>Hey, just some thoughts regarding heroimming. My assumptions
>first (I couldn't find any official documents outlining
>heroimm duties, so I'm going by word of mouth.... correct me
>if i'm significantly wrong)
>- Heroimms basically get to do 2 things:
>* Handle new players (mirror room/n00b channel)
>* Write (but not code) an area
>
>Then, after some time, you get to do more stuff.. Have a
>religion, run quests, etc. Then, even later, you might be
>trusted with access to code stuff.

Sounds about right.

>This approach makes sense to avoid rotten apples in the staff
>since that could cause alot of damage. But the problem is, it
>completely and absolutely kills the prospect of ever imming
>for me (and I think many others).
>
>I know pretty well in which areas I have skills, and it's also
>those areas that I think is fun, and that I know I'm fairly
>good at. Basically, designing stuff and coding. I could write
>areas, sure, but I'm not that good at it.

Neither was I...

>In the current
>system I would probably have to put in a few thousand hours
>before I could ever get to do that stuff.

I don't think it's that long.

>This is essentially
>a waste for everyone since I would be doing stuff that I 1)
>suck at and 2) don't like doing.

So don't.

>Also, many players have been playing here 10+ years, and (I
>would guess) their personalities are quite well known by the
>imms.

You'd be surprised at how few personalities I actually know.

>It would seem to me that the information available there
>is much more valuable to assess somebody's qualities than a
>trial-period as heroimm.

I disagree completely. How you play the game isn't the same as how you interact with/help/mentor folks. It says nothing about how you're going to actually do the responsibilities you've been given. There are very good reasons for having a trial period, and as you mention later...the turnover in heroimms proves that.

>Hence, my suggestion is to increase the entry level of new
>imms (and possibly accelerate the process after that as well).

I'm not sure what you mean by this...but if you mean have them come in at 53...No.

>For example, if I could write code for an area I am working
>on, then working on an area would be quite fun instead of
>being a prospect I instantly reject.

If writing an area is a prospect you instantly reject, I don't really see a future for you as an Imm.

>Other options could be
>allowing new staff members snoop people, tring mobs and run
>quests, hand out limited rewards for roles etc, approve
>lastnames, give titles, run a religion, choose whether to be
>visible or not, etc.

Once you prove you're capable of those responsibilities...that exists.

>Just thought about it since 1) There were some discussions
>about lack of imms to run cabals and more importantly 2) The
>churn rate of heroimms is, from what I've seen, ridiculously
>high. And that's not even counting everyone that is
>discouraged from ever trying it out.
>
>Anyway, whaddoyathink?

So long, and thanks for all the fish!