Q. Does Job still play DAOC?
No.
The rest of this page was written years ago and no longer applies. I've left it here for historical reasons.
Q. Who is Job?
Job is an autistic boy who
Job's Autobiography
Q. Is Job running amok on Gaheris without adult supervision?
No. Job's father plays on Gaheris and keeps tabs on him. In addition. three long-time Gaheris players (Gostond, Vicky, and Rob) have created a special alliance (the Grottekvarnen alliance) for Job where every member of every guild is committed to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for him. Most of Job's toons are in the Grottekvarnen alliance. The Grottekvarnen Alliance has been taking care of Job for more than a year and a half.
Q. How can I stop Job from pestering me with annoying tells?
Job is autistic. That's a kind of mental disorder. Often he is funny, adorable, and loving. At other times he begs, curses, and sends inappropriate sexual comments to female toons. His father and the adults in the Grottevkarnen Alliance work continually to help him stop this behavior. We've had some success. At times Job makes strong efforts to control this behavior. Afterwards he often feels guilty. He is getting better at controlling himself, but he is very far from perfect. Many adults find it rewarding to chat with Job even though he is sometimes irritating. If you don't enjoy talking to him, here's what you should do:
If Job annoys you, put him on ignore.
I wrote that advice in bold type because people often complain about Job's behavior. The solution to the problem is in your own hands. If he bothers you, put him on ignore.
Q. Job keeps asking my guild to invite him. We've told him a thousand times that we don't invite kids, but he keeps asking anyway. How can we make him understand?
It's difficult to make him stop this kind of compulsive behavior. If you want, you can keep telling him patiently each time he asks that you don't invite children. This probably won't work, but you can try. Alternatively, if his repeated requests bother you, put him on ignore.
Q. You say you watch over Job, but if he does something wrong, all I can do is put him on ignore. Shouldn't you take steps to control his behavior?
I also said that Job's father and the players in the Grottekvarnen Alliance do take steps to help Job control his behavior. We've had some success. You can help by letting me know when Job behaves badly.
Q. I'm skeptical whether Job is really an autistic child. I think maybe he's a perverted adult who likes to harrass women.
I've included this question because a friend said it to me in the game. I know Job well. I talk to him on the phone almost every day. I also know his parents. I promise you that he really, really, really is a
Q. Is Job getting better?
Yes, he has improved tremendously during the three years that I've known him. He controls his impulses and anger much better now and he's more mature. Looking back over a longer time period, his father tells me that a few years ago, Job was unable to read and his teachers believed that his IQ was 50. After the teachers issued that grim diagnosis, Job's mother taught him to read. Today, anybody who talks to Job can see that his verbal skills are excellent and his IQ is far above 50.
Q. Is it really a good idea for an autistic kid to play on Gaheris?
In Job's case, it's an excellent idea. Playing on Gaheris has been an effective form of therapy for him. I've seen this with my own eyes and his parents say the same thing.
Q. I'd like to help Job. What can I do?
Get to know him. He's easy to talk to. Invite him to groups. He's fun to play with -- at least I think so, that's why I do it. He says funny things. Try not to lose patience when he does something crazy. If you become friends with Job and want to help even more, you can put your toons into guilds in the Grottekvarnen Alliance which was created to provide a safe environment for him. You can even add your whole guild.
Q. I like Job and invite him to my groups. Most of the time he's pretty nice and funny. But sometimes he gets a little crazy. He'll pull mobs when we're not ready or beg incessantly or start insulting us for no reason. Do you have any tips for coping with him when he gets like that?
First of all, make the rules very clear to him. If there are certain behaviors you don't like, tell him clearly that he can't do those things when he's grouped with you. Second, don't reward him for behavior that you dislike. For example, I've always disliked his begging, so I never give him any items when he begs. When he begs me for an item I say, "You know I never give you things when you beg." He immediately says "sorry." Third, don't be afraid to tell him no. Fourth, if he does something that you think is very bad, tell him calmly that if he doesn't stop, you'll kick him out of the group for five minutes or put him on ignore for five minutes or something of the sort. Then, if he does it again, carry out the threat. Be calm, be patient, be clear, be consistent.
Q. I'd like to learn more about Job.
Contact Gostond (any toon in Grottekvarnen) or me (any toon in Muahaha) in the game. Or send one of us a personal message on this forum.
Q. Will this FAQ embarrass or disturb Job when he sees it? He can read really well.
I don't think so. Job was delighted when he saw this web page. He often asks me to tell people that he's autistic. He realizes that people are kinder to him when they know.
Q. I've heard Job and you (Rob) calling each other "brother" in the game. Are you really brothers?
No. Job is
This page was last revised on May 5, 2015
