Hello MapleRoyals! We'd like to formally extend the invitation to anyone interested to apply for a Game Master position. While our Staff Applications board has always been open, we would like to announce that we are actively looking for new staff members at this time. In addition, we'd like to announce a change to our Game Master system, intended to better serve players. From this application period and moving forward, newly added Game Masters will be given the title "GM Intern" and awarded only partial privileges - the basic necessities to help players in need. We're aware that the responsibilities that come with being a Game Master on our server are quite large and not everyone is suited for this kind of stress - this change will allow us to more easily come to decisions on the addition of new staff members, as well as watch over them to ensure that they're doing well in the role. This will not only help to speed up our application process but also ensure that the Game Masters that are eventually taken on for full privileges are ones that we already trust and know to do the job well. Finally, we'd like to point out our current areas of need; we're in need of GMs in the East Asian and European time zones, as well as GMs with experience translating in different languages - Spanish and Chinese most particularly. If you have these skills and/or are located in these areas, make sure to mention it in your application! Please note that these qualifications do not guarantee you a spot, they are simply things we are particularly focused on. As a final note, we are an English speaking server first and foremost - acceptable English skills and comfort in daily Skype use are mandatory for any member of staff. Thank you for your continued support - we look forward to seeing those that come forward with an interest in joining our team! -- MapleRoyals Administration
To be honest, I'd love to put an App in, as I feel my skill set with my job falls well within line with what GM's deal with here on a day to day basis. However I'm beyond petrified of rejection from the players. I've seen how the community has torn apart apps in the past, and I'm afraid it would happen to me
I haven't seen how "the community has torn apart apps in the past." For that matter, I can't recall a time when anyone talked about staff applications negatively. A few friends of ours submitted or updated staff applications today, and the attitude from buddy chat was completely positive, encouraging, and well wishing. I highly doubt that the playerbase would reject a person just because they submitted a staff application. Player rejections that I know of have had to do with that player being toxic in the community, such as hangjovi. Perhaps you're thinking of hangjovi since he had a staff application submitted. It's either in the restricted closed subforum or deleted since he's now permabanned for third time glitch abuse, but his staff application may have been torn about by the community because he was so widely disliked. But that playerbase rejection wasn't due to the staff application, of course. It had to do with him being toxic as a person. Or perhaps you're thinking of VitaLemonade's "Please no." comment to lobix10 advocating for me to apply. But VitaLemonade is a friend of mine. I failed four shield magic att. 60% scrolls on his Maple Shield today, so he's just salty. It's not serious, and I knew that, so I liked his comment. Matty is also a friend of mine, and he was there for the 4/4 scroll fails, so he got the joke and also liked the comment. But anyway, if you want to be a member of staff, go ahead and apply! The entire point is that no one will reject you if you submit a staff application. So don't worry about it. <3 Good luck, Jason! Edit in response to @Succubus since what I have to say doesn't warrant a post: I'm sorry if I missed something about Jason's post. ^^" I understood him to mean that he was concerned that submitting a staff application post, not actually being a staff member, would result in being rejected. Hence his comment about seeing how "the community has torn apart apps in the past." I think most of us know how the playerbase criticizes members of staff, and I agree that any applicant must understand and be able to deal with the stress of that. I wasn't around when staff applications were open for comment, but I can very well imagine those sorts of thread replies. I also agree with the three reactions to staff applications, and I believe those three opinion types hold true now. I see your point, but from what I read, criticisms of people is quite common in buddy chat. So it stood out to me that staff applicants and applications were entirely talked about in positive terms. In any case, the point in my reply to Jason has some merit since at least friends of the staff applicant wouldn't ridicule them solely for submitting an application.
If you are petrified of rejection by players, you'll never survive as a staff member, sorry to say. The staff as a collective group, as well as individuals constantly face criticism and harsh attitudes and the like from many players every day. As sad as it is to say, it's the truth and something that if you do not feel comfortable in ignoring when it happens, being a member of staff probably isn't for you. Staff doesn't exist to be liked, but rather to keep the integrity and community of the server intact by helping to maintain the server atmosphere whether it be through banning rule violators, assisting people with their account/character issues, or working to hold events for the community's benefit. If you feel you are up for the "challenge", then definitely fill out an application!
@Shiyui, as much as I'd like to agree with you on this one, I don't believe @Enticing is wrong, but @John does have a point. You can't be afraid of rejection or criticism if you want to be a GM. Even if you perform your tasks perfectly, there will still be those who have the urge to remind you that you're unproductive or useless. I've held many conversations with people who have applied in the past and those with comments on the active applications. In those chats, I've noticed that very few of the people who commented on the applications had pleasant things to say aside from "Yeah, he/she gave me free stuff, is friendly, and leeched me to level xx". From my observations on the past applicants, there are three common opinions people usually have: (Please note, these chats all took place without the applicant present.) 1. The community really loves you and is excited to see you apply for a staff position. 2. No one knows who you are and the community ignores your post. 3. You're well-known, but no one thinks you're capable of performing at a satisfactory level and/or doesn't trust you with power. @Shiyui mentioned that her buddy list only made positive remarks, but that's to be expected considering many of the people who applied are able to read on the conversation through the chat. What do you expect? It's not like your friend is going to be blunt and say, "I don't think you have what it takes to become a GM" around your friends. If they did, I'm sure someone else would have said something similar to "Why do you have to be so rude?" or "Wow, why can't you keep your negativity to yourself?" I know it's pessimistic to assume that your buddy list is only sweet-talking when you're there, but it's pretty obvious when no one tells you how to improve yourself instead of praising you all the time. Anyways, my reason for posting this isn't to discourage people from applying for GM. I can't speak for anyone, but myself. However, I would very much appreciate it if people took the time to show that they can be role models the server can count on before posting their applications. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when people only start to become helpful after they apply. Back to the topic.. I really think the intern positions are a great start for hiring more staff members. Most players are unaware of the many commands, id numbers, and the protocol for support requests so this may ease the training process. It also comes with the perk of not giving the new recruits too much power that they can abuse and opens up the gate for potential candidates. @Michael I think it might be more helpful if you post the gaps/hours where GMs are not always available rather than mentioning the time zones. There are a few staff members that are more often found during peak hours of time zones outside of their own. I can't wait to see which lucky person gets to be put on rewarp duty.
I appreciate all the responses and support! I suppose its best to state where my head was when i made my post last night. I know this isnt important but waking up and going over what i said i just found it needed some level of explaination Ive dealt with critisism as a job for 11 1/2 years now. I work for a convenience store company and provide tech support to over 350 stores. On a day to day basis i deal with angry clerks and angry customers while also dealing with tech related problems. Critisism is always there. After 11 1/2 years ive seen it all and heard it all. At this point I am literally impervious to critisism. I would consider this gm app as a form of job interview. While thinking over my decision to put an app in, i thought back to my very first job interview IRL at age of 18. I was well qualified for the job and had i gotten it i would have gotten a great job and worked side by side with my dad. For one reason or another i put an insane amount of presure on myself and as a result I completely bombed it. It was really awkward. It was a job i really wanted and for one reason or another my brain went into crazy mode doubting myself. I kept playint all 5hese hypothetical scenarios out in my head and i just lost any ability to function. The horror of that 30 minute interview krept back into my head last night and i questioned myself After a good nights sleep im done reliving that horribly humbling experience and just going to bury that bad moment forever.
