As the Acting Item Manager (Read: Stats-Bitch), I should probably straighten a few misconceptions out, as well as offer what information I can about the position.
At the moment, your statement would certainly seem to have some truth to it.
We use a Google Docs Spreadsheets to add stats, we don't edit module_items manually. When chadz compiles for a patch, the module_items.py file is generated using the spreadsheet, so the issue isn't that we need someone do to simple stuff like creating item stats (Item Balancers create the stats anyway, all an Item Manager does is put them into the sheet.) It's that any "Item Manager" will have to have an eye for quality. There are a lot of restrictions that items have to pass through before getting accepted, so it turns out to be quite a tedious task. If you as Item Manager create/edit models/textures, it still has to pass through the normal voting procedure to be able to get implemented. While It's not a rigorous test or anything, it does mean you as the author, don't get the final say.
Really, just about anyone could suffice, but here's a list of things that any candidate will be confronted with or will need to know (might also be worth noting that it would seem, understandably, that chadz highly values initiative). Without the knowledge of how the modeling and texturing process works, so you can fix other people's models/textures, as well as have the willingness to do so, any Item Manger is going to be rather hard pressed to find acceptable OSPs. You must have the author's approval (many people, surprisingly, don't understand this), and you have to scrutinize each OSP filtering out all the items that don't really fall within the timeline or style that cRPG has (Nothing fantasy for example, it shouldn't stick out like a sore thumb), as well as ensuring the items have an appropriate poly count and LOD meshes.
There are likely things that I am missing, so don't consider this to be the end of the list rather, just a brief description.
So according to Tydeus, the person in question needs to be able to create item stats and add them to a google document, probably like excel in microsoft office for spreadsheets, propose good quality models for vote... and that's about it really. We're sort of at the point here where almost every item suggestion is ready to go ingame (with the exception of some of panos's many suggestions), so really, a well trained monkey could do this job pretty much.
The only thing is that someone WOULD have to know something about graphic design and texturing and all that for the occasional bad apple, if the manager in question didn't just pass it over for being poorly done or redundant or whatever. there are also models that look good that end up needing more work, sometimes has to do with the way they're animated too soo...
Really, at the end of the day, what we need in an item manager is someone who has a good mind for the balance already, who has a good eye for model errors and whatnot, and who can coordinate with model creators and crpg balancing/moderating community to add good models. Modeling and all that stuff is secondary. Therefore, just about anyone could do this.
So does anyone here have a good idea/history of posts about item/game balance, a fair amount of time 10+ hours a week to lend to doing the job, and has a good ability to communicate? That's really all we need right now.
As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind seeing exactly whats involved in the nitty gritty of it, I have some experience with 3d 3+ years, game and item balance suggestions, and i get along fairly well off with people. I may just want to do it. I'm still a fan of having an item management team rather than just 1 guy doing it though, simply because it its easier that way on everyone, and more work can be done with less effort at a higher quality.
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