wat

[Leecher]

The problem is I have a ban for something I could not know it was not allowed on the server. Like I said your point is made, unban me I wont do it again. Then add the prohibition of offensive satire/trivialisation of important history to the server rules and please warn people before handing out 15 day bans for shit like this. I'm sure people will comply, I do as I just stated. Assault is way too good to be banned from cause of some shitgas-under-a-blanket joke.
I'm aware that the server is not just a public place, internet works two ways. Internet is generally anarchy, but rules can apply in different places and some laws can work perfectly fine. Its just hard to stick to unwritten rules, its not like I can smell them through the internet.

So once again I request that my ban is removed, on the basis of willingness to comply to the server rules, even the ones that are not written down and of which I am not aware of.

[Jate]

A bit late with the clarifying comment on use of satire ._.

@Leecher: Being cautious about jokes is not a concern in a free world (as in "free speech", which in itself makes for a sad joke), and that is not what I am referring to (politics, etc.) Being cautious is a concern when you are a part of community, where you are supposed to weigh the impact of your words and actions. Sure, there is freedom of speech, but you must be ready to face the responses of people who might not like it.

@all: Actually, that pretty much covers it.

Also, I mentioned the Stephen Fry's view about a year ago in a topic on chat offences: http://ldg-gaming.eu/viewtopic.php?f=41 ... 9338#p9338. So yeah, I am one of the devotees. The difference is that I do understand that there must be some rules to prevent tons of garbage in the chat.

[Leecher]

You know I was going to post the stephen fry picture in my first post but I didnt want to look like a wiseass more than I already do. Goddamnit.

[Azarael]

So what do you suggest we do?

And also a specific comment on Fry's statement: Some factors always (for me) render offense valid or more valid, such as:

a) There being no logical reason to use the specific word or phrase or comparison over any other which would have sufficed in the situation
b) The use of a word which attacks, in a very personal and unjustified way, a core aspect of a person's being (calling a black person a nigger for example)
c) The use of a word which trivialises an intense and damaging personal experience (joking about rape around rape victims for example)

While "your rights end where my feelings begin" is a commonly heard phrase to mock people who get offended, both rights and feelings have relative merit. If I'm female and want to walk down the street dressed provocatively, and you're offended by it, then you need to get over it - the issue is not personal enough to you to cause you major stress. If you want to come into a game server and call people niggers, for example, I'd sympathise with those who are taking offense, because your "freedom" is liable to cause someone else mental health issues, and in that case, your freedom will be sacrificed instead. People don't play games to be reminded of the shittiness of the world and, in particular, damaging personal experiences. They just want to play, and the original intent of the rule was to enable people to do that.

[Leecher]

Well for the sake of my mental health unban me

[Leecher]

As in the world of afk, too many rules will to more bad than good. The best AS server adminwise was probably RSC. Always fair, and the game was civilized. They managed to do a very good job without being around so much, without banning very soon (kick or mute was the way to go generally). Their server rules werent even that extensive:

We appreciate:


Not playing with the "Matrix" Skin - This dark skin is very hard to see for other players. We believe this skin will only be used by those that want to benefit from the darkness of this skin. If you really think you need that, your not the right person playing at our server. Try using the "Aurora" skin, it's exactly the same but not as dark. We like to thank you for playing honest.

Things we really don't like are:

Respawn Killing - Waiting at a certain spot in the map for your opponent to come alive and kill him immediately without giving him a chance to get a weapon.

Camping - Stay at one strategic position in the map for an excessive long time killing others during this camping.

Spamming - Using the servers communication facility's as a chat box, advertisement or recruiting bureau. Please take this elsewhere.

Blablabla - Using the servers communication facility's as a chat box, and speak about stuff that has notthing to do with the game.

Swearing - Please don't! You're not acting like an adult and you probably don't impress anyone doing it. This also means words like "gay", "gay map", "Lick this or that", "Shithead", "Suck my..." etc. Well you know what we mean. So please don't

Things we like to ask you:

Speak English or Dutch - We like it very much if you speak English or Dutch on our server. This way everyone can hear what your saying

Help someone if you can - If some one asks a hint or tip about gameplay, instead off calling him a n00b we would like for you to help him out.

Contact us - If you have anything to tell us, if it's good or bad, please do so. This will only improve the public sheep server and makes it even more fun to play on.

Be a real sport - Well a real sport knows what we mean!

Ill make a suggestion for section 3 of the server rules:

3. Watch your language.
3a) English, German and french are the only accepted languages.
3b) Don’t be a racist or a sexist and don’t discriminate. We don’t like jokes about genocide and similar serious shit.
3c) Don’t do text porn
3d) Nazism will result an immediate permanent ban. Comparing staff or rules to Nazis is included - don't test the limits of this rule.
3e) Do your best not to insult or offend other players. We cannot guarantee that your best is enough. You will be warned, if the warning was not sufficient a ban may follow.
3f) Do not spam the chat.
3g) Do not spam the voice taunts.
3h) Requests are only to be made on the forum. Do not bother the admins ingame with requests of any type. This includes the ballistic weapon balance as well as new ideas for the race server or anything else. Write your ideas in the associated forum.

[Jate]

Yes, that is what I meant about being cautious in a community.

a) No reason or improper use or comparison - first a warning, then the banhammer.
b) Explicit attacking - warning, maybe a bit of investigation, then the banhammer.
c) Trivialization of horrendous experience - again, being cautious. Joking like this in the presence of a victim is just plain rude. Joking like this even without a victim might be rude: for example, remember the disclaimers in some movie credits: "all depicted characters are imaginary etc", and there could still be people who might take offence. This is a really slippery topic to go on. But the fact is that there are these kind of jokes and there are people who find them funny, even though they would agree that to some people they might be unpleasant. The short story is the same yet again - if someone is being explicitly offensive - warning, then the almighty banhammer.

P.S. Sorry for being a slowpoke at coming up with (hopefully) coherent English posts :)

[iRobot]

I see no reason to adjust the rules to allow for stupidity. It's nothing that should be joked about, and even if you dispute that, this server isn't the place for it.

[Leecher]

I feel it's time to sort this out once and for all and come up with a definite policy.

You can't really. Time, opions, people and sometimes even history changes. There is no policy that will work forever, once in a while you run into a situation where some change to the policy could do some good. I'd say this is a good time for a small change.

[Azarael]

3b and 3e have been edited.