My ban on Shrunkland

Mmmm... What's cookin in the kitchen?

Moderator: Lucifer

TaZ
Round Winner
Posts: 229
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:46 pm

My ban on Shrunkland

Post by TaZ »

Hi, it seems I've been banned from one of my beloved servers (shrunkland). Although I don't recall any reason for me being banned or who even banned me. I do have an idea of who banned me, although this person will not respond to my pm's. Phytotron, if you did ban me just because I said you got your words from a thesaurus, then I would completely understand. I won't go back and forth, I would just like the know who banned me and the reason why I was banned.
Thanks,
TaZ.
User avatar
sinewav
Graphic Artist
Posts: 6413
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:37 am
Contact:

Re: Shrunkland

Post by sinewav »

When I saw the title of this thread I was hoping there would be one post with a single word: "rules." That would be cool. I love Shrunkland so much, I want a bumper sticker on my car that says "Shrunkland: It Rules." If I ever got banned from there, I would cry. So, this is a very serious thread.

How long was the ban? Can you just wait it out?
Attachments
shrunkland.JPG
shrunkland.JPG (14.35 KiB) Viewed 7127 times
suckland.PNG
(10.03 KiB) Downloaded 11 times
TaZ
Round Winner
Posts: 229
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:46 pm

Re: Shrunkland

Post by TaZ »

it was over like 55000 minuets.
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

You sent me one PM back on April 7th, and you and I both know it was not on the subject of the ban, nor could it have been as the ban was issued about a week after that. Given that it was an ostensibly private message I won't repeat its specific contents here, but not only wasn't it (or could it have been) about any ban, it didn't even have anything to do with yourself. So, don't try to portray the situation as though you've made several private, civil overtures but have been ignored and rebuffed by mean old Phytotron, and so you felt no other recourse but to make a public posting about it. That's the sort of disingenuous crap that will preclude any sympathy—or reconsideration of you and your gang's reputation—from me, and should from others as well.

No, the ban is not based upon the thesaurus remark; that would be petty. At the moment, frankly, it's based on your association with Mecca and Luck and their persistent poor behaviour, culminating in one particular evening's activities in the server, in which you at least partially participated. My patience ran out, and I levied the bans. (Worth mentioning here that Luck has on at least one occasion saw fit to get around it by apparently using a proxy.)

Yes, guilt by association, although with some measure of your participation as well—as at least an "accomplice," I suppose. That's what happens when you join some videogame clan/gang whose distinguishing characteristic is to be a bunch of (and I'm getting to be a broken record here) delinquent, malicious, sadistic nuisances, at best. I'm fed up with it. And don't give me this "but we're the new vcl now!" jive. The proof is in the pudding, not the P.R.

Note that all this would be the case—no small point here—whether I was the target or not.

That said, even prior to your posting here, I was planning on reducing your ban to a much shorter temporary one, or possibly lifting it with an admonition; I just hadn't got around to it yet. (Reportedly, the servers are moving this very night, and I intended to deal with it afterwards.) But I repeat, and this for anyone reading to understand as well: You did not once contact me about the situation, as you should have, prior to making this topic, else you would've learned that.

Mecca and Luck, however, are indefinitely banned until I'm sufficiently satisfied they've learned how to behave like halfway decent human beings—not only toward me, but everyone. And I mean genuine change, not some act just to slide past the forum or server moderators.



**********

Now, let me go ahead and take this opportunity to make a statement that anyone who has a legitimate question about, or disagreement with, a ban or such is welcome to PM me about it (rather than flinging dirty laundry all over the forum, and subjecting it to predictable "flames"), provided it's done so in an honest and civil manner.


By the way, Shrunkland isn't one of Z-Man's Test Servers. This topic belongs under Breakfast. It should also be renamed to something relevant to the content, as a casual passerby may take it as a source of general Shrunkland information, which it clearly is not.
Last edited by Phytotron on Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

sinewav wrote:bumper sticker pic
No monster trucks allowed!
User avatar
Z-Man
God & Project Admin
Posts: 11585
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 6:01 pm
Location: Cologne
Contact:

Re: Shrunkland

Post by Z-Man »

Phytotron wrote:By the way, Shrunkland isn't one of Z-Man's Test Servers. This topic belongs under Breakfast. It should be renamed to something relevant to the content as well, as a casual passerby may take it as a source of general Shrunkland information, which it clearly is not.
Done, in case you're wondering WTF Phytotron is talking about.

Also, in case you're waiting for me to take sides, it's the usual one, that of the server admins. It doesn't matter that I disagree with Phytotron on the matter of Taz's general behavior.
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

Thanks.
Z-Man wrote:Also, in case you're waiting for me to take sides, it's the usual one, that of the server admins. It doesn't matter that I disagree with Phytotron on the matter of Taz's general behavior.
Actually, it does in some sense (besides the fact you stated it anyway :/ ). :) Your comments were part of what figured into my reconsidering his ban.


Ugh, can I go to bed now? Man, Taz, I hope you appreciate my staying up way late, and the consequence for me tomorrow, just so I could respond to this immediately upon seeing it. (Granted, I also wanted to deal with it before the vultures had a chance to descend.)
Last edited by Phytotron on Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
LucK
Shutout Match Winner
Posts: 861
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:04 pm

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by LucK »

Uh Phytotron the first time I came in that server I didn't even have a chance to log in I was banned so fast. Then I came back using a proxy and I was playing fine I was liking the server then out of no where u admin kill me and told me that you had a problem with my playing style. We exchanged words but and then i changed my name to LucK and I was banned again. But it is your server so do as you wish.
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

And the first vulture descends. And it lies. Both predictable. Thanks, Taz.
User avatar
MaZuffeR
Core Dumper
Posts: 121
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:28 pm
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by MaZuffeR »

Phytotron wrote:And the first vulture descends. And it lies. Both predictable. Thanks, Taz.
I don't know which part of LucK's message you refer to as lying, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time you adminkilled someone, without warning, because you didn't like the way they were playing. When you did that to me you even claimed that admins couldn't kill players.
winner of: Spoon, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th, 18th, 19th, 33rd, 34th and 48th Ladle.
Retired since 07/2012
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

For crying out loud, here it goes. Again, thanks, Taz. Now....

What the hell are you talking about, Mazuffer? I do not admin kill someone simply because I personally don't like the way they're playing. Read the big, obvious, fullscreen message when you enter the server: "People may play as they like, within reason." And I mean it. I haven't even used admin kill but a handful of times since I got back into running this server about 6 months ago. In fact, I've been deliberately avoiding using admin kill precisely because of the kinds of reactions, sour grapes, and subsequent baseless accusations like yours that inevitably follow (trying to learn from and improve upon my first time around 4 years ago, ya know). And the few times I have used it since I've been back, I haven't done it out of the blue. They've usually come with warnings. In particular, nearly all instances I can think of having done it were cases where someone was repeatedly and deliberately self-boxing, needlessly prolonging the round doodling around (what some might describe as "camping"), asked then told not to make a habit of that, and then proceeded to do it again. Mecca can verify that.

As for you specifically, Mazuffer, I have no recollection of seeing you in the server (unless you were using a different name, which you should divulge if you want to attempt any credibility or clarification here, and so I might even check the chatlogs). And I sure as hell wouldn't have said something as stupid as claiming admins can't kill players. Are you kidding? So, I don't know where the hell you get this, unless you're confused about one or more of the who, what, when, where, and why.


EDIT: I have Shrunkland chatlogs going back to 12/11/09. There are eleven total admin kills. None of them Mazuffer. Six of them involve three players, each killed twice:

- a deliberate self-boxer (and runner) who has been warned
- an excessive, random button-masher (who was also being obnoxious in chat and ultimately silenced then kicked out when he took it over the top) who was repeatedly asked by everyone to stop, and warned by me a number of times
- a "newb" who was repeatedly and purposefully making a "spiral of death," to everyone's annoyance, and I only killed that one at the end of the round if it was still a large box

The other five single admin kills were:

- a "Player 1" who was presumably in a spiral of death
- a runner/self-boxer, although I admittedly didn't give an explicit warning
- an excessive rim hugger who was asked nicely, then warned
- one I'm not sure why, although there was no reaction from him afterward, and he stayed in the server for a good while after, so it mustn't have been too offensive to him
- Mecca


And, it turns out I did in fact admin kill Luck. However, that was actually in BiH the day after he was banned from Shrunkland. His ban from Shrunkland was on sight, yes. Game servers do not exist in a vacuum wherein everyone gets a blank slate upon entering. I have no reason to believe Luck would behave any better in Shrunkland, especially with me around, than he has been on the forum and in other servers—and neither I nor others want that kind of crap in that server. On top of that, that particular evening, Mecca had already been in there for probably a half hour doing his little "nicest people in tron" routine (aka, trolling). Upon his calling Luck in from IRC, I said nope, I'm not even giving this a chance to get off the ground. Of course, as I implied, I was inclined to ban Luck on sight anyway, but this gave me added incentive.

The next night, Luck entered BiH and I kicked him on sight. Three minutes later he re-entered, using a proxy and the name "hahaha." He apparently has automatic authentication requests. On his first entry, he had entered his password and authenticated. Upon this second entry, he aborted it in order to not reveal his identity. I suspected it was him (called up /admin players), but let it ride since there was nothing obvious to confirm it. Games continued with no chat. Nara and dlh were there, but eventually left. We played on for a little bit. Then he must've begun doing something he hadn't been, I can't recall exactly what, but the following chat ensued:
Jet Jaguar: are you trying to be provocative?
hahaha was smitten by an administrator.
hahaha: wow admin abuse
Jet Jaguar: WOW, you totally didn't come in asking for it, did you?
hahaha: no
hahaha: i am playing
hahaha: this server is laggy
hahaha: u should get it fixed
Jet Jaguar: you should get your ping fixed [proxy had it up around 300 or more, iirc]
Jet Jaguar: and find somewhere else to play
hahaha has been logged in as LucK@forums at access level "Remote User".
hahaha: :P
Jet Jaguar: yep, you're done here
hahaha renamed to L
<ban>
So you see, isn't wasn't a matter of my taste in his "style" (I couldn't even tell you what that "style" may have been). It was a matter of him being a little troll.
Last edited by Phytotron on Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:19 pm, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
MaZuffeR
Core Dumper
Posts: 121
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:28 pm
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by MaZuffeR »

It was definitely more than 6 months ago, I didn't say it was in this incarnation of the server. Good if you've stopped doing it. You were playing as Audrey, I was most likely playing as *whisper* and I'm fairly certain freako was in the server too.
Last edited by MaZuffeR on Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
winner of: Spoon, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th, 18th, 19th, 33rd, 34th and 48th Ladle.
Retired since 07/2012
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

Dude, I haven't played as Audrey in almost 4 years (except for about 20 minutes a little while back when Fonkay stopped by). I hadn't played at all from mid-2006 until just this past fall (except for an anonymous check-in about every 6 months). I don't remember a freako. PM me your "whisper" name and maybe I'll remember something. And it would have to had been Shrunkland as that's the only server to which I've ever had admin rights, until recently. If it happened somewhere else, it wasn't me.


Alright, I'm done until this evening at the earliest. And really, is there anything else that needs to be added? Any individual grievances can and should be addressed to me in PM, as I mentioned above. Do the rest of you kiddos think you can restrain yourselves from turning this into a flaming playground?
Last edited by Phytotron on Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
ItzAcid
Match Winner
Posts: 511
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:16 am
Location: I reside in your mind.
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by ItzAcid »

It's useless to keep saying thanks, Taz. What they're saying (other then claiming your an unfair admin) has nothing to do with disrespect for a certain clan and the association of one member to another, but it is straight to the point of how players were treated in your server. This isn't why I decided to post though. Call me a vulture if you wish, but Taz is really friendly and causes no problems in servers. Associating him with the vcl members you dislike isn't fair. Your civil, understanding, and open minded (when the problem is brought about in a peaceful manner) so I know the problem will be solved :) I just respect Taz and don't like to see him be put down as a simple part of a
videogame clan/gang whose distinguishing characteristic is to be a bunch of (and I'm getting to be a broken record here) delinquent, malicious, sadistic nuisances, at best.
He didnt start this to allow others to flame you :)
Won Tourneys/Competitions: WWG4 (Hmm, need more braggage like Durka)

Oo oO
User avatar
Phytotron
Formerly Oscilloscope
Posts: 5041
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:06 pm
Location: A site or situation, especially considered in regard to its surroundings.
Contact:

Re: My ban on Shrunkland

Post by Phytotron »

Rather unconstructive, unnecessary post. The "thanks, Taz" has to do with his creating this topic. It's the kind of thing that has been discussed several times on this forum. Don't bring your personal issues with admins to the forum and make public posts about them. Always contact the admin personally first. Why? Because these sorts of threads, besides being clutter, are absolute lightning rods and almost never have anything good come out of them. Taz should have known better than to make this topic at all, and moreover shouldn't have acted like it was his last resort when he hadn't even contacted me personally. Regardless of whether he started this topic with the intent of presenting others a handy opportunity to "flame," he should have known that's what becomes of these types of threads. It's not a new issue in the least, and has even had recent examples.

I also don't need you sticking your nose in and making an argument for anyone, or trying to tell me what is or isn't fair, especially when I've already gone over every relevant thing there is to go over and already stated that I had reconsidered his ban even before he made this topic. (Luck and Mecca, on the other hand, got what they asked for.)




Alright, now I'm done until this evening at the earliest. And really, is there anything else that needs to be added? Any individual grievances can and should be addressed to me in PM, as I mentioned above. Do the rest of you kiddos think you can restrain yourselves from turning this into a flaming playground?
Locked