Nigatsu_Aka wrote:Interesting debate...
I want to add a few words as an user who had/has an issue with a moderator for modding reasons.
- If all the mods would act responsably and with professionalism, there wouldn`t be any debate about issues with them isn`t it? But since the Mods create the issues mostly, it`s their fault. What issues are the mods creating, you might ask? The answer is simple: they do not mod by the book. They mod by the ear... they`ve "heard" that they must do "that" if the user x did "that". Well, this isn`t professionalism. The mods do use their free time and without benefitting of anything, but if they are still doing it, at least should do it by book. After all, they volunteered and no one compelled them.
- The mods have the power to edit, delete, move, close posts. They make the forum rules, so they should stick to them. But since there are still mods that don`t know or don`t apply the rules they make, there will always be issues with the users. Since the users cannot do anything on the forums, they will just use military actions in the game. Is it against the rules? NO. Is it against the game rules? Hell NO.
My opinion in how the mods should do their job a little more proffessional, is to not hesitate to edit or delete the inapropriate comments in the users posts and warn the users for repeated breaking of the rules and especialy to not hurry up into locking threads with big number of replies just because they are too lazy to modd a few posts and warn a few posters. And when warning the users, they should PM them the reason for the warn cos otherwise it can be considered mod abuse.
Cheers.
I agree with most of what you say - but the problem is that you cannot please everyone all of the time.
As I said in my previous post, the current set of mods are the fairest I have seen here since the early days of the game - since the times of Psi, compmage, ste (aka the3rdlibra, aka GhostyGoo) and Sleipnir. Even back then ste kept getting accused of abusing his powers - which he absolutely did not do (and still remains one of the best mods we ever had) - but the difference was, because teh game was more difficult back then, people HAD to deal with his modding via the forum and via the correct channels because massing somebody then was a big deal and required a lot of time and effort.
Also, you said they should be more professional and gave a huge lists of things they should do better - well, actually - from where I'm standing they do a pretty good job. And, the less experienced mods do tend to ask advice from the more experienced when they are unsure of something. Additionally, when warning (using the forum warning system) a pm to the perpetrator is automatically generated (and is editable) linking them to the offending post.
You are right - the mods do volunteer, but they aren't automatically selected becasue they volunteer. And from what I've seen they do do things by the book and follow the rules. But when you get a bunch of members who constantly whine and moan about the rules - how can the mods ever win?
And, the issues are 'mostly the mods' fault'?! Complete and utter tripe! I'd say around 90% of the issues I have seen are simply created by peopel because they are too sensitive about having had something modded, or a post/thread removed. Mostly people are simply making mountains out of mole hills! In fact the only time I can truly remember some mods screwing up (completely) was last years awards fiasco!
Like I said, changes in the game have made the game easier, which has made massing easier - this in turn has bred arrogance and disrespect (not just towards mods) in the forum, which in turn has led to this situation. It wouldn't have happened in the first 6/12 months of teh game - because it would've been too difficult.
If you truly think that it is a correct course of action for a mod to be massed in game because of doing his job in the forum, then sorry, but how do you reason that? Why do people do it? Laziness? Arrogance? They knew the mod was right? They're not very good at expressing themselves? I don't know.
It isn't a correct course of action, and no matter how you try and justify it - you can't!
But I still say again - there is no way any rules that say you can't do it can be enforced, and therefore to introduce something where it would be (at best) someone's word against another would simply introduce more controversy and mistrust.