Proper forum moderation.

[Looroll 0]

http://www.massively.com/2010/09/14/wurm-shows-off-post-summer-update-teases-epic-server/comments/31008431/

That guy has basically summed it all up.

Some key points:

-Warnings should be used. I've had one warning in my time on the forums and I know I've probably overstepped the mark many more times that this. I've seen people get banned without any warning at all. It needs to be done.

-Making the rules clearer. This would not only make it easier for us to abide by them but also allow the staff to enforce them more easily.

-Banning people who avoid bans. Please. That said, there should be a way to appeal bans.

-Barracks subjected to the same rules as the rest of the forum.

There are others I'm sure but those are the ones that spring to mind right now. Other things I'd like to see are a Q&A board where new players can post any questions they may have.

[Norad 0]

-Barracks subjected to the same rules as the rest of the forum.

+111111, its too ambiguous now.  Just come out and make it the same as everything else, or come out with a clear separate set of rules for barracks.  Right now people get banned and posts get deleted on whims, it seems.

[Paul Scott 0]

There should be some punishment for repeat offenders. As it stands, if you get a forum account banned, make a new one and go on with life. People who've had banned forum accounts before have even been told by staff to just make a new one rather than try to go through the arduous process of appealing.

What's sad is that in response to one of today's changes, a repeat offender accused another player of trading sexual favors with the dev staff to get it implemented and although he's likely banned on that forum account, he's been banned on several others before that and made no effort to hide that it was him on that account. It isn't even a punishment. He's allowed to continue playing the game and berating other players as the mood strikes him. We get stuck with players like this and decent ones who don't sink to this level on a consistent basis are driven off. Oh joyous joy.

[Raven 0]

There should be some punishment for repeat offenders. As it stands, if you get a forum account banned, make a new one and go on with life. People who've had banned forum accounts before have even been told by staff to just make a new one rather than try to go through the arduous process of appealing.

What's sad is that in response to one of today's changes, a repeat offender accused another player of trading sexual favors with the dev staff to get it implemented and although he's likely banned on that forum account, he's been banned on several others before that and made no effort to hide that it was him on that account. It isn't even a punishment. He's allowed to continue playing the game and berating other players as the mood strikes him. We get stuck with players like this and decent ones who don't sink to this level on a consistent basis are driven off. Oh joyous joy.

[Looroll 0]

(For those of you wondering why I removed my previous post, it was because I couldn't find the relevant quote.)

One way of monitoring/including a warning system would be to have a way of recording infraction points. Breaking different rules would give different amounts of points, and once you reach x points you get a 1 week ban, once you reach 1 points your banned for a month and once you reach z points you're banned for good.

I think, if we ever manage to get linked forum and game accounts that maybe for 1 week on the forums you'd be banned for 1 day in game, 1 month on the forums 1 week in game etc. Though I don't think even if the forum account is perma'd the ingame account should be. Perhaps 2 weeks ban at most. But then again it would depend on the offence; if someone is acting like an ass and making remarks about people that would not be acceptable under any circumstances then maybe yes, they should be banned in game. But for spamming? No.

[Jberg 3,070]

First off, I'd like to say that I love whoever posted the original comment. Hit the nail on the head.

(For those of you wondering why I removed my previous post, it was because I couldn't find the relevant quote.)

One way of monitoring/including a warning system would be to have a way of recording infraction points. Breaking different rules would give different amounts of points, and once you reach x points you get a 1 week ban, once you reach 1 points your banned for a month and once you reach z points you're banned for good.

I think, if we ever manage to get linked forum and game accounts that maybe for 1 week on the forums you'd be banned for 1 day in game, 1 month on the forums 1 week in game etc. Though I don't think even if the forum account is perma'd the ingame account should be. Perhaps 2 weeks ban at most. But then again it would depend on the offence; if someone is acting like an  and making remarks about people that would not be acceptable under any circumstances then maybe yes, they should be banned in game. But for spamming? No.

And, I like the basic idea of this system.

[Ols 306]

Don't link forum bans to game bans, but link the accounts and have them "on watch" if they are banned in the game to check they don't do anything uncalled for on the forums. Yes, have an infraction counter and ban them if it reaches the top. Another problem may be game alts to post on the forums, we might see a lot of posting on GV from "new players" in thread who are actually experienced people with banned accounts, or trying to troll.

[Paul Scott 0]

What's sad is that in response to one of today's changes, a repeat offender accused another player of trading sexual favors with the dev staff to get it implemented and although he's likely banned on that forum account...

Guess what? He's not banned. Why even have moderation?

[Guest fogshark]

Very true comment.

[Guest bloodydrongo]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

[Jberg 3,070]

Don't link forum bans to game bans, but link the accounts and have them "on watch" if they are banned in the game to check they don't do anything uncalled for on the forums. Yes, have an infraction counter and ban them if it reaches the top. Another problem may be game alts to post on the forums, we might see a lot of posting on GV from "new players" in thread who are actually experienced people with banned accounts, or trying to troll.

Separate sections for paying, enabled from when you pay prem the first time and always stays after, and non-paying customers? With the common ones like Town Square, Woodscraps and Large Rat Inn shared over all?

[Paul Scott 0]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

Coming from someone who reports everything JK does as a bug or exploit yet builds his town around the old elevator bug, that is an interesting comment.

[Annette 53]

I have been suggesting the infraction system for maybe 18 months now.

It works well for one of the largest internet providers gaming sit forums here in Australia.

It is not hard to work with and it is still up to more than one Mod to make the decision to ban.

Given the amount of crap on the forums atm it is about time that these forums moved forward and looked into a better way of policing things.

To be able to create a new forum account in less than 5 mins is ridiculous.

When I first opened my account, and I am sure a lot of you had the same, we had to wait for a Forum Mod, GM, Egal or Rolf to send the activation email.  What happened to that?

Anyways.  That's my vent.

Annette

[As_I_Decay 1,592]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

Coming from someone who reports everything JK does as a bug or exploit yet builds his town around the old elevator bug, that is an interesting comment.

Don't forget the clay.

[Artillery 6]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

ahahhaahaha

[Guest bloodydrongo]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

Coming from someone who reports everything JK does as a bug or exploit yet builds his town around the old elevator bug, that is an interesting comment.

Hey guess what Mr. know it all,  I don't report anything because nothing would ever be done about it.  If it is a bug I report it,  I don't waste my time reporting crap on these boards because well...  There is no way to prove an exploit so trust me I would not waste my time, I will however report a bug if I see one.

[Guest Sobiotnik]

If game accounts were tied to forum accounts then woodscraps would die, ex players would probably start to lose any incentive they once had in coming back and some of the rest of the forums would get quieter.

Then it would decline in activity from there on since the already divided community would become more divided and smaller.

[As_I_Decay 1,592]

If game accounts were tied to forum accounts then woodscraps would die, ex players would probably start to lose any incentive they once had in coming back and some of the rest of the forums would get quieter.

Then it would decline in activity from there on since the already divided community would become more divided and smaller.

Woodscraps dying a bit? Who cares.... it's the random board.

Ex-players not having enough incentive to come back? Now, no one suggested to take away anyone's ability to read the forums, so how exactly is it taking away the incentive? Those ex-players would still be able to read about how well (or how bad) things are going around these parts.

Forums getting quieter? Probably... and I'd have to agree that the wurm forums aren't very active to begin with, unless of course, something got changed and everyone wants to piss and moan about it.

Regardless, something needs to be done about the forum alts and the amount of trolling in the forums.

You talk of "no incentive" for the ex-players who already quit (or got banned) to come back, but honestly... who cares about them? They already "quit" the game because of some trivial reason or because they were forced to through a ban. More importantly, where's the "incentive" here for new players, MrConor, when all they see are QQ-fests and heavy trolling in the boards?

[Norad 0]

tying of ingame accounts to forum accounts is a bad idea for a plethora of reasons

nothing can be done about trolling/rulebreaking/whathaveyou except IP bans which isn't even done now

honestly people blow the trolling thing out of proportion.  It's like 5~ people that constantly ban-evade and if the moderation team actually banned them then it wouldn't be a huge issue.

[Paul Scott 0]

Yes.

when the devs do everything the whiniest players say.. the game is ruined.

Coming from someone who reports everything JK does as a bug or exploit yet builds his town around the old elevator bug, that is an interesting comment.

Hey guess what Mr. know it all,  I don't report anything because nothing would ever be done about it.  If it is a bug I report it,  I don't waste my time reporting crap on these boards because well...  There is no way to prove an exploit so trust me I would not waste my time, I will however report a bug if I see one.

I'm sorry, I said report when I meant "openly accuse entire kingdoms because you need to piss and moan about something while stomping your feet like a child every time they do something against MR."

[As_I_Decay 1,592]

It's not just about the alts, Norad. It's also about the fact that "mains" can strut around the forums, saying what they wish, in no fear of their in-game character being banned.

I could PM you a list of 25+ people (mostly mains) that should be banned, based on their forum etiquette alone. Their forum behavior is unacceptable and regardless of whatever work these people have put into their kingdom and/or into the game itself, they are not helping with the overall image or future of the game.

[Norad 0]

banning people in-game for out-of-game actions is horrific and I hope you contemplate on it and figure out why.

there are very few exception here and there (forging emails, etc) but general forum behavior is not an acceptable reason to dole out in-game bans. I am very sorry people offend you and possibly even detract from your potential enjoyment but you pay for a game, not a forum.