PSA: Updates to Forum Rules (5/1/17)

Brigby

Hi Everyone,

With the recent forum change, we decided to look over and update the Forum Rules as well. If everyone could please take some time to get acquainted with them, it will help make the forum a much more cohesive and friendly place.

In addition, you may see some posts or threads being removed or edited retroactively. Rest assured, we will not be issuing any warnings for these retroactive forum rule violations. This is merely to keep the forum clean, appropriate, and up-to-date with current standards.

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding!

mpqr7

Any way to highlight what were the changes? I believe this section is new:

• Customer Support ticket conversations

Screen Monkey

• Acting like a jerk.

I'll get my coat

madsalad

mpqr7 said:

Any way to highlight what were the changes? I believe this section is new:

• Customer Support ticket conversations

Yup, was coming here to say exactly both of these things.  I hate when a set of rules gets updated w/o a redline version showing what was updated. Also, CS ticket convos getting deleted is interesting. 

Screen Monkey

madsalad said:&

mpqr7 said:

Any way to highlight what were the changes? I believe this section is new:

• Customer Support ticket conversations

Yup, was coming here to say exactly both of these things.  I hate when a set of rules gets updated w/o a redline version showing what was updated. Also, CS ticket convos getting deleted is interesting. 

Don't talk about 5* swap programme?

Brigby

@mpqr7 @madsalad I've added *New Update* tags to the new additions.

We've had instances in the past where CS ticket conversations and private messages were being publicized and presented out of context in order to support a player's claim / opinion, so that's why we had to add that rule. It technically could fall under the "misinformation" clause.

Quebbster

Will members who have their posts be retroactively edited or removed be informed this has happened and why the posts were breaking the new rules?

Brigby

@Quebbster

Yes. As with all edits or removals the moderators and I make, we will accompany them with either additional information in their edited post, or a private message, respectively.

Vhailorx

It is interesting to ban discussion of CS conversations.  Guess they really value the freedom to deal with everyone indvidually and keep us from comparing notes.

Also, we are really supposed to search through a month's worth of posts before starting a new thread?  That seems like a pretty heavy burden on posters.  But also in line with the relatively aggresive mod style here re: post consolidation.

madsalad

Also, this:  

 9. We also reserve the right to remove anyone from our forums (temporarily or permanently) if they do not abide by the rules. Warnings and bans follow a strict point system:

• 1 - 2 Points: Warning
• 3 Points: Jailed (Note: If you break a forum rule when Jailed, you will be permanently banned)
• Cannot start discussions
  
• Signature no longer displays
• Restriction on commenting
• 5 Points: Permanently Banned

Is there a time limit on these warning points? Like, does 1 point go away every six months or something like that, or are they just cumulative until you are shown the door?

mpqr7

In the old forum, you got 1 point, and it stayed with you for 3 months. Presumably it's the same here?

Dragon_Nexus

Brigby said:

@mpqr7 @madsalad I've added *New Update* tags to the new additions.

We've had instances in the past where CS ticket conversations and private messages were being publicized and presented out of context in order to support a player's claim / opinion, so that's why we had to add that rule. It technically could fall under the "misinformation" clause.

So is that a blanket "Absolutely not, on any condition" hard and fast rule?
Or is it more contextual. Like if I were to post a CS ticket in order to say "Look at how awesome this dude was in helping me!" that would be fine, but posting an example you gave would absolutely not be?

I suppose this goes for all rules, really. Are they hard and fast, completely unmovable rules, or do you allow context to add to the decision?

Brigby

@Dragon_Nexus

It depends on the forum rule that is under question. When it comes to egregious ones, such as attacking another player, it is absolutely a "hard and fast rule"

When it comes to the more innocent ones, such as posting in the wrong forum section, we're less likely to take stern action unless it is a multiple repeat performance, and the player hasn't learned from prior interactions.

DaveR4470

Slightly unrelated yet related: is there a way in the new forum system to see if we've commented on a thread (as there was before)?

MarkersMake

madsalad said:

Also, this:  

 9. We also reserve the right to remove anyone from our forums (temporarily or permanently) if they do not abide by the rules. Warnings and bans follow a strict point system:

• 1 - 2 Points: Warning
• 3 Points: Jailed (Note: If you break a forum rule when Jailed, you will be permanently banned)
• Cannot start discussions
  
• Signature no longer displays
• Restriction on commenting
• 5 Points: Permanently Banned

Is there a time limit on these warning points? Like, does 1 point go away every six months or something like that, or are they just cumulative until you are shown the door?

My profile says I have 149 points. How can I tell which ones are the bad ones? 

Brigby

@MarkersMake

You should be able to see any warning points you accrued next to your name in your profile. You currently do not have any, MarkersMake. 

MarkersMake

Thanks, @brigby. 

Now I'm going to go make a bunch of posts in the wrong forums so that I can see where the warning points go! 

  

Brigby

@MarkersMake

....please don't. 

Dragon_Nexus

Brigby said:

@Dragon_Nexus

It depends on the forum rule that is under question. When it comes to egregious ones, such as attacking another player, it is absolutely a "hard and fast rule"

When it comes to the more innocent ones, such as posting in the wrong forum section, we're less likely to take stern action unless it is a multiple repeat performance, and the player hasn't learned from prior interactions.

Yeah, I imagine some rules have little leeway. Obviously the flaming/trolling/angering etc rules are pretty clear cut. There's not a lot of room for "Well he insulted him in a nice way".

It's nice seeing a message board that doesn't tollerate negativity, but isn't too much of a rules lawyer when it comes to misunderstandings or well intentioned mistakes.

DFiPL

Brigby said:

@MarkersMake

You should be able to see any warning points you accrued next to your name in your profile. You currently do not have any, MarkersMake. 

@Brigby so 'warning points' go next to the username in the profile, and whatever's under "Points" is something else entirely?

Punisher5784

The new changes are fair and make sense. Now it depends on how they're handled. There have been a few occasions in the past where players received warnings/bans based on the Mods emotions (being in a bad mood) or the player feels like a constant target. It's fine to give the Mods slightly more power but I do not see anywhere for the players to report Mod abuse or the right to fight a warning/ban. It is my understanding that a warning cannot be removed once it's given to you.

I mean this in a respectful matter because all the Mods, overall, do a great job and oftentimes they are unappreciated, but other times their actions go too far or are very questionable.