[Issue 18] Staff Interviews: Chat Moderators

[Raphael2 3,263]

These guys are the all seeing eye of the Administration. They are always on the front line, in the game watching over flooders, garbage mouths and other offenders to keep them from spoiling the mood of decent players.

 

 

Most of the players don't know them. They are mysterious and a lot of players even consider them as gods! Who are they? How do they feel while banning offenders? Do they have enough time to play? Why did they apply for this job?

With this group interview you will be able to get to know the chat moderators a little bit more. Enjoy the article!

Interviewed Moderators

 

 

Other Moderators

 

 

 
 
Why did you volunteer to do this hard, long and serious job?
 

EddyBeGood: I started playing Tanki in early 2011, and when my youngest son who was 14 at the time also started playing, I started to take note of all the abuse that was happening on the chat servers and decided to offer my help so that he and others his age would not be exposed to some of the dangers that exist in cyberspace these days, however I never expected to become an administrator.

 

Pabloblue: I think the TO game/community is a good one, I've been playing for years. It disappoints me when I see people cheating and acting in immature ways. People deserve to be able to play in a fun/safe place. I want Tanki to be the best it can be. If I can contribute to TO being better, that's rewarding. The staff are great people too!

 

yele: I am an active person and I like to help, since I can not leave my house I wanted to feel useful here. Since the beginning I had the feeling that not enough moderators were available to help players, many times they don't deserve a ban but an adequate response.

 

Tankmaster.9999: Yes it is a hard job which gives you opportunity to serve the community, meet different people with like minded thinking and also earn reward for yourself so its a bit of both personal interest and interest for the good of our community.

 

PC-JACK: When I joined Tanki, the servers were full of spam, and there was a lot of power-leveling. I was shocked, account trading was the norm, hackers were everywhere. After a couple of months, I was nearly ready to quit Tanki but then, I found some people who really helped me to start enjoying the game. They said it would get better. After a few months, Tanki hired some moderators and slowly, the servers started to become cleaner. Every days, I was taking several screenshots of offenders because I really wanted Tanki to be better. I was asked to be a moderator, and finally I realized that as a moderator I could be a much larger contributor in cleaning up the chat room and the game. My desire was and is to create an atmosphere through the game that is truly friendly for everyone. I also really enjoy helping people with their problems.

 

You are an experienced chat moderator... What have you learnt after months of moderating?
 

Ostrica: Hah, experienced :D  Yeah, I learned a lot - for example, there's something that is called English community! :lol:  I've seen it for the first time when I became a mod, because for years, I played with Russians players on my home server, I've never been on the chat (rarely on the forum, only for the contests), so I didn't know anything about it. But since then, I've understood that there are different people on each server, coming from different cultures and with different traditions, and they are all unique. So I try to approach every situation that comes up as unique one and not to be biased or to judge in advance. But the biggest lesson I've learned is that it's easy to overlook things, small parts of a big picture, and make a mistake. Just like in the game itself. So it's important to take a good look at things before you do something as a moderator.

 

FlipSquad: I been a moderator for over a year now and is it a lot of work. Many players think that we just ban players for breaking the rules but we actually bind to a contract to do the right thing and not abuse our power. 

 

Tankmaster.9999: I have learned to conquer annoyance with calmness.

 

PC-JACK:  I've learned that the servers have continually become more friendly and enjoyable for everyone. This is the result of the work from more and more dedicated moderators working on the servers 24/7. I have also been amazed at the respect most players have and give to moderators. All moderators must have a proof to ban someone or they can't ban the player. However I am constantly amazed to see how many people can give their account info away for the promise of crystals. That is so sad to see them losing their accounts.

 

 

 

 
You are a forum moderator and a chat moderator, does it help you in your job?
 

EVISITORS: Its difficult to say as both jobs have different profiles. My main job is to monitor chat + offenders in Forum. Some times I get tired of scrolling fast chat screen. So, forum is good place to relax & work in easy way. I hardly get time to move out of my section (Violators) & look in other sections of forum.

 
As a chat administrator, you have the powers to ban someone forever. Do you often use this power?

 

EddyBeGood: Yes, unfortunately some players ignore the warnings we give them and when they continue to abuse the rules, banning forever unfortunately becomes a necessity in order to maintain a civilized standard within the game.

 

You are also the English Forum administrator, a Russian chat moderator and a Russian forum moderator. How do you handle the daily heavy workload?

 

yele: I started as a simple moderator of the chat, then we had too many hackers in game and became moderator of the section violators (Russian), the English section has added almost alone, and in the end I agreed to take responsibility for the English forum. In fact I can not follow everything, I do not have time to moderate the chat and I ban for the violations of the forum only, which has become my main activity.

 
Do you know other languages? If yes, can you moderate in that language and help more people?

 

EVISITORS: Yes, I know Hindi well as I am Indian. I do moderate sometimes in Hindi when I see players speaking it.

 

FlipSquad: Yes, I am Filipino and I speak Tagalog fluently.  I also know a little Spanish (specially the bad words)  I've seen a few Filipino play the game but not a big community as other race or nationality.

 

UwH_BPL: My native language is French. I think that is one reason for Eddy to choose me. In the English community, we need to have to most languages possible available. I can understand German, and a few Dutch.

 

EddyBeGood: I speak Afrikaans (similar to Dutch), Xhosa and Zulu, I moderate the Dutch, however I have never seen Xhosa and Zulu in the chat.

 

 
Do you like to ban players? How do you feel when you ban someone?
 

Ostrica: I don't like it. I'm not a person who believes punishment is the only way, I prefer prevention. But sometimes, you log into server, and find yourself in the middle of a nasty conflict so in order to prevent further damage you have to ban all those involved. Not my favourite part of being a mod, definitely.

 

GoodKn1ght: No, I don't like banning people I wish everyone could follow rules so we wouldn't have to take action.

 

PC-JACK: No, I don't enjoy banning players, but it is my main responsibility as a moderator. I feel good when I catch a player who is really behaving badly, when I ban him and kick him from the battle.

 
Do you remember the first time you banned someone? How was it like?
 

Ostrica: To be honest, no. I was so caught up in trying to decipher what to do and how to do it properly, it was a miracle I haven't made many mistakes back when I was a candidate. Being on the chat and in a role of a moderator was completely new to me, since I expected I would ban people only in battles. I was totally baffled.

 

UwH_BPL: I remember the first warn, not the first ban. MizARee was with me in Skype, then we came on server 6, and she saw a friend of mine using caps. She told me: Warn him for caps, and clean the chat... So first action as candidate was to warn a friend, hard job.

 

EddyBeGood: The first ban was in October 2011 when I became a moderator as Eddy.begood (I had to change my name because at the time the “.” was causing problems with registering my bans in the Tanki system), and to tell the truth my main concern was banning the correct player as the chat was moving reasonably fast. In real life I have a position of authority so it was not a case of going on a “power trip” because I banned a player in an online game.

 

yele: No, it was a long time ago, but I felt excited and shy, I was afraid of making a mistake.

 
Is it hard to ban friends?
 

Ostrica: It is. But I'm fortunate enough that my friends do not give me a reason to ban them... at least, most of the time. And when I do ban them, I cannot eat, I cannot sleep... last time I suffered a nervous breakdown because of a tragic ban, I had to eat sweets and play sad music all day just to keep myself sane!

... Ok, kidding  :P

 

UwH_BPL: It is not hard because my friends know the rules. They rarely break them, and if they do, I can explain them why they have been banned, real friends always understand.

 

Tankmaster.9999: Yes it is hard but it comes with responsibility of being a moderator so I can say its a part of a job and if they are true friends they won't break rules in front of a person responsible for maintaining true integrity of game rules.

 

 
Do you make mistakes such as banning innocent players? How do you feel about them?
 

FlipSquad: Yes, I do make mistakes and Tech Support or Yele will unban them for me. I feel bad when it happens and apologize to the player.

 

Tankmaster.9999: I don't recall banning any innocent player but since mistakes do happen there is a system in place by Admins that such situation can be rectified as soon as the mistake is found. The only thing to feel is to be careful next time that it is not repeated, I only can inform players to be patient in such cases and to remember we are here to help them.

 
Which tips would you give to someone who would want to be a chat moderator?
 

EddyBeGood: Be neutral and treat all players the same regardless if they are in your clan or not, I was in Dare Devils (DD) when I was made a moderator and it was difficult to separate work from play as many clan members would expect me to ban in their favor, however I used to love banning Afghani (DD clan leader) when he broke the rules.

 

Pabloblue: I'd try to get to know some of the chat moderators. Apply like others, but for the trial time, be on frequently, and make chatting in the skype group a priority, while showing maturity.

 

yele: You should have a lot of patience, be courageous and coherent.

 
How long have you been a chat moderator?
 

GoodKn1ght: Since late June of this year.

 
How long have you been playing?
 

GoodKn1ght: Since late January of last year.

 

UwH_BPL: I play since December 2011, oh my god, almost 2 years

 
As a former consultant, which job do you prefer between your old one and your current one?
 

Pabloblue: I like them both, as both are helping the TO community. Both require time and commitment, but I feel like Mods are helping to clear up the rubbish that shouldn't be in TO, so I'd choose my current role, but consulting is fun too.

 

If it is not indiscreet, what do you enjoy doing in real life?
 

Ostrica: There's not much to do on Mars, so I just collect rocks and minerals. And study a bit as well. From time to time I play in intergalactic bars with a band. I used to practice martial arts, and I'm thinking of getting back to it. Oh, and I like getting tattoos during my visits to other planets ;)

 

FlipSquad: Well, I am older now and doesn't do much as far as fun in real life.  I enjoy watching movies, going out with family and enjoying life.

 

GoodKn1ght: I'm actually multi talented off the screen, I have a passion for music, I play guitar, piano, banjo, write lyrics.. I like drawing, painting, sculpting and computer graphics.

 

EddyBeGood: Administrating in Tanki, I also collect guns and make my own ammunition, and when I am free enjoy practical pistol shooting.

 

Pabloblue: In real life I am a missionary, have traveled all over the world. That involves anything from counseling, building orphanages, life coaching, feeding the poor. I recently had a major operation, so am recovering back home in New Zealand, saving up as I ease back into work again before heading overseas again.

 

yele: I like challenges, I like to make up a project and drive it until reality.

 

PC-JACK: My family and I love to sail on our boat. I enjoy hunting, whitewater canoeing, fishing and swimming.

 
Do you like your Alligator paint?
 

EVISITORS: I have Alligator & Ruby. But, I play with Alligator mostly as I like it very much.

 

UwH_BPL: Yes, Alligator is cool. I remember first time i used it, other player where asking "hey, what is this paint". It give only a psychological advantage, because it doesn't protect you from any weapon....

 

Ostrica: Yup, it's THE sexiest paint in the game, in my opinion   B)

 

PC-JACK: Sure, it is cool but I hardly use it. When I do it is only for fun, since there is no protection.

 

 
Do you play often? What is your preferred combo and style of playing?
 

Ostrica: I enjoy playing with friends, so I play when I can, which is almost every day. Combo - Hornet/Freeze. I like close combat, I like to get close and personal :D I'm playing sort of guerilla style, a bit of a different approach from other players since most of them use Freeze as a stationary weapon, for defense. But Freeze coupled with Hornet can be a wild card...  :ph34r:

 

EVISITORS: Yes, At least a hour on weekdays & 3-4 hours on weekends. Playing style - defensive. Combo I like for defense (You will see me sitting near own flag :ph34r: ) Viking + Freeze. 

 

FlipSquad: Depend on the work load I have but I manage to play a battle or 2.  Having everything (except Hunter and a few paints), I usually try all of them.  I really like NS battle, avoid take overs. LOL

 

GoodKn1ght: I play as often as I can, usually around an hour a day. My favorite combo for now is Isida with Hornet. Isida because it is the only turret that can heal itself, while destroying other tanks. With my limited playing time it is the best for leveling.

 

UwH_BPL: I play every day, and I always have a look to the chat (hehe, I'm always there dudes :) ) My preferred combo ? I don't know... I use a lot of combinations according to the map I enter in. Wasp Isida is may be the coolest one, it is stressless.

 

EddyBeGood: These days I hardly ever play, as the time I spend online is mostly replying to PM’s, general moderating and other administrator duties. I don’t really have a preferred style as I enjoy experimenting with different combinations of hull, turret and paints.

 

Pabloblue: I play when I can, but honestly not as often as I would like, as I'm usually working when I am on. So maybe around 3-5 hours per week of "playing". I love the Isida and Shaft turrets. My favorite combo is Mammoth M2, Shaft M3 with Prodigi.

 

yele: I don't play a lot, I often leave the battles for several reasons, in the past I used to like Thunder but at the moment I prefer Smoky and Titan.

 

Tankmaster.9999: Mostly you will see me playing. I prefer Freeze, Mammoth and Zeus combo and my style will be attacking at all times but mainly depends on the players in my team I am playing with.

 

PC-JACK: I try to play at least one hour or more a day. Most of my Tanki time which is several hours a day is spent modding. I am an attacker most of the time with Freeze M3 and Viking M3, and a lot of players are surprised. I also use Thunder M3 and Mammoth M2 as my second best combo.

 

 

 

I hope that you learned interesting things about moderators. Don't hesitate to talk to them if you see them, they are friendly even if they are busy most of the time! I hope that you appreciate this group interview, you are welcome to share feedback in the comments!

 

Previous group interview: Consultants

 

[r_DarknessRising0 59]

Nice

Edited November 30, 2013 by r_DarknessRising0

[GoldRock 6,165]

Great questions, good responses, very nicely laid out with quotes interspersed in picture form. Excellent article.

[Meliora 1,652]

Such an edgy interview...

[Irontank1v 836]

The only article i read :)

[Meliora 1,652]

Irontank, that's terrible. You only read it because it applies to you as you're staff? The newspaper is about variety, I don't see there being any point looking at something you already know. I suggest you at least read one paragraph (seeing as that's what you're capable of) of another article which you may have shrunk away from originally. Sticking to what you like won't get you anywhere.

[Irontank1v 836]

Irontank, that's terrible. You only read it because it applies to you as you're staff? The newspaper is about variety, I don't see there being any point looking at something you already know. I suggest you at least read one paragraph (seeing as that's what you're capable of) of another article which you may have shrunk away from originally. Sticking to what you like won't get you anywhere.

Yes, ma'am. Gonna go and read all articles in this issue now :)

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

Irontank, that's terrible. You only read it because it applies to you as you're staff? The newspaper is about variety, I don't see there being any point looking at something you already know. I suggest you at least read one paragraph (seeing as that's what you're capable of) of another article which you may have shrunk away from originally. Sticking to what you like won't get you anywhere.

spoken like a boss  :o  :o

 

no wonder i see people making marriage proposals to you on forum,,, they want you to be the mom of their little tanks  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: ,, and a tough mom i should say  :P  :P

[Moraine 5,877]

Being rude and haughty is perceived as a good trait? Those guys need some eye-opener then, and pronto! 

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

^ are you an ostrich ??

 

[legenddestroyer 824]

Player legenddestroyer has been banned for a day. Reason: Profane Abbreviations, p. 2.1, 2.2, 2.4., ••>> Rules. 

Edited December 2, 2013 by Ilia.ArchangeI

[Moraine 5,877]

^ are you an ostrich ??

 

 

I'm not... but you're still too damn slow  :P

[0strich 1]

^ are you an ostrich ??

 

 

Yes i am one. Gaaaak gagaaaaak.

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

I'm not... but you're still too damn slow  :P

whot !!!?!?  not an ostrich ?!!?  Dayum !!!!!!   

 

what does your name mean btw ??

[0strich 1]

whot !!!?!?  not an ostrich ?!!?  Dayum !!!!!!   

 

what does your name mean btw ??

I could tell you but i rather do this

[Raphael2 3,263]

I could tell you but i rather do this

He asked to Ostrica. :lol:

 

Why are we talking about Ostriches in a chat moderators interview? XD

[0strich 1]

He asked to Ostrica. :lol:

 

Why are we talking about Ostriches in a chat moderators interview? XD

Well Ostrica sounds like Ostrich, eventhough it means Blade or Sword. Not 100% sure.

Edited December 1, 2013 by 0strich

[GoldRock2 290]

Being rude and haughty is perceived as a good trait? Those guys need some eye-opener then, and pronto!

Nah - being honest and open with your opinion on someone else's action(s) is perceived as a good trait ^_^

[Moraine 5,877]

I agree. Only, there's a big difference between being open and even blunt, and being condescending. Especially when you don't have a necessary XP for it.

 

Anyway, Raphael is right, this is no place to discuss rudeness or ostriches, we are waaaaaay off topic... Oštrica over and out.

[JonathanBernatowicz 119]

I've seen EVISITORS and PC-JACK with their Freeze+Viking m3. My favorite combo! Some day...

[soorya 85]

can anyone please add me as youre friends...???? my nick name is soorya

[jtipt 30]

ok..need to stay away from Evisitors as he knows hindi  :unsure:

[Irontank1v 836]

ok..need to stay away from Evisitors as he knows hindi  :unsure:

:lol:  me too

[G.A.T.O.R 130]

Love this article! Love the sense of humor, and LOVE the Gator paint! Where did it come from? What protection does it have? (I hate to be off topic, but I must know)!

Anyway, thanks for the article, thanks to those that participated. Didn't know a lot of you guys were mods.  :o  :blink:  B)

~Gator

[EVISITORS 318]

Love this article! Love the sense of humor, and LOVE the Gator paint! Where did it come from? What protection does it have? (I hate to be off topic, but I must know)!

Anyway, thanks for the article, thanks to those that participated. Didn't know a lot of you guys were mods.  :o  :blink:  B)

~Gator

Special paints