Here is a full breakdown of the rules updates as well as examples of what the system looks like:
Moderator Commands:
@warnings - list warnings that can be issused
@warn on - issue a warning
@block - temp block someone from chatting on ooc channels
RULES
Failure to abide by the following rules will result in you being banned from OOC chat channels, and possible additional penalties such as temporary or permanent ban from the game.
NO IC INFO
You must refrain from discussing IC matters, past, present and future with other players over this channel or any other medium outside of the game. 'help FOIG' has more details.
NO PERSONAL ATTACKS
Personal attacks are not permitted on our chat channels. Do not be rude. Do not be toxic. Do not use hate speech. Joking around can be OK sometimes, but remember, this is text, and tone is hard to discern. Err on the side of caution and if someone expresses that they are not into the joking, cut it out.
NO FILTER OR TRIGGERING
This is the internet. There are plenty of sites and message boards and chatrooms you can find where people have no filter. This is not one of those places. Disgusting, grotesque, or triggering images or text are not allowed on this channel, even if you are relaying personal experiences. Use Free-Chat for that. Ignoring this will result in strict punishment.
MOVE THE CHAT
If multiple individuals have expressed that what you are posting is NSFW, gross, or triggering, please move to Free Chat. If multiple people have expressed that a conversation be moved to Free-Chat, please move it. Examples of this could be: An argument between a few people that is disrupting the channel or making a number of people uncomfortable.
NO DISCUSSIONS IN GAME HELP
Do not have discussions in Game-Help. If you want to continue a discussion from Game-Help, then please use OOC-Chat.
OTHER GAMES
This is not the place for disparaging or promoting other games. Everyone has their opinion on this game, and other games. Please utilize MUD listing/review sites if you would like to share your opinion.
OFFENSIVE ALIAS
Offensive/slanderous/NSFW/hate speech aliases are not permitted. If a moderator or administrator has deemed your alias to potentially fall into one of these groups and requests that you change it, please do so or you will be removed from the channel.
STAFF SHUTDOWNS
If a Staff member (someone with Staff prefixed in front of their name) says a discussion needs to cease, anyone failing to comply with this will suffer penalties.
MODERATION
Moderation of OOC chat channels is done by a combination of administrators and moderators. Moderators are selected on a routine basis from the player base after exhibiting a track record of exemplary behavior on our OOC chat channels.
MODERATOR ANONYMITY
Moderators may remain anonymous should they wish. Staff (administrators) will always have a 'Staff' prefixed ahead of their name. Impersonating a moderator or administrator is against the rules.
MODERATOR ABILITIES
Moderators have two abilities.
1. The ability to issue 'warnings'. These warnings send a canned warning to an alias. These warnings show up as OOC messages. They point to a specific rule that the moderator believes is being broken.
2. The ability to temporarily block someone from OOC Chat channels. They can do a 5 or 15 minute block. Administrators can block for any length they wish.
MODERATOR DUTIES
The duties of a moderator are to make sure that the rules (both the spirit and the intent) prescribed here in this help file are obeyed. Each warning or block requires the moderator or administrator to provide chat log evidence as well as an explanation of the reasoning behind the warning or block. Staff members will review these logs to make sure our rules are being fairly enforced. If a moderator fails to provide sufficient grounds for their warning or blocking, they themselves will be warned and continued failures to exercise their duties properly will result in losing their status as a moderator.
SYSTEM BLOCKING
Each warning that is issued by an administrator or moderator is tracked by the system. If the system detects someone has exceeded a certain number of warnings, and they receive a new warning, they will be automatically and indefinitely blocked. The only way to be unblocked will be at the behest of an administrator.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR A MODERATOR TO ISSUE A WARNING
You are about to send an anonymous warning to a player who has been communicating on one of our OOC channels.
Before you continue please ensure:
1. You are being objective as opinions you do not agree with do not merit a warning.
2. You have reviewed 'help ooc-chat' for more info on what is acceptable on our moderated channels.
3. You have reviewed @warnings and understand what warning will be sent based on your selections later.
In order to submit this warning you must provide the context for why the warning is being given:
1. Copy & paste chat logs (up to 20 lines)
2. You can piece together various parts of the chat log if things happened over a period of time.
Any warnings issued will be relayed to the player and reviewed by the staff.
WARNING: Misuse of this command will result in you losing your Moderator status.
Do you want to continue? [Enter `yes' or `no']
Please select a warning to issue:
1: NO IC INFO
2: NO PERSONAL ATTACKS
3: NO FILTER OR TRIGGERING
4: MOVE THE CHAT
5: NO DISCUSSIONS IN GAME HELP
6: OTHER GAMES
7: OFFENSIVE ALIAS
[Type Please make a selection or `@abort' to abort the command.]
Please paste in the offending OOC messages. These will be send to the admin who will review it. This is your EVIDENCE that there was actually an issue. If you do not provide sufficient evidence you will lose your moderator abilities.
[Type up to 20 lines of input; use `.' (single period) on a separate line to end or `@abort' to abort the command.]
Your evidence:
He was talking about NSFW things and was asked by several people to move it to Free-Chat but he did not. So I have sent this warning.
[+][OOC-Chat] JoeBaka: check out these hot anime sex pics: linkwouldbehere
[+][OOC-Chat] JohnBaka: Hey, please don't share NSFW content here.
[+][OOC-Chat] JoeBaka: lulz here are some more: linkwouldbehere
[+][OOC-Chat] JessBaka: dude stop, take that to free-chat
[+][OOC-Chat] JoeBaka: one last set: linkwouldbehere
Are you sure you want to issue a warning to the alias 'JoeBaka' for violating our rules on MOVE THE CHAT? [Enter `yes' or `no']
The warning has been issued.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR A PLAYER TO RECEIVE A WARNING
[OOC: A moderator or administrator has sent you a warning about a recent message or messages you sent on Game-Help. Please review this warning carefully. ]
[OOC: ]
[OOC: MOVE THE CHAT ]
[OOC: ]
[OOC: If multiple individuals have expressed that what you are posting is NSFW, gross, or triggering, please move to Free Chat. If multiple people have expressed that a conversation be moved to Free-Chat, please move it. Examples of this could be: An argument between a few people that is disrupting the channel or making a number of people uncomfortable. ]
[OOC: ]
[OOC: Further warnings may result in being temporarily or permanently blocked from using our OOC Chat channels. For more information please see 'help ooc-chat' or 'help game-help' or 'help channels'. ]
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR A MODERATOR TO BLOCK SOMEONE
You are about to block someone from all OOC chat channels. You MUST have evidence to provide in the log section. Abuse of this command will result in you losing your moderatorship. How long should they be blocked for?
1: five minutes
2: fifteen minutes
3: one hour
4: three hours
5: twelve hours
6: one day
7: one week
8: one month
9: indefinitely
[Type How long should they be blocked for? or `@abort' to abort the command.]
Why are they being blocked? You must include your reasoning along with relevant chat logs. Not including valid reasoning will result in losing your moderatorship.
[Type up to 20 lines of input; use `.' (single period) on a separate line to end or `@abort' to abort the command.]
Blocked Alias: JoeBaka
Duration: five minutes
Reason:
they ignored the warning about moving things to free chat and continued sharing NSFW photos
[+][OOC-Chat] JoeBaka: ok ok i found a few more: linkwouldbehere
Block this person? (they will be notified privately of the block and duration, unable to chat on OOC-Chat, Game-Help and Free-Chat but the channel(s) will still be visible) [Enter `yes' or `no']
The block has been initiated. The player has been notifed. A mail has been generated and sent to the admin.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE BLOCKED
[OOC: You have been blocked from the chatting on the following channels: OOC-Chat, Game-Help and Free-Chat. Your block will last five minutes. Please take this time to review 'help ooc-chat' and 'help game-help' for the rules of these channels. ]
CHANNEL MODERATOR HELP FILE (ACCESSIBLE TO MODS)
As a channel moderator you must obey the rules laid out on 'help ooc-chat'. You must always provide chatlog evidence and justification for any warnings or blocks that you enact. Failure to do so will result in loss of your moderator status.
As a moderator you are not required to state you are a moderator on any OOC channel. You can remain anonymous if you so choose. If you choose to announce that your are a moderator, you do so at your own risk. We recommend staying anonymous to avoid any OOC issues or backlash.
COMMANDS
There are three commands available to you to aide you in your duties as a moderator.
@WARNINGS
Typing '@warnings' will show you the list of warnings as well as their messaging. The messages shown are the exact messages sent to any player you send a warning to.
@WARN
Usage: @warn on
Channel can be either 'ooc' or 'game' for OOC-Chat and Game-Help respectively.
The command will take you through a series of prompts that will let you send someone an anonymous warning.
@BLOCK
Usage: @block
If you have repeatedly warned someone about a specific behavior, or someone is being incredibly toxic or shitty or violating rules about sharing IC information and you feel that they definitely need to be blocked, temporarily, until they can cool down, or to send a message that their behavior is unacceptable, or until you can get ahold of an admin to enact a more perm. block from the channel, this is the command to use.
It will take you through a series of prompts that will let you block them from all OOC channels (including free-chat).
This is a command of last resort, after you have attempted via @warn to alert the person that their behavior is unacceptable.
You MUST provide evidence as part of @block.
The only acceptable time to skip adding evidence is if the time it would take to copy and paste what needs to be copy and pasted would allow great harm to come to another, or to the game. Revealing IC info and not stopping, or spouting hate speech.
If you must skip the evidence, after you have initiated the block, please use the command AGAIN, and this time, add evidence.
ESCALATION
If you need to escalate an issue to the admin, please do so via xhelp. If you have a question on if you should @warn or @block, please xhelp.