How Do I Headwiz?

Tinuviel

Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

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Paris

I and Botulism co-run our game. We often disagree, but generally come to a decent compromise, and we respect each other and ultimately want what's best for the game. We are SOs, which can be problematic, but we have been together long enough (21 years), in difficult enough circumstances (we are both severely disabled and without a rl support network) that we're used to keeping shit real to survive.

We take input from from our staffers, especially headstaff, and sometimes agree and disagree. We value what they say, whether we agree or not; and even polite disagreements often result in a valuable perspective.

Ultimately things are Botulism's and my call, but we are better for Encore, Luxor, Bellagio, Sands, and the others' input. Even when we've disagreed it's spurred alternate ideas. Sometimes we go with their opinions even when we disagree, because no one is always right.

Everyone wants the game to succeed and be fun for folks. You can achieve that, or at least try your damndest, without it being about ego.

We've only been open a few months and who knows about the long haul, but I'm satisfied with the calibre of the staff and players. If people stay who they are, and I stay on top of keeping things analysed and efficient, we might be ok.

My personal concern is less theme (though I do have a vision and I and Botulism and Luxor discuss that, I let Bot and Lux deal more directly with that-- that said, Bot and I both worked out game and changeling theme) and more directing and being a sounding board for the people who shape the game. I don't run a sphere. I check in with those who do and do what I can to help them, as a different perspective. I look for patterns. When something stalls, it's my job to get things moving. When folks are frustrated, it's my job to try to resolve the issue. I try to keep the whole of the game in mind. I think that's crucial for a headstaffer who delegates. I guess I'm kind of a manager.

Salty Secrets

@Bobotron I have to suggest to please not steal your players's ideas unless they're on-board with it. Most people if you page them and ask "can I use that idea" will say yes but you don't want to mark yourself a content thief either. If you absolutely must use a player's idea without their consent at least try to put your unique spin on it so it's harder for you to look bad as a result. The best way to avoid that is still to just not steal ideas and to ask permission first.

Edit: at least don't use the word steal, whatever you do.

There is one final piece of advice I can think of and it's to make your players comfortable with your game, your plot and your setting. This doesn't mean pandering to them and it doesn't mean letting them get the better of you. It means creating an environment where you don't require story-tellers and plot staff to move things forward. You can and should still have them but don't build a game that only your chosen ones can run RP on confidently and safely.

Your players should be comfortable enough to drive your RP forward for you, to create RP on a daily basis, to take chances and run RP. If people either refuse to RP outside scheduled events or even worse won't RP outside of official RP run by staff then that's basically no good to you.

SparklesTheClown

@Salty-Secrets I wouldn't actually steal ideas, especially given my experience with Paulus. It feels super shitty to just have an idea wholesale stolen from you and then have someone straight up try to say "This idea where I just renamed everything was actually something I had planned for years".

Also yeah, I'm somewhat building the game on a foundation of people being heavily empowered to run shit. I'm trying to introduce what I assume are some fairly unique things (I should have a document draft up today). A part of my goal is to create an environment where people have the creative freedom I had years ago on MCM, where you just ask staff "Hey can I do this thing?" and after a brief exchange they just go do it.

Thenomain

@Salty-Secrets

Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.

What this doesn't say is that great artists steal ideas and make them their own. I had a character history point stolen on Haunted Memories, by which I mean that my character history became a result of, not a key plot point of but close, the Changeling history. (The character history was involved with the people who killed and maimed and destroyed the previous incarnation of the Changeling setting.)

I didn't pick up on this for about two years, partially because it was well done. People can steal like this from me any time they want. If my involvement inspires something, then go hog wild.

Kanye Qwest

There's more to that phrase, though. Great artists steal *

*from many, many sources. You can't just take something someone else did wholecloth. You take a dozen somethings a dozen people did and blend them together.

SparklesTheClown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steal_Like_an_Artist

Excellent book I own.

Thenomain

@HelloProject

Everything is a remix:
http://everythingisaremix.info

Connections (with David Burke);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_(TV_series)

SparklesTheClown

@Thenomain said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@HelloProject

Everything is a remix:
http://everythingisaremix.info

AVG is being a helicopter parent about this site.

Bobotron

@Salty-Secrets
I don't mean literally steal the ideas, but sometimes you're doing something, and you'll use a player or players as a sounding board and what they come up with as 'cool factor' will be way better than what you come up with. Say 'Dude, that's awesome, can I use it?' and as long as they say yes, run wild. I've never had a player in TT or LARP ever say no to that.

Thenomain

@HelloProject said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@Thenomain said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@HelloProject

Everything is a remix:
http://everythingisaremix.info

AVG is being a helicopter parent about this site.

"Connections" is, like almost everything David Burke ever touched, insanely insightful. It's about how technology breeds different technology. For instance, how the Dutch renaissance led to talking motion pictures.

And since good ideas are almost never "Eureka" moments, here is another person going on about how innovation is more evolution than sparks of genius:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

...

To bring it around a little bit back to "good artists steal", I'm 100% behind the idea that @Bobotron suggested to steal ideas from players. And whomever—@Ganyemede, I think?—said that you should always credit. Everyone loves being recognized!

SparklesTheClown

While I'm not a headwiz yet, there is one thing I've learned from my time doing literally anything creative, especially things like making characters and such.

You have to learn to trust yourself at some point. Like, I seek out advice a lot, but in the past I used to take advice as absolute law, and I'd often end up less happy as a result. I wouldn't trust myself creatively because people would seem to know more than me about what we're doing.

But ultimately, even though some things are definitely good to keep in mind and are even essential, there are core aspects of your ideas that you really need to have confidence in, or you won't be happy compromising on those things.

tragedyjones

I meant to give a more serious response to this at some point and then forgot. But here goes.

Rule #1 - Love what you do.
If you don't have a passion for the project, then you will just be doing a job that at best you get a small sense of satisfaction for, at worst a large sent of resentment to the world AND a bill.

Rule #2 - Don't be afraid.
You can't please all of the people, all of the time. Don't be a capricious despot when you can help it, but don't be afraid to be firm. Or even to BE a despot when it is needed.

Rule #3 - It is not your life.
A lot of people define themselves by what they do for a living. Do not define yourself as staffer on a game. It is not your priority.

Rule #3.5 - It is just a game.
Nothing matters in the end. If someone is so worked up they are seriously, seriously upset about a game matter, tell them to chill the fuck out.

Rule #4 - People are fucked up, yo
Be prepared to deal with some of the most insidious, weird, petty, creepy shit. A lot of it will be he said she said. Have a plan, whether it just be a "don't talk to one another" or whatever.

Rule #5 - Sex.
Just assume it is happening

Kanye Qwest

@tragedyjones said in How Do I Headwiz?:

Rule #3.5 - It is just a game.
Nothing matters in the end. If someone is so worked up they are seriously, seriously upset about a game matter, tell them to chill the fuck out.

This one makes me giggle. I remember once talking about staffing or requests or something and someone was like "what if it is an emergency?"

And I'm thinking, 'this is a game. It is impossible that anything occurring in this game is an emergency."

tragedyjones

@Kanye-Qwest said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@tragedyjones said in How Do I Headwiz?:

Rule #3.5 - It is just a game.
Nothing matters in the end. If someone is so worked up they are seriously, seriously upset about a game matter, tell them to chill the fuck out.

This one makes me giggle. I remember once talking about staffing or requests or something and someone was like "what if it is an emergency?"

And I'm thinking, 'this is a game. It is impossible that anything occurring in this game is an emergency."

It happens. People get seriously invested. But anything IC, anything not related to OOC harassment or stalking etc? None of it is an emergency.

Thenomain

@tragedyjones said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@Kanye-Qwest said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@tragedyjones said in How Do I Headwiz?:

Rule #3.5 - It is just a game.
Nothing matters in the end. If someone is so worked up they are seriously, seriously upset about a game matter, tell them to chill the fuck out.

This one makes me giggle. I remember once talking about staffing or requests or something and someone was like "what if it is an emergency?"

And I'm thinking, 'this is a game. It is impossible that anything occurring in this game is an emergency."

It happens. People get seriously invested. But anything IC, anything not related to OOC harassment or stalking etc? None of it is an emergency.

This is why I giggle when people demand my email address.

I have, when younger, been involved in a few phone calls phrased as emergencies. One of them was an emergency, most of them was people not knowing how to treat a game seriously but not too seriously.

Which is a thing. There is a social contract going on, which means that some people are going to treat that with even a little respect. Which is my advice:

People are helping you run the game, from staffers to players. Respect their time and effort.

I think we've gone into that before, but it's my counter to people who say "it's just a game" means that anyone can do anything. When I see that, I have to ask them if they know what a game really is.

skew

@HelloProject I didn't really read anything but the first page of posts, but I did want to toss out my most important bit of advice, as it didn't look like it's been said.

Surround yourself with people who like you and support you.

I know the idea of surrounding yourself with "yes men" is seen as very toxic. Surely, it can be a problem. But I've never seen a game owner struggle more than when they had to argue at length with their own staffers. It's truly exhausting and it's generally very bad for the game. If someone disagrees with you, that's fine, you can have a talk, but more often you will see a handful of staffers continually disagree with the head staffer. They harp on things, they continually bring it up, they refuse to let it go. If you find yourself with people like that on your staff, show them the door.

Because, ya know what? If you're doing silly things, your players will let you know. You don't need to get attacked on staff channel for it, too.

Kanye Qwest

@Thenomain you stab that straw man, if it makes you feel better.

Thenomain

@Kanye-Qwest said in How Do I Headwiz?:

@Thenomain you stab that straw man, if it makes you feel better.

What happened to "go fuck yourself"? I missed those days.

Rook

I soundly second @skew's advice here.

Yeah, sure, no-yes-men is a thing. But so is a unified, solid effort of multiple talented minds in a singular direction. This is how you break the humdrum mold of the same-ole-same-ole in a game. Strike out in a direction and make things happen. Yes, people will bitch. So what? They aren't paying your bills, so feel free to ignore them on your project. If even a handful of people go along with you, you can try something new.

Don't be so invested in your project that it calcifies you from doing things.