(03-22-2014, 06:11 PM)Snak3 Wrote: I don't see how this would affect the main problem - people breaking rules either intentionally or without knowledge that those exist.
It would give new players a chance to learn the rules, if it unintentional, most people are reasonable, and not driven by a desire to see others suffer, In these cases, once the player can show that they have learned the rule, and I am sure the reporting player will let it go at that, making the need for the new player to get sanctioned publicly and shamed unnecessary.
Edit: As for those who do it intentionally, we will never be able to remove all rule breaking from the game, those people can still be spanked by the admins if thats what the reporting player wants, this just puts another option in place. It also does absolutely nothing to reduce rule breaking, that is not what this idea is about.
It's a good idea but for me it feels like there is a missing link between the game and the forums for these Mediators to do their jobs effectively. I think you mentioned skype, some people don't use skype, or the forums.. So. Maybe trying to incorporate this into the actual game. Maybe like an Angel but tagged Mediator. The said person quarrelling can contact the Mediator to step in and sort the issue out. If that then doesn't work then the Mediator forwards the issue onto the Admins so they can issue the punishment.
I have no idea if that made sense or enhanced your idea but hey. Im human
As much as it might create a better atmosphere, do you not think the whole process might be a bit tedious? On the assumption that no decision is made through the alternate method, it would surely just be a waste of time. If some feel very strongly about the violation that they've filed, they're going to want an answer quickly rather than seeing it get put through a process that could span the length of, or become reminiscent of a court case.
I like the idea but I think at this stage it's just unnecessary. It's not hard to read the rules, there are enough minor punishments (losing guns is no particular big deal) to cover smaller infractions and I'm sure that, as I and many others have likely done, explaining to the offender that they've done something wrong is always an option regardless of whether there's an official group or mediators or not.
Cashew's point about the Angels is an interesting one. Perhaps if their power was extended slightly (and recruitment directly correlating with such power) then they'd become more active, allowing the reduction of reports being filed and the admins workload being decreased.
Maybe if the Angels took over on the player based issues:
1.) Quarrelling
2.) Sanctions
3.) Helping out new players (Already do this)
So they effectively become the 'police'. That's probably an awful word to use for them.. Anyway. A police officer is there to keep the peace and help out. Maybe this is what the Angels can become? (We slightly digressed but meh..)
What Zelot, knowing or not, actually proposed is the duty of a GM, yet without them having the rights to also execute their decisions and enforce the rules.
//Edit: I was always in favour of having a GM-team, yet this would mean giving admin-executing power to people not flagged as admins, which always was rejected. And having such a group of individuals without the power to execute the decisions they came to is kind of defeating the point.
We all should be mediators... ill give you guys my example, i've been involved in some transgressions a couple of times, instead of reporting the guy, i had a talk with him, explained the rules and after that the other person apologised and learned the rule.
With some common sense we can reduce the violation reports and the server wont loose one person because of that violation report, we actually add value to the comunity.
Of course, if i explain what happened to a guy and he says "omg f... off!!!!||||!!!!" well in that case i will report him, but i always leave that as a last ressort scenario.
Overall all, I like that idea. But I see one problem with it.
I'm assuming you want the reports to remain hidden. If they are, the "mediators" actually do have a lot of power. They could still discourage players from going through with their violation reports, try to influence them, misinform them, lobby for their friends, work against people they don't like, and even try to intimidate people. If their actions are hidden, what's to keep that from happening? If you don't trust someone enough to give them admin powers, why give them the power to do that? For me, treating rule violations fairly is the most important thing for admins.
I would propose that rule violation reports are not hidden. If you are concerned about the language that may appear in them, you can put a "enter at own risk" disclaimer. If everyone can see them, people will see precedents to problems that they may have or had, and the mediation could be done publicly, which reduces the chances of systematic abuse.
User was banned for: Better luck next time, K. <3
Time left: (Permanent)
(03-22-2014, 04:10 PM)Zelot Wrote: The problem with that is that as the number of players on the server, and thus the number of violation reports has increased, the number of admins, on the whole has remained fairly flat.