Community/Forum Guideline

GhoulofGSG9GhoulofGSG9 Join Date: 2013-03-31 Member: 184566Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Supporter, Pistachionauts
edited May 2019 in NS2 General Discussion
We like playing games together with other people. We like to have polite and rational discussions about a wide range of topics.
In that matter we want to provide communication platforms where everyone feels welcomed, can meet many new friends and have fun.

Moderation
To ensure that our platforms fulfill their purpose, we moderate them following the below stated rules.

Rules
Behave politely at all times! So don’t post anything:
  • which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law.
  • for which you do not own the copyright
  • which can be classified as advertisements, chain letters or pyramid schemes
  • which doesn’t fit into the topic of given channel or thread

Reporting a post

Discord
Select a moderator and send them a direct message including whom you wish to report a copy of the post you report and the reason why you wish to report it.

Forum
Click at “Flag” in the title bar of the post you want to report and then at “Report”. Fill in the reason for your report and hit ok.

Warning system

Discord
In case you are a long term community member and break our rules in any way, you will get kicked and receive a private message from our moderators about the reason of your kick. You are free to rejoin our server at any time after a kick.
Otherwise if you are a new member of our community or have been kicked recently and break our rules you will receive a permanent ban. Permanent bans can be appealed by contacting an admin or moderator but are very unlikely to get lifted.

Forum

Posts
Each post that breaks our rules gets reviewed by a community moderator and may get edited or deleted.
Based on the nature of the offense the moderator will send you either a minor, normal or major warning.

Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
  • Minor : 0 points,
  • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
  • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks
As long as you have 3 points you will be jailed. While being jailed you can’t post as often and your signature is hidden.
As long as you have 5 points you will be temporarily banned.

Threads
Moderators will close a thread if its topic does not fit into given category or if the majority of posts in given thread are breaking our rules.

Moderators
Our moderators are volunteers chosen out of the community who have proven to stick to the rules and have shown a very high involvement into the community overall.
A list of current moderators can be found in the next post
«13

Comments

  • GhoulofGSG9GhoulofGSG9 Join Date: 2013-03-31 Member: 184566Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Supporter, Pistachionauts
    edited May 2019
    All UWE employees are admins.

    Head Admin:
    Admins:
    Moderators
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
    • Minor : 0 points,
    • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
    • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks

    As for how long jailing or temporary bans last - I don't know.
  • woozawooza Switzerland Join Date: 2013-11-21 Member: 189496Members, Squad Five Blue
    Discord
    In case you break our rules in any way, you will get kicked and receive a private message from our moderators about the reason of your kick.

    Just received my second ban on Discord yesterday without any reason sent. So criticsm is no longer welcome at all?
    :thumbsdown:

  • GhoulofGSG9GhoulofGSG9 Join Date: 2013-03-31 Member: 184566Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Supporter, Pistachionauts
    edited May 2016
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
    • Minor : 0 points,
    • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
    • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks

    As for how long jailing or temporary bans last - I don't know.

    Changed the text. Hopefully it's now clear. You are banned/jailed as long as your warning level is beyond given limits. Your points last each as long as the last warning:smile:

    E.g. : You receive a major warning -> You are jailed for 2 week or You receive 2 x normal warnings -> you are jailed for a week etc.
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?

    There is no such rule. But forum moderation concerns do not belong into the NS2 sub forum.
  • RysskRyssk Join Date: 2012-12-18 Member: 175441Members
    Regarding rules both Discord and Forum

    Is open discussions allowed in the General Forum and Discord?? Considering several posts and topics been shutdown immediatly, even if the topics and posts been On-Topic and in terms with SubForum?

    So my point is, add a info note regarding the whole General/Open section:

    No critisism is allowed to be talked in any kind of open social media hosted/created by UWE. Such as Discord and Unknown Worlds Forum.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
  • BacillusBacillus Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58241Members
    Is it fair to expect sneaky stuff like ninja burying threads also stopping as the new guidelines are enforced? It should be very obvious why moderation needs transparency and yet at least the burying has been happening for years now and seems to occur every once in a while even now. Stuff like that isn't exactly beneficial for building a trust between normal forumgoers and moderators.
  • HEllrunner2kHEllrunner2k Join Date: 2013-07-05 Member: 185945Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    what is a ninja burying thread?
  • BacillusBacillus Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58241Members
    what is a ninja burying thread?
    When buried, a thread doesn't get locked, but it stops getting refreshed on the forum's thread listing. As a result it falls away from the front page, no matter how relevant and frequent the discussion is.

    It becomes a ninja burying if there is no visible admin action anywhere. The effect is only visible if you actually view the thread and notice the mismatch between the last actual posts and status on the forum thread listing. As far as I can tell, it is mostly used for removing an unwanted thread from 'hot topics' while leaving no visible trace of actual moderation happening.

    Burying itself can be part of the moderation (as can locking threads and all that), but doing that without clear transparency is very questionable. If there's a legit use for ninja bury, I haven't figured it out or seen it being utilized so far.

  • HEllrunner2kHEllrunner2k Join Date: 2013-07-05 Member: 185945Members, Reinforced - Shadow
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Where on these forums can we discuss moderation with each other, or each other and the moderators?
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Where on these forums can we discuss moderation with each other, or each other and the moderators?

    Behind the scenes -PM
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    Where on these forums can we discuss moderation with each other, or each other and the moderators?

    Behind the scenes -PM

    As in, publicly, in a multilateral discussion?
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    Where on these forums can we discuss moderation with each other, or each other and the moderators?

    Behind the scenes -PM

    As in, publicly, in a multilateral discussion?

    But captain, we just don't have the power!
  • GhoulofGSG9GhoulofGSG9 Join Date: 2013-03-31 Member: 184566Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Supporter, Pistachionauts
    Bacillus wrote: »
    Is it fair to expect sneaky stuff like ninja burying threads also stopping as the new guidelines are enforced? It should be very obvious why moderation needs transparency and yet at least the burying has been happening for years now and seems to occur every once in a while even now. Stuff like that isn't exactly beneficial for building a trust between normal forumgoers and moderators.

    Both sinking and closing a thread will be announced in given thread by the executing moderator from now on.


    All kind of website feedback belongs into http://forums.unknownworlds.com/categories/web-site-feedback .
  • RysskRyssk Join Date: 2012-12-18 Member: 175441Members
    edited May 2016
    How many times will you guys change your guidelines? *snip* Do not insult moderators with name calling.

    Also this is the first time we've publicly changed our guidelines since before NS2 was in Alpha.. and even then it's barely different.. just more verbose / clear -Iron
  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
    • Minor : 0 points,
    • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
    • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks

    As for how long jailing or temporary bans last - I don't know.

    It says it right there in the text you quoted.. .:smile:
    The points are aggregate so if you have 2 points already and you earn 3 before that 1 week expires, then you are temp banned until that level 2 part expires (because it'll expire before the 3 points will)
    - so less than a week typically.


  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    edited May 2016
    Ryssk wrote: »
    Regarding rules both Discord and Forum

    Is open discussions allowed in the General Forum and Discord??.
    Just like any privately ran internet forum that you sign an agreement to beforehand, it's not completely open, no. We have a zero tolerance policy regarding server browser drama topics, for instance.
    We also have other topics that aren't allowed based purely on common sense and those fall under the main rules already mentioned.
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    IronHorse wrote: »
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
    • Minor : 0 points,
    • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
    • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks

    As for how long jailing or temporary bans last - I don't know.

    It says it right there in the text you quoted.. .:smile:

    Yes, it does so now :P
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    Each of these warnings increases your warning level by:
    • Minor : 0 points,
    • Normal: 2 points, last 1 week
    • Major: 3 points, last 2 weeks

    As for how long jailing or temporary bans last - I don't know.

    Changed the text. Hopefully it's now clear. You are banned/jailed as long as your warning level is beyond given limits. Your points last each as long as the given warning:smile:

    E.g. : You receive a major warning -> You are jailed for 2 week or You receive 2 x normal warnings -> you are jailed for a week etc.

  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    No.
    It is crucial to understand that what is posted here are rules for the public to follow, and not for you to "call out" moderators on.
    While Mods do follow a process we have all agreed to, they can (and are expected to) exercise their own discretion still when necessary - and the last thing we want is people derailing every thread with claims of mod abuse. That will just cause further moderation taken towards that user doing so as it falls under the "Stay on topic" rule.

    As explained ad nauseum: if you take issue with a moderator's action you can PM any mod in these forums or on our Discord for faster responses.

    We are constantly improving our processes, and one of the newest things we're considering is having an appeals process where you can speak with multiple admins at once and even have the conversation public (read only) for others, in the name of transparency.
    So if you have suggestions on how to improve our processes, we always welcome those when they are given in the appropriate place, just like appeals.
  • WyzcrakWyzcrak Pot Pie Aficionado Join Date: 2002-12-04 Member: 10447Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    -
    wooza wrote: »
    I got banned from Discord yesterday without getting a message from the moderator.
    You were kicked, not banned. Your not understanding that is my fault, as my initial effort to tell you that failed, and I too soon gave up trying to contact you. I'm sorry for that. I'll message you privately soon with an explanation and answer any questions you have about the incident.
  • YojimboYojimbo England Join Date: 2009-03-19 Member: 66806Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    Wyzcrak wrote: »
    -
    wooza wrote: »
    I got banned from Discord yesterday without getting a message from the moderator.
    You were kicked, not banned. Your not understanding that is my fault, as my initial effort to tell you that failed, and I too soon gave up trying to contact you. I'm sorry for that. I'll message you privately soon with an explanation and answer any questions you have about the incident.

    Sounds like you are overworked and need a holiday.

    A
    Very
    Long
    Holiday.
  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    IronHorse wrote: »
    Aeglos wrote: »
    You forgot that posting "moderation concerns" is against the rules. Also, when are warning levels cleared?

    May we also see the rules for moderators so that we can call them out for abusing their privileges?
    No.
    It is crucial to understand that what is posted here are rules for the public to follow, and not for you to "call out" moderators on.
    While Mods do follow a process we have all agreed to, they can (and are expected to) exercise their own discretion still when necessary - and the last thing we want is people derailing every thread with claims of mod abuse. That will just cause further moderation taken towards that user doing so as it falls under the "Stay on topic" rule.

    As explained ad nauseum: if you take issue with a moderator's action you can PM any mod in these forums or on our Discord for faster responses.

    We are constantly improving our processes, and one of the newest things we're considering is having an appeals process where you can speak with multiple admins at once and even have the conversation public (read only) for others, in the name of transparency.
    So if you have suggestions on how to improve our processes, we always welcome those when they are given in the appropriate place, just like appeals.

    I disagree. Moderators too should be accountable for their actions, and we shouldn't have to guess if they overstepped their boundaries. If you are worried about discretion, a principles based guideline would accomodate that.

    At the very least, there is the official stance now that it will be announced when threads are locked or sunk, which is appreciated, though I have to wonder why anyone ever thought ninja sinks were a good idea, especially given how slowly this forum usually moves.

    ______

    Besides, if members are to be reminded to regulate their behaviour with warning points, I don't see why moderators shouldn't. People may change after getting power and its hard to tell your friends that you are going to remove them without at least some justification. /troll
  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    edited May 2016
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Moderators too should be accountable for their actions, we shouldn't have to guess if they overstepped their boundaries.
    We don't believe that diving into derailing public discussions every time we need to take action is conducive to an actual discussion or debate.
    We have full accountability for our actions, as we have provided a reason to the individual without fail.

    If you disagree with that reason at all... this is where you appeal by contacting that moderator or any other, either here or Discord. There is no "guessing" in this process whatsoever.

Sign In or Register to comment.