Greeter

Greeters are player volunteers who enjoy helping new players (greenies). Their names appear pink to greenies, other on-duty greeters, and Ocean Masters. Regular yellow named players see them as yellow named players.

Greeters can regularly be seen on the docks of islands where greenies start out, answering any questions they might have. Greeters are often also responsible for running special tournaments and greeter pillage trips for greenies to help them become more comfortable with the game. Greeters may run other activities for greenies and whatever they can to help them out and get them having fun.

If you've been directed to this page by using /duty for the first time or are otherwise interested in becoming a greeter, you might want to check the new greeter FAQ.

Greeter eligibility


Any user of Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates is be permitted to use the /duty command to gain access to the greeter tools if they meet all of the following requirements: The following conditions will result in a ban from greetership:
 * Account at least 6 months old
 * Clocked a minimum of 200 in-game hours
 * Have a reasonably clean discipline record
 * A suspension in the last six months
 * A blackspot in the last two months

The first time an eligible greeter goes on /duty, the pirate will receive a warning (displayed here on the right) and automatically be directed to this page. It is important that a new greeter understands the responsibilities that come with the duty of being a greeter. Players are strongly encouraged to review the YPPedia information and general documentation on greetership and the game in general before /dutying on for the first time. Regular review of this information for updates is encouraged.

General principles

 * A Greeter should always act with the interests of the Greenies at heart.
 * Greeters should not abuse their greeter status for recruiting into their crew or flag. If the greeter status is abused, it will be taken away by the OMs.
 * A Greeter should always answer questions politely, or decline politely if they are busy.
 * Any communication with greenies should be done with proper English, or whatever the language being used by the greenie is. If the greeter does not speak the language in question, the greenie should be referred to a native speaker of that language if the greeter can find one through the greeter chat. Leetspeak, IMspeak, and other such things should be avoided, as not all English speakers are fluent. If the greenie begins to speak IM, only then should a greeter match them, if they so desire. Mild pirate lingo would also be acceptable.
 * Greeters should know how to use resources at their disposal to answer questions, such as crew, flag, hearties, forums, and the YPPedia. These should be the first line of defence when presented with a question to answer.
 * The majority of teaching (whether conscious or not) is done not by direction, but by example. It is important how greeters act because the new player will see it and emulate it. Players remember their greeter role models even after they turn yellow.
 * Greeters should go off-duty if they will be unable to focus properly on a tell from a greenie. This could be because they are talking with someone else, puzzling, or are involved in a voyage. Missing a /tell is not the end of the world, but should be actively avoided.
 * A Greeter should never log on a greenie alternate account to 'test' other greeters.
 * A good Greeter knows their own limits. They seek help to answer questions when they need it, and they go off-duty if their patience runs out.

Greeter pillages
Main article: Greeter pillage

Greeters may hold special training voyages to help new players learn how to play the game. In order to set a ship to greeter pillage, the hold of the ship must be empty. Cannonballs and rum are not consumed during this pillage. Greeter pillages can only be run on ships with a maximum capacity of 15 pirates: currently, the longship is the largest ship available. Eligible greeters who are whisked to a greeter pillage are placed on duty as soon as they accept the offer to job.

When holding a greeter pillage, greeters should be prepared to be patient with green-named players who will be aboard, and will preferably have multiple greeters on-hand to deal with questions as they pop up.

Do not use greeter pillages (or the greeter status) to recruit people for a crew or flag. Specifically, this means that there should be no active recruiting on training pillages. However, if a greeter is approached by a greenie whilst on the training pillage and they ask to join the crew without any prompting whatsoever, then it would be acceptable for the greeter to recruit the greenie into the crew.

Greeter pillages are not meant for profit. As such, non-greenies will not receive the pre-division cut of the booty. Greeter pillages also do not find expedition maps.

Greeter pillages should only be run for the benefit of greenies. If the pillage is not likely to benefit greenies then it may be better to configure a different voyage (such as a regular pillage) instead.

What greeters do not have to do

 * Greeters do not have to deal with bad behaviour. If someone is offensive complain them to the OMs and get it dealt with.
 * Greeters do not have to answer questions. They can go off-duty.
 * Greeters do not have to lend money, clothes, or any other items to greenies.
 * Greeters do not have to be around at any particular time.
 * Greeters can always turn off their Greeterhood and pick it up again later. Don't burn out.

Greeter abilities

 * Greeters have access to the /greeter chat channel.
 * Greeters can view the current starter island when /gwho is typed
 * Greeters can receive tells from greenies via the Ask a greeter button.
 * Greeter shortkeys are available to on duty greeters.
 * Greeters have a pink name visible only to greenies, other greeters, and Ringers.
 * Greeters can run a greeter pillage on a ship, if they have officer privileges.
 * Greeters do not have access to special banning or shunning privileges. They must meet the same requirements as other players for using the blackspot.

History

 * Greetership was added in Beta release 7.
 * Prior to Beta release 15, a greeter's status could be viewed by all players.
 * Prior to Release 2006-10-17, the greeters were a closed group who kept their members and methods private for a variety of reasons.
 * The Greeter Broadcast was removed in.