>Less mechanic-wise, how you work with the team, how you respond to criticism, etc.

I'm with you on that. Just wondering if writing an area is the only way to explore someone's ability to do those things. I guess it does have the advantage of being low-risk. If somebody writes a crappy area and can't handle criticism, at least no mortals are "harmed" by having to endure crappy immteraction.

>Can I get a "narrowly focused" staff position that just lets
>me code all the time and not interact with anyone ever?

You joke, but I seriously wouldn't have a problem with that. Not for me, I mean, but for you, if that's what you really want to do. Like you said elsewhere, this isn't a job. As long as everything that needs to get done is getting done, letting people focus on the things that most appeal to them might help prevent burnout.

>You can do all the role-play interactiony side of things as a
>mortal, there is no need to be an immortal.

For the most part, yeah. I think people are just remembering how much it made their day the first time an imm inhabited some mob and started talking to them, and wishing they could help make that stuff happen more regularly. As a player I might be able to provide someone with quality mortal interaction, but it still won't "wow" them as much as if I had done the same thing as an imm.