Suspension/Banning on the forums will get you banned in game.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

So I got officially warned for something for the first time. It was weird and arbitrary since I've made worse posts and they haven't even been removed, but that's beside the point with regards to while I am posting.

In conjunction with this, we have issued you an official warning for [violation category – flaming & trolling]. We have previously attempted to educate you on the type of behavior we expect on our forums. Please be aware that any future violation of our Code of Conduct will result in a temporary suspension of your access to both the ESO forums and the game itself.

I'm not 100% sure I've actually been warned for flaming and trolling previously, so I'm not sure how they could have educated me on it, but also they never respond to my requests for clarification on any of these things. (and I am not combative about it when I ask.)

But the fact that the warning itself feels arbitrary and confuses me isn't the real problem. If I get warned again, I GET BANNED FROM THE ACTUAL GAME.

I have never participated in exploits, cheated, griefed people, harassed people, done anything in game that would make me a bad player. So really, wtf?

DieAlteHexe · August 2014

The thinking behind this is likely that most folks won't give much of a damn if they get suspended from the forums but, ah, the game, that's another thing.

I think it makes sense, really.

As to your particulars, no comment, I've not paid attention to your postings to have an opinion one way or t'other.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

DieAlteHexe wrote: »

The thinking behind this is likely that most folks won't give much of a damn if they get suspended from the forums but, ah, the game, that's another thing.

I think it makes sense, really.

As to your particulars, no comment, I've not paid attention to your postings to have an opinion one way or t'other.

Except that you suspend people to stop them from posting bad things, not to ruin their day (or days, as it were.)

I hate using this fallback, but I pay IRL money for the game, unless I'm breaking the rules, I shouldn't be getting banned.

If they want to ban me from the forums (and really their rules are all over the place and completely arbitrary, so it can be hard to avoid without channeling Barney) fine, that is acceptable.

I am a costumer, however, and have paid for my game time. If I am not causing undue suffering on others with that time or breaking the rules, there is no reason to ban me.

DieAlteHexe · August 2014

Were I you, I'd take it up with CS via email rather than here on the forums. In some places that (using forums to argue discipline) makes matters even worse.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

I have put in a ticket, and it is being escalated.

I also tried to have the mod in question explain more to me, but no response yet. In fact, I never get a response when I ask for clarification on why a post is removed, just a standard form pm, and complete silence after that,

I'm being serious when I say I don't approach it combatively.

The thing about posting it here is, other people might not know this, and could end up learning the hard way.

I'm not trying to rile people up, so to speak, but the community needs to know if they are banning people in game for forum posts.

Maybe everyone else already knows though, and I am the only one in the dark.

Tabbycat · August 2014

You might want to take a moment to review the Terms of Use that you agreed to when you created your account to play ESO. It may shed some light on your current predicament.

http://www.zenimax.com/legal_terms_us

Most people don't bother to read them and just scroll through to the bottom and click on accept. Links to both the Terms of Use and Code of Conduct are found at the bottom of the forums page under the Support heading.

raglau · August 2014

smeeprocketnub19_ESO wrote: »

I hate using this fallback, but I pay IRL money for the game, unless I'm breaking the rules, I shouldn't be getting banned.

I am not sure how it is elsewhere but in the EU they would not be able to pull that one off. Denial of access to paid for digital content, since June 13th, means you can get a no quibble refund. And, it's a criminal offence in the EU for the supplier not to state at time of purchase constraints around maintaining access to digital content, so you could really throw the book at them.

Additionally, it would be seen as an 'unfair trading measure', because the response is disproportionate; threatening removal of a paid for service for a totally unrelated act.

It would be like BT cutting off my phone line because I swore in their user forums. They would never get away with it if someone dug their heels in here in Europe.

ers101284b14_ESO · August 2014

They warn you that if you break the forum rules you can get banned in game so you made a post about disciplinary action which is also against the forum rules.....Genius

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

Tabbycat wrote: »

You might want to take a moment to review the Terms of Use that you agreed to when you created your account to play ESO. It may shed some light on your current predicament.

http://www.zenimax.com/legal_terms_us

yes, yes, I'm aware they can deny me service for any reason they like. I'm not saying what they are doing is a breach of contract. That's entirely irrelevant.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

They warn you that if you break the forum rules you can get banned in game so you made a post about disciplinary action which is also against the forum rules.....Genius

I didn't realize that was against the forum rules? Really? What is there not a rule for? Shouldn't people be aware that they will ban you in game for forum posts?

Also, I didn't go into details, I'm not disputing the ruling, I'm more like WTF YOU CAN BAN ME FOR FORUM POST STUFF!!!!

nerevarine1138 · August 2014

As mentioned above, this is one of the few ways they have of really enforcing forum rules. The difference here is that in any other forum, most people would be getting suspensions where they're getting warnings, but the moderators here reserve actual bans/suspensions for people who show a total disregard for the forum rules. That way, they actually suffer, since people who are hell-bent on trolling won't care about only being actioned on the forums.

ers101284b14_ESO · August 2014

smeeprocketnub19_ESO wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

They warn you that if you break the forum rules you can get banned in game so you made a post about disciplinary action which is also against the forum rules.....Genius

I didn't realize that was against the forum rules? Really? What is there not a rule for? Shouldn't people be aware that they will ban you in game for forum posts?

Also, I didn't go into details, I'm not disputing the ruling, I'm more like WTF YOU CAN BAN ME FOR FORUM POST STUFF!!!!

Yep its against the rules and they keep warning people. At least these mods give you a lot of chances not to get banned. When i played FF14 I made a joke about the developer Yoshi P and got banned from the forums. If they banned you after the first joke about Zenimax this forum would look like VR10 zones Pre Nerf.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

As mentioned above, this is one of the few ways they have of really enforcing forum rules. The difference here is that in any other forum, most people would be getting suspensions where they're getting warnings, but the moderators here reserve actual bans/suspensions for people who show a total disregard for the forum rules. That way, they actually suffer, since people who are hell-bent on trolling won't care about only being actioned on the forums.

Except my post was timid at best.

I'm not exactly a troll. I am opinionated and outspoken, but I don't go out of my way to try to hurt people or cause them undue grief,

Hey, you know what they could do as a way to enforce forum rules though, I hear tons of mods do it, ban me from the forums.

That's my point, why does the game enter into it?

twev · August 2014

If you weren't on double-secret-probation before, you are now.

Just sayin'.....

My own opinion?
If I'm going to get a speeding ticket, and my car impounded, I want to see that the speed limit is posted before I break a rule.

Good luck.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

smeeprocketnub19_ESO wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

They warn you that if you break the forum rules you can get banned in game so you made a post about disciplinary action which is also against the forum rules.....Genius

I didn't realize that was against the forum rules? Really? What is there not a rule for? Shouldn't people be aware that they will ban you in game for forum posts?

Also, I didn't go into details, I'm not disputing the ruling, I'm more like WTF YOU CAN BAN ME FOR FORUM POST STUFF!!!!

Yep its against the rules and they keep warning people. At least these mods give you a lot of chances not to get banned. When i played FF14 I made a joke about the developer Yoshi P and got banned from the forums. If they banned you after the first joke about Zenimax this forum would look like VR10 zones Pre Nerf.

but don't you have to go into details about the actual administrative action for that? I wasn't banned (or I wouldn't be here) and I'm not arguing getting warned, I'm arguing the rule of banning people in game for forum posts in and of itself.

smeeprocketnub19_ESO · August 2014

twev wrote: »

If you weren't on double-secret-probation before, you are now.

Just sayin'.....

My own opinion?
If I'm going to get a speeding ticket, and my car impounded, I want to see that the speed limit is posted before I break a rule.

Good luck.

yea if every post they've removed of mine was secretly contributing to this warning, I don't know what I can post at all and I don't think they have the rules to cover all the possible infractions. Anytime I PM a mod about administrative action they just ignore me.

DieAlteHexe · August 2014

smeeprocketnub19_ESO wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

smeeprocketnub19_ESO wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

They warn you that if you break the forum rules you can get banned in game so you made a post about disciplinary action which is also against the forum rules.....Genius

I didn't realize that was against the forum rules? Really? What is there not a rule for? Shouldn't people be aware that they will ban you in game for forum posts?

Also, I didn't go into details, I'm not disputing the ruling, I'm more like WTF YOU CAN BAN ME FOR FORUM POST STUFF!!!!

Yep its against the rules and they keep warning people. At least these mods give you a lot of chances not to get banned. When i played FF14 I made a joke about the developer Yoshi P and got banned from the forums. If they banned you after the first joke about Zenimax this forum would look like VR10 zones Pre Nerf.

but don't you have to go into details about the actual administrative action for that? I wasn't banned (or I wouldn't be here) and I'm not arguing getting warned, I'm arguing the rule of banning people in game for forum posts in and of itself.

Again, just banning folks from forums has proven to be worthless. But banning from the game for forum infractions carries a lot more weight.

I think it's splendid. Keeps things at least minimally civilised if folk know they can and will be prevented from playing the game if they act like feral wildebeests on the boards.

Tabbycat · August 2014

I believe this method of discipline has existed since beta. As I do know of a couple people who got in trouble on the forums and were subsequently banned from the game for a certain length of time.

If they made an exception for you, they'd have to make an exception for anyone else who has been banned from the game for the same reason (forum behavior).

To get it changed, they'd have to do a complete review of their entire moderation system. I don't know if they are willing to do that.

ZOS_AlvinM · August 2014

As stated in our Code of Conduct, any questions or concerns about forum moderation, and any appeal to disciplinary actions taken against your account should be submitted to our Customer Support team for review. Please understand that such topics will not be discussed on the forums, even in private message. Additionally, if you feel that there are comments that need a moderator's attention, feel free to report them with the flag icon.

Also, to clarify, being suspended or banned on the forums will not directly affect your game experience. However, it can be taken into consideration should your account come under review for a in game related action from our ToS team.

Thank you for your understanding.