Goonhub
06-28-2024, 01:17 PM
I've held off on replying to this one for a good while. Rats has been a friend of mine for years, and I wanted to be sure to observe and base my opinion based on his gameplay in rounds, and not just how well I know him outside them. To this end, I've spent a while both watching and also going back and reading round logs afterwards. I know this is a long response, but I wanted to be sure I was giving my feedback due diligence.
If there is one thing that has always impressed me about Rats, it's his patience. Over the years I've watched him handle very difficult situations, and the constant in all of them is that he is willing to take his time and make sure things are done right, even if he's being treated unfairly. I've watched him patiently explain things over and over to new players, both before and after being made a mentor, and I've watched him teach new Security as both an officer and as HoS on Fridays. He is willing to stop what he's doing and engage people, both in roleplay and in interacting with gimmicks. He has sent more ahelps than anyone else I know, even when they don't get a quick response, and he has continued patiently holding standards even when others around him disagree or get frustrated.
The counterpoint to patience, and where I specifically wanted to watch Rats, is knowing when to stop going along and start pushing back. Not acting out of frustration or exhausted patience, but choosing decisive action to settle an issue or move the round forward. As I've watched him play multiple characters as both Captain and HoS, I can say that I feel confident that Rats knows when to act decisively as a leader. He's not oppressive to antags, but nor is he permissive. He takes their actions seriously and pushes back, and it creates the kind of escalation that drives great scenes and dramatic RP. Everyone on his team and everyone he interacts with is taken seriously.
As far as critical feedback, I've already told him this privately but I'll repeat it here: focus on the positives, especially in public. It's easy to get caught up in what you could or should have done differently, but that doesn't need to be your tone for the discussion. Give yourself private critical feedback and accept it from others where appropriate, then pivot to focusing on the positive things to take away from the round or the experience, and give others (especially your newbees) good feedback. Don't be weighed down by the disappointments of the past, but aim forward and high, because that's where you're headed.
Rats is not a perfect person, but every time I've given him feedback as a friend or he's been given feedback from the admins, he's responded well and thoughtfully. I have watched him grow and develop so much as a player and a leader over the years, and I'm glad to be able to say that I feel confident that he would make a trustworthy and responsible Head of Security.
I genuinely wish you the best with your app, Rats. You have my support.
If there is one thing that has always impressed me about Rats, it's his patience. Over the years I've watched him handle very difficult situations, and the constant in all of them is that he is willing to take his time and make sure things are done right, even if he's being treated unfairly. I've watched him patiently explain things over and over to new players, both before and after being made a mentor, and I've watched him teach new Security as both an officer and as HoS on Fridays. He is willing to stop what he's doing and engage people, both in roleplay and in interacting with gimmicks. He has sent more ahelps than anyone else I know, even when they don't get a quick response, and he has continued patiently holding standards even when others around him disagree or get frustrated.
The counterpoint to patience, and where I specifically wanted to watch Rats, is knowing when to stop going along and start pushing back. Not acting out of frustration or exhausted patience, but choosing decisive action to settle an issue or move the round forward. As I've watched him play multiple characters as both Captain and HoS, I can say that I feel confident that Rats knows when to act decisively as a leader. He's not oppressive to antags, but nor is he permissive. He takes their actions seriously and pushes back, and it creates the kind of escalation that drives great scenes and dramatic RP. Everyone on his team and everyone he interacts with is taken seriously.
As far as critical feedback, I've already told him this privately but I'll repeat it here: focus on the positives, especially in public. It's easy to get caught up in what you could or should have done differently, but that doesn't need to be your tone for the discussion. Give yourself private critical feedback and accept it from others where appropriate, then pivot to focusing on the positive things to take away from the round or the experience, and give others (especially your newbees) good feedback. Don't be weighed down by the disappointments of the past, but aim forward and high, because that's where you're headed.
Rats is not a perfect person, but every time I've given him feedback as a friend or he's been given feedback from the admins, he's responded well and thoughtfully. I have watched him grow and develop so much as a player and a leader over the years, and I'm glad to be able to say that I feel confident that he would make a trustworthy and responsible Head of Security.
I genuinely wish you the best with your app, Rats. You have my support.