[OPINION] A Quick Message about EMC Today

If you excessively warn people about the rules, then yes.

yes this has become a big factor where regular players seem to jump at the first opportunity they see to moderate. You will also notice that most of the time it is always the same people that tend to do this. In fact you will also notice that those player have usually applied to become staff and just want to get noticed. To be honest I don't feel it is the proper way but hey I don't make the selection process. And I have no intention in applying for it as I don't always agree with the selection of new staff. Just my 2 cents, but yes you will find that the ones jumping are always the same people with intentions.

I don't think that you think that EMC is too strict. I think that you think that players on EMC are stepping too far out of what you think their bounds are. It has always been similar to this since when I joined. If a staff member can remind a player about the rules in a way that isn't in the form of an ultimatum, then a normal player can as well.

If any player reminds another player about the rules, I see it as a way of them showing that they care about the quality of our community. Yes, there are some who think that by doing so that they have some sort of power (especially over new players), but I think that the vast majority have good intentions.

I underlined the word mini-mod for a reason. This topic you bring up is not a new one and will never be one that is purely in the past. I find that those who use the term mini-mod believe in an ideology where things are strictly laid out followed, ie a system where only the staff will ever discipline/remind a player of the rules, and other players will ignore the player and let the staff do their "job." I am in no position to speak for the staff, but I believe that many of them do what they do not to be the EMC police, but to be a last resort in the case that someone is purposely being an issue or is not able to adapt to EMC without explicit help.

EMC has always been a relatively self driven community. As a community, it is our job to help others become one of us. In many cases this means reminding our fellow members of the rules. If someone honestly slipped up on a rule, then a fellow member reminding them is all they need. Bringing staff into a solution like that would be just silly. If my neighborhood has a "no pet noise" rule, I will not call the police if a neighbor's dog starts barking. I will politely and reasonably confront them, and if the issue continues, then the police are a viable option. If a player on EMC is purposely breaking the rules, reminders from other players will help show that said player is not working well with the community. Staff can then step in and deal with the unreasonable player, knowing that the player already knows the difference between right and wrong.

Noted. And I like. Because I always like it when players speak their mind in a mature and respectful way, which is exactly what you did. However, you posted and shared your opinion so obviously I feel free to respond to it

Obviously I cannot comment on this example because I wasn't there (no offense but this is a one sided story). All I can say is that my general experiences are different but if there's one thing I learned about EMC its that a lot of things are different depending on the server you're on. Which includes the price of items.

Now, I can see what you're saying here but I have one small issue with it... The thing is that us players cannot enforce the rules, that's the job of the staff. And although you're right of course, this example could give out a little bad impression about EMC, it's also something which - like it or not - is still part of EMC. You will (eventually) run into players you may not like (or like less) and/or the other way around.

And if that happens its up to the players to decide how to deal with it.

And, in a little more blunt reaction, this is probably why those two other players aren't moderators themselves

Now, please re-read my comment a few times before responding on it because it might be picked up the wrong way. And that's not my intend. But about neglecting to report the player... Didn't you just say that the offense was quite minimal? And not too long ago it was Krysyy who posted a clear message that players needed to be a little more careful (and hesitant) about reporting other players because in general players were reported for just about everything. Including minor issues which weren't worth reporting. So within that context I'd say the whole thing more or less worked.

This is obviously a difference on opinion, but if those players were reporting the newcomers (btw: how can you be sure that they didn't?) then I'd pick that up as a sign of (maybe) being too strict with rule enforcement. Or maybe they did and the staff agreed with you that this was not enough reason to step in.

I guess this once again boils down to a difference on opinion with regards to rule enforcing. As long as a moderator hasn't stepped in then the rules haven't been enforced in my opinion. Us players can't do that.

Well, there is a relatively easy way to deal with this.

Inform the new player that, although they should respect the rules, they're in no way obligated to follow the instructions of another player about those rules. Unless, of course, we're talking about things such as requesting not to go in an (established) outpost or requesting not to go into parts of a residence.

Chat & forum rules are only enforced by staff. Not by players.

Doesn't mean I don't agree with you. Because I do. An overzealous player can be quite annoying. But hey; that is also what /ignore can be used for In your case I see an excellent task for us veterans: help the new player(s) to make that distinction and tell them about those ignore features

I very nearly started the same thread before finding this one. For the past few months I have seen new players joining, and begging, and I mean begging, for free stuff. Over, and over. From Rupee's, to Oak logs, to Stone Brick. They always want something for free. When I started there was a rule against begging. Yet now nobody says a word. People are constantly advertising their shops every couple of seconds. Last night someone in chat kept repeating "Fuuu" with 2 lines of u's behind it. After he had done it about 5 times I asked him to stop and he did. If he hadn't I would've /ignored him. Point being, no Mod ever said a word about this stuff.

Tonight, a player joined and disconnected several times, so many times it filled the chat. Another player joked "Spam!" so I played along and said "Report Him!" The other player replied "lol" and I went back to what I was doing. Then, some Mod jumped all over me about it. I told them it was just a joke, but they continued on about it. How are we as a community supposed to act when new members are treated with kit gloves and long existing members are chewed out for enjoying a quick laugh?