Rules Updates: August 11, 2018

I don't play so I don't know about the second point, but I can confirm with 100% certainty that your first and third statement are wrong.

I'm going to unwatch the thread because I think it's best to wait for the poll results and see what's next. But I do sometimes worry that EMC will eventually (so: somewhere in the future) end up having so many rules with so many sub-regulations that a lot of (newer?) players will simply no longer be able to understand them even if they tried.

Not a problem as long as players don't break any rules, but it can quickly go sour really bad once they do and then don't understand what they did wrong. Staff don't always clearly explain what happened, I've experienced and seen that part myself as well a few times.

And no, this is not a cheap stab before running off. Just take a look at the rule book yourself (it's even called a book). 8 main items, where the eighth rule contains 7 more items. Don't get me wrong: they all make sense in general and should be easy enough to follow, I'm definitely not questioning that part.

But it's the ongoing creation of this sense of overcomplexity that's eventually going to backfire, at least that's what I think.

Take this autoclicking rule: "using auto-clickers, is legal as long as you are not away while doing so and the ability does not exceed normal play ability.". This obviously begs the question "what is a normal play ability"? You can't seriously define that, all players are different, and that's not even mentioning the die-hard PVP'ers who made an art out of rapid mouse clicking in order to quickly kill their opponents. For them that could easily be normal gameplay, but I'm convinced that if they were to use that in an autoclicker and got noticed there would be hell to pay.

Most likely leading up to the next massive misunderstandings, internal dramas unfolding and unhappy players either stop caring or leaving or just continue doing what they did anyway because they stopped caring.

When you need a full page of text just to explain a single rule then I think there might be something wrong with that particular rule. Especially if we're talking about something as trivial as a gaming platform. But that's just my 2 cents.

I suppose one can argue the same about needing a full page to explain what you think is wrong

Oh well, I'm getting a headache now

You make a good point, but I disagree. If a clear rule is at the expense of much of 'Play your Way', a less well-defined rule with some exceptions seems like a good alternative.
It would be easier to just say "Don't use client mods.", and most servers probably do. But that's where EMC's different. And that's why EMC's rules are so... sophisticated.

I also think that the (first) impression that potential and new members get is very important - when checking the rules and generally. (I'm not sure how many will check the rules before joining the server, I would for sure. People that already have experiences with servers will probably check, newbies probably won't.)

The problem with over-regulation and too complex rules is a natural one, it's not easy to solve it.

What can be done is to
- simplify the rules if possible (check the intention and see if it can be done in a better way)
- work on wording so that the intention of the rule is clear and that it matches as good as possible; make it easier to read
- explain intentions and details with examples in an addendum (link or section that can be opened next to the rule)

During last few years the rules were slowly changing from "serve the owner and staff" to "serve the community". I hope this trend will continue. Providing quality service requires continuous effort, rules can't replace that.

IIUC, suggestions on how to improve rules are more welcome then ever.

IIUC, the intention is to disallow one person to perform click-actions on more than one account simultaneously and the original intention behind that is to somewhat limit the in-game advantage that one person can get by using multiple accounts.

If this is the case, then I suggest to make it an own rule "Using multiple accounts" and to explain the intention behind the restrictions.

So, simultaneous click-actions (one person, more than one account) are disallowed. Modifications or no modifications doesn't matter.

Does the IP address matter at all?

Corner (?) case:
One person in front of two computers, holding one mouse in each hand and holding mouse buttons is not allowed - is that so?

What if they were diagnosed with multiple personality disorder?

But if another person (with consent to participate) is in the room or nearby then it is within rules?
Example: Can you help me make concrete? Just log in and hold the mouse button. * Puts paperweight over the mouse. *

We have quite a few kids here (family, friends, neighborhood), sometimes there are more than 5 playing simultaneously. Sometimes, I have hard time myself knowing who is using which account, where and how.

I didn't know that. So it is just a PM to you stating like "we are x persons here"?

We actually don't have alts but we do borrow the accounts from each other. So sometimes an account is being used like an "alt" and at other times it is the main account.
The "concept of an alt" is kind of vague here.

Excellent. I shall do this post-haste... Actually is there something more useless than dirt I could auction off? I find it eminently useful and would rather not part with any...

How about eggs?

I didnt knew about the new auction-rules.. So bad that you cant "bump" your auctions any more, they was necessary to keep your auction-threads alive!..

I guess thats the reason why there is only 5-6 active auctions right now..
Was the "bumbs" really that big problem?

RIP EMC auctions and economy!

I use those for knocking sheep into lava from an unsafe distance.

I can get you one or two, I once won an auction for... 24 DC, if I recall correctly.