Scootaloo
- D
-
Content Count
1189 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
53
Posts posted by Scootaloo
-
-
Well boys and girls, here we go with yet ANOTHER thread about how we should be treating each other. I thought my last post about this very subject would have been enough to set the guidelines, but apparently I was wrong.
Back in May, I post a PSA about how the upper staff were going to be handling complaints about other members in our clan. If you are unfamiliar with that thread, or if you need a refresher, you can read about it here: Psa: There Is To Be A Change To How We Handle Complaints.
In the last thread, we addressed many issues in hopes of bringing the levels of drama down to a minimum. The biggest issue we were facing was that our members were, for whatever reason, incapable of communicating with each other in order to work out little issues, as to prevent them from snowballing into big issues. The tl;dr of it was that it was expected that if a problem were to arise, you would work it out with the person you're having issues with, that way the upper staff wouldn't have to hold hands and babysit our members when a small conflict became an issue.
Obviously, this measure has failed entirely. I'm quite frankly baffled at the stupid, inane bullshit that we are having to pander to, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it. I tried being nice and being helpful, giving friendly reminders to play fairly, but if it isn't going to get results, I'll have to take a harsher course of action instead.
For the most part, we are all adults here. Some of us are not quite there yet, but I feel that in this clan, we hold a very high sense of responsibility and respect here, to a certain degree, that we expect everyone to stand up to. As adults, there is absolutely NO REASON why we should be unable to work things out with each other, or ensure that we just ignore each other if a solution cannot be met.
Without naming names, I can attest that there is still a LARGE issue with drama and talking behind others' backs. @Ohstopyou, @kbraszzz, and myself were ankle deep in it last night, and literally EVERY SINGLE ISSUE that was presented to us could have been solved if the people involved had talked with one another instead of complaining about each other to other members behind each others' backs. Really? This is what we are STILL struggling with? THESE are the problems we are making for each other?
I'm honestly at a loss for words. I honestly have no idea what the next measure should be. All I know is that all this unnecessary drama is creating a rift in our clan, and if we don't find a way to squash it, it will tear us apart. I graduated high school nearly ten years ago. I shouldn't have to put up with this.
In the end, we are a TEAM. ALL of us. Whether you like someone on your team or not, you are expected to maintain a level of respect and communication with your teammates. Personal feelings be damned. I don't give a rat's ass who likes who or who hates who. If you're going to be a part of my moderation staff, you will treat each other with respect and dignity, not go behind each other's backs to spread rumors and speak ill of each other.
So, effective immediately, I'm just NOT going to deal with it anymore. My higher up staff is NOT going to deal with it anymore. Nothing nice to say? Don't say anything at all. Dislike someone? Ignore them and stay away from them. Keep your opinions to yourself and don't spread toxicity to each other. Don't speak ill of people who cannot be there to defend themselves, and don't be an asshole when you're trying to talk to each other. Be mindful in the fact that context is a VERY real thing, and when we have multiple people saying multiple things that are taken out of context, it creates HUGE problems. Escalating these petty issues to the higher-ups when it has nothing to do with our clan can and will result in punishment for all parties involved. If we honestly cannot deal with each other in a respectable way, I don't feel you deserve a place on my staff.
I would like everyone to, effective immediately, begin treating your staff position like a job, because for all intents and purposes, that's what it is. This is a job minus the pay. And while you are here, performing your duties, you are expected to handle yourself in a respectful and responsible manner. If you went into a place of business, started a bunch of unnecessary drama with a coworker, then took your personal issues to your management, their reaction would be "Get it together and handle your issues, or you can look for a different employer." We are NOT here to be guidance counselors. We are NOT here to play mediator. We are here to make sure our staff does what is expected of them and ensure our game servers are being moderated.
If you have beef with a member, fix it. I'm done putting up with this. If you can't fix it, ignore the people you have problems with. If issues continue to be issues, your staff position will then be at stake, whether or not you feel you are the cause of the problem. If you can't keep your personal life out of the work place, we will replace you.
To everyone who was involved with the issue last night, and you know who you are, I suggest you work it out pronto. I will not be naming names, but you will all be tagged in a conversation shortly after this post goes live. You're all capable of rational discussion. I suggest and expect that you fix the problems. I'd hate to have to let any of you go because you can't work as a team. There is to be a conversation held to give you guys one last chance to solve these problems, because after the conversation, if I still see the issues that are being complained about, I am going to lose it.
To address another problem that was presented last night, let's talk about Promo/Demos. I have no idea why this became an issue in the first place, but I'm just going to be very blunt to get my point across: If ANYBODY is threatening another user with a demotion in order to make them feel bad, that individual is going to face immediate removal of their staff position. This is absolutely unacceptable, ESPECIALLY since the only people who need be concerned with Promos and Demos are the active DMs and DLs, and our DMs and DLs will NOT be discussing the promos and demos with anybody until after the information has been made public. Obviously, we will still be taking the opinions of our staff into consideration, but the final decision lies with us. We will be reporting our Promos/Demos directly to Kbraszzz or Hiding, and Kbraszzz/Hiding will be the only person(s) who knows that information. Outside of those individuals, it is NOBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS. Mods have no say in Promos/Demos. Admins have no say in Promos/Demos. If you hear about someone getting a promo or a demo, whoever told it to you is a liar. So DO. NOT. USE. IT. AGAINST. ANYONE. It is grounds for an immediate demotion, as it is a SUPER shitty thing to do.
I hope this clarifies where we stand on the issues. At this point, I can't make you all get along, but I CAN dictate how much we are going to be tolerant of. I'm done. My staff is done. And we will not be putting up with it any longer. If you can't be adult enough to work out your issues, I can't bring myself to keep you a member of my staff.
Hardass mode has been engaged. I don't want to resort to this, but at the same time, I shouldn't have to.
EDIT: Just to clarify, I have NO PLANS on taking any sort of disciplinary action against ANYONE who was involved in the events last night. Nobody has any consequences they need to fear. Just know if it is STILL an issue after this post, THEN we will be having problems. I also don't want anyone thinking that we don't care what our staff has to say. Obviously, your input is an integral part of how we manage the system. We will continue to touch base with you all on various things. I don't want anyone to think we are being inclusive of you guys, as that's not what this thread is addressing.
-
There's been plenty vouches already, and due to the reason Dethman had to leave, the DMs and DLs are in unanimous agreement that his membership should be restored.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have been accepted to join Xeno Gamers!
To begin your membership, familiarize yourself with our rules listed here. This is highly important and knowing these rules will keep you safe from bans!
Want to get Moderator?
There are a few ways to earn admin!
1. Be active on TeamSpeak! To download TeamSpeak click here and then click 'Download Here' and download the appropriate client for your OS. Then just install, follow the 'Easy Setup' guide, and finally, click 'Connections' and 'Connect' and enter 'voice.xenogamers.com' in the 'Server Address' field.
2. Be active on the forums! This is one of the best ways to get your voice heard in Xeno Gamers!
3. Be active on the servers! This shows that you are committed to the clan!
For a server list, click here.
Come check out our staff list to see who is who on the servers, click here or here.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY!
Welcome back, bby. <3
-
User will not be unbanned from CT. Mona Pizza or RIP.
Thread closed.
-
Sorry m8o. If you don't have any proof of your actions that justify your claims, you are to be held accountable. =(
-
-
I almost just wanna say "Fudge it, welcome back."
If anyone has a problem with that, here's my +1. :D
-
User has been permanently banned for the use of multiple hacks. If he wishes to protest the ban, he can do so in the typical way.
Thread closed.
-
Hey @metalslug53 or @Ohstopyou close the thread been a month,I'll try in janurary.Can do. Maybe next time. =(
Tsuchikure reacted to this -
I can respect your responses. Seems like we are basically on the same page about most everything. Your understanding and my understanding of what's going on seem to be on the same eye level, just at different perspectives.
Now all we need to do is acknowledge the problems addressed, vow to work to fix them, and just move forward. ^-^
-
As to stay true to my word, thread is now closed.
I would like to depart with one final comment. Lots of fingers pointed, lots of allegations, and lots of heated tension. But that all aside, I do wish to commend you guys for actually handling yourselves in a respectable, mature way. This is one of those kinds of posts that could EASILY degrade into shitposting, but it didn't. Today, I'm proud of how my clan presented themselves.
I have also had plenty of time to think things over. I've been able to weigh the pros and the cons of the situation and take a good, hard look at everything presented thus far. I was able to take a break from the computer, stayed away from the clan for a whole night, and gave it some time to let the passionate feelings die away. After giving it a break and relooking at this, I am honestly still torn.
On the one hand, we have Matsi's well-documented problems from what seems to be forever ago. We have documented evidence of his attitude problem as of late, and we have many testimonies about how he has presented himself in representation of this clan.
But a VERY valid point was raised when the question was asked: "Has anyone ever actually TALKED to him." That question really got my gears turning, because I can honestly say that with a few exceptions, I haven't actually sat down and talked to Matsi about ANY of this. I did two nights ago, but the conversation was very brief and didn't even scrape the surface of what was presented in this thread.
It seems to me that it'd be almost unfair to expect someone to self-correct problems that aren't being addressed. True, there have been past behaviors exhibited that definitely should NOT have been even given a second thought, but how can I as a leader of this clan rightly punish someone if they never had a set course of clear changes that were expected to be made?
I am aware that many problems have been discussed with Matsi, but I am also seeing that not every problem was approached. I am still levying the pros and cons of having Matsi as a staff member. From what I can tell anyways, he is active, upholds the server rules, and is quick to take care of offenders. But I can't attest to that, because any time there is an issue in the servers, it's either dealt with before I arrive or after I leave.
So, what I am saying is I personally am still weighing the evidence to decide if I feel like Matsi is staff material. But do I think he should lose his membership over this? I mean, I've heard WAY worse things come out of the mouths of some of our other members, but there is the issue of these subjects being brought up in servers with young people present.
I'm changing my +1 for removal of membership to a neutral stance. You guys be the ones to decide if you want him in our clan and I will support it. I have to conclude whether he is staff material or not, and that discussion will be held with Ohstopyou, Moosty, and Rejects.
@Matsi, I do wish to apologize for getting so upset. I was pretty mad when I heard of some of your past actions, but I didn't take the time to consider how long ago they happened or how serious they really were. I was just angry and I lashed out. I told you I was going to do my best to find a suitable compromise to the problems at hand, and this is me holding up my end of that bargain. Hope you don't hate me for having to do my job. T.T
Tsuchikure and Egossi reacted to this -
I will keep the thread open for another hour and forty minutes to allow any other final comments to be made. (Thread closes at 5:00pm MST.)
As Vector said, the majority of our views have been stated and there is very little left to add. The companion thread will remain open for the remainder of the evening for any members who have not already been able to give their decision. Please note that in no way does that thread indicate Matsi's fate. It is simply a way the higher ups can track everyone's view on the matter. Also keep in mind that this is a Member Protest, not a ban Request. Matsi is not being banned AFAIK. (That would be a CL decision, but I see no reason why he would be banned.)
-
Also, @Chrono, please understand that I am not trying to feed personal attacks against you or anything. I'm simply offering my observations on the issues I see. You've been here forever and definitely know your way around the block. Just want to offer what I see as potential improvement points.
-
@Snackbar, if the issue Chrono predominantly had was inclusion to discussions, I can understand where he is coming from. Seems to me he is upset because those discussions can easily be done in a way that everyone is included. We've already touched on that, and an appropriate solution has been presented.
From my experience, you are great at conveying ideas and concerns. I don't see it as an issue. I don't think anyone does. But when we have someone miss big discussions it is best to accommodate.
-
As Moosty said above, the way TF2 does their promo/demo discussion is in a forum conversation. We begin such discussions at the beginning of the week, talk the out over the course of the week. This gives ample time for anyone who may not be a daily active staff member to still read the discussed promotions and demotions and weigh in with their two cents. If it isn't already being done, I'd say that's what you guys should do. Snackbar, that means no more deliberation on TS and making sure that everyone is involved. I saw you already commented that this will be the norm here on out, so I don't rightly feel that this is an issue.
The issue I DO want to address is how Chrono has chosen to address these problems.
Issue #1: If you have an issue with another higher up, under NO circumstances are you to publicly air your laundry. We have an Admin forum for a reason. Trying to press an issue with a higher up in a place such as the Matsi thread is not only bad tact, it's incredibly undermining to your supervisors. Henceforth, if we have staff discussions, they should and are expected to be kept to this forum.
Issue #2: Closing high-profile threads that you deem "Unnecessary" or "Irrelevant". No. Absolutely not. Sure, your job is to forum moderate, as is the job of EVERY DM, DL, and CL. But choosing to close a thread simply because you feel it has no merit or relevance is not a good way to hear what the community has to say on a matter. In the end, you represent this community as a whole. We all know that CLs have the final say and judgment in cases such as Member Protests, but closing threads to prohibit the community from voicing their opinions is censorship, and quite frankly, in no way in the community's best interest. Obviously that thread was overseen by ALL of our staff. Obviously it was left open by everyone with the exception of yourself. And obviously it was REOPENED by a CL, because it was deemed relevant to our clans interest. Simply taking the attitude of "I can open and close any gosh darn thread that I see fit in my duty as a forum moderator to open/close." without even considering the magnitude is shallow and single-minded. Try and be more open to what the community's needs are before making such decisions in the future.
Issue #3: As far as the tags thing goes....that's honestly an issue? Change your damn tags. Issues with the tag system or not, it's in place for a reason. We all have qualms about the tags in our names, but we wear them because that's the designated system. Add the damn M and stop making such a big deal out of it.
Issue #4: My biggest issue. And I feel this is the one that needs to change IMMEDIATELY.
"I never said it was cool, I don't like it. but it's the internet, and even though we allow 16 year olds in, all of our game servers are on M rated games meaning 17+ and as such you should expect the internet to be the internet. things you dont like or want to hear come up and people express themselves and their lifestyle a little more freely."
You seem to be under the justification that because we play M rated games, offensive material is somehow acceptable from our staff. Let me reiterate that point: FROM OUR STAFF. In no way, shape, or form should ANY of our staff be discussing illicit things while moderating our servers. EVER. This mindset is a very damaging, toxic mindset to have. While we are here, we are essentially at work. If I was a manager at a place of business, and one of my employees were actively discussing things of sexual nature with my patrons, that employee would not be an employee for much longer. Yes, the Internet will be the Internet. Yes, offensive things will be said. Yes, we will have to deal with those things when they happen. That doesnot give our staff the excuse to add to it.
This clan needs a sense of reform. Our administration needs to take a much more professional attitude when handling and presenting ourselves in our servers. I don't care WHAT or WHO is present...at all times, a sense of professionalism is an absolute must. Saying "It's okay, it's an M rated game. It should be expected!" is NOT a valid excuse.
It would seem that we all have some changes to make. I'd suggest looking at the aforementioned issues addressing those, to start. Snackbar is new to this, and he will make mistakes. Don't expect him to be perfect. Be active, shape things up, and let's run this clan like it deserves to be run, mkay?
-
-
It would seem that the evidence of his unwelcome sexual conversation pieces is pretty overwhelming. The comments made, the topics of conversation, the sexual context....bad enough if it's done in the closed environment of Teamspeak or something, but actively discussing things of this matter on the forums, and even worse, in our servers, is something that I feel should definitely NOT be coming from our staff.
Hell, even in comfortable settings around people you are very friendly towards, you have to skate a very thin line. I myself am not innocent of being the cleanest poster in the world, as the shenanigans I post in Teamspeak sometimes can make a horse gag. But I know when and where it is acceptable to post crude things, and I DEFINITELY know to keep it away from the servers, as that is the place to be professional and hold myself to a certain standard.
I had no knowledge of these happenings. I just spoke with Matsi last night and explained that when he is actually doing his job, he is great at it. But the main issue we are seeing here is the quality of his character.
I have no issues with Furries. Just wanna put that out there right now. In fact, I am a HUGE supporter of the LGBTQ movement, and any and all sexual identities that may stray for the norm. I feel EVERYONE has the right to express themselves sexually and live any sort of sexual lifestyle they wish without being judged or looked down upon. HOWEVER, that support ends immediately if you're blatantly putting it out there for others to read and to make others feel uncomfortable. I'm not saying that was Matsi's intent, but this is definitely not the place to be talking about giving oral or having a cookbook whose main ingredient is cum.
We are a gaming community, and while the games we play my be marketed towards an older crowd, we serve a very young playerbase. The average player on TF2 is between the ages of 14-16. That's about what we see in our servers. That's about what we see giving member applications. That's about what we are met with on a daily basis. These are VERY impressionable ages, and to think that someone is actively speaking about giving blowjobs and cooking with semen REALLY makes me uncomfortable.
But that argument has been beaten to death. We are speaking instead on how Matsi handles himself when dealing with other members and staff. To that, I present the following:
To give some context, Vector was days away from his unban, and he created a countdown thread that you can find here: Countdown
Well, shortly into the thread, Matsi takes it upon himself to drop this bombshell. If there's anyone Vector doesn't get along with here, it's Matsi, (As apparently evident because this thread exists). As you can imagine, this did NOT end well. Many of the CS:GO division had voiced some pretty disrespectful things, but it was all instigated by this single comment. Instead of simply ignoring the thread, ignoring what Vector had to say, ignoring his very presence, Masti had to stir the pot. This happened less than a month ago.
But this isn't all. It goes farther than just someone he insists on starting shit with on the forums. Hell, even when he was recently demoted, he insisted on starting a conversation with the higher-ups, demanding an explanation. The way he presented himself, the word choice, the attitude....it was all VERY disrespectful. There's certain ways to handle yourself, and there's terrible ways to handle yourself.
The initial demotion was because of the attitude, and when the first thing you see is even more attitude flung about because of it, it doesn't look good. Then, there's how he handles disagreements. Don't you DARE have a different opinion, or you're incompetent:
The rest of that thread, as well as context, can be read here: Surf Server Rules
I was 100% for giving him a final chance, but I feel that's so far redundant that I don't honestly even want to deal with it anymore. I approached Matsi last night with the full intent of giving him an honest-to-goodness final chance to change, but with this new evidence of the abhorrent sexual content now seeping into our servers, I absolutely do not want him on my moderation team anymore. He does not represent our clan in a positive light, is abrasive, combative, argumentative, and confrontational. And that's not even considering the rest of the stuff. That's just how he handles himself. Ban? Not sure anything is really ban-worthy, but I definitely do not want him representing my staff.
I hate to do it, as this is not the solution I want, but I can't justify the opposite. +1 for removal of staff privileges and membership. What he does afterwards is his decision.
-
Thanks Chrono. I tried to find a place to edit an existing Wiki link, but I couldn't find an edit button anywhere. I'll double check.
-
-
-
Sooooo....
Someone tried to tell me where I needed to go and sign up for server access, but I can't for the life of me find where that chat message went.
What all do I need to do to gain access to the server files? A step-by-step guide would be kickass. :D
Also, is there any way I could have access to the wiki? Some things need to be added to the rules and whatnot and it'd be nice to do it myself. ^^
@Rhododendron
-
+1
Always really chill whenever I see him in game. Would make a great addition to our community.
A: 10
M: 10
-
-
NUUUUU. NANNER CROCS.
Srsly tho, take the time you need to get shit back together. We will be here when you're ready to come back, IF you want us back. You know where to find us! :D
-
Ban Request For Inappropriate Spray
Forest put it well. If the screens don't show a request for the user to change the spray, action won't be taken. Banning without warning is never okay, especially when our process is warn>kick>ban.
If anything, please get an admin to deal with it. I wouldn't be comfortable banning someone for an offense they weren't warned about ahead of time. But thanks for reporting it, nontheless! :D
No More Drama. At All. Period.
in TF2 Discussion
Posted
Allow me to also use this as a perfect example.
You see boys and girls....this is called SARCASM. Sometimes, we use this as a form of comical relief! It's best to learn when sarcasm is being used, as if I didn't know that Bach was being a smartass, I'd have to demote him now. :D