Hi, i'm Bluespace. A lot of you are going to be surprised to see me here. So i'm going to damn well justify why i've taken steps to do so. Let's start with who I am.
I'm Bluespace, british, 20 years of age and greatly interested in the study of the brain and society. Hoping to go to university for it, infact. I found SS13 on another site and eventually came to /tg/station when the promises of decent roleplay won me over, and i've never looked back. My time here has been varied, i've had absolutely wonderful times and other times that big metal deathtrap has caused me a headache.
As many of you will remember, I rose through the ranks and eventually settled as GameAdmin, a position I truly enjoyed and loved filling. I have always had a keen interest in helping people, and in a game where so little can be such a big thing, being able to push a few buttons and make someone's day was brilliant. I remember I would put some relaxing music on, load up both Sybil and Basil, and answer every a-help that came in. It was not uncommon for me to handle 80 players on Sybil, 30 on Basil, by myself. I enjoyed it.
Time progressed, I made mistakes, I will admit, and after a brief flash of drama, I found myself a player again. Put simply, I tried too hard. I tried to please everyone including those who you just can't. It was a bitter lesson I had to learn, but I understood how it'd happened. The past quietly slipped away and I fell under the radar, no longer living up to the hype I used to surround myself in.
So why am I here? Because I care. Why did I spend my nights answering adminhelps? Because I care. Why did I painstakingly craft and maintain unique events, often with prizes? Because I care.
I truly believe when you come here, you shouldn't have to worry about being bwoinked, you shouldn't have to worry about half-hidden policy, you shouldn't have to worry about a greytider spacing all your gear because you wouldn't give him his flash.
I godamn care. Every player, and that includes admins, are here to have a good time, and that's what i'll be focusing on. If you have a problem, you come to me, and I swear upon all that is holy i'm going to try my best to fix that for you. Not because of the position, but because I want to. Not as a chore, but for that fuzzy feeling that we as humans get when we help people. To hear a "thanks, I appreciate it.", knowing i've done a good deed.
It's all well and good saying that, but I think as a whole, you, the voters, will be more interested in what I actually intend to do. I've given this thought, and of course, community feedback would play a large factor in decisions I make, (That is to say, the admins, the forums, and the playerbase that exists solely on the servers), and I'm confident in my ability to provide what I promise. Without further ado...
- A simplification of policy. Nobody wants to read and absorb 400 lines of policy that covers every single situation. Many admins have made brilliant strides in this already, but I know we can make improvements. We should be able to deliver a bite-sized package of rules and policy to an average player, not an obscure wiki page that will be scanned and discarded.
Admin briefings and reviews. "Who watches the watchers?" We all have a duty to. Admins make mistakes, it's learning from those mistakes that's important. Communication in Adminbus internally will be monitored and greatly improved upon. No more inconsistent admin bannings, no more admins unsure on the right judgement call to make. We sit, we discuss, every week. Fostering an open environment in which it's not intimidating to offer advice to someone is a very high priority to me, and I'm determined to ensure that happens.
Be available. This one's a biggie. Let's face it, headmins have gone AWOL in the past. It's lead to problems that multipled over time. Headmins need to work together to accomplish anything, and if nobody can get ahold of you, that's simply not going to happen. I personally believe headmins have a duty to be there for players, too. If someone takes their time, their effort, to come to you with a problem and say "I need help fixing this.", they should be treated with respect, taken seriously, and in the case of sensitive opinions, they should be handled with discretion and the confidence expected.
Bridge the communication gaps and bring us together as a community.Nearly anybody who visits the forums will be able to tell there's an air of "Us Vs Them" around the playerbase and coderbus. This does nothing but drive a wedge in a community that should be celebrating the unique and enjoyable experience of a game as diverse as SS13. If I told you I have solid plans for this, I wouldn't be being truthful. This will take work, but that's okay, because the end result is worth it. An open community in which people don't feel "oppressed" or discriminated against for being a part of a certain group.
"Let's say I vote for you, what can I expect as a player/admin?"
As a player... I am the person who fights your corner. I am the person who takes you seriously when you feel like a fool yourself. I am the person who's been in your position, on both sides. When you vote for me, you're voting for someone who'll always be a player at heart, someone who will be there right alongside you. I could be your RD, your medical doctor, your captain or that security officer who doesn't stripsearch you in the hallways. In-game or out, the entire reason i'll be in the position of headmin will be because I value you as a player and a person. Not just as the playerbase, but as a person with a life behind a character, with thoughts, opinions, and the right to a say.
As an admin... You are the volunteer who spends his/her time to sort the wheat from the chaff. You are the person who puts in your free time and expects nothing in return. You are the person with all the buttons and a responsibility. Each and every one of you deserves a voice, an opportunity to be recognised for your hard work, and someone who respects you for what you do and who you are. You bring something to adminbus, maybe you're the admin who captures the imagination and wonder of players with roleplay events, or the admin combing through logs hour after hour to ensure no players are at a disadvantage to another. Maybe you're the admin that needs a little help, a push in the right direction. Maybe you're the admin that has great ideas and no way to broadcast them. You all bring something, it's time you're recognised for what you bring.
Questions. Answers. Statements.
"You just want headmin for the power."
I want headmin because i'm passionate about this community, this amazing game, the amazing people that play it and the amazing situations we find ourselves in each and every day because of it. I will gladly decline any in-game power offered to me because being able to change things where they matter is enough for me.
You've been the subject of controversy, will this affect you during this?
Most definitely, and i'm hoping the good side of it will come to light. I have been on both sides of the "playerbase", I have been both an admin and a player with an admin's perspective, it's a very unique situation I find myself in, and i'll draw any positives from it I can.
More to come pending posts below.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this, I throughly urge you to leave comments and questions below.
I leave you with something I find everyone could benefit from listening to, and some final words.
When the time comes, don't vote for the popular one. Don't vote for your friend. Don't vote for the frontrunner. Vote for the person you believe can make the change to eliminate the problems we face. To lead you into a new age and combat the problems they'll face head-on. To make the judgement calls and accept the consequences with their head held high. Vote for the one who's really there for you.
[youtube]ygH9VcV7IBg[/youtube]