Global Channel Changes

Edit: Reversed the role of the new channel and existing channel. The initial responses in this thread are in response to my move to make Australia the quiet channel.

I have created a new global chat channel intended to be a low traffic events organizing channel. There have been sufficient complaints/requests, and enough traffic to warrant this additional channel. The two channels have an overlap of purpose for organization. People are encouraged to announce events on both, and typically will need to to get numbers. Here are the general guidelines for the two channels:

Australia

• Team and event organization
• Game related discussion
• Non-game topics
• Stupid jokes
• Friendly rivalries
• No breach of the game's User Agreement, so no harrassment, abuse or hate, etc.

• Team and event organization
• Game related discussion
• Polite and friendly
• No insults, not even in fun
• No sexual innuendo or other adult stuff

I think its a bad idea. The reason i came to Justice was cause of the people in the Aus channel and now 1/2 of them i cant seem to talk to much and thats the reason im still playing

I don't think it's big enough for two? is Australia full or something? This seems to split the community for no gain. I'm on victory, so staying with a purely organising channel becomes pretty pointless for me. I signed up to Australia to hear from some of the fellow Australians i may never meet otherwise. If people are using Australia for the wrong purpose or to insult/attack others then punish them ,not split the player base needlessly. A little bit of banter and fun is what makes this community better than many others.

So if I don't have many characters on the Unofficial Oceanic Servers (and thus probably won't benefit much from team planning and event organization), but I still want to talk about game stuff (eg build advice), which channel should I join?

(Never mind that going by names alone, I don't actually qualify to join the Australian global channel, but do qualify for "Oceanic".)

1 word



no

This is a truly horrible idea.

I already use all 10 global channels I'm allowed (and could do with 3 or 4 more slots), and if I'm not allowed to chat in Australia, it would make me much less inclined to play on Justice.

I understand there's been some pointless spamming of the channel, but controlling that is a moderation problem, and doesn't need another channel.

Tbh the objections to the moderator interventions that I've seen that have taken place recently have been personal and out of order, as has some of the chat. I also think setting Australia up as "silence on join" would be useful.

I get the feeling there's some sort of background Drama to all of this.

I'll explain the problem then. If someone has a better solution, I'm all ears.

I, and other moderators, regularly receive complaints about the level and nature of chat in the channel. Particularly when things become too sexually explicit, or people are flinging insults.

Additionally, when there is lots of chatting going on, it becomes difficult to organize things because people are ignoring the channel, or just lose the announcements amongst the chat. These days I often have to resort to private tells because people are not reading the channel.

I too enjoy some pointless chat on occasion, and I don't want to silence anyone, so there needs to be a place for this chat.

Finally, if the rules are too vague, as they are now, it is very difficult for moderators to decide when to step in. It also creates animosity on the part of those who get moderated if they feel that things are being done arbitrarily.

For all these reasons I think we need two channels, one for organizing stuff, and one anything goes where moderation can exist at the /gignore and /petition level.

I wanted the new one to be chat, because I felt those who are chatting are the most motivated to subscribe to a new channel.

Chatted extensively to Lili in game about all of this.

I think one channel will do, provided it's actively moderated and if people step seriously out of line that this is not simply ignored.

There have been a few offensive personal comments over the last few days, and more when a mod actually did something about them.

I said to Lili that I thought we needed more mods, so that there was more than one on at most times, so that if actions need to be taken, then the mods can consult and anything done is not seen as the actions of one person.

Bottom line, from my perspective: moderating this channel is currently a pain in the backside, and I would like it if this were no longer the case. My ideal solution would be for the community as a whole to unclench a bit and stop antagonising one another. Since that's probably not realistic, we will either need to split the channel or start moderating more strictly. My main objective in-game is to actually enjoy myself, so I'd really rather not have to do the latter, which is why I support the former.

Every member of the channel has an obligation to behave in a mature, responsible manner. There seems to be an evolving perception that the mods are ebil authority figures, trying to enforce our will on others. The reality is that we don't actually want to dictate what can and can't be said in the channel, because it's a lot of effort and it's not fun. Unfortunately, the repeated incidents over the last few weeks aren't leaving us with much choice - something needs to be done, and not everyone will be happy about it. Then again, you could hardly say that everyone's happy now.

I am not liking this idea, at all.

Effectively, you are splitting an already small community, and alienating certain members.

Australia channel, may not have had a purpose when it was created, but it has gained a purpose. It is a meeting place for Australian's to chat, organize teams and other events. I have met some pretty close friends I team with on a regular basis through the channel, and I think everyone should have the opportunity to have that experience as well.

Not all Australian's are on Justice, so by implementing a second channel, we are essentially reducing the amount of members that are willing to be apart of the Oceanic community, and eliminating players on servers, other than Justice.

We have already had members quit because of this change, and I honestly believe a lot more will quit, or just continue to make being a mod in the channel more difficult, by spamming and doing exactly what you have said not to do in the Australia channel. Most people have already said that is what they will be doing.

The idea of 2 channels, has INCREASED negativity in the channel, and it has already been showing.

The negativity has been in the channel for the last couple of months, and it has made it a negative place for some people, which even I have felt that way at times, but this isn't the right way to solving the negativity which is in the channel.

I personally feel, that having a set of rules/guidelines, would be better suited. That way when mods do act, they can direct the person to the rules/guidelines.

In regards to the insults in channel, I have copped a lot of them, but most of the time, action is taken to ensure it doesn't happen, but at the same time, if I am to silence someone, they just quit the channel and join the channel again, to start with the insulting yet again.

To combat that issue, I believe the channel DOES need to be set to silence on join.

In regards to the topics that come up in conversation, most of the time they are fine, but when they do get out of hand, I am finding that as long as people are told the conversation is inappropriate they drop it.

In regards to offensive topics coming up in chat, personally I have felt offended by another mod on SEVERAL occasions, and even when asked to drop it, they keep going, but most of the general players in the channel, listen when they are asked to drop it, and apart from the occasional drama when asked to drop a conversation, they mostly all do it when asked.

I really feel that two channels are splitting the population and getting rid of a lot of members, which it has already started to do, and I really feel we should just implement rules and guidelines, rather than 2 channels.

I agree that silence on join is a good idea, regardless of which way this goes.

I have a somewhat more hardline view on the concept of "community", but it's probably not terribly constructive to follow that line of discussion. Suffice it to say that behaviour like spamming the channel because of this change is exactly what led us to this impasse in the first place.

I'm also not big on the idea of a strict set of rules, for a few reasons:

1. They wouldn't be necessary if people would just exercise a bit of common sense and courtesy (i.e. follow the current rules).

2. Rules lawyering and the search for loopholes by the current problem children will no doubt ensue.

3. I don't feel that people who mod a chat channel in a game should be required to be absolutely fair and impartial, or to scour every line of text looking for violations.

4. We've managed to survive for many years without them. This suggests that the current problem actually lies elsewhere.

Thanks for sharing a bit more thoroughly pup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blpup Then make the new channel for SF/TF? ever think about that? Instead of turning one upside down? And im pretty sure no one has a problem annouceing SF/TF cause i can always see them just cause people do not respond to them doesnt mean they do not know they are there. And if they are ignoring the channel how will it be any diffrent if you kill the chat?

I mentioned the option for creating the new channel for events a few posts back, and after the reaction last night, I think that would probably be best.

The truth is that I've had people say they're quitting the channel because it's too much pointless chat, and people now saying they're quitting because the chat is what's important to them. Some people feel the chat is important, some feel only organizy stuff is important, and I think most fall somewhere in between. I don't know how to keep everyone happy without having two channels.

I have updated the original post to reflect people's reaction, and to change the plan to create a new channel for quietly sharing events.

Thanks Lili. I've reread the original post and I'll adjust my channel's accordingly and pass the news on to some interested parties.

Thanks for all the hard work mate.

Hi, it's me, Plantatia!

After missing the last few weeks and apparently missing all the commotion, I think the actions I have seen taken are a good thing. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Clearly, based on the posts here, something was in need of fixing. And I for one applaud the results that I have seen - an intelligent answer to a difficult problem. It is not easy to manage (not control, MANAGE) the wishes of several dozen people, let alone that of up to 2500 members. To suggest otherwise means you are likely running a company.

And since when is CoX a company for us to join?

There will always be personality issues, and there will always be those who think things can be done better (for their benefit, consciously or not). To do something about it takes effort and courage, and I appreciate both. Keep up the excellent work!