![[E] DanniDorrito](https://mc-heads.net/avatar/Steve/128)
-=-
Moderating Ranks
Basically when it comes to bringing new staff on board a poll is made within staff forums with a list of potential helpers and mods that have been recommended by players and staff. All staff get a vote and the most voted are promoted. The staff have the option to voice their opinions of the potentials within the poll, what personal positive experiences they have had with the players and what personal negative experiences (if any) they have had with any of the players listed for promotion. This gives all staff an overall idea of what each of the listed players are like.
Many of you have been on the potential list in the past but were not added again as no new recommendations came forward or you became less active.
Helper
There is no possible way to apply for Helper and the only moderating position under 16’s can be promoted to (There have been exceptions of under 16’s being promoted further but have started from one of the earlier versions of the other worlds or started as a Helper). People are promoted to this rank because of their contributions to the server and their maturity, these are the main things staff keep an eye out for.
An important factor is your reputation as it comes down to recommendations and overall staff opinions. However, even if you consider yourself to have a bad reputation you still have the chance to become staff, it just means you need to work a little harder to prove it.
Its easy for staff to differentiate between a genuine player wanting to contribute more to the community and players who just want sparkles and a shiny new tag when they have a one-on-one experience with the player. So there is a fine line between trying to get staff and trying too hard, which is what this guide is there to help you with.
As a player, you do have the power to help the server, you just need to know how.
- The best thing is to always be genuine and honest, do something because you enjoy it and not because you want a reward for it.
- Help new players get started on the server. Starting off on such a large and established server like Minetown can be very daunting to new players and many leave without the chance to learn. You have the ability to talk and view guest chat and can take a newbie under your wing and teach them the ways of the Minetownians. You don’t understand how appreciated you would be from that player for that (Its also a great feeling!) - and that’s one potential long term member you have influenced positively!
- Also you can make your own events for the community, they will be unofficial and a little more work than in Events Team but it goes a long way and is noticed if you do them often, make an event with what you can access. Get a region protected, build a fun parkour or something that will be easy to manage and fund the prizes. The more regular you make these events the more you will be noticed for them.
- Vote for the server as often as you can!
- If you see a question come up and you know the answer, go ahead and answer it.
- Doing hard labour for other members is also very much appreciated, assisting within their towns (Again, without expecting a reward) will positively influence those you are helping and will give them a good opinion of you - which can result in recommendations.
- Recommend others you think would be a good staff member and explain as fully as you can why you are recommending them, staff love seeing positive recommendations about players and its nicer to see full explanations than just “Because nice to me and I like them lotz lul”. It will still be taken as a recommendation but it shows the staff member you don’t try enough as much as you could. Full explanations in recommendations also shows your maturity and how you are willing to go out of your way for others.
Now to point out what can lower your reputation or influence others in a negative way.
- All recommendations are checked thoroughly to ensure they are genuine and have been done through the kindness of the person who has recommended rather than being asked to. If staff find you are going round asking for recommendations or hinting to others for it then it will seriously lower your chances. Like I said earlier, you should be doing things because you enjoy them, not to expect anything from them.
- Pestering staff ingame or over messages doesn’t help. Staff are normally busy helping the server or trying to wind down with a little game time. Any server related problems can go through the petition system or be asked over the forums. Don’t poke them about petitions you have made, they will get done. Its fine to message staff but if they don’t reply it means they are busy, thats when it becomes pestering.
It can also go for over the forums, anything you can suggest or ask on a public thread you should.
- Your negative opinions or actions can affect opinions and judgements of you. This can be like pessimistic comments or posts such as “omg MT isnt like b4...” and even arguing with other players through the forums. Its fine to disagree with others but you need to ensure you validate their thoughts and opinions and explain carefully why you think different without it offending them or leading to a heated debate. Touchy subjects like politics, religions and whatnot are usually a no-go; everyone has a different opinion and it won’t change if you voice yours against it, best to just keep it to yourself.
- Over-eagerness can come across as desperation. Don’t try too hard to help, posting 5 times a minute asking if anyone wants help doesn’t work. Post it once and try again later in the day, usually you will see questions pop up in chat which you can answer or even offer to come and help with.
Moderator:
This is the rank which anyone over 16 can apply for, everything I have stated above in the Helper section also applies to this rank if you want to apply for it. You don’t need to have any previous experience in moderating to earn this rank but again, it comes down to your contributions to the server, your actions and your maturity.
Non Moderating Ranks
They are still a huge part of helping Minetown but do not directly moderate the community, more rather bring in more for the community to enjoy. The promotions for this are a little different, there is no age limit and easier to gain a promotion than a moderator rank since its mainly based on your skills and previous contributions. Your actions within the server and your maturity are still taken into consideration as you will be a staff member regardless of not moderating so you will need to still hold a level of professionalism.
Also, any recommendations will help point staff to those who are doing an exceptionally good job.
Builder:
Minetown is always expanding and growing and so it means we have plenty of ongoing work for the community to enjoy. We believe everyone is skilled at something, whether it be houses, boats, airships or gardens all can be put to good use.
- Everyone has to start somewhere and their skills will grow with experience and time. If you don’t think you are a good builder then ‘practice makes perfect’. You will soon find that special unique building design that you are very good at.
- When making an application prepare yourself beforehand. Start making a ‘portfolio’ by creating lots of well designed buildings and screenshotting them, show your best work and prove your skills; this makes it more likely for you to be promoted. Also, this doesn’t have to be within minetown, have a go at single player in creative mode and let your imagination run free.
- Build team use World Edit which can be confusing when you first start using it as you can literally do everything you need to with it (Which is how those huge and fancy designs on youtube are made). Start learning yourself with World Edit tutorials on youtube and have a go at it in single player. This isn’t a necessary thing to be in build team; but it makes your work 100x easier to do! Trust me.
- Recommend to staff players you know who do amazing builds: you could be the key to their promotion and you know you would want others to do that for you, so you should start by doing it for them. (Same as above though, don’t ask for recommendations!)
Events Team:
This has always been a key part to the Minetown Community as it forges friendships with new players and allows them to meet people they would not usually play with in the other worlds.
- The key to this is building an ‘event reputation’ for yourself. Start small and simple and slowly work towards bigger and more creative events. Also hosting regular events at planned dates will mean more and more people will begin to attend as your events become more and more popular. You could have the biggest and best event ever but if you don’t have plenty of regular events not many will turn up.
- As a player you have the power to make your own unofficial events within main world. It will be harder as you need to fund prizes and create it all yourself but nothing is achieved without starting from the bottom. Make sure you do it because you enjoy it though! Some events will not always be popular but don’t let that deter you, if you enjoy making them then keep at it; you will find an event everyone enjoys soon enough!
- Get a region protected and build something that is simple and easy to manage like a nice parkour event or a race. Once you begin regular events a lot more players will begin to join and staff may even jump in and help you further. Before events team many events were started by the community and staff later saw how good they were and made them into official events: this is still the case!
- Once your event is finished start planning when you can host it and advertise it on the forums, offer prizes and accept donations from the community towards prizes. You’ll be surprised how many players will contribute to help make it a good event!
- Once you have done a few events - submit your application with screenshots of your events. Staff want to see proof of your work and how skilled you are. You can’t get better than telling them you have had X amount of players join your unofficial event on the server!
- Staff need to see you can maintain yourself and organise your own events and build them without assistance as you will be doing the same in Events Team but with added World Edit!
- Events Team use World Edit which can be confusing when you first start using it as you can literally do everything you need to with it (Which is how those huge and fancy designs on youtube are made). Start learning yourself with World Edit tutorials on youtube and have a go at it in single player. This will look better on your application too!
- Recommend to staff players you know who do amazing events: you could be the key to their promotion and you know you would want others to do that for you, so you should start by doing it for them. (Same as above though, don’t ask for recommendations!)
Non Moderating Ranks Exceptions
They are the backbone of Minetown and key ranks to the servers growth and success. This group is different to Non Moderating Ranks as only one rank is gotten through an application. Sawine promotes them from his decision (and from the opinions of admins and staff managers). They work behind the scenes of Minetown providing us with new systems and helping bring the server together.
Developer:
There is no age limit upon the application, it’s mainly dependant on your skills. Your maturity, actions and any contributions you have given the server will also be considered but it’s mainly what skills you have which are needed.
- You need to be knowledgeable in at least one of the below:
Java, Bukkit API, PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Linux Server Administration, Networking
- Its recommended that you submit proof in your application of your past work in your specific knowledge and show us how much you do know.
Administrator:
There is no application for this position, rather you work your way up through the staff ranks to Mod+ and you can submit your interest for this position to sawine. The age limit for administrators is 18.
- You must have advanced knowledge in server administration or in community management
- You need to have enough free time to to help maintain the server.
Server Managers & Staff Managers:
These ranks are chosen by the staff. Recommendations from staff are sent to Staff Managers or sawine and are decided by them.
- They are the ‘Human Resources’ team of Minetown
- Need to have an interest in handling promotions, demotions and resolving conflicts within staff or between a player and staff member.
- To promote a positive and peaceful environment which also includes handling all reports and above member rank conflicts.
Finally, staff are always working hard to help the community and server, so may not always notice your potential as staff to help them with this task. You need to get yourself noticed.
Show them what you can do by helping the community in your own way before applying for positions. Quite often you find that moderator positions have been promoted through non moderator positions, this is because you have proven you are good by becoming a Builder or Events Team, if you work exceptionally hard within those you will be noticed and can become a Helper or Moderator because of that.
However, this is not always the case so I have given as much information as possible above to help you get yourself noticed.
Remember to always recommend people who have influenced you in a positive way as you may be the key to their promotion and most importantly only do this because you enjoy it, not because you want the reward.
Moderator Application:
http://www.minetown.net/forum/m/672632/viewthread/3726085-moderator-applications
Build Team Application:
http://www.minetown.net/forum/m/672632/viewthread/4145920-build-team-application
Events Team Application:
http://minetown.net/forum/page/1/m/672632/viewthread/2815776-events-team-applications
Developer Application:
http://www.minetown.net/forum/m/672632/viewthread/1052818-developer-application