Team Breakdown
Allow us to introduce you to the incredible team of UOAlive!
At UOAlive, we believe in a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can have a voice and be heard. That is why we have a team of dedicated volunteers, working together to bring the best experience possible to all players.
New Player Companions (NPCs)
First up, we have our New Player Companions (NPCs). These volunteers are the first point of contact for all new players and are the face and voice of UOAlive. They assist with introducing new players to the game, giving out the new player tokens if a player wishes to redeem one, and just put a face and voice to UOAlive's personality first and foremost.
- Introduction and Guidance: Welcoming new players, introducing them to the game, and helping them get started.
- New Player Tokens: Distributing new player tokens to those who wish to redeem one and handling all related tickets.
- Community Engagement: Being active in Discord channels to assist with questions, provide support, and offer a friendly presence to both new and existing players.
- Safe Space Commitment: Upholding UOAlive’s Safe Space commitment by ensuring a welcoming and supportive environment for all players.
Being an NPC is more than just a role; it is a calling. The title of New Player Companion (NPC) is not one you can apply for but is bestowed upon players who demonstrate exceptional helpfulness and support by the UOAlive Team. This is the only role that is earned purely through passion, love, and a commitment to helping others. These players are rewarded with Sovereigns for their excellence in great tickets, interactions, etc., but they do it out of their passion for the game, not for the rewards. This role is a nod to the original game of Ultima Online, where NPCs existed long ago and were all volunteers. The program was canceled to the dismay of the player base, but we wanted to bring it back to life at UOAlive. If you ever need to speak with an NPC, please open a help ticket and they will be there to assist.
Please remember if you truly need help call the appropriate professionals, you are not alone: https://www.apa.org/topics/crisis-hotlines
Event Managers (EM)
Event Managers (EMs) are the storytellers and architects of adventures within our virtual realm. 📖 They craft engaging narratives, organize server-wide events, and introduce surprise encounters to add magic to your UOAlive journey. From epic storylines that shape the server's lore to intimate encounters in dungeons, the EM's goal is to ensure every moment is memorable. ✨
- Crafting Narratives: Creating engaging and immersive storylines that shape the server's lore and enrich the player experience.
- Organizing Events: Planning and hosting server-wide events, from large-scale battles to intimate dungeon encounters, ensuring every event is memorable and exciting.
- Surprise Encounters: Introducing unexpected and magical encounters to keep the gameplay dynamic and engaging.
- Community Interaction: Engaging with the community to understand their interests and tailoring events to enhance their UOAlive journey.
The EM role draws inspiration from the rich history of Ultima Online, where these managers have been instrumental for over 25 years. Today, we're proud to reintroduce this esteemed position to UOAlive, keeping the tradition of Ultima Online alive and thriving. 🌟
UOAlive Community Manager (CM)
A UOAlive CM, short for Community Manager, plays a crucial role in maintaining a positive and enjoyable gaming experience within the UOAlive community. Their responsibilities involve moderating the Discord server, the in-game server, assisting with help tickets, and monitoring player logs in and out of the game.
- Moderation: Moderating the Discord server and in-game chat to ensure a respectful and inclusive environment.
- Help Tickets: Assisting with help tickets, providing guidance, and resolving issues to improve the player experience.
- Player Monitoring: Monitoring player activities to identify and address any disruptive behavior or violations of community guidelines.
- New Player Support: Helping new players acclimate to the game, answering their questions, and providing valuable insights about UOAlive’s culture and mechanics.
- Collaboration: Working closely with other team members to contribute to the overall development and improvement of the server, participating in discussions, and providing feedback.
- In-Game Characters and Support: Community Managers have in-game characters and can assist with help tickets directly within the game.
- Surveyor Projects and Minor Coding: They also have a hand in Surveyor Projects and can do some minor coding to assist with various tasks and improvements.
One of their main tasks is to ensure that bad actors or disruptive individuals do not ruin the gaming experience for others. They actively enforce community guidelines and rules, taking necessary actions to address any violations and maintain a respectful environment for all players. Being part of the UOAlive Team, Community Managers collaborate with other team members to contribute to the overall development and improvement of the server. They actively participate in discussions, provide feedback, and help shape the future of UOAlive.
UOAlive System Architects
The UOAlive System Architects are responsible for ensuring the stability and security of our backend systems. Their primary duties include:
- Monitoring and Maintenance: Regularly monitoring the server infrastructure to ensure a stable and secure environment, providing a smooth gameplay experience for the community.
- System Security: Implementing and maintaining robust security measures to protect against vulnerabilities and threats.
- Integration: Managing and integrating various external systems to enhance the overall functionality and performance of the UOAlive environment.
- Improvements and Enhancements: Designing and implementing improvements to expand the UOAlive community's experience, both within the game and in external systems.
- Development Assistance: Providing development assistance when required, contributing to backend development and system optimization.
System Architects do not have access to any special in-game tools or accounts and only use their player accounts. However, they do have access to the code and backend systems and are an integral part of the UOAlive Team.
UOAlive Designers
At UOAlive, we have a unique team structure that differs from traditional game development teams. Rather than having GMs and Devs, we have a team of UOAlive Designers who play a vital role in ensuring that the game runs smoothly. As a non-profit server, we heavily rely on contributions from our community to keep things going.
- Quest Creation: Designing and implementing new quests to enrich the gameplay experience and provide fresh content for players.
- Bug Fixing: Identifying and resolving bugs to ensure a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.
- Debugging Code: Contributing to the development process by debugging code and implementing improvements.
- Community Contribution: Working alongside other community members to support the UOAlive mission and enhance the overall player experience.
Our UOAlive Designers are members of our community who go above and beyond to help out, both in front of and behind the scenes. They contribute by creating quests, helping to fix bugs, and debugging the code. They don't have access to any special tools or accounts, and only use their player accounts. They do have access to our code and are part of the UOAlive Team. Some exceptions may be made for event contributors and or those who wish to participate more than others, in which case we may even move them to Admins. We believe in empowering our community, and our UOAlive Designers are a testament to that. We don't need titles to keep our passion for UO "Alive" - it's already ingrained in us.
UOAlive Admin
Lastly, we have our Admin, who acts as the voice of UOAlive. They are responsible for major announcements and work closely with all team members, having a deep understanding of the code base and the day-to-day happenings at UOAlive.
- Major Announcements: Communicating important updates and news to the community, ensuring everyone is informed about server developments.
- Server Management: Overseeing both the frontend and backend of the server, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
- Community Engagement: Interacting with the community to gather feedback and address concerns, fostering a transparent and collaborative environment.
- Team Coordination: Bringing together passionate individuals for various roles, ensuring a balanced and effective team dynamic.
- Marketing and Outreach: Managing the website, Discord, and other platforms to promote UOAlive and engage with a broader audience.
They oversee the server frontend and backend, discord, website, marketing, and more. The Admin has made sure to bring on other passionate individuals to all positions on the UOAlive team, with similar mindsets to the UOAlive mission statement, but also different personalities than their own, to ensure that everyone has a say, different views, and ultimately balances each other out. The UOAlive team is constantly communicating with one another, and no one person has more "say" than anyone else. We use an open form of communication in staff channels to make sure ideas are vetted and fleshed out before being presented to the community. In some cases, we even open it up to the community for more input!
The UOAlive team is constantly communicating with one another, and no one person has more "say" than anyone else. We use an open form of communication in staff channels to make sure ideas are vetted and fleshed out before being presented to the community. In some cases, we even open it up to the community for more input!
Please open a Help Ticket in discord if you need to speak with any of the UOAlive Team. You can also utilize the Suggestions and Bug Forums, which the entire team check regularly.
Last but certainly not least...
UOAlive Reporters
The UOAlive Reporters are a dedicated group of individuals who are committed to bringing the community together through their volunteer efforts on the Community Newsletters. These individuals are responsible for scouring the server for the latest news and happenings, interviewing players, and compiling screenshots to create engaging newsletters that are enjoyed by both members of the server and outsiders alike.
- News Gathering: Scouring the server for the latest news and happenings, keeping the community informed and engaged.
- Player Interviews: Conducting interviews with players to share their stories and experiences within UOAlive.
- Content Creation: Compiling screenshots and writing articles to create engaging newsletters enjoyed by both server members and outsiders.
- Community Engagement: Bringing value to the community by sharing captivating stories and updates, fostering a sense of unity and excitement.
Led by community, the UOReporters are 100% player-run and receive a monthly wage in the form of sovereigns as a token of appreciation for their hard work. Despite not having any special powers or access to UOAlive, these reporters are often the first to get their hands on exclusive "scoops" and tidbits from the server, but they are never privy to spoilers. To become a UOReporter, individuals must apply to the existing team and demonstrate their passion for the game by honing their writing abilities and gaining an in-depth understanding of the happenings and happenstance within UOAlive. The UOAlive reporters possess a passion for the game that drives them to seek out the latest information and share it with the community through the creation of captivating Community Newsletters and their commitment to bringing value to not only UOAlive but also to those who may be considering joining the server.
This player-run aspect of UOAlive is a nostalgic nod to the original UO and the old Stratics Newsies and serves as a shining example of what UOAlive stands for: passion, compassion, and diversity. It is this spirit that we hope to instill in all of our players and visitors, and it is what makes UOAlive such a unique and special community.
The UOAlive team is fueled by a passion for Ultima Online and the vibrant community it fosters at UOAlive. They pour their hearts and souls into their roles to create an immersive and enjoyable experience for all players. They are united in their mission to elevate UOAlive to new heights, and they are driven by a deep understanding of the inner workings of the game and its community.
Together, they form a powerful and dedicated team, committed to ensuring that every player who steps into UOAlive feels welcome, valued, and safe. This is what makes UOAlive, truly... Alive.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
How you can get involved Community Participation
DISCLAIMER: When sending Direct Messages, please be aware that any communication with a UOAliive team member(NPC > Admin), who is representing UOAlive in the conversation, is logged and shared with the entire team. Our commitment to full transparency is rooted in the belief that this benefits not only the team but also promotes our server's Safe Space guidelines. We prioritize avoiding any miscommunication among team members or UOAlive members. To prevent the "age-old trickle-down direct messages" effect, we use these logs solely to understand the overall temperature of UOAlive's community, keep the UOAlive team on the same page as we work as a cohesive unit, offer mediation if necessary, and monitor significant changes to the server and game code that may go unnoticed if sent in a Direct Message to a team member unable to help on that level. Rest assured that these logs are only used for these specific purposes and nothing else.
If mediation is needed to address actions of a staff member, we still request that a Help Ticket is submitted, but all parties involved will be removed from the ticket until the matter can be addressed and mediated between the parties together. This ensures that all parties are able to share their perspective and have a fair and impartial resolution. As always, we are committed to promoting transparency and maintaining a safe and positive community environment for all members of UOAlive.