>>Because many people who think they do have a grasp...don't.
>
>Granted. Is the idea that "grasp of mechanics" (which would
>include game balance) isn't something you (the staff) can
>assess from a heroimm's time as a mortal?

Most of what we're looking at doesn't have anything to do with their mortal time. Answering the newbie channel, answering prays, balancing an area (avg 24 razor-edged map lying on the ground that anyone can walk up and get). Less mechanic-wise, how you work with the team, how you respond to criticism, etc.

>>Because that's not all you are required to do.
>
>Agreed. My question was contingent on the addition of a new
>"narrowly focused" staff position. If area writing is a task
>any staff member should be able to perform, then it makes
>perfect sense to require it of everyone.

Can I get a "narrowly focused" staff position that just lets me code all the time and not interact with anyone ever? Yes, that's a joke, and one of the things I learned at my years at Microsoft is to involve the community (Santa Zulg, Shifter revamp, etc).

>>If you have a subset who get to focus entirely on the
>roleplay
>>and zero on the administration side...why wouldn't everyone
>>join that subset? I know I don't do the administrator part
>>because I enjoy it.
>
>Some people are willing to accommodate a higher level of
>non-enjoyable stuff than others. Lots of people are willing
>to write an area, beta test new features, etc. Or they might
>just really enjoy area writing. Others may only be interested
>in the role-play & interaction side of things. If you require
>the area, then you necessarily preclude the second group from
>contributing (in a staff capacity).

You can do all the role-play interactiony side of things as a mortal, there is no need to be an immortal. It is not the interaction they crave, because that exists in the race/class/cabal dynamic of today. The problem of course is that people want rewards for their interaction.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!