An Update to Server Discord Rules

[Edge]

In light of the past week, the admin staff has considered the addition of and better explanation of the rules of the community Discord, especially with regards to the contents of debate/discussion and opt-in community channels and activities. These are intended as expansions and clarifications of the existing rules, rather than replacements, meaning all prior rules and restrictions remain in place and effect.

Opt-in content is to remain opt-in. What this means is that what happens behind these doors remains behind these doors, and what is outside them remains outside. Discussion in opt-in areas should not be addressed to, about, or in consideration or critique of people who are not opted into the discussion, whether directly by name or in more oblique terms. If conversation with people outside the discussion is desired, approach them in an open channel or personal direct message, or contact an SDM or Admin to arrange an arbitrated meeting.

Likewise, conversations that occur within the opt-in discussion areas should not be transported out of those areas - through copy-paste, screenshot, or other distribution methods - to people who are not part of the opt-in discussion. Not only does this break the designed limitations of the opt-in nature of the discussion, but also introduces further complications in the risk of taking these discussions out of context or in an incomplete manner. An exception is obviously in place when a concern or complaint is being raised to a staff member regarding the discussion in question; as always, please use the complaint and concern form on the forums for reporting such incidents, or speak with an SDM or Admin directly via Discord. We cannot help with issues we don't know about.

The reason we do not typically ask players to go to any DM, but just upper staff, is that we don't want our DM staff to get burned out, stressed, or otherwise upset by dealing with server social issues. They are all volunteers and have come from the playerbase, just as the sDMs and admins have.

To put it simply: Please try to avoid speaking about others where they cannot explain themselves or their intentions/rationale/etc.

Secondly, while the conversations within these opt-in areas may become contentious and highly opinionated, first and foremost a level of civility must be maintained. While we may disagree very strongly on certain ideas, beliefs, philosophies, and positions, we ask all participating members to focus on the content of said discussions and avoid degrading, demeaning, or insulting comments toward the people themselves. In these areas, all opinions are on the table for discussion and debate, but we are all fellow humans and should be treated with a level of respect. Ideas are to be weighed and valued, discussed and disagreed upon, rather than the worth or lack thereof of the people involved in the discussion. This is, unfortunately, an aspect of the conversation on all sides of the lines that we have not been particularly adept in keeping to, even among the staff, and one of the primary parts of these rule clarifications we are looking to improve upon going forward.

We also wish to clarify that, as always, these rules apply to all members of staff - admins included. We are members of this community as much as our players, and just as beholden to its rules. If at any time you feel any staff member has stepped outside the allotted rules of the community, the complaint forms are no less viable. As with all our other rules, the process remains the same - if there is a problem with a DM, sDM, or Admin, please send it in to the Admins and sDMs. We work as a team. Since there multiple of us, we try to keep each other in check.

In the end, we are a community here for the purposes of sharing the ability to play this game, and not all members of this community wish to be involved in discussions that can become highly contentious or divisive. It is always their right as part of this community to simply not be involved in such discussions, and to not be dragged in by either inside conversations being held without their involvement or ability to respond or defend themselves, or to have the contents of those avoided areas being dragged out beyond their borders. As such these rules exist to further establish the level of separation expected between opt-in areas of the Discord and all-members conversations outside them.