Central Server User Agreement (2)

[JCP]

Okay, here's the Second DRAFT User Agreement for the Central Server.

For convenience, changes are in RED

It attempts to put into writing the guielines for the site, which sort of evolved over time.

The original guidelines were the FAQ and a mandate from Pegasus not to spoil any game secrets and to let players discover as much as possible for themselves. And we always listen to Pegasus, MightyE's beloved wife. Always. :)

I have been reluctant to codify the rules for a long time - I think that written rules encourage loopholes. :( But the Central Server is hosting about 2000 players now, and it's about time.

To encourage debate, I'll post a draft and accept comments. Should a revision be necessary, I'll lock this thread, revise the document, and start the process over again. Not every suggestion will be used, but this is our game - players should have some influence.

[JCP]

LotGD.net Official Codex of Conduct / User Agreement


0. Summary

Don't want to read the whole thing?

a. No circumventing the language filter.
b. Don't give away game secrets. This is a game of exploration, so don't spoil it for everyone. If it's covered in the FAQ, it's free knowledge of course, as well as a few obvious things that were added since the FAQ was written.
c. This is a FAMILY FRIENDLY server. People of all ages play here, so keep that in mind.
d. No URLs in the comments. In bios are okay.
e. Follow the rules at the top of the page (eg. only role-playing in the Garden, only beta stuff in the Beta Pavilion, the others are mostly general.)
f. Listen to the admins and moderators. Disobeying these rules or the spirit behind them could result in you being banned from this server, or account deletion.
That's about it. Accidents and lapses are okay. All of the staff can delete comments, so if one of your posts disappears consider it a warning.

You may want to read the FAQ (in the Village Square.)


1. Introduction to LoGD

Welcome to LotGD.net, the Central Server of Legend of the Green Dragon
(Copyright 2002-2003, Game: Eric Stevens).

Legend of the Green Dragon is an open source game distributed at http://sourceforge.net/projects/lotgd/ . The three official servers run pre-release code, and are used to playtest and game balance additions before release. Other servers are free to modify the source code as the game is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL); however this means that the source code to the game, and all derivatives of the game must remain open and available upon request.

The three official servers are:
a. The Central Server (Beta Server), LotGD.net
b. MightyE's Development Server (Alpha Server), logd.mightye.org
c. Kendaer/Moonchilde's Server, logd.dragoncat.net

All three official servers use as-yet unreleased beta code of the game, which means that there are features on these servers that don't appear anywhere else, and that we're constantly adding to the game, so things change a lot. Speaking of which, this codex may change as well, so check back every so often to see any additions to the rules.

2. Introduction to the Central Server, LotGD.net

As the Central Server, LotGD.net has been designated an an inclusive all-ages, family friendly server, and many of the rules reflect this status.

Please keep in mind that the Central Server is the primary server for the game, and has an added obligation to be as open an environment as possible.

There are many other servers that run this game. Sometimes, those servers can no longer operate (for various reasons) and those players end up at the Central Server, which may hold players to a higher level of conduct than they are used to. It does not matter what went on at another server. All players on the Central Server are held to this high standard.

3. About this Codex

If you play this game, you agree to abide by this codex, just like all the other players. However, this codex represents a minimum level of regulations, and does not contain every possible situation. The management will clarify any issues, but remember that the rules are listed in, but not limited by, this codex. Players are expected to follow the spirit of this codex (to remain inclusive, all-ages, family-friendly, and game-balanced) even when in a situation not covered directly by a written regulation.

4. Game Balance

The management of this game strives for game balance and to keep the game enjoyable for all players. Certain options have been disabled because they give an unfair advantage to some players and not others, i.e. bank transfers.

a. Multiple Character Cheating

Players are allowed to have multiple characters, provided that the characters do NOT interact. In other words, a player cannot refer via the lodge, set bounties on, or attack their own characters. The management may restrict the number of characters players may have in order to effectively monitor Multiple Character Cheating.

5. Game Secrets

LotGD is an adventure game that encourages exploring. To that end, players are encouraged to discover many of the events of the game for themselves, and not to reveal them to other players. Repeated requests to obtain this information will be considered disruptive.

These "secrets" include, but are not limited to:

a. Colors
b. Creatures at the Stables
c. Special Events in the Forest
d. What happens when you face the Dragon

Occasionally, some "secrets" may need to be discussed (i.e. to resolve bug reports or game balancing issues), but such discussions should be held in appropriate forums (beta commentary, petitions, Ye Olde Mail, etc.) and not where they could be considered "spoilers".

6. Language Filter

This game contains a language filter that turns many words commonly considered offensive to symbols (#$!#). This is a warning to the player to choose a different word. Trying to bypass the filter in any manner is considered in violation of the rules.

a. The filter is overly aggressive, and uses character swaps to automatically filter common ways to bypass the filter. This may result in common, non-offensive words being filtered, like p-i-z-z-a or d-i-c-e. Choose different words, and do not bypass the filter - this is a violation, even for non-offensive words.

b. The filter cannot catch every single offensive word. Even if a word is accepted by the filter, it may be considered offensive and in violation of the rules.

7. Offensive Language / Material

Offensive is a broad term, but you should know what is generally considered offensive on an all-ages, family friendly server. If you are unsure or if there is a question, the opinion of the management staff is the opinion that matters. This includes any messages or material that are ethnically, racially, religiously, politically, or sexually offensive, insulting, or demeaning, as well as any messages that are slanderous, harassing, or threatening to others. In addition, while we encourage constructive debate, non-constructive negative comments may be inappropriate.

a. Character names or titles considered offensive are not allowed.


b. Ye Olde Mail is generally considered a private discussion between consenting adults, and is not regulated by management. However, should a player complain to management about receiving offensive or harrassing Ye Olde Mail, then the general rules for the server apply. This regulation is meant to allow friends to communicate freely, and for management to create a safe atmosphere for all players.

c. Clan comment boards are "opt-in" discussions and are self-moderated by the original clans. If you disagree with or are uncomfortable with the discussions on clan comment boards, please leave the clan. That being said, extreme cases of inappropriate comments in clan comments may be acted upon by management, especially if asked to intervene by clan leadership.



8. Language

This is an English speaking server.

a. Please do not write comments in non-english languages. While the management may know more than one language, they certainly do not know them all. To make sure that the management can properly review the comments, all comments must be written in english. There's a small amount of leeway here. Helping a non-english native speaker find the right word, or a comment or two that's easily translated is not the same as a private discussion.

b. "IM"- or "AOL"-speak (when u r rite like this r sumthing 2 this effect) may be faster to type, but it is very difficult to read. "L33t"-speak may not be faster to type, but it's also difficult to read. Please try to spell out words in comments.

c. Netspeak shortcuts (lol, , brb) are allowed, in moderation. Note that these are generally acronyms or smilies, which are not difficult to read. Yes, there is a fine distinction between "b" and "c" - if you can't figure out the difference then you're better off typing out everything.

d. Yes, the "drunken slurring" effect of drinking too much ale does operate in violation of the "keep everything easier to read" edict. It's an official exemption. Think of it as our way of showing the negative effects of alcohol as a public education service. :)

e. Some comment boards have specific topics, such as role playing in the Garden or game balance in the Beta Pavillion. Please keep the commentary on topic. In addition, the Village Square is intended to be a public place, and not for private events or conversations. We acknowledge that sometimes conversations start off on topic and sometimes end up somewhere else. If asked by another player or management, please move the conversation to the appropriate comment board, to Ye Olde Mail, or to some other media outside of the game.

9. Advertising

There is a link on the log-in page (LoGD Net) that lists other servers running LotGD games. Do not advertise them in the commentaries. Don't use the commentaries to promote other sites, even your personal web pages. You may list any non-offensive or legal urls in your bio, available on the preference page. Any links to offensive or illegal material or sites is a violation of the rules.


Do not send unsolicited Ye Olde Mail to advertise anything either - especially other servers. Should a player request the information, then replying is permitted.


10. Disruptive Players

The management wishes to provide all players with an enjoyable gaming experience. Disruptive behavior ruins that experience and is not allowed. Disruptive behavior is sometimes obvious, and sometimes up to the subjective opinions of other players and/or management. If another player thinks you are being disruptive enough that they take the time to tell you to stop or file a petition against you, then that's usually too disruptive.

11. Enforcement

Violations of the rules of conduct can result in warnings, comment deletions, bans, and account deletions, depending on the nature and severity of the offense. Typically, accidental or one time violations are considered minor and may receive warnings, while blatant or repeated violations are considered severe and will earn more severe punishments. The management reserves the right to delete any commentary or ban any player at our sole discretion. (Sorry, but it may be necessary.)

Management consists of moderators (regular players with commentary monitoring abilities) and admins/jr admins (superusers with editor access). In addition, some admins (i.e. MightyE and Kendaer) have access to the active source code.

While the management will enforce these rules officially, it is hoped that not only will all players follow these rules, but will endeavor to help others follow these rules as well.


12. Authority and Disputes

Please cooperate with management (moderators and admins/ jr admins) as they interpret and enforce these rules and the spirit behind them (to be inclusive all-ages, family friendly, and game-balanced).

Disputes and disagreements with the actions of management can be taken up by filing a petition or sending a Ye Olde Mail to JCP, the Admin of the Central Server. JCP is in charge of the daily management of this site and acts as a designee of MightyE.

13. COPA

In accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm), players age 13 or below are expressly forbidden to give out their age or personal information to anyone on the site. This server does not collect personal information from players (except for those applying to be management, and no one age 13 or below will be accepted for a management position) and we want to be as safe as possible for everyone.

[Kether Rowan]

Stamp it, keep it, looks to be everything we need.

[neXus]

I'd say the part about the clan halls needs more work. Clan boards and clan descriptions should be under the same rules as everywhere else - technically, they're still public forums, and as the hosting party, we'd be ultimately responsible for the content there.

[JCP]

OK, just got this wording from another user agreement regarding the children stuff:

Special Note about Children

Consistent with the Federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, [Lotgd.net] will not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of thirteen without first obtaining parental consent. Children should always get permission from their parents before sending any information about themselves (such as their names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers) over the Internet, to us or to anyone else.

Maybe that language is something we can work with. :)

[Angul]

Beautiful JCP just beautiful.

[lonestrider]

Might I suggest one small consideration en regards to Language (by no means a revision). Many times there are "Character specific languages" used to enhance the game. i.e. Someone using Elvish, Drow or Sylvian to enhance their role-play. Perhaps this should all fall under Admin discretion, but what are you thoughts on that?

[JCP]

My thoughts are that the enchantments over the village magically translate all words to enable everyone -even trolls- to understand.

That said, if a translation is provided, other languages can be used. But the translation must be there.

[Sneakabout]

Thank goodness the Troll language is translated, as their communication is composed of the rhythmic hitting of each other over the head with large stones. I tell you, that spell when I was Ambassador to the Troll nation didn't leave me quite the same... ;>

[Talisman]

In fact, I understand you've been somewhat improved by that experience :shock: :?

[Vladimir]

I'd say the part about the clan halls needs more work.

Agreed... I'm going to be nitpicking here... Please bear with me...

Clan boards and clan descriptions should be under the same rules as everywhere else - technically, they're still public forums, and as the hosting party, we'd be ultimately responsible for the content there.

Hmmm... Yes and no...

I agree that the Clan Leaders have the responsibility to assist the Game administrators. They frequent their Clan halls far more often than the Administrators/superusers do, and they will usually learn about violations before the Administrators. Clan leaders should be obligated to report any violations to the Admin.

My disagreement is about portion 5) Discussing secrets.

I am a Clan leader for The "Hammer's Slammers" clan on the Dragoncat server. That clan was specifically created to discuss tips and tricks on how to improve player performance. Until a few minutes ago, I did not realize that this could be considered a violation of the "Discussing Secrets" portion of this agreement. Please accept my apologies. :oops:

Speaking in my own defense, however, I would like to point out that the Slammers Clan only accepts members who have slain the Dragon at least 3 times. By that point, new players have already discovered many if not most of the "game secrets" for themselves.

My question is this: Should *experienced* players be allowed to discuss "game secrets" in a semi-private or Private manner? If a Clan only accepts members who have been playing for a while, should they be allowed to share their experiences with their clanmates?

Please accept my apologies for the Nitpicking... I am currently representing myself in a Divorce, and I am constantly being frustrated by legal rules that have no bearing on my particular situation... and the Lawyer who is representing my soon-to-be-ex is using every trick in the book to try to screw me over. :cry: My best chance for a fair resolution is the fact that the Judge has, by law, a lot of leeway when making his decisions.

My suggestion: You should clearly state that the Administrators of the games, and in particular, the owners of the various servers, have a right to Veto any or all parts of this agreement for their own particular server... Their Server, their rules!

Make it clear now, and you will be able to avoid complaints in the future.

Vladimir.

---Good Gads... Is this a Constitutional Convention, or just a fun Passtime?---

[Booger]

the first line in the first post:

"Okay, here's the Second DRAFT User Agreement for the Central Server."

this is the draft for the user agreement for the central server. to my understanding it doesn't cover any other servers including alpha and dragoncat.

[Sneakabout]

Some of the rules are certainly different on Dragoncat...

[JCP]

Should this user agreement thing ever go into place, it will affect the Central Server.

I'm not sure it will even be distributed, let alone apply to other servers.

The "Central Server" is mentioned several times to stress the scope of the agreement.

It certainly does not apply to Dragoncat.

[JCP]

Just a reply to get you to look at this again.

Any other suggestions?

I think I can add some detail about how we treat clan chat, but is there anything else?

[Deimos]

I can't think of anything. Maybe something about spamming/scrolling? It might fit under "disruptive," but I didn't notice it being addressed.

[Hostillius]

Could you please elaborate on the spoiler issue within the bounds of the clan hall? I was under the impression that one of the distinct advantages of clan membership was getting advice and information from more experienced players.

For example, my fellow clan members ask questions about mounts (cost, etc.) much more often now that they cannot see them in the stables all the time. Is it acceptable to answer these questions?

Thanks.

Ooops, I just noticed that this was an OLD topic. Sorry, I have been away from the forums for a while.

[JCP]

Could you please elaborate on the spoiler issue within the bounds of the clan hall? I was under the impression that one of the distinct advantages of clan membership was getting advice and information from more experienced players.

For example, my fellow clan members ask questions about mounts (cost, etc.) much more often now that they cannot see them in the stables all the time. Is it acceptable to answer these questions?

Thanks.

Ooops, I just noticed that this was an OLD topic. Sorry, I have been away from the forums for a while.

Clan halls are not a public area and it is up to the individual clans to set policy on this.

Keep in mind that whenever I see a secret posted I will review the settings to see if they need adjusting.

Oh, and also remember that most of the "game secrets" I've seen posted in clan halls and message boards are outdated and wrong.