[feedback] Redemption For Striked Accounts

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A couple years ago I made the mistake of using third party software that got me banned. What usually would have gotten me permanently suspended on any other game, FFXIV is generous with the approach of "punish them once and they won't do it again", the threat of a permanent suspension on the line.

I have to commend SquareEnix for this approach, it's kept me on the right path ever since and very loyal. I'm very thankful for it too, since I love my character. However, I have feedback from the perspective of a striked person.

This feedback does not apply to permanent bans.

• Account strikes are indefinite.​

You could say that it's compensated by the fact that what should have been a permanent ban is instead a strike, but having made a stupid decision four years ago, I can't help but feel that there should be a way to redeem your strikes by community effort or have strikes last a certain duration like similar games.

• All strikes are the same.​

Getting striked for botting weighs the same as getting striked for saying something offensive. I believe botting strikes should be permanent, but harassment strikes being permanent seems slightly off.

• Harassment strikes are anonymous.​

When getting banned for saying something offensive, you aren't told what the offensive thing is that you've said. FFXIV is home to many different groups of people and, especially in these times, these groups of people tend to find things offensive that others don't and vice versa. This way it's impossible to learn from your mistakes from harassment reports considering you don't know what you said that was wrong.



To summarize, I'd like to finalize with an anecdote.

Like mentioned before, I made a stupid mistake a couple of years ago to use software that ended up with me getting suspended. It was a dumb idea, and with SquareEnix's generous temporary suspension I swore to never touch anything similar again.
A couple of years later, I was suddenly pulled into the GM jail to talk about that I was on my last strike, and I'm getting suspended again. The GM was forgiving enough that he didn't feel like this was fair to get permanently suspended over, so he managed to consult with the GM team and get me a temporary ban instead.

I was never told what it was what I said. I am part of an edgy type of people, so I have no clue what it was that was unacceptable. I am European, so we use ret-rded a lot to describe something unfair or stupid. Was it that? I do ERP and joke about it. Was it that? I could cite more examples, I have no clue and I cannot learn.

Summarizing, I'd like to see a way for people to redeem their harassment strikes by community effort or have strikes be temporary so I don't have to worry as much. I can hardly socialize or be myself now as is out of fear that I might offend someone.

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