chilly moon
Mentor/Advisor Application
Age: 29
SS14 Username: RogalDorn
Why are you applying for this position?
I’m exceptionally passionate about the Aliens universe and the media surrounding it. I want to share that passion with players who are new or don’t yet understand the game, so they can contribute to the server’s atmosphere and roleplay. I also believe that when new players are given time and patient guidance, they’re far more likely to stick around, play regularly, and engage positively with the community.
What do you think makes a good member of our mentor team?
A good mentor needs three things: patience, strong game knowledge, and good roleplay discipline. They should understand the mechanics of every role well enough to explain them clearly and answer questions confidently. They also need to understand their IC role: mentors are there to advise and support, not take over a department or lead the round. Finally, mentors are often a new player’s first real interaction with the server. If the mentor’s roleplay, literacy, or attitude is poor, that first impression can ruin the experience and drive a new player away.
What do you think an advisor should be able to interfere with IC? What should they leave to the normal players?:
An advisor should interfere IC when it’s necessary to help a new player actually participate. It’s usually obvious who’s new wandering the prep room naked, looking lost, not talking, not understanding what to do. If they ask for help directly or if pointed to by other players
In departments like medical or requisitions, seniors/Dept leaders should train new people, but those roles can get busy and new players get pushed aside. When that happens, I think it’s appropriate for an advisor to step in and cover the basics so the player isn’t stranded. If the department isn’t busy and competent seniors are available, then it’s better to encourage or advise department leadership/senior members to handle the training, rather than replacing them.
What should be left to normal players is the actual leadership and flow of the round IC decisions, conflict, and outcomes. The advisor’s job is support and guidance, not taking over and leading.
What do you enjoy most about CMU and what do you think could improve?
Right now it’s hard to point to specific improvements beyond known bugs and issues already listed on GitHub. What I enjoy most is that CMU is clearly trying to ground itself in the Aliens universe pulling inspiration from the tabletop RPG, movies, comics, and games. Since CMU is still early in development and not fully 24/7 yet, I don’t want to over-prescribe changes. My focus would be helping players have a good experience and reporting issues as they come up.
What time zone are you in and when are you available? How much time per week can you realistically dedicate to staff duties?
I’m in Mountain Time (United States). If CMU hooks me the way RMC did, I expect to be around most days. Realistically I can dedicate significant time weekly (6 hours of play time) to staff duties often several hours per day when I’m active.
What character names do people know you as?
RMC: Bettaius “Pills” Ashford; Isotopes “Iso” Ashford; Montag “Monty” Ashford.
Starlight / this server: Felix “The Engine” Ashford.
How many hours do you have on relevant servers (CMU [AU14/UA14 included], CM13, CM13 PvE, RMC, similar SS14 servers)?
RMC: ~1,200 hours. Most of that is shipside work (medical, requisitions, military police), with significant time in basic marine roles, command, and squad lead.
Starlight: ~500 hours, mostly as SEC, cargo, or engineering.
Trauma Station: ~10 hours across playtests; I’ve also been trying to help with development because I like the direction and atmosphere.
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