Well said Scott, and a nice history lesson
I'm all for controlling spam and trolls and inflammatory conversations, and if the smurfs aren't going to be here to do it, (and it's been indicated that they aren't) player mods seem to be the only solution. But mods need to learn when to speak up and when to let it go. One joke/statement/comment does not generally warrant stepping in...it only becomes an issue if it's continued, escalates, disrupts chat, severely annoys multiple players.
Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat. ~Robert A. Heinlein
+1Originally Posted by psaltery
Well said Scott, and a nice history lesson
I'm all for controlling spam and trolls and inflammatory conversations, and if the smurfs aren't going to be here to do it, (and it's been indicated that they aren't) player mods seem to be the only solution. But mods need to learn when to speak up and when to let it go. One joke/statement/comment does not generally warrant stepping in...it only becomes an issue if it's continued, escalates, disrupts chat, severely annoys multiple players.
[Post redacted. Please keep in mind that posts naming and shaming particular players, in addition to posts questioning moderation activity will be removed, as per the Code of Conduct.] - BB_Rawren
Last edited by BB_Rawren; 06-10-14 at 07:15 am.
dirkjon, im afraid calling a specific mod out, in the forums, will only get yourself in trouble
youve said you sent in a ticket, let the BB's handle it
Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat. ~Robert A. Heinlein
I couldn't agree more. Stirring up havoc doesn't solve anything. Same as putting a person on the wall against 500 people and throwing rocks at him/her.dirkjon, im afraid calling a specific mod out, in the forums, will only get yourself in trouble
youve said you sent in a ticket, let the BB's handle it
as spikescopilot posted in a thread long removed "the FAILBOAT" with something for everyone
Well one thing for sure consistency certainly is not among their virtues. Post link to y-tube song immediately get warning and told that it is unacceptable to post links. Later with same mod about watch two people post links with no repercussions. I think we all know what that smacks of --especially since one pf the posters had just been chatting up the mod. Consistency is key to this program --so far I have not seen it.
I think this is the best response I could even have for this situation.
Be prepared for the longest and most straightforward response I can give. As I try to understand your perspective I want you to try to understand my perspective.
We are all trying a new thing, which has been well established on other servers. As our server has developed a different personality due to the different moderation style that the other servers have employed. Some say that we are much less strict on moderation but I say that we simply have different approaches. The rules are still the rules and the moderators have been instructed to warn players before any action is taken unless the violation is so severe that immediate removal from chat is necessary. By severe, think illegal activity, extreme trolling, or return of banned players.
As a moderator, they have the support of communication with the other moderators, they have my support and they have the support of the Customer Service Reps and the Game Master and hopefully that of the community. I typically do not administer any moderation actions myself, it's rare. I try to warn and divert attention to a new subject, but that doesn't mean that I cannot ban. The reason that I don't is because I want to remain separate from the situation so that I can take the escalated situations such as is in my job description. The one misconception that players have is about my availability to take an escalation. I do not work on weekends or nights, as I'm needed in the office during the week for meetings and other responsibilities. If you have a situation that you would like for me to review, please submit a support ticket and ask for me directly. I will be able to look at it when I am in the office. If you see me online at other times, it's simply because I want to be supportive. On a side note, I like running adventures while I am doing school work at night! What I ask, is your patience until I can get to your issue. I recently came into work on a Monday, after things had become so escalated that there is little that I could do to help and I would like to prevent that in the future.
That being said, I will be supportive of moderation decisions so long as they fall within the guidelines that are presented to them and within the constraints of our code of conduct. I may, however, privately coach them regarding communication methods. If a moderator asks you to stop a specific line of conversation, the best thing you can do is just stop. They've usually asked you because a complaint was made or the whole conversation is going --- "downhill." Going in chat and complaining about the moderator, inciting a boycott, stirring up malcontent in general, or posting about moderation actions will get you a ban from a GM. We only have one GM, let's make his life easier so he can focus on providing in game and forum support. Remember, a warning is just that, a warning. It's not an infraction and it's not a ban. This is all about improvement and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Remember, after all of this is said we're ALL experiencing culture shock right now. This is new for my department in general. This is the first time we've ever had player moderation. This is not new in the industry and we've built the program around the findings of other companies, the European servers, and Moderation Best Practices classes. We're not going into it completely blind but the best laid plan may differ from reality in any situation. We're currently reviewing how things are going and finding coaching points for all involved in the program, including the BB staff here in the US. Give the moderators a break they are trying to learn, escalate your concerns properly so that I can see them while at work, heed warnings, and provide constructive feedback in private. Remember that I'm also working within a set of constraints, so I'm not free to change the moderator program exactly to any specification.
Last edited by BB_Susurrously; 06-10-14 at 08:23 am. Reason: I really like commas, too much.
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Example I would have to think at some point they were given guidelines and in those guidelines were things mentioned like "posting links". It either is or isnt acceptable. Of course if content is unacceptable then you do what you got to do. I would think other hot button topics were discussed and strict guidelines given --if not then there is problem with the way the roll out was implemented and program should be reformatted and started again when they are "trained".
In my conversations when I ask for clarification nicely I always get the "I dont know" answer. Must be something out there they were told about guess I just havent found it yet.
Just one other comment --you mention other servers, well as everyone knows pretty hard to compare other countries/continents to North America. We are much more used to freedom of speech here. We are aware its a "private server" but we are still expecting much more freer speech than other places in the world.
I can go on daytime TV right now and hear more profanities/sexual innuendo and inappropriate content for 7 yr olds than I have ever seen in global.
The Codes of Conduct can be found in the Codes of Conduct section of the forums. Here are the important ones:
Settlers Online Code of Conduct and Forum Rules - Official Ubisoft rules.
Chat and Conduct Rules Explained - An easier to read, condensed version of the above. If you see anything that you feel needs further explanation or is somehow missing, let us know. That being said, we cannot possibly iterate every single instance of behavior or transgressions that would require moderation as that would be a never-ending task and we are but human.
Global-1, Help and Trade Tab Guidelines - This is the official what is and what isn't allowed in these particular chat channels. Behavior that violates these rules will result in a warning or infractions, based on severity.
I can only second what BB_Susu said in the forums: this is the first time we're doing this, so please expect there to be some road bumps. This program is here for the duration and the only way we can get better is by having the moderators go through their training and spend some time actually moderating.
Also keep in mind that these moderators are volunteers; they are not paid or reimbursed in any way. They have volunteered to help moderate because they love The Settlers Online as much as you do and they want the community to be a healthy, happy place. They are not professional moderators, although some have had moderation experience in the past. If you feel that a moderator action needs further review or adjustment, please escalate it to our Support team and ask for a review from BB_Susurrously. That is the proper channel to exact your specific concerns about moderators, not via the forums.. Let's give them some time to adjust and learn their new roles and remember - they're only human!
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