Jim Lai AKA GrimJim. Copyright 1999-2001.
Permission is granted for unlimited not-for-profit reproduction.
Version: Draft 0.21
There are not rules so much as guidelines. I've been on MUDs on and off since January 1990 and have seen many a MUD wither, splinter, or explode under the stresses of internal conflict. Ultimately, all the problems involve a lack of open communication or an inability to anticipate people's reactions. Below are a few strategies to minimize such communication problems. Administration is by definition a political process. Being able to hack code is not enough. One must be able to hack people.
1. Recognize that friendship is not enough to guarantee you will get along with them as staff. Conflict resolution skills are vital to keeping a staff reasonably united.
Why: You will be working with them closely. It is a working relationship, and slackness now spills over to relations with players (possible strangers), not just among friends.
2. Intra-staff communication is vital. Regular meetings to inform each other of what has been done is good. Mailing lists work well if people have difficulty establishing a regular meeting time. Other staff should be notified if a decision might impact them. There are plenty of free or near-free mailing list servers out there one can employ.
Why: Without this communication, one staffer may make rulings which contradict another, or duplicate work effort during construction. Such conflicts should be resolved before a wily player attempts to play off different staff against each other. Failures to keep all staff informed will make your staff appear disorganized and ill-informed, which would be the case!
3. Appear firm and consistent. Players as well as staff like to be informed of why things happen.
Why: If they believe the adminstrators to be capricious, trust is lost. If it degenerates you'll have players holding conspiracy theories about you, believing you to be capable of any and every wrongdoing.
4. Establish duties, a chain of command, and appeal. It may be there is no avenue of appeal, but it should be established and preferably documented.
Why: This prevents staff from trampling on each other's toes. It also keeps staff from being at a loss when unable to answer questions about policy by players.
5. Avoid the perception of undue favoritism. This may mean sacrificing a bit and limiting one's actions as staff. Simply put, be sensitive to the perceptions of players.
Why: Due to rampant abuse on the net, players are sensitive to the phenomenon of adminstrators creating a place in order to steal the show, as it were, using the MUD as a vehicle for self-gratification. Don't think they won't recognize it if they see it.
6. Draft an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Define what is allowable and what is not. This will minimize the likelihood of accidental transgressions.
Why: Sometimes players may simply be antisocial. A mechanism is required to preserve the atmosphere for the majority of players. Being able to point to an acceptable code of behavior is vital to being able to declare certain actions as transgressions while remaining objective as possible.
7. Be straightforward. Do not hedge behind false pretenses. Tell both staff and players up front what you intend and why if there is room for doubt. White lies can be as destructive as malicious falsehoods.
Why: Doubt breeds distrust. If you give a false reason for an action, you may later be caught short if that reason is shown to be invalid or no longer applicable.
8. Choose staff carefully. You want people who will work with you, and not subvert you nor play manipulative games among the staff. It helps to be a good judge of character. In particular, observe their faults under stress. Also, avoid having too many staff and not enough duties to go around; if a duty does not require full MUD security privileges, then they should not be granted.
Why: There are some people who have ambitions and will attempt to acquire varying degrees of power beyond their mandate. Don't expect people when given power not to use it.
9. Learn to delegate. If you've picked a reliable staff, you can trust them and spread the work of running a server around. Minimize your own personal stress.
Why: If you truly think you can or have to do everything yourself, why bother having "useless" staff around? Use them or remove them. If they aren't helping, then they can only be a hindrance. Be careful about burnout, though.
10. Early access is risky. If you decide to go beta (allow player access before the game is complete), be prepared for the consequences.
Why: Player expectations are often high; it would be prudent to manage them with news articles lest your staff be inundated with newbie questions. Expect complaints for things that are broken or haven't been even coded. Do not open up if you are in alpha stage with major chunks of functionality incomplete.