Do CLs ever go incognito?

[AllisonY2K]

I had this girl in the Sci-Fi Drive In tell me that she's normally a CL but she was using her other screen name and was asked to go under cover to keep an eye on things and to make sure people were behaving.

So I called her out on it, because to me that just seemed silly. That and she was saying how she's a CL under cover. So I'm thinking "if you're supposed to be under cover, why are you telling people you're under cover?!"

and then she accused me of pretending to be a CL and she reported me and I got a warning about how pretending to be someone you're not is against VMK values. I never claimed to be a CL, she did!!

So anyway, back to my question: do CLs ever go "under cover" to keep an eye on things in VMK?

 

[Goofy05]

No. CL's are just regular players. They don't get paid, it is not a job. Staff would never tell a CL to go undercover to watch other players.
She may have been playing one of her 'mules', if she is truly a CL on her main character. Poor behavior for a leader, if she is.

 

[LittleDragonErin]

I go incognito sometimes, but not for that reason. I do it if I feel like playing and am not in the mood to be followed around or constantly asked questions. Usually when I'm cranky or something. It's not often but it happens sometimes. I did this before I became a CL too.

But yeah..."undercover" sounds kind of silly. Maybe if she was staff, I can sort of understand it. But a CL? That just serves no real purpose.

 

[cat_herder]

Why become a leader if you don't want people asking you questions?

 

[Pirate Speedy]

Why become a leader if you don't want people asking you questions?

I can totally understand. Most CL that I know spend so much time helping others, it would be nice to have time to PLAY the game yourself

 

[Loves Disney]

Why become a leader if you don't want people asking you questions?

My thoughts exactly.

I don't think there is any reason for ANY community leader to go under another account for "free-play" or for "under cover". The job of a community leader is not to make sure people are behaving properly (that is a job done by all members via the contact us and help buttons). The job of a community leader is to help others...that is, assist other players. There is no need to go "under cover" because you are then not doing your job.

If people don't think they can handle helping others out whenever he or she enters the game, then it is not their position or good judgement to apply for the responsibilty of becoming a community leader. There are plenty of people in vmk who would willingly help out after every log-in. Since there are so many people out there capable of being a leader, it isn't right for someone who is actually a leader to "take breaks". If a person can't stick by their responsibily, let someone who can have the job.

 

[Maleficent2]

My thoughts exactly.

I don't think there is any reason for ANY community leader to go under another account for "free-play" or for "under cover". The job of a community leader is not to make sure people are behaving properly (that is a job done by all members via the contact us and help buttons). The job of a community leader is to help others...that is, assist other players. There is no need to go "under cover" because you are then not doing your job.

If people don't think they can handle helping others out whenever he or she enters the game, then it is not their position or good judgement to apply for the responsibilty of becoming a community leader. There are plenty of people in vmk who would willingly help out after every log-in. Since there are so many people out there capable of being a leader, it isn't right for someone who is actually a leader to "take breaks". If a person can't stick by their responsibily, let someone who can have the job.

so what you are saying is that if you are a Community Leader you should never ever play another character???? That since you are a community leader that you should do nothing while in VMK but assist other players. Because if you say played a game of pirates with friends essentially that would be taking a break since you would not be out in the VMK world helping others.

 

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

Why shouldn't CLs be allowed be allowed to have and play mules? We all have the ability to turn off our trades, having side characters is essentially the same ability for CLs to turn off the help feature. Every needs a break once in a while. Doctors have scheduled time off so why shouldn't volunteer CLs be able to take a break and just be able to play?

 

[Goofy05]

My thoughts exactly.

I don't think there is any reason for ANY community leader to go under another account for "free-play" or for "under cover". The job of a community leader is not to make sure people are behaving properly (that is a job done by all members via the contact us and help buttons). The job of a community leader is to help others...that is, assist other players. There is no need to go "under cover" because you are then not doing your job.

If people don't think they can handle helping others out whenever he or she enters the game, then it is not their position or good judgement to apply for the responsibilty of becoming a community leader. There are plenty of people in vmk who would willingly help out after every log-in. Since there are so many people out there capable of being a leader, it isn't right for someone who is actually a leader to "take breaks". If a person can't stick by their responsibily, let someone who can have the job.

Um...I have a secondary character that I play when I want some peace and quiet from all the questions that get thrown my way every time I'm on the game. It gets tiring at times, to be always "on". There are times I just want to sit and chat with a friend or two or shoot some pirates with them without being interrupted with the standard, "how do I apply to be a leader" or "where is staff" or my personal favorite, "do leaders get inferno free" questions.
Oh, and it's NOT my job. I am a player, first and foremost. I help other players when I can. I do this regardless of being a CL. VMK does not send me a paycheck.
There's no purpose to any CL going "incognito" to watch other players. We see their behavior just the same as any other player does. We have the same options as any other player, too. Ask them to stop, Ignore and Report.

 

[LittleDragonErin]

Oh I'm sorry, then I guess VMK Staff isn't allowed to play on other characters either since they are a step higher than us CLs and actually get paid to do this.

 

[Maleficent2]

Oh I'm sorry, then I guess VMK Staff isn't allowed to play on other characters either since they are a step higher than us CLs and actually get paid to do this.

Why do you assume this? Because of what Front posted?

This too is not correct. They,VMK Staff, unless it is written into their contract are just people like you and me when not on the clock and as such I would think could play VMK just like anyone else.

JMHO since I do not work for VMK or WDIG.

 

[DaraAllen]

I went undercover last night to do the quest. I figured I should test it out on my DD9's character so I would know the answers to help guide other players. As it turned out, it was unnecessary since I received very few questions and observed very few "stuck" players. I had one in-game message from someone needing help, and that was it. The quest was different enough to be fun but easy enough not to aggravate anyone.

BTW, although I am very new at this CL_ stuff, I can totally understand not wanting to be "on" all the time I am on VMK. Yes, I love helping people, and did it just as much before I became a CL_ as after. I also hid on our other characters just as much before as now! If I just want to log on for an hour and enter sparrow codes or design a room or whatever, I can do so much more quietly on another character than I can on mine. I have a full-time job, three kids at home, a loving husband, and a VMK addiction. Sometimes I just want to do something by myself! It's funny because my husband and kids cannot stand to be by themselves even for a second. Most of the time, I'd kill to have an hour in our house without someone, somewhere asking me for something! VMK is no different.

99% of the time, I love hanging out, helping people, shooting pirates, building something, or as I did last night, ride the monorail for no apparent reason with a bunch of friends and friends of friends. 1% of the time, I don't want to talk to anyone or be nice, or helpful or anything. I just want to be by myself puttering around VMK.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

IMHO - VMK has handled the whole "CL" thing very poorly right from the beginning - first off, there are way way too many.. secondly, most of them are kids doing things that kids do such as breaking the rules.. thirdly, a good many of them abuse their position, using the whole "CL" thing to bilk players out of merchandise - many of the children playing the game assume that a CL is the next best thing to staff and therefore will follow what they are told implicitly - VMK needs to rethink/revamp the whole CL system because it clearly does not work, not one bit.

 

[DaraAllen]

IMHO - VMK has handled the whole "CL" thing very poorly right from the beginning - first off, there are way way too many.. secondly, most of them are kids doing things that kids do such as breaking the rules.. thirdly, a good many of them abuse their position, using the whole "CL" thing to bilk players out of merchandise - many of the children playing the game assume that a CL is the next best thing to staff and therefore will follow what they are told implicitly - VMK needs to rethink/revamp the whole CL system because it clearly does not work, not one bit.

Ouch, I think I've just been insulted!

 

[mtlhddoc2]

no, Dara, not at all.

Most of the Dis CLs I have found to be fine. But there are probably 2000 CLs and I would say 1500 of them fit that bill.

 

[Dizpinfriend]

- sorry wrong thread

 

[LittleDragonErin]

Why do you assume this? Because of what Front posted?

This too is not correct. They,VMK Staff, unless it is written into their contract are just people like you and me when not on the clock and as such I would think could play VMK just like anyone else.

JMHO since I do not work for VMK or WDIG.

I was being sarcastic. -_-' I'm all for staff playing on their off hours and I know most of them do.

 

[Goofy05]

IMHO - VMK has handled the whole "CL" thing very poorly right from the beginning - first off, there are way way too many.. secondly, most of them are kids doing things that kids do such as breaking the rules.. thirdly, a good many of them abuse their position, using the whole "CL" thing to bilk players out of merchandise - many of the children playing the game assume that a CL is the next best thing to staff and therefore will follow what they are told implicitly - VMK needs to rethink/revamp the whole CL system because it clearly does not work, not one bit.

I agree, to a point. (Btw, there is an ongoing debate about this very thing on another fan site.) The CL program is something that is needed on the game. Why? There is simply not enough staff to handle answering all of the players questions and moderate the text and approve names and on and on... I think the biggest part of the problem is the title. Too many people think that being a CL equals some sort of status within VMK. It shouldn't mean anything other than a CL is someone you can trust to help you. Unfortunately, this is often NOT the case.
I am a CL. I've been a CL for well over a year and I've seen some of the best CL's leave the program for various reasons. I've also seen some players become CL's that clearly should not BE CL's. There should be a better way of screening potential leaders. There should also be a better way of titling them. I don't feel we are "leaders" per se, but more along the lines of guides or helpers. Too often I have "stalkers" who think I am somehow closer to staff and have some special powers on VMK. It's even gone to the point of being harassed off the game, on the fan sites. Until other players understand that we (CL's) are just like them, this will not change.
How are we just like regular players? Do you really want to know the best kept secret of a CL? Read the Values, read the newsletters, play the games and learn your way around the kingdom. That's it. When someone has a question, answer to the best of your knowledge. Yes, this means admitting there are things you just don't know.
I am an adult. No, I won't say how long I've been an adult. LOL I don't see a problem with having kids help other kids, as long as they've been proven trustworthy. That's the whole problem. We need to change the way players see CL's. Any suggestions on how to accomplish that? I'd love to hear them, as I'm sure the staff would love to as well.

 

[dizanimator]

I don't see anything wrong with a CL or any other player going onto a second character. The only thing I think is wrong is a player saying that they are staff or a CL on another character. I can't see real staff claim to be staff while playing on a normal character. They have to deal with player questions and such enough as it is, plus I believe it is against VMK values to claim to be staff if you don't have the badge and ears of staff. So staff wouln't be setting a good example for normal players.
Since it is generally thought that CLs have special powers in the game, even though they really don't, I would tend to put a player claiming to be a CL on another character at the same level as if the player was claiming to be staff. I would have hoped that the monitors would have read the conversation better and seen if you had ir had not claimed to be a CL, when it seems they just took her word for it.

 

[Loves Disney]

Ah, no, let me clarify myself, lol.

What I meant was not that you cannot do anything other than help, I'm just saying that creating a mule to get away from helping others is the best reason. We all know that upon filling out and sending the community leader application, we are basically signing a contract that says we are to dedicate our game play to the assisting of other players. We don't have to go out and look for people to help, we just carry on with our regular game play and if by chance a player is confused or of needing help, we help.

You can't really compare VMK staff members to community leaders because let's face it, staff members have it more tough than any community leader. They are doing work on and off vmk about vmk and they can't always go to a game or walk around vmk without a crowd following them and begging to know what is going to happen in vmk. Community leaders get asked a ton of questions, I know, I'm a leader and there have been many times were I would help many many people at a time and deal with rude players and players who simply could not understand and asked the same question over and over. I know being a community leader is often times difficult, but I honestly don't believe it is anywhere near as difficult as staff have it. I am able to play a game of pirates, walk around vmk, create rooms and do a ton of things all the other players can do. The only difference between the "regular" members and myself (and other leaders) is that we are obligated to answer any question asked regarding vmk that we possibly can.

Staff members work for vmk. Their job is vmk. Unlike some of us who use vmk as a time of "relax" or to just have fun.

What I meant in my first post was that if you cannot spend your time helping others when you are on vmk, it isn't necessary to become a community leader. "Regular" members can help in just the same way. Being a community leader doesn't mean choosing when you want to help in the game and when you don't want to help. If you only wanted to help periodically during your game play, being a "regular" player is just fine, no need to apply for the leader position.

I am not saying community leaders can't have mules. Heck, I have a mule that I made down at WDW this past July. What I'm saying is that making a mule to "get away" from the questions is sort of defeting the purpose of being a community leader to begin with.

It is a responsibilty, being a community leader, not a job like the staff have. Being a community leader doesn't soak every minute of your time in vmk. I bet every leader out there will be able to say that while on the leader account, he or she was able to play games and talk to others just as any player would. Staff members cannot do that. So I don't see how comparing staff to having mules to community leaders having mules is relavent.