Alliance Seeking/Recruiting Guidelines

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Psyko
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Alliance Seeking/Recruiting Guidelines

There are some changes to how this section will be moderated from this point forward. Certain rules still apply.

1) Posting

One thread for each alliance. Multiple threads will be merged, so save the Moderators the trouble and simply bump the existing thread. Alliances wishing to create a new/fresh recruitment thread should ask that the original thread be locked and moved before the second thread's creation.
Do not spam/flame/hijack recruitment threads of other alliances. Those who find such posts in a thread are encouraged to use the report button.

2) Bumping
Thread bumping is allowed to keep/get your alliance on top of the forum. In the past, excessive bumping was subject to being removed. This has now changed. Bump to your heart's content.

3) Thread Inactivity
Threads that have been inactive for 30 days will be moved to the Recruitment Archives (located here). If your alliance is revived you can do one of two things: 1. Start a new thread 2. Send a request to a Misc Mod via PM to have the original thread restored to its former glory.

4) Alliance Changes
If your alliance has had a major status change (merged with another, all members left, etc), PM a Misc Mod or the area GM and notify them of the change (list of relevant Mods found here). They can lock and move the thread in question.


**If you believe there should be any additions or revisions to these rules as they are, your input is welcome**
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Re: Alliance Seeking/Recruitment Guidelines

A clear written post.

You asked for feedback:
Psyko wrote:1) Posting
One thread for each alliance. Multiple threads will be merged, so save the Moderators the trouble and simply bump the existing thread. Alliances wishing to create a new/fresh recruitment thread should ask that the original thread be deleted/moved before the second thread's creation.
Do not spam/flame/hijack recruitment threads of other alliances. Those who find such posts in a thread are encouraged to use the report button.
You can redirect to the Alliance Announcements section when people want to make a statement without amending their recrtuiment thread.
Spam/Flame/Hijack is not clear. If I bump yoru thread, is that spam? If I say we're now at war, is that flame? If I was in your alliance or know someone there and say your alliance sucks because of things, is that hijack?
If you could make that more clear please.
Psyko wrote:2) Bumping
Thread bumping is allowed to keep/get your alliance on top of the forum. In the past, excessive bumping was subject to being removed. This has now changed. Bump to your heart's content.
Threads that only say bump are ugly. Can't you tell people to play a game or so in their thread instead of just saying bump?
Psyko wrote:3) Thread Inactivity
Threads that have been inactive for 30 days will be moved to the Recruitment Archives (located here). If your alliance is revived you can do one of two things: 1. Start a new thread 2. Send a request to a Misc Mod via PM to have the original thread restored to its former glory.
You're assuming all alliances value a recruitment thread equally?
Psyko wrote:4) Alliance Changes
If your alliance has had a major status change (merged with another, all members left, etc), PM a Misc Mod or the area GM and notify them of the change (list of relevant Mods found here). They can delete or move the thread in question.
In the case of a merger, the threads of two (or more) merging alliances can be merged by a Misc Mod. Such cases require PM verification by a top-ranking member from each alliance involved.
That merging threads when alliances merge destroys history. An equal merge where A and B merge and become C would better get a new thread, with both previous threads moved to archive. An unequal merge where A and B merge and become A or B would better get the old thread of the disappearing alliance moved to archive.
Throwing threads that were up until then separate together creates a mess no one could possibly want.

Unless those threads ONLY contain the word bump, like above.
Psyko wrote:5) Delete vs. Move vs. Merge
Delete - requestion a thread be "deleted" results in the Mod permanently deleting the thread's existence
Move - requesting a thread be "closed" or "moved" results in the Mod moving the thread for storage in the Recruitment Archives
Merge - requesting a two (or more) threads be "merged" results the Mod combining both/all threads into one, and the posts being arranged by date and time

**If you believe there should be any additions or revisions to these rules as they are, your input is welcome**
Except for the occasional thread of an aliance living for 4 days or so, should you even be considering removing threads completely? What is your reason for suggesting destroying game history?
Good that you requested feedback. I look forward to your answer.
Psyko
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Re: Alliance Seeking/Recruitment Guidelines

Stuart Gordon wrote:A clear written post.

You asked for feedback:
Psyko wrote:1) Posting
One thread for each alliance. Multiple threads will be merged, so save the Moderators the trouble and simply bump the existing thread. Alliances wishing to create a new/fresh recruitment thread should ask that the original thread be deleted/moved before the second thread's creation.
Do not spam/flame/hijack recruitment threads of other alliances. Those who find such posts in a thread are encouraged to use the report button.
You can redirect to the Alliance Announcements section when people want to make a statement without amending their recrtuiment thread.
Spam/Flame/Hijack is not clear. If I bump yoru thread, is that spam? If I say we're now at war, is that flame? If I was in your alliance or know someone there and say your alliance sucks because of things, is that hijack?
If you could make that more clear please.

I think it's a tiny bit funny that my "clear written post" is unclear. :) So let me attempt to make things a little clearer.

Spam - off topic posts unrelated to the alliance the thread is about (obviously, bumping another alliance is not spam)
Flame - disrespectful, hateful, derogatory comments about the alliance, their members, or how they play
Hijacking - changing the meaning of the thread through tangents and side conversation

The only things the Mods will immediately take action against are the major issues of Masking, Profanity, etc. When it comes to off-topic posts (ie spam), no action will be taken unless a Report is made. This is intended to give the alliance members control over their thread. If they see a tangent as relevant, they hijack their own thread, or they feel a post is not spam, it will not be handled by a Mod. At the same time, if they see a post as not contributing to the recruitment of players into their alliance, the post can be reported and removed so long as there is reason (just because a particular person is not liked will not result in their post being removed, or something equally petty).

As to the redirect to Alliance Announcements, that is primarily used for alliances to announce their status to players. Mods do not necessarily read every section of the forum. Misc Mods may never cross into General to read Alliance Announcements and it is unrealistic to assume they would. PMs work better, as they ensure a timely response and allow a user to request a very specific outcome.


Stuart Gordon wrote:
Psyko wrote:2) Bumping
Thread bumping is allowed to keep/get your alliance on top of the forum. In the past, excessive bumping was subject to being removed. This has now changed. Bump to your heart's content.
Threads that only say bump are ugly. Can't you tell people to play a game or so in their thread instead of just saying bump?

Agreed, they are ugly. However, the previous rule was never enforced so I found it rather pointless to keep in effect. All the threads as they currently stand hold every bump ever made within them. If the alliance would like a mod to go through a clean it, I'm sure it could be done if the request was made in a polite fashion.

I could tell people how to post in their own alliance thread. They will not necessarily listen to me, and they would have no reason to. If they are not violating forum rules, it is not the job of the Mods to step in and dictate what can be posted within a person or an alliance's thread.


Stuart Gordon wrote:
Psyko wrote:3) Thread Inactivity
Threads that have been inactive for 30 days will be moved to the Recruitment Archives (located here). If your alliance is revived you can do one of two things: 1. Start a new thread 2. Send a request to a Misc Mod via PM to have the original thread restored to its former glory.
You're assuming all alliances value a recruitment thread equally?

No. I am assuming that if an alliance has not posted that they are recruiting in the past month, they are not actively recruiting and their recruitment thread is not necessary. I can always change the time frame for inactivity. Currently, I have moved all alliances threads that were last posted in before January 1, 2011 to the Recruitment Archives.

Stuart Gordon wrote:
Psyko wrote:4) Alliance Changes
If your alliance has had a major status change (merged with another, all members left, etc), PM a Misc Mod or the area GM and notify them of the change (list of relevant Mods found here). They can delete or move the thread in question.
In the case of a merger, the threads of two (or more) merging alliances can be merged by a Misc Mod. Such cases require PM verification by a top-ranking member from each alliance involved.
That merging threads when alliances merge destroys history. An equal merge where A and B merge and become C would better get a new thread, with both previous threads moved to archive. An unequal merge where A and B merge and become A or B would better get the old thread of the disappearing alliance moved to archive.
Throwing threads that were up until then separate together creates a mess no one could possibly want.

Unless those threads ONLY contain the word bump, like above.

You are correct. It would be better if they simply requested the individual threads be moved to the Recruitment Archives and created a new thread for the combined alliance. Which is similar to what I had said in the Posting portion, so I will likely make a small revision. My desire in bringing up the merger of threads was to cover all possible situations a thread or an alliance may face. I doubt anyone would want two threads merged, but it is an option that may be chosen by someone in the future.

Stuart Gordon wrote:
Psyko wrote:5) Delete vs. Move vs. Merge
Delete - requesting a thread be "deleted" results in the Mod permanently deleting the thread's existence
Move - requesting a thread be "closed" or "moved" results in the Mod moving the thread for storage in the Recruitment Archives
Merge - requesting a two (or more) threads be "merged" results the Mod combining both/all threads into one, and the posts being arranged by date and time

**If you believe there should be any additions or revisions to these rules as they are, your input is welcome**
Except for the occasional thread of an aliance living for 4 days or so, should you even be considering removing threads completely? What is your reason for suggesting destroying game history?
Good that you requested feedback. I look forward to your answer.

I did not suggest destroying game history. It is the will of the OP to decide the outcome they would prefer. The only areas where a thread is deleted are The Market and Recruitment (as far as I know). By explaining the difference between "delete" and "close", I was hoping to point out to users who request their thread be closed to use that term instead of "delete". When a user writes "delete", we delete. If they write "close" or "closed", the thread will be moved to the archives and the game and forum history will be maintained. Again, it is not up to the Mods to dictate which option a user should take; if the OP wants the thread deleted, so shall it be done.
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Re: Alliance Seeking/Recruiting Guidelines

Thank you Psyko. When I said your post was clearly written, I meant the intention of empowering thread starters/managers shone through clear. At least it was a bit funny. :)

The triad of spam/flame/hijack is now clear to me. I appreciate your explanation and the time you took for writing it.
I understand telling people to spice up their recruitment thread borders on exceeding your mandate. Maybe an award for most original recruitment thread would be a less intrusive way of attempting the same?
Good point concerning the lack of relevance of a recruitment thread to an alliance that is not recruiting.
I apologise for implying you suggested destroying game history. That was unnecessary. I'd still recommend removing the 'delete' option. I'd agree with empowering end users, but I'll oppose the permanence of actual deletion. We'll just agree to disagree of course.
Psyko
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Re: Alliance Seeking/Recruiting Guidelines

Stuart Gordon wrote:Thank you Psyko. When I said your post was clearly written, I meant the intention of empowering thread starters/managers shone through clear. At least it was a bit funny. :)

The triad of spam/flame/hijack is now clear to me. I appreciate your explanation and the time you took for writing it.
I understand telling people to spice up their recruitment thread borders on exceeding your mandate. Maybe an award for most original recruitment thread would be a less intrusive way of attempting the same?
Good point concerning the lack of relevance of a recruitment thread to an alliance that is not recruiting.
I apologise for implying you suggested destroying game history. That was unnecessary. I'd still recommend removing the 'delete' option. I'd agree with empowering end users, but I'll oppose the permanence of actual deletion. We'll just agree to disagree of course.

Actually, on a personal level, I do not disagree with you. I think deletion is a silly concept, especially if it were a large or influential alliance that requested their thread be deleted. However, as a Mod, if a user requests "Please delete Thread X. kthnx" then we must delete it. If I received such a request, I would clarify that they mean deletion instead of having it locked and archived. By posting the definitions, I am merely pointing out to users what the use of each term would mean for their thread. Again, I refuse to tell users what they can/cannot do with their thread, so if they want it deleted then a Mod must act on that request.

The same applies if a user requests a thread cleaned of "bump" posts. A Mod must comply with the request. If HVE decided they wanted all 117 pages to be cleaned, I would have to do it (actually, I would likely pawn it off on SS since he has the ability and he's the OP ;) ).



EDIT: All references to requesting thread deletion and merging has been removed except where it applies to duplicate threads.
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Darian
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Re: Alliance Seeking/Recruiting Guidelines

Hi am new and looking for an alliance please message me ingame for details
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