Suggestion: Newbie helpers?

[MiseryBliss]

I know that the mods sort of do this, but maybe we could have 'Official Newbie Helpers'?
That way, if a newbie needs help with something, or has a question, they would know who to go to. it also wouldn't bother the mods or admin.
I've been here for a while, and I love helping out, I just thought this might be a nice way to do it. Maybe the 'ONH (Official Newbie Helpers)' could send PMs out to newbies with information about how CS works, things like that.
I don't know, tell me if you like the idea, and if you don't I understand. I just thought that having people who really want to help out the newbies would be a nice thing, because then the newbies don't have to be shy about going to a mod or admin with a question. it would be a welcome gesture, and it might just help with the 'newbie trade problem'. the ONH could direct newbies to important posts, such as the rarity guide, the trading rules, and the suggestion thread.

[RarityClarity]

I like this idea, MiseryBliss. =D The mods can moderate the boards and help with question, but it would certainly help them not to have to explain how CS works to every newbie to join. We could have an archive of information, and send it out in a PM to all the newbies that join. Then, if they have any questions, they can just PM instead of posting a question that's already been asked - and answered - many times already in the CS Suggestions/Problems/Voting Polls board.

I would gladly be an ONH, if this idea is supported. XD

EDIT: The information we could send them could include simple sections with plenty of information for each ...

1. Adopting a Dog, could include explaining stages, how to name pets, adoption limits, the CS archives and older pets.
2. Creating Groups, cloud include creating groups, moving pets from group to group, editing trade settings for the groups.
3. Decorating pets, could include how to acsessorize their pets, and fun ways to use items, etc.
4. Trading Pets, could include how to start a trade, leaving messages with the trades, cancelling and accepting trades, rarities of pets so they can make good trades, etc.
5. Using the Forum, could include the use of forums like Chicken Smoothie Chat, all the Trading/Adoption boards, and the CS Suggestion/Problems/Voting Polls.

I would be glad to write this guide if you'd like.

EDIT2: Or this guide I could write could just be the Ultimate Newbie Guide (UNG Lol), stickied in the CS Suggestions/Problems/Voting Polls board, and we could refer newbies to this thread before they ask any questions.

[Princess Luna]

That's a great idea!! I know I would have appreciated one of those when I joined. One problem I encountered when I joined was how rare a pet was. At one point I traded my black advent for a three tailed november I would have liked a guide that told me not to do that!

Edit: If that was done, I'd love to help write the guides!!

[Shian]

Do you really need a title to help out?

There are so many people that help out on this forum that assigning titles would either foster elitism or nearly everyone would have them. Just seems kinda redundant to me and might actually produce petty squabbles:
"Oh, I can't help out because I don't have a shiny title."
"OMG! Why are you helping? That's my job!" <-What? That's ridiculous....

[MiseryBliss]

I'm glad that you first guys like it.
Firestar, I understand where your coming from, and I think that everyone should help, but I think that having certain members, even if it's only 2-3, that were posted as Helpers, then newbies would know who to go to, without being shy. I know that when I was a newbie, I was much to shy to go to the mods and other members, because I was to worried about bothering people who didn't want my questions, so I ended up not posting on the forum (or adopting enough pets to collect complete collections) until I knew I understood everything, which was something like 2 weeks.
I'm shy, and I understand that not everyone is this way.
This isn't that others couldn't help, but it would give shy newbies, such as I was, a person that they know will be nice and welcoming to go to.

[Shian]

Our mods are nice. (Doesn't it say so on the front page somewhere?...) Maybe I just don't understand what a new player would feel what the difference is between someone tagged as a mod or someone tagged as a helper. They're still titles which indicates someone of higher stature. I'd be afraid to bother both.

[MiseryBliss]

Yea, I guess to each is her own. I mean, if we had had 'Newbie Helpers' like they do on many other sites I've been on, I would have felt more able to approach them with a question, instead of wondering if I was going to get disiplined by a mod for asking a very common question, as the newbies who open new thread that ask the same question as older threads (which have fallen to the back) do. I've seen many threads by newbies asking a question, such as 'how do I do this _____?" and if it's been asked before, a mod/member will say, "Did you search for this topic?" instead of just answering the question patiently. I know our mods are nice, but I was too shy to approach them until I'd gotten used to the idea.
Of course I'm going to relate this to a wolf pack, because that is how my mind works. My brain works like an omega, or lower ranked, wolf. I'm very shy and submissive. The admins (Tess and Nick) are like the alpha wolves. The mods are like beta wolves, higher rank that the average member, but lower than the admins. Being of omega mentality, I am to scared/worried to approach the high rank wolves that are the admins and betas. btu the helpers would be more like babysitter wolves, friendly, patient, and caring. the most welcoming in the 'pack' that is CS.
as RarityClarity said, it would clear up some of the duplicate questions in the questions/suggestions forum. I also think that having a little helper guide PM'd to newbies would be more reliable than just hoping that they read the rules, as we can see that many skim over the rules and miss parts.
If Other people think its a bad idea, thats fine, I don't mind. I just wanted to see what others might think of something that I would have liked.

[CrazyKate101]

Personally, I like the idea. I too was a shy newbie and would have never PMed a mod with a question. Though, CS doesn't need anymore people with smancy fancy titles. So, how about instead of having a little message that is on top of the forum for like 10 minutes and then disappears and also have a more detailed PM pmed to them.
The message could say something like this;
"Welcome to Chicken Smoothie!

If you have any questions about the site please PM the mods or one of these members who have volunteered to help new members: (two or three designated members).

You have also been sent a PM explaining CS to you, please read it.

To check your PMs please blah, blah, blah...
To PM someone please blah, blah, blah....

Don't worry this message will disappear in 10 minutes!"

And then a few members who volunteer and are then those who seem to be best for the job are picked by mods. They recieve no title, their names are just on that little message, and the PM of course.

[Shian]

Personally, I like the idea. I too was a shy newbie and would have never PMed a mod with a question. Though, CS doesn't need anymore people with smancy fancy titles. So, how about instead of having a little message that is on top of the forum for like 10 minutes and then disappears and also have a more detailed PM pmed to them.
The message could say something like this;
"Welcome to Chicken Smoothie!

If you have any questions about the site please PM the mods or one of these members who have volunteered to help new members: (two or three designated members).

You have also been sent a PM explaining CS to you, please read it.

To check your PMs please blah, blah, blah...
To PM someone please blah, blah, blah....

Don't worry this message will disappear in 10 minutes!"

And then a few members who volunteer and are then those who seem to be best for the job are picked by mods. They recieve no title, their names are just on that little message, and the PM of course.

I like this idea. But why not just simplify it by sending an auto-PM with the info when someone joins or signs up?

[kathylilia]

I agree... if they creates it, I'll be the first one joins