Issues concerning arena and overall moderation

[TheMadHatter]

So I was recently kicked from the Arena for interrupting nonexistent roleplay with ooc. In fact, I haven’t seen any roleplay in there in the last few months. Which got me to think about the situation and other issues that have come to my attention on the keep. First of all, the timing when moderators choose to step in blows my mind. I have seen the Arena countless times have players attempting to roleplay and their posts are drowned by the ooc text. That is probably when the moderators need to step in and say something, I agree. It is an ic room, when there is roleplay we should all respect that. Yet, when someone randomly goes to a moderator to complain that they are ‘considering’ roleplay and everyone should be quiet, all 17 users are expected to shut up or they’ll be kicked? I had mentioned I’d had no problem being quiet if there were any posts, which there wasn’t. Oh and when I went back in the room a half hour later and there actually WAS roleplay, and ooc interrupting, no moderators are to be seen.

   Actually the ooc in the arena has been an issue for some time. It is especially noted in the forums about whether or not the arena should have a moderator again just to cut back on all the ooc. I am starting to wonder why is there any argument about the topic when everyone tends to stay in their own rooms anyways? The arena has the same people in there every night. I never see this group getting upset either way. They tend to use the forest for roleplay more so than the Arena. Though there tends to be a lot of fuss over the ooc in the Arena in particular. Isn’t the Mainhall technically supposed to be a roleplay room too? So how did that room become an ooc room and for it to be alright?

   To be honest, recently the Mainhall died. I’m not really sure why, but it use to be a room I enjoyed to talk in while I would roleplay in another room. I have tried on several occasions to go into the lobby, but I feel ignored. Which I appreciate those who do acknowledge me and greet me. I’m not insulting the Lobby, but it is hard that the only ooc room has its own group and regulars that sometimes avoid others. I’m obviously not the only person to notice this, and it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop going to the lobby and try anyways, because I do frequently hop rooms. My point is, I am enjoying the Arena how it is and it probably will continue to stay that way, because the moderators can’t sit there all day kicking every user that enters and says something ooc. No one seems to really care about the Pub or how about those other empty rooms that just sit there at the bottom of the list unoccupied. The Mainhall would be one of them if it wasn’t the default room when you enter the chat. If the users from the arena moved to the desert to chat, would we still be in trouble for utilizing one of the rooms for ooc?

   The Arena could eventually be those empty rooms that no one cares about if enough users are pissed off and leave. I’m just saying.

   I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of the keep moderators by the way. I feel like I’ve had issues in the past overlooked and not handled correctly. Sometimes it feels like because I’m not a part of a cliche. Just seems odd what is important to them and what isn’t.

[Cosmodeous]

W00t first post. But Yes, IC an relate to the distaste of laxness amongst mods. Yes, they can't catch everything, but I have personal experience with certain mods whom I have asked to take care of a situation and has outright refused something which could have taken less than a second. Being mod isn't about being the cool cop with a shiny 'i can do this' thingy-ma-bob, it's truly administering justice when the time is due. You want to friendly friendly, make a different profile for friendly friendly.

[Familiar]

Being on, using, and chatting in tK is a privilege .

There's always the possibility of trying for a moderator appointed for watching the Arena, if not two to ensure full coverage of what goes on instead of relying to ask for assistance from others in the Lobby. Better to nip the problem in the butt when it first starts, before it escalates and tempers flare, and people shoot off with their mouths and more bans are handed out.

Just my two cents.

[-=Styles=-]

Firstly I would like to point out this particular thread.

http://nexxushost.com/forums/index.php/topic,63331.0.html

That covers/ed a lot of the things most people felt the need to inquire about, some of it less than mature at times.


Suffice it to say that I could rant and bitch out the stupidty behind certain persons involved, I'll hold my tongue for once.

Didn't mean to interrupt your OoC with our RP, gaiz....


EDIT: I posted the link to that thread so people could sate their curiosity about most things that've been said, not out of spite. Not tryin' to bust anyone's balls concerning the matter.

[Kade]

There was an Arena-only moderator earlier this year. It was not successful. It achieved nothing. It was bad. The only thing that came of it was Visage's ban, really.

There's no nipping this problem in the butt. Ever.

[-=Styles=-]

Then cut it off at the head and burn the remainder.

[Kade]

Then cut it off at the head and burn the remainder.

... Yeah, because that will work... /not

[-=Styles=-]

You get rid of the problem before it escalates.

I don't see how that doesn't work.

[TheMadHatter]

I don't think the arena needs a moderator, that isn't what I was trying to say. I think we should let the arena be what it is. Obviously we'll never control the ooc, so let it have its ooc. I seen last night two global moderators get involved. One to kick people when there was no roleplay, another to kick because of the roleplay, which got out of hand and it ended up in a ban. All of that and it solved nothing. Everyone just went back to talking out of character. When the mods step in it doesn't really solve anything.

So don't. Leave the arena alone and let it be like the Main Hall. There are plenty of other rooms for roleplay or they can make one. No one can sit around all day banning every person that comes into the room and says something.

[-=Styles=-]

The mods should do a better job, period. The way anything was handle last night was beyond absurd.

[Kade]

Jester, getting rid of the problem like that doesn't... get rid of the problem. You just get TK drama relayed through MSN, Skype, and other messengers. Nobody is going to take that kind of treatment laying down. Nobody.

And yeah, let the Arena be what it is. The amount of blood and sweat it would take (from mods, potential mods, regulars, irregulars, forum-goers, etc) to rein in the Arena severely outweighs the potential benefits of a well-controlled Arena environment.

[Familiar]

I wasn't around for the majority of the Arena tryout of the moderator with Pitch. I started being a regular at about the time she was ready to quit, and she had to deal with complaints and back talk at every single enforcing she attempted to do to control the environment of the Arena. And that's probably going to happen if there's any trial again.

So what if the drama is dragged to other forms of media - people have better control of filtering out the troublemakers there because of the options of ignoring and preventing contacts with the messengers. It won't be on tK.

There are a lot of rooms on tK, and quite a handful of OOC ones at that. The Arena never got resolved but seemed to have a universal agreement about it's original use of trying to promote RP still, or I at least thought so. I've seen RPs go on with a few lines of OOC and idle chatter, and if I was asked by one of the posters to be quiet I'd respect that wish. It can't be said the same with other people. Last night's issue was a constant flood between posts, where they weren't even on the screen anymore, with obnoxious array of colours and people intentionally arguing and instigating drama. 

It might not be too much to ask one of the current moderators to take a seat in the Arena. Having their presence around might filter out a little bit of what's happening. Or there's also the offer of appointing more moderators to be around the site, to spread themselves out in some of the regular rooms and be available to have others approach about issues, not just the Lobby. The Arena isn't out of control 24/7, but there are peaks in where it has to be dealt with. And with Hatter's case, more needs to be around and available to assist with other issues in other rooms, and with other people.

[Pitch]

The arena can't be moderated unless a Global actually spends some time in there. And constantly. I tried, but of course it did not work out very well. You can't be a single room mod and do anything about the arena.

I just say give up on it.

[Savon]

I have been an avid OOCer here on tK for years.   The lobby, the MH and now the Arena.   I came to the Arena when I noticed a few people I liked hanging in there.  I found, to my enjoyment,  fun, friendly people AND RP.     I don't know where you have been for the past few months Hatter, but I see RP in there all the time. 

I quickly learned, by people politely informing me, that when RP starts, its polite to stop the OOC.  That way the RPers don't have to try and scroll up to see the posts of other RPers.   Now.. there have been times where the people RPing are also OOCing or dont care if the OOC is happening.   I tend to whisper them and ask if they want the OOC to stop while they RP or if we can continue.  For the most part.. they don't mind the OOC.   

For those that do mind, they have every right too.   Ive noticed a trend that Arena people like to talk with
line
after line
after line
after line

instead of putting it all in one nice, neat, consistent post.  (I say this with love and enjoyment) 

This can be disruptive, especially if your opponents post is scrolled up so high.. and people keep posting and you keep loosing your place as the screen bounces down to the new OOC post and back up to where you are valiantly trying to hold down the scroll bar. 

Fam had a great idea today and made an Arena OOC discussion room and people were directed there.  It seemed to work greatly for a long while.   Which I think is a fabulous idea.    Maybe this can be the solution.

[-=Styles=-]

Jester, getting rid of the problem like that doesn't... get rid of the problem. You just get TK drama relayed through MSN, Skype, and other messengers. Nobody is going to take that kind of treatment laying down. Nobody.

And yeah, let the Arena be what it is. The amount of blood and sweat it would take (from mods, potential mods, regulars, irregulars, forum-goers, etc) to rein in the Arena severely outweighs the potential benefits of a well-controlled Arena environment.

Completely aware of that, as I mentioned in a post on a separate thread. Not to mention crediting myself with the involvment of the initial Mod-tril for the Arena


Alos, I would like to point out the fact that, since everyone got over the "We shouldn't have to" veteren ego shit, the Arena_OOC_Discussion room has been a wonderful success, and it solved the problem in under a day.

You can thank the users for that one.

[Kade]

Jester, getting rid of the problem like that doesn't... get rid of the problem. You just get TK drama relayed through MSN, Skype, and other messengers. Nobody is going to take that kind of treatment laying down. Nobody.

And yeah, let the Arena be what it is. The amount of blood and sweat it would take (from mods, potential mods, regulars, irregulars, forum-goers, etc) to rein in the Arena severely outweighs the potential benefits of a well-controlled Arena environment.

Completely aware of that, as I mentioned in a post on a separate thread. Not to mention crediting myself with the involvment of the initial Mod-tril for the Arena


Alos, I would like to point out the fact that, since everyone got over the "We shouldn't have to" veteren ego shit, the Arena_OOC_Discussion room has been a wonderful success, and it solved the problem in under a day.

You can thank the users for that one.

Even at its worst, the 'problem' didn't flare up every day. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, imho.

[TheMadHatter]

Jester, getting rid of the problem like that doesn't... get rid of the problem. You just get TK drama relayed through MSN, Skype, and other messengers. Nobody is going to take that kind of treatment laying down. Nobody.

And yeah, let the Arena be what it is. The amount of blood and sweat it would take (from mods, potential mods, regulars, irregulars, forum-goers, etc) to rein in the Arena severely outweighs the potential benefits of a well-controlled Arena environment.

Completely aware of that, as I mentioned in a post on a separate thread. Not to mention crediting myself with the involvment of the initial Mod-tril for the Arena


Alos, I would like to point out the fact that, since everyone got over the "We shouldn't have to" veteren ego shit, the Arena_OOC_Discussion room has been a wonderful success, and it solved the problem in under a day.

You can thank the users for that one.

Well it has only been 2 days lol. This isn't the first time an ooc room for the arena had been made. What is ironic is that everyone moved from the Arena to the Ooc room last night and I watched it by 3am have 0 people and sit at the bottom of the list.

Hey if this new room works, then fine. I'd just hate for the Arena not to be utilized at all either. Sort of silly.

[Familiar]

Rather see the Arena get the use it was intended for, that being RP, than for OOC to start up again and possibly dissuade people from actually RP'ng again. Nothing wrong with the usermade room - it's going along smoothly with the support of the community. We've also tried addressing some of the bickering that goes on with members and overall just hoping for some harmony on the Keep. =]

Thank you everyone.

[Kade]

... Lol.

Counting.

Chickens.

Hatch.

Yeah.

I'll keep my fingers crossed though. I'm liking this.

[-=Styles=-]

I have not seen this much RP in the Arena since 2003.


....dead serious.

[Silent.Kamikaze]

Rather see the Arena get the use it was intended for, that being RP, than for OOC to start up again and possibly dissuade people from actually RP'ng again. Nothing wrong with the usermade room - it's going along smoothly with the support of the community. We've also tried addressing some of the bickering that goes on with members and overall just hoping for some harmony on the Keep. =]

Thank you everyone.

I don't think I've ever seen you rp in the Arena, but you OOC frequently. Funny.

[-=Styles=-]

Considering I'm in the arena the majority of the time while logged into tK, I can say she doesn't OoC frequently. Or at least as frequently as you wanted that statement to come off as bitter. I've also seen her RP in the arena, as well.

-=Shrugs=-

[Auvic]

I don't think I've ever seen you rp in the Arena, but you OOC frequently. Funny.

More to the point, she doesn't RP as 'Familiar'.
Also, Jester. You owe me some RP. Or something.

[Silent.Kamikaze]

I don't think I've ever seen you rp in the Arena, but you OOC frequently. Funny.

More to the point, she doesn't RP as 'Familiar'.
Also, Jester. You owe me some RP. Or something.

I know which other characters she uses and rp is a rarity for her.
While she doesn't contribute to ooc CONVERSATIONS, she does 'blink' and do other stupid things that are technically ooc.
I am aware she is very dedicated to her characters
Always talking about 'working on them' I'm just saying, for someone promoting IC Only Arena, when I was around, rp was a rare thing for her.

Which I thought was funny.
/endsharingpoint

[Vivi]

Its really to bad each room didn't come with two tabbed 'channels' on the web page, one for OOC one for IC when you entered the room, with a little notification (Like an exclamation point) to alert you when a new post was made in one or the other of the two channels.

I only think this due to the seemingly fairly good progress of the arena ooc room, but actually coding this would be a bitch.