Code of Conduct, Confusion, and Questions.

[Oqua]

I am making this post after careful deliberation and much thought, and I am completely aware of, and responsible for, the possible repercussions. My intent is for clarity due to the nature of what I have noticed is some discrepancy in when and how the Code of Conduct is enforced.

The Code of Conduct:
“”The guidelines and rules listed below explain what behavior is expected of you and what behavior you can expect from other community members. Note that the following guidelines are not exhaustive, and may not address all manner of offensive behavior. As such, we shall have full discretion to address any behavior that we feel is inappropriate.””

My first question is in relation to the
“”we shall have full discretion to address any behavior that we feel is inappropriate.””

I am not a member of the Development team, now am I an elevated status player be it guide or moderator etc. So in short I do not know the inner workings of their thoughts, I am not equip to make a judgment call as to if they will find something amusing or triggering.

Lacking this skill I often look for examples of what is acceptable from the in game npc’s, other players, and the development team and elevated players themselves. I can for example learn that occasional “light” profanity is allowed provided it is used correctly and not directed at another player directly or as a pejorative.

Here is where my first point of confusion arises: Looking at the Development team I can learn that if you think you are justified on a Subjective Matter, you are allowed to break the Code of Conduct objectively with the use of Profanity as a Personal Attack Multiple times, as well as excusing similar behavior from other players provided the subject of the attack aligns with the Developers.

Taken from the Code of Conduct:
“”insulting other posters Making non-constructive posts””

So my question is am I allowed to behave as such?
Would you accept similar behavior from a player towards a guide/moderator?
How is it not hypocritical?
Or are there just two sets of rules?

Perhaps I am missing the point is it ok to talk to other players in your function as a developer/guide in such a fashion if you only give them a warning? Or does the fact that the original behavior only warranting a warning make the resulting offensive language worse by comparison?

Another term that is used with some flexibility is the claim of trolling could you go into a little more depth? Trolling is quite vague and open to interpretation let me give you an example.

Player A: What level do you learn sword skill Wind Strike 3
Player B: 38
Player C: Player B is incorrect you learn Wind Strike 3 at level 36

What happened in this exchange? Was Player B Trolling? Was Player C being Irritating by correcting player B? Were all three players risking upsetting a moderator because they were using the chat function?

If the discussion were to continue, and no offensive language would be exchanged what would be happening? If Player B sticks to their assertion that is Objectively wrong, and Player A sticks to their claim that is Empirically correct, again assuming no insults or foul language, how many different Code of Conduct rules could be interpreted to be violated?

“”Conduct determined by Elder Game to be detrimental to the community””

“”ongoing harassment to other characters””

“”Are otherwise considered objectionable as determined by Elder Game's sole discretion.””

Those taken directly from the Code of Conduct, this is before we get into claims such as “jerk” and various other improper terms that are not very well defined.


Another common Situation would be where you have a player asking the same question repeatedly or “all day” and ignoring the answers provided by the chat. Is this

“”Excessively communicating the same phrase, similar phrases, or pure gibberish””

And if you respond to this with “Matter of Fact” type sass are you suddenly trolling?
What if in the above example your answers are correct but delivered in the exhausted tone of a mother who has played the WHY? Game with this toddler for hours? Are you now not only a troll, responding to spammers with, Irritating language? Would this be grounds for a member of the Development team or Mod Staff to now use direct personal attacks and foul language targeting you, and allow for other players to also do so?

In all of the above examples what part does the development team and Mod staff have to curtail such situations before they happen? Jumping back to the sword skill example if you have two players “debating” a cut and dry factual point at what point could you say it is the responsibility of the Mod Staff to intervene? Only after the rules are broken? No I am not talking about anything subjective such as what is the best way to XXXX? But if you have a simple factual discussion does the mod staff have a duty to “use their mod tag”


Conclusion: The reason why you see EULA and Code of Conducts as pretty standard across the internet gaming world comes down to enforce ability and accountability. Once you try and enforce vague terms that are both subjective and open to interpretation you are going to have a lot of confusion, this is all before you take into account the unique humor and target player base, of Project Gorgon.

To Quote Nidur Zyan “Civility is a gift. It ceases to become a gift when it is required behavior.”

Final Example: I may be dating myself here but my final example is City of Heroes, now comic book fans do not have the most pleasant reputation so it would stand to reason that if you got a bunch of them together and made an MMO it would be a toxic and file pit second only to the deepest dregs of the internet. If you look at their EULA and Code of Conduct rules they were pretty standard for an MMO. What you got though was a community that was more inviting, more positive, and more good then it had any right to be. It was not created by the Development team or the Mod staff, it was not enforced with an iron fist wrapped in velvet, and it was not created by confusion or open to interpretation enforcement of the rules, encouraging silence.

It came about not through rules and regulations but naturally from the players themselves it was a gift from the players to the players.

[Citan]

The code of conduct is not up for debate. It demands civility, which is a social skill, and one that I realize some people have trouble understanding. But that is not my problem. Bottom line: if you don't quite know what's civil then we will tell you when you are over the line, but if you keep being over the line, then you lack the social skills to play the game and will have to leave.

If you think you're being mistreated you can send in Abuse reports about the incident, but fair warning: I've seen your name in abuse scenarios already and I do not feel you have been mistreated in the episodes I've reviewed.

[Silvonis]

The Code of Conduct and Terms of Service dictate our policies on a range of issues including community standards.

We are not going to go through each possible scenario and create precedent for the various provisions. The bottom line is that we have full discretion in preventing conduct detrimental to Project: Gorgon and the community.

Each situation is different and when we are using our discretion, we are looking at the totality of the circumstances involved. The Code of Conduct and the Terms of Services serve as the foundation.

Since the issue has been addressed, I am going to close the thread. Please feel free to email support if you have any specific questions. Thanks.