Unfair use of moderator permissions

[The Fugitive]

Funny, I have been here over 11 years, played thousands of hours and never have been muted in the game. Maybe  the issue isn't with the game , but a few players who think they have the right to do what ever they want for $15 a month.

[Traveler]

There is no way for a moderator to respond.  They are only enforcing policy.  If they abuse it, then they are no longer moderators.  They, themselves, are moderated by HTC.  The guidelines are established by HTC. 

It’s that policy that I’m questing, perhaps something short of mute could be set up as a tool the Moderator uses to send a pre-canned message to the customer explaining how to get in touch with HTC.  No customer should get muted because they asked a question.

All players have recourse if they feel a moderator is out of line.  We are happy to address these matters.

I think not everyone knows that, perhaps that’s the pre-canned message that the moderator should be sending instead of muting a  customer who’s only crime is not knowing the policy and by the way, where is this policy published for customers to review?

Attempting to communicate with any moderator will result in an instant mute. 

And that’s an anti-customer policy and really does need to be reviewed.

These types of conversations are a distraction to the game. 

Are you kidding me, if all the distracting conversations were muted there would be no one left. 

They are best handled between HTC and the player in question.  We are the only ones who can actually address any issue a player has with a moderator.

Agreed , HTC is the only one that can change the policy of muting a customer for asking a question.  A tool needs to be provided to the moderator so he/she can inform the customer of how to handle his question through proper channels and not automatically mute them.

[pembquist]

It is not matter of hiding the name.  It is a matter of the moderator not being able to say anything to address any situation.  Again, only HTC can address matters concerning the moderators and we are happy to do so.

If the moderators were allowed to interact, it would quickly become a pig piling contest with any number of players happily jumping in on top of the pile.  It would create an untenable situation.

Its funny, this seems so obvious, along the lines of not using a hairdryer in the shower. I didn't even know there were moderators but when the thin skinned and agrieved started complaining this is kind of what I assumed was the case. If it isn't written down on the webpage it should be.

[Traveler]

Funny, I have been here over 11 years, played thousands of hours and never have been muted in the game. Maybe  the issue isn't with the game , but a few players who think they have the right to do what ever they want for $15 a month.

Same here,but I've been here longer.   I just think there should be a better policy to provide better information about the mute policy and how to go about getting an answer to a simple question.  I think a anti-customer policy is well, stupid.

[Oldman731]

perhaps something short of mute could be set up as a tool the Moderator uses to send a pre-canned message to the customer explaining how to get in touch with HTC.

Not a bad idea.

But having mods directly communicate with the mutee IS a bad idea.  It quickly degenerates into a "no I didn't," "yes you did" Monty Python argument.  And as we've seen on these boards for years, mutees never let it drop, they take it as a personal insult on the level of "your mom swims out to the troop ships."

- oldman

[Skuzzy]

A canned message is still going to cause more trouble.  People who get muted tend to be angry, even when they know they deserve it.  No one ever made a good decision when they are angry, regardless of how innocent the comment may be.

A response of any kind will be met with another response and so it goes.

Very rarely will someone say, "Yeah, I deserved it."  When they do, nothing happens.  It is over.  It is the person who wants a confrontation who is never going to be satisfied with any answer they get at that moment.  Nothing good will come of it.

[FLS]

Traveler makes a good point. Even though a message won't fix poor impulse control it will tell new people something they need to know.

[Skuzzy]

Traveler makes a good point. Even though a message won't fix poor impulse control it will tell new people something they need to know.

A message from the HOST, when the mute or warn happens, would be the only way to do this.  It cannot be in response to any contact from the player.

[nooby52]

Traveler makes a good point. Even though a message won't fix poor impulse control it will tell new people something they need to know.

I think everything one needs to know about this game is covered in the rules, which everyone has easy access to. Arguing with The Creator is never a good idea. Read the Rules, play by them, and threads like this won't be necessary. But wait...was this thread really necessary...now, I think not. Just annoying.

[FLS]

A message from the HOST, when the mute or warn happens, would be the only way to do this.  It cannot be in response to any contact from the player.

That's what I was thinking, a brief impersonal message with the mute so the new player who is in control isn't guessing what happened and how to proceed.

[SlipKnt]

A canned message is still going to cause more trouble.  People who get muted tend to be angry, even when they know they deserve it.  No one ever made a good decision when they are angry, regardless of how innocent the comment may be.

A response of any kind will be met with another response and so it goes.

Very rarely will someone say, "Yeah, I deserved it."  When they do, nothing happens.  It is over.  It is the person who wants a confrontation who is never going to be satisfied with any answer they get at that moment.  Nothing good will come of it.

True statement.  Got muted as an entire squad for what seemed like an eternity.  We felt like we were right.  In the end, we realized we were wrong and perhaps we did deserve it. 

I can attest to the fact that HTC doesn't just slap a badge on someone and make them hall monitor.  You apply.  You are screened.  You are trained.  And you are tested before you are given any sort of "power" to do anything in the community.  I learned a ton of things in the past few weeks getting to learn and train for CM staff for FSO.  And I haven't even scratched the surface.  There is way more going on than one may think.

My point is that if you get muted for a few minutes and you feel you were wronged, simply mark the time and shoot an email to HTC. 

Otherwise, I highly recommend you do your "time-out" and move on. Being muted for an hour or whatever it is, is way better than being "grounded" IMHO. 

 
SlipKnoT

[Scca]

Attempting to communicate with any moderator will result in an instant mute.  These types of conversations are a distraction to the game.  They are best handled between HTC and the player in question.  We are the only ones who can actually address any issue a player has with a moderator.

While I agree that "Hey you poopyhead, son of a goat, mod, why did you mute <insert name here> you jerk" said 10 times is a good reason to mute someone, I hope a nicely asked "what did so and so do to get muted?" asked once isn't reason enough for a mute. 

We have plenty of texts messages more distracting than that flying around all night ("DA me NOOB!!!").  Even though they won't answer, one polite inquiry should be reason for a mute.  Were I a mod, I would cut a little slack in that instance.  Keep harping on it, the mute stick would come out 

[bustr]

I will bet most of the newer generation of players are all familiar with MODs from the legions of other games they play. As to a number of our saltier Vets. I suspect given the few individuals complaining in here. They are using any inference to the good of the many to cover their personal peev and experiences with AH moderators while hanging on to this post as long as possible before they get it locked for wasting Skuzzy's time. I'm in awe of Skuzzy at the moment for the amount of time he has given to Traveler so far.

No matter what Hitech gives Traveler and company related to the Moderators, it will never be enough. The fact that an unknown individual holds that much power over their $14.95 worth of happiness is unacceptable to them.

[FLS]

Let's keep it positive in the poor impulse control discussion. 

[Traveler]

I will bet most of the newer generation of players are all familiar with MODs from the legions of other games they play. As to a number of our saltier Vets. I suspect given the few individuals complaining in here. They are using any inference to the good of the many to cover their personal peev and experiences with AH moderators while hanging on to this post as long as possible before they get it locked for wasting Skuzzy's time. I'm in awe of Skuzzy at the moment for the amount of time he has given to Traveler so far.

No matter what Hitech gives Traveler and company related to the Moderators, it will never be enough. The fact that an unknown individual holds that much power over their $14.95 worth of happiness is unacceptable to them.

Your wrong, all I am against is a customer being muted because they asked a question.   I think they should be directed to the proper authority, not muted for asking a question.
I don't even know how one would go about asking a MOD a question anyway, as the id of the mod is not known.    So if you just type in open channel why was memberx muted?  would I guess get one muted.