~The RK Censors Thread~

I think another part of the problem may be the nature of the game.

International.

Multiple languages.

How many times have you tried to translate something from one language into another only to have the translation in your native language turn into nonsense.

I'm certain that 99% of the time, the post, in the players native language is very eloquent and well written.
But when translated into another language is complete garbage.

It can cause two things.

The post to be misunderstood and the writer to look like an imbecile.


As much as Evan would like to move to Russia at times and take part in some "flirtmance" over there it's a total waste of time because of the language barrier.

I for one would welcome a space where players and mods could get together and discuss things. I believe that once it was tried to have a thread in the Luminarium to discuss certain matters, but it had to be closed down because it essentially turned into a great big cat fight. I was extremely sorry to see that a good idea was destroyed by one or two people who were unable to have a civil discussion. And it is a small minority that ruin it (and I am thinking of both sides when I say this) and that is the great pity. There are also a lot of players who don't understand the difference between the moderators, forum admins and game admins. This means that moderators are often blamed for things out of their control. I once got a letter asking me if I was happy that I had eradicated an 11 year old girl who was critically ill!

Lordflynn, you are right, mods are expected to be neutral and try to do that most of the time, but mods are also human and make mistakes or miss things sometimes. This is where a small thing can get blown out of proportion. This is one of the reasons why we ask for players to send us a PM if they think something has been done unfairly. Many a time someone has sent me a PM about something and I have either been in the process of fixing it, or I have genuinely missed it and am grateful for the heads up (and this can be as simple a thing as a request to move a thread to another area).

I sincerely wish that the mods and players could work together to make RK a fun place again, who knows maybe we can do that?

Maybe, as part of a "grievance procedure" there could be a forum set up for players with a grievance to talk things over with the mods involved? I don't know if that would work because it might turn into big broohaha, but it might be a step in the right direction.

I guess it is hard for me because I see things from both perspectives and I am a natural peacemaker

Oh and Anto, yes you were a great big meanie to me (not true of course, you have never once encountered my critter, I know better haha )


Evan you are right in what you say about translations, many people here, including myself have English as a second language. Language proficiencies do differ and that can lead to misunderstandings too. Also don't forget, there are some people who use the internet who just enjoy being obnoxious (internet trolls - talking generally and not specifically here).

Bekah wrote:

I guess it is hard for me because I see things from both perspectives and I am a natural peacemaker

I think this is exactly why you are perfect for the job. A neutral peacemaker is exactly what is needed.

I think there really is something to the idea of stripping censors of their animal skins. Eliminating anonymity could only be good. It would provide the accountability that is so desperately needed. Likewise, it would remove the curtain that makes it easy to forget that the mods are players too. Personally, I feel a little squicky thinking that I was rude to a censor that is actually a player that I like (looking at you Bekah! ). In that same vein, maybe the censors would be a little more cautious with their rudeness if we could see who they were.

I have always thought masks are kind of moot/dumb in a game where our characters are essentially 'masks'. Critter skins would def fall under the category of "masks".

You know what would also be helpful? A list of words we can't say/write. Sometimes I feel like censors make shit up regarding what is acceptable OR just pick on people/groups they don't like (see exhibit a: anto and "friggin"). Or, they could just play that George Carlin bit. You know, the 7 words we can't say on television?

Lol Toasti, I have to say, there has been some debate about publishing the list of proscribed words, but in doing that, the mods would be breaking the rules, catch-22 anyone? I have to say that when I first read the list, I learned quite a few new words People can be very creative haha. On a personal note, I think that is it much more fun using words that are allowed but can be far more insulting :

"Thou pestilent prick-eared moldwarp!"

"Thou mewling hag-born miscreant!"

"Thou impertinent puisny-tilted maggot-pie!"

"Thou surly knotty-pated incontinent varlet!"

All of these can be used at will and with impunity (except for any possible reaction from the insultee of course). Try some yourself : http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/a2-shakespeare-insult-generator.htm they are great


It is very hard to see flare ups like have happened recently with Daub when I know that they could have been avoided if only everyone knew that they were being listened to and that they had a say in the matter.

Thank you that compliment Bekah.
I do understand that Mods a real people with real feelings.
However, when a Mod starts to show a bias (not once but several times) towards a person then it is time to question their capabilities to continue as a Mod.

It does seem that the RK Mods do not discuss amongst themselves everything though.

A player wrote Cheetah about Daub and the removal of posts, and the reply they received back was that there would be 'no bans'.

A few minutes later....Daub was `banned`!

And again that is the problem. Only admins can ban people, mods can't. Cheetah is an Admin, so it was an admin communication breakdown and not a mod mistake, yet the mods get the blame - understandably so too.

You're awesome Bekah! Yeah, it's all nutters thankfully there are, even if it is a small minority, some that still have their wits about them. Honestly, I'm not gonna even bother anymore myself with the forum...almost regretting doing the council thing and it's not even started yet. Not feeling it anymore at all.

JDW wrote:

Isn't that against RK Forum Rules? And isn't that a member of the game Admin?

Why do I suspect that post won't get censored?

Yeah, looks like the game admins are totally exempt from the rules

Gotta love the old double standard

Aoife wrote:

JDW wrote:

Isn't that against RK Forum Rules? And isn't that a member of the game Admin?

Why do I suspect that post won't get censored?

where?

It was at Babel Tower in the thread about RK Meme's. Around page 5 or 6, I think. i know a few other admins and censors posted after it.

JDW wrote:

Posting this in Babel.

Roxxane, I am pretty sure you just won the internet with that post!
+'d

Except it was JDW not LJS?

Funny though.

Only admins can moderate babel tower, so that is very funny lol

Fitz - I did screw that up but after I made it I decided it would be okay because it would look less like I was attacking him??? Internet Fail!!! :-)

JDW wrote:

@Roxxane : Words should not be banned, insults are. We have nothing agaisnt strong language when it's used correctly (like when you RP a vilain or a particulary upset character in the middle of a battle). Fyi, gross words are forbidden on the TV for children under 12, in France. The fact is most people use them to hurt someone, that's the thing we do not accept.
I also know that every country have their own rules, that's why we have an admin and censors for every country, and that they are allowed to set their own rules.

Heads will roll...

"nothing against strong language when used correctly"???

I am fairly certain I always use 'fuck' correctly.

ahlia wrote:

JDW wrote:

@Roxxane : Words should not be banned, insults are. We have nothing agaisnt strong language when it's used correctly (like when you RP a vilain or a particulary upset character in the middle of a battle). Fyi, gross words are forbidden on the TV for children under 12, in France. The fact is most people use them to hurt someone, that's the thing we do not accept.
I also know that every country have their own rules, that's why we have an admin and censors for every country, and that they are allowed to set their own rules.

Heads will roll...

New guidance for the admins!!!

Toasti Jen wrote:

I am fairly certain I always use 'fuck' correctly.

Thats the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

Toasti Jen wrote:

"nothing against strong language when used correctly"???

I am fairly certain I always use 'fuck' correctly.

That has so totally given me the gigglefits. Especially because I was thinking exactly the same thing

omg Roxxane you are fucking awesome!.

We just got quotable shit from above the censors we can now use xD

bla bla bla

{Maine_Coon} wrote:

Anto player,
the following post was removed from
St. Francesca's Academy: Classes We Would Like To See 101

anto_capone wrote:

Quote :

MC likes this thread and enjoys the inventiveness, but doesn't like seeing it used to take cheap shots at other characters.

"How to be humorless while attempting to assert imaginary authority" - {Maine_Coon}

That better?

because it contravened Rule 10

Quote :

Rule 10: Protesting Administration or Moderator Actions

Game owner mandate prohibits the use of the forums to protest or criticize any moderation by the moderators or any administrative action taken against players by Forum or Game administration. Constructive critique and discussion of the Game developers' changes or additions to the game is allowed in The RK Game Discussion forum only. Please note: your consent upon registering for this forum granted your acceptance of the following:

Quote:
You agree that the webmaster, administrator and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time should they see fit.


Notes:
Complaints about Administrative or Moderator action must be made by private message and follow the Complaint process laid out in Rule 8.
Moderator identities are not to be discussed for any reason in a thread. If there is an issue relating to moderator identity it can be forwarded to a forum administrator by a private message only.

Just to be absolutely clear it was not removed because you decided to take a cheap shot at me.

As for for the reason the comment was made, I edited a post that contravened the following:

Quote :

There seems to be a growing trend to criticise other posters words, on the basis that people can't understand them. This could be because they are written in dialect or are written by non native English speakers (with or without the "help" of a program like Google translate).

To clarify what is acceptable in forum:

If someone chooses to write English in a regional dialect that is perfectly acceptable in RP. If it is a very strong dialect then it would be courteous to provide a translation, but there is no requirement to do so.

As a character if you can't understand their accent then it is fine to RP that it is too strong for you to understand and proceed on that basis of non-comprehension.

As a player, if it is important to you to understand for your own RP purposes then please pm the author and ask for a translation or RP asking them to speak slower or clearer etc.

If you don't understand a post because it is a poor translation or obviously written by a non-fluent English speaker, then it is not acceptable to comment in RP, you are not talking in character but as a player.

All such comments will be treated as OOC and removed, (obviously if a character says in RP they are a foreigner and that is why their English is fractured, you can RP on that basis, but if they are playing a native Irishman/woman that would not be the case).

I do not believe it is cool, clever or acceptable to mock a player's English, whatever you think of the character. RK has enough problems retaining players without mocking those who do not have English as a first language.You may complain to Forum Admin about my attitude but as far as I am concerned it is a cheap shot, bigoted and unacceptable. The person whose post I edited understood the reason for the edit. I am sorry that you do not.

Maine Coon

What a tool lol

That cat needs to chill, if that is considered a pot shot ... well, I have taken worse is all I can say and over stuff I didn't even know was happening lol!