Past time for a TOS update

Conan Exiles General Discussion
54

I think as a standard we all need to call it what it is. It’s not the Terms of Service.

It is the Terms of Conduct as a baseline and ToC for short but in reality is: Terms of conduct, guidelines and procedures. I know this is relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things but for the sake of newer people it is important to be accurate.

I think this suggestion shouldn’t be entertained. Others have probably noticed my avoidance of reporting so I’ll make it clear that it has nothing to do with that. My concern with such a suggestion is that it is a symptom of larger issues. From the volume of reports, the fact that the ones who deal with the tickets are overwhelmed, to the oft repeated realization that reports either get actioned on without true investigation or ignored altogether and of course the fact that the ToC is poorly written, is not clear and doesn’t seem to be enforced properly.

It shouldn’t be our responsibility to be vigilantes for a system that is wholly incomplete and can be so incredibly devastating.

I agree despite the cries not to in the past. If something shouldn’t be built on then make it so. Don’t punish those that don’t know any better or assume that they’re built far enough away that it shouldn’t affect the site.

Keep in mind that there are many buildings in Xel Ha that are not POIs.

As it is in the mechanism for Message of the Day they can’t add a link to it that is interactive. So players are going to swat it away. Someone like me who has a keen interest in the ToC has read it often but newer players will only really know that it exists based on that message. Some may try to find it, some may even find it. Most will not read it or even understand it in the state that it is now and ESPECIALLY since this game is a pretty hefty one with a lot to absorb and experience. It will be forgotten and misunderstood. The fact that me and others have asked for it to be in players’ faces doesn’t negate what I’ve said though. There needs to be more.

I’d like to point out that months ago it was mentioned in a now locked and delisted thread that the ToC was not the best and they’re working on it. They know. They are listening. It’s just not at the top of their priorities quite obviously.

The actions through Zendesk have also gone through several iterations. I’ve been watching the forums and other places for discussions on reports for almost a year now. Something has changed recently as well. Less action and I think this is also evidenced by your issues with this @DeaconElie . Perhaps that revamp that was mentioned is in the works and while they do focus some attention on it they’re not acting as much until their own procedures are updated? This is just me musing.

Of course that is hard to determine as @CodeMage has mentioned; they don’t tell us what their true process is. The mention of the bug that does not display suspension information is huge.

Not only are players not warned (ok we know that isn’t a thing but most want it), but they’re not even given the information. Then they’re forced to seek the information elsewhere. If they’re aware of the ToC and the forums they’ll send an inquiry through Zendesk (which AGAIN the ONLY option is ban appeal -_-). If they’re not, they come here, on Reddit, Facebook or Twitter and are told to go to Zendesk to get the info.

How much time and effort has to be wasted here?

Let’s look at a timeline of a report process at all:

Reporter *

  1. Find violation
  2. Use the in game option or head directly to Zendesk
  3. Open up the report option
  4. Take screenshots or video of the offence and map marker
  5. Take 10-30 minutes of your time to actually put together a detailed report including the clan name, character names and funcom ids if applicable including uploading a video that can take some time
  6. Send report
  7. Receive automated message that report was received
  8. Wait
  9. Wait
  10. Wait
  11. Wait
  12. Wait
  13. 1-3 weeks later receive an automated response that they’re overwhelmed and hope the situation has resolved itself
  14. Reply to the automated response that it has not improved
  15. Wait
  16. Wait
  17. Wait
  18. Receive response that the situation was resolved or that they didn’t find any issues 3 days to a week later

Actioned on with no info

  1. Log in to your base wiped (if you’re savvy you know the time frame this happens too)
  2. Be confused
  3. Get frustrated and angry
  4. Is it a bug? Was something missed? What the hell?
  5. Re-read the ToC multiple times to try to understand what the issue was
  6. Come here to complain and try to understand
  7. Get told to go to Zendesk and thread locked
  8. File report under “appeal a ban” because that is the only option and creates false hope and contradicts the ToC in regard to suspensions
  9. Attempt to log in next day and receive the message that suspension info couldn’t be retrieved
  10. Get more confused
  11. Wait
  12. Wait
  13. Wait
  14. Wait
  15. Wait
  16. Receive a response within 1-3 weeks that they’re overwhelmed and hope the situation has resolved itself
  17. Respond to email that it hasn’t
  18. Wait
  19. Wait
  20. Wait
  21. Receive a response that it was due to violation of the land claim system and they’re not eligible for reconsideration because it is a suspension 3 days to a week later

Like man, this whole thing is ridiculous on all sides. It kind of reminds me of the old skool office clerk that prints emails and then photocopies them to distribute. So many things could be addressed, optimized, made clearer, less effort, etc.,…

(*) Now imagine how it feels to do this process when there’s doxxing and hacking going on…

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