[Idea] NFFs - Nexus Fix-it-Fairies

[KnorKater]

You like to help people to fix their issues regarding mods, but aren't patient enough to explain every single step again and again, or just don't have time for long conversations? Wish you could just run Teamviewer and fix it yourself? Why not add a feature to the Nexus to do just that? Imagine a team of volunteers people could come to, explain what the problem is, and then just let them fix it via Teamviewer.

 

If you want to participate as a NFF, opt in for it (maybe limit this function to user with a minimum amount of posts/mods/kudos/whatever) on your profile page. There you'd be able to enter your experience level, set the timeframe in which you're available, or just go for the "whenever online"-option. People could then browse a list of NFFs and see which are available right now and just write them, resulting in a pop-up on the NFFs site. You exchange Teamviewer data and go for it. Of course this can only be based on trust. If people think letting a complete stranger on the internet fiddle with their computer is too dangerous, there's still the forum to go to. Don't like it? Don't use it. An indicator value on the profile for the success rate and trustworthiness of a volunteer should be helpful for people considering to use this. You'd rate your helper after finishing the session.

 

NFF's misconduct would be punishable with a ban, which would make misconduct less likely the more time and energy a member already has invested on the Nexus. I would be wary of new people, but someone with 4k posts and several own mods here wouldn't be much of an issue. As indicator for the status of a Fix-it-Fairy little fairy wings could be added around the profile picture.

 

Most people just want to play the game and don't bother with complicated modding issues. Providing fast and competent help with that would be a huge advantage for the Nexus in comparison to other *cough*modpirating*cough* sites. I wouldn't recommend it, but it would even be an option to only let premium members engage with the most competent and experienced volunteers, or let the NFFs decide each for themself whether they want to be available for all, or just premium members. I personally wouldn't have a problem with that, but I bet my left hindquarter that others will.

 

Initially I intended to mark this thread as [schnapsidee] (an idea that only sounds good when you're drunk) in the title, but I couldn't find an adequate english translation for that word. :-/

[JimmyRJump]

We're gonna need a bigger mailbox for this. If one sees the amount of "problems" posted all over the fora, installing a system where volunteer helpers can be contacted -while not a bad idea at all- would open the floodgates for anybody who but even remotely thinks they need help. A lot of folk do, but in retrospect not the kind they're looking for here...

 

Secondly, and correct me if I'm wrong, this would imply that people will no longer post their problem in whatever help/technical section but contact the volunteers directly? This takes away the possibility for others to find a solution to their similar problem since there's no topic to be found anywhere, except in our overflowing mail boxes...

[KnorKater]

Thank you for the constructive reply. :smile: I wrote this on a tablet which's buttons are five times smaller than my fingers, so I didn't go into detail much.

"We're gonna need a bigger mailbox for this."

I was more thinking of using a chat for this. Here are some cheaply made pictures of what I imagine:

List in the forum (bottom right):

http://fs1.directupload.net/images/180102/yxvndk6y.jpg

The chat window:

http://fs1.directupload.net/images/180102/hq8d8cyw.jpg

The rating screen:

http://fs1.directupload.net/images/180102/gxm4uqi9.jpg

"would open the floodgates for anybody who but even remotely thinks they need help."

Yes, that's why volunteers should have full control over their availability, and be able to turn down requests. it should be something people do when they want to, hence the configuration options and the helper list that only shows available helpers (as in "currently online and willing to help").

"This takes away the possibility for others to find a solution to their similar problem since there's no topic to be found anywhere"

True. While I do think that most of the problems these helpers will encounter are one's that already have been discussed to death on the forum, it would be up to each NFF to record any new fixes. Maybe in a special thread called "NFF transcribed solutions", or directly contact mod authors to report load order issues they didn't mention in their mod's description, yet? Again, everything voluntary.

[JimmyRJump]

Nice set-up of the added NFF forum menu as well as both the chat window and rating box/system.

 

I also like your train of thought about some sort of "repository of knowledge" where solutions to problems can be gathered. But, might I be so bold as to suggest we first gather a flock of volunteers to go through the help fora with a sniffing dog and a magnifying glass (maybe also don a tweed costume with a hat with side-flaps) to already gather information on certain problems and add that to the repository beforehand. Which will be a huge task all in itself. Add to this that no-one knows what problems have already occured and which haven't and things might get complicated.

 

Also, we can't be talking NFFs for all games here. Will be hard to find folk who have a thorough knowledge of all games available. So, the knowledge base might have to be split-up, as well as all the contact boxes and available fairies per game. Looking at the amount of games on the nexus, there's the odd chance you might fall short on volunteers before even getting started.

 

There's over ten years worth of problem posting and answers to those, spread over thousands of pages. Are you willing to skim those to further the cause and add to the knowledge base?

[KnorKater]

"But, might I be so bold as to suggest we first gather a flock of volunteers to go through the help fora with a sniffing dog and a magnifying glass (maybe also don a tweed costume with a hat with side-flaps) to already gather information on certain problems and add that to the repository beforehand. Which will be a huge task all in itself. Add to this that no-one knows what problems have already occured and which haven't and things might get complicated."

I like the idea as a project on its own (and the image you paint with your words). Something similar to a "Skyrim Bug Tracker", just for many games and related to modding, and more like a Wiki. Something that grows organically over time, since my puny mind isn't capable of thinking about every possible problem category, etc. Way too many solutions get lost in the depths of forums, because a search gives too many unrelated results or the author didn't bother to come back and provide information about what fixed it, or threads getting deleted for some reason. I do have my own webspace with enough ressources and could host it.

 

It would be very useful for the little fairies, but not a dependency for them to help in the first place. It was my intention to just let each volunteer rely on their own experience, as it's already the case with people trying to help in the normal forum, hence the experience level entry below each user name in the list.

"Also, we can't be talking NFFs for all games here. Will be hard to find folk who have a thorough knowledge of all games available."

Exactly, that's why volunteers have to specify the games they want to give support for (see the games list below the names). Some games will have lots of helpers, others none. Can't avoid that in such a system entirely based on volunteers.

"There's over ten years worth of problem posting and answers to those, spread over thousands of pages. Are you willing to skim those to further the cause and add to the knowledge base?"

The forum needs a function to tag resolved issues as "solved", so they can be easily identified as such between all the dead-end posts.^^ But yeah, I'd count myself to the fairy army and the serfs working in the thread corpse mines, looking for shiny solutions to ancient problems.