wizzing

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                 ALERON'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A WIZARD

                                - or -

                     ALERON'S BIG BOOK OF WIZDOM


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NOTE:  this document is still in the process of being written.  whenever
       you hit a "blahblahblah" or it just ends rather quickly, it means that
       more will be added to that section at a later time.  all comments are
       welcome.
-Aleron 2/24/95
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                 T a b l e    o f    C o n t e n t s

0. Prep Work
0.1.  Why do you want to be a wizard?
0.2.  What do you get out of being a wizard on EOTL?
0.3.  What does EOTL get out of you being a wizard?

1. How To Do It
1.1.  Accepted method
1.2.  Other methods

2. What EOTL Inner Circle Is Looking For In A Wizard
2.1.  Ideas
2.2.  Ability
2.3.  Desire and commitment
2.4.  Nice people :)

3. Selling Yourself
3.1.  Image
3.2.  Show not tell
3.3.  Some tips on writing style
3.3.1.    conciseness
3.3.2.    action action action!

4. Common Mistakes
4.1.  Not taking certain questions seriously
4.2.  some other mistakes...?

5. Examples

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0. Prep Work
------------
    Before you decide to fill out an application, you should clarify for
yourself the reasons why you want to be a wizard.  Then figure out the reasons
why EOTL would benefit from having you as a wizard.

0.1.  Why do you want to be a wizard?
    Make sure you understand exactly why you want to be a wizard.  What reasons
make you wish to code on this mud?  Make sure you understand clearly what
being a wizard on EOTL entails, and have a clear understanding of what you
would be doing as a wizard.

0.2.  What do you get out of being a wizard on EOTL?
    This is closely related to the previous question.  What exactly are you
going to be getting out of being a wizard on EOTL?  What benefits or payoffs
are you getting?  Satisfaction from coding things that you've always wanted
as a player?  An ego boost because you're a wizard and now you're better than
all those mortals that laughed at you? A staging ground for world domination?
A fun way to learn how to code?  Though you don't have to explain this in
your application, it will help you on how you approach your application.

0.3.  What does EOTL get out of you being a wizard?
    So what do we get out of having you around?  Are you going to make this
mud a more interesting place to play?  If so, how?  Are you going to help
develop core code?  Are you going to code up cool toys?  Write up that area
you've been wanting to make since you were a newbie?  Make sure you have
a clear understanding of what _you_ can do for the mud so you can sell yourself
better in the application.


1. How To Do It
---------------
1.1.  Accepted method
    Get an application and fill it out.  Where and how you get an application
varies quite often.  You used to be able to buy one at the vending machine
in the lounge, and then you used to be able to get one at the Frob Union which
should be all the way south of the common room.  Check those places first, and
if they're not there, ask around.  Be warned, there are requirements for
being able to get an application.  They change quite often, but usually it
usually invovles being at a certain eval and having played a certain amount
of time on the mud.  After you submit your application, it will be reviewed
by several Inner Circle members (elders and arches).  If the number of
reviewers who vote yes on your application outnumber the ones that voted no
by a comfortable margin (around 3 or so), then you become a frob.  Otherwise
you are mailed a note explaining that you were not accepted and the reasons
why.

1.2.  Other methods
    Seduce Locus. :) :)  Buy Minister tacos.  Hack the mud.  Buddy up with
Duncan.  Sell your soul to Jester.  Whatever.  But be warned, unless your
benefactor is willing to back you up, chances are you're toast as soon as
someone notices you're a wiz.  And even if your benefactor backs you up,
you'd better start showing what hot stuff you are quickly or else sooner or
later, someone will get around to demoting you.  Lastly, unless you prove
yourself to be an absolute awesome badass wizard, you'll always have the
stigma of becoming a wizard because you're someone's buddy.


2. What EOTL Inner Circle Is Looking For In A Wizard
----------------------------------------------------
    None of these are hard and fast requirements, but the IC is looking for
a few things: 1) ideas, 2) the ability to accomplish those ideas, 3) the
desire and commitment to see them through, and 4) the ability to work with
others.

2.1.  Ideas
    Have a good idea of what you want to accomplish here on the mud.  The
more complete, well thought out, and creative your ideas are, the better.
Quantity is good, but quality is far better.  Make sure you give your ideas
some thorough analysis.  Is this something that is likely to have been doing
already?  How will these ideas make the mud a more enjoyable place?  How will
these ideas fit in with the rest of the mud?  Will it be overbalancing?  Will
it take care of any deficiencies that the mud has?

Quick Tip ==>  Stay away from guild ideas, racial areas (like Elfland), and
               generic movie ideas like "Star Wars" or "Star Trek."

2.2.  Ability
    No matter how good your ideas are, if you can't implement them (or get
someone else to implement them) then ultimately, they're useless.  This does
_not_ mean that if you can't code, you're screwed.  Many of the wizards,
elders, and even arches here didn't code when they first started.  If you
do code, then great, you've got an added plus, but that alone is not going
cause the IC to frob you.  If you don't code, then you should do your best
to acquire the skills.  Lastly, have a good understanding of the level of
coding skill you'll need.  If your goal as a wizard is to make fun,
interesting areas, with a minimum of fancy gadgetry, then you won't need
as much as if you were planning on hacking the mudlib, or worse yet, Zippo's
code.

Quick Tip ==>  If you're interested in learning how to code well, the mud
               is definitely not the place to pick it up.  Take a class if
               you can.

2.3.  Desire and commitment
    So maybe you've got ideas just bubbling out of your brain, and you can
code circles around anyone on EOTL.  If you don't have the commitment or
desire to finish these things, then your wonderful ideas and amazing skill
don't accomplish very much.  This does not mean that you should be some sort
of slave for the mud (unless that's what you're really into).  Surprisingly,
it's actually "ok" to have a life outside of EOTL (didn't know that did ya?)
But to be a productive wizard here, you _must_ have the desire, and
then the commitment to follow through.  This also means that as far as the
previous paragraph is concerned, if you do not have the ability, you have
the desire to get that ability, and then you work at it until you do.

2.4.  Nice people :)
    Lastly, as with any other job, you need to be able to get along (at least
some of the time) with your colleagues.  This does not mean that you ought to
kiss ass to anyone and everyone...far from it.  It does mean however, that if
you've got a chip on your shoulder, leave it at home.  If you can't work with
people, then perhaps you should go live in that cabin in the woods.  If you're
going to power-trip after becoming a wizard (or an elder or an arch for that
matter), then perhaps you should go get a life.


3. Selling Yourself
-------------------
    Keep in mind that your application is not so much a application as
an ad.  Your job in your application is to sell yourself to the Inner
Circle reviewers.

3.1.  Image
    Remember: the mud is a textual environment.  How you spell and write
will mold how others view you here.  This is especially true of the wizard
applications since some stranger is attempting to decide whether or not
you'll make a good wizard solely from what you've written.  If your
application is sloppily and carelessly written, then your reviewers will
think that you don't really care about being a wizard.  If _you_ don't really
care enough to make your application easily readable, then obviously, _we_
don't care enough to have you waste our time.  If your application is full
of grammar and spelling errors, it either means you're an idiot, or again,
that you don't really care about being a wizard here.  If your application is
_really_ horrible, not even the most bored reviewer will waste their time
on it...except maybe to make fun of you.

Quick Tip ==>  Figure out the difference between "its" and "it's", "you're"
               and "your", "there", "their" and "they're", and finally,
               USE A DICTIONARY!

3.2.  Show not tell
    One of the most effective ways of selling yourself is _not_ by simply
stating your points, but rather by showing them.  In fact, making claims
without anything backing them up is worse than useless, since chances are
the reader will assume that you're full of hot air.  If you can demonstrate
your claim with an anecdote or some qualifying text, and have the reviewers
conclude the very thing you're claiming...you're home free.  For example,
simply stating:
    "I am a very experienced programer."
is useless.  Stating:
    "I have 4 years of experience of programming with C in an UNIX
    environment.  Past courses have included a compilers class, a
    networking class, and an advanced programming class."
is much more effective.   Notice that you have never even stated that you
were an experienced programmer.  Instead, the reader concludes from your
little blurb that "gee, this person has had quite a bit of coding experience."

3.3.  Some tips on writing style

3.3.1.    conciseness
    Be short and to the point.

3.3.2.    action action action!
    blahblahblah

3.3.3.    general impressions...to innovative or not?...style and tone
    blahblahblah


4. Common Mistakes
------------------
4.1.  Not taking certain questions seriously
    Every question is in the application for some reason, and while it may
seem silly to you, chances are that at least one of your reviewers will take
the question quite seriously.

4.2.  some other mistakes...?

5. Examples
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-Aleron 4/14/95

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