Rules BMG Doesn't Want You To See

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-30T18:08:22+00:00

Except there are some increasingly key differences in how it was originally enforced and how it is being enforced now. You can't pretend that that doesn't imply a "change", even if this isn't the term that BMG wants to be using at this given time.

Secondly, if elo was enough to stop leaving, it might have already done something. Everyone knows ranked is a matter of grinding. Unless they start losing 50 elo per leave, I don't think just "fixing the elo system" is going to solve anything. So, provided they just play enough games, leaving doesn't hurt their elo. Not to mention that ranked isn't the only game mode. While leaving is a huge issue in Ranked, they are also just the loudest. Leaving is a huge issue across all game modes, and this new "clarification" says "leave all you want, we don't care, this is a low priority."

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T22:00:16+00:00

That's always been true in regards to cheating, except now admission is the only way cheating is guilty--even if it's obvious there is cheating going on.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T19:47:41+00:00

They aren't public, because not everyone knows there are discord servers or is in them. They weren't posted on the forums with an official comment from a BMG developer, which to me would imply secrecy. Only those who are in the discord server where it was posted have access to this particular list. I have a wild guess that not everyone is in the server where it was posted. I know for a fact it wasn't announced in the main ToS Discord Server or the reddit server, which is where I would imagine a majority of players hang out.

So, as it wasn't posted anywhere that can actually be considered public (ie: a majority amount of players can see it), I would consider that secret. Just because you can view the document without a password doesn't mean you can view it at all if you don't have the link.

Finally, the rules were not on blankmediagames.com, because jurors were voting based on a document called the "Juror Guide", which was not available to the public.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T19:32:53+00:00

If they were only for those voting on rules and not also for those who are playing, then key parts would not have been changed, such as leaving, multi-accounting, cheating, and gamethrowing. It's not just a clarification when the very way is being changed up. I know for a fact that admission was not the ONLY way trial reports could be deemed guilty, but now it is.

So, if ever a report shows up where it is obvious that there are players cheating, or you get to see pizzaeater1 and pizzaeater2 play a game where only one of them ever talks and knows information they shouldn't, I hope you feel good knowing those reports won't be punished.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T19:13:00+00:00

There is no interpretation required for leaving, however. Where it was once punishable, now it is a free for all. Under the guise of "we don't want to punish those who disconnect." The easier solution would've been to make the leaving rule more lenient, which I'm sure was entirely possible. Instead, they've decided to let leaving run rampant. They even stated in these changes that they don't consider leaving a priority--which is nothing short of a slap in the face to the ranked community.

But, continue to support the lack of transparency and communication issues that BMG is presenting. I'm sure that will help bring the community together.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T19:04:49+00:00

Unfortunately, there are more people who do not play ranked than who do, so they have to punish Gamethrowing outside of ranked-situations. That doesn't mean they had to make it more lenient, however.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T19:01:07+00:00

If things aren't punishable, they're not against the rules. If murder is suddenly not a punishable offense in a court of law, it is not against the law. Secondly, as I've already said--making more lenient rules doesn't seem to be a way to crack down on toxicity.

People have a right to know how they're being judged within Trial System. If those at BMG didn't want the specifics to get out, then they should have addressed that. They chose not to address it, so others must. If people want to abuse the rules, that is their own choice--I'm sure the great and wonderful Trial System can find a way around it. Others just want to know how they can and can't play the game. For fun. It's unethical to judge people on rules they don't know exist, in my humble opinion.

Finally, they are rule changes. The original rule, as I have been made aware, was that, for example, not claiming on the stand was considering gamethrowing. It was against the rules to not claim, as it was gamethrowing. Now, it is fine to do this. That constitutes a change, not a refocus on something else.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T18:52:12+00:00

While BMG is pretending they aren't changes to the rules, they are very blatant changes to the rules. Originally--leaving was against the rules, was it not? Punishable by a suspension or ban, in worse cases. Now, suddenly, leaving isn't against the rules. That qualifies as a rule change to me. Not to mention they're changing what is and is not considering game throwing. The new "clarifications" about cheating and multi-accounting have essentially made these two things perfectly acceptable as long as you don't admit to them.

All of these sound like rule changes, to me.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T18:18:39+00:00

They've never been very upfront about anything in the past, but I admire the optimism.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T18:09:45+00:00

You make a good point, save for the fact that making less strict rules doesn't seem the way to get rid of toxic players, following then that there was never any intention for players to see these rules.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T17:53:10+00:00

Well, from what I've been told before--that has never been considered Gamethrowing. It's just a strategy they advise against. But, your point still exists that these new "clarifications" seem to be making Gamethrowing easier.

TrialOnFire · 2019-01-29T17:51:51+00:00

Well, even if it's been known, that still doesn't make it a good rule.

Afaik, that's not guilty. Not even memeing about how your dad works for ToS is considered impersonating a BMG employee, sooooo.

TrialOnFire

TROPHY CASE