Open letter to the IFM

[Yoak]

Just now, BINGBONGGHOST said:

Topic for another day but I wish staff had the decency to tell you why your post was removed instead of brushing it under the carpet like it never existed, how the hell am I supposed to know what not to post if you Thanos snap my shit? ✋👀✋

i aint gonna lie this some stone cold steve austin truth right here, like even a little message in notifications would be good!

[maramizo]

Just now, DLimit said:

"my genuine take is, if you're not involved in that faction, and you don't know the details as to why they weren't accepted (assuming they even applied in the first place), then you simply don't have enough information to make a decision. ifm provide detailed information and are actually very descriptive for the most part when it comes to denials (this is from experience)."

I generally don't have any major issues with IFM? But, around 1.5 years ago, their response to my thread was simply "Closed & Denied" with no reason behind it, alongside with refusing to provide me with an explanation.

I've had other factions accepted, afterwards, but there's been cases where zero detailed explanations were made.

was that under the same ifm members that we have now? if yes - then there should be a clear cut commitment moving forward to prevent that from happening to other players, because that would genuinely suck. if no - then we move.  

[BadassBaboon]

I personally don't have a good experience with IFM and their transparency, which led me to believe there might be biased decision making involved to an extent. Although Copa Cabana might not have expressed things the best way but I understand and agree with what he says.

Edited April 28, 2021 by BadassBaboon

[DLimit]

Just now, maramizo said:

was that under the same ifm members that we have now? if yes - then there should be a clear cut commitment moving forward to prevent that from happening to other players, because that would genuinely suck. if no - then we move.  

It was under Lord Panda.

[Copa Cabana]

3 minutes ago, Shanks said:

  

That's a very bold comment based on your time spent here and the knowledge you seemingly sit on, but sure - you're free to have an opinion. I just believe this is a very ill-informed and quite insulting one to have regarding a team that works so hard to provide decent illegal RP and opportunities for the server.

 

The IFM team works tirelessly day in and day out with requests and reports, as well as these pending factions to assure the server works, and that statement is quite insulting to throw out there when you seem to have little idea what you're talking about. But I'll address your points.

 

Hearing stories and rumors doesn't mean something is true, and carrying these on with no evidence is a little over the top to me. Did you get evidence of these things? Feel free to report it to me and Notbond and it'll be looked at like any other staff report. We are not blind to the fact things happen - but it has to be reported. Rumors regarding some supposed 'horror story' don't sit right with me, but feel free to report it.

Calling IFM a cess-pit is again rather silly, but I'll let it be. Regarding these two factions, you can complain internally to us if you got specific concerns regarding a faction. I don't think you were part of the PMs I had with Agani as well as recent discussions after their original denial. So sitting here complaining on their behalf makes little sense to me. You do not know the details, you do not know the agreements we came to. They did the right thing, came to me with their reasoning and their concerns after a denial - we had a conversation about it and reached an agreement.

If you feel a faction is not up to par with what the standards should be in your eyes - feel free to report them instead of posting supposed satire or what can be deemed toxic comments on their thread. Admins will receive these forum reports and deal with them, whether it's an IFM admin or a regular admin means little to nothing, your comments should not be on a thread like that, it's not the place to complain or make fun of. You're not the first and will not be the last that has this happen to them. I can understand the frustration and opinionated statements, but put them in the right place, please.

 

Also as I see it's mentioned quite a few times or at least insinuated in places. Factions do NOT need to be an unofficial group before they apply to be a faction. You can apply without a group thread, this is stated many places.

 

 

So what I can come up from your reply is that there's really no real way to qualify/not qualify for the status. And I never attacked the IFM's inability to do most parts of their job. The systems that are in place and that do work offer great opportunity to factions, but the issue at hand is the inability or the unwillingness to weigh where the IFM's seal of approval goes. The rules are made super blurry so you get to make all of the decisions without any clear requirements involved.

 

Here's a quote from the Faction Information forum, a topic made by Nervous.

 

"The last thing I expect from any faction is simply activity. 

I realize some people on these forums have school, work, a social life or if you're lucky (or not...), all three - I simply expect to see some sort of activity on your faction's thread at-least once every 5 days. If you cannot keep it active for that period of time we'll simply archive the faction. 

 

What do you do if we archived your faction? Simply PM a FM member and asking him to re-open it at any type - just note that if you ask us to re-open it and then you go inactive several times in a row we'll simply stop until we actually see you're active enough to run it. 

 

If you manage to stay active, follow the rules and put effort into your faction, you're clear in my book. "


Now go to Violi thread and you'll easily find spaces where there hasn't been a single post in weeks.

[Shanks]

1 minute ago, maramizo said:

on the other hand, the real issue here was simply that i don't think it's clear what you could do if you disagree with ifm's decisions when you feel they've been unfair (i.e: someone making official but you or your friends not making it). not that i'd use a system like that because — again — from experience ifm's been very clear and to the point.

If that's the main problem, which I have never thought would be one - it's a simple solution to it. Most people message me or management if they disagree with a decision made within IFM, and we look at it.

It says in this thread;

That you message management here, I usually get added and should be there - as I don't personally vote on all submissions anymore, just so I can be a final say on an appeal as well. But I'll add my own name to the list as well, and I recommend people follow through with these PMs if they got legitimate concerns.

[Beholder]

9 minutes ago, Copa Cabana said:

 

No, the status isn't a huge thing but it behaves as a seal of approval from the IFM that the said faction is good and adds value, therefore it is a faction. Again, everything depends on the context and the posts. I agree that there are plenty posts that were just simply toxic and needed to be removed.

 

You don't need IFM's seal of approval to know if you're a good faction or not dude. Again, adding meaning to a title that doesn't really have meaning.

 

8 minutes ago, maramizo said:

that's true but not really. many perks are hidden behind the official status. easier leeway of getting access to suppliers, avoiding literally being given CK perms on your entire faction, et cetera.

 

on the other hand, the real issue here was simply that i don't think it's clear what you could do if you disagree with ifm's decisions when you feel they've been unfair (i.e: someone making official but you or your friends not making it). not that i'd use a system like that because — again — from experience ifm's been very clear and to the point.

 

had there been a known channel, which shanks clarified a few posts above, then this thread would have been just shut down "bring it up to X".

Supplier connections are based on what you do IC. To assume a faction suddenly has connections to suppliers based on their official status is silly.

 

The CK rights is a benefit, but as long as you don't go around harassing factions much larger than yours (which you shouldn't even if you did have your special title) then you have nothing to worry about.

 

If you don't like an IFM decision, reach out to them respectfully, patiently, and discreetly. This thread is none of those things. I think most people know that they can reach out to staff with their issues, they just need to be patient about getting their responses.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Beholder

[maramizo]

1 minute ago, Copa Cabana said:

Now go to Violi thread and you'll easily find spaces where there hasn't been a single post in weeks.

 

report them. read the post by shanks above. you're free to talk about the result of the report with other players, lord knows i personally am interested in seeing how this is handled. the allegation of there being favoritism and bias is the clear issue to me here, honestly, the way i see it the dudes in violi crew just want to play the game and i have nothing against that but i've also been told by other players about fuckery regarding who gets what supplier with nepotistic favoritism.

 

so, for the sake of transparency, but also to maintain systematic integrity, i think you should be obliged to report that decision given the inactivity and quality of roleplay, and ask for a clear explanation as to why they were allowed in in the first place.

 

i may sound black pilled here, but even if there is favoritism, and even if nothing comes out of it while there is favoritism, it's important to allow for a degree of transparency that will allow us all to eventually move forward rather than burying it under. so the first move of making the report is very important and cannot be underestimated.

[Shanks]

8 minutes ago, Copa Cabana said:

So what I can come up from your reply is that there's really no real way to qualify/not qualify for the status. And I never attacked the IFM's inability to do most parts of their job. The systems that are in place and that do work offer great opportunity to factions, but the issue at hand is the inability or the unwillingness to weigh where the IFM's seal of approval goes. The rules are made super blurry so you get to make all of the decisions without any clear requirements involved.

The way you spoke of the team and portrayed it really put that in a different manner, and I'm sure you'll understand that if you read back as well. Requirements land on both quality and continuity within the server. As stated above - if there's disagreements or legit concerns, there are ways to appeal it as well. Which involves the management of the server. This is stated in the same thread.

 

8 minutes ago, Copa Cabana said:

Now go to Violi thread and you'll easily find spaces where there hasn't been a single post in weeks.

I ask that you please report this, faction reports. Sitting here and complaining about the team when no reports are filed is just a little beyond to me. Sometimes people have excuses, a busy life or whatnot - yes. But when you report or reach out to us, we generally respond and take things seriously here. I don't know why you believe we wouldn't and what sort of stories have been fed to you - but I respond to every single forum PM I get, and they pile up to quite a few a day. But please use the right channels, they are all there for you to go through. Don't post these comments on threads and expect us to then side with you on it, just go through the correct process is all I ask.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Shanks

[maramizo]

Just now, Beholder said:

Supplier connections are based on what you do IC. To assume a faction suddenly has connections to suppliers based on their official status is silly.

 

The CK rights is a benefit, but as long as you don't go around harassing factions much larger than yours (which you shouldn't even if you did have your special title) then you have nothing to worry about.

 

If you don't like an IFM decision, reach out to the respectfully, patiently, and discreetly. This thread is none of those things. I think most people know that they can reach out to staff with their issues, they just need to be patient about getting their responses.

(1) you get easier leeway for being in an official faction as you've already gotten the stamp of approval. the bureaucratic system that is faction management exists for a reason — they are the ones to make you official, and they are the ones to pick suppliers, for a clear reason. take a guess.

 

(2) lol. good luck roleplaying in davis. you do make a fair point, but you underestimate how some people will try to provoke you just to get a reaction.

 

(3) discretion does not guarantee transparency. that's a fact.