Volunteer Program

I remember in UO that I became friends with a counselor who also had an in game account. He would have to leave to go help someone, but return as his regular character. Since I was never a Counselor, I don't know how much of an advantage his character had. Wouldn't that be a "perk" if he is volunteering his/her time? As long as they stay in good standing with the "Higher Ups" you would think it would be alright. I am for it because helping others succeed expands the game's popularity.

 

I was a volunteer counselor on a UO shard that I will not mention its name. They made us pick a time slot which we had to work which made it very hard for me. So I ended working the early morning hour due to my work schedule. They also made us clock in and out. Only the head counselors had access to the GM. I had no ability to contact the GM's.

I remember one morning logging on and finding a huge queue. Did the best I could and worked on the queue for many hours by myself. The shard was having a major issue with refreshment and placement. Nothing was refreshing or could be placed. It was like everything had shifted and was not lining up with the map from what I remember.. I had no way to tell a GM. I could only keep working the cue until the head counselor showed up that afternoon. Then the head counselor notified a GM.

Sounds like some shards were better to volunteer on then others.

 

The days of the Smurfs. Dont think we will ever see that again.

 

I like the volunteer idea especially if there is not a robust community support budget. It can contribute to a helpful community.

But a question is: why does the SOTA team need to formalize that? Could the community just band together and agree to form a society of players that just go ahead and identify themselves as helpful players that others can go to?

Will this game allow joining multiple societies/guilds? If so, people could join guilds but those interested in being flagged as volunteer helpers could join a second guild that flags them as that.

 

Does the Federal Labor Standards Act apply if the volunteer is outside of the United States?

 

I was a counselor way back in 1998-99, I don't remember being given a set schedule to log in etc but it was a long time ago and alcohol has killed many cells since then

 

Why not to not have any issues with people that become volunteers could be to not give them a time schedule or any training and the account only have the ability to unstuck items that fall in walls etc., and don't give them anything, no backpack, paperdoll, options, our anything of the sort. Just a couple of buttons like an unstuck button, change character location button, and Maybe some other useful button... kinda lost my train of thought lol.

 

there is something significantly wrong with volunteers working for a for profit company. Want to volunteer? there are plenty of not for profits who need them but why should someone be making a profit off your free labour?

 

I think they had to do 6 hours a week in two hour shifts. I for one was a Companion, only had to help when I was on and even then I could to choose to ignore the help que. Companions had to use their own account, Counselors got a work account plus a free account for their play time. Some counselors did get paid, The lead ones did, dont think it was much though. Whats interesting to me is the op that started this thrread, so close to my lead counselors name. Tigger.
but for those that want to know the whole thing that happened way back then, here it is.http://www.salon.com/2000/09/21/ultima_volunteers/

Beli/Furmanator

 

i just wanted to volunteer to help others without scheduled shifts. The punching in and out was crazy. I really enjoyed helping other players. I was a counselor on another shard then the one I was playing which was fine with me. I did not want a free account but now that you mention it. They did pay for my account at one point. Yes, I was also a companion so I was in the counselor program at the later part. I remember the head counselors training their replacements that EA hired.

Actually I was asked a to become a counselor at the very beginning by a GM. I declined because I felt like I did not know enough of the game. I regretted that decision. I wish I had joined the program when it first started. The program changed toward the end from what I understood.

 

Well, what if I do not volunteer to help the company (even though I like it), but for the community.

For me the difference between volunteers and employees is that volunteers can 'work' when they want, employees when they have to.

Well, time schedule is imho for employees. Training is really useful, and imho needed. Hard to get past that one.

Useful buttons/commands are must, but I think that more would be helpful.


Definitely there needs to be more tools for player-run quests, however that requires some people to have special powers to be able to manage them properly. And I am afraid that Portalarium can not afford to pay them nor they can give these powers to everyone.

 

I fullheartedly concur that there would be more helpful feature (shameless plug) to accomplish decent player run quests, but are you sure that Portalarium can not afford to give the functionality to people that bought such a tool? If they come with a solid, stable design and there is very little if any potential for abuse, why not? The more creative persons with access, the better.

 

I may have been a companion, I honestly cannot remember, age, alcohol and other stuff does that to you. I vaguely remember I could transport new players to an area where I could help & explain things to them.....