Droid Engineer Archive

Note: For the purpose of clarification, "DEnet" (DENet) refers to the specific server mailing list and server 'association' and is slightly different than the inter-server DEA. When you see "DEA", understand that is refers to the the DE association across ALL servers. When you see the term "DEnet", just remember that we're talking about the mailing list that runs on EACH server (i.e. Ahazi DEnet, Intrepid DEnet, etc.).

Using the example in Document 3 (Recruitment), anyone can set up and operate/admin a DEnet on their own server. But before they do, they must consider the following things:



1) "What does a DEnet require and what does it provide?"

The DEnet is an odd creation that doesn't take too much work to run effectively, just a bit of time, as well as some basic people-skills. Anyone who is interested in setting up a DEnet on his/her server should be ready to answer the occasional droid related question, chat with the various members about the profession, encourage people to send in mineral waypoints from time to time, and also spend half an hour to an hour each day (or at worst, every other day) logging in and compiling/forwarding the daily mineral waypoints.

You will also want to make an effort to have occassional server DEnet meeting, so that the DEs on your server can meet, greet, chat and talk about issues on your local server. This meeting of the minds is a key ingredient to building a healthy membership and is not to be overlooked or taken lightly.

In return for this work, the DEnet and its admin provide some fundamentally amazing features to its members. Firstly, it provides a central point for information. Players can tap into the admin and find out everything they need to know (bugs, resource info, where to get crated parts, etc.). This makes a lot of newbie DEs and non-masters loyal to the DEnet.

Second, it is almost impossible for a single player to gather all the mineral types required for Master DE crafting. The advent of the mineral-passing mailing list (thanks go out to Hugs) made it within reach, for the first time, the ability for all the DEs to gather together the resources required to build all the droids they want to build. DEs helping DEs. The droid market and all DEs are stronger when they work together to better everyone's bottom line.

Third, news and bug reports can be organized up. Players can learn of current events faster than otherwise as over half of them don't even visit the boards and patch notes are always days late (if they show up correctly at all). What's more, if there is a DE crippling bug, now all DEs can be alerted to it immediately upon verification and can all send in bug reports as quickly as possible. The more squeek the wheel makes, the faster it gets the grease.

2) "Who should I accept/reject/not-ask?"

The DEnet was originally created to help fellow downtrodden DEs band together and share what few resources they have had to everyone's mutual betterment (and to attempt to get more numbers of droids into the galaxy). Now that it is expanding and the profession is being fixed, the doors are opening slightly.

As such, we have found that the best people to have on the list are those who are long-term DEs, goodhearted people, newbie players who have become DEs, and players who do not have 50+ badges or a dozen professions (though this last one is subserviant to your judgement on their personality and motives).

Of course, the best way to go about things is to just know who to avoid. Those who exploit in the game, who already have millions of credits, those who seem eager to just get things without actually offering anything in return and those who generally have no concept of anyone other than themselves should be excluded. These people have shown themselves not to be conducive to the ideas and ethos underwhich the DEnet and DEA was formed to promote (and generally detract from the DE experience) and as such you should be wary around them.

3) "How do I start a DEnet on my server?"

Starting it is not that hard of a feat. All one has to do is start collecting the names of Droid Engineers on the server and adding them to their friends list (advised that the friends list be used only for droid engineers or that you use the "Group" feature to build a "DEnet member" group). Once there are 10-12 on there, it is a fully functional DEnet. At that point it is suggested that the Admin open the listing to business, and send out an email informing all the DEs of this. An even better approach would be to see if they would be up for a face-to-face meeting. We found that only one or two meetings was needed to really solidify the DEnet membership into a true, fully-functioning player 'association'.

Note: The DEnet and DEA are NOT "guilds" or classis player associations (PAs). All members will never be asked to leave their current guild. The DEA is an association crossing all guild/PA 'borders' and is open to the largest guild DEs to the smallest little guy on the server. All that's needed for membership is interest and motivation to help the cause.

Document 3 discusses good suggestions for recruiting if you don't know any DEs on the server (though usually people know two or 3 who have trained them towards mastership). You can also come up with your own ways, though it is suggested that you make the judgement on whether they are worthwhile to have on the DEnet before you reveal its existance. Last thing you need is a wayward hologrinder begging you to be on the list simply so they can get mineral spawns (and never contributing constructively to the group).


Co-Authored by:TheWoody (Ahazi: "Woodrow") & TheRealTK421 (Ahazi: "Doughbacca")

---

You forgot an important tertiary questions: How do I find out if there already is a DEAnet on my server?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

T.S. Eliot

-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Never in the field of forum posting has so much bollocks been said to so many by so few"

Icatipev IonoraiMaster Chief Droid Engineer
Federal Ore and Petrochemical Mining Corporation
Vendor located on Corellia at -2187 -4460

"I will tell you this, Droids (and DE's) are going to be the MAIN feature for the January publish. We will be fixing alot of things and adding combat droids.Yes, talk is cheap." - JustG - 11/25/2003

If there isn't one already, please feel free to grab the reins and oversee starting one.

All you need to do, early on, is build as complete a list as possible of all DEs on your server. You might well want to point them to this set of posts, so that they can learn about how the DENet can help them and why it's important.



/bow

Respectfully,

"You Droid Engineers have had to suffer through some tough times. The Devs do not hate the profession and have plans to address some of the larger concerns."
- Q-3PO 10/23/03 1st Annual Droid Engineering Academy Awards
- Fortium - Master Droid Engineer - Master Artisan - Grumpy Advocate for Droids and DE's -
- Proprietor of CF Industries Droidworks -
Naboo: -6600, 3450; Tatooine: -680, -4290; Dantooine: -772, 2860; Corellia: -140, -5500;

Earymi Iekia, Master Doctor, Pikeman
Arolena Eto, Master Droid Engineer, Master Artisan, Master Chef
Sunrunner
Visit McChottle's Fine Food & Drink, now in 2 locations
Dantooine, outside of Mining Outpost (-1022, 2868), Corellia, just 1km from Coronet starport (324, -3588)

Your best bet is to start asking every DE you can find on your server.

If there is one...someone will likely know.

If there isn't one, it might put you well on your way to starting one.

The first thing that has to happen is that one list of a server's DE population needs to get put together by someone. Then, that list can be contacted regarding formation of the server DEnet and an admin will take the reins.



/bow

Respectfully,

If any of you DO get the ball rolling on your server, please let me know the 'admin' that steps up ASAP.

Woodrow and I would like to get the list of each server's DEnet admin up and happening soon, so that we can start to coordinate larger events and DE initiatives.



/bow

Respectfully,