D20PRO: The Community Manager
By
Hey, D20PRO fans! Krilion GreyDragon, here. I’d like to talk to you about my position as D20PRO Community Manager: what I do, how that affects you, the users, and how to bring feedback to the team to make a better VTT experience.
A little about myself: I’ve been gaming since the mid 80s, cutting my teeth on Dungeons & Dragons of course. In the decades that followed, I ran a Bulletin Board System (BBS/Fidonet) for gaming before there was a public internet. I met my wife of twenty years at a Shadowrun game. We have two wonderful daughters, who also love gaming. We all enjoy a multitude of various RPG games and often get game systems just to read the rule sets.
The Basics:
I am a D20PRO user, just like you- I know a bit more about the internal workings than the average user
- I do not know everything, but I know who to ask to find out
- I know it is shocking, but I can be and have been wrong!
- I have to know a little about a lot of aspects of using the software (coding, graphics, RPG trends, game systems, game play, etc.)
The infographic doesn’t accurately describe that there isn’t a stop gap between myself, the users and the Dev Team. The Dev Team reads social media and the forums almost as much as I do. My role is to facilitate Q/As with the community. I gather questions, from the community and my own research, and ask the Devs these questions all at one time. This way the Devs can stay focused on writing code to add cool new features.
Scouting Missions
Part of my job also entails spending a good deal of time wandering around the web: reading groups, pages and sites centering around gaming to get a feel as to what is going on, what people are looking for, and gauge reactions to trends happening all around the gaming sphere. Not only does this allow me to better represent what it is people are looking for in the software, but also what the trends are showing up in the gaming community as a whole.
By researching, I can give better feedback to the Dev Team when they ask for suggestions, implement a change to the software, or are curious about how the user base will receive the features. For example, many players wanted to edit their character sheet. We talked with the Dev Team, many GMs, and players. D20PRO finally settled on a compromise, which allows players to edit their character sheet/token but only with the GMs approval.
Testing & Features
I also typically beta test the software with close friends to help find bugs, garner feedback, and gain insights into how the players received the changes. I have to explore all facets of the software, as well as experiment with unexpected methods of using the software. For instance, using the “Abilities” mechanics for the spell system rather than the built in “Spell mechanics.” This is mainly a flavor aspect of using D20PRO. Technically, using the “Abilities” mechanics is a bit smoother when saving and loading details for the Ability/Effect. This method allows for unlimited cantrips as well.
It’s About the Community
You can always ask me questions about D20PRO. I’ll do my best to get you the answer, whether that’s from my own brain or putting you in touch with another staff member.
In closing, remember we are gamers, building software for gamers. We have a dedicated team of people here to support you. We are a small friendly group and not a big top tier company with clinical detachment. I am always here to help you with any aspect of D20PRO you might have issue with or questions about.
