Here's my problem with the current way Ban Appeals/Complaints are handled. **Before you shoot my idea down, please read and give constructive feedback. One of the reasons why we have so many problems today real life is because we don't fully understand the other persons point of view. 1. They're public for everyone to view. Sure it's a good example for the rest of the people out there, but with all the unnecessary comments and non-useful chatter/flaming that happens in complaints it would be better if complaints/ban appeals remain hidden. Perhaps when the appeal is solved then it could be visible for the public. My suggestion to fix this: As soon as complaints/ban appeals are posted, they are immediately [hidden] and only viewed by moderators. Players who are involved with the ban appeal/complain should be tagged and be able to see the complaint made against them. Players will be tagged on the forum and mailed in game about the problem at hand. Once the issue is solved, the original complaint/ban appeal and only the final response from the moderator should be visible. 2. Extent of the punishment Some of the recent punishments have been unreasonably harsh. 2-3 ban for advertising? C'mon, you give 2-3 day bans for people who macro. I understand why you wouldn't want to ban a builder for that long, because lets be real, if you ban a builder who's only been playing for 3 hours he's unlikely to come back to the server. My suggestion to fix this: Residents/Mayors/Presidents/Tycoons/Ecoleaders should have increasingly longer punishments. They've "read" the rules enough times, breaking a rule is purposeful. Builders: Lenience with bans. 12-24 hours max. Residents: 12-48 hours max. Mayors/Presidents: 48-96 hours max. Tycoons/Ecoleaders: Week long bans. Of course the time bans can vary depending on the offense. But advertising/spamming/petty bans should obviously have a lesser punishment than macroing/hacking/scamming. 3. When you ban a builder [Ban Reason] [Appeal at www.ecocitycraft.com about your ban] When you make an account make sure to have somwhere say "Please use your minecraft in-game username" Appeal under Ban Appeals/Complaints. This will help builders keep on playing the game, many of them don't know they CAN appeal. 4. Repeated Offenders What I personally think made me a great moderator was that after a ban appeal/complaint I would follow up with the people involved and see if everything was ok. I feel like this helped out and to show that I actually cared what happened to them. It also made them less likely to repeat an offense again. You can also answer any follow up questions that they have about their appeal/complaint.
I never comment on peoples complaints or ban appeals, but I would not want them hidden either. I rather to like that we can see them so that I can know who to trust based on how much they get in trouble on the server based on what I am desiring for, like donation features for example, or people who I am sure will not grief or steal items when I give them jobs. Just simple things like this make the visibility of ban appeals and complaints necessary at least for me.
Please read my whole post before replying. "Once the issue is solved, the original complaint/ban appeal and only the final response from the moderator should be visible. "
How dare you assume I didn't read, I did read the entirety of your post. I just don't agree with your idea, especially the part about re-making the threads visible without the actual comments except the moderators last comment. Also I am one of those people who feel punishments should be equally handed out to both highest and lowest tiers of the society. The only thing good you have going for this suggestion is #3.
I do not lie. I did indeed read your damn suggestion. Just thought I would add on my extra comments as I decided to at least make at least one positive comment.
Shawn, HCP, you both do not need to be bickering over this. Both of your points have been made, and there is no need to flame each other. You both should drop it before any further Staff intervention must be taken. Thanks.
I have to agree with HCP here. There isn't really a problem with the system we have. I understand your point of dealing with it outside the public view, but at the same time I don't see an efficient system where it would be possible. I would not hide all comments from the public view, as usually the moderator response draws on them, leaving people with only one side of the story. We do encourage our users to check the ban appeals/complaints section to see if there is anything on the users they intend to transaction with. By filtering it and making it invisible, you really put up a brick wall for people looking for the information they need. What if there are 5 active complaints about a user that are being investigated, but because they are hidden while they are being dealt with, an unsuspecting user does another transaction with them and suddenly the problem is even worse before we can finish any of the investigations. I believe they should remain public. If it were possible to only allow the poster, moderators, and people that moderators tag to post in the thread, it'd be a far better solution than taking things completely out of the public eye. That's just putting up an informational barrier, and seeing as we encourage users to gather all their information before proceeding with a transaction or making a decision about a certain user, your solution is not conducive in this environment.
It is helpful to know about complaints against someone in real time. The person could be up to even more trouble while their initial complaint(s) are still being sorted out.
EDIT: I would like to mention that some punishments seem like too much or too little, but having been on the Staff side recently, and participating a fair amount (moreso in the past, some recently) in the process of how punishments work for certain things, it is generally the right punishment given out. There are often unseen, small variables, that can make a big difference. However, I do not always agree on punishments - but our system for complaints and ban appeals is efficient and works well for how the server runs. I'd just like to mention that higher ranks shouldn't be getting more punishment simply because they have "read the rules more" by now. There are far, far, far too many variables and factors. One being loyalty to the server. Being a troll or a rule breaker has nothing to do with someone's loyalty. Someone can be the biggest troll or rule breaker anyone has even seen, yet still be donating a lot, helping a lot of users, loving the server, playing actively and contributing in some positive way, etc. In other words, people should not be grouped together based on one trait/personality/habit/what-have-you. That is highly unfair and, quite frankly, mean. I know you mentioned that the times would vary depending on severity, the exact felony, etc. But overall, the suggestion is implying (in that one part of it) that higher ranks should get more punishment, and lower ranks less, as a general concept. That will not work out, or look well. (Also would like to mention that not all rules broken are purposeful, no matter how much you have or haven't read the rules. They can change the day after you just read them, with no announcement or a late announcement; even attempting to remember every rule is absolutely impossible; there are people who speak other languages and may not fully understand a rule; there are children who may not fully understand a rule; people with learning and/or reading and writing difficulties; someone is gets under some influence and has little control over their actions; and many other variables. There are far too many things to make "they have "read" the rules enough times, breaking a rule is purposeful" a valid argument.)
-1 The system we have is just fine I think that everyone should be able to see all of the appeals. I don't see any other reason to do this it is just kinda pointless not trying to be mean or anything.
I really disagree with part that we have to make invisible for complaint and ban appeal, because currently that's the only way that you can check player's history to decide whether that player is trustworthy or not, before you try large transaction deal with him that has risk. Unnecessary comments or flame is being handled by staff already, with warning them. When you did something guilty, you need to live with it. There should always be consequences by your action, and that consequence is record being left on forum complaint/ban appeal section. All player has right to check who has been accused for what by checking complaint section, and what decision has been made by staff, because credit is very important in economy. And that way was very useful for me, when I was buying donation features from others. Also player who has never been banned, won't have pride anymore, if ex-scammer's record is all hidden. That's all I can say.
