How not to get banned.

[C. Cain]

It's pretty common knowledge that the low content rule doesn't apply in the Forum Games subforum.
Usergroup chats are also exempt the same way.

We do not enforce the low-content rule in usergroups. We leave most moderation in user groups up to the group owners, with the exception being if there is verbal harassment of another user, mod sass (Note: Complaining about Moderation is fine, we just don't want to see "OH MY GAWD! MADDAWG SUCKS SO MUCH DIK!" or something similar) and professing of illegal activities such as pirating. Even than, only staff members can punish you for posts made in user groups. Red Guard members are limited to the forums.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I'm well aware of that. It even says so in the Posting Guidelines.
This was just my very, let's say, roundabout way to express my opinion on the 'low content post' rule as such. Or rather an attempt to do so in a longer exchange that evidently didn't come to pass. But I digress... Long story short: I don't like the rule and I don't like how it is enforcedI would also like to add that I'm under no illusions that moderating the forums is an easy job. And while I may criticise certain individual decisions it is, overall, pretty well run.. And I don't particularly like the fact that it can lead to posters getting suspended or even banned.

That said, however, rules are rules and I shall abide by them to the best of my ability. I acknowledge the reasoning behind their existence, even if I don't necessarily agree with them.

 

[Syzygy23]

I'm too bitter and cantankerous to constantly follow any of the rules relating to insults and aggression. Some people live lives where they have to put up with a lot of crap on a daily basis, and they get used to it. I just get angrier and more impatient.

I accepted that when I originally signed on to this community it would be on borrowed time, and honestly, I'm surprised I haven't been banned yet, let alone suspended.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

SNIP

If the rules on the forum also apply to the usergroups, then usergroups should technically be avoided at all costs.

A single page of your average usergroup's chat might be more than enough to suspend or even ban each and every participant involved. On the grounds of the 'low content post' rule, n'est-ce pas?

We do not enforce the low-content rule in usergroups. We leave most moderation in user groups up to the group owners, with the exception being if there is verbal harassment of another user, mod sass (Note: Complaining about Moderation is fine, we just don't want to see "OH MY GAWD! MADDAWG SUCKS SO MUCH DIK!" or something similar) and professing of illegal activities such as pirating. Even than, only staff members can punish you for posts made in user groups. Red Guard members are limited to the forums.

Well, seeing as how we have your attention..


Would you care to comment on why we aren't allowed to see the post that got a person perma banned anymore?

You still can. It depends on who banned them, whether the post exists still and what they were banned for. Staff members have the ability to ban without the need of a post and if they find one worth banning over (Or if someone requests a ban) and decide to use this method, you won't be able to see a link. Both Mortai and Boudica were banned in this method in case you were wondering.

I'm fairly certain that this has not carried over to red guard given bans though.

 

[Guffe]

which I hoenstly think defeats the purpose of me posting in the first place

I got my first (and only) warning for Low Content. I never saw it coming.

Only one and one only warning ever on this site (if I remember correctly )which was for low content and that... you guessed it... never saw it coming
I learned from that and now I am the perfect being on these forums xD

Vault101 nice to see you again, I haven't seen your face here in some time. Maybe I am just too blind but you were one of the first ones I learned the names of on this site but haven't seen you in some time

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Just follow my example, you'll all be dandy.

Sell your soul to an elder god so you achieve immortality?

You're the only guy I know who's been banned 3 times and came back

 

[ramboondiea]

Can "be lucky" be one of the requirements, because I swear they just miss some of the crap I do, I'm sure I have a good few low posts, I know for a fact I have have said stuff that deserved at least a warning and have on several occasions just had completely nonsensical conversations with people within threats that weren't even tentatively related.

 

[BrotherRool]

So this is what confuses me, I read stuff like this and it all seems to make sense. I've only ever received one warning and it was fair enough and I'm pretty happy how it turned out. It's weird having the 'almost try to say it with more words' thing because that would in other circumstances be a sign of poor communication skills than anything else. I'm always wordy and in everywhere but the Escapist I'm working on trying to become more concise and structure things so I can imply the same range of points without specifically stating them for better usability. Still it's a shame you're not allowed to express pure joy at something (safely) but I can understand why it's done when I've heard people express negative opinions of the Escapist forums [happens fairly frequently] it's much more for the obstinance and blocks of unending text discussion that goes nowhere than low content quality/poor spelling, where the Escapist does well)

so anyway. But then we have this

My personal addition would be to never personally attack someone, or insult a specific group or person. It always ends badly.

Though, I've done pretty well just following the, 'Report and move on'

[small][br]User received a warning for this post.[/small]

Is this real? I don't understand why it was a a warning. Someone shared personal experience relevant to the topic, advised people not to be dicks and then explained how reporting and moved on kept him away from flaming and safe.

And he receives a warning? Was there duplication? Or was something removed that we can't see? Am I misinterpreting the post and it's clearly offensive to other people?

 

[Woodsey]

Just follow my example, you'll all be dandy.

Sell your soul to an elder god so you achieve immortality?

You're the only guy I know who's been banned 3 times and came back

How dare you! I never took anything in my mouth, and if I did I most certainly don't remem-

Oh... yeah. Sold my soul.

Totally.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I am sick of many good escapists getting banned, I have compiled a list of things to not to get banned. "But who are you to say what to Evil Smurf?" You might say, I would reply; "A user who has learnt from his mistakes."

0. Don't be an arsehole Thanks SlaveNumber23.
1. Don't touch the word troll
2. Don't be rude, even if the above poster is an arsehole, BE NICE!
3. REPORT (Trolls and other bastards) and MOVE ON!
4. If you can say something in more words, do it. Additionally Stay on topic.
User X: What do think of cake?User Y: yes
So you are User Y, what should you have done? This:

User X: What do think of cake?User Y: I like Flourless orange Cake, it is so orangey and moist!
4.5. Merely adding "Extra words to avoid mod's wrath" to a low content post does not avoid a mod's wrath. Thanks madwarper.
5. Don't endorse/admit to piracy or use of adblocking software
6. Don't Troll people: don't make a topic or post solely for reactions
7. Don't Post just to get a hight post count, so don't double post on purpose. This goes for user groups, and all forums.
8. If you disagree with someone, don't fight them!
9. Saying something like "All EA haters are idiots." Or "ALL BRONIES ARE GAY!" Will get mod wrathed, Never personally attack someone, or insult a specific group or person. It always ends badly. Thanks Lucem713
10. If you're being sarcastic and it's not immediately obviously to everyone, then make it more obvious. Some people will take you seriously and may get offended. To be sarcastic in R&P you can You put [ color=magenta ] at the start of the pink text, and [ /color ] (without the spaces) at the end. Thanks triggrhappy94, Shadowstar38, Xan Krieger and TopazFusion
11. The more warnings you have, the easier it is to get another warning. When you have one more warning=banning then you are walking on the THINNEST ice. Very minor infractions that wouldn't earn a warning for people without any can earn you a final one leading to your being banned.Thanks Copper Zen

Post anything I might have missed, I will add it to the list. Follow the rules.

I don't like this whole pink=sarcasm thing. I don't want anyone to think this will exempt you from moderation, like if you write something super hateful and disguise it in pink font.

Please don't advise people to do things that may get them in trouble.

 

[JoJo]

My personal addition would be to never personally attack someone, or insult a specific group or person. It always ends badly.

Though, I've done pretty well just following the, 'Report and move on'

[small][br]User received a warning for this post.[/small]

Is this real? I don't understand why it was a a warning. Someone shared personal experience relevant to the topic, advised people not to be dicks and then explained how reporting and moved on kept him away from flaming and safe.

And he receives a warning? Was there duplication? Or was something removed that we can't see? Am I misinterpreting the post and it's clearly offensive to other people?

It's not a real warning, he wrote that beneath his own post using BB code to make it small and red like an actual warning. If it was a real warning then you would have to open the post like the guy with the Rainbow Dash avatar who was suspended on page 2 of this thread.

 

[ChristopherRobin]

My personal addition would be to never personally attack someone, or insult a specific group or person. It always ends badly.

Though, I've done pretty well just following the, 'Report and move on'

[small][br]User received a warning for this post.[/small]

Is this real? I don't understand why it was a a warning. Someone shared personal experience relevant to the topic, advised people not to be dicks and then explained how reporting and moved on kept him away from flaming and safe.

And he receives a warning? Was there duplication? Or was something removed that we can't see? Am I misinterpreting the post and it's clearly offensive to other people?

Lucem712 was trying to be funny and pretend his post was flagged. Word to the wise, don't do this.

 

[BrotherRool]

It's not a real warning, he wrote that beneath his own post using BB code to make it small and red like an actual warning. If it was a real warning then you would have to open the post like the guy with the Rainbow Dash avatar who was suspended on page 2 of this thread.

Ah okay =D I thought it was a bit funny that the BB code showed up but I thought maybe mods just have to edit other people's posts. Oh well. Egg on my face and all that

 

[Scarim Coral]

One of the way I see on the whole not to get banned it this-

Alway alway remain polite. While you may have a opinion that other may hate like let say e.g. "why it's wrong to eat meat and you should feel bad for doing so", you SHOULD consider other people feeling/ opinion (empathy/ compassion).
Also no matter how right you thing you are with your opinion, you SHOULD consider the possiblity that you CAN be wrong.
That whole "story being superior to gameplay" thread that was in the game section in the fourm days ago is a proof of that.

Also if you got nothing to say then don't comment at all. same thing if you're going to offend someone but if you didn't intend to then apologies for it!

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

I avoid being flagged or banned by being inanely positive with a side of snark.

Plus, my posts are mostly for comedic value. My contribution to a thread is mostly tangent at best; probably because I spend too much writing at University.

Also, I don't try to directly attack the person but the opinion.

finally, I'm the obligatory Mega Man fanboy of this forum. You guys need me!

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

The best advice I ever got on avoiding Warnings etc was this:

"When someone says something offensive or posts something designed to make you respond in an angry fashion, stop and do not engage. If they are posting material like that, then no argument you make will change their minds. Instead, Click Report on the post and then add that person to your Ignore list. That way you don't have to read what offensive material they wrote, and (if that material was equally offensive to others) they will be punished by the Mods. Then, that individual will either alter his or her behavior, or they will continue on and eventually get Banned. You, meanwhile, do not expend the energy or brain cells on fighting a futile battle where you run the risk of losing your temper and getting Warned yourself."

Oh, and another thing - if you've ignored someone, and they continue posting offensive material, you can always click to view their later posts and Report those as well.

Edit: I should say, this particularly applies to people like myself and Boudica when she was still here who get infuriated by certain attitudes of many people in these forums. Boudica chose to leave - I chose to avoid arguments that are inherently pointless by using the method above.

Edit2: Just in case it wasn't obvious, the way you would know someone continued being offensive after you ignored them is that quoted text from people you've ignored is not blocked out when other people reply to it.

IE, if an ignored user posts something offensive and, say, Vault 101 quotes them and says "stop, you're being offensive" then I can still read the offensive material. Therefore, I can respond by going to the post that I can't read, clicking View Post, and then Reporting it.

 

[D Moness]

"When someone says something offensive or posts something designed to make you respond in an angry fashion, stop and do not engage. If they are posting material like that, then no argument you make will change their minds. Instead, Click Report on the post and then add that person to your Ignore list. That way you don't have to read what offensive material they wrote, and (if that material was equally offensive to others) they will be punished by the Mods. Then, that individual will either alter his or her behavior, or they will continue on and eventually get Banned. You, meanwhile, do not expend the energy or brain cells on fighting a futile battle where you run the risk of losing your temper and getting Warned yourself."

I usually try to respond first. If that doesn't work i do what you just typed. Though that might get your ignore box a little overflowing.

I am still surprised i never got a warning on this forum. I think a few of my posts have been balancing on the line. Started to try and be less confrontational about certain subjects though.

 

[Fraught]

4.5. Merely adding "Extra words to avoid mod's wrath" to a low content post does not avoid a mod's wrath.

Has anyone actually suffered moderator wrath for this? I mean, how does a moderator determine if it's "just for the sake of avoiding mod wrath" or not?

5. Don't endorse/admit to piracy or use of adblocking software

Ha, I actually remember this. There was some thread on the site a long time ago about some new feature or something that touched upon this, and I remember that it was the first time when people openly admitted that they use AdBlock, mostly in the context of boasting and exhibiting pride over not having to endure some ads. Good times.

7. Don't Post just to get a hight post count, so don't double post on purpose. This goes for user groups, and all forums.

Moderators can actually monitor what happens in user groups? I thought they disabled posting in user groups increasing one's post count exactly for the purpose of just leaving them alone. They still have that disabled, right?

8. If you disagree with someone, don't fight them!

You can fight someone. Just don't be an asshole about it, and be civilized. So just leave out expletives and insults, and you're fine. Debate is always welcome, and heated debate might as well be called "fighting".

Most of these are good tips for newcomers, though. There are a lot of unspoken rules on the site.