Wizard Policy and Procedure

When Admin Join/Leave

• Things to Set When a Wizard Joins

  These tasks should be performed or assigned by Secretary Wizard. (To prevent the confusion of everyone adding the new person, etc.)

  • Give wizard WIZARD flag.
  • +staff/add <name> and answer the questions that come up.
  • Type '+wizlock' to update the wizard lock.
  • The wizard's body MUST be uselocked (@lock/use me=me).
  • The wizard must be given a password for the password protected wizard Web pages.
  • Add wizard to 'news wizards' entry.

• Things to Set When a Wizard Leaves
  • Remove WIZARD flag.
  • Remove from Staff comm channel, or change position/type if remaining a Staff member.
  • Type '+wizlock' to update the wizard lock.
  • Remove from password protected wizard Web pages?
  • Move wizard to retired wizards in 'news wizards' entry.

• Things to Set For New Staff Members
  • +staff/add <name> and answer the questions that come up

• How to Change Admin Position Information
  • stf =text <name>/<type OR position>=<type OR staffinfo>

    Examples:

    stf =text Melissa/type=Wizard
    stf =text Melissa/position=Organizational wiz and general assistance

  NOTE: The information in admin comm channel fields and the majority of a wizard's +finger fields should be accurate. Most of our new players have never MUSHed before, jokes will only confuse them further.

Character Creation

All players must have a valid email address to play on Tales. Exceptions to that can be made at a wizard's discretion. This should be done only if the player seems mature and responsible. Where you normally input the email address when creating a character, add a note about your decision instead.

The following are the commands used to create new characters. NEVER create a character with @pcreate, ALWAYS use +pcreate, it is the only way Saidar can track characters to fulfill He'Chin's requirements. Our site depends on this.

+pcreate <name>=<password> <email address> <relevent notes>

Usually people haven't decided on their name when requesting a char. Simply use data from their email address for temporary passwords and names. Use something from the site for their name, and their user name for the password.

<relevent notes> should include any supplemental information on the player's email address, for instance, if it's shared with another player. If the player has no email address, make a note of that in the <email address> area.

If the character is an alt for an existing player, please also use the following command. If the player has other alts, they'll be updated automatically, you only need to add the new alt to one of the existing alts, not all of them.

+alt <alt1>=<alt2>

We use a form letter to email name and password information to players. If you create a character based on a +mail request, use this note to email them the information. For online character creation, page usually suffices, but it doesn't hurt to ask the person if they need the note, as it explains how to change the name and password.

_Link to a copy of the note you can cut and paste._

Commands for tracking character creations:

+pcreate/log
+pcreate/skim

The first command lists all the characters that have been created recently. It includes the character name, dbref, email, date and who created the character. The second command lists just the names and dbrefs.

+mail char requests are usually sent to all the wizards. Before responding to a +mail char request, ALWAYS check the log to make sure another wizard hasn't created the character already. In general, you can leave +mail requests to Saidar unless she is sick or on vacation. If the person is still online in a Guest character, you may want to create the character immediately and page them their information, so they can start playing right away.

+pcreate/clearlog

This command is for Saidar's use ONLY. It clears the character record log. She has no other way to track newly created characters, which needs to be done to fulfill our site requirements.

Dealing With Players and Resolving Problems

ALL WIZARDS MUST READ THE GENERAL ADMIN CONDUCT GUIDELINES AND CONFORM TO THEM. We are not above the law. If anything, we must adhere to it more stringently than anyone else, because we set the example for the other admin and the players. Naturally, communications skills and diplomacy vary among individuals. If you find people reacting in an antagonistic way to your communications, talk to Saidar, and she'll work with you on minimizing conflicts.

Many day-to-day problems/questions/requests can be handled by the wizard who receives them. If anything seems at all doubtful or if you aren't sure what to do, ask whatever other wizards are on for their opinions and work on a solution together.

Serious or sensitive issues should be brought to the attention of all the wizards. A single wizard CANNOT independently make any of the following kinds of decisions, they require the input of the Wizard council:

• Banning, @newpasswording, @toading or otherwise destroying a character or removing a player from the game. In the event of serious security issues that require immediate action (such as hacking), you can @newpassword the player's characters, but IMMEDIATELY notify the wizard council so we can make a permanent decision. ONE hasty or wrongful use of these commands can taint a game's reputation for life. Any wizard who bypasses the wizard council to do one of these things should expect to immediately be de-wizzed.

• Medium-level disciplinary actions should also be passed through the wizard council. These might include @slave, @gag, loss of player privileges like restricted character approval, etc.

• Major changes, additions or exemptions to an existing policy. For instance, giving a friend extra quota, saying someone can play a character others can't, deciding all TPs with bards need to be approved, etc. There have been occasions where a wizard has had to make a ruling like this to resolve an immediate situation (Light ruled Assassins were restricted characters, for example). This should be done as rarely as possible, announced as a temporary ruling if possible, and all the wizards immediately notified so a final ruling can be made.

People often approach the wizards with ideas for all sorts of things - plots, policies, new organizations, etc. Whenever possible, ask people to send their suggestions and comments to you or all of the wizards via email or +mail. It's much easier for us to evaluate and consider their suggestions, and to keep track of them, if they're written down. Also, always respect the person's interest and contribution, whatever you think of the idea itself. Thank them for taking the time to make the suggestion and tell them it'll be considered carefully.

The following are some guidelines for other wizard commands and powers in dealing with players. This information is also available in the Admin Conduct Manual, so that all players may be aware of the conduct standards we have set for ourselves.

• As a general rule, do not @tel/@force someone without their permission. Even if you're calling them into your office for discipline, page and ask if you can @tel them in to talk, etc. Only if they refuse polite requests or don't even acknowledge you should you @tel them around. If it's necessary to make them stay in one place, reset their home to that place and institute other measures to make sure they hear you out, but only if necessary!

• Do not @tel into someone's private room without permission, especially if you're DARK. Just because someone's paging you for help does not mean they're expecting you to show up on their doorstep!

• Do not leave the wizard-only areas DARK and wander around the MUSH. Players will automatically assume you're spying on them, and you show up in a @sweep. Players are understandably paranoid about wizards' ability to move around the game DARK. Again, there are very rare situations where this may be appropriate. If you've received multiple complaints about someone being abusive, you may want to monitor their behaviour, for instance. Consider doing it with a public character if you can, however.

• NEVER give out someone's personal data. We get asked for email addresses periodically. We've guaranteed to players that only wizards will see their email addresses. If someone wants to get in touch with another player via email, offer to forward an email on their behalf, but never give out their address. Alts are sensitive information, too, and should be treated in a similar manner. (There are occasions when alt information may be revealed to leaders or Staff, but this generally happens only if a player has abused the rules repeatedly.)

• Do not alter any code, building or other text that a person has written without his/her permission, even just to fix typos or because it's easier to fix broken code than to explain how to fix it. Players need to trust that their creations are theirs, and will not be inexplicably altered by the wizards. There are very rare exceptions to this. For example, if a player has foul language in his/her +finger and refuses to remove it or has gone idle. If a player's coded object is running out-of-control, set it HALT and contact the player about necessary changes.

Wizard Commands

Wizard-only commands are listed in +wizhelp on the MUSH. Please read through the help pages before using any commands.

Many of the wizard commands keep logs, as do other commands on the game (+pcreate, +announce, +whap, etc.). To keep things organized, one person is assigned the duty of monitoring and clearing out the logs. No one else should use the commands to clear logs, or all that data is lost.

Please note that there are other commands that may be reserved for the use of one wizard. For example, all quota requests are handled by a single wizard to keep things consistent. If you aren't sure whether you should be using one of the wizard commands, please ask Saidar before using it.

Global Room and Global Code

Global Room location: #4

We have specific procedures about globals and how the Global Room is managed, because it's so important to the MUSH. It must be kept as tidy as possible, and _only_ global commands placed there. A bloated, inefficient or buggy Global Room slows down the _entire_ game. NEVER do any of the following without having discussed it with Saidar and the Code Head:

• Drop an object in the global room or link yourself there, particularly if you or the object aren't uselocked. That could give players access to commands they aren't meant to have access to or place a strain on the game.
• Add a new global command or +help pages. Commands are only added with the agreement of the wizard council. Saidar proofs all +help pages.
• Make changes to global code, or significant changes to +help pages (fixing typos is fine). Again, significant changes to operation must be agreed upon by the wizard council, changes to globals confuse players.
• Remove global commands or help pages (unless there is a critical problem, then remove the problem code until a coder can look at it.)

Linking/Building

All linking of businesses and residences for a particular area is handled by that area's Leader, not by the wizards. The Leader has a right to decide if that piece of building is appropriate to his/her area, where it should go, and if the descriptions of public rooms fit in with the theme of the area. Wizards are disrespectful to our leaders and interfere with their area design if we ignore that right. If someone asks you to link something, find out where they want to be linked and refer them to the appropriate person(s).

If someone complains that the area leader isn't responding to requests for linking, and their complaint seems reasonable, make a note of it and send it to the wizard contact for that area. Part of our job is to monitor whether Area Leaders are fulfilling their duties.

When a new area/org is created, it is assigned a builder character and a starting quota based on its type. This should be done by Saidar and/or the Building Wizard. If they've failed to do this in a timely manner, any wizard can create the builder and give it a _small_ starting quota. Let Saidar know so she can register the builder and decide on the final starting quota. The Building Wizard is responsible for setting the area up with its own room parent object. All official areas MUST have a room parent object. (One of Saidar's few arbitary rules. :))

New areas are linked into the terrain by the Building Wizard. This is done only after the area has undergone (and passed) extensive inspection.

New organizations are usually linked into existing areas, a decision the Area Leader must be involved in. Organizations DO NOT get their own room parent object. If they want to set up local area commands, they should create their own parent, and parent that to the local area parent.

Commands on local parents (whether of areas or organizations) should not duplicate or override the generic room parent commands or global commands.

People sometimes have problems making a link from the Building Nexus (#19) to their building. Open an exit for anyone with this problem, and chown it over to him so he can set the messages.

If people have questions about building, direct them to the Building section of the MUSH School. The Basic Building section introduces basic building commands of rooms and exits. The other tutorials explain how to set rooms up with the parent system, add Places, +ambience, +views, etc.

Quota Requests

One wizard is assigned to handle all quota requests. If you receive a quota request, refer it to that wizard. This information is provided for general knowledge, and because the quota duties may shift from wizard to wizard.

These are the quota commands:

@quota <name>

displays quota for <name>

@quota <name>=<#>

sets <name>'s quota to #

@quota/exit <name>=<#>

sets <name>'s maximum number of exits to <#>

@quota/thing <name>=<#>

sets <name>'s maximum number of objects to <#>

@quota/room <name>=<#>

sets <name>'s maximum number of rooms to <#> Be conservative with this one.

@quota/fix <name>

The quota report occasionally goes a little weird, this command will repair someone's quota report if that's happening.

+check/f *<name>

lists everything owned by <name> Check this before increasing quota.

+check/t *<name>=thing

lists only objects owned by <name>

+check/t *<name>=room

lists only rooms owned by <name>

+check/t *<name>=exit

lists only exits owned by <name>

The following NEWS entries summarize our quota policy and provide minimum and maximum quota limits for varying types of characters:

NEWS QUOTA
NEWS QUOTA3 - the quota minimum and maximum chart
NEWS RP OBJECTS - explains why you don't need to @create to role-play

Players who want quota for building should be referred to the appropriate NEWS BUILD entry:

BUILD PERSONAL - building a private room/house/etc.
BUILD BUSINESS - building a shop or other business
BUILD MINOR - building for a small organization
BUILD MAJOR - building for a large organization or city/area
BUILD INN - read this before building an inn/tavern or rooming house

There are a few situations that are not covered in the online guidelines related to quota:

Coders

Coders often need more than personal quota, as they are frequently working on commissions for other players, organizations, etc. Often the work of a coder contributes to the game as a whole, or some portion of it. If this is the case, the quota wizard may assign additional quota at his/her discretion.

Coders receive one additional quota for each approved item they donate to the Code Submission Box. The Code Wizard is responsible for approving donations and raising the quota by one.

Temporary Quota

Sometimes someone needs a little extra quota temporarily, perhaps to build something on commission, perhaps because she's working on building or objects for a TinyPlot, Bel Tine fair, whatever. The quota wizard can grant this additional quota (or temporary builder characters) at his/her discretion. However, any temporary quota should be documented in the player's @comment and tracked by the quota wizard so that it doesn't turn into permanent quota.

Factors to Consider

Before granting a quota request, consider the following factors:
1. Do a +check on the person. Do they still have lots of unused quota? Could they trim down their current belongings?

   Rooms like bathrooms (we've had them) and closets are usually unnecessary for private purposes. A lot of objects are unnecessary and could be transferred to +views on the player. Don't force people to @dest useless stuff, but do give them less quota than they've asked for if they have useless stuff.

2. Are their current belongings complete?

   If everything they own is unfinished, remind them to complete what they have before making more. If it seems like most of what they have exists just for a @desc, let them know about +view.

Tips for Handling Quota Requests

Often the reason people fail to meet the criteria for a quota request (or need more quota in the first place) is because they're new to MUSH and haven't considered how to build in a MUSH environment, don't know that +view is encouraged, or feel they have to @create a handkerchief to role-play blowing their character's nose. Consider the quota request an opportunity to explain the role of quota and the health of the game and provide some tips on quota management.
1. Always Be Polite
   Communicate the wizard decision courteously and take some time to work with the person or offer explanations if they seem to be taking a denial for an increase as a personal decision.

2. Explain The Policy
   Let the player know that quotas are in place to protect the health of the game as a whole, not to stifle individual creativity. Explain that quota decisions are based on pre-set rules and guidelines, and that all players are subject to these. Refer them to the relevent NEWS entries so they can see the established policy for themselves.

3. Offer Quota Management Tips Explain to people that MUSH building should be based on what people need and use for role-playing. One of the big misconceptions for the new player is that MUSH building should be based on a RL floorplan. Ask them if they really think they or someone else are going to role-play in the foyer, or whether it would be better to recycle it and use it for something else. Let them know about Places, which can be used creatively to make MUSH building seem "bigger" than it really is. Refer them to the Places tutorial in MUSH School.

   The same goes for unneeded objects. Let them know they don't have to have an actual chair to sit down, or a hat object to wear a hat - let them know role-played objects and those in @descs are just as "real" to our characters. Refer them to 'news rp objects' for more on this. Let them know about +view for setting up desc-only objects, and refer them to the +view tutorial in MUSH School.