How to be a Hogwarts Helper

Greeting/Guiding New Players

You are the go-to person for newbs. So if you’re online and a newb comes on….claim them!

If You are Busy

This may mean leaving class, quitting a mini-game (such as Snaps or Gobstones) with friends, and pausing in your spell practicing. However, it is your job to do so if no other helper is available. If you really don’t want to leave, ask in Helper chat if someone else can cover them, and state why you can’t. If nobody can, tough it up and put on a smile for your new classmate when you greet them.

If You are on Another Server

You may play on other parts of the server Towny. That’s fine! Just make sure to check back in using Helper chat periodically, in case they need your help. And if they need you to switch to the server to help newbies, do so.

Answering HelpOp Tickets

This is the ticket system used to report bugs, offenses, and request help. While you are answering a ticket global, local, and house chat are all muted to reduce the distractions. You can still /msg someone which is helpful if you need to consult an upper staff member, or if you’re in a class (as ticket chat will still appear in local in this situation).

Ignoring a Ticket Because You Dislike a Player

Please avoid ignoring a ticket. If you hate the player, be professional. Be polite. And be helpful! At worst, you’ll close the ticket and they’ll submit another one. At which point, you’ve tried. So feel free to ask someone else to take it.

Ignoring a Ticket Because You Don’t Know the Answer

If you do not know the answer, ask in helper chat. Someone else might know, but may be guiding a newb or not looking at the ticket. You may also be able to /msg an admin if you know they’re not busy.

Ignoring a Ticket Because You Don’t Know What It Means

Answer it anyways and get clarification on the problem. If you can solve it, great. If you can’t, tell them to redo their /helpop and what they should write instead.

If a Ticket is Beyond Your Powers (ex. granting a bed)

1. Name Changes

1. If they have a name change application and an owner is online, let an owner take the ticket. If there is not an owner, let the player know to make another helpop when an owner is online in /list.

2. If they have not made a name change application on the forums, direct them how to do so.

2. Shops or Apartments

1. If player is trying to add someone to their shop/apartment, tell them to do /region addmember IGN

2. If they are having some kind of trouble with permissions, see if upper staff is on. Either answer their ticket and tell them upper staff isn’t on yet, or poke said upper staff.

3. If they would like to purchase one, let an admin+ take the ticket. If there is not one online, let the player know to make another helpop when an admin+ is online in /list.

3. Towny

1. If there’s a permissions issue, check for upper staff. Poke that staff, or tell player to wait.

Being…Helpful!

You are a helper. If you see someone in house chat or local chat with a problem, help them. If they need a guide to class, show them the guide command or show them yourself. If they’re struggling with spell casting, take them to Alaclara or give them the youtube link. If they need further help, take them to studyhall.

Useful Commands

Helper Chat

Putting + in front lets you talk in Helper chat. Come say Hi!

/tpnew IGN

Allows you to TP to the side of a newb. Helpful when you lag and they didn’t.

/wand IGN

Tells you the number of wands a player has owned. Newb should be 1 or 0

/ticket list

When someone does a helpop, use this to see the tickets.

/ticket answer #

Allows you to answer the ticket. For now, please do not do this during a class

/ticket close

Closes the ticket. Regular students cannot close it on their own unless they disconnect.

/msg IGN, /r

If you need to msg someone, use this. Helpful in tickets for advice.

/rules

A good command to recommend to your newb so they know the rules.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRW6-ysoqI

A link to the Knockturn MC’s video on spell casting. A good video to give to struggling firsties. The link will only work if you do

/mail send (IGN) (link)

You can also tell them to google knockturn mc spell casting. They can find it on their own.

Newb Problems

«My newb is afk…»

If there’s another newb that needs help or you want to do something else, go for it. No need for you to spend the next 10-15 minutes, creepily staring at the newb. Sometimes they’re waiting for a friend/helping them get on, sometimes they went afk for fun, and sometimes the lag is attempting to murder them. You can not control these factors and shouldn’t stand around because of them.

«My newb ran away!»

Summon your inner predator and chase them down. Use /tpnew IGN to cheat!

1. If they’re going in the right directions you can /msg IGN, and tell them to use /helpop if they need help later.

2. If they’re going in the wrong directions keep trying to establish contact. If local chat doesn’t work, try /msg IGN. Chat is intimidating, especially when global is going nuts.

3. Please note If you tell a newb something in /msg, please tell them how to reply. It’s not common…but sometimes a newb doesn’t know HOW to talk in chat.

«My newb’s ignoring what I tell them.»

If you’ve told them to buy stuff and they chose not to, fine. They can buy them later. Just make sure you try a few times before giving up on them. If they want to get their robes first, let them. You are a helper, not their master; their friendly guide that goes with their whims. “Recommend” they get/don’t get stuff. If they buy 6 wands despite you telling them not to, then they’ll just need to earn their money back to buy other stuff.

Make sure you’ve tried /msg just in case though.

«Uhhh (random name here) is helping a newb??»

As you may or may not know at this point, your job is to help newbies, and other players should not be doing so unless there are no staff members online. Below are tips on how to deal with “helpful” people trying to guide newbies while staff are available.

1. Keep calm throughout the entire encounter.

2. Ask in local or /msg if the student knows the newb. If the players say yes, they do know each other, wish them a fun journey and leave them alone.

3. If a student is helping a newb they do NOT know irl…things get more interesting.

1. Step 1. Thank them for welcoming the newb, and tell them you’ll take over now.

2. Step 2. Remind them that regular students cannot guide newbs. And if they wish to guide, they should apply to become a helper. This sometimes leads into you needing to explain how to apply.

3. Step 3. If the student runs away with the newb, chase them down. Repeatedly tell the student to stop.

4. Step 4. If the student refuses to listen, call for backup via helper chat. Upper staff can deal with the student, and you can take the newb safely on their journey.