The Syndicate

Hello Syndicateers,

The administrator team has been working for a while on finding the most efficient, fair, and agreeable method of conducting the full games queuing process. As you know, these games can last quite a long time, some as long as a month or more. For this reason, it isn't tenable to run this queue the same way the heist or side missions queues operate. Even a queue of four games can conceivably last half of a calendar year. If it gets too long, then games may not be run until literally years after they've been submitted -- by that time the host may no longer have the schedule or interest necessary to make the game happen.

We want to keep the queue limited at all times, and you have seen in the last two full game queue polls how we have experimented with making it work fairly for everyone. Before we proceed to the next full game queue, we want to ask each of you in the community what your preferences are (if you have them). Please be mindful that we will be influenced by whatever comes from this poll and this thread, but it will not wholly dictate our decision moving forward. There are numerous things to consider and there's no need to babble about them here.

The poll options:

OPTION 1: At a designated, pre-scheduled time and day, full game submissions are opened via mass PM. The first four prospective hosts to respond are granted the next four positions in the queue. This is entirely first-come-first serve. These hosts will then decide as a group what their preferred order of play will be.

OPTION 2: At a designated, pre-scheduled time and day, full game submissions are opened via mass PM. The first four prospective hosts to respond are granted the next four positions in the queue. This is entirely first-come-first serve. After the hosts are selected, we will conduct a public poll to decide as a community what the preferred order of play will be.

OPTION 3: At a designated, pre-scheduled time and day, full game submissions are opened via mass PM. A deadline is set to respond, and there is no cap on the number of submissions accepted. When the deadline has passed, we run a public poll and the community decides by vote which of those four games will be played -- this means some will make the cut and others will not. The four hosts selected will then decide as a group what their preferred order of play will be.

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PREFERENCE A: All Syndicate members should have equal priority in the queuing process regardless of their prior hosting experience on the site.

PREFERENCE B: Members who have never hosted a full game on The Syndicate should be given priority.

PREFERENCE C: Members who have already hosted a full game on The Syndicate should be given priority.

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Please select one item in each section of the poll. If you have no preference in either section of the poll, you may indicate that by clicking the corresponding option.

NOTE: Voting identity has been disabled for this poll. If you desire to discuss your perspective you may still do so in the thread. If you'd prefer anonymity, the poll will cooperate.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

3a lets go

Epignosis wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:44 pm3a lets go

While I agree with Option A, I fear that hosts who have been around longer will garner more votes than those who have not.

Given the option, I like the idea of a hybrid where at least one prospective host who has not hosted a full game here before is included in the queue of 4, if the votes don't account for it themselves.

nutella wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:21 pm

Epignosis wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:44 pm3a lets go

Agreed.

idk guys, 3b looks promising, get some new blood in circulation

Mafia Neutrality just got repealed. They voted on it

sprityo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:40 pm idk guys, 3b looks promising, get some new blood in circulation

I have always offered my place to any new host who wants to host.

We used to do "first come, first served" basis for the queue on my old site, with hosts who weren't ready when their turn came allowing the person next in line to go first, but I feel like newcomers deserve a chance before people who have hosted 20 games on this site because they avoid the popularity contest which isn't fair on anyone (not talking about myself...I won't be hosting any games this year).

I voted last night, 3A. The games are for the players, so I think popularity of theme should drive the game order. There are a few hosts who could put up Laundry List Mafia and win a poll, but that is because their games are so well crafted people want to play them. They are the exception, not the rule. Mostly people vote on the theme.

Some of the best games we have had on this site were from new hosts who won the poll. So I am definitely in favor of an unhindered popular vote.

Marmot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:38 pm While I agree with Option A, I fear that hosts who have been around longer will garner more votes than those who have not.

Given the option, I like the idea of a hybrid where at least one prospective host who has not hosted a full game here before is included in the queue of 4, if the votes don't account for it themselves.

I voted 3B, but this here is a better option. At least one game from a new host per queue, so long as one has been submitted. That sounds more fair.

Marmot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:38 pm While I agree with Option A, I fear that hosts who have been around longer will garner more votes than those who have not.

Given the option, I like the idea of a hybrid where at least one prospective host who has not hosted a full game here before is included in the queue of 4, if the votes don't account for it themselves.

Isn't that already in effect?

- Host(s) who have games in the current (soon to be revamped) Full Game queue will temporarily be given preferential treatment for submitting into these new condensed queues over completely new hosts, until those games have been hosted or removed from consideration completely by host request. However, we will be leaving at least one spot per queue open for new hosts to give them a chance to host, since the current queue has been bloated for some time. In addition, if any of the host(s) of the previously-submitted games are unable to host within the time requirements for the new queue, and this results in less hosts than the spots allotted, then new hosts will be able to take advantage of the number of spots available beyond the one reserved.

Ricochet wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:58 pm

Marmot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:38 pm While I agree with Option A, I fear that hosts who have been around longer will garner more votes than those who have not.

Given the option, I like the idea of a hybrid where at least one prospective host who has not hosted a full game here before is included in the queue of 4, if the votes don't account for it themselves.

Isn't that already in effect?

- Host(s) who have games in the current (soon to be revamped) Full Game queue will temporarily be given preferential treatment for submitting into these new condensed queues over completely new hosts, until those games have been hosted or removed from consideration completely by host request. However, we will be leaving at least one spot per queue open for new hosts to give them a chance to host, since the current queue has been bloated for some time. In addition, if any of the host(s) of the previously-submitted games are unable to host within the time requirements for the new queue, and this results in less hosts than the spots allotted, then new hosts will be able to take advantage of the number of spots available beyond the one reserved.

Dunno. Since we're running a poll to determine how to set up the queue, I guessed that we're doing things differently than what we've previously done.

If priority is to be given to new hosts, it would likely look something like that again.

JaggedJimmyJay wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2018 1:44 pm If priority is to be given to new hosts, it would likely look something like that again.

I voted option 3B... but I kind of get the appeal of option 3A. In the last queue there were only 3 games and with 1 belonging to the old queue (which is fair) and one for new hosts the competition for the last slot was savage. I think it's better if we have more than 3 games every queue, in order to at least dampen the effect of new hosts. They can have an easier time getting in, but not so much easier that the rest of the people have to wait years.

Reminder to all, the deadline is approaching!

JaggedJimmyJay wrote:Sun Feb 04, 2018 3:36 pm Hello good members of The Syndicate,

The time has come to begin the process of setting up the next full games queue. The first step is to determine which games are being officially submitted, and the door is open now for that. Anyone is eligible to submit a full game as long as they have posted it to The Drawing Board forum. There is no limit to the number of games which may be submitted in total. The deadline for submission is 10 days from now, at 11:59 PM EST on the 14th of February. If you don't currently have a game posted to the drawing board, but add it during this window and submit it in time, it will be eligible.

Once the deadline has been reached, all submitted games will be featured in a public poll, and the community will decide which four will be included in the next jobs queue. We will grant one of the four positions to someone who has never hosted a full game on The Syndicate before, probably in a separate section of the poll or a separate poll entirely.

To submit a game, simply reply to this message with the title of your game and a link to its place in the drawing board forum. I look forward to seeing what gets submitted. Thanks everyone!