I've never DMed before. But it's because I've never wanted to rise to anything more than being a player. It's not because I didn't think I could handle the responsibility, but because I never wanted to put myself up there, above anyone else. I always thought of a server as a community of players. Even if one is a DM, they still play, and still play with others. If there were no DMs, the game would be lackluster. If there were no players, the game would have no point.
I've had DMs in the past who never followed those rules, and were picked eventually for the sole purpose of rising to power, or filling a spot, or because they applied and the rest of the staff didn't want to say no. I've seen DMs who I played with as players rise to the position and then forget why they played the game as players in the first place.
DM Heretic, DM Fallen, DM Mephisto.
Maybe they will read this. Maybe it will get to them, who knows. But the worst part of my old server was the ability of the staff to ruin player's enjoyment so much that they literally had to log in, put their heads down and just try and RP through the bullshit. When it came down to making a decision, such as a system, or the outcome of an event, or the fate of a faction such as the Red Vardo, if the team had an opportunity to enhance the fun-factor for players, or destroy any chance of hope both IC and OOCly, they most always chose the latter.
Sorry, but I refuse to accept that as the best way to do things. That's why the staff called me a Champion, and a White Knight, is because I stood up to that bullshit after seeing it happen for the last 3 years I was there, and standing up to it during my last.
I think the pinnacle example of this is when Juli, a player who played here was forced to sign a contract to obtain the Assassin PrC with her character Jessalyn. The contract stated that she would recieve it, but only if she was to send a tell OOCly before engaging in PvP with the character. She agreed...a week later, her other character Johanna and my own Leon had a dispute with a well known, not so well played Paladin. Acting evil, this paladin attacked Johanna simply because she did not like her, holy sword drawn. Leon was the one to kill her. Johanna sent a PM to the DMs including a screenshot of what happened, along with an OOC statement made by this Paladin in the midst of many other players saying "//See, this is the type of bullshit I have to constantly put up with from you people."
The DM, Mephisto's reaction was to ask Juli if she had sent an OOC tell warning about PvP. When she stated she gave 10 seconds after clicking "hostile" (server rules), he told her she had broken the contract. Juli had 4 characters with PrCs, and in retribution for her "actions", the staff agreed that all her PrCs were to be stripped from her characters. Because
she came to
them with a concern. I rarely do this, but here's the conversation I had with the owner of the server about what was going on when Juli wanted to quit:
When I was banned a few weeks later for standing up to a well known powergriever of 4 years (Our own IvarNoneck eventually permakilled that powergamer's main PC, Go Air Support!!), my biggest fear was that I left RP unfinished, and the four people I was working with to gain them PrCs wouldn't get that screenshots I had promised to give them. I gave them to the owner of the server to give to them after HE banned me. He never gave them, so I eventually found a way to get them to the players myself.
I show this only to enhance the perception we all share that THIS is a great server, we do great things here, the roleplay is unpredictable, refreshing, and free. We've got a great DM Team who all have their own styles of bringing enjoyment to the server, and things hardly ever seem restrictive from a RP perspective. One shouldn't dwell in the past, but remember it because that path got you where you are today. PoTM took me five years to get me to Kymlun. And I do have Juli to thank for me being here right now.
Here, what you put in to the server is what you get back, and one of the reasons this server is so great is because we are a tightly knit group, like family. The DMs are aware of everyone, how they play, what they like and the type of care granted 90% of the time is extraordinary.
Awareness and Understanding are two more things I feel make a great DM. And every DM here on Kymlun has those two things. That being said, yes people make mistakes, have their faith shaken, fall off the horse, etc...but it's important to understand why that is. And especially if they get back up on the horse, don't hold it against them.
-We- play as a community here. In my mind, nobody should be held in more esteem than anyone else (Save for Glor, who busts his ass to make this place possible), because we all work hard in our own way to be here when we can, play here when we can, and since we're so close, enhance the immersion that is Kymlun to everyone else when we can. And our server is Win
That all being said...how can I apply for a Builder's position? Got some nice ideas