As you may or may not know, I'm able to select up to 6 forum guides to help steer the boards.
I do have some folks in mind, but I want to ask them if they're interested first. From there, if there are any openings, I'd like to get them filled.
Forum Guides won't be tied to a specific single board, but be more of area coverage. (Whereas forum leads are on specific boards.)
The biggest area we have is the D&D fundamentals, so I'd probably have two FGs there.
Other areas:
D&D Community (This covers the advice forums as well as Astrid's.)
D&D Insider- Since DDI already has it's own VCL (who also may have 6 guides), I'm not looking for guides for this area.
D&D Worlds- FR, Eberron, and other game worlds.
D&D Previous Edition- I'm not looking for anti-4e, more pro D&D. (All editions.) It doesn't matter if someone doesn't like 4e, as long as they can be a forum guide for the previous edition to help facilitate previous edition discussions rather than anti 4e rants.
I'll keep everyone posted as I get the forum guides in place.
If anyone has suggestions/nominations, feel free to post.
-What exactly is the function of a Forum Guide?
What he said, plus what is the hierarchy structure that a forum guide will be the bottom rung of in this ladder?
Hasbro
WotC
Forums Staff
~~~~??
Forum Guide
FGs are Forum Guides. Forum Guides are members of the community who work with a VCL to help that VCL's community in whatever way the VCL feels is best. Forum Guides have no additional access or authority over other community members, although they are given an official title in recognition of their official status, and are bound by the same policy and conduct guidelines as VCLs.
Each eligible VCL is assigned 6 forum guide slots that they may fill at their discretion. VCLs are expected to actively manage and mentor their forum guides, and in many cases, groom them to become the next generation of VCLs.
Forum Guides also may use their time of service as a forum guide as experience when applying for jobs in the gaming industry in general, and with Wizards of the Coast specifically. We plan on doing some significant growing in all areas of the company, especially Customer Service, and a proven track record as a forum guide can really help a candidate stand out from the crowd.
How are Forum Guides selected?
Forum Guides are selected by VCLs and may be added or removed by VCLs at any time. The only limitation is that each eligible VCL may only have as many as 6 Forum Guides at a time (although they may have as few as 1 or even none).
What if I want to be a forum guide but do not ever want to become a VCL or a job in the game industry? Is it still for me?
Yes! One of the goals of the Forum Guide program is to have it be as flexible as possible so that the position can be molded to fit the skills and passions of the interested community member. Rather than make rigid guidelines for this position, we're leaving it up to each VCL to decide what they want each of their Forum Guides to be doing. A VCL may decide that one of their forum guides helps with editorial moderation by suggesting thread moves and closings, while another might focus on the creation of FAQs and other informational posts, while another might focus on answering rules questions (unofficially, of course), while another might help the community in some way we've never even thought of before.
From VCL - Forum Guide FAQ
Also, hellmute, what do you mean by hierarchy?? WHat type of answer are you looking for?
Strictly speaking, FGs are no different than the overwhelming majority of other users on the forums. They can do nothing that other forum users can't already do.
That being said, being a FG means that you have the trust of your VCL. That when your VCL gets a PM from you saying "The WizOs closed this thread and referred it to CM for review. I looked at it, and I think that if you remove posts 27-the end, there is still a chance for good discussion to come out of the trhead." The VCL has to trust that you can make recommendations and do tasks, without taking your personal feelings into account.
I don't know if that is the answer that you are looking for. Give me some more info, and maybe I can answer it more.
Also, being a FG doesn't require that you be pro-4E or anti-3.5, like Webster said. You need to be pro-D&D. One of my DDi NGs (before he got tired of the WotC forums and left) was a very vocal critic of 4E and DDi. He was very outspoken, and critical of WotC and their actions. Yet he was always polite, and through discussions with him, I felt that he would be able to separate his "NG duties/responsabilities" from his dislike of the direction that WotC was taking 4E/DDi.
For example, it would be nice if someone organized/updated the old "dictionary of termanology" by re-posting it.
I've been pro D&D since I first heard about it (years ago) and trying to get this to be a friendly and safe environment for fans of the game is something I think is worth doing.
How do I sign up?
There are, however, more restrictions on how you act as a FG. As a FL, there is nothing that separates you from the rest of the forum users. As a FG, you are, in effect, an unpaid representative of WotC. Your behaviour may have to change significantly. (For the record, I don't think that yours would, based on the interactions I have had with you in Community Business).
If you have people in your Ignore list, empty it.
They also look at FGs as a training ground for Future VCLs and/or CS employees. And everyone wants to be a VCL, because with the VCL title, comes the power, fame and groupies!!
If I could I would like to be in D&D community but I will help any way I can
Please keep your posts polite, respectful, and on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks. If you have reservations about a guide candidate, please make them privately.
Of late I seem to have become a bit of a lightning rod around here, though, so I fully understand if that's not exactly something you're looking for. I only want to be an FG if I'm going to be able to actually help out, I don't want to foster any negative feelings.
Edit: I'd probably prefer to be stationed in Worlds, but I can help wherever.
-Right. Anyway, I'd like to tackle D&D Worlds. I already do the administrative stuff for both of the Forgotten Realms sections, I relayed the administrative stuff over in the Eberron boards until I realized that Edy is the FL there, so went back to minding my own business and not encroaching on his territory, and I do that stuff in the Other Published Settings as well (and, boy, they don't like me for it! But, someone's gotta tell 'em what's up), so...That's 3.5 of the 4 right there...
AaronofBarbaria
bekhat
fodigg
greatfrito
Leichenreiter
Ra-Tiel
Seeker95
squarecircle
Stormonu
I don't know if any of these people have an interest, but maybe it's worthwhile to consider them if you haven't already. Of the self-nominators, the one I have the most confidence in is Batshido. This is not to say I think anyone else would be bad.