Staff Complaint - Garnascus

[Absynth]

BYOND Key: Absynth

Staff BYOND Key: Garnascus

Game ID: No idea, yesterday some time. I was banned for 24 hours for a rule that doesn't exist.

Reason for complaint: (State your reason for your complaint)

Garnascus gave me a 24 hour ban yesterday and then denied my ban appeal instantly when I tried to appeal it. No actual rule being broken, no explanation, just a 'do everything I say without question' even if it breaks RP or immersion. Is it okay now to make up arbitrary rules and then decide everything is breaking the rule? I can only assume he tried to sweep the ban appeal under the rug before anyone else could comment on it because he knew it was dumb as nails.

Let me explain:

There was an admin event going on about an AI taking over the solar system and all we could do is just sit around and watch. I was out on the asteroid looking for maybe an EMP artifact and I made a Terminator reference on channel at some point; Garnascus swooped in and told me not to 'meme'. I was pretty baffled but later, trying to at least do something to make the round less like admins writing a novel via CCIAA reports and a bit more interactive, said, and I quote, "OMEGA, I challenge you to a meme duel, as per ancient custom". I was then instantly banned for 24 hours with no chance to appeal. Huh?? Is even mentioning memes a meme now? How is Terminator a meme?

Evidence/logs/etc:

http://forums.aurorastation.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=7044

[Guest]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkjloy3zbqvwyrw/log%202016-09-14%20%2810%2032%20pm%29.htm?dl=0

 

 

For a "meme connoisseur", you sure chose some shit-tier "memes".

You ignored a... suggestion? Order? whatever-- from an administrator to stop with the blatant subculture references, and you are now upset that you were punished for referencing more lore-unfriendly trite despite being told not to do that? Your conduct throughout the round was lacking in particular taste for the sake of roleplay and you were doing nothing but actively undermining quality of roleplay. I was honestly shocked to hear you were warned already, but not surprised to hear you were ding dong bannu'd.

I would personally consider myself lucky if I got a day ban for something like that. Probably the most generous sort of administrative action I've seen for meming.

I should possibly mention that due to our timeline divergence in the lore from the "real world", From 1969 onward is an entirely original and radically different timeline. Folks like Ben Shapiro, for instance, never existed given the current setting is one of many diverging universes in a single multiverse. Donald Trump, perhaps, but in my own canon he never became a successful businessman and instead worked in construction. But anyway: In 1969, a single choice was made differently than what actually happened in the real world, and thus every single living thing's choices were influenced differently as a result.

That means the IRL memes do not apply to this timeline, make no sense and have zero memetic value to them whatsoever.

That also basically means your character is able to surpass the obvious barriers between the real life and the distant future of an alternate timeline to invoke unfunny and uncreative memes. Breaking immersion and not benefiting the whole of roleplay. I'd give more than a slap on the wrist for that, too.

Even if they did still have some relevance in our timeline, they are hundreds of years old and memetic devices are constantly evolving social devices. Memes can literally die within months of their inception.

So here's my suggestion, as the loremaster currently handling humanity. Create some original non-sensical memes of your own to fit with the current setting. Avoid references to real-world pop culture, reference only events that occur in our timeline, not the real-world timeline. You will generate an infinitely better experience for everyone else by coming up with your own wacky lore-friendly memes that don't invoke Adolf Hitler in mentioning for no other reason to generate your own humor that nobody else will be able to enjoy because they're too busy getting pissed off with you taking a leak on roleplay conventions and established lore in public view.

Your display was nonetheless meme-tastic, but I am not pleased one bit. It's like watching A Serbian Film, you can't help but be impressed by the level of horror but also deeply disturbed and slowly losing faith in humanity as content creators.

Thank you.

[Absynth]

What?? How are any of those memes except the last ones, which were intentional? I literally made the rest up on the spot or they are about Earth culture, which Sofia has studied IC extensively. And yet it was so long ago that she got the data wrong anyway.

Sofia discussed just yesterday the theoretical origins of AIs on Earth, and one of those theories was an early AI was raised by the Internet, leading to today's malf AIs (such as Omega, in that round). That was what Sofia was trying to invoke with those comments.

What else of history is going to conveniently change for you?

[Absynth]

What exactly did I do to deserve losing the right to appeal a ban? Did I murder a judge?

[Absynth]

To be more specific, I was attempting to provoke a rogue, system-wide AI takeover as a resistance effort, since it was literally bombing people's home planets and stuff, and someone got into a hissy fit when I didn't take it seriously. Can you explain what exactly constitutes a meme? I've seen way more references than mine on channels without punishment, so color me a bit confused.

Like, maybe when the AI modified comms to make everyone sing 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life'? Did the AI get punished for that?

Also I found a crate on the asteroid with a luchador mask and belt, so I made up that bit in the middle. How it is bad or a meme I have no clue, I never even mentioned it again.

[Roderick Grey]

 

It's really not a made up rule, you're just blatantly breaking character.

[Shadow]

Ill be quite frank, this ban lasts 24 hours. Before the banning staff member read and judged this appeal your ban will already be expired.

[Absynth]

 

It's really not a made up rule, you're just blatantly breaking character.

 

How is it breaking character, after I just described how it was in character?

[Guest]

There's such a thing as going too far. You went too far. Repeatedly. Despite being given an advance warning, probably even without a note, but a simple "stop" should've taken you off your initial track and put you onto a new one. Instead you went off the rails. But, let's continue.

Demanding it "battle you" in a "meme duel" is just the most outlandish, uncharacteristic and impractical response to a situation where an AI overlord surpassing the power of the station AI itself is forcibly cyborgifying your co-workers at will, stripping them of their humanity and immediately enslaving them to the AI. I mean, honestly, that quote right there ranks up as one of the worst things I've ever seen said in IC.

I'll level with you. You were previously a developer with administrator powers on Colonial Marines (I'm pretty sure, I remember your name for a more outstanding reason than that, though), and hell, I was a moderator there once upon a time. I worked closely with you to some degree. Would a marine constantly making references to "dank subculture memes" in IC would've flown on that server? Because I do recall seeing you enforce certain standards regarding IC behavior with a bit of an iron fisted approach.

I mean, hey, that's just what I recall. Times change and anything can be quantified these days.

I'm just curious as to how you conveniently seem unable to presently understand what constitutes as "meming" in IC as of right now, and how you conveniently aren't able to look back upon your own conduct and glean whether you did something meaningful in relation to your behavior that round.

[TishinaStalker]

I can only assume he tried to sweep the ban appeal under the rug before anyone else could comment on it because he knew it was dumb as nails.

 

We do not accept unban appeals if the ban was 24 hours or less.

[Chaznoodles]

To be honest, a ban for this seems a tad over the top. Another warning/IC mute might've served the same purpose. Not in a bad way, but might I add, 24h bans are commonly used by staff against people they don't like/want to ban, because;

 

Ill be quite frank, this ban lasts 24 hours. Before the banning staff member read and judged this appeal your ban will already be expired.

 

We do not accept unban appeals if the ban was 24 hours or less.

 

So people get the impression it's not worth appealing/submitting a complaint over, and they get snubbed by this same "It's not really worth it" attitude from others. I've seen players get away with exactly the same sort of behaviour without punishment. Is there a reason that this case gets punished, when others don't?

[Absynth]

I guess I am just a creator of subcultures, considering everything but the Hitler comment I made up on the spot as per Sofia's usual inane radio chatter. But hey, single me out because I was a dev of CM some more, that's cool. I mean anythings okay to use as an excuse for a 24 hour day ban right, nobody will argue it

[Alberyk]

To be honest, a ban for this seems a tad over the top. Another warning/IC mute might've served the same purpose. Not in a bad way, but might I add, 24h bans are commonly used by staff against people they don't like/want to ban, because;

 

{{Citation needed}}

Also, it is clear in the rules that a ban can be used as the next step in the punishment escale if a warning don't suffice. Besides, day bans are really uncommon in comparison to others.

 

Verbal Warning/Warning: A warning is the lightest type of punishment we will dispense. Generally, this means you'll be informed of the rule you've broken, and we'll let you resume playing after you ensure us you won't break the rule again.

 

Temporary Ban: Temporary bans are handed out for situations where a single warning may not suffice, and will prevent you from playing the game on our server for a set amount of time (usually varying from 1 to 7 days). All attempts to evade a temporary ban (e.g. by multikeying) will result in the ban being made permanent.

 

But hey, single me out because I was a dev of CM some more, that's cool. I mean anythings okay to use as an excuse for a 24 hour day ban right, nobody will argue it

 

You doing something else somewhere else was nothing to do with this ban, but, just the obvious fact you did ignore a what the staff told you to don't do.

[Guest]

I guess I am just a creator of subcultures, considering everything but the Hitler comment I made up on the spot as per Sofia's usual inane radio chatter. But hey, single me out because I was a dev of CM some more, that's cool. I mean anythings okay to use as an excuse for a 24 hour day ban right, nobody will argue it

 

It was not singling you out. It was identifying that you certainly know better than you claim, and stating that you "didn't know" what you were doing wrong either indicates a lack of self-awareness or a refusal to look into your own behavior and give it more than a second thought.

You made the following references:

 

• Terminator reference
• Hitler reference
  
• "The Big Burrito", an insensitive attempt at parodying luchadores
  
• Rick Rolling

 

So yeah, you're original and funny, sure.

[Absynth]

I really just want to call attention to the sentence, 'an insensitive attempt at parodying luchadores'. Really? Really?

[Guest]

I really just want to call attention to the sentence, 'an insensitive attempt at parodying luchadores'. Really? Really?

 

Yes, I am actually Hispanic. No wrestler is named "The Big Burrito", that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

[TishinaStalker]

So people get the impression it's not worth appealing/submitting a complaint over, and they get snubbed by this same "It's not really worth it" attitude from others. I've seen players get away with exactly the same sort of behaviour without punishment. Is there a reason that this case gets punished, when others don't?

 

You're asking the question to the wrong person. Unless you mean to be asking it in general! I, myself, was in no way involved with the situation. I am simply clarifying that we do not unban any bans placed with a duration of less than 24 hours because the filer was accusing Garn of trying to "sweep it under the rug" even though that's been our policy for years.

[Garnascus]

Let me explain:

Garnascus swooped in and told me not to 'meme'. I was pretty baffled but later, trying to at least do something to make the round less like admins writing a novel via CCIAA reports and a bit more interactive, said, and I quote, "OMEGA, I challenge you to a meme duel, as per ancient custom". I was then instantly banned for 24 hours with no chance to appeal. Huh?? Is even mentioning memes a meme now? How is Terminator a meme?

 

 

The amount of misinformation here is astounding. First off you broke character by quoting a line from the terminator movie. It was not really a big issue and all i did was tell you to stop. You argued with me and gave some nonsensical excuse about being a "meme historian" or something. I told you that was not acceptable. I felt i was pretty clear on that and i figured the issue would have ended there. I then find you later challenging the AI to a meme duel.

I literally look for any reason NOT to ban someone, in fact that attitude has gotten me into quite a bit of trouble in the past. When i give someone a warning/tell them not to do something i do expect it to be taken and then not repeated. You chose to do the exact opposite of what i told you to do. I go out of my way to be respectful and i dont appreciate it when someone pulls the exact opposite of something i said. It shows me you have no respect for me or the rules here. I do not think its unreasonable to expect the same respect that i give. Also you where not "banned instantly with no chance to appeal" i spoke with you at length and explained to you exactly why i was banning you. I then explained on your unban appeal why i was denying the appeal. In this case tish is right, we dont accept unban appeals ever for 24 hours.

TLDR i told you not to do a thing, you did the thing again anyway. you got banned for it. its really that simple dude and nothing is going to change about it.

[UnknownMurder]

P.S. Ban is long expired.

[DatBerry]

Will be archiving soon if OP has nothing to add anymore.