Game Server Admin Guidelines

[♌♑♫AriaSymphony♫♑♌]

These are the Admin / Moderator guidelines for BOOM! Public Servers
The primary goal of paying hundreds of dollars each month to rent game servers is to create a place where players can enjoy their gaming experience. Having server administrators ensures that BOOM! Gaming can help facilitate an environment that is fair and fun for all players. BOOM! Gaming wants their servers to stand out, and as a result we must hold ourselves accountable.

We must operate in a way that syncs our behavior towards the foundational purpose of having the servers in the first place. Server Administrators, regardless or rank, are expected to conduct themselves professionally and model the server-code-of-conduct at all times. Server Administrators are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:

Our Game Server Admins are leaders in the Community. As such, they are expected to be visible and always be seeking to improve things in the Community. They are expected to visit the website regularly, report problems with solutions and bring new ideas to the table to make BOOM! better and better as things progress. Server Administrators are expected to be friendly and courteous to ALL server and website guests. Rogue inconsiderate Admins will empty a server of the players or sour our website and we will not stand for this behavior! Idle Admins who do nothing are not much better because they are using up a spot that someone with more desire could be filling. If you have no desire to be an active participant in improving our Community, then please don't ask to be an Admin.

CORE GUIDELINES:

1. Server Admins are NEVER to give out their usernames or passwords to our systems to anyone! They are also not to allow anyone to use their Steam account while playing on our servers. We approved YOU, NOT YOUR FRIENDS OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS!

2. Admins are expected to idle in our Discord server so they can communicate with other Admins and players when necessary.

3. Admins should work together to maintain a fun environment and not create confusion by running commands that contradict one-another.

4. The map may only be changed off its current cycle in order to populate the server. However, maps may also be changed by Rock the Vote (RTV) (if enabled). The vote results stand, so Admins are not to start another vote if the vote doesn't go their way! Admins are not to change the map without Rock-the-vote first when other people are playing! If the map is a 24/7 map server such as our Dustbowl, Hightower or Idle and Trade servers, the map is not to be changed at all.

5. Players who are AFK for a significant number of rounds will automatically be moved to "Spectator mode" by the SourceMod Admin Plug-in to ensure teams remain even and games keep moving. Players who are in spectator mode for a significant number of rounds or a map cycle may be kicked in order to free slots for other players when the server is near or totally full. This doesn't apply to our trading and idle servers.

6. Server Cvars such a gravity levels should not be changed. This pisses people off and is not necessary. Leave these settings alone and let people play the way the server is set to be played unless a vote is done and the players agree to change something temporarily. This should not be done on a regular basis; only for occasional fun and only if done via a server-wide vote. PERIOD!  The changed settings should only be run for short period of time (no more than 15 minutes) and then returned to normal. ADMINS MUST ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE ORIGINAL SETTINGS ARE RESTORED BEFORE LEAVING THE SERVER!

7. "Fun" player management tools like freeze, burn, slay, etc. should NOT be used by Admins unless on players who are not paying attention to Admin warnings for misconduct. Other than that, the only commands Admins should be using during regular game play for player infractions are: Move to Spectator - Kick - Ban or Comms commands.

8. Restricting weapons of any type is not allowed unless done after a vote has been started requesting to do so. The player vote stands and NO means NO! If weapon restrictions are granted, the restricted item must be returned at the end of the round or before the Admin leaves the server. Occasional "Fun Rounds" like "Knives-Only" on certain servers are ok, but should be done with discretion and not repeatedly. It's best to start a vote when doing these so players don't get upset. "Fun Rounds" are never allowed in GunGame because they disrupt the game.

9. Admins should submit demos of players caught cheating whenever possible. This does not mean you can't ban then before posting your demo and then follow-up by posting the demo after you're done playing. It only means that you really should record a demo first so it can be uploaded as proof. This includes even when the player is using an obvious aimbot where the person's spinning around like nuts, their gun's shaking violently every time they pull the trigger or the their screen is upside down while spectating them (all of which are clearly aimbot side-effects). Admins should upload the demo to the Banning System within 24 hours to facilitate the resolution of ban appeals in a timely manner. Demos are also a valuable tool that is used to train new Admins on how to spot cheaters.

10. "Unconfirmed" or "Suspected" wall-hacking and no-recoil hacks will hurt but not destroy our Gungame and DeathMatch servers. So if the Admin has no clear proof of such or isn't certain the player is cheating, a ban for these cheats should be delayed for demo review by other Admins using the uploaded demo files via a Ban Submission rather than an outright ban. Once the review is done, the ban can be administered via the banning system even if the player isn't in the server. When in doubt on any cheating, submit a demo and ask that it be reviewed by a Senior Admin or Manager for a final analysis and decision. We do not want to get into the habit of banning legit players, so use your discretion carefully.

11. When doing a demo, make sure you are in spectate mode and are viewing from the cheater's point-of-view so we can see what he's seeing and doing. Also, and very importantly, once you start recording, open your in-game developer's console and execute the "Status" command while the demo is running so everyone, including the cheater's STEAM ID is captured in the demo. We can get the person's name and STEAM# from the demo file for the ban if we decide to do it later after a review or if that info is somehow lost. If the player info is lost, the only way to recover it without the "Status" info in the demo is by browsing a large number of server logs will need to be done and only after the server is restarted in order to close the log files for review.

12. When players use foul or inappropriate language, or spams chat in our servers, Admins should gag them using the "COMMS" options in the Admin Menu rather than outright ban them from the server. The gag will follow them even after the disconnect and will remain in effect for as long as the Admin designated in his original gag order. This will allow the player to continue to play and not cause anymore trouble with their inappropriate remarks. The player can appeal their gag through the normal channels if they wish. If the player continues to do other stuff to disrupt the server, then of course a ban may be appropriate.

ALL CONFIRMED CHEATERS ARE TO BE IP BANNED PERMANENTLY. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE - EVER!

***NOTE*** If there is some prick in one of our servers who is obviously aimbotting, spamming or just being and outright jerk, ban him immediately after the demo! But make sure a demo follows if he's cheating.


What enforcement is taken for rule violations by Admins?

Server Administrators that violate the above guidelines will be generally be subject to the following consequences:

First: Verbal warning / counseling from a Manager. If the person is a new Admin, they may be revoked is the violations are severe enough.

Second: Fourteen-day suspension of administration privileges.

Third: Admin privileges permanently suspended.

Depending on the situation, a permanent suspension may occur immediately based upon the violation that takes place. We need our Admins to remain professional at all times, that's why we have these rules and our Admin staff is known to be some of the best Admins out there because we are so careful.

Thanks for all your hard work and your service to the Community!
- Mav