Questions in this document have been written by Sean Roney (kwbishop@hotmail.com), for use in a future "Casual Chronicler" to be posted at
www.PlayorDraw.com. The purpose of this interview is to clarify public information about Adepts on Magic Online, by interviewing Adepts themselves as well as somebody at Wizards of the Coast who can make an official statement regarding these questions.
Edit: Wizards of the Coast, after having sounded positive about answering these questions, went silent after getting them. These questions are now intended to be asked to anybody who knows about Adepts, for an unofficial interview with full anonymity promised to the person interviewed.
1) Questions for Magic Online Adepts:
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What is your Adept screen name?
How long have you been an Adept?
Have you had previous experience with online moderating or online service? Is so, where?
Why did you become an Adept?
What qualities about yourself do you think helped you to become an Adept?
As an Adept, what is the main duty you find yourself performing?
What is your preferred duty to undertake as an Adept?
What is the most enjoyable thing about being an Adept?
What is the least enjoyable thing about being an Adept?
What are the major challenges of being an Adept?
How long do you see yourself remaining in this role of online public service?
Has there ever been a time when you wanted to quit being an Adept?
What drives you to remain serving as an Adept?
What would you consider a really problematic player? How do you deal with such a player?
How do you handle minor violations of the Code of Conduct?
How do you handle major violations of the Code of Conduct?
How do you handle relatively undefined (or completely undefined) violations of the Code of Conduct, such as bug exploitation?
Speaking as a person who knows the game and not in any way attempting to represent WotC's opinion: What changes, if any, would you like to see made to the Code of Conduct?
Since you have seen what works and what doesn't work from a relatively "insider" perspective, what would you say your hopes are for the future of the game?
Overall, how easy or difficult is it to deal with the public?
Is there anything the playing public should know about Adepts to understand them better?
2) Questions for Wizards Customer Service:
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Please tell us a little about yourself.
Why are Adepts used rather than WotC employees?
What are the duties of Adepts?
The game has a nice tutorial mode, and the beginner areas are great for getting new players on their feet. However, do Adepts ever perform the duty of mentoring new players?
There is a form on the Adept website where players can sign up to possibly undergo Adept training. Can you state how many players are on the waiting list to potentially become Adepts?
Who is in charge of deciding who becomes an Adept?
What type of qualities make a person an ideal candidate to be an Adept?
What does it take to become an Adept? What type of training and evaluation is performed on potential candidates? How long does the process normally take?
How many active Adepts are there?
On average, how many Adepts are online at any one time? Is there a minimum number of Adepts that need to be on? Is there a maximum number?
What powers do Adepts have to make sure fair and honest play remains the norm for MTGO? What types of punishments can they hand out?
Are Adepts compensated for their time?
Are there rewards for Adepts who perform above and beyond their defined duties?
Would WotC ever consider hiring an Adept for a customer service position if the Adept proved himself or herself exceptional in his or her duties?
Can Adepts, on their regular playing accounts, play in tournaments or other events where prizes can be won?
Can Adepts see more in a game than a normal watcher? (Example: Can they see both players' hands.)
Can WotC staff see more in a game than a normal watcher?
Followup: If Adepts or WotC staff cannot see more than a normal watcher, how can they tell if people are abusing the game? (Example: How do they know a player would be stalling rather than just trying to make a difficult choice?)
Is there a type of "players to watch" list, similar to the DCI Suspended Players list? Something that WotC staff or Adepts can reference when trying to determine if a player regularly behaves harmfully toward other players?
I notice Adepts usually have to deal with the angry public at times of server instability or bugs in general (set releases come to mind). Are Adepts given tips on how to handle upcoming rules changes or program/server problems?
I presume the location or method of access to such a forum would be confidential, so I am merely wondering: Is there an Adept channel, mailing list, or message board where Adepts can discuss issues pertinent with their duties with each other?
I've noticed Adepts are cautious about players trying to figure out who they are. This is understandable, considering it opens possibilities to charges of collusion or favoritism. What happens to an Adept if their identity is revealed or discovered?
In the chance that misconduct happens involving an Adept, what warnings or punitive measures would he or she face?
If an Adept quits, or is relinquished of duty, is it possible for that person to become an Adept in the future?
Are there any Adepts who could be considered experts with the Code of Conduct?
Who is in charge of making decisions to update or change the Code of Conduct?
Followup: Is Adept input taken into account when making such decisions?
Followup: Are there changes in the works in order to handle the more undefinied regions of the Code of Conduct, such as expressing in definite terms where bug abuse would fall?
If a player has a problem with something about the game, what should they do rather than gripe in public channels or complain to Adepts about it?
