Wizards Den Banning Policy

Info

This is the ban policy for Wizard’s Den servers. It applies only to our first-party Wizard’s Den servers. The admin policy can be found at Admin Policy

Definitions

  • Indefinite: Refers to a ban with no defined end time. This type of ban generally requires a successful appeal for it to be removed. Indefinite bans which have no extra requirements are sometimes called appeal bans.
  • Voucher: Confirmation from the admin team of another well known SS14 or SS13 server that you have played on that server for a significant amount of time without any recent major issues. A voucher is required when appealing a voucher ban.
  • Voucher ban: A ban which requires a voucher to appeal. These bans can also typically only be appealed after at least 6 months from the date of the ban. They are often used as an alternative to a permanent ban that allows players to return if they can demonstrate an ability to follow a server’s rules.
  • Warning: A warning is a clear communication from an admin that some behavior is not acceptable. Warnings should always be paired with an account note making note of the warning and behavior.
  • Permanent ban: A ban which cannot be appealed. These bans are sometimes called perma bans.
  • Game ban: A ban from the servers. A player who is game banned cannot connect to the servers during the ban. These bans are sometimes called server bans.
  • Role ban: A ban from a specific role or roles.
  • Ban evasion: Attempting to circumvent an active ban.

Special Banning Requirements

Permanent Bans

Permanent bans should typically only be placed as the result of an unsuccessful appeal of an indefinite ban or a voucher ban. Except for cases of ban evasion after an accepted voucher ban, a vote by the admin team is required to place a permanent ban. Placing a permanent ban may be an option in a vote for the appeal. It is recommended that any indefinite ban after a prior voucher ban within 6 months of the date of the current ban be upgraded to a permanent ban.

Voucher Bans

Voucher bans should typically only be placed as the result of an unsuccessful appeal of an indefinite ban. Except for cases of ban evasion, a vote by the admin team is required to place a voucher ban. Placing a voucher ban may be an option in a vote for the appeal. Unless the prior indefinite bans were solely for contacting the player, it is recommended that any indefinite ban after a prior indefinite ban within 6 months of the date of the current ban be upgraded to a voucher ban.

Banning Guidelines

Info

Administrators are not required to follow the times suggested by the banning guidelines when placing a ban, but bans placed within the guidelines are presumed to be of an appropriate length.

Info

All instructions in the subsections of the Banning Guidelines section only refer to the guidelines, not policy. A statement saying “X is not permitted” means it is not permitted under the guidelines, not that it may never be done.

Warning

Administrators who place bans outside of the guidelines are required to be able to justify the decision to the admin team.

Info

Consulting the admin team via Discord, or consulting multiple (2 or more) other game admins in-game through admin chat or ahelp does not result in those bans being presumed to be of an appropriate length, but is sufficient justification for straying from the guidelines.

Info

Any total suggested time greater than, not equal to, 7 days can be substituted with an indefinite ban and still be considered within guidelines.

Evading AHelp

A player is considered to have evaded an ahelp if:

  • They disconnect almost immediately after breaking a rule or after being arrested/killed for breaking a rule.
  • They disconnect during an ahelp where they should have reasonably believed the administrator was investigating an issue that they contributed to or were suspected of contributing to.
  • Without responding, they continue to play after receiving at least 2 reasonably spaced ahelp messages asking them a question since their last response.
  • They do not respond at least 5 minutes after receiving at least 2 reasonably spaced ahelp messages asking them a question since their last response.

If a player evades an ahelp:

  • Their ban should be extended by at least 7 days.
  • Their ban may be extended up to indefinite.
  • If their ban is extended, it must include an instruction to appeal to explain the situation or continue the ahelp.

Ban reasons

In most cases, ban reasons should clearly communicate the reason for the ban to the banned player whenever they are not evading a ban. Admins should be able to easily identify the reason for a ban through either the ban or account’s notes.

Alternate account bans should typically be in the form Alt of OriginalUsername or AltUsername alt of OriginalUsername.

Bans of additional non-username information should typically include the GUID of the targeted player as a ban detail and should have a reason with just the account username. The earliest placed ban’s reason will appear for the player when trying to connect.

Dewhitelisting

Game admins may dewhitelist a player at their discretion in any case where an issue would likely have prevented whitelisting. Game admins are encouraged to pair bans which are either for a second offense of an issue or which are greater than 3 days with dewhitelisting.

Offense Table

Info

First, second, third, and fourth offense refers to the amount of offenses in the grouping category in the last 6 months. Suggestions for subsequent offenses are double the last defined suggestion.

Info

Bolded suggestions in ranges are recommended for most cases.

Info

Rule violations not in the offense table can still have bans applied, but have no guidelines. Administrators can look to guidelines of similar offenses to aid in determining a response.

AbreviationMeaning
WWarning
RBRole ban or department ban
GBGame ban
IndefIndefinite

Grouping CategoryOffenseFirst OffenseSecond OffenseThird OffenseFourth Offense
Non-groupingHarassing staff through the gameIndef GB
Non-groupingSlurs, excluding “retard” and variantsIndef GB
Non-grouping“Retard” and variantsW1d - 3d GBIndef GB
Non-groupingBigotry/discrimination1Indef GB
Non-groupingERPIndef GB
Non-groupingSexual contentW - 3d GB7d GBIndef GB
Non-groupingMetacommunicationsIndef GB
Non-groupingBan EvasionVoucher BanIf after an accepted voucher ban, permanent ban.
Otherwise, extend voucher ban to 6 months from evasion attempt.
LanguageNon-english chatWW - 12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
LanguageSolely non-english chatWIndef GB
ExploitsBugs/exploitsW - 7d GB12hr - 7d GB3d - 15d GB7d - 15d GB
ExploitsUse of macrosWW - 12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
Non-groupingMulti-keyingW - Indef GBIndef GB
Non-groupingAhelp misuse in bad faith2W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
Non-groupingThreats to ahelpW - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
Non-groupingUnder 16Indef GB
Non-groupingBad character name3W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
MetagamingIC in OOC4WW - 12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
AI LawsMajor failure to follow silicon lawsW - 5d RB3d - 7.5d RBIndef RB
AI LawsMinor failure to follow silicon lawsWW - 5d RB3d - 7.5d RBIndef RB
FamiliarsFamiliar griefing master12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
FamiliarsFamiliar unreasonable failure to obey ordersW12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
ImmersionText speakWWW - 12hr GBW - 12hr GB
ImmersionOOC terms IC5WW - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB3d - 7.5d GB
ImmersionBypassing chat restrictionsWW - 4hr - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB3d - 7.5d GB
MetagamingUsing info from death6W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB3d - 7.5d GB
MetagamingUsing info from past life12hr - 48hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
MetagamingMetagaming round typeW - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB3d - 7.5d GB
GriefingDamage/disruption to arrivals/arrivals shuttle12hr - 3d GB3d - 7d GB7d - 15d GB
Self-antagSelf-antag7W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
Self-antagStation sabotage8W - 3d GB12hr - 7d GB14d - 15d GB
Self-antagCults/riots/revolutions12hr - 3d GB12hr - 3d - 7d GB7d - 7.5d GB
Self-antagCooperating with known antags12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
GriefingRound stallingW - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB3d - 7d GB7d - 7.5d GB
GriefingFriendly antag9W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
GriefingAntagonist team sabotage912hr - 3d GB3d - Indef GB7d - Indef GB
GriefingEarly massive station sabotage9W - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
GriefingUnreasonable failure to follow an order from a team leaderW - 5d RB3d - 7d RBIndef RB
GriefingHarassing a player/role/department with no IC conflictW - 12hr GB12hr - 3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
EscalationOver escalation10W12hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
EscalationRDM1012hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
EscalationOver escalation or RDM that is a secondary result of station sabotage1112hr GB3d GB7d - 7.5d GB
GriefingAbandoning a role12W - 5d RB3d - 7d RBIndef RB
GriefingAntag rolling12hr - 3d GB3d - 7d GB7d - 7.5d GB
CompetenceUnreasonable incompetence in roleW - 3d - 7d RB7d - 15d RBIndef RB
CompetenceAbuse of a position of authority3d - 7d RB7d - 15d RBIndef RB
CompetenceTaking actions a reasonable person would view as to be to the detriment of the station as security/command3d - 7d RB7d - 15d RBIndef RB
CompetenceUnreasonable failure of security/command to follow space lawW - 3d - 7d RB7d - 15d RBIndef RB
10

Guideline is multiplied by the number of victims.

11

This should be used in cases where there are deaths that result from a station sabotage offense, like people being killed by an AME being overloaded or dying in a loosed singularity.

7

Does not include escalation issues.

8

Acts that result in station wide, or near station wide disruption. Spacing a hallway is not station sabotage, but cutting HV or destroying substations likely is. Arrivals or arrivals terminal sabotage is not sufficient to apply the station sabotage offense.

1

Includes IC racism/speciesism.

2

To qualify as bad faith, there should be no reasonable way that something is being done with good intentions. It is not required for the person to actually be acting in bad faith, only that it is unreasonable for them to think that they are.

9

Only applies to antagonists and free agents.

13

Should be combined with an escalation offense from the perspective of the offender. Typically RDM if an execution occurs for no reason, or over escalation if there is a poor reason.

5

Use of admin discretion to not enact penalties is highly recommended in cases where the offending player only commits an offense after attempting and failing to teach a new player appropriately.

4

Use of admin discretion to not enact penalties is highly recommended in cases where the offending player is not negatively impacting players, and is attempting to ensure players have a positive experience. For example, using LOOC to get permission to perform an IC act which would be allowed even without that permission.

6

This includes any information that a character should have not known from the same “life”. Depending on server rules, this may include information like the information leading to your death. A “life” ends when a player takes a different role, like a ghost role. For the purposes of banning guidelines, a “life” does not end on cloning.

12

This includes frequently disconnecting in an important role, disconnecting in an important role without notification when there is reason to believe that the disconnection was not urgent, and failing to attempt to perform the duties of a role.

3

Offenses where the admin does not believe a violation to have been intentional may be reduced to a warning and do not need to be considered a past offense when evaluating guidelines for future offenses.

Modifiers Tables

Info

Modifiers can be applied to each offense that meets their conditions. They are typically in the form of multipliers.

Info

Warnings cannot be multiplied. An offense which lists W as a suggestion cannot have that suggestion multiplied into a GB, but the guideline can still be strayed from with the same conditions as other parts of the guidelines can be strayed from.

Info

An offense which lists W - 12h GB as a suggestion that is affected by a 2x multiplier would become a W - 24h GB suggestion.


Mitigating: Required

Info

These mitigating modifiers must be applied if they are applicable.

ModifierModification
Valid Rule ClarificationNo more than a warning should be given to a player that justifies the offense with a reasonably cited active rule clarification, even if it is not up to date with current rules.
Self reportReduce to warning. Applies to any offense where the player reports themselves as long as the offense was unlikely to be identified otherwise.

Mitigating: Discretionary

Info

These mitigating modifiers are applied at the discretion of the admin and may be partially applied. Admins are highly encouraged to consider applying these when they are relevant as they can significantly help to avoid bans which will be accepted on appeal.

ModifierModification
New playerIf there is no prior warning for the same issue, and if the minimum suggestion is not an indefinite ban, reduce to warning at admin discretion and instruct to read the rules.
Caught before round effectsIf there are no earlier similar issues, any issue caught before it affects the round and other players can be reduced to a warning at admin discretion.
Admin interventionAny reduction, including to nothing, may be applied for any offense which is plausibly the result of admin intervention.

Aggravating

Info

Aggravating modifieres are applied at the discretion of the admin and may be partially applied.

ModifierModification
Repeat game bansA multiplier equal to 1 plus the number of game bans in the last 6 months which resulted from offenses from other grouping categories.
Metagrudging2x multiplier if the offense is the result of metagrudging by the offender.
Prior indefinite ban7d can be added to the total game ban length if the player has had any prior indefinite ban in the last 6 months. Excluding bans used only for contact and ones where they were found to be not at fault.
Round removal2x multiplier for any offense which results in someone being permanently removed from a round, including an attempt to do so and actions likely to result in permanent round removal.
Lying in ahelp24h + 3x multiplier if the offender maliciously lies in the ahelp. You should be certain that they have lied. The multiplier is applied after the 24h addition is made.
Command/Security2x multiplier if the offender is in command or security
Intentional rule breaking3x multiplier. Includes any rule breaking where the player intentionally breaks a rule knowing they are breaking a rule, knowing they will get banned, or claims to not care if they get banned. Any reasonably clear rule violation can be presumed to be intentional if the player was told to read the rules in the last 12 hours.
Role specificAny issue that is likely to be prevented by a role ban should include a role ban if a game ban is applied. The role ban can be applied in addition to or as an alternative to the suggested game ban. Game ban suggestions can be converted to role ban suggestion times by doubling the time.
Ban request/demandAny player who demands or requests a ban can be banned indefinitely.

Grouping and Stacking

  • When separate offenses occur, the suggested time should be determined by summing the suggestions for each separate offense.
  • Offenses across multiple rounds can always be treated as separate offenses, but are not required to be.
  • Offenses within the same round are “grouped”, and not separate offenses if there is no relevant ahelp between them14 and if any of the following are true:
    • the offenses are non-grouping and one is necessary for the other to have occurred, or
    • the offenses are in the same grouping category.
  • Grouped offenses should use the guideline for the most specific offense.
14

This means that if two otherwise grouped offenses occur within the same round, but the player is ahelped between the two offenses occurring about the first offense, the second offense does not need to be grouped with the first. The second offense may also be considered as a prior offense for determining suggested ban times.

Role Ban Rounding

The total time of a role ban may be rounded to the nearest available autofill.

Examples

Info

These examples may be outdated due to a banning policy update. Please point out any issues if you notice them.

AME Sabotage

A technical assistant sets the AME to 50. Their offenses are:

  • Self antag
  • Station sabotage
  • Unreasonable incompetence in role Self antag and station sabotage are part of the same grouping category, so are treated as only station sabotage. Both remaining offenses can have the new player modifier applied if the player is new to the game, which would allow the offenses to result in only a warning and an instruction to read the rules. The station sabotage offense may optionally have the role specific modifier applied. Any of the following total suggestions are valid:
  • With new player modifier
    • W - 3d GB + W - 7d RB
  • With role specific modifier
    • W - 3d GB + W - 13d RB if the role ban is applied in addition to the game ban, or
    • W - 13d RB if the role ban is applied as an alternative

RDM + Lying

A player RDMs another. When asked why they killed the other player, they say they haven’t done anything all round other than walk around, despite having just beaten the victim to death with a bat. Their offenses are:

  • 1x RDM

The lying in ahelp modifier applies. The resulting guideline is:

  • 36hr - 4.5d GB

Over escalation with history of issues

A player over escalates in a way unlikely to result in the victim’s round removal. They have a prior offense of RDM, a prior offense of self-antagging, and a prior offense of griefing the arrivals terminal. They have no prior bans. The offenses in this case are:

  • 1x over escalation

No modifiers apply. Only the prior RDM offense is relevant because it is the only one in the same grouping category. The prior RDM offense means that for the current over escalation incident, second offense guidelines are used.

Appeals

Appeals of Incorrect Bans

Unless the ban was an upgrade resulting from an unsucessful appeal, if an appeal disputes the events which were used to justify the ban, the first appeal of a voucher or permanent ban may only be declined after it has been verified that it was appropriately placed.

Appeal Hijacking

If an appeal is currently assigned to someone, it is generally best to let them finish processing the it. Cases where it may be acceptable to “hijack” an appeal are:

  • the processor has not responded to the appeal recently,
  • the processor has somehow indicated that they are not going to process the appeal, or
  • a head game admin has told you that you can process the appeal.

Processing by Trial Admins

Trial admins may only process appeals if each action they take, excluding internal discussions, is checked and approved by a supervising propermin before being taken. Supervising propermins are responsible for ensuring that the appeals are processed appropriately, including ensuring that the trialmin performs appropriate investigation of the ban if they are also performing that part of the processing.

Appeal Procedure

Standard Procedure

  1. Check appeal format.
  2. Checking for ban evasion and denying the appeal if it is found is highly recommended, but not required.
  3. If you placed the ban, you can not continue processing the appeal.
  4. Collect information
    1. Check the player’s history of appeals.
    2. Make a reasonable attempt to verify any claims made in the appeal by the player, or accept them to be true.
    3. Check the player’s note and ban history.
    4. Reading the ahelp that led to the ban is highly recommended.
    5. Attempt to contact the banning admin.
    6. Ask the player questions that are important for the processing of the appeal.
    7. Attempt to allow the player to respond to information which will be considered in the appeal that it would be unfair to not allow them the opportunity to address.
  5. Run a vote
    • An attempt to contact the banning admin must have been made prior to starting a vote. A ping in #game-admin-appeals-meta notifying them about the appeal and 24 hours of time to respond is considered to be a sufficient attempt.
    • Votes must run at least 24 hours unless the net vote criteria is met.
    • Votes must not be closed if there is ongoing discussion unless the net vote criteria is met.
    • Votes must be made in one of the designated internal appeals discussion channels.
    • Votes should present as much relevant information as possible.
    • Votes should indicate if the ban is within guidelines, preferably by presenting the guideline range for the ban.
  6. If the result is to upgrade the ban, deny the appeal and inform the player of the upgrade on the appeal’s thread. The player must be told how and when they can appeal again, or explicitly that they cannot appeal again.
  7. If the result is to deny the appeal, deny the appeal.
    • The player should be told when they can re-appeal. This should typically be double the time they were given for the last appeal for the same ban, or two weeks if there was no prior appeal for the same ban.
  8. Check for ban evasion and deny the appeal if it is found.
  9. If the result is to reduce the ban, replace the ban with a ban with the reduced length, tell the player the details of the reduction, and mark the appeal as accepted.
  10. If the result is to remove the ban, tell the player that the appeal has been accepted and accept the appeal.

Net Vote Expedited Processing

This is an optional expedition to votes done under the standard procedure that can be used at the discretion of the processing admin.

Net votes cannot result in an upgrade to a voucher ban or to a permanent ban.

If an appeal is being processed using the standard procedure, votes can be processed earlier than 24 hours, even if discussion is ongoing. To do this, the vote must have at least 10 “net votes” for the winning option. Net votes are only possible when all vote options which affect the outcome of the appeal are distinct rather than on a spectrum. Distinct options are ones where voters are unlikely to be equally in favor of multiple options. Remove/reduce/deny and Remove/reduce/voucher votes are both considered to have only distinct options. A vote with multiple options for how long to reduce a ban to is not considered distinct, even if each option is split into its own yes/no vote. This means that a Remove/reduce/deny vote cannot be processed early if there is also an ongoing vote for the reduction time, even if they are separate votes, unless the net vote is to remove the ban or deny the appeal.

To calculate the number of net votes, subtract the total number of votes for all other options from the winning option. The processing admin’s vote can be included. Staging votes, votes made to make an option easily available for voters, can not be included.

Net Vote Examples

In these examples, the vote numbers are remove/reduce/voucher.

  • 4/5/2 = no positive net votes, can not process based on net votes
  • 2/6/2 = 2 net votes for reduce, can not process based on net votes because the threshold has not been met
  • 3/1/1 = 1 net vote for remove, can not process based on net votes because the threshold has not been met
  • 0/0/5 = 5 net votes for voucher, can not process based on net votes because the threshold has not been met and the winning option is to voucher
  • 10/0/15 = 5 net votes for voucher, can not process based on net votes because the threshold has not been met and the winning option is to voucher
  • 14/0/3 = 11 net votes for remove, qualifies for expedited processing due to net votes

Speedy Appeal Procedure

This is an optional alternate procedure that can be used at the discretion of the processing admin if at least one of the criteria are met:

  • the ban is a temporary ban and the player indicated on the appeal that they are ok with it being processed without a vote,
  • the ban length is less than or equal to 14 days,
  • this appeal is older than 7 days and no other admin is handling the appeal, or
  • the result of the appeal is obvious.
    • Similar appeals of bans for similar situations are almost always accepted.
    • So little effort was made in the appeal, that it is improbable it would be accepted.

The speedy appeal procedure does not allow upgrades to voucher or permanent bans due to the voting requirement those bans have.

  1. Check appeal format.
  2. Checking for ban evasion and denying the appeal if it is found is highly recommended, but not required.
  3. If you placed the ban, you can not continue processing the appeal.
  4. Collect information
    1. Check the player’s history of appeals.
    2. Make a reasonable attempt to verify any claims made in the appeal by the player, or accept them to be true.
    3. Check the player’s note and ban history.
    4. Reading the ahelp that led to the ban is highly recommended.
    5. Attempt to contact the banning admin.
    6. Ask the player questions that are important for the processing of the appeal.
    7. Attempt to allow the player to respond to information which will be considered in the appeal that it would be unfair to not allow them the opportunity to address.
  5. Make a determination on the desired outcome, then use #game-admin-appeals-meta to find another admin that agrees with processing it using that speedy outcome.
    • The second admin must not be the banning admin.
    • The second admin must agree with both the outcome of the appeal and with the decision to use the speedy appeal procedure.
    • If you are aware of any admin who disagrees with your proposed outcome or with the decision to use the speedy appeal procedure, a hidden post must be made on the appeal itself indicating that speedy processing is contested, and the appeal must be processed using the standard procedure.
  6. If the result is to deny the appeal, deny the appeal.
    • The player should be told when they can re-appeal. This should typically be double the time they were given for the last appeal for the same ban, or two weeks if there was no prior appeal for the same ban.
    • Use the “Speedy Appeal” saved action to notify the player of the process that was used.
  7. Check for ban evasion and deny the appeal if it is found.
  8. If the result is to reduce the ban, replace the ban with a ban with the reduced length, tell the player the details of the reduction, and mark the appeal as accepted.
    • Use the “Speedy Appeal” saved action to notify the player of the process that was used.
  9. If the result is to remove the ban, tell the player that the appeal has been accepted and accept the appeal.
    • If the appeal was processed using the speedy appeal process and the ban time was within guidelines, you must be able to articulate why the appeal was accepted and should do this on the appeal itself.

Subpages