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Training Round to Be Disabled

thebrontosaurus
over 10 years

Dear Training Lobby,

I regret to inform you that I will be disabling the competition from Training Lobby after trophies are given out for this round.

Almost every round since its inception, there has been a major cheating investigation in the Training Round, some people have gotten away with it, and others have not. Participation has also waned considerably since its inception.

This does not mean the competition will be disabled permanently, but I will be disabling it for the time being. I'm hoping everyone can reconsider their actions and understand that we work very hard to keep the rounds clean, and it's simply becoming too much work for us to manage in addition to the Comp Lobby investigations (which are surprisingly less frequent).

Many of you who have won trophies in the Training competition or come close should strongly consider playing in Comp Lobby, the competition is more consistent there and the mod team is better equipped to handle issues there since competition is treated more seriously. You're all good enough to play there as well.

There is no current timetable for its return, but I will be disabling it after the round ends.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, I am sorry it has come to this. I honestly liked the round and encouraging people to try new setups, but there have been a lot of problems associated with it so we need to give it a rest for now.

gistofeverything
over 10 years
Also, is the stagnant mod team really the whole problem? Obviously there is more to be dealt with, the mod team is just the most visible part of that.
deletedover 10 years
This is from comp lobby:



Ignorance or denial. Take your pick. But nobody wants to play where they're unwelcome.
gistofeverything
over 10 years
uh oh, I smell quibbling. Time to go hide.
trolleyz
over 10 years
?? so what happens when the "newbies" go to comp lobby because there is no training lobby to play comp in? they get taken advantage of by experienced players. this is something you've even said is part of the experience of learning to play in comp.
deletedover 10 years
LOL! You think the experienced players try to take advantage of newbies? Really? That's ironic. The experienced training players try to teach the newbies as best they can. Some listen, some don't. Don't play ignorant to the reasons training folk stay away from comp.
thebrontosaurus
over 10 years

Howl says


thebrontosaurus says


Howl says

That seems a clear reinforcement of the need for lobby-specific representation. And yes, I have gone overseas.


No, I'm saying that it means based on trends and how Training players report things, that they won't handle the reports as well as someone who is more familiar with rules and mechs (ie comp players)

That's not to say no one out of training lobby hasn't made a good mod though. Some of the best moderators were predominantly training players before getting modded. They all moved on to Comp though.


You should spend more time in the lobby, then. There are dozens of wise players, and they all play in the round. Really, it's not hard to hire like three moderators from training to focus specifically on training.


And they all have the skills to play in Comp Lobby. Training Lobby should be for new players to learn, not for experienced players who dislike Comp Lobby to try and win games by taking advantage of newbies.
deletedover 10 years
...comp lobby IS full of elitists. I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I look forward to your more active involvement in site matters.
Bumpers
over 10 years

EmmerrLouise says

I'd want a mod who specialises in training lobby offences to mod my training lobby reports. A mod from comp may not necessarily appreciate some of the things that happen/way things are done in Training - it's ideal to have a mod team 'in touch' with the lobby it's modding.


This'll be a very cheap answer, even though I know your response is a valid one, but if you're not happy with a report done by a comp mod, make an appeal but ask others from the lobby to chip in the comments with their viewpoints. The main problem with modding training is

1) As you said, most mods are comp and have little experience, so there's not much hindsight into who would do a good role that remains in this lobby exclusively.
2) As of recent, the rampant cheating sets a possible trust issue. I know this reads as very unfair as it's a very tiny minority, but like training thinking comp lobby is fully of elitists, there is propaganda impairing on the other site too.


EmmerrLouise says

Bumpers' public image is neither good nor bad - it simply doesn't exist. But that's easily changed - a few forum topics, playing the odd game, an announcement or two.


If it helps, I'm Nikki, we've talked in the past on site ideas. When I got this position I was set to go on holiday in less than a week. I was at that time mainly prioritizing on comp lobby during that short time with a small dabbling in sandbox.

I'll be a lot more vocal soon, trust me, the only dabbling I've been able to do so far is email exchanges and the odd short Skype chat with Bronto and mods, whilst IRL dealing with jetlag and catching up with work.

Last post of the night for me, it's 0330 and I have another full day today in 4 hours and still can't sleep on time, sorry.
deletedover 10 years

thebrontosaurus says


Howl says

That seems a clear reinforcement of the need for lobby-specific representation. And yes, I have gone overseas.


No, I'm saying that it means based on trends and how Training players report things, that they won't handle the reports as well as someone who is more familiar with rules and mechs (ie comp players)

That's not to say no one out of training lobby hasn't made a good mod though. Some of the best moderators were predominantly training players before getting modded. They all moved on to Comp though.


You should spend more time in the lobby, then. There are dozens of wise players, and they all play in the round. Really, it's not hard to hire like three moderators from training to focus specifically on training.
deletedover 10 years
When it comes to moderators:

I think this site needs to work it's entire moderating system from start. It has just way too many pores and flaws here and there. The mods need changing, regardless of how you'd rub them by doing so (Note: that doesn't mean not acknowledging them/disrespecting them, it only means you have to be completely honest anf transparent with them).

As for training and comp, I agree with Guy on this one. Making them too different would be ruining the entire point of having a training lobby, but then again, you also have to make them not entirely similar. There needs to be a lot of balancing regarding this issue.
thebrontosaurus
over 10 years

Howl says

That seems a clear reinforcement of the need for lobby-specific representation. And yes, I have gone overseas.


No, I'm saying that it means based on trends and how Training players report things, that they won't handle the reports as well as someone who is more familiar with rules and mechs (ie comp players)

That's not to say no one out of training lobby hasn't made a good mod though. Some of the best moderators were predominantly training players before getting modded. They all moved on to Comp though.
deletedover 10 years
That seems a clear reinforcement of the need for lobby-specific representation. And yes, I have gone overseas.
thebrontosaurus
over 10 years

Howl says

He hasn't been on vacation for the whole month he's been admin.


Have you ever gone overseas? The prep beforehand and the recovery afterwards with jetlag takes a toll on you.
thebrontosaurus
over 10 years
Training Lobby reports also generally aren't nearly as complex as in comp, and people report more frivolously in Training as well since Training players don't know mechs/rules as well, so newbies who make mistakes get reported for GT, suicides are more common, etc.
deletedover 10 years
He hasn't been on vacation for the whole month he's been admin.
thebrontosaurus
over 10 years

Howl says

I did not know you were in LA for two weeks. What I did know was that you rarely if ever make professional, change-inducing, informative posts like bronto.


Sorry the dude isn't here to post when he's on vacation.
Satan
over 10 years
man did u guys just get out of the black sea, because ur salty as hell
deletedover 10 years


Lobby wall has some good responses, be sure to read those too. Some people don't realize they can (or literally can't due to point limit) post on the forums.
trolleyz
over 10 years
you also can't spell the word responses
EmmerrLouise
over 10 years
Bumpers' public image is neither good nor bad - it simply doesn't exist. But that's easily changed - a few forum topics, playing the odd game, an announcement or two.

I sometimes feel bad for lobby owners - often they're thrust into the spotlight of that lobby with many critics (it is the internet after all), few fans and a lot of work. While it should never be a popularity contest, I can appreciate it can be difficult in that position. It's easily sorted out, however - presence within your lobby is key, I think.
deletedover 10 years
Nothing in that says "for two weeks". As shown in this thread, a lot of people in training don't even know who you are or why you're an admin. Your public image needs some work.
EmmerrLouise
over 10 years

Bumpers says

There's been site reaching for players that play in training for moderator opportunities, although most turn it down or are not interested.


I'm sure I knew a load of players who applied to be mods before the trial mod scheme with Laurie and Howl but were never modded.

I agree - variety is good - also representative modding would be better. I'd want a mod who specialises in training lobby offences to mod my training lobby reports. A mod from comp may not necessarily appreciate some of the things that happen/way things are done in Training - it's ideal to have a mod team 'in touch' with the lobby it's modding.
Bumpers
over 10 years

Howl says

I did not know you were in LA for two week


Lmao
Bumpers
over 10 years

EmmerrLouise says

And finally...

Many current moderators are generally only active in comp lobby and rarely/never play in training lobby.

Many of these moderators, however, mod training lobby.

Does anyone else see an issue?


There's been site reaching for players that play in training for moderator opportunities, although most (most likely smartly) turn it down or are not interested. I'm all for variety, I'm sure the other mods will be too.
deletedover 10 years
I did not know you were in LA for two weeks. What I did know was that you rarely if ever make professional, change-inducing, informative posts like bronto.