OOC nicknames, profiles and pictures should be free of controversial topics

[Triple Seven]

For a while now, I've been meaning to raise this point. Over my time in this community I've seen more and more nicknames on the forums and profile pictures that very clearly show influence or thematic reference to the type of roleplay players portray. A good example I came across this morning and I just noticed got reported (I was considering doing this myself).

 

@Zach.. luckily found the time and will to report this forum account. Now I don't know if this will be dealt with in terms of punishment, but I'm just using this as an example, I don't think all examples are as blatant as this one.

 

What I mean to express is I feel the community, through the staff team, should prevent players to have:

 

- criminal references in their forum name or profile picture (gangbangers with guns, letters replaced because irl the concept they play is too disgusted/afraid to use a certain letter or combination, etc.)

- racist references in their forum name or profile picture (see above example)

 

And we should enforce OOC sections:

 

- players use proper English and not all sorts of slang, to make staff's job (on reports for example) a lot easier and as a general sign of respect and effort. This also helps players display they are capable of communicating at a level we should want in this community.

- players differentiate between themselves and their characters and concept (you'll often see "I..." instead of "Name..." or "My character..." when you read the reports section. (metagaming much?)

 

I understand this might be somewhat difficult to moderate actively (apart from the English in OOC posts), but I feel not enough is being done to prevent events like the above report. In my opinion it's very clear that forum user is completely off the rails by creating a profile with that name for what is mostly an OOC platform.

 

I understand people have different opinions and I respect that, but hopefully you can see my point.

 

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED Talk, discuss respectfully please.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Triple Seven
typo

[i dont wanna od in LA]

no

[Wuhtah]

I will be re-opening this thread for discussion. 

 

If you're toxic, bashful, or insulting to ANYONE? You'll fetch a harsh ban from me. 

 

Different opinions are how you grow as a person and see the other side of things. You can understand a viewpoint and still respectfully disagree.

 

I, as long as other administrators, will be monitoring this thread more than the usual threads. Keep it clean and respectful. Even if you're against OP's opinion - that's okay and you're welcome to express your opinion.

[FourmsThreadWatcher]

no

[Snoof]

I think it would be a really healthy reality-check for a lot of people tbh.

[Fasholy]

it aint that deep 

just ignore it and scroll past

Edited July 8, 2022 by Fasholy

[Trupiano]

Yeah sure if somebody has the name "adolfhitlerlover88" and is posting nazi banners all over the forums they probably don't belong here. Thing is, that's not what any of these profiles or community members are doing. Setting a "theme" for your profile that matches the type of RP you perform IG is common trend on RP servers. You can believe whatever you want about these players, but when you actually look into what their names/iconography mean it's a reference to White prison gangs/Socal gang culture not actual Nazism.

 

Should every profile using mob surveillance photos (Such as mine) be banned? What about profiles that show imagery associated with black or Latino street gangs? All three meet the criteria you laid out yet I doubt you have any issue with them. Your issue is with one specific subset of players and a type of RP you not only don't understand, you know absolutely nothing about. You wouldn't be making this thread if you did.

[Midwest]

If "pride" and "proud" are considered bannable offenses in that regard, I sure hope we start to apply it to all the other racial, ethnic, and characteristic "pride" "proud" accounts. 

 

Small edit for clarification; both terms referenced above are very distinctly different from "power". 

Edited July 8, 2022 by Midwest

[Coni]

I think this is going too far. Yeah sure, remove whatever clearly breaks the rules of this server but anything above that is, in my opinion, unenforcable. You will end up with alot of cases falling on either side and it will create discussion. Why is an afro american with clear gang affiliations wielding a gun allowed, why is a caucasian with gang affiliations not. Is a fat italian in your profile picture in itself already wrong or does it become so only after it is known you roleplay one (Schroedingers Profile Picture). 

 

Another point I do agree is when people become too involved in their make-believe accent and start to use it during common forum communication. But even then it is a common occurance in "acting" no matter the sort - undercover work, movie shootings or as we do - digital theatre characters on a living stage. If they do it during "serious affairs" I see no issue in admins requesting proper english (as good as the individual is capable) or even deleting posts clearly not making an effort. 

 

 

[Triple Seven]

2 minutes ago, Trupiano said:

Yeah sure if somebody has the name "adolfhitlerlover88" and is posting nazi banners all over the forums they probably don't belong here. Thing is, that's not what any of these profiles or community members are doing. Setting a "theme" for your profile that matches the type of RP you perform IG is common trend on RP servers. You can believe whatever you want about these players, but when you actually look into what their names/iconography mean it's a reference to White prison gangs/Socal gang culture not actual Nazism.

 

As for it being a 'common trend': That doesn't mean that's a healthy development for any community.

 

2 minutes ago, Trupiano said:

 

Should every profile using mob surveillance photos (Such as mine) be banned? What about profiles that show imagery associated with black or Latino street gangs? All three meet the criteria you laid out yet I doubt you have any issue with them. Your issue is with one specific subset of players and a type of RP you not only don't understand, you know absolutely nothing about. You wouldn't be making this thread if you did.

 

 

No, I absolutely do have an issue with them. It's unhealthy in my opinion, but I respect your opinion on the matter of course. I just feel it would be healthy for the players to distinctly show they, as a player, are not supportive of the IC concept they portray. And no, that doesn't mean a player portraying white supremacy should have an antifa profile picture to prove themselves. It'd just be good to be more neutral and distant from the roleplayed concept.