Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

This sub-forum is specifically about FAQ dealing with the Multiplayer Game Chat options and reporting inappropriate behavior in multiplayer games.
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Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by WQ Coordinator » Sun Dec 04, 2011 2:08 pm

Though we have rules both in the game and in the WolfQuest FAQ, to make clear what is and isn’t allowed in the game, sometimes it’s unclear what behavior should and shouldn’t be reported. This is a list that the WolfQuest Report Team and I came up with, and is directly associated with what kinds of reports I actually use to warn/ban players. So before reporting or patrolling for games to report, please read through this list.

Please report people who:
  • Host a mate-related or otherwise inappropriate game
  • Ask for a mate
  • Swear/curse or attempting to swear/curse
  • Discuss inappropriate or illegal topics
  • Harass or threaten another player
  • Roleplay inappropriately (excessive gore or violence, gender-specifics, etc.)
  • Pretend to be a moderator, administrator, or other WolfQuest Team Member
  • Spam the game chat
Please do not report people who:
  • Politely refuse to leave an open game
  • Politely ask someone to leave an open game
  • Appropriately roleplay (even if it’s not wolf-related roleplay)
  • Are present in a mate-related game but are not participating in the mating roleplay (if someone explains that they do/don’t have a mate or are asking about mates, they are participating and should be reported)
If you have questions, or think something should be added to either list, please feel free to post a reply here. We will not officially add suggestions to this list until they are okayed by me (since I’m the one who warns and bans players), but we would love to help make reporting as clear as can be. The WolfQuest Report Team would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you to those of you who send abuse reports; your desire to help keep WolfQuest family-friendly and safe is so very much appreciated!

Edit (August 26, 2012): because people saving spots in open multiplayer games has been such a huge issue over the last year or so, you may report people who save spots (if they host games like 'only people I know' or 'no newbies' or 'my family only'). These people will not be immediately warned or banned, but they will receive an e-mail warning to let them know that saving spots is not allowed. If they are reported again for similar behavior, that's when they'll receive an official warning or ban.

Edit (May 20, 2017): Regarding mates in multiplayer of the updated game, please be aware of the clarification given here, here and the posts of loboLoco here and Pepper here.
Last edited by Neamara on Sat May 20, 2017 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Updated post.
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by failwolf56 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:55 pm

Hey there Cana, I have inquiry/suggestion. Maybe you should specify what type of "aggressive" behavior is and isn't allowed in a MP game. Is normal, aggressive wolf-related behavior (e.g. growling, snapping at, or biting) allowed? And if they are, what exactly isn't allowed? Maybe you could add a little more info on this, since it's slightly difficult to understand whether "violence" can cover all of the above actions^
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by Croix » Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:10 pm

failwolf56 wrote:Is normal, aggressive wolf-related behavior (e.g. growling, snapping at, or biting) allowed? And if they are, what exactly isn't allowed?
Yes, roleplay like growling, snapping, and biting is allowed to a degree. Since it can be a normal expressive behavior in wolf roleplays.
What wouldn't be allowed is an extremely bloody fight, something like ripping limbs off, pulling out someone's heart or eyes, skinning someone alive, pulling vital organs out, even though it is unrealisitc (and a little bit amusing), it still isn't allowed. I've seen it happen before. ;D

Think of it as whatever you wouldn't want a 5 year old child watching, it wouldn't be allowed. ^^

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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by failwolf56 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:13 pm

Croix wrote:
failwolf56 wrote:Is normal, aggressive wolf-related behavior (e.g. growling, snapping at, or biting) allowed? And if they are, what exactly isn't allowed?
Yes, roleplay like growling, snapping, and biting is allowed to a degree. Since it can be a normal expressive behavior in wolf roleplays.
What wouldn't be allowed is an extremely bloody fight, something like ripping limbs off, pulling out someone's heart or eyes, skinning someone alive, pulling vital organs out, even though it is unrealisitc (and a little bit amusing), it still isn't allowed. I've seen it happen before. ;D

Think of it as whatever you wouldn't want a 5 year old child watching, it wouldn't be allowed. ^^
Mhh, makes sense then. Thanks for answering that Croix^^
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by BlackWarrior » Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:17 pm

Thanks for posting this Cana. Although I do have a question or suggestion. Users that roleplay using hostile behavior against humans, would that count for a situation to report? Many roleplays will include hunters and I realize you stated above about games that are not gaming as a wolf. But what about if the RP consists if negative human situations? I guess my question is if this should be behavior reported. And my suggestion is including something of this matter in the list.
Thanks in advance to whomever answers my question. ^^
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by brightstar99 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:28 pm

do you think that being a pup is not allowed because adult wolves might pick them up and/or abused the pups. i don't really want to see rule-breaking wolves tearing and killing the players as pups by bloody fights and drowning them. i don't want to see that behavior because young kids might be watching it and it might scared them or they might join the bloody fight and i don't want to see anything like that in wolfquest. is being a pup in multiplayer breaking the rules?
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by DragonflySpirit » Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:44 pm

brightstar99 wrote:do you think that being a pup is not allowed because adult wolves might pick them up and/or abused the pups. i don't really want to see rule-breaking wolves tearing and killing the players as pups by bloody fights and drowning them. i don't want to see that behavior because young kids might be watching it and it might scared them or they might join the bloody fight and i don't want to see anything like that in wolfquest. is being a pup in multiplayer breaking the rules?
Being a pup is allowed, I do not think it would be too terribly often that would happen. For, I highly doubt that someone would choose to act overly violent in those kinds of roleplays. If it did, I trust that the user who did it would eventually be caught or be reported in that chat.

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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by Koa » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:19 pm

DragonflySpirit wrote:
brightstar99 wrote:do you think that being a pup is not allowed because adult wolves might pick them up and/or abused the pups. i don't really want to see rule-breaking wolves tearing and killing the players as pups by bloody fights and drowning them. i don't want to see that behavior because young kids might be watching it and it might scared them or they might join the bloody fight and i don't want to see anything like that in wolfquest. is being a pup in multiplayer breaking the rules?
Being a pup is allowed, I do not think it would be too terribly often that would happen. For, I highly doubt that someone would choose to act overly violent in those kinds of roleplays. If it did, I trust that the user who did it would eventually be caught or be reported in that chat.
In the past people have been "overly violent" before with the "pup-killing" roleplays, which from what I have observed have died down in recent times. It used to be quite common. But yes, being a pup is allowed.

In general, the main focus and the issues that we deal with are often mate-related more so than violence-related.

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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by failwolf56 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:26 pm

I was looking through the FAQ on The Game, and I couldn't find anything on this; What if someone is advertising their pack (a pack on the forums) on a MP chat? In some cases, it would appear alright, as long as they just said it to someone who they had recently become friends with, but it might also cause some unwanted problems. So, is it allowed, or not?
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by Croix » Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:01 pm

failwolf56 wrote:I was looking through the FAQ on The Game, and I couldn't find anything on this; What if someone is advertising their pack (a pack on the forums) on a MP chat? In some cases, it would appear alright, as long as they just said it to someone who they had recently become friends with, but it might also cause some unwanted problems. So, is it allowed, or not?
I would see why it could cause some problems. But for the most part, it is allowed.
If someone does do that and it makes someone angry and such, then it would be best to explain why it can be irritating and unneeded it a polite manner.

Some people may just want someone to join their pack or game, I'm sure most people want that. Even if it isn't in the best situation to do so.

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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by brightstar99 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:21 pm

I got another question, can you host a pack in open games and let anyone join?
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by Alpha Female » Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:58 pm

brightstar99 wrote:I got another question, can you host a pack in open games and let anyone join?
Hosting a pack related game is fine, as long as it doesn't involve mates or mate-related behavior. Generally if it's an open game, everyone should be allowed to join. If you'd rather make a pack with friends only, I'd recommend hosting a private game. ^^
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by WQ Coordinator » Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:43 am

Croix wrote:
failwolf56 wrote:Is normal, aggressive wolf-related behavior (e.g. growling, snapping at, or biting) allowed? And if they are, what exactly isn't allowed?
Yes, roleplay like growling, snapping, and biting is allowed to a degree. Since it can be a normal expressive behavior in wolf roleplays.
What wouldn't be allowed is an extremely bloody fight, something like ripping limbs off, pulling out someone's heart or eyes, skinning someone alive, pulling vital organs out, even though it is unrealisitc (and a little bit amusing), it still isn't allowed. I've seen it happen before. ;D

Think of it as whatever you wouldn't want a 5 year old child watching, it wouldn't be allowed. ^^
Eeexactly. Great answer, Croix.
BlackWarrior wrote:Users that roleplay using hostile behavior against humans, would that count for a situation to report? Many roleplays will include hunters and I realize you stated above about games that are not gaming as a wolf. But what about if the RP consists if negative human situations?
I actually see this as no different than any other aggressive roleplay. Because we don't force MP game roleplay to be realistic or educational, minor rp aggression towards humans in the game is okay, but not the 'rips human's limbs off and eats its eyeballs' kind of thing discussed in Croix's post above.
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by BlackWarrior » Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:19 pm

Alright, thanks for clearing that up Cana! As well as to Croix for answering that other concern. :3
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Re: Reporting Parameters: who should you report?

Post by failwolf56 » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:06 am

WQ Coordinator wrote:
Croix wrote: Yes, roleplay like growling, snapping, and biting is allowed to a degree. Since it can be a normal expressive behavior in wolf roleplays.
What wouldn't be allowed is an extremely bloody fight, something like ripping limbs off, pulling out someone's heart or eyes, skinning someone alive, pulling vital organs out, even though it is unrealisitc (and a little bit amusing), it still isn't allowed. I've seen it happen before. ;D

Think of it as whatever you wouldn't want a 5 year old child watching, it wouldn't be allowed. ^^
Eeexactly. Great answer, Croix.
Alright, thank you Cana and Croix. Very helpful answers^^
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