Post by Zou ۞ on Jun 3, 2011 20:30:16 GMT -5
In order to have a positive experience for all members, behavioral rules have been created. These are meant to act as a guide for everyone to follow that ensures we can all be civil towards one another. When referencing something "Out-of-Character," this means it is anything that is not voiced through an individual's character. Any threads, tweets, chat messages, and so on that have nothing to do with your "In-Character" context are counted in this category. If these rules are heavily disobeyed, the individual(s) involved may be subject to punishment.Rules of Conduct1. Zero Tolerance Policy. We will not, as a team and as part of this community, tolerate any overt or intended discrimination or harassment towards any party regardless of gender, age, sexuality, or any other status that may be used as a basis for ill treatment. We understand slips happen, unintended meanings come out, and occasionally a statement becomes a bad take that could be interpreted in this light. Keeping that in mind, a warning will be issued about said behavior, with a reminder that it is not tolerated here. Additionally, we will take any and all reports in which someone is made to feel discriminated against or uncomfortable as a result of harassment very seriously. As a team, we will investigate all reports given in order to ensure we have all relevant information necessary to make a decision on a particular case. As part of this investigation, we are open to communication from all parties involved, allowing us to hear both sides in order to understand the situation fully. And, in the event of sufficient proof of intent or repeated action despite warnings, we will act decisively in taking action to prevent further harm towards members of our community. Our goal is to provide a safe and welcoming community to all. Our DMs as staff are open should there be a concern or if an issue arises, and we encourage our community to communicate with us as necessary.
2. Be respectful. Be kind to others and do not use offensive language or racial slurs. This opens up the opportunity for hurt feelings. Allow yourself time to get to know new people and figure out what kind of humor and teasing they like before you throw them into questionable jokes. Different people find different things funny, and that's okay! Let people enjoy the things that make them laugh and have fun. On the other hand, in the event that something is said to you or around you that offends you or makes you uncomfortable, please do your best to keep a level head and simply take screenshots or save logs of the conversation to then submit to a staff member. Avoid engaging any further as best as you can and allow the staff members to handle it from there.
3. Remember to have fun! This is a roleplay forum. It is meant to be an escape from reality. If you find yourself disagreeing with someone you are threading with, please be calm and talk to them first. If there is a ruling you may need help on, feel free to approach a staff member. Also, keep in mind that real people are playing on this forum and they all have their very real lives to worry about. Pressuring them about posts or gradings and the like can add unnecessary stress. None of us truly know everything that is going on with anyone else, so always be mindful of this fact and have patience with each other.
4. Treat others the way they wish to be treated. This is called the "Platinum Rule." Allow others to have a voice. Opinions exist. Just because someone disagrees with you does not make them wrong or you right. If someone is visibly upset, you have taken it too far. Apologies are always appreciated, but please be willing to communicate and talk things out. If anything escalates from there, get a staff member involved.
5. Play in good faith. Do not exploit loopholes and do not engage in such a way that would disrupt roleplay on this forum in any way. The rules exist for a reason, and though they may be adjusted here and there over time, a lot of thought was put into how the mechanics would work here. This means the mechanics may be different from how you, as an individual, may wish to roleplay. While this is completely understandable, and staff is willing to listen to suggestions, please do not take it personally or become disheartened if your suggestion is rejected. Staff will do what they can to explain why, and all they ask in return is that the members understand.Rules of Engagement1. Justifying Balancing Decisions - When examining balance on this site, there are three main examples that people use. Please refrain from using any of these arguments because gradings can be subjective. Staff tries their best to keep things relatively level with the current site meta, but there will be times when a power is submitted that does not get passed exactly how it was designed in the first place.a) Arguing Using Outliers in Bleach: Simply put, although this site and RP is based off of Bleach, and heavily influenced by Bleach, and tries it’s best to match up with Bleach, sometimes Kubo does things that would never be balanced within the rules of the site. Ishida firing 1,200 arrows consecutively is a great example. Other times, characters show up and do something that’s way above anything that they’ve ever done before, and then never repeat that ability. Don’t use these outliers in arguments. While some canon examples may be entirely valid, be careful about the ones that you select for your argument.
b) Arguing Based On Old Gradings: The balance of this site is in flux as we try to adapt and improve the site by being careful about what we pass. Although there should almost never be a highly radical shift, there is an expiration date on balance. If a grading happened a long time ago or was done by another staff member, then don’t use it to justify your character being strong or broken. Since the meta changes constantly, there may be times when staff strategically starts trying to shift it on their own. None of it is personal and these gradings are done to help improve the site as a whole along with each player experience.
c) Arguing Based On Legacy/Cinematic Characters: This is distinctly different from the last one, in the sense that we still have semi-active characters who have abilities that are ludicrously powerful. Please don’t claim that because these characters exist, your character should be allowed to have that level of power. Don’t compare yourself to characters that were made 2+ years ago. All characters are subject to rebalancing if an individual complains or if the player feels their own character requires it.
2. What Defines a Rule - A rule is a decision made by staff on any grading. Since staff members are almost exclusively required to grade submissions based on a dual approval process, this means multiple people will take a look at the submissions. Occasionally, with things such as types and races that may potentially be added to the forum, all members of staff are given an opportunity to weigh in on it since it will be significantly more impactful. This is the case for custom organizations, as well, and it is possible for several members of staff to weigh in on a single character's power, as well. It all depends, but this depends on staff discretion. Staff members expect the regular members to be understanding of the circumstance and remain patient during situations like these since it can mean gradings might take longer.
3. When To Ask A Mod/How To Treat Rulings - There may come times when it is difficult to handle a situation on your own as a member, and that's okay! Sometimes you need staff intervention, and staff encourages this. They want to help settle conflicts as quickly and efficiently as possible, but there are going to be a few things to keep in mind.a) In any PvP, or even any other kind of thread, if anything is unclear or shaky, please talk to your threadmates first. If it escalates from there, involve a staff member. Do not bypass them and go directly to staff without trying to speak with them first. While conflict resolution is important, it is a necessary skill that everyone should attempt to practice at least once. Again, if speaking to them is proving to be unhelpful, then staff intervention is absolutely encouraged! They want to help. But out of respect for your threadmates, talking to them first can sometimes ease the conflict significantly faster since it is more respectful for them. They have a chance to be heard and perhaps it's all a simple misunderstanding.
b) Contesting Rulings - It is okay to contest them! Staff members are human, too. Mistakes can be made and it's awesome if a member if able to catch that or come up with a good argument that could change the staff member's mind. On the other hand, if said staff member has made it clear that they are standing firm on their decision, please respect that decision. They are making it for a reason and it is up to them to explain that reason properly. Please refrain from fighting with them, and step away from the keyboard if you feel heated about the discussion. Being able to talk things through calmly and maturely is much more important because the last thing we want is to accidentally say something we don't mean and hurt someone's feelings. Balance is important and not every submission will be approved as written.Demerit System
If anyone violates the Zero Tolerance Policy, they will be banned without being subjected to the warning system. Staff will issue a private, formal message to the individual informing them of their ban and what will happen to their accounts and characters. All accounts on the forum will be rendered inactive as well as banned completely. Their characters will be moved to "Old Characters" and permanently retired. For any member who commits continuous offenses outside of the Zero Tolerance Policy, actions go as follows:1. First Demerit - A first offense is a formal warning given to a member who has violated the Rules of Conduct in such a way that has proven disruptive to the site and community. It is simply a verbal warning.
2. Second Demerit - A second offense is a formal warning given to a member who has violated the Rules of Conduct in such a way that has proven disruptive to the site and community for a second time. This can be a repeat of the same behavior or a second warning altogether on an entirely different behavior. Second offenses result in temporary suspensions from the site and its affiliating Discord server. The suspension will last exactly one week.
3. Third Demerit - A third offense is a formal ban given to a member who has violated the Rules of Conduct in such a way that has proven disruptive to the site and community for a third time. This can be a repeat of the same behavior or a different poor behavior altogether. If a member has reached this level, they will be banned on the site and on Discord. Their accounts will be deactivated, their characters will be moved to "Old Characters," and they will be permanently retired.