HowToBeAGM
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How to make yourself a GM on your own server
The initial admin has to be created this way
- There is a folder
datanext to your stendhal-server-1.48.jar - Inside that is
conf, and inside that is a text file calledadmins.txt - add the names of the admins to this file; one per line; end with newline
- restart server
After that the /adminlevel command can be used in game.
What a GM on the official server actually does
Game administrators help with technical problems and account queries. Sometimes there are complicated cases of abuse to investigate, requiring in depth SQL knowledge. A secondary character to the main playing character is normally used as the GM character, as support queries can be answered outside of the game. They are mostly not visibly online in game because the support channel is monitored outside of game.
If you want to play the game and help other players at the same time, perhaps as part of the role play, then the Stendhal Helper Role is more appropriate. It is deliberately unofficial so that you can follow the guidelines as a normal player. You can start to do this already!
How to become electable to be a GM on the official server
If you are still interested in answering the more technical or account related support questions and dealing with issues of abuse, we have produced a guide to inform you of what we expect from our GMs. If you are doing everything in the list below, we will notice and might one day ask you.
Please don't be fooled into thinking being a Game Master is fun, it's mostly a job and a responsibility. You must not use the power gained to profit your character or your friends' characters in game (or for that matter, anyone else!) To put it simply: if you want to be a GM simply because you want to cheat, then you are not suitable for becoming a GM. (See Adminlevels for details). Again, mostly GMs are not visible in game.
Please describe, why you want to become a GM. You may get some ideas from this list:
- Been successful in following the guidelines at Stendhal Helper Role
- Be able to answer /support questions
- Help people (not by doing their work but explaining how to do it) and be as nice as possible
- Finish all current quests in main game server (without using GM power), so you know almost everything about them when people ask you the hows & whys
- noticed this line containing a non existing wordto
- contribute to the project
- Report bugs and if you can, fix bugs
- Create maps/sprites/images/tilesets (contribute graphics) for game
- Submit ideas and feature requests
- Create code for feature requests
- Create new NPCs and/or new quests
- Create stories
- Contribute to this wiki by adding missing sections or fixing mistakes (you just need to create an account)
- Be fair to everyone as much as possible
- Behave well and with patience
- Be trustworthy
- Have language skills to help translate or answer questions which are not in English, Spanish or German.
- Add, update and edit articles on the wiki, like guides, refactoring, stories, etc.
- Host the main game server
- Realise that being an admin on another server is not relevant
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Understand enough of the game internals to investigate complex issues
For those who do not speak English as a native language:
- Si no puedes leer esta pagina entera entonces tampoco puedes ser administrador. (Español)
- Jesli nie potrafisz przetlumaczyc tej strony tak by ja przeczytac nie mozesz byc adminem. (Polski)
- Wenn du diese Webseite nicht übersetzen kannst, kannst du auch kein Admin sein. (Deutsch)
- Если вы не можете прочитать весь текст этой страницы, то и админом вы быть не можете. (Russian)
In any case, as previously stated, it is up to the development team to decide who will actually become a GM.
And remember: contributing to this wonderful project (for which it has been said, on at least one occasion, that its reputation precedes it ;)) should be reward enough in itself.
How to keep your GM status
- Never abuse your powers. And don't forget that your use of your GM powers is logged
- Talk with other admins and share your thoughts
- Be active
- Check Stendhal:Administration for update to GM commands
- If in game, /gmhelp reminds you of commands
- When you punish someone, have evidence and be fair
- If possible, warn a player before you punish him, what will happen to him. Then he has the chance to stop.
- Don't give weapons, armor, potions, money or any other items to players with no fair reason. Tell them to play the game; you may give some advice but don't spoil the fun by giving away all the secrets. They must find stuff out themselves
- Don't do favors to specific players or treat other ones badly (unless necessary as part of your GM duties)
- When you think you must do something serious, like a permanent ban on an account/player, contact the other GMs and discuss it
- Respect the others GMs (e.g. try not to interfere if they are already dealing with a support issues, unless they asked you for help themself) and expect the same respect from them. Demand respect from players
- Try to ignore annoying players as much as possible, Answering them just encourages them. Do punish abuse of the /support channel if it is repeated and you've already warned the player in question that they will be punished if they do it again.
- Notice and praise the players who help others and who play nicely. It will make you feel better about all the annoying ones, and they will like to be appreciated.
- Organize monster raids or other events or games, remember to announce the majority of these in advance using the website.
- Regularly check the recent changes to this wiki so that you can delete any spam that is created or fix changes made by others which have wrong information
- Update the Stendhal FAQ yourself if you think it is missing useful questions, as well as updating admin pages if any useful commands are missing.
- Solve the basic Database Query Exercise and the RPG specific Advanced Database Query Exercise.
Final thoughts
You will notice that the word "fair" is used many times above and not without good reason, it's the most important quality of a GM. All the above statements are proof that you love the game and you want to do anything possible to help it grow. If this is you then you deserve to be a GM.
It is important to note however, that there are different levels of GM and to be a really high level GM, all other existing GMs must vote or agree to add you on the team. So, if you wish to move up the GM rankings, earn their trust!