Poll: New forum rules - Yay or Nay?

[Corporal Yakob]

Whuuuu? There are new rules? Whaaa?

Todays post is brought to you by the CAPTCHA phrase:

sanymen GETS

As in the sanymen GETS the goods!

 

[kurupt87]

Posting here to inspect this stange new McGoo. Will edit in thoughts.

Edit: No changes except the coloured behavioural bar, and perhaps the retroactive negation of the matrix badges. At least that I could see. I'm fine with this.

Edit 2: By fine I mean this isn't that different from what was around before, which I have problems with but remained, except for the obviousness of the bar thing. I suspect that was always there for the mods, in report form, and now we can see it too.

 

[mjc0961]

Well, I dislike two things about the "health meter", but it's not what you'd expect.

1. I can see other people's health meters by going onto their profiles. Thus I must assume that they can also see mine. Personally, I think my moderation history, even if it is just a graph that shows how many times I've been moderated, is none of any other regular member's business. That should stay between the member in question and the moderators.
EDIT: It seems like this was added because mods were sick of hearing "why did that guy get a warning and the other guy got a suspension when they both posted the same thing." So I do see the reason why that choice was made. I just don't think I agree with it. With the new system in place, it should already be obvious that one person got a warning and the other got suspended because of how the health meter system works without needing to display our meters to each other.

2. This one is just technicalities/nit picking, but it isn't really a health meter, is it? Health meters start of filled and then drain as you take hits. This meter starts off empty and fills as you take hits. Maybe change it so it starts off as a full green bar, draining but staying green as you get warnings, then changing yellow and red as you get more and more moderations until it's empty and you're banned. Or just change the name to something else. Like I said, this is really nitpicky.

 

[GeorgW]

You guys are posting too fast, and I'm trying to keep up as best I can, so sorry if I've already been ninja'd.

And really, the mods aren't perfect. If one gives you a stupid sentencing that they then refuse to revoke even though you see it as unfair, as does everyone else in the thread, then that gets counted against you forever.

And that's why there's an appeal system.

OK, but without diving into my own specific example, that's what I meant by "refuse to revoke".

I like it, it'll make my job a bit easier cuz less people will complain about inconsistency. If you have any questions about the new rules, please address them here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/chat/Moderation-Team].

Why don't you have a FHM?

Because I don't know what you mean. Mind explaining?

Forum health metre.

I do, it's empty.

I totally agree with of the intention, certainly...

The methods, not so much.

The Escapist claims to be a community promoting games etc. Key word - community. By the very definition of community, it's designed to pull the group together.

A rule like the above simply has no place in modern society. Only in primitive, medieval times did communities practice actions like shunning and exile. This was necessary, as times were hard and a non-conformist could get the whole community dead etc.

Times changed. People grew up. Shunning etc. went away.

Even some criminal records expire these days, and I'd consider that way more serious than an inappropriate comment on an internet forum (oh teh horrorz!). After all... dangerous driving is clearly less evil and depraved than an inappropriate comment on an internet forum. Right?

And ad-blockers on the same scale as pedophilia?? Not to be pedantic here, but there's clearly something wrong when an ad-blocker is listed in the same breath as the vile obscenity that is pedophilia!

And criminal acts inside the US only?? Wait, what? So it's fine to promote criminal activity as long as you do it outside the US?? I'm so confused.....

I really think we should push back on this one. The Escapist doesn't exist without us, the participants, and this is one time I think we should stand up and be counted!

As I've said before, ad-blockers and paedophilia are listed in the same place, but are in no way equal.
Also, it's referring to acts that are criminal in the US. Laws differ greatly between countries, so we have to set a standard.

(Did I understand the taking away your badges part correctly or did they simply mean you won't receive any more in the future?)

You won't receive any more, you will still have the old ones.

Only thing I would be a bit worried about is the "was put on probation for:" being around permanently and making visual clutter.

 

[shiaramoon]

*posts to view new rules then edit*

Edit: I'm with the OP, the whole 'permanent probation' seem a bit steep. Heck, most video games have regenerating health, why not Escapist 'rep'? You should be able to earn your way out of the probation with good behavior. Everyone deserves the chance to redeem themselves and should not be permanently punished fir some stupid behavior in the past. If you do say 10 posts in a week without incurring mod wrath, you should go down a notch from probation/warning/whatever.

 

[Metal Brother]

I'm responding (with a CAPTCHA - yay!) so I can see the new rules. Let's see...

choryH quences

Edit: The only thing that strikes me as inappropriate is the phrase "Here is the breakdown of all 8 stages" that immediately precedes a list of 5 stages.

;-)

All in all, it looks good to me. In my mind it's all just detail after the "Don't be a jerk" notice at the top. Everything else can be largely summed up under the heading of "Once you decide to be a jerk..."

 

[Sevre]

The moderation on this site is for the benefit of the users, site statistics show almost 90% of you have never gotten more than a few warnings, as a result you shouldn't have any trouble.

The 8 strike system is to make it easier for trolls to be banned, however the system won't be used against normal users in the same way. If you're on level 5 because you were a naughty child two years ago, we'll take the 2 years of quality posting into account.

Ultimately this system is new and we'll tweak it as necessary, it shouldn't stop you from enjoying everything this site has to offer, so don't worry about it.

 

[Purplecoyote]

New rules you say?

EDIT: I'm ok with those rules, they seem reasonable enough.

 

[Laser Priest]

Noting that you can get probations for someone misconstruing your words as an insult, I think the forum health meter is a bad idea.

It's good for keeping people under control, but that might just be because you're stabbing anyone who isn't.

 

[Realitycrash]

Haven't seeeen any yet!

Edit: There we go.
And..Eh, Don't really care. I never planned to get more warnings anyway.
Where is the health-meter, though? Can't see it.

 

[torzath]

I really can't say I like them, but I understand why they are the way they are.

 

[awesomeClaw]

The moderation on this site is for the benefit of the users, site statistics show almost 90% of you have never gotten more than a few warnings, as a result you shouldn't have any trouble.

The 8 strike system is to make it easier for trolls to be banned, however the system won't be used against normal users in the same way. If you're on level 5 because you were a naughty child two years ago, we'll take the 2 years of quality posting into account.

Ultimately this system is new and we'll tweak it as necessary, it shouldn't stop you from enjoying everything this site has to offer, so don't worry about it.

Wait, why doesn´t it say that in the rules.

That be pretty useful to know beforehand. Perhaps you could edit it in?

 

[Woodsey]

You guys are posting too fast, and I'm trying to keep up as best I can, so sorry if I've already been ninja'd.

And really, the mods aren't perfect. If one gives you a stupid sentencing that they then refuse to revoke even though you see it as unfair, as does everyone else in the thread, then that gets counted against you forever.

And that's why there's an appeal system.

OK, but without diving into my own specific example, that's what I meant by "refuse to revoke".

I like it, it'll make my job a bit easier cuz less people will complain about inconsistency. If you have any questions about the new rules, please address them here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/chat/Moderation-Team].

Why don't you have a FHM?

Because I don't know what you mean. Mind explaining?

Forum health metre.

I do, it's empty.

No, none of the mods do. Empty ones still show a grey bar.

I can understand SpinWhiz, but is this not unfair considering you're still general users?

 

[lemby117]

eh if it means that there are even less inflamatory posts then i support it.

Edit: I have just seen my forum health bar, surely I can get health back I am stuck on orange health forever, forum comunity service maybe???

 

[Andalusa]

New rules? Well, I haven't posted anything in a while.. hang on.

EDIT Ah yeah... huh.
All common sense, really.
Well, I haven't been penalised for anything in all my time I've been here, so I must be doing something right.

 

[JochemDude]

It's too harsh for my taste, kinda unforgiving isn't it? The warning should be there too say like 'Watch your mouth' not a countdown to banishment.

 

[drisky]

The moderation on this site is for the benefit of the users, site statistics show almost 90% of you have never gotten more than a few warnings, as a result you shouldn't have any trouble.

The 8 strike system is to make it easier for trolls to be banned, however the system won't be used against normal users in the same way. If you're on level 5 because you were a naughty child two years ago, we'll take the 2 years of quality posting into account.

Ultimately this system is new and we'll tweak it as necessary, it shouldn't stop you from enjoying everything this site has to offer, so don't worry about it.

Oh thats nice, I was afraid some of our dark pasts were going to come back to haunt us in a new system of numerical fairness, rather than actually considering the person behind it.

 

[sir.rutthed]

Ya, I say have the strikes reset every six months or something, at least until a certain threshold. I really like the strict forum rules around here, but this is a bit too far. Have an auto reset every six months or so as long as you keep under 5 strikes, and I think it'll be fine.

Edit:

Well, I dislike two things about the "health meter", but it's not what you'd expect.

1. I can see other people's health meters by going onto their profiles. Thus I must assume that they can also see mine. Personally, I think my moderation history, even if it is just a graph that shows how many times I've been moderated, is none of any other regular member's business. That should stay between the member in question and the moderators.

2. This one is just technicalities/nit picking, but it isn't really a health meter, is it? Health meters start of filled and then drain as you take hits. This meter starts off empty and fills as you take hits. Maybe change it so it starts off as a full green bar, draining but staying green as you get warnings, then changing yellow and red as you get more and more moderations until it's empty and you're banned. Or just change the name to something else. Like I said, this is really nitpicky.

Also this. My history is my business, and I don't want anyone seeing when's the last time I got busted for trolling because I went drunk posting. Can we get a fix on this please?

 

[Kross]

Regarding all the people getting upset over the "permanency" of warnings - You do know that they were always visible to the mods on your account, right?

What exactly do you think happens to a person with warnings on their account who does something actionable? The previous history would always influence the severity of the new punishment, except it was completely subjective based on the mod. Warnings themselves don't hurt badges and are for little rules transgressions that hopefully a reasonable person would learn from without needing actual punishment. Now we have set minimum punishments for people with a history, which should lead to much more consistent moderation. We've had people with something like 18 1-2 day warnings/probations/bans on their account as they keep pushing the boundaries of moderation which was just silly.

Also, outside of being perma-banned, none of the moderation actions do anything more severe then preventing you from posting for the duration of the ban and disabling a couple badges. If you honestly have such difficulty posting that you manage to hit the max ban level and using the appeals system/talking to mods does nothing, then maybe you should just take a break and read for a while. It's very apparent that the old system led many people to not take any action less then a ban seriously at all, as they are arguing from the point of view that the all of the "hey, stop doing that" notes are completely cosmetic because they're out of sight and out of mind.

As far as Pubclub goes, that really doesn't come into consideration at all beyond occasionally going "whoa, this jerk bought PubClub, that's a shame. ". The majority of PubClub benefits have nothing to do with forums.

 

[mireko]

The 8 strike system is to make it easier for trolls to be banned, however the system won't be used against normal users in the same way. If you're on level 5 because you were a naughty child two years ago, we'll take the 2 years of quality posting into account.

How do you mean? Are you referring to appeals or some kind of automated point reduction?