Right, so as you can already tell this is opening a can of worms that everyone is going to see as trash and just push it aside saying "Eeeeeeh RP is EEE ARR PEEE in disguise". Well for those of you who think that way, maybe you should go visit Crystal and get to understand the community some - you'd be very surprised in how they do things; and if it isn't your speed? That's perfectly fine - but do not assume based on the general stereotype that had been set for Crystal as a whole and its labeling as the "RP Data Center" that it's literally filled with ERP and whatever; it's like trying to look at the face of game without playing it and saying "this game is trash" by being judgmental about it.
Now, if you've read that part and completely understand, let's get down to business and talk about what's going on with the community as of current: Roleplay. There's a large variety out there, but the trend that has been going on as of late has been related to advertising venues in the Party Finder and then getting thrown into Mordion Gaol for no reason. About a couple weeks or so back we had this very issue with a rogue GM that was cracking down on people who were merely advertising their venues.
Here's your thread right here for the initial issue.
Over the past few years we've been having some issues both with the Mordion Gaol system and abuse of the ToS to hurt other players out of spite for merely just small disagreements. If a player literally does not agree with you over something and they send a Harassment report, you'll go to Mordion Gaol for it with their framing, since the GMs focus on it on a one-way window instead of doing a proper investigation. I've talked with a couple GMs over the years myself when I've had to report people for being both toxic or merely blocking access to an NPC; never have I seen them hear both sides of the story and then close it out properly. It's one-sided.
If you go to Mordion Gaol, you also get a strike against your account more often than not and they cite the Terms of Service and the User Agreement. As they say...
3 Strikes, you're out. Check this thread here for a discussion about the 3 Strikes Policy.
However, there currently has been a recent incident regarding a player being sent to Mordion Gaol for merely advertising their RP venue in the Party Finder. That thread can be found on the front page, but if you want a direct link to it, here.
So, here's where the discussion starts: With the recent activity of GMs cracking down both a couple weeks ago and now on Roleplay Venues, we need to have a real talk both as a community and towards the GMs and Community Team about this issue - because we can't keep having this happen time and time again because some GM thinks that an RP Venue listing is not appropriate for the Party Finder. We have a "Other" section for this VERY reason; what else does it exist for?
So to both the Community Team and the GMs, I want to say this as a player who has been playing this game for a long time and has experienced both sides of the coin on this issue: (Disclaimer: This is my opinion.)
Please, PLEASE adjust your Terms of Service and User Agreement if you are so vehemently against Roleplaying Venues. In the past you've been completely for the Roleplaying scene and have fostered it; creating a very fun community that I've enjoyed for the past couple years as a way to spend off-time on FFXIV in a different way.
If we're to take the correct step forward both between player and developer, we need to set the rules straight and make them in a way that everyone can understand. If you really hate RP venues and having to remove them? Then simply update your User Agreement and ToS to remove Roleplaying from the usage of Party Finder since you all decide what the intended usage of your in-game tools are.
If you want to restrict certain things from the Party Finder in regards to Roleplaying? Make a clause that states that roleplaying venues cannot have anything pertaining to 18+ content(i.e. ERP, since it's the most common example everyone exacerbates around here). That's a fair way to crack down on it.
If you truly don't want to restrict it, then leave it as it is and let it run. It's simple as that.
I understand that this post can be considered critical of the GMs and the Community Team, but I want to spark this discussion once more so we can lay it to rest once and for all as a community and find a proper solution; not a band-aid that merely is removal of a certain GM. The players are supposed to play by the rules you set when they buy the game and agree to the User Agreement and Terms of Service; and if they are not violating those terms and agreements by any standard, they should not be thrown in Mordion Gaol.
If you want a list of things that people have been suspended from the forums for and also in-game, check here.
In addition, as I was looking for threads regarding this issue, I came upon this one. The fact that there are people witch hunting and actively attempting to shut down venues in some Data Centers is alarming, and should be considered Disruption, as per Section 3.2 of the Terms of Service agreement under Prohibited Activities, as that promotes a rather toxic environment for those wanting to roleplay.
In closing, I want to see the community AND the FFXIV Community Team discuss about this seriously as it will spin out of control if left unchecked. Whether people want to condone Roleplay or not, that's up to them - but being a service that has even created a Status for this particular play and encouraging it needs to take a firm stance on where to draw the line.
That is all. I welcome any criticism and discussion that can be had so that we can move on and change Final Fantasy XIV for the better.
Continue reading...
Now, if you've read that part and completely understand, let's get down to business and talk about what's going on with the community as of current: Roleplay. There's a large variety out there, but the trend that has been going on as of late has been related to advertising venues in the Party Finder and then getting thrown into Mordion Gaol for no reason. About a couple weeks or so back we had this very issue with a rogue GM that was cracking down on people who were merely advertising their venues.
Here's your thread right here for the initial issue.
Over the past few years we've been having some issues both with the Mordion Gaol system and abuse of the ToS to hurt other players out of spite for merely just small disagreements. If a player literally does not agree with you over something and they send a Harassment report, you'll go to Mordion Gaol for it with their framing, since the GMs focus on it on a one-way window instead of doing a proper investigation. I've talked with a couple GMs over the years myself when I've had to report people for being both toxic or merely blocking access to an NPC; never have I seen them hear both sides of the story and then close it out properly. It's one-sided.
If you go to Mordion Gaol, you also get a strike against your account more often than not and they cite the Terms of Service and the User Agreement. As they say...
3 Strikes, you're out. Check this thread here for a discussion about the 3 Strikes Policy.
However, there currently has been a recent incident regarding a player being sent to Mordion Gaol for merely advertising their RP venue in the Party Finder. That thread can be found on the front page, but if you want a direct link to it, here.
So, here's where the discussion starts: With the recent activity of GMs cracking down both a couple weeks ago and now on Roleplay Venues, we need to have a real talk both as a community and towards the GMs and Community Team about this issue - because we can't keep having this happen time and time again because some GM thinks that an RP Venue listing is not appropriate for the Party Finder. We have a "Other" section for this VERY reason; what else does it exist for?
So to both the Community Team and the GMs, I want to say this as a player who has been playing this game for a long time and has experienced both sides of the coin on this issue: (Disclaimer: This is my opinion.)
Please, PLEASE adjust your Terms of Service and User Agreement if you are so vehemently against Roleplaying Venues. In the past you've been completely for the Roleplaying scene and have fostered it; creating a very fun community that I've enjoyed for the past couple years as a way to spend off-time on FFXIV in a different way.
If we're to take the correct step forward both between player and developer, we need to set the rules straight and make them in a way that everyone can understand. If you really hate RP venues and having to remove them? Then simply update your User Agreement and ToS to remove Roleplaying from the usage of Party Finder since you all decide what the intended usage of your in-game tools are.
If you want to restrict certain things from the Party Finder in regards to Roleplaying? Make a clause that states that roleplaying venues cannot have anything pertaining to 18+ content(i.e. ERP, since it's the most common example everyone exacerbates around here). That's a fair way to crack down on it.
If you truly don't want to restrict it, then leave it as it is and let it run. It's simple as that.
I understand that this post can be considered critical of the GMs and the Community Team, but I want to spark this discussion once more so we can lay it to rest once and for all as a community and find a proper solution; not a band-aid that merely is removal of a certain GM. The players are supposed to play by the rules you set when they buy the game and agree to the User Agreement and Terms of Service; and if they are not violating those terms and agreements by any standard, they should not be thrown in Mordion Gaol.
If you want a list of things that people have been suspended from the forums for and also in-game, check here.
In addition, as I was looking for threads regarding this issue, I came upon this one. The fact that there are people witch hunting and actively attempting to shut down venues in some Data Centers is alarming, and should be considered Disruption, as per Section 3.2 of the Terms of Service agreement under Prohibited Activities, as that promotes a rather toxic environment for those wanting to roleplay.
In closing, I want to see the community AND the FFXIV Community Team discuss about this seriously as it will spin out of control if left unchecked. Whether people want to condone Roleplay or not, that's up to them - but being a service that has even created a Status for this particular play and encouraging it needs to take a firm stance on where to draw the line.
That is all. I welcome any criticism and discussion that can be had so that we can move on and change Final Fantasy XIV for the better.
Continue reading...