Crime & Punishment

[GM-Pandora]

I've read all the posts made so I could make a general answer + specific answers to things I feel need to be addressed.

But before I start I want to remind of a simple fact. Many seem very quick to forget that we run this server out of our own time. We do what we can with the information we have. We receive reports and deal with them. We try to be fair at all times. That being said, our time is not endless. I personally have a lot to handle lately, both on heRO and in my personal life. You wont see me much in game these days, just handling this recent business has occupied more time than I had. Same goes for reading and answering this post.

We spent 2 hours Friday properly restoring buddha's champion and did her password change on the spot while she was online. If she had asked for the HP's change then we would have done it on the spot too, she probably did not think of it, nor did we think that the deleter also had password to her other account. She had asked both pass change to GM-Auron but we had not been in contact with him, if you send something to one GM it does not ensue that all the others know of it. As for her recent problems we are looking into it and clearly asked her for patience on the matter. Same goes for Silv, we said we were looking into the matter and would get back to him when done discussing.

@teox read the rules. Failing to report such major offense as botting will be punished if found.

In regard to general pass change, yes they have been long as there are other things to do and we are aware of the problem and apologize for inconvenience it may have caused. A new system is being installed and they should be dealt with quicker in the future.

Thursday I logged Jason's character to disband the inappropriate party name, I also changed a few guild title quickly. I did not want to stay on the char for too long, maybe I overlooked the ball of steel one because I went too fast, I admit I did those changes quickly, but it is only a title and will not be hard to restore so I don't find it worth complaining about. Perhaps I should have changed them all to be fair and let the future new leader get a fresh start at guild title.

We have no say in when people take the time and decide to report, we did disregard quite a few report on account of being too old or too "light" offense, still if we had given Jason 1 day for each offense he'd be banned for over a month. Many agreed that the punishment is too soft, he and his friend find it too strong, no one will ever always be pleased, we did what we thought to be right and fair, as we always try.

If anyone is under "scrutiny" it is the GM team, everyone tries to find fault with us, and easily forget that we do this for free, out of own time. Nothing we ever do is accepted by all, if we work on one feature, partisans of other awaited features complain, if we punish offenders their friends get in an uproar, if we don't it's the reporters who do. And after all we do, we get insulted, complained at, are constantly expected to spend our time fixing people's problem even when it is of their own doing. Sure it's our "job", but then this is also a free private server, so we also expect some patience and understanding. It takes good temperance to be in this spot, you have to all this negative stuff coming at you and got to take it all with patience, believe me it's not easy.

I believe the recent event were dealt with as much fairness as can be, you see the outcome and think it's unfair but it could have been much harsher or worse. People think we're out to get them unfairly, but we're really not. Often we decided to leave last chances where they were most undeserved, we try to believe that people can improve, we wish it with all our heart. Permanently banning is never a positive thing to do, unless it is for botters, we try to be very careful about them.

As for all the guild chat matter, swearing is not an offense in your own private chats, it is on main or public chat. What logs GM did check were to get further information, we did not go "look" for offense or monitor anyone's chat, we go look when there is a report and we need clarification. The racist comment of calling Bloody a terrorist was said in guild chat, but it was reported with a screenshot we did not go dig for it, it was sent to us as a report. Rules clearly state that racist comment are not accepted in any chats and since bloody is not your guildmate or friend and he finds offense to it, then it is not the same as 2 guildmates making joke of each other's race for fun. Even amongst friend you must be careful as we've seen bad situations about this kind of thing last year.

The offensive naming of "Baby Joose" was not discussed in private chat, it was in the open normal chat, at the fishing spot and clearly meant to offend. GM-Aki had ALL the name changes to handle at once, so it is natural she had not time to triple check them or read logs then. A report was sent to us how those 2 names were inappropriate still, and we investigated the matter. There is no setup to get Jason banned, it's his actions that are causing the ban, it's his responsibility alone, if he had not broken rules so often in the first place he would not be banned.

Respecting rules seems commonly very easy for the vast majority of the hero community, if you find it hard then heRO is probably not for you, consider moving. Maybe a PK server or just any server where they have no special rules on respect where it is allowed to insult and flame anyone and everyone. To each their own, but while on heRO you have to abide by the rules.

Last notes, I appreciate that this thread stayed relativly flame-free, thanks everyone I know lots made efforts regarding to this.

And finally, please please try to get some perspective, about this game, about how you are dealing with humans, including the GM team and all they do for you.