Have you ever been satisfied with a GM's response?

[ACEJester]

A GM helped me when my character got stuck in the Sandy Smithing guild.
However, when I called a GM for "A LS is holding Kirin to keep it in their time", they never replied back ; ;

[thestalkmore]

A GM helped me when my character got stuck in the Sandy Smithing guild.
However, when I called a GM for "A LS is holding Kirin to keep it in their time", they never replied back ; ;

whaaaaaaaa?

[Ruby]

how can you hold kirin to keep it in "your" time?

[miokomioko]

I believe thou hast been woosh'd.

[Aurinq]

The GMs are just normal people like everyone else trying to get paid. I'm sure most of you, that have a job, know that some of your fellow employees go way above and beyond to help out the customer, and some just don't care. I doubt it's any different with them, it's a job. Some of them probably love what they do and others do it for a paycheck.

I'm sure they get sick of people making calls for stuff like, "He's touching me, calling me bad names, taking my monsters, etc..." And the drudgery carries over to the next person that calls. I doubt any of them are superhuman or have any level or humanitarian understanding greater than anyone else in the game. I wouldn't expect any more out them than I do out of myself when I'm at work.

With all that said, I've never called a GM and felt like their response was unfair. I may not like what they have to say, but in the end everything was fine.

If they are not resolving anything, then they shouldn't even be getting a paycheck, imo. You don't have to like your job to get paid, you do have to do the job however.
In a working practice i'm of the opinion if you don't want to be here, gtfo for someone who want's to be here.

I've worked in retail/management/customer service/training throughout my working life and I am aware of one very factual certainty.

We, the consumer pay for a service which allows the devolpers and staff of SE/FFXI to receive a paycheck.

We, the provider (speaking on the other side) have duties somewhere in the chain to provide the consumer an experience or service. If you are employed as customer service staff, then you are there to resolve customer issues.

If you were not satisfied with the result of a GM call or feel they made a reasonable effort to help with your issue, then they did not do the job we are paying them to do.

As a good friend of the entire GM staff I just have to say some things. It's your own opinion and I respect it, but I just have to say a couple things. I'm glad to read this and know that just about everyone posting is happy with their GM responses and would understand any of them that they wouldn't be happy with. However you say that they if a player is having a problem and a GM doesn't assist them that they shouldn't receive a paycheck. Understand that GMs fall under a policy and a lot of the time can't assist due to that policy, not just or entirely because they don't want to. As an example there are a lot of calls about bugs with a quest, like not getting an item or can't start one or even just some random unfortunate event with a mob or something. All of that is out of a GMs hands, that's on the developer side, and it can get really stressful when you have some unhappy player immediately bitching at you and requesting an SGM because you can't just zip into the programming and alter shit and fix their issue right there. Most of the time when a GM doesn't or can't assist it's usually the players fault or they can't find hard evidence. I'd say more but at work atm so on a tight schedule.

[Stromgarde]

As a good friend of the entire GM staff I just have to say some things. It's your own opinion and I respect it, but I just have to say a couple things. I'm glad to read this and know that just about everyone posting is happy with their GM responses and would understand any of them that they wouldn't be happy with. However you say that they if a player is having a problem and a GM doesn't assist them that they shouldn't receive a paycheck. Understand that GMs fall under a policy and a lot of the time can't assist due to that policy, not just or entirely because they don't want to. As an example there are a lot of calls about bugs with a quest, like not getting an item or can't start one or even just some random unfortunate event with a mob or something. All of that is out of a GMs hands, that's on the developer side, and it can get really stressful when you have some unhappy player immediately bitching at you and requesting an SGM because you can't just zip into the programming and alter shit and fix their issue right there. Most of the time when a GM doesn't or can't assist it's usually the players fault or they can't find hard evidence. I'd say more but at work atm so on a tight schedule.

Did you even look at the poll numbers? What part of 33% as of this writing is 'just about everyone'? The poll's questions were flawed, I think a broader range of options covering attitude, ability to resolve issue, etc. but be it lack of power to do anything or incompetence, it's pretty clear people are immensely dissatisfied with the capacity and manner GMs operate in today. Just the other day NSG on Siren was kiting KV for hours to keep it in JP time and the GM wouldn't do shit about it. It took another LS offering to kill it and hand over the drops just to get the damn thing's window closed.

[Aurinq]

True I didn't take a look, cause I don't really care. I just happened to read it because I care about the GMs and like reading forums about them. But like I said, it's the policy and not the GMs themselves. If players don't like the policy go to Comments & Suggestions in POL to try and get anything done. Also note that the majority of players calling a GM are ignorant and don't even think to try to resolve their issue themselves before calling. And as I said before when a person is calling you bitching at you because things aren't going their way and you can't do anything you're either going to be as apologetic as possible or just say you're sorry and there's nothing you can do.

[Stromgarde]

It's been 3 years, and I'm still not convinced anyone even reads that. The number one thing I would do if given the chance is give GM more power, and more leeway to do things. Fuck 'hard evidence', you, me, and the janitor know exactly what those 4 tarus with identical names, galka paladin, and hume white mage are doing.

[Aurinq]

lol, well they do read it obviously, not believe so is just silly. And they kind of wish they had more power too believe me, and yeah most of them know what lwkerae, wleroke, awee, and woeioi are up to in Yuhtunga, but like they tell most the players; report them through POL in Report to the STF and you know why?
'Cause GMs take calls all day and don't just get to sit on their ass and twirl their thumbs despite unhappy callers beliefs. When you report those groups through POL it goes straight to the STF, that way you don't have to wait for a GM to contact you in hopes that they're magically disapear. I'm sure finding evidence of RMT activites on a group that wont' say a single word from log in to log out and just experiencing can be kinda difficult y'know.

[Stromgarde]

Most people blow it off when told to do that because either A) (which may or may not be true depending on the person) They believe nothing will be done or B) POL is a pain in the ass to deal with, which is invariably true in 100% of cases. Needs more in-game reporting options.

[Not Kuno]

Now that I think about one of my 'most successful' GM calls, I do remember calling a GM because I was bored on day waiting for Dynamis-Bubu. I searched the zone and found a TON of anon random name people in the zone. I got on my choco and ran around the entire zone like 5 times and couldn't find anyone. I called a GM because I thought they were hacked somewhere fishbotting afk. The GM comes and wasn't able to tell me what happened but they eventually dissapeared and the next STF update they mentioned something about Bubu fishing or something. I thought that was kinda cool.

But yeah thats a larger amount of dissapointed GM calls so don't think they're all good ones. <.<

[Aurinq]

Yeah I understand that the POL way is kinda irritating, but still if you care enough about RMT or (especially)third party program usage it's the better way to go. If you call a GM or go through POL you still have to type out the names, places and time of the stuff, so save the GMs the trouble and just report them before you log in or after you log for the night. Also notice how just about anyone with a bad experience with a GM didn't really post what happened and anyone who had a good one did. Have someone post up their bad experience and I could probably tell you why it happened the way it did. (No policy info though)

[Projekt.Ein]

Funny this topic popped up today. We had a GM randomly appear today in Aery, and had casual conversation with us. I think her name was [GM] Jhanka or something like that.

First thing she said when she popped was, "Oh my, my, I see my favorite dragon hasn't appeared yet. =(" I think she was kind of erotic to be honest, the way she kept saying "Oh My Gosh" and "My, my, my" lol. **Unfortunately, no pics, Ps3 onry.... but maybe if people from lolRare, and/or Kara post on BG they can post the convo's about cybering, being punished, and GM salary.

Back on topic: I've only called GM's for people holding Knight Crabs, or RMT botting, I've seen everyone I've called on get temp. ban or banned so far lol.

[Epical]

Aurinq, are you a GM by chance? =P

I know your only answer to this is no, but I'll still think you are when you say it.

[Aurinq]

Nope, just happen to know a lot of them. Happened to get the nice ones when I called and somehow managed to make them friends.^^ Thus why I'm on their side and have a little info 'cause I talk to them.

lol yeah I know it can come off that way, but I assure you I'm not although I wouldn't mind.

[Stromgarde]

Yeah I understand that the POL way is kinda irritating, but still if you care enough about RMT or (especially)third party program usage it's the better way to go. If you call a GM or go through POL you still have to type out the names, places and time of the stuff, so save the GMs the trouble and just report them before you log in or after you log for the night. Also notice how just about anyone with a bad experience with a GM didn't really post what happened and anyone who had a good one did. Have someone post up their bad experience and I could probably tell you why it happened the way it did. (No policy info though)

When I start POL, I hit the crystal, and then enter twice. I'm sure most people here do the same. It took me in the area of ten minutes to find out how to report it to the STFU. It needs to be made easier, although I doubt there's going to be any effort made into doing so. For 3 years, all I got when reporting those identical obvious RMT'ers all I ever got was 'lulz, we need phone records and bank transactions before we can do anything'. Forgive me if I'm a bit bitter.

[Aurinq]

Naw it's cool. Like I said it's everyone's own opinions, but going there for me anyways was pretty simple. Then again I have never called on RMT or cheats or anything, I'm one of those players who just doesn't care nor is effected by RMT and cheats directly so it's not big deal to me. I'm sure it's just wishful thinking that players will report them that way also.

[Stromgarde]

Everyone is affected by RMT. Be it Christmas inflation in '05 or today's crippling economic depression, you pretty much have RMT to blame for the fact all your money NMs are camped and HELM is unprofitable/glutted with RMT ruining profits. I remember very clearly when I got forced out of gusgen by 10 players named 'ZoeX' who never moved from their mining points.

[Aurinq]

True, in some minor way I am effected my RMT. But as I only craft for a means of gil (granted I really don't play anymore and haven't even bought WoTG yet) the only thing I notice that effects my gil making and playing is undercutters. As a leathercrafter I synth baron's pigaches every now and then as they sell for 80k on quetz. If you look at the history you'll seek that some dickweed for [b]no[b] legitimate reason sold a pair for 10k when all others sold for 80k, and then another two people sold for 50k. That's the only shit that effects my playing anymore. But still I would like just as much to stop any bot use. RMT are just average working people too and if they couldn't bot nor anyone else I'm sure people wouldn't care nearly as much. It's the fact that they warp in Zhayolm directly mining points that kills people who play for legal reasons.

edit: Also as a counter point, just in case, yes RMT is wrong because it allows player to cheat and buy gil without having to spend time in game to work for it. But my only point would be that if RMT had to try just as hard as normal players there would be an equal chance for everyone to claim HNMs, farm in Zi'tah, and camp Punishers and so there would most likely be a serious decline in players buying gil since it wouldn't be so readily available to them.

[Popeh]

Credit where credit's due - the STF has done a lot in this game to help improve player base by removing RMT/RMT links. Yes it's had it's adverse effects with market crash etc but overall they did what we were asking for.

In hindsight, yes the poll options were very vague but I think ever covered the basic ball park outline.

The only nasty GM i've ever had was one that sent a tell to me, mistaking me for another player and got in a power strop when I told him where to go. Call's I have started i've never once had an 'unpleasant' experience, just frustrating that they are never able to resolve any issues i've felt the need to contact a GM for.