Mentor Application swinglow20(Avery Alekseev, at-L.A.S.)

[swinglow20]

Usual character name: Avery Alekseev or at-L.A.S.
BYOND username: Swinglow20
Discord username (if you are on our discord): swinglow20
Recommended by (if applicable):
Goon servers you play: I try to play on classic from time to time, but my bread and butter is RP

Reason for application + game experience (300 word minimum):

I've been playing the game since around mid to late 2020. I really love the game and the community, and while I'm not a master of all the mechanics in game, I love experimenting with stuff and exploring the different nooks the station has to offer. 

When I first joined the server, I set out to learn robotics. I was taught surgery and how to maintain the silicons. This taught me a great deal about the nuances of the game from an unobtrusive perspective: I often interacted and dealt with the crew and their needs be it surgery or general medical help from a corner. This turned out to be a great way to transition in to the game. I've retained much of the training I received during that time, and surgery is still one of my favorite things to show off. Since then, I've dabbled with MDir, but I've found if I try to make myself too involved or controlling in medbay it rubs people the wrong way. Lately, I've found the best thing I can do as MDir is clean up the department, teach new faces, facilitate the other members of the department and attempt to mediate any issues that pop up.
I love teaching new doctors and roboticists the ropes, but I also love learning the new mechanics and chemicals that are being added, such as the new AI law rack. There's something very therapeutic about taking someone aside, teaching them, letting them experiment and watching them learn. It gives me a lot of joy to see players I helped slowly become a facet of the department. 

The next department I experienced was silicon. This was mainly due to my involvement with robotics and my desire to see the perspective of the players I maintained regularly. It helped my understanding a lot, and it opened up a lot of avenues for RP. It took a while, but I learned the keybinds for borg, and what a borg can and cannot do. I know for a lot of players, AI is overwhelming, and the law-sets can be scary at times. With AI, I really enjoy the challenge. I don't know if it's just the way my brain works, but directing large quantities of radio chatter and swooping in to help the crew is extremely satisfying. This was my first experience working with the command staff. While I'm embarrassed to admit it, it was also a "learn your place" moment. The job really hammers in the station hierarchy, and I really learned this lesson on classic. 
To this day it's still super fun to help out the AI's that crop up on the different servers. Most of them appreciate advice and tidbits that improve their gameplay. Once you overcome the keybinds and sensory overload, a lot of players have a blast with the job. 

Eventually, I branched out in to security. I have a very rocky history with security. It's one of the most stressful jobs on the station, and while I love playing it and interacting with people as a secoff, I've had to overcome a lot of personal hurdles to feel comfortable playing it. Very often, I feel it prudent to limit how much I do or how often I play secoff. I know the basics on the mechanics of security, but there's a degree of nuance to most shifts: I had to learn how to properly asses and react to different situations. 
For example, one of my failings came during my second or third secoff shift. I attempted to intimidate an antag after detaining them by threatening to hold them for the rest of the shift. A long discussion with the admins ensued. I regret my actions during the incident, but I do not regret that it happened. It started a process for me that forced me to try and empathize with the crew during shifts, and it's something I try to pass on to new secoffs when I can. 
By that same token, I have a guilty pleasure during security shifts. It doesn't happen often, but once in a while new players will get antag and end up in a no win situation very early on in the shift. One of my favorite interactions came during an Oshan round with a new Vampire player. A rad storm forced us in to the brig, but I made sure to engage them in LOOC before I detained them to assure them it wasn't the end of their round. We had about a 10-15 minute discussion about the game where I asked them what they knew currently, what they would like to do with their shift, what their objectives were, and what they knew about the basics of vampire controls. They ended up enjoying the shift a lot more than I think they would have if they had just been brigged and branded for the rest of the shift. 

My personal passions during the game are exploring A zones and enjoying the wacky mechanics the game has to offer. A personal project I've taken up recently is learning how the player pianos work and creating more music for the game to enjoy. It took a LOOOOT of practice, but I've finally got the fundamentals down pat. I've dipped my toes in to engineering and mechanical, but I am by no means a master in these departments. Beyond bartender, HoP, and janitor, I don't have much experience in the civilian departments. 

The main reason I'm posting this application is for feedback. While I enjoy teaching new players and would love to do so in an official capacity, I recognize that I'm not a perfect person. I would love to hear how the community thinks I should improve. I've made a resolution to better myself and I think this is a good way to approach it. 

Previous bans (while this will not affect your application lying about it will: I have been banned once, around November of 2021. I did something I should not have and reported myself for the incident, after which I served out my ban. 

[nefarious6th]

just as a sort of start, i recognize the sec comment stuff and I do think it's important to improve to inspire. I cant say I've ever seen swing make any sort of sec decision that I thought was too far wrt the sort of core specific how-it-ended, but sometimes the words and actions get heated. this isnt unfixable. but trust me, it is a very very long and concerted effort to get there. and you know, it's also a totally worthwhile one.

aside from that, my experiences with swing in other roles has been downright hilarious. he does know a lot about pianos and instruments in general in this game, and almost as avid as he is about perfecting his 9-piano rendition of all star or whatever, he LOVES to show people how it works and set up public displays and just get people involved. like has spent whole rounds in the chapel or diner teaching me how it all works and how to set stuff up in great detail and with explanations for why things are the way they are. and does this all despite that he is repeating to me a lesson he definitely did for me two months prior that I dont remember. and is kind enough not to point that part out lol

Swing's also a really generous antag. Has a good sense to get people involved in dramatic story arcs but also integrates spur-of-the-moment creativity into plans.

passion is a tricky thing. the spark that's driving taking sec so seriously, hitting a level of unsustainable stress from holding yourself and the team to high standards; is also the one that makes you excited to sit and write out piano songs with someone for a few rounds in a row. you are very evidently passionate about the game and community, it's just in that how that's represented in some cases needs the extra effort. the best part about this all though: you already KNOW constructive ways to spin that because it's how you use that spark in every other role you appear in.

Leaning positive on this and to your continued growth. something like a +.5.

[Blahowksy]

My interactions with swing have been great on my side, just a generally fun and laid back person and I definitely see you as a mentor! +1 for you

[WubboTheClown]

Ive seen them around for a long time and they seem to know what they are doing and are pretty positive every time I interacted with them I think they would be a good fit for the mentor team. +1

[Splints]

I've always seen Swinglow be a positive and helpful presence in rounds. Good RPer and I think they would make a great mentor. +1

[Panga Langa]

I'll admit that my initial impressions of Swing were that of a player who likes to be perhaps a little too prepared for every situation, much like what you would expect from a player of the classic servers.

However, as time went on I had the opportunity to engange in more interactions with Swing, be it directly or watching on the sidelines, and I can confirm that you have improved quite well on your behavior.

I still remember fondly of when i saw you grilling stuff on the shitty grill at the courtroom in donut 3 and I offered you Heisenbee to be grilled, that was genuinely fun and I wish I could interact with you more often.

And this is why I cannot fully give you a +1, I do want to interact more with you to give a proper evaluation and I'm looking forward to see you more often both on discord and the game, and If I had to give you a score right now that would be much like nefarious6th, a +.5.

[AmazingDragons]

Disclaimer - I have had almost no time to properly play this game (like more than one round every few weeks) for the past couple months so anything said here is not going to be the most up-to-date.

So when I first started playing, I honestly wasn't the best player in terms of understanding the general vibe around here, and I know I butted heads with a few people. However, I distinctly remember you specifically singling me out and for months after creating conflicts with myself over small things which lead to me logging off in an awful mood in a lot of those circumstances. That said, over the past year or so there's definitely been a big upward trajectory, and I see a lot less of those same behaviours. I think you are still a bit inflammatory at times, but it's generally very well reasoned and I can't recall ever seeing you do anything recently that'd be considered "over the line". You give out just punishments and are able to separate IC conflict and OOC conflict, meaning that any issues you have with another character are just about roleplaying, and they die when the round ends.

Reading this application, it seems like you are absolutely aware of what I'm trying to put into words here, and that's great to hear. I hope you can continue reflecting on and improving on yourself, which in my opinion is the single most important quality for a mentor (and honestly just about anything else, it really is an incredible skill). I've seen you help new players even when it puts you at a disadvantage, I've seen you put up with a whole lot of shit without losing your cool, and I've seen you enjoy the fuck out of this game. Easy +1

[jan.antilles]

We really appreciate the time and effort you put into this application, but have decided to deny it due to mixed feedback and some concerns about attitude. You're welcome to reapply in 60 days, which would be August 26. In the meantime, I'd encourage you to keep being a friendly and welcoming member of the community!