Posted by Geoff Joosten in Question to the Candidates - GM Issue

Posted by Captain James Sinclair (Vice Presidental Candidate) in Question to the Candidates - GM Issue

Posted by Dave Eads in Question to the Candidates - GM Issue
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Good afternoon,

Jerome, you touched on this briefly, stating, and I am paraphrasing here, that the current training regimen for GMs is to onerous. I also see you aren’t a licensed GM.

Sarah, you have made major contributions to the GMDept in the past, including writing the original OGRE, but since your return haven’t been as active in the department.

Both of you are aware that we are struggling to find people interested in the program. Linds and I, mostly Linds, have streamlined the process as much as possible while still attempting to keep the integrity of a program that ensures the best trained GMs out there. The issue has come to something of a head which pressure being put on FComms to find resources that aren’t there.

So, simple question, what is your plan to help the GMDept address this issue?

Geoff

Our plan for the GM issue:

The current system is NECESSARILY onerous to get through, but that ensures we have high quality GM’s, so it it necessary. That being said, we would like to see another segment of the GM program. Apprentice GM. Apprentice will differ from GM Trainee in that the Apprentice will be, should a GM feel comfortable doing so of course, tasked with running a already designed and developed SIM. This will be overseen by the authoring GM, and will allow that established GM to move to a ship without a current GM and assist there. The GM will maintain admin rights on the sim the Apprentice is on, and will be able to direct and do what is basically OJT for how to run a sim before the Apprentice can design their own. To move along from Apprentice, one has to successfully run the sim AND complete the exam. Then the program goes as is established.

This will, we believe, add to the GM roster immediately without a loss in quality. In essence, it will allow a GM to exist on more than one ship without splitting their full attention.

Thanks for a great question!

Davis/Sinclair 2020
Improve, Reform, & Engage

Note: We know that this a Stop Gap measure and not intended as a permanent solution, but we think it will assist the GMDEPT in getting past the shortage.

Thanks again,
Davis/Sinclair

Jerome, in my personal experience (extensive), the very thing you describe happens outside of the club incredibly often. And 99% of the time it results in a drastically under-trained and under-qualified GM who has no idea how to build a sim, run it, or deal with major curveballs (like the accidental death of an important NPC) or how to throw in twists or other complications if the plot should become stale.

How, exactly, would your system actually train GMs? The way it sounds, it just hands them a ready-made plot with a semi-absent mentor who’s got their own work to focus on elsewhere, and doesn’t do anything the GMT program does in the training of how to actually build the sim, run it effectively, deal with those curveballs I mentioned previously, handle problem players, and throw in those twists that the plot might need to survive.

Mind clarifying?

Thank you,
Katy

Katy, we absolutely hear your concern. This is not intended to be anything other than a first step for someone wanting to be a GM. It will familiarize them with NPC development, interacting with a crew in a GM role, and provide a strict framework for them to adhere to that was designed by a fully fledged GM. This is not where they would build the sim, that would come later as they take the test and become a Trainee. They would start to learn how to run it effectively at this point, but the dealing with the curve balls those pesky players throw out would still be up to the Senior GM (as it would be there SIM, they have the final say). And again, this would be a familiarization time that is simply allowing a GM to, for lack of a better expression, be two places at once. Handling problem players, and throwing in those twists that the plot might need to survive is up to the GM. The Apprentice is there to handle the boards and keep the sim going, giving the GM time to help other ships.

And again, and I cannot stress this enough, we do not see this as a permanent solution. This is simply an idea to help take pressure off until such a time as the Executive and the GM Dept can figure out a way to finalize the shortage. We have some thoughts on how that might work, but we would need the input of the GM’s to finalize a plan that makes sense to them, the club, and the players.

James

First, I have to say that this idea is interesting in that it’s one of the few ideas I’ve seen that seems to think outside the box. That’s commendable and I’d like to see more outside the box thinking.

However, that being said… I have to mention that my opinion on this particular idea is that it looks like I will simply create more work for senior gm’s who are already stretched thin.

I have considerable experience outside the club with gm work, and I have passed the club exam and worked on a gmt (though admittedly, I haven’t managed to finish a gmt Sim yet.) what I’m trying to point out here is a sort of fleshing out of Katy’s comment. No two gm’s operate the same way, especially in terms of how much of an outline they work from while doing their sim. Several gm’s I know of keep extensive notes and pre-written sims would be easy enough for them… However, a lot of gm’s use merely a loose outline and tend to go by feel.

In my humble opinion, this would severely limit the number of gm’s able to make use of your stop gap measure, while adding another step to a process you’ve already agreed is onerous.

How would that effect this particular plan? Could it be expanded to work around a lack of pre-written material? How would these apprentices be recruited? How would it be decided that they’re able to perform before they’ve been tested?

And lastly, how do you plan to get new people interested in the gm dept in general?

Thank you,
Dave Eads

Dave, great inquiry. I think I need to clarify that neither Jerome or I are GM’s in the club, but I have decades of GM experience outside the club. I am in the process of resubmitting my GM exam as we speak, but to put it very plainly: Jerome and I need to hear from the GM Dept and work with them to address the issue. The shortage isn’t their doing, but their expertise is vital to solving it. This is simply an idea we want to use a basis for a discussion, and possibly just a bandage on the wound. The final solution may not look anything like this; or it may end up being a part of a much larger program to ensure we have solid GM’s available going forward. I would be skeptical of anyone saying they have the perfect solution to this issue. It is multi-layer issue that will take input from many people in the club to solve. What Jerome and I want to make a priority is getting those people together and having productive and timely conversation that leads to actual and effective solutions.

James

The ES is a terrible place to pull an idea apart and develop it into something workable. As it stands, I don’t think this is a good idea, however… I’d like to see this idea discussed in depth, maybe in a proposal format down the line. There could be seeds there that could be developed into a workable plan. Just my opinion.

All that aside, how do you guys plan to get more people involved in the gmdept?

Thanks again,
Dave Eads

I want to step away form the idea being discussed for a moment and say something. I will address the ‘get more people involved question’ later.

This is only my opinion, but reading through this thread shows me what I think is large and looming issue within our club culture. We emphasize what we see as wrong and problematic first, rather than using ideas as a venue for the encouragement of communication… a jumping off point, as it were. Jerome and I know this is not the perfect solution. And frankly, the Election Ship is not where these problems will be solved. This is place where Sarah, Jerome, Rob, and I show the club our thought processes and the direction we want to try and move within the term. The club then decides whose direction is most applicable to where they want the club to go.

Sarah and Rob have solid ideas. So do Jerome and I. And I hope that once the election is over, regardless of outcome, the ideas are discussing from the viewpoint of “That idea may not work, but it made me think of <insert fresh idea here>.” The Executives, whomever that may be, will have dozens of issues to contend with in the upcoming term. And paramount needs to be clearing up the lines of communication and instilling a stronger sense of community.

James

As David said, the election ship isn’t the place to refine said idea, and I am not saying your ideas aren’t without merit, but your proposed solution along with some of your other ideas would require drastic rewriting on some key legislation.

Thank you for your thoughtful response.

Geoff

Geoff, we aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel. We want a viable solution that works for the club AND the GM’s.

James