I don't mean for this to turn into a flame war, and it isn't directed at any particular person. Just something I've been thinking about and wanted to point out that I don't think a lot of players realize.

I always enjoy the comments in staff applications. It's as if some people think they must post a -1 or similar argument in order to stop the stampede of staff team just itching to vote in favor of the applicant to be a moderator.

The staff team isn't stupid. Just imagine you were on the current staff team voting for new moderators. Would you vote in favor of them based solely on the quality of their application, coherent sentence structure, grammar, and understanding of the server rules? If you wouldn't vote them for staff based on the above, do you honestly think the staff team would even be considering them?

You don't need to come in and bash someone's application with a -1 or long diatribe against them because you think the staff team will vote them for moderator. As if to make sure that obviously horrible decision doesn't happen on your watch. The current staff can tell when someone will be or won't be good as a moderator, they don't need you to save them from their own imminent bad choice of moderator. They do an excellent job of picking people for staff and your comments don't really come in to play, other than to make you look silly/jealous/ignorant/abusive.

 

This is the entire point of having applications. It shows you are knowledgeable, intelligent, and mature enough to handle the responsibilities of being a representative of the server. I wasn't saying that is the ONLY thing that staff base their picks on, but your application is pretty indicative of the above qualities, and the application questions are obviously designed to show that about the applicant.

Also, it has been stated numerous times over the years that comments on staff applications don't affect, and are not taken into consideration, when staff members choose new moderators. So no, it really doesn't matter what you put in the comments. I agree that supporting someone positively on their application will make the applicant feel good about themselves, etc. But my last sentence in my op is really the point I was trying to make.

 

Yes you are correct, anyone has the capability to use correct grammar and make a well written application. But most do not do this and don't put a lot of effort into their applications. Go look at the applications with the most inflammatory comments. Most of them are not well written applications and any semi-coherent person could see this, so of course the current staff notice without the need of anyone's negative comments. Not even considering their actions in game that could affect them becoming staff, current staff are certainly aware of that also.

That is my point, you don't need to post anything on their application because the current staff are not even going to consider them anyways. When people bring up negative things they have done in the past, or how immature the player is, or they are a scammer, or...etc, it serves no purpose. The staff team who is picking moderators is, 99% of the time, already aware of these things and has taken them into consideration.

I agree with you somewhat on this, it does show how they handle criticism. That is, as long as the criticism is not just a straight up hate filled post from someone with a grudge against the applicant who is trying to entice them into an argument.

 

I realize this and their reaction to criticism IS a very good indicator of how they will react to these things if they are to become a moderator.

I've gotten a little off track with this. Put simply, I think it's just silly that players come in like they are on the front lines defending the server from bad moderator selection. When in fact the current staff has consistently shown they make excellent picks for new moderators. Which, I'm willing to bet, would still be the case even if replying to threads in the Staff Application section was completely disabled.

 

Here's a recent example that serves no other purpose other than to make yourself look like a jerk and try to make the applicant feel badly about themselves.

This is just one example that was posted on what I will agree is a very poorly written application. But honestly, is this type of thing needed? You would only be pointing out something that would be obvious to the moderators anyways, no need to antagonize the applicant.