A suggestion for a change to your harrassment policy

[A Thought Elemental]

I just read this in a stickied thread:

By GM Acheren

Verbal Harassment is almost by definition a frustrating experience for those affected. Unfortunately we continue to see a few mistakes that turn many potentially valid harassment reports into situations we cannot assist with. As your glorious GM overlords we suggest following the steps below to avoid these problems:


Do not exchange insults or taunts with the harassing player. This is by far the most common mistake we see. If both parties are involved in harassment or the reporting player instigated the situation then it becomes mutual harassment and a GM will not intervene for either side.

I would like to suggest you change this policy and in the event of mutual harrassment, action both players according to their individual severity of the breakage of the TOS, instead of not intervening.

 

[Luvmylace]

precisely why it is a waste of time.

 

[Capn Kranky]

Momm-eeeeee! Joey is calling me names!

There are ways to avoid at least verbal/written/text harassment without a GM being called. There are other ways as well ... get them to Fel (if you're not there) and beat them down. Go somewhere else ... if they follow, go home and ban them (if possible) from the house. Log off and spend quality time with the spouse or SO.

Easy methods of handling buttheads in-game.

 

[UOPlayer4LYFE]

Momm-eeeeee! Joey is calling me names!

There are ways to avoid at least verbal/written/text harassment without a GM being called. There are other ways as well ... get them to Fel (if you're not there) and beat them down. Go somewhere else ... if they follow, go home and ban them (if possible) from the house. Log off and spend quality time with the spouse or SO.

Easy methods of handling buttheads in-game.

And we have a winner.

 

[NuSair]

Just because you take someone to Fel and smack them around doesn't mean anything and doesn't stop anything.

 

[Hunters' Moon]

Just because you take someone to Fel and smack them around doesn't mean anything and doesn't stop anything.

I agree completely with the quote here. Also what if I am on my crafter,or otherwise undertrained character? Am I SOL? The policy has always seemed to favor the offending player and puts all the responsability to deal with the situation on the one being harrassed.

 

[Capn Kranky]

Ignore ... go elsewhere, do something different on a different character. Logout and spend quality time with spouse or SO. Still no GM call.

 

[Ned888]

Ignore ... go elsewhere, do something different on a different character. Logout and spend quality time with spouse or SO. Still no GM call.

Read: Run away and hide. No one will help you while someone else ruins your game.

Your 'solution' is not of value. GMs are in game to stop things specifically like this. The instigator should be banned, but in your scenario, the victim needs to go into self-imposed exile.

Weak.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

LOL You seem to forget about what Sis and I dub "MEGA Buttheads".

A MEGA Butthead is the kind that has multiple accounts and as fast as you put his silly arse on ignore he gets on a different char. Also he may make and delete disposible chars. One upside to Gen. chat is the ID number beside the name. So if you have 10 idiots named Butthead and one is particularly repugnant you can block the correct bozo.

Something that IS seriously lacking under the Harrasment is the ability to report stuff like Police impersonators and perverts(although its been awhile since I've heard of any.) Still you know there needs to be a way to report serious stuff. Hey, I just wanna keep UO as safe as possible.

-Jirel

 

[Viper09]

Police impersonators...wow. There are people out there who would believe that? Lol. What they really need is more room for the ignore list. Mutual harrassment rule is fine. If someone starts talking **** to you and you reciprocate then it really isn't harassment anymore, it's just two people aruging and fighting.

 

[Capn Kranky]

Guess what? The ignore, go elsewhere "rule" has been in play since at least 1998. I used it a few times on Pac when I first started out. The tools are there to use.

Are there really, seriously persistent one? absolutely. THOSE are the ones you call GMs on, file reports to EA about and so forth. The run of the mill harasser will not continue if you follow the basics.