Staff Code of Conduct

Updated 2016-09-30

This is the Overcast Network Staff Code of Conduct. The following guidelines apply to all staff members (as listed on oc.tc/staff), as well as anyone who works with us in an official capacity.

A. General Conduct

1. As representatives of the Overcast Network, staff members should be respectful and act professionally at all times. They should use their common sense. If they are unsure how to handle a situation, they should discuss it with an appropriate senior staff member.
2. A staff member who is found to have cheated on other public servers may be dealt with as if they had cheated on the Overcast Network.
3. Staff should keep up to date with the Overcast Network rules, Staff Code of Conduct, and the information in staff private forums.
4. Information from staff forums, chats, reports, appeals and private conversations must be kept strictly confidential by staff members, even if they cease to be a member of staff.
5. Staff may sometimes be told information about upcoming events and features before the general public. They should assume that all information is private, and always ask permission before sharing it with anyone, including other staff members.
6. In-game commands should not be used to modify worlds or gameplay, with the following exceptions:
   1. Ending a match manually if a stalemate situation has been reached (after consulting with other moderators and players);
   2. Setting a map (as long as it is suitable for the server, and after consulting with other moderators and players);
   3. Using teleport commands to move players who are trapped (e.g. stuck in a 2x1x1 hole, or unable to move due to glitches or the actions of griefers);
   4. Using WorldEdit to clean up the direct results of rulebreaking (e.g. griefing, resource hoarding, lag machines or illegal lava);
   5. For special events or map testing purposes, where explicitly permitted by a Map Developer or senior staff member (as long as this is done with care and in a fair manner).
7. Staff members must pay special attention to the security of their accounts. They must never allow any other person to have access to any account which they use for Lifeboat business. Staff members should use strong passwords and maintain good security practices at all times.
8. Staff members who expect to be inactive or unavailable for more than a week must inform a senior staff member. Staff who are unreachable for an extended period of time may be demoted without warning.

B. Moderation

1. Moderators must always check a player’s infraction history before issuing a punishment.
2. They may, at their own discretion, issue a lesser punishment, but never a greater one.
3. If there is reasonable doubt in regards to hacking, moderators must not punish. Something that can’t be easily explained isn't automatically hacking. Moderators are advised to seek the opinions of other staff members if doubts arise.
4. Punishments for team griefing are subjective. When punishing for team griefing, moderators should consider whether the player was actually trying to achieve a tactical goal.
5. Moderators must not punish players based solely on hearsay, reports, anticheat messages, death messages, or any combination of the above.
6. The following situations merit a warning for first-time offenders, and a punishment for subsequent instances:
   1. Actions which reflect poor sportsmanship;
   2. Recklessness (e.g. pillaring with TNT or building chaos cannons too near to teammates);
   3. Breaking map-specific rules;
   4. Minor chat-related offenses, such as rudeness, hackusating, mild spam, tactical information, etc; but not including severe spam, serious threats or harassment, malicious/explicit links, or spam advertising.
7. The following situations merit an immediate permanent ban:
   1. All forms of hacks or illegal modifications;
   2. Extreme team griefing (e.g. destroying many crucial supplies, many team chests, valuable or tactical team structures, or destroying a large section of the griefer’s team's base);
   3. If a player returns within 24 hours after a kick for team griefing and continues to team grief;
   4. Accounts known to be compromised, and accounts used solely for advertising purposes;
   5. Extremely serious threatening or harassing behavior towards other players.
8. For all other rulebreaking, moderators should issue a standard punishment.
9. An appropriate and descriptive reason should be given for all infractions.
10. Moderators must not allow the punishment system to be abused by giving infractions on request, or by issuing joke infractions.
11. If a staff member believes that another staff member has been breaking rules, they should report this to senior staff immediately.
12. Infractions for the following should only be issued with the agreement of senior moderation staff. In these cases, moderators are asked to make a report with evidence and escalate it, or discuss with seniors or admins directly.
    1. Forum rulebreaking;
    2. Ban evasion;
    3. Serious threats or harassment;
    4. Any other abusive behaviour (e.g. deliberately making false reports, inappropriate conduct in appeals or abusing bugs).
13. Infractions for rulebreaking on event-related or map development servers should only be issued by the appropriate staff.
14. Punishments should not be increased once issued, except where a lower punishment was given in error (such as typing /p instead of /pb), or where a senior staff member has approved the change.
15. When issuing infractions based on user-submitted evidence for minor rulebreaking, moderators must ensure that the evidence is no more than a few days old. If in doubt, they should ask a senior staff member to investigate.

C. Appeals

1. Staff members must always remain respectful and polite but firm when handling appeals.
2. Valid infractions should never be appealed, but may be reduced in severity or duration, or expired, at the staff member’s discretion.
3. Staff members must always explain clearly the reason for the infraction in the appeal, so that it can be properly evaluated by a senior staff member if escalated.
4. If a staff member does not feel confident in handling an appeal, they are free to escalate it or consult other staff for guidance.
5. If a staff member disagrees with another staff member’s actions in an appeal, they should bring this to the other’s attention privately rather than in the appeal.
6. Staff members should try to assume that the player is being truthful. If there is reasonable doubt that an infraction is correct, the staff member must err in the appellee's favor. If they need further consultation, they can escalate and/or ask senior staff.
7. Staff members must record evidence to support punishments for illegal client modifications, and be able to provide it up to 28 days after the punishment. If the punished player requests it, the evidence should be posted in the appeal. A senior staff member may also request the evidence directly. If, for some reason, evidence cannot be provided for such an appeal, it should be immediately escalated and a senior will decide how to proceed.
8. Staff members should not appeal or expire punishments they did not issue.
9. Escalated appeals for in-game infractions should only be handled by senior staff, and never by the staff member who issued the infraction. In the case of event-related punishments, escalated appeals should be handled by another senior member of event staff. Forum-related appeals may be handled by any administrator.

D. Event staff

1. Members of our event staff must follow the directions of more senior staff to the best of their ability.
2. Live Streamers represent the network publicly. Their actions while live streaming reflect us. They must not be rude, childish, vulgar, sexist, racist, homophobic, intoxicated or unprofessional during a stream. If they allow a co-streamer to accompany them during a stream, they are responsible for the co-streamer’s actions and behavior during the stream, who must follow the same restrictions (this Code of Conduct) that live streamers adhere to.

E. Consequences

1. Staff members agree to be bound by this Code of Conduct and the server rules at all times. If any of them is found to be in breach of these, they may be demoted and/or punished more harshly than a normal player.
2. If someone ceases to be a staff member, they are still bound by confidentiality; if they release confidential information, their account may be banned or suspended.
3. If you suspect a staff member is not following the Code of Conduct or is leaking information, contact an administrator immediately.

Changelog

2016-09-30

C.9 updated to clarify that it doesn't apply to forum infractions, and that such appeals may be dealt with by any admin.

• Old: Escalated appeals should only be handled by senior staff, and never by the staff member who issued the infraction. In the case of event-related punishments, escalated appeals should be handled by another senior member of event staff.
• New: Escalated appeals for in-game infractions should only be handled by senior staff, and never by the staff member who issued the infraction. In the case of event-related punishments, escalated appeals should be handled by another senior member of event staff. Forum-related appeals may be handled by any administrator.

2016-09-21

We are now Lifeboat!

2016-01-16

A.6 has been changed to include changes that don't directly affect gameplay, such as lobby edits.

• Old: In-game commands should not be used to modify gameplay
• New: In-game commands should not be used to modify worlds or gameplay

B.13 has been changed to clarify that mapdev servers are moderated differently to public servers.

• Old: Infractions for event-related rulebreaking should only be issued by the appropriate event staff.
• New: Infractions for rulebreaking on event-related or map development servers should only be issued by the appropriate staff.

2016-02-08

B.12 reworded in the light of the re-addition of the Senior Moderator rank.

• Old: Infractions for the following should only be issued with the agreement of administrators. In these cases, moderators are asked to make a report with evidence and escalate it, or discuss with admins directly.
• New: Infractions for the following should only be issued with the agreement of senior moderation staff. In these cases, moderators are asked to make a report with evidence and escalate it, or discuss with seniors or admins directly.

2016-04-11

New section added after C.6:

• 7. Staff members must record evidence to support punishments for illegal client modifications, and be able to provide it up to 28 days after the punishment. If the punished player requests it, the evidence should be posted in the appeal. A senior staff member may also request the evidence directly. If, for some reason, evidence cannot be provided for such an appeal, it should be immediately escalated and a senior will decide how to proceed.

Section B.12 edited:

• Removed 2. Fastplace or autoclicking;