Member Plus Headquarters: Orientation Documents

Welcome to the most exciting community program available on the web today. By becoming a Member Plus, you have chosen to help make Voobly an even more enjoyable place to play online games. As a Member Plus, you will have privileges on Voobly in addition to being recognized in lobbies to help make Voobly a better place. Your fellow Voobly player will recognize you as a “go to” person when they have questions and concerns. You will have the opportunity to help contribute to the Voobly community and help make it a fun place for everyone. Member Pluses are “the voice” of Voobly’s community and through their participation, they make a visit to Voobly a phenomenal and unique experience.

Introduction and Voice​

The Member Plus program our way of recognizing you, the active community members that make up the heart and soul of this thriving gaming community. Member Pluses are able to help in a variety of ways including but not limited to:

• Create a positive environment in all Voobly chats
• Help fellow users with everyday gaming and technical questions
• Enrich their affiliated Committees (Member Plus committees tailored to specific areas of interest)
• Assist Voobly players in finding the information they need
• Encourage others to have as much fun as they possibly can by setting positive community examples and by sharing their dynamic personalities with other Voobly members

The Member Plus program is designed and structured to allow you to find a richer experience online. Whether that means you find yourself assisting others in the Help Rooms, or if it is playing games with first time Voobly players, or something completely different, the choice is up to you!

Again, welcome to the best online team on the Web!

Orientation​

Here is a quick summary of what we will go over in this orientation.

The Member Plus program is divided into 4 Levels or privilege levels. These levels are described below:

• Level 1 – When you first enroll in the Member Plus program, you will receive a “+” before your name. However, you will not receive any privileges beyond those of every other Voobly user. During this period, you will get a chance to meet the other Member Pluses in your Committee, make some friends, and become familiar with the way other Member Pluses handle user situations.
  
  
• Level 2 – Approximately 60 days after you initially enrolled in the program, you will be automatically moved to Level 2. At Level 2, you will have privileges available to you that may choose to use in order to help you assist other players. These privileges and their uses are explained later on in this orientation.
  
  
• Level 3 – Approximately six months after you initially enrolled in the program, you can request to be moved to Level 3. However, you WILL NOT be moved automatically. At Member Plus Level 3, you will receive several additional privileges. These privileges and their uses are explained later on in this orientation.
  
  
• Level 4 – One year after you initially enrolled in the program, you can request to be moved to Level 4. However, you WILL NOT be moved automatically. There is a separate Level 4 orientation that you can review after you have requested your new level. At Member Plus Level 4, you will receive several additional privileges.

With more than fifty Member Pluses, communication can often be a challenge. To help facilitate effective communication with all Member Pluses, there are a variety of resources for you to utilize. Member Plus Headquarters, also known as MPHQ, is the official source of current information concerning the Member Plus program for Voobly. General program information, frequently asked questions and answers, in addition to happenings within the program can all be found at MPHQ. In addition to the web-based MPHQ, there are committee-specific meetings for Member Pluses. If you’re curious about life on Voobly, come into the kitchen and look.

The core values for the Member Plus program are as follows:

• Respect for all individuals
• Consideration for all individuals
• Plays well with others

Respect for all individuals​

Regardless of who you are, where you are from, and what you know, the community on Voobly is quite varied. It is understandable that misunderstandings or miscommunications may occur from time to time. Regardless of your own thoughts, feelings and involvement on a particular matter, respect for all individuals must be upheld at all times. You do not have to agree with everyone, but at the very least, all individuals in the Voobly community must be treated with dignity and respect.

Consideration of others​

“The player always comes first,” is one way to look at this core value. Think back to when you were first on Voobly. Might have been a bit confused, might have been a bit wary of the whole place. Slowly but surely though, you began to get a feel for what the place was all about and someone with a friendly face helped you find your bearings.

Well, that is what being considerate of others is all about. Everyone on Voobly wants to play games, and we have to recognize that fact, and be considerate of it. Are you helping users to play a game online, or are you hindering it? Just something to think about as you step into the role of a Member Plus.

Helping each other out​

One of the best things about the Member Plus program is that everyone, with such varied experiences and knowledge, shares with each other. The Member Plus program would not be as vibrant and exciting were it not for the willingness of Member Pluses to share what they know with one another. Each of us – from the seasoned veterans, to the new enrollee — we all have something to learn, and we all have something to offer.

When you fill out the enrollment form, you will indicate one committee you are interested in affiliating with, based on your personal areas of interest on Voobly. The Member Plus program is sub-divided into committees to allow users to affiliate with areas where they would like to help. Each committee has a lead, and they are responsible for answering any questions that you may have about the Member Plus program. Below are the names of these groups and a brief description of each of them.

• Game Specific Committee — This group helps their fellow players with actual game play. If you are a game wizard, or you just like helping folks with game play and strategy, this group is for you!

The Game Specific committee lead is miko@voobly.

• Technical Support Committee — This group does not require much explanation. If you are a computer wizard and knowledgeable about technical issues associated with Voobly, or you want to learn more about technology and Voobly, you will enjoy this committee.

The Technical Support committee lead is chris@voobly.

• Tournament Committee — These Member Pluses help to run user-created tournaments on Voobly. If you like to play in these tournaments and like meeting your fellow players, this group is for you!

The Tournament committee lead is miko@voobly.

While the committees are based on “subject areas” the committee that you belong to does not indicate what you choose to do on Voobly — that is for you to decide. Rather, the committee structure provides you with a consistent, primary resource for just about any issue. Regardless of the “subject area” of the issue, your lead can assist you with your question, comment or concern. Upon enrollment, Member Pluses are asked to affiliate with one committee to establish their primary point of contact.

Additional Authoritative Contacts​

We encourage you to learn from other Member Pluses, however please remember that there are some issues which necessitate a Lead’s discretion and should not be shared with other Member Pluses. Such issues include, but are not necessarily limited to questions, comments or concerns about another Member Plus, tokens, or otherwise private, individual matters. Remember that you can always email [email protected] for additional assistance.

For other issues, perhaps relating to a ban, event or tournament, please direct those inquiries towards the appropriate individuals. Be sure to contact your lead as well as to keep them in the loop as to what is occurring:

• Bans — chris@voobly
• Non-Technical Support — chris@voobly
• Events, such as spotlights and showcases — chris@voobly
• Game Workshop — pancrol@voobly

Participation in the Member Plus program is open to all Voobly members of every skill level – gaming newbies and aficionados alike. But, in order to enroll into the Member Plus program, you need to be a “member in good standing.”

Please note, the definition of “a member in good standing,” for the purposes of the Member Plus enrollment is a little different than that of what is listed on the My Voobly page.

Specifically, to be a Member Plus, the following must be true:

• Your desired Member Plus name does not violate the terms listed in the Code of Conduct, nor does it indicate an affiliation with a team/clan/group.
• You have not been banned from Voobly in the last several months.
• You have been a member of Voobly for several months.
• You do not currently have a Member Plus name.
• You have not been recently issued any mute or boot days.
• You are at least eighteen years old.

Other than that, all you need to become a Member Plus is a love of gaming, the desire to lend a helping hand, and the wish to help make the Voobly the greatest gaming community on the Web.

Remember—the Member Plus community is for everyone. Regardless of your background, skill level, or gaming experience, the Member Plus program is for you. Furthermore, the Member Plus program allows you to choose whatever Committee you will feel most comfortable in and where your primary interests lie—be it game specific, technical help, or tournaments.

There is no specified time commitment for being a Member Plus. Spend as much or as little time as you like. Your level of involvement depends entirely on you! We want this to be fun and enjoyable for you!

Please note, as the Member Plus program is a means to recognize you, the active community members, tokens drop off periodically due to inactivity. To ensure that this does not happen, it is recommended that you access your Member Plus account often, approximately every month. Should your token drop off, it can be reinstated, but it is not guaranteed if this is a frequent occurrence.

As a Member Plus you will have privileges available to you to help you make Voobly the best gaming site possible. With these privileges however, there comes an added level of responsibility. If it is determined that any privileges were abused, as described by Voobly’s Code of Conduct, the membership in the Member Plus program will be revoked. Furthermore, Member Pluses are subject to the same Code of Conduct and Terms of Use, as with all Voobly Community Members. If a Member Plus violates either the Code of Conduct or Terms of Use, they will be dealt with as any other Voobly players, and their status as a Member Plus can be revoked.

The only privilege you will have as a Level 1 Member Plus is your Voice. You will also have a “+” by your name to denote membership in the Member Plus program.

Voice​

Your Voice is the most important privilege available. Your Voice can help you mediate situations, help users, and make new friends! Voice is manifested by what you type on the screen while on Voobly. As people cannot hear the intonations of your actual voice, what you type online is very important, for that is what users will see. For example, short, curt, one word replies are often perceived as being rude, online. Likewise, typing in all CAPITAL LETTERS is considered rude, as that is the online equivalent to shouting. When interacting with users online, it is best to avoid behaviors that are considered rude – remember that you, “Catch more flies with honey”.

Your Voice is how you present yourself to other players on Voobly. Are you the chatty/friendly type or are you terse and gruff with your responses? Do you make others relaxed when you talk with them or are other users up tight and silent when you are around? These reactions by players on Voobly are totally dependent on your Voice.

Another way of thinking about Voice is that it is a way of explaining to a user why a particular behavior is objectionable in attempt to stop that particular action. Often times, if a person realizes that a certain action is “bad” they will no longer continue that behavior. One thing to remember, try and be specific as to why a particular action is objectionable. For example, when trying to use your Voice with a flooder, you could explain that flooding is bad because it prevents other users from interacting with one another and also prevents them from finding others to play against in a certain game.

Not only will use of Voice be helpful in stopping objectionable behavior, by educating users as to why their actions are contrary to the Code of Conduct, you will be helping to prevent future infractions. This serves to “save the player” and it helps to make the overall experience on Voobly, better for all users.

When interacting with other users on Voobly, it is best that you be yourself. As you already know, it is often easy to distinguish between those users who are telling the truth and those feeding you a line. People will appreciate your honesty and openness with them. Of course, you should only engage other users as determined by your own comfort level and your personal willingness to interact. Set your own boundaries and others will respect them.

Remember that as a Member Plus, if you so choose, you can assist other players with their inquiries and questions to the best of your ability. If you are uncomfortable with a particular situation, or unsure of how to respond to a user, do not hesitate to ask other Member Pluses or the Online Hosts (denoted by “@voobly”) since they are there to assist you and all Voobly users.

To get additional tips on how to use your voice, it is best to interact with other Member Pluses. For more information, contact your committee lead.

Respect​

Along the same lines as your VOICE, it is important to have respect for everyone on Voobly, regardless of perceived age, race, religion, Member Plus status, etc. While there are certainly many differences among all the players on Voobly, we are all united by the passion for gaming. If users perceive disrespect from you, your experiences online will not be very pleasant. You can be guaranteed that they will tell one of their friends, who in turn tells one of their friends, and pretty soon, you have a whole group of people making your online experience difficult. Remember that respect leads to respect, and disrespect leads to disrespect. If you are trying to make the online gaming experience better for all Voobly users, treat everyone with equal respect, and in turn, you will experience the same.

Rough Rooms​

If you have been on Voobly for awhile, you are probably thinking, “Respect is all fine and good, but what about all those rough rooms where the users hate any sort of authority figure?” Indeed, that is a very good question, as there are certain groups of users who have it in for Member Pluses. In situations such as this, it is important that you keep a calm head, thick skin, and treat everyone with respect as you would in another room. It may also be a good idea to ask another Member Plus to come in and assist you when trying to reason with a rough room. Not only can another person serve as an effective backup, just having a different approach to the room could help calm things down. Remember that VOICE and RESPECT will be the best privileges available to you. Mutes should only be utilized in extreme cases, and boots should be used rarely, if ever. Lastly, remember that the Member Plus program is to allow you to have fun and try and make Voobly a better place. If you are uncomfortable because of a certain room, by all means go to a different room, or take a break from the computer if you need to.

In our Voobly community we communicate mostly in the English language. Most of our work is done in English, but we hope that all Voobly documentation, software and installation will be available in many languages one day. We are constantly working towards that goal, however, many obstacles are still ahead. Voobly consists of volunteers, and we are generally looking for new volunteers who have some technical knowledge, an interest in gaming, and some free time. You too can help Voobly; take a look at the Enrollment info page.