Your View and Mine

[Digit___ 1226]

I am glad that issues pertaining to yesterday’s drama were resolved and the falsified evidence was found to be just that, and punishment was given.

 

From what I read from other replies on this thread, the general population of LOTC is largely in favor of more transparency, primarily when it comes to knows how/why X person was banned for however long. However, I can see why the how and why are not shared as clearly as anyone would like, as some of these more private reports are to be just that, private. No one is entitled to know every little detail about why a certain user was banned from the server, if they feel so entitled, they will just go to their friends on Moderation Team to try and get the gossip.

 

While I do advocate for transparency of decisions (primarily those made by Admins), I also advocate for being able to keep private reports private as to not propagate drama.

 

When it comes to enforcement of rules, I advocate for punishment for breaking rules needing to be universal and those that have a bias (whether positive or negative to the subject(s) of rule-breaking) need to not be in the final decision-making process of the punishment.

If breaking a rule for one person results in a temporary or permanent ban, it needs to always result in a temporary or permanent.

[Apotolofo 2210]

I wish we could all just be better human beings? 

[CombatRolePlay 1863]

Staff being some of the most egregious instigators for drama is the biggest hindrance towards gaining trust. They just want that reddit gold so badly. How can anyone trust a team where even managers would be leading the charge in attacking other players / player bases ?

 

This further affects how non staff act, specially those under said toxic staff's friend circle. Stop being so lenient towards obviously inflammatory comments / actions coming from staff members, they must be held to a higher standard when it comes to what they post / say in public forums /chats.

 

 

[rdowdy 263]

*sigh*

 

To preface this statement with my own personal bias. I have an ST application that AFAIK, wast vetoed by a member of administration. I have never received acknowledgement or feedback on my application and was firmly denied feedback multiple times until I asked someone I knew on the team who told me "you were vetoed by story admin."

 

I feel, that whoever that was, has a bias against me. And the fact that I have never received any information or reasoning despite requesting feels like a confirmation of my suspicions. So when the best you have is "we aren't biased" but refuse to communicate I'm force to assume that you either are ignorant to the bias or actively choose to ignore it.

 

Staff is uncommunicative, and at times, unprofessional. When a person given authority is either of the above it causes distrust, which further least to the bias issue.

 

The other issue? Staff is not a part of the server in a lot of ways. I can count the numbers of staff on one hand I've had an IRP interaction with Staff members. Other then community members doing applications the majority of players will likely *never* have an interaction with a member of staff. So all they have to go on is information from a player base that has shown multiple times, it will lie about interactions.

 

Basically;

1) Bias does exist, it's human. Stop acting like staff is unbiased and start acknowledging when it does happen and what you are actually doing to prevent it.

2) Staff members need to communicate more. You are members in a position of authority. You do not have a right to be anonymous when making certain decisions. If a player requests a peice of relevant feedback or information they should be provided it (within reason.)

If you can't justify a decision, you shouldn't be allowed to make it.

 

I get I sound very anti-staff here, and I don't acknowledge the frankly destructive player base. But trust and communication start with you. Bad actors will ALWAYS exist. The best you could do is be as transparent as possible in your decisions so you can always hit back quickly and effectively.

 

I've really appreciated and have loved pretty much all of personal interactions with staff.  At a personal level, I have NO complaints.

But on a "professional" experience with the team, the experience is either non-existent, or typically poor.

[kuebiko 686]

1 hour ago, Apotolofo said:

I wish we could all just be better human beings? 

sometimes it feels like this server has a culture of "coolness meter" by who shits on each other the most. gotta make sure you look good by making everyone else look horrible. look how cool MY suff is, they're all LAME-O for doing something else and not doing what I like. there are some really skilled people on the server who would be so nifty and awesome, but because they cannot seem to simply respect another person and resort to immediate shittery its like, the ****? you watch from the sidelines and realize a lot of people have forgotten human decency. to be kind to one another. . . i think the server needs more comradery

i can appreciate how lotc from a staff and player to player realizes humans are human and imperfect, but there's a degree of shitting going on stinking up the community. it is a very, very easy fix.

just be nice. respect others. communicate. maybe think twice about what you're doing and/or posting

[framalam 837]

6 hours ago, bumblefina said:

Moderation Team should have an age minimum of 18. 

frontal lobe development proof, must post brain scan for moderation

[LoTC's Next Top Model 1628]

15 hours ago, _mady07 said:

When the server points fingers at Moderation, and Admins for decisions they’ve made, usually there is a story the public doesn't hear.

this is the problem i'd wager. a lot of times in response to choices that are controversial we get no further input and are told to just not talk about it, which is the exact best way to go about doing things if you want people to not trust you and start getting conspiratorial. if that's not what you're going for it's a pretty bad choice.

[sapphic_spidy 1089]

hi! i havent been around a lot, but it really does suck for people to spread things about you that isn't true. i'd much rather people talk bad about me for something that is actually true, rather than something someone else got banned for. i won't go into what it was, for obvious reason.

 

it's so hard not being able to trust things, but you really just can't trust things you hear. maybe i'm rambling, it's 7 am and im about to go to bed, but 

 

i sympathize with wanting to know who you wouldn't get along with, and wanting to distance yourself from them before there's a chance for an unpleasant/uncomfortable interaction. but i also think that it's gone way too far, at this point. even if you don't like someone, you should try to be civil with them, and definitely not make up extremely harmful false statements.

 

if you knowingly make up things like that, you are a terrible person, and i want nothing to do with you. you do not need concrete evidence and screenshots to excuse disliking someone, but you can't expect other people to share your opinions if there's not that concrete evidence. you can hate someone, for no reason at all, but it's only a problem the moment you try to make their experiences worse out of hating them, harass them, spread rumors, etc

 

(obviously the "you" in this post is a hypothetical, not directed at any one specific person) 

[xDK 1205]

I am fully aware that I am technically staff, however I did want to add my 2 cents.
 

Do you think that the division has gone too far?

I really do not think that our community's divisions are irreparable. There is division over small issues, which is not abnormal in any community that is made up of diverse characters. Most of these issues are resolvable through open communication and understanding, as can be seen from this announcement.

 

How do we fix the clear distrust of staff and community? 

From the player perspective, each time something is decided upon and not explained, it feels suspicious, as if the staff does not want scrutiny. This lack of openness can only provoke players into thinking that the staff doubts its own decisions. Being more transparent will help fix this. If the staff show its reasons and invite community feedback, then respect is given, offering a better ground for positive discussions. Openness shows that input is valued and support for fair, justifiable actions.

 

Why do you or your friends feel targeted by staff?

I had a notable staff tell me, “if ur criticisms aren't dumb no I won't make fun of u but so far everything u ever complain about is worthless”. Reactions like this make players feel like their opinion means nothing. This would also provide for an uncomfortable environment, hindering discussion of suggestions or criticisms that get laughed off or are completely ignored. It makes the players lose their confidence in giving feedback, thinking that the staff are unapproachable. Showing respect and openness to the concerns of the players can help build trust within the community.

 

[Jihnyny 5233]

icba to read all of that or understand it this late 

but why does staff not listen when players want transperancy lol. 
I think its utterly stupid that when someone is banned, or someone reports someone else, over half the time (or atleast from my experience) staff doesnt answer unless you guys know eachother. (shout out to @Josh3738tho for answering me in dms, big progress over the last 3 mod admins) 

not only that but just general rules and shit are so ******* vague and iswtg staff just makes up half the shit on the spot. and you dont know if theyre doing it to give an 'advantage' towards someone else or not which creates a big distrust. (the60th situation for e.g)

 there was a point when more players trusted a random ass 14yo fleeper than the adults on staff. Come on bro 😭

edit: staff shouldnt be scared to speak about bans etc. esp when the players are 'important' members of the community, leaders of communities etc. It obviously leaves a taste of distrust when the guy that leads your characters narrative or, your time on the server just poofs into thin air. And theres no answer as to why but a vague sentence. 

'story that players wouldnt want to hear' half these players are mentally ill wanna be psychopaths, there aint nothing they dont wanna hear