Developers are banning players to hide discontent

rune_74

I have been a long time supporter of the game until recently when they started their draconian moderation. I posted my opinions that they were rushing the game out the door in July and that the focus of the game had shifted dramatically since the kick starter.

I recently received an infraction from them(one of many I have got that are of the similar variety) stating I had gained a infaraction points of (x) whatever that means.

They have rules on the forums, that don't apply to every member and that seem to be made of Jello. If you do something they don't like or say something they don't like they will bend the rules to "enforce" them.

here is the current infraction I received before my permanent ban:

rune_74,

Your actions in this message (Rant on Travel) are not appropriate. We cannot allow users to be abusive, overly aggressive, or to "troll". Your message has been removed or altered.

Content Moderated: If you have never seen him complain then you haven't read his other threads about the same thing. This isn't the first time he has brought this up.

Reason: Personal Attack

Rule Violated: Act with Virtue: Treat others as you would want to be treated. We are all people united under the same banner, with similar hopes and many different opinions. Show respect for one another, disagree with grace, and offer opinions with humility. And sheath those swords… there are absolutely no personal attacks allowed.

Your account has been issued <#> warning points for this action. Accumulating additional warning points may result in restrictions placed on your accounts access. Please keep this in mind when posting or using our site.

Any concerns you have about this action can be forwarded to support@portalarium.com.

Now, I didn't bother to fight this because I tried in the past and sent an email of to support complaining about their community manager firelotus, and got a response back that Firelotus will take it into consideration. So basically moderating herself.

Now, I won't hide the fact that I have received many moderation infractions of a similar nature. This is the norm on those boards, if they don't like you they bundle these up.

Realizing I couldn't deal with the support email I posted a message on their steam forums asking for my money back since I could no longer participate in the game discussions. I included the infraction I got in the message, I then was banned permanently from steam because I apparently: distributed private data. One would assume my infraction is my own private data, why hide this?

It is important to note that members on their forums can attack you at will as long as they support the developers with financial kickbacks or in other ways and are not critical of game decisions.

I have received crazy infractions such as Slippery slope, which seems completely unprofessional.

The truth of the matter is once you get on the bad side of the moderating staff there for whatever reason you can basically assume you will get banned.

This is a shameful way for a company to treat it's backers and a shameful way to cover up their behavior. The high paying backers run this game and have changed it into a have and have not mentality with this false belief that the average backer has any say.

Stay away from this.

Elsabolts

Can I have your stuff ?

Dahkoht

Wait , wait.

They actually have "slippery slope" as a category for an infraction ?

Elsabolts

Dahkoht said:

Wait , wait.

They actually have "slippery slope" as a category for an infraction ?

Is this like dropping a bar of soap in prison " slippery slope " ?

Dahkoht

It's the weakest of all possible arguments.

Using slippery slope as a line of reasoning means the facts of your own current argument cannot stand on their own.

If a a dev is using "slippery slope" as an infraction category , it would indeed suggest they are extremely overbearing in their moderation.

rune_74

Yes, they actually do....and when asked for clarification they don't give any.

Dahkoht

Whelp , you've proven your point to me if true that a dev or mod actually used that term to qualify an infraction , shows they are extremely dim-witted and have no real basis for their actions.

rune_74

For the record I have been on that forum since the kickstarter and an active poster....it started to go bad about a year ago.  I'm not just talking as a sometimes poster who got banned, I have over 4800 posts with over 8355 likes....

I'm well aware of went on over there.

Brenics

Sad to hear thought this one wouldn't get to that point. This is normally when the games start to go down hill. They need to get to release so they can make a little money to finish the game some how. 

Been there, done that, with ESO! But I have to say almost 2 years later it is STARTING to get to a release state that most gamers would expect a release to be. Don't get me wrong it took WoW about a year to get there. :-D

rune_74

They even banned someone who commented on my steam thread where I asked for a refund because she said steam doesn't give refunds....

Grunty

rune_74 said:

They even banned someone who commented on my steam thread where I asked for a refund because she said steam doesn't give refunds....

Steam only refunds if you bought the game within the prior two weeks and you have logged less than two hours of game play.

rune_74

Grunty said:

rune_74 said:

They even banned someone who commented on my steam thread where I asked for a refund because she said steam doesn't give refunds....

Steam only refunds if you bought the game within the prior two weeks and you have logged less than two hours of game play.

Yes, I am aware....I wasn't asking steam for a refund I was asking the company.  I no longer have access to any forums for the game at all.  I can't even ask for help if I have any technical problems.

I think  mostly I didn't want to be supporting them anymore.

goboygo

No loss, there is just something really off about this game, it seems kind of lost and aimless like a ship with no rudder.  I've tried playing it a few times, and there just isn't any flow to it, its hard to explain. Your just dropped in, the story is weak, the combat is sluggish and mind numbingly dull, the crafting is nonsensical.  Exploration is non existent due to the small zones and heavy instancing, It doesn't feel like a game that wants to be played. 

It feels like a bunch of pieces of a game waiting to be assembly properly, and the missing ones added.

Burntvet

In other news, water has been found to be "wet".

rune_74

goboygo said:

No loss, there is just something really off about this game, it seems kind of lost and aimless like a ship with no rudder.  I've tried playing it a few times, and there just isn't any flow to it, its hard to explain. Your just dropped in, the story is weak, the combat is sluggish and mind numbingly dull, the crafting is nonsensical.  Exploration is non existent due to the small zones and heavy instancing, It doesn't feel like a game that wants to be played. 

It feels like a bunch of pieces of a game waiting to be assembly properly, and the missing ones added.

The problem is they don't want to see that and they don't want you to bring it up.  The reason it is this way is the high level backers are directing this games motion.  Decisions are not made for the good of the game but instead for what directly benefits them(PoTs).

Who adds a system and lets the players decide the rules for said system and then releases it like that without thinking of the consequences?

I recently learned that they may have thought I was posting on a dissenting website by one of the other players they banned and that's what led to the current banning.

There has been some horrible behavior over on that site  that is either non moderated, ignored or accepted by the team.  Things such as having backers hacked and personal information let out to others in order to attack them in some crazy way.


I know for a fact I received threats in messages and threads. 

If you are not part of the core group on that website you don't really have a say in anything and you had better not say anything or they will ban you.

Kyleran

I've been playing EVE since 2007 and rarely post on their forums.  It's entirely possible to play game without actively participating in the forum community, which is a decision you'll have to make now, play or walk away.

I do agree they should not refund your money, your access was removed for documented, self inflicted reasons, and unfortunately for you, they don't have to enforce them equally. 

I am a KS backer for CU, I don't even have a forum account, when the game finally launches I'll either play it or walk away...... trust me, it's easier this way.

LacedOpium

Your pledge was, more thank likely, not high enough.  You are not likely to get a word in edge-wise regarding the direction of your country if you are a peasant and it is a dictatorship either.  Try becoming a Knight or higher.  More than in most other games, individual pledges make a real difference in this one.

rune_74

Kyleran said:

I've been playing EVE since 2007 and rarely post on their forums.  It's entirely possible to play game without actively participating in the forum community, which is a decision you'll have to make now, play or walk away.

I do agree they should not refund your money, your access was removed for documented, self inflicted reasons, and unfortunately for you, they don't have to enforce them equally. 

I am a KS backer for CU, I don't even have a forum account, when the game finally launches I'll either play it or walk away...... trust me, it's easier this way.

Oh I'm walking away, I'm just not letting them get away with it for free.  There isn't much of a game there anyways and I feel they are on a Collision course with bankruptcy.  This persistent world/launch is a pretty good sign things are starting to unwind.  I'm not the only they have banned lately, they banned a whole bunch of people on steam.


The unfortunate part to is they can restrict my online access in the game as well, which I'm just waiting for them to do.  They have done it to others already.

LacedOpium said:

Your pledge was, more thank likely, not high enough.  You are not likely to get a word in edge-wise regarding the direction of your country if you are a peasant and it is a dictatorship either.  Try becoming a Knight or higher.  More than in most other games, individual pledges make a real difference in this one.

This unfortunately is the truth.  You can literally attack people in the forums if your account is a high enough level.  They deleted a thread I made where I got 8 pages of these self proclaimed lords calling just about every name under the sun.  They wouldn't do anything with that thread until I sent an email into support to get them to do something. 

Aethaeryn

Kyleran said:

I've been playing EVE since 2007 and rarely post on their forums.  It's entirely possible to play game without actively participating in the forum community, which is a decision you'll have to make now, play or walk away.

I do agree they should not refund your money, your access was removed for documented, self inflicted reasons, and unfortunately for you, they don't have to enforce them equally. 

I am a KS backer for CU, I don't even have a forum account, when the game finally launches I'll either play it or walk away...... trust me, it's easier this way.

This is my approach absolutely.  I have never been a member of any games forum aside from Mortal Online and Xsyon.  Mostly it was because I was bored and wanted something new. . they also seemed like strong community games.

I do a KS if I think it is a pretty good shot and a good deal.  Game forums I stay away from.  I know people think that this forum can get bad but mostly that is in game specific forums etc.

As far as Shrouds goes. . I  backed it at a basic level. . upgrade a few times for free and then never looked back.  I have yet to play it and will wait for some kind of release and decide then.

Cryptor

I was banned for asking few questions that I wanted answers to before I was going to put money into this game.  I am glad it happened, now my money is going to Camelot Unchained and devs that deserve it.

Aenra

For the record, i have made multiple complaints myself, over several, separate aspects of the game.

Have only had --ONE-- thread cut out ("under moderation" ad infinitum) and that was my fault as i typed the F word. Doesn't matter if it was just this once, doesn't matter if my text as a whole was (i'd think) eloquent, analytic and to the point. I used said word while it was against the rules; they had every right to delete my post.

All the other posts i've made are still there, my critique notwithstanding. No deletion.

I have also given SotA a negative review on Steam, explaining why, and being not in the least kind about it.

And yet i have not been banned. Ever. They haven't even PMed me to complain or warn me

- The game itself, the actual gameplay, has many issues.

- Its forum moderators are overly strict and biased (although we should note they are employees, they do what they're told).

- Its "fan base" can be snobbish, elitist, overly zealous and often purposefuly aggressive (you're with us or against us).

Those issues are there, yes. But you can discuss them, without a 'penalty' looming over your head. So either you never learned 'when to stop' (because you occasionally have to), or your way of expressing yourself was ..inadequate..

Issues. Your way of broaching them. Two different things

Brenics

Who the hell would want to play a game made up of what high price backers want. I will buy a game made by a developer I trust. I never thought Richard Garriott would allow something like that too happen. What the hell is with these old guys like him and smed that brought such great games to start this whole thing for us players that ended up loving those games. Now it is like they are just old and out of ideas and couldn't make a cooking game with 80 coding. 

No one should want to play a game high level backers helped create! Well guess its time to remove this from my list and bookmarks. Oh and from my steam account. :-D

LacedOpium

Aenra said:

For the record, i have made multiple complaints myself, over several, separate aspects of the game.

Have only had --ONE-- thread cut out ("under moderation" ad infinitum) and that was my fault as i typed the F word. Doesn't matter if it was just this once, doesn't matter if my text as a whole was (i'd think) eloquent, analytic and to the point. I used said word while it was against the rules; they had every right to delete my post.

All the other posts i've made are still there, my critique notwithstanding. No deletion.

I have also given SotA a negative review on Steam, explaining why, and being not in the least kind about it.

And yet i have not been banned. Ever. They haven't even PMed me to complain or warn me

- The game itself, the actual gameplay, has many issues.

- Its forum moderators are overly strict and biased (although we should note they are employees, they do what they're told).

- Its "fan base" can be snobbish, elitist, overly zealous and often purposefuly aggressive (you're with us or against us).

Those issues are there, yes. But you can discuss them, without a 'penalty' looming over your head. So either you never learned 'when to stop' (because you occasionally have to), or your way of expressing yourself was ..inadequate..

Issues. Your way of broaching them. Two different things

There is just one thing that you left out of your post and the question begs to be asked ... what pledge title do you hold?  As previously mentioned, that does make a difference.  

rune_74

Aenra said:

For the record, i have made multiple complaints myself, over several, separate aspects of the game.

Have only had --ONE-- thread cut out ("under moderation" ad infinitum) and that was my fault as i typed the F word. Doesn't matter if it was just this once, doesn't matter if my text as a whole was (i'd think) eloquent, analytic and to the point. I used said word while it was against the rules; they had every right to delete my post.

All the other posts i've made are still there, my critique notwithstanding. No deletion.

I have also given SotA a negative review on Steam, explaining why, and being not in the least kind about it.

And yet i have not been banned. Ever. They haven't even PMed me to complain or warn me

- The game itself, the actual gameplay, has many issues.

- Its forum moderators are overly strict and biased (although we should note they are employees, they do what they're told).

- Its "fan base" can be snobbish, elitist, overly zealous and often purposefuly aggressive (you're with us or against us).

Those issues are there, yes. But you can discuss them, without a 'penalty' looming over your head. So either you never learned 'when to stop' (because you occasionally have to), or your way of expressing yourself was ..inadequate..

Issues. Your way of broaching them. Two different things

Perhaps, but I showed you what my last moderation was...that was an official infraction.  I also got an infraction recently for telling someone who posted about the high number of high priced addons warning him to be careful how he approached that subject as it was very touchy subject.

I will not I have never swore in a post. Ever.

You can search on the main forums and see the posts I have made(well all the ones except the ones they deleted to hide the outright attacks I was subject to by people like Baron Drocis, I have screen captures of that though since they tend to make things like that go away.)  I recently got told my views were negative, I guess that should be bannable? 

I want to draw your attention one more time to this:

If you have never seen him complain then you haven't read his other threads about the same thing. This isn't the first time he has brought this up.

This was considered a personal attack.  In what world would that be true?

Slippery slope is another nice one.  These types of infractions were ALL the ones I got.  How am I supposed to post anything and not get a infraction?

The simple truth of the matter is that their community manager, Firelotus is a huge fan of UO, which I wasn't so much a fan of and didn't agree with a lot of their ideas.  Once you get on her bad side you have no where to go.  You can even try support but then you are dealing with her for help about her!

Hell, in a recent hangout they made fun of me because I stated why some people in the kickstarter were upset in the change of direction in the game.  Provided copied text from the project and webpage and was told I was lying.  It literally stated what I was saying.

If anyone doesn't believe me, go ahead and go on those forums and search my last 10 threads or so....see how many are about trolling etc.  It was about making the game better and stating what needs to be done.

SpottyGekko

I would like to see the actual posts that were banned for allegedly only "voicing dissent"...

I always regularly visit the forums of any game I play, and I've yet to see a game where someone didn't complain about being unfairly banned or having their "right to free speech" abused. Inevitably, the banning results from aggressive, rude, insulting or overly sarcastic posts. Many of those posts would have been quite acceptable without the attitude problems.

rune_74

SpottyGekko said:

I would like to see the actual posts that were banned for allegedly only "voicing dissent"...

I always regularly visit the forums of any game I play, and I've yet to see a game where someone didn't complain about being unfairly banned or having their "right to free speech" abused. Inevitably, the banning results from aggressive, rude, insulting or overly sarcastic posts. Many of those posts would have been quite acceptable without the attitude problems.

I showed the last infraction I got...I received a lot of infractions just like that.  It wasn't an infraction on most forums wouldn't you say?  Matter of fact I got banned on their steam forums for letting people know about what they consider an infraction for me....whereas I can be literally called a piece of crap by others and have nothing done.


What really happened now I am hearing is they thought I was on another website that is full of people banned from them and they decided to ban me.  I challenge you to search for my last ten threads made before you call me a liar.