BYOND KEY: Dr. Farson
DISCORD ID: @4th Dimensional Cough#6299
USUAL IC HANDLE: Alexander Farson, Ainslie Glover, TOASTER
EXPERIENCE WITH SS13: I’ve been playing for quite a while now (3+ years). I’ve played on a fair share of different servers, starting with mostly HRP servers such as Aurorastation, and Baystation 12. During my starting out time, I had a rather steep learning curve, and I had to quickly adapt to the game. It was difficult, and it took many months. I then started playing on MRP servers and quickly found a love for the fast-paced action. I still play on a mix of HRP, and MRP servers, but I can’t stand LRP. I know I’ve had a rough time in SS13, but I’ve always tried to make the best of whatever situation.
EXPERIENCE WITH ADMINISTRATION IN SS13: I have some administration experience, having been a trial admin here previously. I was, however, kicked from the position due to an in-game issue that occurred. I was told that I was too dependant and too eager to press buttons, all of which was true at the time. The incident in question was due to my complete ignorance, and my inability to judge the situation. I made a huge mistake, and over time, I have come to realize where and how I went wrong. I’ve since spent time refining my skills in discipline, in hopes that one day I’d be able to rejoin the admin crew.
YOUR TIME-ZONE: Central Time (North America)
AVERAGE AMOUNT OF HOURS ACTIVE PER WEEK: I tend to play quite often on SS13, around 4-5 hours a week on various servers, but I’ve been playing increasingly more due to the summer.
YOUR MOTIVATION: I love SS13, I have since I’ve started playing. The community that I’ve encountered here is amazing, and I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by people who were supportive of my journey. When I was a trialmin, I learned many things, and people like KMC and Francinum were kind enough to treat me with respect. Sadly I missed that. This is me trying to redeem myself.
Why do you think we should accept you over other applicants? Why do you think you are qualified? Why should we trust you?
You have no reason to trust me other than my word. I’ve made mistakes, but I hope you’ve seen that my willingness to learn is strong. I’ve worked overtime to become more disciplined and resist my distractions, part of which has involved professional help. I suffer from ADHD, and it’s been difficult trying to stay back and just watch, but I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. I’ve worked to become more independent and improve my critical thinking skills, as well as my common sense. I used to be rather ignorant, but I’ve been working hard to change that. I’ll admit I’m not perfect, and I will make mistakes, but it’s my willingness to learn from those mistakes that makes me good for this job. I won’t disappoint you guys again like I did last time. I know how restraint works now, and I intend to use it.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A STAFF MEMBER: I want to redeem myself, and better the community that helped me learn so much about how to be independent. I want to help people, and resolve conflicts, but most importantly, I want to work on a supportive team, and I want to contribute to a community that cares about what I do.
QUALITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR A STAFF MEMBER: Good qualities for any staff member include: Restraint, Willingness to learn, Ability to make independent decisions while still asking for help when you need it, knowing when to quit something, discipline, ability to show respect and understanding, and the ability to be firm when you need to be. I think I hold all of these traits, and I hope I get another chance to prove it to you.
#1 When is it okay to Adminbus?
I don’t think adminbussing is a good thing, given my experience. It may be useful during extremely dull rounds, but I think abusing game mechanics to have fun can be treading on a fine line, that’s easy to cross. I happened to cross that line due to my ignorance around it, and I realize that now, admin bussing should only be used with extreme caution. Most of the time an admin should just let the game play out, as there’s almost always some form of shenanigans that happens due to either an antag or some weird player incident.
#2 What is the purpose of antagonists and how much freedom should they have?
An antagonist should have the freedom to make the round interesting, but not the grief. An antagonist exists to create organized chaos, which makes the game as fun as it is. They should not, however, be able to do things such as destroy the entire station or cause so much chaos that the game is no longer fun.
#3 What would you do if you were accused of abusing your power / being unfair and how would you react?
I would be obligated to look back on my actions and analyse what I have done. But to be fair, I would ask another admin to check over what I had done. IF I hadn’t done anything wrong, I would politely tell the person that no abuse has been committed, but they can submit a ticket on the forums. If I had done something wrong, I would tell a superior administrator what I have done wrong, and be completely honest. I would accept responsibility for all of my actions.
#4 What do you think qualifies as an abuse of power?
Using the admin tools to get a personal gain in the game. An admin should never use their abilities/tools to gain an advantage in the game or favour any specific player. They shouldn’t do things that may be considered extremely questionable, such as messing with the game because they are bored.
#5 What is the purpose of staff and how do you think they should act?
A staff member should be professional, while also remaining likeable. They shouldn’t be so hard that nobody can get past them, rather, they should be willing to accept their mistakes and learn from them. They are there to help the community, not oppress them or let them do whatever they want. They’re important in maintaining order, so the game remains fun, while still allowing those fun things to happen.