Author Topic: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)  (Read 11179 times)

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Offline Alsek

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Game Master status is something required at Furtopia before starting role-play threads.

The responsibilities of a Game Master (GM) are:

  • To keep a close eye on, and be responsible for, their threads.
  • To report any broken Furtopia rules to a moderator.
  • To enforce their own rules in the game fairly
  • To "run" their games, and drive the story of their role-plays in some general direction.
  • To settle disputes among the participants in their games.  The GM’s decisions on the story and the game rules are final.

GMs should seek help from Furtopian staff when players break the forum rules, or if players have broken the rules or ignored GM instruction enough that the GM would like them removed from the game.





In order to become a game master,  you must apply by contacting a moderator or an administrator.  Your application must include:

A completed Role-play Introduction post with:
1. A clear description of the basics of the story.  You don't have to give away the whole plot,  but make sure users have a general idea what's going on.
2. A description of the environment or world that the story is taking place in.  Maybe describe whether or not humans exist,  
3. All rules you expect users to follow while playing in your game. (for example,  No-Godmodding.)
4. An example Character sheet for new players to fill out.

In a separate area:
A.  Please indicate any problems you expect may come up in the story,  if any.  Even some good role-plays have potential problems that GMs will have to keep a close eye on,  and a good game master sees these areas before they are problems.  (For example:  If your role-play starts in a tavern,  you might say you'll keep a close eye out for over-use of alcohol in the game.)

B.  Please describe a more long term idea for the story and where you expect it to go.  You should have a general idea of this before the game starts.  The staff want to see that you have done at least a small amount of planning.

The staff will review your application,  and may ask for revisions or additional details. Once we have all the information we need, the application will be reviewed. Please be patient while the staff makes a decision.

After you become a game-master,  you will not need to go through the whole process again,   but all of your role-plays should include areas 1-4 in their OP. Including this information is considered part of your responsibility as a GM.   Ignoring this responsibility can lead to GM status removal.

To Clarify,  You are applying for "GM Status," which will allow you to create as many games as you want. Once you have it you don't need to apply for each and every game.  It's a one time thing.





Removal of GM Status:

When you become a GM,  you are making an agreement with Furtopian staff that you are going to take responsibility for the role-plays you start.  Game Master status is a privilege that can be removed if you do not properly manage and maintain your games and keep the rules in check.  Always contact a moderator to close any threads that you no-longer want to be responsible for, either for lack of interest, or if you feel that they have become too much for you to manage.  Remember the responsibilities listed above and take them seriously.  Other players can get out of hand in your threads,  and that is NOT a bad reflection on you. But, you have to take responsibility and get the Furtopian staff involved when it happens, so that we can take care of things.

If your threads become a regular problem for the staff, and we find that you are not taking responsibility for your games,  your status as GM will be removed and your games will be closed if you can't find another GM willing to officially take them over.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2014, 01:51:04 am by Alsek »

Offline Jacoby Quinn

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2014, 10:38:13 pm »
...I don't understand, we have to do this for every game we make?
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Offline Alsek

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2014, 11:03:07 pm »
No.  That was the old system.  You just have to submit one application to the staff for approval and you get a GM status.


However,  Every game should still have parts 1-4 above in their OP:

A completed Role-play Introduction post with:
1. A clear description of the basics of the story.  You don't have to give away the whole plot,  but make sure users have a general idea what's going on.
2. A description of the environment or world that the story is taking place in.  Maybe describe whether or not humans exist,  
3. All rules you expect users to follow while playing in your game. (for example,  No-Godmodding.)
4. An example Character sheet for new players to fill out.

Which is basically,  a story,  a setting,  a list of rules,  and an example character sheet.

But you don't have to send every single roleplay to the staff to look over once you're approved.


Offline Ziel

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2014, 11:05:06 pm »
If you haven't seen it, read here for more info on the changes.

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Offline Jacoby Quinn

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2014, 11:52:14 pm »
Just putting my two cents out there but I think this is a bit over complicated and unnecessary, if I were to come back after being absent a month or so before this change took effect, i'd just be horribly confused and have no idea what is going on. (I don't look at the pinned boards because they generally don't change) Also it really does nothing except for require people to register once...from what Kobuk has said in the past you guys can take someones ability to post if necessary. But that's just my opinion and I mean no offence by it, i'll get around to registering eventually.
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Offline Alsek

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2014, 04:00:31 pm »
We used to have a policy (back when i was regularly role-playing) that all new role-plays had to be submitted to staff for approval... Which was a nightmare as a role-player and created a ton of extra work for staff.  It took some of my games over a month to get approved because of the other workload they had going on.

With this,  it should be fairly easy for a role-player to get GM status,  and once they have it things should return to normal for them except for that they are more responsible for their threads than they were before.  If you're not watching the threads you create for forum rule breaks,  it can mean losing the ability to make new games if it happens too much too often.  It also gives us a chance to make sure the role-players are aware of this so that they don't just lose their ability to make threads one day and feel like no one  warned them.  To become a GM,  you MUST have read all of the role-play rules which means you must know that you can lose it if you aren't responsible with it.

On the other hand,  there were some GMs who kept sending me PMs asking how much authority they had in their games because they were afraid to tell others what to do.  This should fix that issue as well.

Offline Jacoby Quinn

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2014, 05:39:36 pm »
Two things, one this application is entirely unfair to open-plot RP and I was planning one before the policy came into effect, I have run well made RP's on this site before though I do so rarely because I want only my best ideas on the board, I can't start a new RP because an open world RP leaves a few spaces on the application blank.
Second, I want to make sure that you guys do not delete "covens, bloodlines and roses", i'm still working on editing it to publish it with the permission of the characters involved.
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Offline Loc

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2014, 05:41:57 pm »
Threads will not be deleted, they will just be locked as appropriate.

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Offline Alsek

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Re: Game Master Status  (Please Read!  Required to start new games!)
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2014, 05:50:50 pm »
Games closed after the month long grace period is up can always be unlocked after the GM gets their GM status and the game's OP is brought up to the new rules.  That's nothing to worry about.


You also don't have the submit the most ambitious game ideas you have to use as your application.  You might try something where you have a better grasp of the world and story you're going to be responsible for.   :)