~ Staff Meeting Overview ~
Report by BWOT and Finrod
As many of you know a staff meeting took place on January 3rd, Wednesday 2018. If you don’t know what a staff meeting is; it is a meeting done over voice chat primarily with all staff of MCME (Designers, Enforcers, Valar). We discussed a variety of topics and to keep you guys in the loop, we would like to give you an overview of what we discussed and also what you might expect:
A new Head Designer???
The first big topic of this staff meeting was a reaction to that I (Finrod) have basically constantly been completely overbooked by the many, many tasks that have happened to fall onto my plate during the past months. The one task that I had most trouble finding time for was properly supervising and reviewing the ongoing projects. Luckily, the Designers were always very disciplined in their project leading and thus no big problems arose. Still we think that the projects would go along a lot more organized and thus a lot more efficiently and quicker if there was someone that really focuses on supervising them. For that reason we are currently looking into handing someone the role of a "project supervisor", which most likely would also include the promotion to the Head Designer rank. At this point in time there are already a handful of Designers that would be interested in this position and the decision is currently being made by the Admin team, so q220, DynoDaring, Mandolore, Credoo and me.
Promotions
You will find the newest promotions on MCME under ~Rank Updates~
New method of promoting Artists
We are currently discussing about whether to change who and how Artist applications are reviewed. So far it was the task of the Head Designer to review the Artist applications and decide who to promote. One new idea, among others, is now that a committee of Designers takes over that job, motivated by the fact that it's the Designer who get the closest contact with the aspiring Artists.
Now, as the follow-up discussion has proceeded a bit further, it can be said, that a poll among the staff members clearly shows that we’ll continue with a committee reviewing the applications and also decide on who to promote and who not yet. The committee still has to be formed and will consist of volunteers from among the Designers.
Plugin training courses
Currently courses for most of MCME's plugins are being assembled. The idea is that, it is required for all new promoted Artists, Guides, Foremen and Designers to complete a handful of relevant courses within a certain timespan after their promotion, so that everyone is aware of the plugins and has laid hands on it at least once already. This reduces the risk that plugins will only get used by certain players and/or remain unused simply because a player did not know about it.
More ranks with WorldEdit
Especially in Moria Artists often need to copy/paste pillars or other elements, thus the idea was brought up to grant Artists the ability to use WorldEdit. Additonally to the great public discussion; we had a lengthy discussion among staff. A definitive conclusion is still pending, but the poll among staff shows that the majority is against giving WorldEdit to Artists, however deem giving it to Foremen a good idea.
~ General Announcements ~
New plugin training courses now open!
There are training courses being developed for the more complicated of the plugins that have been created resp. are used on MCME. The first two courses are now finished! These are:
- Armor Stand Editor Training by @didi45: /warp training
- Banner Editor Training by @Finrod_Amandil: /warp training banners
These two tutorials will soon be mandatory for all newly promoted Artists to complete. I also expect that all current Artists check it out!
The trainings are meant to be interactive and get the hands-on-experience. Follow the instructions and recreate the examples and solve the final exercises! But please do not grief the courses and restore them after you solved some exercise. If you accidentally break something tell an Enforcer or me (Finrod).
If you enjoy these courses, please do thank and give feedback to its creators! There’s a lot of work being put into them!
Off-topic Chat in Rank Application
A reminder to all players that "off-topic" comments in Rank application threads may be deleted to prevent exceptionally long threads, with content that isn't relevant. Please keep the “banter” in discord chats.
Winner of the Christmas Tree Competition
As promised the winner of the Christmas Tree Competition is to be announced in this edition and I would like to congratulate @laMoria for his beautiful looking Christmas Tree. It will be put in the Hall of Christmas Tree Fame.
~ Rank Updates ~
Arky Gerdy here with another fruitful week of rank updates!
QuantaCube: Say hello to our server’s newest taskmaster! After a very successful trial job overseen by Finrod and some build staff, we are happy to have Quanta in the vital rank of Foreman! If on the server, please direct any need of a job towards our wonderful man in blue!
MrSmithz: Smithy my man. An old member on MCME who was once an artist, foreman, and build staff. In the shadow of Mordor, we find ourselves eagerly seeking to finish Gondor. Please welcome him back to the rank of designer as he tackles some new responsibilities in completing Gondor!
JustJoren: Well, what should I (Finrod) say? The ThemedBuild is almost perfect. Congratulations to you, and I really hope that we’ll soon see your amazing skills incorporated into our Middle-earth map!
~ Interviews ~
This week, we have an interview with one of our most essential designers here on MCME. The work and time he puts into building and growing the server is astronomical. You may know him for his plugin work, or perhaps he’s given you a plot recently. Put your hands together for @Eriol_Eandur!
Question 1: How did you find MCME?
I first read about MCME in a online news magazine around 2011. At that time I was playing Minecraft and mainly in Singleplayer Survival Mode. There was a picture of old Annúminas and I was stunned:
I've been a fan of Tolkien's creation for most of my life and was fascinated to see people creating Middle-earth in Minecraft. But I didn't join the server back then. I never joined any game server and had not wish to do so. I joined about 3 years later in September 2014 when I was ill for some time. I was bored and I think I read again about MCME in a magazine.
Question 2: What was your experience like as an Adventurer?
I was completely overwhelmed by the view of The Shire (with all the vanilla trees before the Tree Revamp). I explored a bit but what I really wanted was to build. I started to build a Paths of the Dead Themed-build the day I joined and was so excited when @otho (Designer back then) noticed it. He told me it looked quite 'flat'. After that I spent a lot of time in @Will_em's builder school. I built a Themed-build every week (back then plots were locked after one week) and applied for Artist after 4 weeks. I got some positive feedback about my application but was told to build a few more Themed-builds to show more of the various skills an Artist needs. So I continued to build Themed-builds and also helped with a lot of ruining jobs in Osgiliath. I was pretty scared when one day Head Designer @Credoo suddenly asked me: "Who gave you permission to build in plotworld?" I had built a ship and two houses in plotbuilds for Dol Amroth and feared to have broken some rule. But luckily Credoo was looking for the builder of another build. After 8 weeks of adding Themed-builds and other builds to my application without getting any feedback I dared to ask @Credoo about it. Five minutes later I was Artist. What happened? Well, I edited my Application every week but didn't reply to it so no one noticed my updates. That's why I always tell you to reply to your applications But lately there is so much chattering at the application threads that it doesn't really help to get noticed.
Question 3: What made you want to become a Designer?
Life as an Artist was great. I enjoyed to build houses in Dol Amroth, trees for The Shire, Durin's Tower and Glaciers in the Misties. But I always liked most to build nature stuff: terraforming, streams and vegetation. That is mainly Designer's business so I began to work hard to get that rank. I joined a public project to revamp the ground vegetation in Lothlorien where I made concepts and led my first jobs.
Question 4: What is your favorite thing about being a Designer?
Hard question. I enjoy my terraforming and plugin work a lot but being a part of MCME community means even more to me. As a Designer I can contribute to this great community in many ways!
Question 5: Where is your favorite place on MCME?
Easy question, Lothlórien of course. I spent so much time on the vegetation there but even I’m there even more because of the fair and beautiful views of Caras Galadhon and Cerin Amroth from above the golden trees.
Question 6: Who is your favorite character in LOTR or the Hobbit?
I always liked Sam most. Without his stubbornness, calmness, loyalty love Frodo never would have made it to the mountain.
~ Winners of “The Week” ~
As always, the winners of the week deserve some special recognition, as they presented extra impressive material this past week or two. Make sure to show your support as their work represents our server!
MEDIA OF THE WEEK:
Okay, so in the midst of new Moria hype, we’ve got some cool media featuring the great halls of Khazad-Dum! We’ve decided on another for this week’s ‘Media of the Week’ so put your hands together!
We have an amazing video put together by @dav3ck of many of our most impressive halls completed thus far. All compiled into a 1:50 long video. It kinda gives me nostalgia for the MCME videos of old. The showcases and what not people used to make of our landmark locations. Anyways, give it a like and a view here on YouTube:
This week’s media features a beautiful render of Old Moria by @Glov.
THEME-BUILD OF THE WEEK:
This week I (BWOT) am proud to announce that _Toul won Themebuild of the Week with his excellent Durin’s Tower. It was a close call though. Congratulations! Everyone be sure to congratulate him as well!
~ Upcoming ~
WANTED: Readers for the Mordor RP!
As has been reported above, the intensified work on the Mordor RP has begun now. A first step is to gather a list of all textures we need, and of course the most important source we have to consider there are the original descriptions of Mordor as found in the Lord of the Rings. I (Finrod) am looking for readers that help me gathering all mentionings of how Mordor and it’s buildings look. If you are interested to help me out, you can get more information here: Mordor RP Dev Thread
Themed Build
Theme: Tom Bombadil’s House
Resource Pack: Eriador
Duration: 1 week
MCME Audiobook
The Audiobook, hosted by @TI_020601 is taking place regularly on Saturday evenings, 8:20pm GMT, unless announced otherwise in this thread: The New Audio Book
~ Lore of the Week ~
Morgoth
Character in the The Silmarillion
Morgoth, also known as Melkor, was the most powerful of the Ainur. He fell from glory when he disrupted the Music of the Ainur and defied the will of Eru Ilúvatar. Morgoth corrupted many of the Ainur to his allegiance, fought the Valar, and corrupted Arda, becoming the first dark lord of Arda. His theft of the Silmarils and wars against Elves and Men encompassed much of the history of the First Age. Eventually, Morgoth was bound in chains by the Valar and thrown into the Void, leaving the permanent damage, his evils had done, and his servant Sauron, to trouble the world.
One day, according to prophecy, Morgoth will rise again in great wrath, but he will be destroyed in the Dagor Dagorath.
Gothmog and Ancalagon
Servants of Morgoth
Gothmog was the Lord of Balrogs and the High-captain of Angband, one of the chief servants of the Dark Lord Morgoth with a rank equal to that of Sauron.
Gothmog was apparently one of the Maiar that followed Melkor to exile, and because of either his brilliant mind or because of his ability to assume an immensely powerful physical form, he was made the Lord of Balrogs.
Ancalagon, also known as Ancalagon the Black, was the greatest of all winged dragons. He was bred by Morgoth during the First Age, and was the largest dragon to have ever existed in Middle-earth. When Morgoth unleashed him in the War of Wrath it was described as so terrible was their onslaught that the armies of the Valar were driven back from the gates of Angband, and their coming was said to have been accompanied by a tempest of fire and lightning.
The War of Wrath
Battle of Arda
The War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, was the final conflict against Morgoth at the end of the First Age, and the greatest war ever fought in all of Middle-earth. It was the war of Elves, Men, Dwarves and Valar against Morgoth at the end of the First Age, which marked the end of his rule in Middle-earth. It resulted in the expulsion of Morgoth from Arda and the ruin of the Thangorodrim, but the violence of the clashes between the forces of the Valar and Morgoth shattered the northwestern portion of Middle-earth, Beleriand, and caused it to sink beneath the ocean.
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