Q: Tell us a little bit about yourselves, how long you have been playing ATITD, what are your goals in Egypt, etc.
A: I've been playing since mid-T1 but was gone from mid-T2 until a few months ago because I didn't have a computer that could handle the game. I'm really glad to be back! And I’m not planning on leaving again, either! I’m working on body and worship tests, and leadership of course, and setting up to work on chemistry. The social aspect of the game is really what makes it for me though and I try to help folks out where I can. In real life I sew vestments (church robes) and I know how to belly dance out of game!
Q: What makes you desire to pass the DP test?
A: I really think I could be a good DP! Even getting to the finals will hopefully give me the visibility to help people more – I can’t always help with resources, but I’m always happy to answer questions, help with disputes, and so forth.
Q: In what way do you believe DP is/is not a leadership test?
A: I think in principle it IS a leadership test, but that the principle requirement has really blunted that this telling, because we have people getting into the round before the final who aren’t interesting in anything but the level, and that’s a shame.
Q: What are your expectations of someone that is elected to the position of DP?
A: I expect a DP to try and mediate disputes, organize projects, in general just be a go-to person that all of Egypt knows is there to help. I also expect a DP to try and pass as many leadership tests as possible and stick around until the end of the telling, because DP is the limiting test for the discipline – we need the DPs to fill the top slots in the Monument. (I’ve passed True Leadership, am just waiting my turn to pass Plantation, and have made significant progress in all the others.)
Q: What characteristic would make you not vote for someone?
A: If I thought someone was just pursuing the test for selfish reasons. I wouldn’t vote for someone I knew had seized a Bureaucracy, for example.
Q: When is it okay to lie? A: I think white lies are fine – the classic surprise party example, telling an acquaintance you’re fine rather than throwing your problems at them, that kind of thing. And I couldn’t really fault someone for lying in a situation like a gay teenager hiding their orientation to avoid being kicked out of their home. I don’t think it’s in any way ok to lie in order to hurt someone else or gain power or wealth for yourself, though – only to avoid causing some sort of damage.
Q: Okay let us get it over with, where are you on banning?
A: I would never use the permanent ban without the support of the other DPs and without trying both mediation AND the temporary ban first. I would only use the temporary ban after trying mediation and with the support of the other DPs, unless no other DPs were online and the only way to stop an actively happening problem was to cut it off with the 1-day ban. Please note that I have recently been made aware that banning someone does NOT instantly kick them offline; as such, I can't even think of a case where this is likely to help, but if one comes up, I would. I think only intentional, severe offenses are valid reasons to ban someone at all. Among valid reasons I would consider repeated harassment, repeated theft, blowing up a CS or expo site on purpose (or, should it prove possible, a University, School, camp which does not belong to you or your guild, etc). I would NOT consider naming an avatar something like "fattydeeva" even remotely a bannable offense, unless it was part of a pattern of harassment. The ban to me is a weapon of last resort – there is nearly always a better solution.
Q: What (in game) makes you angry?
A: Tuesday passes definitely pissed me off. People besides Teppy don't anger me very often in game, but if they're going to it's usually when someone screws people over by backing out of commitments they've made - stuff like not doing their cocoa harvests for a week without a good reason and without telling people in advance - or worse, screws others over on purpose. And I get pretty irritated when I spend hours in the desert NOT finding rats!
Q: What have you done for the newbies?
A: I've been doing a lot of catch-up myself until recently, so I haven't spent much time on Welcome Island, but I always try to answer people's questions, and I do a lot of wiki-editing.
Q: Could you tell us about some events or regional project you've helped organize?
A: I held a pretty good party with my banquet, and I've organized some gazelle chases and fennec grids, but so far I've mostly just helped already organized (or non-organized!) projects when it comes to really big things like pyramids and research. A lot of wiki setup.
Q: What do you think counts as "cheating" in game, if it exists?
A: I've heard of a case where a person purposely played their wife and a couple mules to win a conflict tournament. Also, asking friends for biased votes on art and thought tests, or using mules to put yourself forward in leadership tests, I would count as cheating.
Q: One of the issues that faces any guild with shared property is the idea of theft. How would you define theft and what would you do if someone came to you, as a DP, with a case of it?
A: I would say theft is knowingly taking more guild resources than is appropriate. Different guilds will have different definitions of what is appropriate, and they won't always be as clear as they should, so if someone came to me with a theft situation, I would first speak to the guild elders to determine what and how clear the guild's definition of appropriate is and what the elders had already tried; and then I would speak to the apparent thief. Usually I would suggest that the elders tighten chest access and clarify their property-sharing guidelines, and demote or kick out the person *if* their actions were purposeful rather than a misunderstanding; and that the alleged thief, even if it was a misunderstanding, repay whatever they had taken. It wouldn't be cause to even consider a DP ban unless the person who took property knew they were stealing beforehand, and was completely unrepentant or did it again after being punished on the guild level.
Q: Clarification to earlier question: What are your *opinions* of people cheating in game? Do you think it should be publicly announced/discussed?
A: I think it's a seriously lame thing to do, where by "lame" I mean something I can't say on E!! People can discuss whatever they want in private. But it shouldn't be announced in public unless there is clear proof; your reputation is the only thing of real value in this game, and we all need to be careful NOT to unjustly destroy anyone's. By the same token, though, if there is clear proof, yes announce it; if someone didn't care enough about their reputation to not cheat in the first place, or to make amends if they didn't realize it was cheating until after they did it, then it's hypocritical of them to suddenly care only when it gets ruined by their actions.
Q: Who else has access to your account?
A: Only Tutincomon, my in-game husband. No one has either of our passwords.
Q: What do you believe are your best qualities, and how have you adapted them to Egypt?
A: Not to brag, but I'm really smart and creative in a very practical way; I'm an artisan in real life and lazy enough to believe firmly in "work smarter not harder!". :P I can't do the abstract math-y things, but I tend to get everything else really fast, and in a way where I can organize both things and information, find clever shortcuts, and explain skills usefully to other people. And I've been through a lot of real life stuff with depression, so I understand what it's like to go through rough times, and how hard it can be to ask for help, and I really try to bring that to my interactions here.
Q: Who's the worst DP? (This one is from Teao)
A: The worst DP's are the ones who have quit, simple as that - though purposely kicking the hornet's nest with this question isn't exactly putting you tops on my DP friends list, Teao. I don't know all the other candidates well, so I can't really judge who is "worst" until after the debates; and so far it's just a matter of "not quite as good", not of any of the candidates actually being a horrible choice.
Q: How do you feel about the new abilities given to the DPs this telling by laws?
A: I think the temp ban is a huge improvement over just having the permanent ban. Just having the permaban was like having the death penalty as the only available penalty... with the possibility of anyone you killed instantly reincarnating.
Q: Describe a time you made a serious error and how you handled it.
A: I can't say I've made any errors in game more serious than screwing up a reactory run. But out of game, my biggest error was NOT getting help for my depression when I first needed it. I'm very pleased to be able to say that I learned from my mistake - that I am NOT capable of doing everything on my own, that asking for help is NOT a sign of weakness, nor is it useless. And the most recent time my depression recurred I didn't make the same mistake again. I think learning from a mistake, and gaining humility by it, is about the best outcome a person can have.
Q: Pirate or ninja?
A: Pirate. Double awesome if I get to be an airship pirate!
Q: In a dispute, how well do you think you would be able to remain objective if you knew one of the people involved?
A: I would refer the dispute to another DP if I felt a conflict of interest, real or perceived, was likely. I'm not going to pretend I'm not human! No one can be perfectly objective if they're involved.
Q: Do you know Tutincomon was Windrider? Do you really trust him?
A: Yes, I know he was Windrider, and that he was believed to be dead IRL before returning; I don't feel I have enough information on that situation, or can obtain it now, to judge whether he really did fake his own death or Barhi exaggerated things (I have heard both). What I do know is that he is very sorry that people were hurt by the situation, and has told me he would certainly not do such a thing now, as well as assured me that he will never use the ban or interfere in my private business. If you are truly concerned about his trustworthiness, I can only advise you to speak with him directly, speak to Judd (a DP who knows us both), and/or not vote for me - I'm more concerned that people know I am here to help, and there are lots of great candidates this election, so I'm not going to be upset if I lose.
Q: What if Tutincomon/Windrider isn't trustworthy and DOES abuse the ban?
A: In that case, I would immediately divorce him, ban him (or get another DP to), and do everything in my power to restore the affected player or players in a new avatar or make up for their lost time (if they were temp banned). However, I believe he is trustworthy and that will not happen, or I would never be running.