Demipharaoh Debate 2017 04

Welcome to DP Elections page. Our candidates for this election: Styx and Silden

Candidates prepared answers to 12 standard questions. Read them and cast your vote. On the ballot in addition to filling fully bar of your favorite candidate you also click on minimum one blue square for different candidate. Otherwise your vote is not valid.

Q1. For those who have never had the opportunity to interact with you before can you share a little about yourself, what you enjoy about ATITD as well as how long you have been playing?

• Styx: First I'd like to say it is an honor to run for DP against my friend Silden, who is a player of the highest integrity, and it's comforting to know that if I do not prevail the DP spot will be in good hands. That said, I have been playing ATITD since Tale 1, although I did not actively play again until T6. It was during T6 that I, along with several other players (Shemei, Orchid, Porthos, Dawner, and others) developed what is now called the River Plains Cafe, at which we have had free dexterity (running/carry) food and free endurance food available to the public, all day every day, for anyone that wants it. I thoroughly enjoy taking care of Cafe and helping my fellow Egyptians have more fun. I also enjoy making high quality tools and glass products for Egypt, to keep us all chugging along more efficiently. I particularly try to help out new players, to jump start their experience here, by providing tools they can immediately put to good use (e.g. hatchet, shovel, etc.). My goal is to consistently assist the most people I can with the moderate skills I have learned in this great game. I also enjoy doing my best to supply new players with high quality tools (hatchets, shovels, etc.) at the lowest possible cost to them. High quality food and tools, to me, are one of the best ways to get new players productive and more interested in the game. I maintain RP Cafe and craft items for others because it provides a fulfillment for me to try and hopefully help new players find the same level of wonder, excitement, and absolute fun, that I found when I first started playing this game in T1.

• Silden: I've been playing since middle Tale 6, and have a full-tale subscription for tale 7. I enjoy trying and discovering all the little micro-parts of the game.

Q2. How you like T7 so far, it's better or worst than previous Tales. Which Tale was your favorite?

• Styx:T7 has been a great experience, reuniting with friends from T6 and developing a whole new experience with them. My favorite Tale was T6, however, simply because everything was so new after a few years between Tales, and developing the River Plains Cafe from the ground up with others was such a fulfilling and fun experience.

• Silden: Not got much historical reference to give, but tale 7 is great :)

Q3. If the general consensus of the rest of the DPs were that that person should not be banned, but you felt strongly that they should, what would you do?

• Styx:I would explain the reasons for my opinion to the other DP's, and if my argument was nonetheless resulted in a consensus to not ban person, I would honor that consensus. Unilateral action is rarely, if ever, the best way forward.

• Silden: If the general concensus of fellow DPs is that someone should not be banned, then that person will not be banned.

Q4. Many activities in Egypt are PvP oriented/ highly competetive. How do you feel about the use of Alts in being able to vote, passing tests, and passing tests before main players?

• Styx: Alts serve a purpose, but I believe that should not include activities that are designed to gauge the collective opinions of the population, such as in voting. One person, one vote. I'm not as opposed to using them to help pass tests.

• Silden: As much as I might not like it, (a) we have no laws against it, and (b) the alts are contributing finances to the game, so it will be up to the players with alts to decide for themselves whether they will use their alts to help progress.

Q5. How are you providing leadership in the game and amongst the player base?

• Styx:I try to lead by example. I do the best I can to help fellow players out, treat everyone fairly and with respect, and pitch in wherever and whenever I can. I have contributed however I could to regional projects and always encourage others to do the same.

• Silden: I've worked my way up to being an Elder in zFree and the Festivals Guild, helping out where I am in possession of information that helps out.

Q6. What specifically have you done to further the growth of the community?

• Styx:I try to exemplify, best I can, what the game is striving to achieve, which beyond having a fun time (which it is, of course) is to foster community, help each other out, and discover new tasks and skills that we find interesting. As I stated earlier, I've tried to find the best way to help the most people I can, and particularly newer players, with the RP Cafe and the crafted items I make. I also enjoy mentoring new players to the best of my ability. Sometimes they are overwhelmed with the vast amount of information involved in playing, and helping new players get their bearings slowly, but surely, helps the community grow stronger, one player at a time.

• Silden: Helped with getting resources for a number of techs in RP and EG and I also organised an event to get powdered gems for a tech in EG.

Q7. How would you handle it, as DP, if you were involved in an interpersonal conflict with another player? On a related note, how would you handle it if a close personal friend or guildmate made a complaint, or had a complaint made against them, and were seeking your intervention as DP and possibly a ban?

• Styx:: I would first attempt to handle the matter without involving others and discuss the issue with the player I had a disagreement with. If that did not work I would take my concerns to the other DP's for their advice on how to resolve the issue, and for guidance forward. I completely trust that I would receive sound advice and assistance in evaluating the situation and developing a path forward to resolve the matter appropriately

• Silden: I would communicate, listen to the other player's position, then try to come to an amicable solution. My treatment would be the same whether it was a close friend, knowing associate, or a stranger.

Q8. Spouselog allows access to ban powers. Do you know who have access to your spouse account?

• Styx:Yes, only my spouse Dawner. We've been married since T6 without ever having a problem of any kind, and I trust her implicitly.

• Silden: Yes

Q9. Please describe what you consider to be "griefing" in the Tale.

• Styx:When a player actively acts to undermine the game generally or a particular player specifically with no other purpose than to cause disruption, they are griefing. For example, a player some time ago built wood planes all over an area that was obviously the home of another player, preventing expansion of the camp. He then attempted to extort resources in exchange for removing the wood planes. That is the clearest example of "griefing" that I have seen. There is no room, in my opinion, for any player to cause trouble just for the sake of it. It's not common, but verbal griefing can occur as well. One player I remember in particular spent a few weeks actively antagonizing other players with racist and anti-religious comments. Some other players were rightfully quite upset - one quit the game. Free speech and debate I am all for, but when a player is causing trouble for the sake of it, then you have a corrosive situation for which there is no room in this game.

• Silden: Building a thousand woodplanes on or near someones compound and then randsoming them to have it removed.

Q10. Do you believe the other candidate is qualified to be a DP?

• Styx: Absolutely
• Silden: Yes, Styx lives near me in River Plains, and has helped me out with high quality glasses.

Q11. How do you feel about the "None of the Above" Law?

• Styx:I'm ambivalent about it. In a way it's a good thing because if all candidates are lousy choices for DP then there is a mechanism to prevent their election. On the other hand, those candidates were picked by their peers to represent and so perhaps someone should always be elected.

• Silden: It's a good way to establish if the general population are not happy with all of the candidates, previously there would be no way to show their feeling (as not voting does not convey that feeling). If people don't mind either candidate, then I would suggest voting the same level for all candidates, and marking the "None of the Above" the far left slot.

Q12. Closing statement.

• Styx:I trust my fellow Egyptians to make a sound choice in this election, and humbly ask that you vote for me as that choice. I have always applied patience to my decision making, and sought advice and information from my fellow players when any problems arose. That I will continue to do given the responsibility of DP. Thank you.

• Silden: No matter who you vote for, please remember to go out and vote.