In Game Name: KariStar86
Skype: Yes (KariStar86)
Teamspeak Username: KariStar86
Mic use: Yes
Age: 28
Timezone: Eastern (USA)
Hours online per weekday: 1-3
Hours online per weekend: 2-6
Position Changes: Helper to Moderator
Introduction:
Hi there! I'm KariStar86, and I'm a Helper here on MeepCraft and mayor of the town Kakariko in Alpha. I started playing Minecraft in January of this year, and in early February I joined MeepCraft. I came for Towny and stayed for the community! In late June, I became a Helper, and I love being a part of the staff team here. I'm excited for the future of this server and would love to become even more involved in helping it as a Moderator.
As for my life outside the computer box... For a few years I worked as a newspaper reporter, and for the past several months I have been writing for a nonprofit. In my spare time, when I'm not playing Minecraft, I do yoga and volunteer at a local animal shelter. My husband and I have two pet birds, a cockatiel and a parrotlet, which you probably know if you've ever talked to me on TeamSpeak. :P
Why you should be Mod:
I have learned a lot in these past five weeks since becoming a Helper! I started out knowing almost nothing about Hawkeye and staff commands, and even after training, it took me a little while to feel comfortable with them. But since then, I've built my confidence while handling almost all basic types of modreqs and bans. I've helped new players find their way around the server, helped new mayors start their towns, done troubleshooting when players come across a glitch, and stepped in to mediate when players are fighting. I have also responded to cases of griefing and theft (in both Towny and Skyblock), luring and tpakilling, trespassing, and illegal kicking of residents (they worked it out). It can be hard work, but it's also very rewarding when I figure out the missing piece of a puzzle, or when I know that I've made someone's experience on the server even a little bit better.
I ask a lot of questions... probably too many, sometimes. ;) I want to make sure I'm getting it right, because some things can be confusing, and it's better to double-check than to make a wrong ban or mess up an investigation. The Mods and SuperMods have been incredibly helpful and patient with me! Lately, I find myself answering more questions from other staff than I ask of them. This shows that I've gained the knowledge and experience to start guiding new Helpers myself, and I want to be a more consistent resource and leader for them as a Moderator.
I also would love to be able to take a more direct role on the forums, make sure that our community members get help as quickly as possible, and continue to encourage positive and productive discussions. I'm quick to notify staff on Skype when something needs to be deleted or addressed. As a Moderator, I could lend a hand and take care of some of these issues myself. In-game, I do enjoy answering modreqs and helping people out, but also I look forward to taking on more of a moderation role to help protect the server and its players.
My in-game time is a bit limited, especially on weekdays. Knowing that I need to watch how I manage my time, I try to spend as much of it as possible doing staff work. Whether it's replying to modreqs, investigating cases, answering people's questions, or just keeping a close eye on chat, I make sure that my first priority is the server and the players on it. But that doesn't mean that I've disappeared behind the curtain! I still try as much as possible to help my town residents, stay active in shout, be part of the community on the forums, and talk both in and out of the staff channels in TeamSpeak.
I make sure to listen to the community and pass along what I hear, because I want to help players have a voice in this server - no matter their rank or position. I am also very active in the staff Skype chats, and I make an effort to get to know the other staff members, learn all I can from them, and contribute ideas whenever I feel it would help. I'm happy to talk with other players on Skype, too - to help them solve problems or just to say "hi"!
Weaknesses:
It's probably not a surprise that I'm still argumentative and opinionated! I'm continuing to work on thinking more about how I come across, making sure that I am kind and don't push things too far, listening to others carefully, and addressing concerns in the appropriate manner. I have made sure to keep my disagreements with staff members among staff, and I think some of those have turned into pretty good discussions that helped us understand each other. :)
Some of the larger griefing cases I've taken on have frustrated me - mostly because they take more work than I expect, and I start to wonder if I'm just not doing it right. After a while, I realized that I'm not the only staff member who has had these frustrations. The good news is that we're a team, and we don't hesitate to help each other out - doing extra modreqs to cover for someone who is busy, trying out different commands and searches, taking screenshots and videos, or talking to different players to figure out what happened. Other staff members have helped me out this way, and I'm glad to return the favor when I can! I do believe that I'm ready to take on the challenge of more complicated cases and investigations.
I have yet to handle a case of X-ray, glitch exploitation, or PvP hacking. I feel confident in my ability to identify at least some examples of the first two. In a few cases, I have begun investigating only to find that others have gotten to them first! But I admit that spotting PvP hackers is a weakness of mine. I have tried to check out reports in KitPvP, but I'm still learning what to look for and record. I do want to be able to help with these cases, so I plan to continue learning about this and making efforts to investigate when I can.
Conclusion:
I believe I am ready for the Moderator position and the additional responsibility it brings. I'm looking forward to learning even more while leading the community and other staff! Thanks for reading, and any feedback you have - whether positive comments or constructive criticism - is welcome and appreciated. :)
