.
• Maintains servers (e.g. reboot if they are dead/lagged out).
• Handles issues with server managers and server admins.
• Assist in training new admins.
• Hands out Server Manager and Server Admin punishments/warnings.

 

Community Advisors (3)

People

• Private Pull (Major Push)
• Joshy
• Wilford brimleyy
• Rcool64

 

Description

A long time member of the community who has proved themselves trustworthy and are highly respected. Advises the staff on important issues.

• Gives their opinion on important decisions (similar to the Trusted group).
• Handles player complaints and can issue bans.
• Helps moderate the entire forum.
• Keeps servers clean from rule breakers, etc.
• Communicates with the higher-ups by informing them of in-game server problems.
• Helps in any way possible to make GFL an overall better place.

 

Technical Administrators (3)

People

• Killer-Banana
• Amp (setup.sh)
• Denros
• Roy
• <Other trustworthy TAs>

 

Description

Trusted members that help fix technical issues on our game servers and website. This includes trustworthy developers as well.

• Fixes daily issues with the website and game servers they have access to
• Keeps our website and game server mods updated (e.g. IPS 4, SourceMod, etc).
• Looks into servers having performance issues and comes up with solutions to fix them.
• Patches exploits found on our website/game servers if possible.

 

Server Managers (2)

People

• <Trusted Individuals capable of managing a server>

 

Description

Trusted and respected individuals that are capable of managing a specific game server.

• Supports/builds/fixes game server(s).
• Reports technical issues to the TA group if the issue is far too advanced to fix.
• Be a role model to server admins and players.
• Discusses admin complaints with the Division Leaders.
• Handles player reports.
• Admins must make an application and wait at least three weeks (after the application being submitted) before being added. This will give other Admins, Division Leaders, etc time to discuss an admin.
• Can add admins before the three week mark if the Division Leaders approve.
• Handles admin conflicts and reports them to the Division Leaders.
• Attempts to defuse forum threads filled with drama.
• Train new/inexperienced Server Admins.

 

Server Admins (1)

People

• <Trusted individuals to keep our game servers clean>

 

Description

A trusted individual capable of keeping our servers clean and fun.

• Handles player reports.
• Be a role model to other server admins and players.
• Reports admin abuse/bad behavior to Server Managers.
• Keeps our game servers clean from rule breakers, etc.
• Actively recruits players from the game servers to the website and TeamSpeak 3 server.
• Reports game server issues to the Server Managers.
• Helps build the game servers and actively suggest things to the Server Managers to help improve our game servers.

 

I will admit, I got a few ideas from other gaming communities. There's clearly issues going on in GFL, you cannot deny that. That said, our Divisions aren't as strong as they once were. It's time to start rebuilding and I believe the first thing we should do is redo our ranks and make it so Division Leaders need to approve admin applications, etc (this will help prevent bad admins in the future), etc.

 

That said, merging the current Council and I into one main group will definitely help (Board of Directors). Since I am busy with work and many other things, I don't have the time. People still come to me about issues that the current Council and even Division Leaders should be solving. Most of the time, I am not at the computer when they message me or I just don't see their message (sometimes Steam bugs out, etc). I believe merging these groups will publicly make us look at the same level. This will make the current Council more known to handling issues, etc.

 

Let me know what you think. I'm sure some things can be altered with these ranks, but this should be the basics of it. Pretty straight forward in my opinion.

 

Thanks.

[OtakuSupreme 109 / 3,595]

#OTAKU4BOARDOFDIRECTORS2016  He can't be worse than Hillary

[OtakuSupreme 109 / 3,595]

In all seriousness though, This format looks much better. I like where this would lead us. To be honest the most important role in this is server admins. They are the ones that the player base will be dealing with on a daily basis. A team of assholes will break a server before anything else. I like that there is more people involved with this step.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

Also, after talking to @Major_Push, I believe it would best to change the following:

Server Managers (2)

Definition

• Suggest admins to the Division Leaders and wait for approval from them.
• Admins must make an application and wait at least three weeks (after the application being submitted) before being added. This will give other Admins, Division Leaders, etc time to discuss an admin.
• Can add admins before the three week mark if the Division Leaders approve.

 

Thanks.

[OtakuSupreme 109 / 3,595]

So does this mean we are not making Admin Applications and it will be up to a Server manager to seek out an applicant, or can people still apply for admin? TBH I and probably lots of others really miss the applications so far as getting a PM for seven different applications at once is getting to be a bit of an annoyance.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

Admin Apps won't be going away, but unless if they get the DLs approval, the admin app must be up for at least three weeks (for discussion, etc) until the admin can be accepted.

 

Thanks.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

I would like to implement these ranks as soon as possible. Why? Well, I'm going to start getting really busy and I feel initializing the rebuild of GFL will really help.

 

Many of you already agree to these ranks. Please give your input on them.

 

Thanks.

[queue 917 / 10,419]

I do not believe that Division Leaders should have to deal with the Server Admins apart from approving their applications. Only in varying circumstances (manager is not dealing with them appropriately, manager is on vacation, etc.) should they have to demote, punish, train, etc. a Server Admin. Those are jobs that should be primarily carried out by the Server Manager (just as it is done for the most part already).

 

Everything else look good, though. Also, when they are implemented, where would team leaders stand on this new rank system?

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

3 minutes ago, qDogg said:

Also, when they are implemented, where would team leaders stand on this new rank system?

We'll talk more about that in the future. I'm hoping we can have team leaders, etc be a badge rather than a group. One of the big reasons I did this was to cut down on actual groups.

 

Thanks.

[Thomasdavid097 533 / 8,791]

most servers on GFL have head admins that helps with training admins for the managers so they can work on the bigger stuff on the server, fixing plugins/adding maps/looking for more staff and other stuff..

 

ranks like this are a good idea, but I would hate to just have a discussion open for 3 weeks+, sure you could PM the DL's but trying to get one would mostly be hard if you are not in the same timezone and TF2/CS:GO only has 1 DL (cs:s has 2 but 1 is also the only cs:go DL so he will mostly putting more time into that then cs:s) I feel like 1 and a half weeks would be better idea.  if all admins +1 then I don't see why we should have a pointless topic open for that long.

[Snoopy 1,480 / 15,610]

I'm curious about the Community Advisor rank. Is this going to be a Moderator/Trusted hybrid group? If so I feel as though Moderators should still be a separate group since their task is pretty specific. Though they should still have access to the Trusted forum.

 

The Community Advisor rank, as the name suggests, should be advisors only and if they're given any other jobs then it could distract them from the Advisor bit.

 

That's my opinion anyway. 

 

Edit: Are Community Advisors and Technical Administrators consider on the same level ranking wise since they both have the number 3 next to them? Will Tech Admins get access to the Trusted part of the forum?

[Dano 949 / 15,644]

1 hour ago, Thomasdavid097 said:

most servers on GFL have head admins that helps with training admins for the managers so they can work on the bigger stuff on the server, fixing plugins/adding maps/looking for more staff and other stuff..

 

ranks like this are a good idea, but I would hate to just have a discussion open for 3 weeks+, sure you could PM the DL's but trying to get one would mostly be hard if you are not in the same timezone and TF2/CS:GO only has 1 DL (cs:s has 2 but 1 is also the only cs:go DL so he will mostly putting more time into that then cs:s) I feel like 1 and a half weeks would be better idea.  if all admins +1 then I don't see why we should have a pointless topic open for that long.

 

I will put my time in whichever division needs my time at that moment. Now that my summer break FINALLY started, I have a lot of time. I will only be absent from the 1st to 6th of August to visit my sister. I will be online every day, nonetheless, just not on the game servers.

Besides those few days, I am online every day and available for 10+ hours, so reaching me is easy. I will look into every application (CS:GO and CS:S, as well as the ones from servers I admin on in GMod) as quick as I can and give my thoughts to it, as well. It won't be a big deal, at least with me.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

@Snoopy The Community Advisors rank would be the new Moderator rank. There's no point in keeping the rank when in reality there was only one person (Major Push) in it as the primary group.

 

Yes, they are considered the same level now. This Technical Assistant rank wouldn't be like the regular "developer" rank we saw before. In fact, I'm hoping we can also make "developer" a badge (along with all the other team member groups). That said, all TAs should be trustworthy and has proved to us they are here to help GFL. From what I've seen, everybody I've listed under the TA group has showed they want to help GFL and they've many done things to help us.

 

@Thomasdavid097 I feel "Head Admin" shouldn't be an official forum rank though. Maybe a badge or something for the server when the GFL Core system comes out. The less IPS 4 groups we have, the easy it is to manage.

 

Also, I guess you're right about the Admin application times. One and a half week doesn't sound like a bad idea considering it shouldn't take over a week and a half for DLs, etc to give their input on the admin. If a DL does have an issue with the admin, shouldn't they be able to "hold" the application to get more input on the specific admin?

 

Thanks.

[Dano 949 / 15,644]

1 minute ago, Roy said:

@Snoopy The Community Advisors rank would be the new Moderator rank. There's no point in keeping the rank when in reality there was only one person (Major Push) in it as the primary group.

 

Yes, they are considered the same level now. This Technical Assistant rank wouldn't be like the regular "developer" rank we saw before. In fact, I'm hoping we can also make "developer" a badge (along with all the other team member groups). That said, all TAs should be trustworthy and has proved to us they are here to help GFL. From what I've seen, everybody I've listed under the TA group has showed they want to help GFL and they've many done things to help us.

 

@Thomasdavid097 I feel "Head Admin" shouldn't be an official forum rank though. Maybe a badge or something for the server when the GFL Core system comes out. The less IPS 4 groups we have, the easy it is to manage.

 

Also, I guess you're right about the Admin application times. One and a half week doesn't sound like a bad idea considering it shouldn't take over a week and a half for DLs, etc to give their input on the admin. If a DL does have an issue with the admin, shouldn't they be able to "hold" the application to get more input on the specific admin?

 

Thanks.

 

I don't think Thomas was suggesting to add a new rank, but explaining the rank's use.

The DLs should easily be able to review an application within a few days, and I think putting them on hold should be available to them, as well. Managers can do so already, regardless.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

3 minutes ago, Dano said:

I don't think Thomas was suggesting to add a new rank, but explaining the rank's use.

The DLs should easily be able to review an application within a few days, and I think putting them on hold should be available to them, as well. Managers can do so already, regardless.

Ah alright.

 

As for the application, sometimes the DLs can't make it and I also believe having the application up for a week and a half or so will give time to actually discuss the application. Admins will be able to give their input instead of just saying "+1 my greatest friend in the world!". Why wouldn't the players be able to wait for their admin app? If anything, it shows patience. Also, if it's an emergency, like I said, if the managers get the DLs approval, they can add an admin instantly. Although, they shouldn't happen often.

 

Thanks.

[Dano 949 / 15,644]

4 minutes ago, Roy said:

Ah alright.

 

As for the application, sometimes the DLs can't make it and I also believe having the application up for a week and a half or so will give time to actually discuss the application. Admins will be able to give their input instead of just saying "+1 my greatest friend in the world!". Why wouldn't the players be able to wait for their admin app? If anything, it shows patience. Also, if it's an emergency, like I said, if the managers get the DLs approval, they can add an admin instantly. Although, they shouldn't happen often.

 

Thanks.

 

I completely agree. I wasn't trying to say that they should be handled quicker, just that the DLs should easily be able to respond within a week and a half. Every game mode has at least one active DL forum-wise, GMod and CS:S even have multiple ones. The admins will likely take longer than a few days to put in their thoughts and that's fine. If a candidate is perfect, the admins and DLs will be able to vote on their application quicker, anyway.

[Kim 954 / 11,390]

Kim ?

 

I like the idea of a remake of our rank system.

Getting rid of Moderators and place them in a "trusted" group would be great.

I don't see a point in having moderators when we allow Division Leaders, Council and Administrator to control the ModeratorCP.

 

Trusted/Community Advisor -> Council

As I understand, you want to merge Council and Administrator into "Board of Directors" right?

If that is the case then I have some ideas we could add.

Instead of "Community Advisors" you could name it "Council", both because GFL ever have had that rank and because this time it would FINALLY make sense in our community, as everyone gather up to discuss(Discord, Hangouts, ts... etc).

 

This group will be a replacement of Moderators, however will no longer have ModeratorCP and will be a secondary group to add to your current rank.

Any rank from Server Admin and above can be chosen to become Council and they will be chosen based on their understanding/skills in the community.

 

The Goal with this group is to get as much advise as possible, to create a better community.

 

The Group Legends

One thing I suggested on our old page is a different group legend, that will display ranks in a different order.

Community STAFF

Director - Technical Admin - Council/Community Advisor

 

Server Management

Division Leader - Server Manager - Trial Manager -  Server Admin 

 

Community

VIP - Supporter - Member - Player

 

I will admit that the selection you see, hasn't been thought completely through by me yet neither the colors.

But it will give you an idea of what I see as a potentional group legend.

The reason behind a different group legend is to prevent people from thinking that the "climbing" is as simple as it looks.

 

 

Information displayed

When clicking on a group, it should display what exactly the group's job is, so people also can find the right help.

That could be example:

 

Director

Description

The Board of Directors is here to keep the community running.

Help build/fix the core of GFL.

• Communicate with the community about important changes.
• Plan for growth with the website and game servers.
• Review and implements suggestions to the website. 
• Be a role model to players and admins.

 

*display the profiles here*

 

 

Good stuff Roy,

Happy to see changes.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

I would also like to say, Admin Managers (e.g. Head Admins) will still be a thing. But they still rely on the current guidelines where the admin application must be opened for at least a week and a half.

 

Also, Server Admins should be giving reasons why somebody should be an admin instead of +1s, etc on the admin applications. We need to make that more clear in my opinion.

 

Thanks. 

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

@Kim As for Community Adviser -> Council, I still feel Community Adviser (advisors) are better.

 

Why?

• Many people never really liked the Council rank. Community Advisors would show a fresh start.
• Confusion would likely arise because people are used to the old Council rank.

 

Just my opinion. Everything else you said in the post looks good

 

Thanks.

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

Okay, well, it has been a few days and I haven't heard from any others. I will be moving this down to the Server Admin section as an "early warning" for rank changes. Some of these ranks may change in the future along with their purpose.

 

Thanks.