Introduction
These rules have gone over many revisions in the past few years that we've been around. So far, the changes have come every couple months when a user would fall through the cracks of the rules into a place I had not anticipated. This new revision of the rules was created in a much different method. Instead of only me writing the new rules, this revision is the work of a collaborative effort by moderators and administrators. Any person within the moderation team could comment on each revision of the R&R that I posted and we all looked for cracks or faults in the current rules. I am very happy about the results we have achieved in this new iteration.
Note that the creation of this revision is not starting a new regime of strictness. The rules in the R&R more clearly defines what we administrators and moderators want from our users and what our users want from our community and from staff. We're not out to get you, and we're not out to infract every person we possibly can.
Procedure
These rules will be posted here for the next few days to allow for comments from users. Afterwards, I will take these comments and the staff and I will read through the rules again with your comments in mind. Afterwards we will then update the official R&R and then these new rules will be enforced instead of the old rules.
Highlights
Here are some of the changes which we've enacted with these new rules:
- Users can now definitely send PMs even if you are banned. I know I said that this was available before and it wasn't. However, I have made sure that this works with the help of Sarah. So thanks for letting me ban you, Sarah!
- Clearly defines the purpose of the Chief of Moderation and the Superadmin
- Defines rules for appealing and how to appeal any infraction
- Addition of a clause which states that these rules apply to the entire Southperry.net domain
- Addition of signature sizes and limits
- Infractions now expire in 75 days
- A temporary ban now requires 8 points. A permanent ban now requires 16 points. However, the permanent ban is an effective BoS. So, it's harder to get banned, but once you are banned there is no coming back.
- Much clearer which rules are relaxed in the Funhouse
- Expansion of the "Accusations" rule to include mult accusations and stating that someone has been reported
- Removal of the word "intend" or "intent" from all rules. Users were using these words in appeals to weasel out of infractions.
- Addition of a flooding infraction
- Expansion of the "I'm outta here" infraction to include "I'm back!" (called "Revolving Door")
- Change of the PServer & hacking discussion to be more clear about what exactly is a "discussion that's not wanted here"
- Wording of many rules changed for clarity
- All rules now state where the rule does and does not apply
- Ban policy expanded and clarified. All bans (perma and temp) now affect people, not accounts. If you are tempbanned, you (the person) are gone for all 10 days. If you are permanently banned, you are gone forever.
- Mult policy introduced - new provisions on fighting infraction evasion
- Exact procedure on how to appeal infractions, including a few commonly used arguments that tend to go poorly for getting infractions overturned
Transition
Since many of these new rules do not mesh well with the previous rules, there have to be some exceptions made to ensure fairness. Overall, the transition to these new rules will tend to lean in favor of users, meaning:
- Ban-on-Sight for permabans and tempbans only apply to new bans from here on out. If you've been permabanned under the old rules, you can still come back. If you are Ban-on-Sight with the old rules, you will still remain ban-on-sight.
- "Infractions expire in 75 days" <-- this only applies to new infractions; the old ones are unchanged
- "8 points for temporary ban, 16 points for permaban" <-- applies to all accounts regardless of when they were made
- If you've received an infraction under the old rules, you cannot appeal for that infraction again once the new rules are in place. This means that once the new rules are put into place you are stuck with your infraction until it expires.
- If you have a mult and it currently has an infraction it is still safe. However, if you receive a new infraction then the new mult policy will kick in (ban the mult, apply infraction to main account)
- The new rules never affect older posts.
The rules:
Please submit your comments about these rules. Thanks!
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I. Introduction
Welcome to Southperry.net, the leading source in Maplestory news and information!
By registering for an account, you have agreed to follow these rules and regulations. These regulations will help to keep Southperry a friendly environment where all may post and enjoy the community and what it has to offer.
It is generally understood these rules apply to the entire site - meaning any URL which has the text "Southperry.net" in it - unless otherwise specified in the rules listed below. These rules do not apply to the IRC.
II. Administration Policy
All administrators must follow the moderation policy and donor policy below. Any infraction of the below policies will result in the same consequences as those moderators or donors would receive.
--> A. Superadmin of Chinchillas - Position currently held by Fiel
The purpose of the superadministrator is to moderate all other administrators and moderators, ensure the site continues to run, collect donations, and pay for the server. The Superadmin is also responsible for making sitewide administration policies (such as these rules here) and moderation policies.
--> B. Chief of Moderation - Position currently held by Eosian
The purpose of the Chief of Moderation is to lead the moderation team to make fair and accurate warnings, infractions, and bannings. The chief of moderation is also responsible for answering questions regarding moderation, answering moderation appeals, and interpreting these rules and regulations.
III. Moderation Policy
--> A. Power
All moderators and administrators of this forum have the power to:
- Keep the peace within these forums
- Distribute infractions to those who break these rules and regulations
- Move, close, or edit threads upon infraction with these rules.
--> B. Moderator's Discretion
All moderators will have the power of Moderator’s Discretion in which he or she may elect to use any of his powers placed in him as moderator for the sole purpose of making the forums a better place. An improper use of Moderator’s Discretion will cause the moderator to be removed from his status as determined by the administrators of this website.
--> C. Compensation
All moderators will receive the thanks of Ultra Donor status for electing to help with the forum. Failure to follow this Moderation Policy or to follow the Donor Policy written below will be cause for removal of his status and, depending on the cause of removal, may have his account banned from the forums.
--> D. Misuse of Power
A moderator finding favorites within this community who receive special privileges or benefits such as improper removal of infraction points, taking advantage of the donor privileges and not doing his job that he was hired to do, etc. shall be subsequently removed from his position without restitution. This misuse of power shall be determined by the administrators of this website.
--> E. Relinquish Power
Each moderator may decide at any time to step down from his position with or without warning to the other moderators. If the moderator steps down and remains in full compliance with these rules and regulations, he shall retain his Ultra Donor privileges at an administrator's discretion. If a moderator relinquishes power and is not in compliance, he shall be subject to the consequences laid out in this document as well as be at the whims of the administrators concerning his fate.
IV. Donor Policy
--> A. Power
All donors have the power of incentives given to them as determined by the administrators of this forum. These incentives are privileges, not rights. All registered users have the power to donate to this website and become a donor. By donating to this website, that registered user may receive a thanks in return by receiving certain incentives as granted by the administrator of this forum. All donations are non-refundable.
--> B. Equal Treatment
Donors must respect all rules and regulations of this document. Donors, as users of this website, will be treated with the same set of rules as any registered user because they are registered users. Failure to follow the rules and regulations in this document may result in a ban and he shall subsequently be removed of all donor privileges.
V. Registered User
--> A. Power
All registered users have the power to post in these forums and receive fair and equal treatment from all other board members and its staff.
--> B. Grant of Promotion
Any administrator, through grant of promotion, may elect to make a registered user into a moderator by invite of PM. Under no circumstance may a user be made a moderator without prior consultation.Any user wishing to become a moderator will receive all benefits listed in section III.C of this document.
--> C. Signature Sizes and Limits
All images in a signature must be no wider than 600 pixels, and the full width of a signature may not be wider than 750 pixels. The entire contents of a signature may not consume more than 1 megabyte. The signature should not be overly loud, obnoxious, or resource consuming and it should follow all of the rules and regulations of this site.
VI. Method of Moderation
--> A. Rules
Failure to follow any of these rules will result in the number of infraction points added to your own point total as deemed by the type of infraction listed in the Rules below. Infraction points expire after 75 days. Users can be removed from posting in any board for any reason as determined by administration.
For clarity, the following picture signifies a rule which is relaxed in the Funhouse -
Discretion
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Any post which generally crosses the line and the moderator uses his discretion to mark it."
Additional Comment: Moderator's Discretion - See section III
Accusations
Point Value: 1 point
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Posting a claim that someone is a hacker, troll, or mult. Or claiming that someone has been reported."
Additional Comment: The following examples are exceptions to this rule: 1. This rule does not apply to moderators or administrators, 2. Reporting someone for trolling does not invoke this rule. The following examples do count: Saying something to the effect of "Reported for trolling", or saying someone lives under bridges or acts in the general manner of mythical trolls. "Reported for X, enjoy your Y" is no longer allowed.
Ads
Point Value: 16 points (Permanent Ban) & thread/post deletion
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "The act of posting another website in order to bring more users to that website without any gain of Southperry.net."
Additional Comment: See here for a clearer definition.
Auctions
Point Value: 1 point & thread deletion
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Attempting to start any auctions."
Additional Comment: Due to the ease of creating an account, it could lead to shill bidding which throws off the ability to have a fair auction. Also, there is currently no way to enforce the exchange of items after an auction is done.
Baiting
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Pushing the limits of the rules for the sole annoyance of others."
Drama
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "A post that is meant to attract drama or attention and nothing more. He said she said."
Flaming
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere, relaxed in the Funhouse
Definition: “Any post that whether implied or direct insults or causes a hostile action to another user or group of users.”
Flooding
Point Value: 1 point
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "The act of posting the same thing over and over and over again consecutively, or any other unreasonably large volume of content with little to no actual value. This includes both text and images."
Forum Bashing
Point Value: 1 point
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Insulting any forum needlessly or without justification."
Additional Comment: "Sleepywood is stupid" is forum bashing. "Sleepywood is stupid because it has harsh moderation policies" is not forum bashing (justified). "Sleepywood is stupid because its users are stupid" is forum bashing (not justified).
Hacking
Point Value: 16 points (Permanent Ban)
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Posting that you are or you have hacked any online game."
Additional comment: Known hackers from other forums are welcomed here. We, as admins and mods, cannot police every person that enters. If a person is stupid enough to say, "I am a hacker", then he deserves a banning. This also includes people who post pictures where it's readily obvious the user hacked the game. Use of the Robin Hood Defense (hacking for the public good) will be determined by moderators.
Impersonation
Point Value: 16 points (Permanent Ban)
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "The act of attempting to convey someone else's identity regardless of the possible humor involved by creating similar identities to that person or by giving others false presence of who you are."
Necroposting
Point Value: 1 point
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "The posting in a thread in which the discussion material is more than 2 weeks old and an insignificant contribution is made to the thread."
Pornography
Point Value: 16 points (Permanent Ban)
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Showing or conveying any form of genitalia or sexual act, real or imaginary, implied or explicit."
Additional Comment: There is absolutely no reason for anyone to post any sort of pornography or nudity on this forum - not even statues or paintings are allowed. This rule is extremely strict. Don't push it. Be sure to read this rule extremely close. For a little more information regarding this rule, please see this thread.
Revolving Door
Point Value: Thread deletion
Applies: Everywhere except blogs and visitor messages. Only new and coming back threads are allowed in Amherst.
Definition: "A thread made to announce that one is quitting or coming back to MapleStory or the forums."
Additional Comment: We have thousands of members. While each and every member is important, we don't care who is or is not quitting.
Rickrolls
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere, relaxed in the Funhouse
Definition: "The posting of false or misleading information in order to make someone view an fad video, picture, or other."
Spam
Point Value: 1 point
Applies: Everywhere, relaxed in the Funhouse
Definition: "A post containing no value, including off-topic posts or posts which derail threads."
Additional Comment: The word "derailing" here implies a trainwreck sort of situation, not necessarily that the topic of the thread changed.
TOS
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "The posting of information regarding how-to's on private servers or hacking."
Additional comment: You can discuss the effects of private servers or hacks on the community. You can also discuss the basic premise of how and why the hack works. You cannot discuss how to perform hacks or link to places where hacks can be found. You cannot discuss how to set up a private server.
Transactions
Point Value: 16 points (Permanent Ban)
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "(1) Buying/selling characters or accounts, (2) Buying/selling hacks, (3) Interserver meso trading."
Trolling
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere, relaxed in the Funhouse
Definition: "Making any inflammatory or antagonistic post."
Additional Comment: Whether a post is actually inflammatory or antagonistic is up to mods.
Warez
Point Value: 2 points
Applies: Everywhere
Definition: "Posting, sharing, requesting links, or helping others find illegal content online. 'Illegal content' is defined as cracked programs/games/software and digital media (including, but not limited to TV Shows, movies, MP3s or any other digital format). This infraction also applies to those that link to places where a user could learn how to obtain warez."
--> B. Ban Policy
Those that accumulate 8 or more infraction points will be tempbanned for 10 days. This ban applies to the person, not the account. The user may not create a new account and return right after being tempbanned. A user found signing onto a different account while an account of his is currently tempbanned will have that account permabanned. This is to ensure the user serves all 10 days of the tempban. After the tempban is served, all infraction points are removed from the account.
If the user is banned again as a result of receiving 8 more infraction points, that account will be permanently banned. Permanent bans affect users and not accounts. All accounts registered or posted from that IP will also be banned regardless of who the account belongs. Any new accounts made by this person will be banned on sight. Users that continually make new accounts will be IP banned from the server.
Users have the possibility of jumping straight to permanent ban if he or she commits a permanent ban offense or if enough offenses accumulate the 16 points necessary.
--> C. Mult Policy
Mults are allowed. However, in the event that a person's mult is infracted, the mult will be banned and the infraction is instead applied to the person's main account. The "main account" is defined as the account with the highest post count owned by that person.
Mults are also restricted from the Funhouse.
--> D. Appealing
Any moderator action which gives infraction points or in some way restricts access to the forums can be appealed. No infraction points or restrictions removed means no appeal can be made. If any user feels that an infraction is unjustified, he or she has the ability to appeal it. The infraction can be appealed by sending a PM to the current Chief of Moderation. Please use the following format to appeal your infraction:
[b]Post which I was infracted for:[/b] [url][/url]
[b]Infraction received:[/b]
[b]Why I feel I do not deserve this infraction:[/b] (Please keep to 250 words or less)
An appeal can reach one of three outcomes: Overturned, Upheld, or Deferred. Overturned means that the infraction will be reversed. The infraction will still show in your infraction history, but it will be set to "reversed" and the points will be removed. Upheld means that the Chief of Moderation sees no reason to overturn the infraction and the infraction points will remain. "Deferred" means that the Chief makes no decision and instead redirects the appeal to the Superadmin. The Chief of Moderation should reply using the following format:
[b]Upheld, denied, deferred?:[/b]
[b]Reasoning/Justification, including any precedent:[/b]
It's in the best interest of both users and the administration that appeals may take up to 72 hours before receiving any response. The Chief's decision is final as soon as the PM is sent and it cannot be changed or reworded. In the case that the appeal is upheld, the user may contact the Superadmin. The PM to the superadmin must contain both his own original appeal PM, the PM from the Chief, and a new counterargument to what the Chief has stated. The superadmin makes the final choice on all moderation, and there is no further appeal that can be done.
In the case that the Chief is away or not present, users may appeal to the Superadmin directly. In the case that the Chief is present, users must go through the Chief first. Attempting to go straight to the top will result in your appeal being ignored.
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