How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ban

[Pugilist]

I’ve been playing this game for 3ish years and have gone through a lot of updates and debates and kept plodding through because, at the heart, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the game.

That has not changed.

What has changed, for me, was the acrimony of public PVE servers. Folks popping in, spamming foundations to compensate for the lack of competence in their life, “walling” territory with thralls, building as close as physically possible to established bases so that Purges spawn inside the neighboring base, and demanding demolition of a base because, “I always bulld there!”

But that was ignorable until the TOS update that changed the rules for building and encouraged players to try to get others banned.

Let’s be clear, I view the TOS the same way I view an HOA. If you don’t like them, don’t go there and don’t engage and then complain about something you agreed to do. Seriously, who has time for that?

But the new TOS presented a problem. I had been on public servers for years. I had public maprooms at all obelisks, built as close as possible to prevent obelisks being walled off. I had put down public infrastructure, bridges and elevators and a jousting arena.

So, it was just a matter of time before I was banned.

When my main base on a server crumbled without warning, I spent a few hours giving away hundreds of crafting thralls and thousands of mats and, then I got banned.

Again, let’s be very clear, I was in direct violation of the revised TOS, this resulted in a two week ban.

I use the solo game to test building ideas, but playing it as a campaign has never appealed to me. I cannot stand the co-op version and the tethering system, but I have found no other game I enjoy as much as Conan Exiles and part of what I love about the game is interacting with a community.

So, the solution was obvious.

I rented a server, opened it to the world, invited a few folk with whom I had played for years, and now we have a stable, vanilla server and no drama and no worries a sudden change of rules will destroy builds that are awesome.

This is not a TOS complaint or debate. I will spend no time justifying my builds. This is not a complaint about bans.

This is just a perspective that has allowed me to continue playing a game I enjoy.

[auticus]

Yep. I will only play on private servers with people I know or trust. I will never play games like these on public servers because while a lot of folks are cool - a lot of folks also get off on being trolls.

And honestly thats why I’m still around and love the game. I would have left years ago if I only stuck to public servers.

[TeleTesselator]

I think you’re in a good head space there! Nice!

I wonder how much the rental fee is though - I’ve never looked into it. And I wonder if that competes well with the electricity costs of setting up and running that PC a lot of us have sitting in a closet somewhere - just loading up the dedicated server on it, scripting 24 hr. restarts and sitting it in a corner somewhere? A GPU isn’t needed for this so with it running either headless or via APU I imagine the electrical costs would be pretty low. My 5600X / 2080 Ti system idles (or youtubes) at around $10/mo. so without a GPU maybe $5? And I’m in Japan where electricity is fairly high like typical USA + 25% - something like that.

Just spilling my thoughts - not a suggestion or anything.

[Pugilist]

@TeleTesselator

I wonder how much the rental fee is though

That’s a valid question. I understand a rented server is not an option for some. A 20 person server will run around $200 a year. I settled on a 20 person server because I rarely saw official PVE servers with a higher population. For me, this is not a strain, especially as PayPal let’s me pay for it over six month with no fees.

[TeleTesselator]

$200/yr for 20… Not bad I guess. Especially if that’s 20 on-line at any given time (20 connections) and not a 20 member limit. But yeah, if me I would just set up a box under my desk. When done I can give the server files to another and sell off the hardware to recoup almost all of the hardware costs. So maybe a 2nd gen used Threadripper and 128GB RAM, with a 1TB NVMe, running on linux / NetBSD and a fiber optic internet connection. If I ever go that route I already have the later. 10G Fiber I pay $40/mo for - $50 including the land-line, Wifi6, and 1TB on-line storage.

My first exposure to Conan Exiles was not dissimilar. A friend in Belgium running 4790K with 32GB running the dedicated server on some flavor of Linux over 256k copper. Serving a single clan comprised of people from Japan, Finland, and Belgium. It worked very well except for the fact that after a few rounds of Funcom “fixing bugs” it became necessary to script a restart every 12 or 24 hours. That didn’t jive with his other uses for the box so it finally disbanded after it had been running for about a year. He made the server files available to all and those can be uploaded to the rental servers or used by anyone for another go at a dedicated closet box.

[sestus2009]

I have been renting a server a month or so after the game came out for ps4. It can be a nuance but I have had enough fun to make up for that.

[JJDancer]

@Pugilist

But that was ignorable until the TOS update that changed the rules for building and encouraged players to try to get others banned.

This. I agree that the new TOS has encouraged the haters to spam reports to try to get people banned. Funcom has never been able to find the middle ground it seems.
A clan on my server did an awesome job on the ice bridge, but technically it is spam and they could be banned.

[JJDancer]

This gives legitimacy to the claims that FC is binge deleting builds and banning people that do not deserve it. The white knights wanting “proof” that people are being banned for just building large bases and public works projects should take note of this. You unleashed the Kraken, and you do not even play on Official servers. I hope you are happy now. . . .

[CodeMage]

@Pugilist

demanding demolition of a base because, “I always bulld there!”

Holy crap, there are people who actually do that?! That’s entitled af! That shines a different light on some conversations I’ve had on these forums. I thought people were deliberately misrepresenting some arguments, rather than misinterpreting them because they saw crap like that firsthand…

@Pugilist

But the new TOS presented a problem. I had been on public servers for years. I had public maprooms at all obelisks, built as close as possible to prevent obelisks being walled off. I had put down public infrastructure, bridges and elevators and a jousting arena.

I don’t get this. Why are public map rooms, bridges, elevators, or arenas a problem now?

@Pugilist

This is not a TOS complaint or debate. I will spend no time justifying my builds. This is not a complaint about bans.

Okay, but do you mind questions, though? I’m not asking for a justification of anything, but I’m having a hard time understanding why Funcom banned you. You say yourself you were “in direct violation of the revised TOS”, but nothing in your description sounds like a violation of TOS.

Did you get a Zendesk reply about why you were banned?

[stelagel]

I wish you were on ps4, I would surely join your server.
I am 100% sure that now you actually have real fun, the only thing I do not envy is the admin part, but playing with friends in a server that can be builded beautifully, without abomination spams all the time, is the best experience this game can provide.
Well done @Pugilist, I am truly happy for you

[Pugilist]

@CodeMage

I’m not asking for a justification of anything, but I’m having a hard time understanding why Funcom banned you.

The base in question was large and a public jousting arena was connected, setup behind Kleal’s Stronghold. I had a taverns and melee arenas on top of the plateau near Sep, all connected.

Even though everything was T3 and had a distinct purpose, it violated the revised TOS. I knew enough reports would result in a ban but I just did not care to play the “have I deleted enough” game. I witnessed others try that and still get banned.

As for the maprooms, some intersected with the Obelisk POI intentionally and I could never get a straight answer if that was allowed and I just did not feel like reconstructing them since I knew my main base was going to get reported.

I hope I have addressed your questions and I want to make certain it is clear. My Sep base was a violation of the revised TOS based on size. It was 2+ years old and the only saving grace was that a friend was on server when it crumbled and none of the thousands of mats and boxed and placed thralls appeared in loot bags so the folks that initiated the report did not profit from it.

[Pugilist]

@CodeMage

Did you get a Zendesk reply about why you were banned?

I did not inquire. Friends on the same server where banned a few week prior for builds that should have been fine and their interaction with Zendesk was unsatisfactory.

[CodeMage]

@Pugilist

I hope I have addressed your questions and I want to make certain it is clear.

You have addressed them, and thank you for doing that. No, it’s not clear, but that’s not your fault.

@Pugilist

My Sep base was a violation of the revised TOS based on size.

I wish this was easier to reason about. Right now, we players have no way of knowing this, we can only assume.

@Pugilist

I did not inquire. Friends on the same server where banned a few week prior for builds that should have been fine and their interaction with Zendesk was unsatisfactory.

Yeah, the canned replies really suck.

Again, thanks for shedding what little light could be shed on this.

[TeleTesselator]

@JJDancer

This gives legitimacy to the claims that FC is binge deleting builds and banning people that do not deserve it. The white knights wanting “proof” that people are being banned for just building large bases and public works projects should take note of this. You unleashed the Kraken, and you do not even play on Official servers. I hope you are happy now. . .

I never saw anyone “white knighting” but I was one of several asking for images. All of the images I saw completely justified FC’s position. Have you seen any that haven’t? So far my initial reactions to those images have always been: “What The… you built THERE and didn’t expect it to be deleted?”, and never: “Well, that’s fine, why would THAT be demolished by the Admins?”

I think a point that may be being missed here is that when we’re a citizen or community member on a public official server we are not there to change the map and therefore the experiences of the other players - either for the better or worsening of those experiences. The hard journeys and difficult climbs are there on purpose - or the map designer would have added stairs, roads, and elevator’s themselves. We can do those things for our in-game domiciles but it should probably stop there. We each of us, don’t own the map - that’s what the rentals and free dedicated servers are for - so we can play god there.

Unknown build limit?

You know, you bring up a stupidly good point. When you enter a retail/grocery store, or any other restaurant or any business in general. There is a distinct lack of posting of rules. In many cases it might simply be a posting of make sure you’re adequately dressed. For most fast food anyway. But I can’t remember seeing any rules posted entering an O’Reily’s (just using this as an example since I got a battery there recently) for example. Just advertisement. But you know what? There is many imp…

I see the inherent human condition (of like bees, naturally being builders and always wanting to improve the environment) is somewhat at odds with that but if we can overcome that instinct in a supermarket, a restaurant, a public park, or someone else’s back yard, surely we can in a game too?

An idea for an upkeep system

I don´t play a lot anymore, but just came to say i totally agree with this, and support the idea everytime it pops up in the forums. PvE servers are often filled with buildings not being used and in the nicest places. Some of them are huge and there is no real consequence for occupying tso much space, that´s a mayor flaw in the game design too. If any player play constantly wouldn’t have any problem keeping their bases from decaying, and if they build huge they better play a lot in order to ge…

@CodeMage

the canned replies really suck.

IMO this so far is one of the things FC is messing up on. That and banning first offenders for longer than about 4 or 5 hours (which might be handy for the base removal process or something - maybe). IMO there’s no reason for those bans and it doesn’t hurt anyone to be straight and clear with the reasonings for the demolitions. Whatever…

[JJDancer]

@TeleTesselator

I never saw anyone “white knighting” but I was one of several asking for images. All of the images I saw completely justified FC’s position. Have you seen any that haven’t? So far my initial reactions to those images have always been: “What The… you built THERE and didn’t expect it to be deleted?”, and never: “Well, that’s fine, why would THAT be demolished by the Admins?”

Guilty until proven innocent. I have personally seen bases disappear on my server because they were “too big” or took up too much space. I do not owe you an image to prove it happened. You can take my word for it or just keep “White knighting” for FC. Nobody needs to validate anything with you.

[Taemien]

Are they White Knighting for Funcom, or are you?

Those of us who play on private servers have very very little tolerance for admin abuse. The moment the server admins appear to be biased, unfair, or crazy in how they deal with players, the ship is jumped right there.

But many people are going on saying they’ve had their bases demo’d, been banned unjustly, and still wish to play with those dastardly official admins despite the alleged abuse. Its for this reason that statements like yours are not really being taken seriously.

You can’t really use the excuse that you stay on those servers because of 4 years of building then simultaneously say its a matter of time before you just lose it all from a report. If its only a matter of time, then its time to jump ship and get started on a better managed server.

The OP of this thread’s opinion I do take seriously. While he may be omitting details in his accounts, or maybe even fabricating events that led to their ban, I find all that irrelevant compared to his opinion on the matter. Why? Because he acted on the words and situation he found himself in.

I don’t take seriously the opinions of people claiming to be victims or soon to be victims who don’t take action to better their own game experience like many others. This leads me to believe that they aren’t thinking their situations through, are doing things they aren’t supposed to be doing and don’t want responsibility for those decisions, or most likely are exaggerating.

I don’t play on officials. Why?

1. Bad Host. G-Portal is the worst if not one of the worst hosts in reliability, features, and performance. About the only thing going for them is you have a few clicks, a payment and you have a server. But it will not run well (well I’ve done ok with them with only a 10 player server personally, but go 20+ and it goes to crap).
2. There’s a 1000 of them. There’s more servers than players. There’s pretty much no one to play with. Except for maybe a few of them during primetime.
3. Because there’s a 1000 of them, they’re poorly managed. You can’t admin a 1000 servers well. Its an impossibility.
4. Only 40 player capacity. Seriously? I’ve had 60 person sieges. How can you have a real fight with such a low cap?
5. No Mods (personal preference)

Yet many of you continue to play there. Those first four points are a no-go for many of us. And they are facts. Not opinions, on why officials are just terrible choices to play on. But yet many of you still do. Who’s actually white knighting here?

I find official servers unacceptable, from day 1 of their inception. Just a trash environment to play in from ground up. And furthermore irredeemable. They cannot be fixed. The entire economy of the free world in trillions of trillions of dollars cannot fix them. Utterly pointless.

Funcom’s 1st Mistake was making official servers.
Funcom’s 2nd Mistake was not realizing the first and deleting them.

But yet I’ve been called a white knight by many who play on officials. Pot calling the kettle black.

[JJDancer]

The KEY, you play on a private server. Yet here you are talking about Official servers, and their abuses. It doesnt get any more "White knight " than that. take a break from knowing everything about Officials and find your safe zone. Nobody cares about your opinion about something you have no clue about.

[Taemien]

Someone doesn’t like the truth.

Now you’re trying to turn the discussion into some clique only thing. That horse of yours is high indeed.

[Pugilist]

@Taemien

Those of us who play on private servers have very very little tolerance for admin abuse.

So, I need to clarify something important because this is taking a turn I explicitly stated was not part of the intent of this discussion.

I do not represent that admin abuse was the cause of my ban.

While I am certain there are better and worse admins, I am making no claims about abuse in any fashion.

My entire point is that the revised TOS resulted in bans for folks because they were both unclear and inconsistent. It was a poorly designed process, not a malicious action.

And, according to my $5 rule, I chose to remove myself from that process.

The $5 rules is simple. If it costs around $5 a week to not have to put up with a situation, do it.

[Hel]

@JJDancer

Nobody needs to validate anything with you.

Even if you would provide pictures or other proof there will always be people that are in complete denial. I don´t know how many times I personally was called a liar in this forum over the years, but I do not bother anymore and you shouldn´t too. Its a big waste of your free time to try to convince people that do not want to be convinced.