Player Psychology - RunUO

Lord Nemesis · 08-27-2005, 03:11 AM

I have always told staff learning from me, that the key to running a safe and stable shard is to understand and work with the psychology of all your players. No two incidents, on shard or off, are the same. A solution that may work perfectly well with one player, may cause another to leave your shard and take ten friends with him, or worse. A staff member must understand the fact that most situations are not about items, but about principles. A mature player will be satisfied when a staff member opens to their perspective and appreciates it for what it is. An immature player will be satisfied when a staff member recognizes the maturity and experience that the player percieves themselves to have. As long as a staff member stays within those boundaries, they will have the footing and stable ground needed to drive the situation into whatever direction the staff member chooses. I have seen stable mature players react negatively to staff members forcing their point, as I have seen unstable and often volatile players calm down and cooperate when a seasoned staff member offered them an empty "I agree." Action A + Action B will not always lead to a solution, more often then not a situation is a game of chess, not checkers.

Johabius · 08-28-2005, 01:02 AM

Very well said...in fact I had to do something very similar tonight while on my staff char. Had to go in and basically defuse a situation that was quickly becoming worse between a player and another fellow staff member.

Marak · 08-28-2005, 01:26 PM

i wish id caught mine that early - fired a staff member yesterday for driving off 8 players. She started arguing with one when she didnt want todo something(instead of asking another staff member todo it she went off her nut). *sigh* hmm maby i should script some staff with their own AI's? lol.

Lord Nemesis · 09-01-2005, 04:03 AM

It is theoretically possible to script an AI staff member, but it would be dangerous to allow an interactive mobile with staff access to run around with the potential for exploit.

Marak · 09-12-2005, 06:21 AM

Lol yeah but it would be along the lines of

VirtualStaff1

reply to player) "See VS2 he will help you"
.....
.....
player go's to VirtualStaff2
"I need help with (n)"
VirtualStaff2

reply to player) "See VS1 he will help you"

AT least it would keep the player busy until i got upto his problem

08-27-2005, 03:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
Lord Nemesis Forum Expert Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Enjoying the sunset. Age: 23 Posts: 315	Player Psychology I have always told staff learning from me, that the key to running a safe and stable shard is to understand and work with the psychology of all your players. No two incidents, on shard or off, are the same. A solution that may work perfectly well with one player, may cause another to leave your shard and take ten friends with him, or worse. A staff member must understand the fact that most situations are not about items, but about principles. A mature player will be satisfied when a staff member opens to their perspective and appreciates it for what it is. An immature player will be satisfied when a staff member recognizes the maturity and experience that the player percieves themselves to have. As long as a staff member stays within those boundaries, they will have the footing and stable ground needed to drive the situation into whatever direction the staff member chooses. I have seen stable mature players react negatively to staff members forcing their point, as I have seen unstable and often volatile players calm down and cooperate when a seasoned staff member offered them an empty "I agree." Action A + Action B will not always lead to a solution, more often then not a situation is a game of chess, not checkers.

09-12-2005, 06:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
Marak Forum Expert Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Firmly Seated Infront of the Computer. Age: 25 Posts: 429	Lol yeah but it would be along the lines of VirtualStaff1reply to player) "See VS2 he will help you" ..... ..... player go's to VirtualStaff2 "I need help with (n)" VirtualStaff2reply to player) "See VS1 he will help you" AT least it would keep the player busy until i got upto his problem

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08-28-2005, 01:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
Johabius Forum Expert Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kansas, USA Age: 38 Posts: 4,964	Very well said...in fact I had to do something very similar tonight while on my staff char. Had to go in and basically defuse a situation that was quickly becoming worse between a player and another fellow staff member.

08-28-2005, 01:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Marak Forum Expert Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Firmly Seated Infront of the Computer. Age: 25 Posts: 429	i wish id caught mine that early - fired a staff member yesterday for driving off 8 players. She started arguing with one when she didnt want todo something(instead of asking another staff member todo it she went off her nut). sigh hmm maby i should script some staff with their own AI's? lol.

09-01-2005, 04:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
Lord Nemesis Forum Expert Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Enjoying the sunset. Age: 23 Posts: 315	It is theoretically possible to script an AI staff member, but it would be dangerous to allow an interactive mobile with staff access to run around with the potential for exploit.

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