Image BM community gives to players via forums, it is horrible...

[Vellos]

Unfortunately, I do not believe that feature is well-known or easily discoverable.

I also believe that the "report to moderate" feature is significantly underused...

Would it be possible to put an "Ignore this user" option on peoples' posts beside the "report to moderator" function?

[Zakilevo]

I agree with almost all Vellos said but this specially.

We need to change teams more often but, it is not easy to find new groups in which we feel comfortable and also, when we try, there's is always one that played with you before and that act as you are that old char.

Anyway, forum and IRC are not the problem, we are and I don't know what is the solution. To hid the magistrate cases can be one solution to reduce complains and discussions but, I can also see many disadvantages for doing this. One of them would be that people will not feel pressed to tell the truth once only magistrates will see it.
But then again, I trust our players so, this might not happen.

I might be wrong but I can see more people agreeing with moderation that discussing it so, more moderation can be a solution.

It is becoming harder and harder not to play with the same people. We aren't really getting enough new players for that. Maybe that is one of the reasons why we are having this issue when we didn't have before. Or maybe we are having this problem now since there are more ways to interact with other players oocly.

[Chaotrance13]

I might be wrong but I can see more people agreeing with moderation that discussing it so, more moderation can be a solution.

I did suggest a method of harsher moderation, and it does seem a couple of people think it's time for more strict measures to bring the game back in balance, so to speak. I'll repost it here in case anyone didn't see it. That being said, it's clear from what Ban said that there is a points system in place - this could be converted or changed as people see fit. Say 10 points per offence, maximum of 50 before the strongest actions are taken.

I'm personally of the opinion that we should start to use the new UserID field in our profiles a bit more to be honest to link forum accounts to game accounts so that warnings on your forum account will have consequences against your game account should you not stop.

In one other browser game I played, you basically had 5 chances on the forums before they not only banned your forum account but deleted your game account as well. This also worked in reverse as well, if you committed infractions with your game account via the messaging system it contributed to this limit of 5. I don't recall if there were punishments for hitting 3 or 4 warnings but there should be.

I know it sounds draconian, and it is. But as far as moderation on forums and IRC has ever gone I've always been zero tolerance and do not stand for crap, full stop. And I'm very aware that it may scare people off using the boards in fear of them being punished. But in a similar token it will remind people to be civil and courteous instead of risking getting a warning.

That said, you could use a similar system without linking it to a game account as well, with different punishments for each level of warning. Say a private warning for first offence, public reprimand for second, all the way up to a forum permaban for the fifth.

There is one other problem, mind. For any change to work, everyone must be on board and treated somewhat equally. That means no immunity from the rules for anyone except Tom himself. As far as in-game options go I'm thinking about what Tom said. Has it been suggested in the past regarding a "Total War" kind of option or declaration - as in war until destruction rather than surrender? I wouldn't want to draft a feature request if it's been rejected before or if it's unworkable in the eyes of the devs.

(On that note, I recall making a topic a long time ago about a similar subject as this, namely the fact I felt that there needed to be stricter moderation and people in general, no matter who they are, needed to stop being so venomous to one-another. It generally apart from some discussion was ignored which is par for the course, really.)

[Frostwood]

I do agree that there's a whole lot too much law-mongering and OOC-playing going on. People want to win at any costs, including attacking their enemies on the forum and elsewhere.

That needs to stop. We really need a couple wars and destroyed realms, especially on the more stagnant islands, to shake things up and people out of this mindset.

Luckily Dwilight now has a good war going on, and things seem mostly civil.  Of course that may change when one side(s) starts to lose.

[Geronus]

Luckily Dwilight now has a good war going on, and things seem mostly civil.  Of course that may change when one side(s) starts to lose.

I would be unpleasantly surprised if that happened. I know a lot of the players on all sides. I think everyone's grown up enough not to let it go there, though who can say for sure. There's a lot at stake, after all.

[Tom]

I think we need to push one basic principle through to people:


Insults exist in the ears of the RECEIVER, not the speaker.

If someone is insulting you, the first thing you should do is ask him to stop. Not shoot back and end with "and now STFU", but politely and firmly explain to him that what he says is insulting to you and please stop doing that.

And on the other side, if someone tells you that he feels hurt by your words, you need to stop. Period. Not argue about whether or not it's an insult. Just stop and go elsewhere.



I'm sick and tired beyond what I have words for of the constant bickering and arguing. I think it used to be better before when I was handling more of these issues myself because I could make a quick and final decision. And while they were probably no better then what the Titans and Magistrates decide, it was faster and it was final and thus people didn't argue so much about it.


Really, from my perspective, it isn't so much the occasional insult that's creating the toxic atmosphere, it's the two months of arguments that follow.

[Miriam Ics]

Really, from my perspective, it isn't so much the occasional insult that's creating the toxic atmosphere, it's the two months of arguments that follow.

I agree with all you said, Tom, but this, is perfect.

[Blue Star]

Insults exist in the ears of the RECEIVER, not the speaker.

If someone is insulting you, the first thing you should do is ask him to stop. Not shoot back and end with "and now STFU", but politely and firmly explain to him that what he says is insulting to you and please stop doing that.

And on the other side, if someone tells you that he feels hurt by your words, you need to stop. Period. Not argue about whether or not it's an insult. Just stop and go elsewhere.

+1000
I think personally, it needs to be dealt between the two parties then if it continues it should go further then to the magistrates or titans or Tom. The idea is to play as friends if not family. No one said we had to get along with eachother... we just have to be civil and play fair and follow the Rules....

[sharkattack]

I think irc is the worst thing that exist for BM. My opinion is that it creates secret circles between players and spreads rumours and lies as well as spreading in game knowledge some characters should not be able to know.

[jaune]

I agree that IRC brings players together and some might think "He is good fella, i could create char to realm he is in!"

But those who use OOC info obtained from IRC or are spreading poopy rumours, would do it anyway. IRC has been there since beginning... i think, atleast as far as i have played... or atleast some realms had their own channels.

So, it is not irc's fault cheesy things happens, it is the people. Same thing as RL guns, it is man behind the gun who causes the damage, not the gun itself.

-Jaune

[Anaris]

My opinion is that it creates secret circles between players and spreads rumours and lies as well as spreading in game knowledge some characters should not be able to know.

That is not opinion. That is a false fact.

An opinion would be "IRC is a hive of scum and villainy."

[Vellos]

An opinion would be "IRC is a hive of scum and villainy."

No, that is a true fact.

spreading in game knowledge some characters should not be able to know.

And it happens I've seen exactly this and, when I was newer to BM and didn't have as firm a grasp of IC/OOC distinctions, did it a fair bit myself.

[Indirik]

I think irc is the worst thing that exist for BM. My opinion is that it creates secret circles between players and spreads rumours and lies as well as spreading in game knowledge some characters should not be able to know.

Back when I was a newbie player, in my very first realm, quite a few of the players there had this exact same opinion of IRC as you. In fact, they hated it so much, they refused to use it. "All that chatting is bad for the game. They form their own cliques, and band together."

So you know what they did?

They all went over to MSN and hung out in their own private chat rooms. Doing the exact same thing they accused all the IRCers of doing.

And now, people come here to the forums, and do all that stuff, too.

The medium that people use to talk to others isn't the problem. People talk. They will do it over any medium to which they have access. To accuse one medium of being somehow worse than the others is to blind yourself to human nature.

[Blue Star]

Back when I was a newbie player, in my very first realm, quite a few of the players there had this exact same opinion of IRC as you. In fact, they hated it so much, they refused to use it. "All that chatting is bad for the game. They form their own cliques, and band together."

So you know what they did?

They all went over to MSN and hung out in their own private chat rooms. Doing the exact same thing they accused all the IRCers of doing.

And now, people come here to the forums, and do all that stuff, too.

The medium that people use to talk to others isn't the problem. People talk. They will do it over any medium to which they have access. To accuse one medium of being somehow worse than the others is to blind yourself to human nature.

I remember when people were trying to get others on msn... however, IRC is and will forever be questionable as well as any outlet. Plain and simple.

Sadly I finally logged in IRC and am attempting to try it out. I'm making a effort since it's on that left side bar I tend to ignore unless im on a character. Has that thing always been there? If it has I need to start wearing my glasses or contacts more often.

[Gustav Kuriga]

Back when I was a newbie player, in my very first realm, quite a few of the players there had this exact same opinion of IRC as you. In fact, they hated it so much, they refused to use it. "All that chatting is bad for the game. They form their own cliques, and band together."

So you know what they did?

They all went over to MSN and hung out in their own private chat rooms. Doing the exact same thing they accused all the IRCers of doing.

And now, people come here to the forums, and do all that stuff, too.

The medium that people use to talk to others isn't the problem. People talk. They will do it over any medium to which they have access. To accuse one medium of being somehow worse than the others is to blind yourself to human nature.

They used MSN? Dear god I thought that had died out ages ago...