Staffing Following Simple Formatting Directions

[Uaithne 543]

I started thinking following the activity check thread (and the post I made about people not following basic instructions), how lenient are you when it comes to members bot following coding or format instructions?

 

On one hand, it is such a ridiculous, miniscule thing to get irritated about. There are so many greater problems in the world.

 

But on the other hand, if the instructions are clear, and everyone is following them and it's clear everyone is following them, it's so frustrating when people come along and don't follow the instructions. There were points where I'd have a small bb code template to fill in (name, user group, age sort of simplicity) for claims or whatever, and people would copy the example so it would lose it's coding when when they reposted it and filled it out. Realizing that not everyone was an expert on forums and coding, I then wrote clearly to copy what was in the code tags. That didn't work. So I used bold, red font. That did not work, either.

 

Heck, even with graphics people don't follow the rules. I don't care if you have a PB or not. Just make sure that whatever image you choose fits the avatar box appropriately. Don't have images that are too small, or ones that get stretched, or ones with half the pixels they're supposed to. But alas! For some, this rule is too challenging to follow, I guess, even if I have resources for cropping/resizing images or I offer to do it myself.

 

Over the years, I've simplified things down to relieve my frustration at this. I don't use any sort of BB code or HTML code for people to fill out if I don't need to. (Added bonus is that people can do it on mobile easily.) I'm pretty clear when specific formats or templates are needed, and I try to post reminders for those formats. People still mess things up sometimes, and I sit there and wonder if it's worth the battle.

[Morrigan 1,826]

When I run roleplays I run automated roleplays. Basically roleplays that allow me to put everything where I need it and link it from there. I often call myself the "lazy" admin but really I'm the efficient one. If I have you fill out an application why in the hell should I need to you go to three different places to tell us what your PB is?

 

Now, of course most of this stems from the fact that I use IPS for my roleplays so I can automate that sort of stuff.

 

The easier it is to slip in and play, the better in my opinion. I know how to code and I HATE having to fill out seventeen million code bits that I cringe when I see them because I know how they'll look on mobile.

[featherstone 69]

People don't follow instructions. I mean someone does, but you're happy to meet those. In general, no matter how clear your explanation, when you have detailed instructions on anything, someone won't read them and just do whatever at random. Personally I limit instructions to those I care about, and then clean up after everyone's mess.

[Elena 546]

I gave up requiring anything in format. If there is anything I need in format (such as a list), I make it. I don't leave it to my members. They have only the application to fill, and even there I have corrected simple bbcode for a thousand time.

[Huskerdust 625]

5 hours ago, Morrigan said:

When I run roleplays I run automated roleplays. Basically roleplays that allow me to put everything where I need it and link it from there. I often call myself the "lazy" admin but really I'm the efficient one. If I have you fill out an application why in the hell should I need to you go to three different places to tell us what your PB is?

 

Now, of course most of this stems from the fact that I use IPS for my roleplays so I can automate that sort of stuff.

 

The easier it is to slip in and play, the better in my opinion. I know how to code and I HATE having to fill out seventeen million code bits that I cringe when I see them because I know how they'll look on mobile.

 

Same. I just automate things and sure, not everybody formats the face claims the same way or whatever but it's not like they can break the code for the FC list when it just takes what they fill out in a form and sticks it in a list. I still call myself a lazy admin though because I am. The less hands on I have to be, the more time I can take to do what I want and not be stuck with busy work. (And the busy work used to cause fights and arguments between myself and staff members in the past so it's nice not to have to be aggravated because the person who is supposed to update lists isn't doing their job or the person who's supposed to look over apps takes a hundred years to "accept" them.)

Edited August 29, 2017 by Zozma

[Death Kitten 200]

Honestly, it depends on the player if I get mad. Someone who constantly doesn't care, who shows me they *can* follow directions (not by accident, but when they care enough) is going to irritate me so much when they don't, but someone who is trying, or even asks me for help (even if it's written somewhere they should have read), won't bug me a bit. I'll seriously bend over backwards to help someone who tries to meet me halfway even if they don't make it there, but someone who expects me to do everything for them? They can gargle a bag of scorpions for all I care.

 

It's all about how much they care, and honestly, if something bothers me enough, I'll just fix it if they player isn't a problem otherwise.

[Uaithne 543]

I hesitantly switched to dohtml applications and I realized that people HAVE to follow that code because if they mess it up, it messes the whole thing up and reflects poorly on them.

 

(That's not why I use them at all, but I did notice this over time.)

[Zahara 12]

I hate it when people can't follow simple instructions. I have a member who is HOPELESS at anything code or slightly beyond old school rp on old school proboards, so when something comes up I write and FAQ and she's the test subject and if she manages it then I know I should be able to expect other people to manage it. The people who don't care or never learn are the people that annoy me. Especially when they are like 'so you did this for me last time' and I'm like, 'no i showed you how, go get on with it' even as another member it bugs me... I know i mess stuff up sometimes (sorry @SithLordOfSnark hahaha) but I normally remember to go back and correct it. I get that sometimes people have brain farts or they're tired and just forget but... to not even try? That's annoying as hell. 

 

Sometimes it's not even formatting stuff and I'm sat there like 'how? why? what did you even do???' which is kinda hilarious but not... especially when it's the third time but not even the same thing... 

 

I make dohtml apps nice and simple (hide the css in the site css so they can't mess that up) and then if they cant manage it I know I'm in for a great day hahaha...

 

I'm also just a brutally honest bitch and at some point you just gotta go 'the instructions are there, go fix it yourself' and hope they either learn or leave me the hell alone... too harsh?

[CovertSphinx 710]

The first handful of times I pretty much chaulk it up to "Yeah, whatever, it's like having a roommate or coworker: everyone's going to have little quirks". 

 

When it crosses that fine line into showing that the player just doesn't give a flying ham sandwich.....then I question whether or not they look like a 'long-term' prospect for contributing to the growth of the site. 

[xexes 108]

Maybe they were on mobile.

 

 

There's been lots of times where a mobile reply was all I could muster because life was happening. It's really impossible to edit those things on a phone.

 

Have you considered making tags instead of complicated HTML? [activitycheck] still here! [/activitycheck]

[Uaithne 543]

You make a good point, @xexes.  Unfortunately this was before mobile was as big of a thing as it is now.  I didn't use doHTML at that point.  The members could figure out how to use BB code just fine - it's just that they didn't organize things in the proper format.  So first before last, or using random punctuation instead of the punctuation that they were supposed to, etc.