NationStates Jolt Archive

As many of you have noticed, I have been inactive as of late, both in-game and in-forums.

I've been spending a fair bit of time away from NationStates and expect to do so for an as yet undetermined duration. I may pop back in sporadically to moderate the forums, but won't be handling Game Moderator duties.

Consequently, I am, effective immediately, stepping down to the status of Forum Moderator.

--The Modified Democratic States of Cogitation
"Think about it for a moment."
NationStates Forum Moderator

bon chance et au revoir

*salute*

Wow. Color me shocked. Good luck and I hope it's for positive reasons (good things in your life).

Is someone moving up to Game moderator in your place or is that undecided yet?

Whoa. Wasn't expecting that. You've been a great mod, and here's hoping you do well in your future endeavours.

Geeze, I remember when you started this whole Moderator thing. Seems like ages ago. Good luck with things, Cog - and thanks for all your efforts with the game. It's appreciated, whether it feels like it sometimes or not.

--Nathi's Player

Good luck.It takes a real man to step down from a seat of power.

We'll alway have Paris.... ;)

Gee, I come back just in time to see you leave.

I recall even before you were a mod.

Well, you held out a long time. 2 1/2 years or so, IIRC. Longer than many.

Well, thank you for your service, both as a mod, and as a helpful person in tech before that.

~Luke

*points out that Cog has only stepped down from being a GAME mod, and will continue as a FORUM mod* ;)

best of luck with all of your endevors:)
remeber you can always leave NS but NS will never leave you:D

*is speechless*

Granted, I don't know you that well (and vice-versa), but still...

at least you stepping down from Game Moderator shows you have honour to willingly give up power. *gives a cookie*

Anyways, I hope everything that is pulling you away from NS works out well for you.

It's another game that's taking up my lesiure time, actually (though I won't say which one). I'll eventually return to NationStates, I'm just not sure when, as yet.

--The Democratic States of Cogtiation

DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME, YOU - * slaps himself *

Errr, I mean, don't you leave us totally now, okay ?

Cog, disappear completely and I'll come hunt you down.

*hugs*

Well, best wishes and good luck with whatever you're doing.

NOOOOOOO! COME BACK COGGY, I LOVE YOU!

*someone whispers in his ear*

What? Oh, you're not leaving.... um.... I didn't say anything... there's nothing to see here, moving right along....





*flees*





More seriously, however, enjoy your life away from the modcentre with all those kewl buttons, and have fun with ... whatever it is you're doing. and use IRC! You're one of our favo(u)rite moderators, I think (we remember the comic routines!) and use IRC! *cough*This post contains no subliminal messages (but use IRC anyway!)*cough*

<.<
>.>

*points out that Cog has only stepped down from being a GAME mod, and will continue as a FORUM mod* ;)
Huh.

I'd think it'd be a lot less stressing to delete UN proposals and edit issues than to deal with the forums and the angry people on them in real time.

Though they have grown a great deal less active since I left. . .

Odd, what with the game being a great deal more popular and all.

And I digress, hehe... apologies.

I'd think it'd be a lot less stressing to delete UN proposals and edit issues than to deal with the forums and the angry people on them in real time.
If that were all GMs did ...

There's a lot of anger in the tasklist, Timon. Don't forget that we deal with all the spam and abuse on the regional messageboards, telegrams, and such. Plus we see a bit of forum stuff that's even more intense than the publicly-posted material in Moderation and Tech.

The main problem is there's just so damn much of it. We get 50-200 tasks a day. The shortest (restore a single nation) takes about a minute [if the game cooperates], which means a miminum of an hour of GMing a day. They're never all shorties, though, and long ones can take 15 minutes to several hours. That's exclusive of UN proposals, issue editing, and documentation of longer-term problems and game-improvement proposals, and it doesn't even begin to address the coding work done by the admins.

I'd wager that collectively we put in between 4 and 20 man-hours of game moderating a day, 365 days a year. That's a lot of volunteer time, and I don't blame the Cogster one bit for wanting a break after a couple of active years.

Enjoy your break, Coggy. Having fun shooting / healing / dancing / flying / interacting / gaming / whatever-ing at your new obsession. We'll be here when you're done.

I liked you Cog. I'll miss your bannings.

This also scares me because the NS: the Musical! story kind of followed these same events.

Cog...man...too damn bad to see you demote yourself. You're a top notch guy and an excellent GM. Good luck with whatever else you're into. :)

Wish I'd shown up earlier so I knew about all these things. I'll trust their judgement and say you're a cool guy who I'll be sad to see...ummm....not as often. Yeah, let's go with that.

Plus we see a bit of forum stuff that's even more intense than the publicly-posted material in Moderation and Tech.
Wait, I'm confused. . .
How-What?

The shortest (restore a single nation) takes about a minute [if the game cooperates], which means a miminum of an hour of GMing a day.Gee, Hack always said it was no problem. Now I feel really bad about getting the same nations restored about thrice each. Guess I owe him an apology, not good with social cues.

documentation of longer-term problems and game-improvement proposals
When were these implemented?

Enjoy your break, Coggy. Having fun shooting / healing / dancing / flying / interacting / gaming / whatever-ing at your new obsession.
Considering that I was never a mod and found I had quite a lot of free time on my hands once I quit NS I can imagine he will.

Edit: question mark added where it should have been

Wait, I'm confused. . .
How-What?
Some of the really ugly stuff never gets posted to Moderation. When privacy is a factor, we sometimes allow forum requests via GHR [Getting Help Request]
When were these implemented?
Didja notice the new influence (http://www.nationstates.net/pages/influence.html) thingy? We spent months hashing that out amongst the admins, GMs and FMs. Only the admins can code in Perl, but mods are actually more aware of game problems and areas of improvement, since they're buried in it daily. There are any number of small improvements (http://www.nationstates.net/HISTORY) that have been suggested, improved, and evaluated by the Squad.

We also document problem areas with players, regions, etc, so that all mods are on the same page with regard to potential problems. One Delete-on-Sight player is generally good for a couple hours of documentation and history. That (relatively) new appeals process (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9530191&postcount=9) also calls for a ton of research and documentation, even when the decision in question is solid as a rock. Despite the occasional calls of mod bias and corruption, we follow guidelines of ethical accountability that are quite stringent. We've got excellent tools, but those reports don't write themselves. There are probably a few players still in the game today because some of the ruling mods didn't feel up to dealing with all the documentation for a DoS order.

Since this is Cogitation's thread, let me point out that he took some of the worst appeals on himself and resolved them with elegance and aplomb. One in particular probably took on the order of 40 man-hours to assemble and evaluate. (The player in question ended up getting a personal email from Max Barry, specifically dis-inviting him from ever visiting the site again.) He's performed this job with tact and diplomacy for as long as I've been watching, both from outside the Squad and from within.

Mods of Cogitation's calibre are hard to find in any population. We'll miss him on the GM side of things.

Ahh, 'K, thanks.

As to the influence stuff:
Neat.

I won't be around long enough to appreciate the new feature, but I suppose that nonetheless I should say "Thank You."

Wait.... If Cogitation is leaving, then who's steppin' up?

Sic semper tyrannis :upyours:

Jimmm, not a very good subforum to be giving the finger to a mod in.

*Salutes*

Good luck with the MMO, Cog.

for several days I tried to think of something to say...

So long? but he's not leaving...

Good Luck? have fun? without knowing the exact reasoning for his stepping down, it can be silly to insulting...

so I finally settle on...


Thanks for your hard work and hope I didn't cause you any real headaches. :D

Hmm... Letmesee, Cog was really active forumwise when I first came and I am thankful for his well thought out Mod rulings which helped educate me from a newbie to... a... older newbie. ;)

So...

Rest well, brave warrior
Heed not the trumpet's calls
Thy battles have been joined
Thy enemies defeated
Thy honor won

Rest well, honored warrior
Stir not to the beating of the drums
Thy long march is over
To home thou hast returned
The calm of peace thou hast earned

Rest well, faithful warrior
Nevermore your armor don
Thou should worry not
Thy companions continue the fight
To thy rest you now have come

Rest well, Cogitation
And thank you

Aw, Cog, you're my favourite mod though. Ah well, at least you're not totally quitting.

Sic semper tyrannis :upyours:

N00bish this response is, young Padawan. Away put your finger, a fool do you appear.

I miss being gently warned by Coggy :( He always made me feel petty and small when he caught me being...um....petty and small. There have been a few posters in General that have caused me to change my posting style to become more respectful, even when I detest the arguments of other posters...and Coggy had a big part in that as well. "Attack not the person, but rather, enlighten them through reasonable, and respectful debate" he saideth unto me. Well I don't always walk the enlightened path, but I at least recognise when I deliberately jump off it...it's a start...

Tyranny? Bah. From what I've seen, Cog > all.

But I've never really interacted with any of the mods. I suppose that's a good thing... :)

Well, just darn!

I don't expect Cog to remember but as a Mod he was instrumental in helping our region when we really needed it several years ago.

Cog, thank you for all of the time and effort you've put in to NS. The game wouldn't have been the same without your steadying hand helping those of us who really needed it. Have fun playing the new game!