Voting Instructions:
Make sure you have read this entire post before you vote.
- If you particularly like any option you may add 1 to it. You may add 1 to multiple options if you particularly like more than one.
- If you particularly dislike any option you may add 1 to its againsnt column. You may add 1 from multiple options' against columns if you particularly dislike them.
- You may only modify any total by 1.
- If you only somewhat like or dislike a particular option do not add to anything. Only add to any option that you feel strongly about.
- Be honest.
- If you have any questions please post below.
| Bank Vote 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Option Title | For | Against |
| LS Sponsored Relic Upgrades | 10 | 4 |
| Lotting Large Currency | 3 | 7 |
| Cashing in points | 15 | 3 |
| I am indifferent to any system | 2 | |
In the spirit of communication we would like to present the general membership with the following proposal regarding planned and possible changes to the current bank system. Please read each option carefully, post questions or suggestions as needed and decide what you would like to see happen. The first section will cover changes we have already decided we will make. The second section will cover the items proposed for vote. Here is a link to the previous forum discussion that spawned the idea to vote for a new system. The original discussion post has numbers and calculations regarding each option as well as some added details on pros and cons.
Section 1: Planned Bank Changes
1.1 - Consumable items
As has been discussed the previous runs the officers would like to use the LS bank to pay for consumable items used during the run. This extends to food items, reraise charges during important fights (DL and CoP Bosses), Ammunition, Ninja tools, Cards, Tomahawks, Angons, and any other items we may feel is necessary to further the shell's performance within reason and where needed. We will begin by organizing food items and we will progress into other items as we get the hang of it.
The following rules will apply to the use of LS purchased consumables:
- Each member will purchase only enough items as they will need to use during the run and return all excess to the Logistics officers (new position explained below).
- Food items will be bought 1 each at the time of consumption. Other consumables will have similar limits (33 shihei at a time, 10 cards at a time, 10 angons at a time, etc).
- Members will be asked to request consumables in the official thread.
- Members will be expected to still bring all necessary items to perform their roles to the best of their ability as back-up. If a logistics officer disconnects or misses a run, members will still be expected to be able to perform all their necessary duties.
- Members caught maliciously abusing LS funds will be asked to leave the shell. Members failing to follow the rules regarding the use of LS purchased consumables will be penalized and may be banned from using the system.
In order to be able to adequately perform this service we will ask that members who are interested apply to the new Logistics Officer position. We need at least 2 official logistics officers and, ideally, 2 back-ups. If you attend regularly and would like to apply to this position (whether current officer or full member) please post or send Rathiel a private message in-game or through the site service.
Responsibilities will be as follows:
- Identify shell crafters and coordinate their help in producing needed items.
- Work with shell budget to purchase crafting materials at the least possible cost and deliver them to crafters.
- Receive crafted products and guarantee their proper distribution during runs.
- Decide on appropriate rewards for crafters according to their contributions.
- Report on usage of LS funds on site (they will have a page created similar to bank page).
LS purchased consumables will not be available until we can find members willing to dependably assume these responsibilities for a period of at least 3 months.
1.2 - Officer Rewards
Since the creation of the LS, we have reserved the right to reward officers through any means deemed appropriate. Sadly, we have continuously failed to actually provide any sort of rewards for officers. We did award extra points for a period of time, but, as many of our officers have also been our oldest members, extra points proved to not be much of a reward for those who already lot very little or have a lot of points saved up.
In order to correct this and in order to make a more professional and accountable system officership will now be a paid position. Officers will have itemized responsibilities and will be reviewed monthly by an LS leader. Each month LS leaders will review the performance of each officer and post an award amount. Every three months officers may decide whether they wish to continue in their role, change roles or ask to be replaced. Once the monthly review has been conducted the LS leader will then contact a bank officer and request the needed amount for that month and distribute it during runs. This information will be kept publicly under the Officer tab for anyone's perusal.
The payment amount will be decided by membership suggestion and LS leader's decision. For the next 2 months we will post each officer position with their itemized responsibilities and suggested payment. Members will be invited to comment on whether the amount seems appropriate and LS leaders will sit down with the appointed officers and make a final decision and post it. Please don't get the idea that officership will be a new money making endeavor cause we really can't afford to offer too much. Nevertheless, note the amount of time spent by different officers that they could be farming, recapping their experience, or just enjoying their time. There is a lot of stress and pressure involved in officership and we need to be fair in acknowledging officer's contributions.
I worry that this decision may be taken the wrong way, as some sort of favoritism or greed on the part of officers. This decision was made by LS leaders without the knowledge or contribution from any current officer and is as new to them as it is to all members. When leadership is measured and rewarded it improves. Our LS relies heavily on the time and effort of our members, these efforts need to be officially recognized, measured and appropriately acknowledged. In the last few years we have not been able to come up with an appropriate reward system that actually works. This is my attempt as LS leader to correct this matter and to help build a stronger, more accountable system of leadership for the linkshell.
With this change all current officers will be asked to recommit to their new and clarified responsibilities and LS leaders' responsibilities will focus on managing this system. At the same time we will be creating various new officer positions and opening officership positions to those interested. When posts are made regarding each position, its responsibilities and rewards, it will be mentioned if the position is currently looking for interested members or if it has been filled. Priority will be given to current officers and any vacancies will be filled after.
Section 2: Proposed Bank Changes
I will post each of the proposed systems and what it would entail. Regardless of which system is voted on, it may modified or abandoned depending on two things. First, whether membership will step up to meet the required new officer positions needed. Second, whether members cooperate in helping officers make the transition. In other words, if you want to see big changes you need to be ready to step up and volunteer to help or officially take on the added responsibilities. Some of these proposals require little to no change in current officer's workload, but some require a large amount of extra work that will need to be redistributed.
If you have opinions or ideas feel free to post, but do not expect major changes to these proposals at this point in time (we have been asking for ideas and feedback for months on the matter). If unsure please ask all you need in order to feel you are making an educated decision. Withhold your votes until you are sure of what you want. Voting will not be available the first few days in order to allow members to read and and take time to think and to allow for Rathiel to correct any errors or misinterpretations in the post.
2.1 - LS Sponsored relic upgrades
This system would be the same as our current system with some slight modifications. The system would work as follows:
- Relic upgrades are open to the general membership who fulfill the following criteria:
- Member must have 1 year of regular attendance for the last year.
- Member must have a combined amount of 300 points that will be lost and nonrefundable upon acceptance of application. If a member attends both days, 150 points will be evenly deducted from both. If a member has less than 150 points on one day the difference will made up from the other day.
- Member must have the necessary gil amount or ancient currency amount in hand to pay for the the first and final upgrade on their own (they may borrow the last 30 coins but a lender must confirmed before the final upgrade is allowed - if the LS banks has sufficient funds, the bank itself can be used as a lender).
- Member must obtain the backing of the majority of the linkshell officers in a vote. The member will be allowed to make her or his case and propose the vote to the linkshell officers through the forums. The member is responsible for getting at least 75% of officers to vote. Until 75% of the officers have voted, vote cannot be closed. Officers must explain and discuss their yes or no votes. Vote will be open for all members to view and comment on, but only officers will be allowed a vote.
- Once all of these criteria have been met points will be deducted from the member's account.
- The member will proceed to hand the bank officer the gil amount or coin amount they have saved up for their first and last upgrade.
- The member will be supplied the coins for the first upgrade along with the needed items.
- As the resources become available, the member will be supplied with the items needed for the following upgrades.
- If a the applicant chooses to back out of the upgrade process, they will have their initial investment refunded minus however much the shell has spent in time and items. This includes 500k gil for every beaucedine or xarcarbard run done in order to attain the needed attestations or shards, including gil spent on consumables for each run. It also entails any amount of gil spent in buying items from crafters or the AH for upgrades. Once the second to last upgrade is completed anything donated is no longer refundable. If the member loses membership due to any negative reasons or quits the game during this process, further penalties may apply to the refund, up to there being no refund at all.
- No new officers would be needed to carry out these procedures.
- Upgrade order would be first come first serve.
- This would allow for about 3 upgrades per year with the current income we have. Although this would be dependent on members making enough for their half of the upgrade.
2.2 - Lotting Large Currency
This system would entail that for every run the bank officers lot all small currencies and allow for large currencies to be lot on by members. The process would be as follows:
- To qualify to lot large currency a member must meet the following criteria:
- Member must have perfect attendance for the previous 4 runs (meaning 100% not 75% as is required for AF).
- Member must have the amount of points needed to pay for the currency should they receive one. The exact cost of the currencies will vary with market prices and will be calculated should this system be chosen. In other words, more expensive the currency, the more points required.
- Member may not obtain any other normally lotted item during the run, including free lots. Once a member has spent points on an item or won a free lot they are no longer eligible to lot large currency. If a member does not win a free lot they may still lot large currency. If a member has already won a large currency they may not lot anything the rest of the run.
- Once a member fits the previous criteria they may sign up to lot large currency when they sign up for a run.
- Should a run have the possibility to drop more than one type of coin members must have at least enough points to lot the most expensive type.
- During lot calls, lot officers call the names of all members who will be allowed to lot large currencies should they drop.
- If a large currency drops all members who were called will be allowed to lot.
- Whichever member wins will have the cost of the currency deducted from their point total and will not be allowed to lot anything else for the remainder of the run- including free lots.
- Should a subsequent large currency drop then all those still eligible to lot again may do so.
- Should more large currencies drop than there are lotters, all original lotters who have enough points to pay for another currency shall be allowed to lot again. Should they win a second time they may not lot again until all other lotters have also won a second time. Subsequent rounds of lotting would follow this same pattern.
- This system would require the addition of 2 more lot officers specifically in charge of monitoring large currency drops and making sure no members who have won a large currency lot any free lot or another currency until all currency lotters have won once. They would also need to check that should additional rounds of lotting occur, all members lotting have enough points to pay for additional coins.
- This system could potentially be combined with the previous one- but upgrades would be much, much slower.
2.3 - Cashing in points
This third option is probably the most complex and demanding for officers. Should this be voted on several new officers will be required to manage this system. LS members would also be expected to help find buyers for all the coins we make every month when asked to do so. The system would function as follows:
- In order to be eligible to cash in points a member must be eligible to lot relic armor (G status). This implies full membership and no more than 2 unexcused absences in the last 8 runs for each day separately. Members eligible to free lot on their off day are also eligible to be paid for attending that day (C Status).
- At the end of each month officers will take note of the bank's current gil balance. They will then subtract 6 million gil from that balance to calculate the gil earned that month. Six million gil should ensure enough gil to pay for 8 runs, including officer fees and consumable item expenditure. This amount must always remain in the bank. Should the bank have less than 6 million gil, that month will be considered unprofitable and cashing in of points will not be allowed.
- Officers will also calculate how many points were made by all full time members that month.
- The officers will divide the amount of gil made by the amount of points earned to come up with an exchange rate for that month. They will then create a post stating the current point/gil exchange rate and ask that anyone wishing to exchange their points into gil post how many points they would like to exchange.
- Members will then have the following seven days to post how many of that month's points, if any, points they wish to cash in.
- As a bonus, all members who achieved 100% attendance that month will be allowed to also cash out up to double the points they earned that month by using previously earned points. Excused absences will be counted against this percentage unless approved by an LS leader and will only be waived in extreme circumstances (missed run, arrived late or left early due to uncontrollable situations).
- On the seventh day the officers will check the posts and verify the points. They will then post a final reply saying how much gil each member is owed and how many points were cashed in. They will send a list to point officers and points will be deducted at this time and become nonredeemable. They will also add up how much gil is owed and withdraw this amount from the LS bank for distribution.
- After the amounts owed are posted, members can coordinate with officers when and where they wish to pick up their gil. Officers will have set times and places for this. Withdrawing gil at any other time will require LS leader approval. Whenever gil si withdrawn a note will be added to the forums saying the member was paid and is not owed anything.
- Members have until the next month's exchange rate is posted to withdraw their gil. Otherwise, the gil will be returned to the bank and points used will be forfeit. Should this come to pass, the officers will post a note on the forum post saying that member's share was banked due to not being picked up.
- Officers will then begin the next month's process.
- The reverse process, paying gil to get points, will not be allowed.
- This system will require the addition of various new officer positions:
- One or two Sales Officers whose duties would include keeping track of linkshells and individuals who can purchase currency on a long term basis for each type of currency. Sales officers would also be in charge or coordinating sales (ie. getting coins from bank officers and bringing back the specified gil amount that was decided or coordinating times when bank officers can meet with buyers directly).
- One or two Member Account Officers whose duties would include getting calculating point/gil exchange rate, posting the thread for the exchange, finalizing the exchange and procuring and distributing the gil for that month.
- None of the new responsibilities would be given to current bank officers unless they chose to take on 2 officer positions at the same time.
Section 3: Epilogue
If you would like to volunteer for any of these proposed officer positions, should they become necessary please send Rathiel a site message. If we pull officers from their current positions to fill these roles we will need volunteers to take up their vacancies.
We are writing up all these options to the best of our ability. Should we decide as we try them that they do not work we will make changes as we see fit or simply revert to the current bank system. If you have questions, please feel free to post. If you notice I have made typos or errors in logic, please post. Lastly, should any of these new systems be taken into use, the current relic upgrades will still be completed and any coins that can be used towards those upgrades will be exempt from any changes in bank system.
Thank you for reading,
Rathiel and SM staff
(account deleted)
