Complaint about penalty administration within zone - "silencing

[squirtle17]

Hello,

Yesterday I was silenced for 60 minutes and it was the most frustrating experience of my subspace life.

I am not posting to argue with the reason or duration of the silencing/banning, although I don't really agree with that either, my issue is with how it was administered and my experience going through it.

I was not warned or told I was silenced, I figured it out when I realized I was being ignored on my chats and could no longer use the ?chat function or ?lag function.

When I logged back in I had a new ?message but I was also unable to check this as I was silenced.

I did recieve this message from a bot:

"TW-Guard0> You've been silenced for 60 (60 remaining) minutes for use of racial slurs or racially-inflammatory language.
TW-Guard0> To appeal a wrongful ban, you may open a ticket here (updated 2021): http://www.trenchwars.org/support/ If you are a victim of staff abuse, email twcomplaints@gmail.com (BanC #8741)"

I realized after some time that the remaining minutes were not going down in spectator mode, this should have been explained to me by the staff member administering the ban before it went into effect or could have been included in the message from TW-Guard0. I got into spider, changed to a private freq as to not disrupt pub gameplay, and left my ship to hide in some rocks while I folded some laundry. I look back at my computer and see I've recieved this message in RED BOLD font.

MODERATOR WARNING: Idling off your ban in the rocks is considered ban evasion. Further instances will result in a zone ban. -STAFFMEMBERNAME

This was even more frustrating because once again, this was not explained to me by the staff member, nor in any automated messages from the tw robo-cop.

I tried to send a ?help call so I could chat with the staff member but this function was also disabled, which is problematic in itself.

I also was unable to !acb borrow requests so I could play off my silence time in a twd setting, nor was I was able to accept matches/do lines.

Anyway, eventually I served my full hour of playing in the pub and I just want to say my experience with it was terrible.

Staff need to revamp the administering of these penalties because I would have honestly preferred they just banned me for an hour or 3, then me having to figure out what the hell a silencing was on my own with no access to communicating with them for clarification.

[Rab]

yep, always said silence is game-breaking so should never be used, a ban is better

[Voth]

Silences are game-breaking. Unfortunately, with how the code of the game is made up, we don't have a way to silence players yet still allow them to use in-game commands. It just does not exist and will not exist.

That being said, it might be a good idea to include a caveat about that when the bot messages you about your silence. I'll look into that with the Dev team. I understand the frustration if you don't know the system inside and out.

That being said, the best protection against it is simply not being an asshole and getting to the point where a mod has to issue a silence on you. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

[Rab]

That being said, the best protection against it is simply not being an asshole and getting to the point where a mod has to issue a silence on you. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

Not really, because usually it's a reaction to all the trolls in the game - which ultimately it's staff's fault for not banning.

[Voth]

Not really, because usually it's a reaction to all the trolls in the game - which ultimately it's staff's fault for not banning.

Always a pleasure to converse with you, Rab. If you know me, you know I agree with you on that issue. But you also know that my power has limits as well. And I'd venture to say I've done more within my means to attempt to control those trolls than any prior Ban Op...almost ever. Except Rudy. That dude had carte blanche from the bosses and used it to the infinite. So, I guess we should agree to agree. Fair?

Oh and by the way, the majority of our silences are not otherwise innocent and rule abiding players who just get so fed up that they rage out and break the rules. It's usually just the shitheads. And "Midnight Dry Anal", who started this thread, might be one of those shitheads.

[squirtle17]

Always a pleasure to converse with you, Rab. If you know me, you know I agree with you on that issue. But you also know that my power has limits as well. And I'd venture to say I've done more within my means to attempt to control those trolls than any prior Ban Op...almost ever. Except Rudy. That dude had carte blanche from the bosses and used it to the infinite. So, I guess we should agree to agree. Fair?

Oh and by the way, the majority of our silences are not otherwise innocent and rule abiding players who just get so fed up that they rage out and break the rules. It's usually just the shitheads. And "Midnight Dry Anal", who started this thread, might be one of those shitheads.

Listen Voth, I'm not really sure what "Midnight Dry Anal" is referring to but instead of attacking me and coming for my character why don't you just work on fixing the administration of the silencing penalty by changing the bots messaging and advising your staff to do better. I appreciate all the work staff has done and continues to do to make the zone run smoothly but this is valid feedback that doesn't require you to be an asshole to me.

Since you seem to be under the impression that I'm just an asshole, let me tell you my side of the story:

Myself and many others are under the impression that the player I "bullied" is using rules set out to protect actual victims of bullying to bait and use them to their advantage to get players they don't like silenced/banned.

& yes I had a history of conflict with the player whom i assumed reported me and after they provoked me I responded by creating an alias which was a play on words on their name and playing around in pub for 2 days until I recieved a warning to leave them alone, which I did & have.

Since then this player has followed me into .?go twbd and freq messaged my team trash talking, which I have ignored, & the day in question I was sitting silently in pub spec minding my own business and this player is randomly typing out in pub chat revealing aliases and wrote "squirtle17=wbm=pokebong" which is not accurate at all. I went to the TWD website and linked pub chat to a game in which pokebong and I had played all 3 rounds and said in pub chat

"great detective work, "DEROGATORY/"RACIST"modification to players name"

& I said nothing further and moved on with my life until I was silenced shortly after.


This player has been baiting me for attention for a few weeks now and I finally fell for it, so that 's my bad.

If I'm an asshole for responding to someone who is provoking me, I'm an asshole.


& on another note, the word "Transexual" is not derogatory nor is it racist, it is politically correct term and i've never used it in a derogatory or offensive manner & never will as those are my brethren.

But I don't take kindly to trolls that may be pretending to be something they are not in order to use rules to their advantage. As I have no way of knowing the actual truth behind this persons gender identity it still boils down to two scenarios


Scenario 1: They are telling the truth and are actually transgender.

If this is the case, I apologize to this player if anything I've done came across as derogatory or offensive regarding their gender identity. There was never a time I used the word transexual in an offensive manner nor put them down for it. If I ever commented on them it was about their annoying habit of changing to the stacked pub team in order to win more pubbux and throwing off team balance further.

I also wanna say this directly to you: this is information you are revealing in pub chat openly, you know the different types of mental cases that play this game and in pub especially, if you are so sensitive when it comes to this issue maybe you should be more mindful of what you say and reveal about yourself in pub?

Scenario 2: They are pretending to be something they are not in order to annoy and then bait other players and use rules to their advantage.

If this is the case, you're a sad turd and I hope you do better.

[squirtle17]

Not really, because usually it's a reaction to all the trolls in the game - which ultimately it's staff's fault for not banning.

LMAO, I love that without knowing the reasoning behind it you called out what it actually was.

[Voth]

Listen Voth, I'm not really sure what "Midnight Dry Anal" is referring to but instead of attacking me and coming for my character why don't you just work on fixing the administration of the silencing penalty by changing the bots messaging and advising your staff to do better. I appreciate all the work staff has done and continues to do to make the zone run smoothly but this is valid feedback that doesn't require you to be an asshole to me.

Since you seem to be under the impression that I'm just an asshole, let me tell you my side of the story:

Myself and many others are under the impression that the player I "bullied" is using rules set out to protect actual victims of bullying to bait and use them to their advantage to get players they don't like silenced/banned.

& yes I had a history of conflict with the player whom i assumed reported me and after they provoked me I responded by creating an alias which was a play on words on their name and playing around in pub for 2 days until I recieved a warning to leave them alone, which I did & have.

Since then this player has followed me into .?go twbd and freq messaged my team trash talking, which I have ignored, & the day in question I was sitting silently in pub spec minding my own business and this player is randomly typing out in pub chat revealing aliases and wrote "squirtle17=wbm=pokebong" which is not accurate at all. I went to the TWD website and linked pub chat to a game in which pokebong and I had played all 3 rounds and said in pub chat

"great detective work, "DEROGATORY/"RACIST"modification to players name"

& I said nothing further and moved on with my life until I was silenced shortly after.


This player has been baiting me for attention for a few weeks now and I finally fell for it, so that 's my bad.

If I'm an asshole for responding to someone who is provoking me, I'm an asshole.


& on another note, the word "Transexual" is not derogatory nor is it racist, it is politically correct term and i've never used it in a derogatory or offensive manner & never will as those are my brethren.

But I don't take kindly to trolls that may be pretending to be something they are not in order to use rules to their advantage. As I have no way of knowing the actual truth behind this persons gender identity it still boils down to two scenarios


Scenario 1: They are telling the truth and are actually transgender.

If this is the case, I apologize to this player if anything I've done came across as derogatory or offensive regarding their gender identity. There was never a time I used the word transexual in an offensive manner nor put them down for it. If I ever commented on them it was about their annoying habit of changing to the stacked pub team in order to win more pubbux and throwing off team balance further.

I also wanna say this directly to you: this is information you are revealing in pub chat openly, you know the different types of mental cases that play this game and in pub especially, if you are so sensitive when it comes to this issue maybe you should be more mindful of what you say and reveal about yourself in pub?

Scenario 2: They are pretending to be something they are not in order to annoy and then bait other players and use rules to their advantage.

If this is the case, you're a sad turd and I hope you do better.

I already said here blatantly that I'd explore adding more clarity to silences with the Dev team, which I immediately put out to them upon concluding my reply here.

I also never said you were a shithead - I said you might be. I don't know you and I didn't silence you, but all players who are silenced have been given a *warn in red recently for the same infraction, and it must have been found that you continued to do that despite said warning.

Here is a direct quote from the ban comment for the peanut gallery to enjoy, since you know what you said:

squirtle17> keep up the good detective work transexualtunes!

Outstanding. I hate trancetunes as much as the next guy, but unfortunately, you can't say this, and if you're trying to say you didn't "use it in a derogatory or offensive manner," then you sir, are a moron. And yes, that is me attacking you and coming for your character. Cry about it more or move on.

Oh and by the way, if trancetunes is breaking the rules and ruining pub gameplay, please feel free to report it. I'd take pleasure in banning that guy.

Have a great day, bud.

[Rab]

trance does sit afk a lot
and baits people into arguing about gender bullshit
so should have been banned long ago.

[Voth]

trance does sit afk a lot
and baits people into arguing about gender bullshit
so should have been banned long ago.

As always, ?cheater is the best option when you are seeing him disrupt pub with gameplay. If you don't get a response, it's probably because no mod is available. We are pretty short staffed. If you'd like a link to the application, I can help you out - but I think you're astute enough to find your own way there if you'd like to contribute. Remember, there's no quota points for bitching on forums, though.

Banning everyone who baits people into or engages in any type of race/gender bullshit is something I support. Not everyone feels the same way and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And such is life... you can't always get what you want.

[Rab]

Yeah there are not staff in EU so ?cheater never gets a response, which is why I've offered to be staff and deal with the bans myself multiple times, and I've used the application form. Nobody ever takes me up on it, presumably because they know what'll happen.

[Voth]

Yeah there are not staff in EU so ?cheater never gets a response, which is why I've offered to be staff and deal with the bans myself multiple times, and I've used the application form. Nobody ever takes me up on it, presumably because they know what'll happen.

I am 100% positive we can bring someone with your
veteran status and other talents on as a ZH and see how that goes. I'll even go out on a limb and offer tagless ZH if you agree to help in zone and Dev (I know you have in the past, appreciated).

I highly doubt anyone will veto that. Once we build some trust and we know you can follow the rules (or propose changes to them) that doesn't make me run around putting out fires until I axe you, I'm certain you'll have BanC and BanG capabilities.

Fair enough? Or is whining on forums that barely anyone reads more interesting to you? If you sunk half the effort into making the changes happen without a constant "I want to help but this is what's happening immediately and there's no discussion" attitude, you might actually get those things done and help
the zone in the process. Lord knows that I'm not the end all, be all, to these problems, and your input and help is welcomed if we can establish even a modicum of trust.

[Voth]

Unless of course, you're a sad little man who doesn't really want to help and you'd rather bitch and moan on a dead forum rather than act like a rational human and go through the necessary steps to make a change.

Either way, just let me know champ. Open invite. I'll sponsor you myself and push for it personally.

[Rab]

Yes it's a genuine offer.
No I don't really want dev work, this is about cleaning up chat.
I think the staff rules are the problem - so no I won't follow those, they clearly don't work. That said, I've never seen the rule book, dunno if anyone has, know it doesn't match A1.
If you want people to help, insulting them isn't the way to go about it. Pretty off-putting actually.

[Jurassic]

Can we just ban that hokecho (apparently he's staff?) guy that only comes on once a month when trance messages him someone called him a bad name and has never actually played the game in his life? Also abuses to help his friends by speccing players when they are hunting levis in safe. I've never seen this guy play in my 20 years of TW in pub or twd. Seems to operate by just coming on to look at staff calls and ban/silence people without actually being there. Thnx