Poll: New forum rules - Yay or Nay?

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Aethren

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Jun 6, 2009
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Don't really care one way or another about it. Only one warning as I generally tend to not be a douche about things. I do forsee DLC in the future that integrates 'health packs' to lower the health meter though.
 
Dec 14, 2009
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The_Healer said:
The fun police are out in force it seems.

I see much police brutality in my future.
'That's a nice forum health bar you've got there. Be a shame if something were to happen to it...'
 

Admiral Stukov

I spill my drink!
Jul 1, 2009
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Spinwhiz said:
As for seeing warnings and probations get erased, currently it's not going to happen. We are holding people accountable for their actions and we feel 8 strikes is more than enough. 99.9% of the forum members don't have more than 2 warnings (if I'm not mistaken, 82% don't have any infractions). If people can't learn how to be respectful towards others and follow very simple rules, they won't be here for long. Everyone has a bad day but even off of the internet, if you do something stupid on that bad day, you are held accountable. The same goes for The Escapist forums.
I'm sure you might be getting tired of having the current health bar system challenged, but please bear with me as I have a few points to make.

I do agree at large with these new changes. The problem I have with this system is that it's all stick and no carrot. For example, as a reflection of the Matrix badges (or even connected to them), making a substantial number of posts over an extended period of time could, (even should in my mind) have an effect on the health bar, just the green part, but an effect.

While I'm not completely certain of the US legal system, over here many crimes expire after a (long) while. While I do understand your desire for making this site a better one for everyone, I feel that after recieving a warning or a suspension and sufficient time and posts it should be reflected on your health bar. Maybe not removing past transgressions, but showing that you've behaved for a substantial amount of time.
A "time since last offense" counter/bar perhaps?
While I do not presume to know the entire process of moderation, taking into account a long history of good behaviour seems sensible, and if this is something you already do, why not show it in an as clear manner as the health bar?

Lastly;
Similarly, posts including, advocating, or linking to illegal or adult material are a very quick way to end your time as part of The Escapist community. An example of these are:
# Illegal Drugs in the United States
# Illegal Acts in the United States
The need to have a standard to go by seems perfectly sensible and understandable to me.
However, if I were to break one of those two without being aware of it, (due to the fact that I live in Europe, and thus do not know about things that are illegal in the US but not here), how would that work?
I'd assume that I'd get the same punishment regardless, and take it up in an appeal?

Bottom line; I do not disagree that you should be hels accountable for everything you do.
I do however feel that having every misstep ever count indefinitively is a bit harsh.
I'd rather see less chances, maybe three or four and have the possibility of earning redemption for them, than eight static ones.


Thank you for your time.
~the Admiral
 

similar.squirrel

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Mar 28, 2009
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kurupt87 said:
similar.squirrel said:
It should weed out the bad apples fairly fast. That said, I've been spending some time on the PWOT forums and their method [merciless mocking of the blatantly stupid, and a general lack of butthurtedness among the people who can actually take a joke] seems rather attractive. Sorts the men from the boys, so to speak. Also, their Hall of Bad Posts is useful.
I guess it's a matter of demographic, though. I hope I can't get banned for a subtle criticism of this particular community..
Thank you sir, thank you kindly.
You're very welcome. What are you thanking me for, though?
 

CarlMin

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Jun 6, 2010
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GeorgW said:
CarlMinez said:
Are there any moderators on this thread discussing this? Because it feels like an open dialogue between users and moderators is what we need right now.
I'm here, and have been since the start.It's just hard to keep up.

dragonslayer32 said:
EDIT: Also, does anyone know if you appeal successfully, do the negated badges become available again?
Yes, they should become available.
Wow, it's kinda hard to distinguish moderators on this forum. But I guess the decision regarding the new rules really came from the high(er)-ups, so to say.
 

gbemery

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Jun 27, 2009
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I don't like it because all the mods take different posts in different ways. I've seen people put on probation for low content posts and other not even warned etc. Then there are the posts in touchy subjects that depending on your mind set at the time can be seen as "trolling" when in fact you are just stating your opinion on a touchy subject etc.
 

Trogdor1138

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May 28, 2010
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The health bar thing is stupid. At least set everybody's equally from the start so we have a chance to adjust to things. I've already got 3 warnings on there and I can't even remember doing anything that deserved those. I've been modded for some pretty stupid stuff but it's been okay lately around here. The whole permanent probation thing seems really unfair to me as well.

I think this new system could work well, but I think it needs to be less harsh.
 

Loop Stricken

Covered in bees!
Jun 17, 2009
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I think all my warnings are for image-only posts, and not having those expire is a wee bit harsh I reckon. Especially since said images were completely on-topic.

Alas.
 

kurupt87

Fuhuhzucking hellcocks I'm good
Mar 17, 2010
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similar.squirrel said:
kurupt87 said:
similar.squirrel said:
It should weed out the bad apples fairly fast. That said, I've been spending some time on the PWOT forums and their method [merciless mocking of the blatantly stupid, and a general lack of butthurtedness among the people who can actually take a joke] seems rather attractive. Sorts the men from the boys, so to speak. Also, their Hall of Bad Posts is useful.
I guess it's a matter of demographic, though. I hope I can't get banned for a subtle criticism of this particular community..
Thank you sir, thank you kindly.
You're very welcome. What are you thanking me for, though?
Pointing me to a place where things are seriously discussed, a sense of humour is permitted and you can post your opinion without having to edit yourself to meaninglessness.

Edit: Oh; a place where you don't have to cater to the lowest common denominator, that of insecure adult-/children, is the gist of what I'm saying.
 

bassdrum

jygabyte!
Oct 6, 2009
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And now I'll be discovering the rules with this post...

EDIT: ... and they seem pretty much the same, except for the health bar thing. Really, it seems more or less like the system already in place, just more standardized--and standard codes of conduct are good. Mods may do a good job, but at the end of the day, they're still human, so a guaranteed progression and severity of punishments doesn't seem like a bad way to ensure fairness.

However, I do agree that there should be some way to win back health. I mean, look at how prisons reward inmates for good behavior--sure they committed a crime, but if they're behaving themselves, they get certain privileges. I'm not saying that the Escapist is a prison, but it seems to me like rewarding rehabilitation would be a good thing. Perhaps these could have some sort of time lapse on them: warnings could be cleared after a few months, probation would be lifted after a year or so, something like that. It gives people a chance to earn back their clean record by being good citizens.

At the end of the day, though, the changes will only matter if/when somebody BREAKS the rules, so I'll just keep following them and we won't have a problem.
 

randomsix

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Apr 20, 2009
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Assuming that no one is perfect, this essentially puts a limited lifespan on any account. With "damage" being permanent, it seems like the goal is to eliminate people, not encourage good behavior.

It just seems a little old testament to me.

EDIT: just read the thing, as this is my first post since, and it seems that strikes are only permanent once you pass each threshold. So by the wording, there is a way to lose some of your warnings. I assume this is time based.
 

Teh Ty

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Sep 10, 2008
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Testing these new rules...
Eh, they haven;t changed that much, just became a little more strict. But, of course, I'm going to say nay. I mean, Calling someone a troll is now an offense? Seriously.
 

SteewpidZombie

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Dec 31, 2010
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If you are innocent yet people report you...then use common sense and take it up with the Escapist staff/admins themselves. All it takes is one report for them to go through and find your innocence and you should be good as new.
 

PrimoThePro

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Jun 23, 2009
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Ya... I don't know how I feel about the health meter. Maybe make some way to decrease it when posting for a while? Or introduce stuff like Karma from other sites...
 

Chunko

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Aug 2, 2009
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awesomeClaw said:
So, there´s been an update to the rules. If you haven´t seen it, it´ll come up when you try to post.

So anyway, what does the Escapist think of this new set of rules? Yay? Nay? Don´t care?!

Personally, i think the rules are just as good as usual, but the whole forum health meter thing sounds a little unfair. I mean, you can NEVER get strikes back? That sounds kinda impractical.

Let´s be hypothetical here: Let´s say a poster reaches the last zone before a ban, but decides he/she doesn´t like to be banned and stops acting like a twat. 9 months pass with plenty of posts and not a single infraction, but then, this poster makes one post that could be classified as offensive/jerkish etc. And they´re banned. I dunno. Just doesn´t sound fair to me.

I voted "Some yay". If they got rid of the "Forum health meter" i´d be good. I don´t think infractions should be measured in this way.
They should have your health regenerate over time. I feel like that would be a more fair system.
 

Canid117

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Oct 6, 2009
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The Incredible Bulk said:
Canid117 said:
The Incredible Bulk said:
Canid117 said:
The Incredible Bulk said:
Canid117 said:
The Incredible Bulk said:
I also got warned for a picture I posted that was NOT pornography. Yes, it was racy, but it was FAR from porn.
That happened to me once too. You know that duct tape demotivational with the girl in her underwear sitting in a chair? That is porn apparently.
Wow, how kinky. The picture I posted wasn't porn AT ALL. It was racy to be sure, but nowhere NEAR porn. Thus, I find it rather harsh.
Yeah it seems that there is a very conservative mod on the escapist somewhere. Or at least one who hates the sight of womens underwear.

Also are we not allowed to voice our displeasure at Captchas anymore?
Underwear is of the Devil, didn't you know? I hate the Captchas *looks around in fear*
Try as I might I could not find a picture of Satan on a pair of underwear and the results I was getting scared me away from trying.


Fronzel said:
Canid117 said:
Spinwhiz said:
Futurenerd said:
Spinwhiz said:
As for seeing warnings and probations get erased, currently it's not going to happen. We are holding people accountable for their actions and we feel 8 strikes is more than enough. 99.9% of the forum members don't have more than 2 warnings (if I'm not mistaken, 82% don't have any infractions). If people can't learn how to be respectful towards others and follow very simple rules, they won't be here for long. Everyone has a bad day but even off of the internet, if you do something stupid on that bad day, you are held accountable. The same goes for The Escapist forums.
I do agree with you, however I do feel it's a little harsh to NEVER forgive people for even the tiniest offenses.
That may change in the future BUT for now, everyone should think it isn't going to happen.
But we are such an idealistic bunch! And even if we shouldn't think it will change the negative reaction on this thread gives the impression that it will at least be a hot issue for a long time.
I'm starting to think they've deliberately rolled this out with the intention to introduce decay of naughty points later. Trying to soak up hate against the rule change (oh, excuse me, "update") then dispose of it so everything else slips in with less notice, like the punishment for the eighth mortal sin; ad-blockers.
GASP! What other horrid conspiracies could the mods be behind!
Do I even WANT a HINT as to what those results were?

No... No you do not...
 

Hoboape

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Nov 15, 2010
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They seem ok but that health does seem a bit weird. Id prefer your idea of a timer on your warning (regenerating health if you will)