Paul LaFontaine · @PaulLaFo
13th Mar 2012 from Twitlonger
Thanks for your thoughtful notes that add to the discussion about the HabboCM concept. Your points about maturity and automated activity are correct in principle. We hear you loud and clear.
The problem we're solving is how to use technology to restore the best elements of the Hobba program. Experienced users like yourself have identified the Hobba as something that was good. The good news is we're bringing the good parts of it back. The better news is that we're going to use technology to keep it from collapsing like Hobba did.
In the day, Hobbas were hand picked. Because hand picking people doesn't scale and there were no technically enabled feedback loops on Hobba performance, some Hobbas abused their position and the program has to be stopped. The problem was that social media techniques and technology was not leveraged. We all have more experience with that today, and can design a smart program that works.
The design challenge is to make a system that will identify mature, experience players through their measured activity while ensuring oversight so botting, abuse of power and other misuses of the system are not allowed. And where they occur, they can be quickly identified and corrected. There will be guards for the guards.
It is a question of design, balance, resources and oversight. Mods will remain as the backbone to a system of mature HabboCMs and as a line of restraint should a HabboCM behave inappropriately. HabboCM's will not ban. They will make recommendations in serious cases. Mods still have the chats logs and the button. HabboCM's may have the ability to kick users or let everyone cool down when the situation tense. Similar to the two hour ban.
Will there be individual cases of abuse and inappropriate behavior? Sure. And I'm putting faith that the larger group of experienced, mature HabboCM's will identify the perpetrators and help curb the behavior. If not, users will be able to appeal to a mod and we have the button.
At the end of the day we want the same thing. Mature users with appropriate tools to help guide situations out of problems and help well intentioned mistakes from escalating. This concept works in many other online services. We just have to design it and balance it well for Habbo.
My commitment to you is we are not going to go into a room, design a thing and launch it into the community without bringing it to you first. We won't launch it to 10M without testing it and balancing it on a willing few. That is what we are doing here. And your well thought out points will be incorporated into what we build.
That's how we're going to work together and make the service great.