I absolutely want to follow up on BFGs much needed clarification of what we are trying to accomplish. He made a point that i regretfully was unable to make due to space..yes I know..i am afflicted with verbal diarreah.
That point is, that the main reason we made this public, instead of privately confronting Typhy, was to demonstrate our commitment to the game, and protection of it, and show our willingness to take reasonable and OBJECTIVE and thorough efforts at catching and punishing cheaters.
We realized that a secondary symptom of catching one cheater very publicly, was to inject some further paranoia into the game. This was heavily discussed, and concluded that this public outing was a necessary evil.
That said, i want to clarify a few things.
1. The VAST majority of players are clean, and in no way should you assume that the game is completely overrun with cheating. Yes, there are cheaters, and just because they haven't met the spotlight like Typhy, doesn't mean they haven't been seen..or taped. Those cheating publicly are taking a tremendous risk to their reputations and that of their associates. I also have great hope for the impending release of a more thorough anti-hack, so if it comes, install it, and come play... (oh, and for the record, BFG and I are not the only ones taping suspicious gun behavior -please dont end up on tape, please.)
2. the VAST majority of unusual situations and seemingly impossible situations are 100% explainable to Bone vectors, Ping, luck, and normal internet randomness. Most times, players are not exactly where you see them onscreen, and it truly is as simple as that. When i say VAST, i mean it...99% of the crazy things that you may experience or witness fall into that category. Please understand the wildy varying variables in the internet play of this game, and while I wont ask you to accept all of the bullshit you witness or fall victim to, I will ask you to chalk most of it up to random and glitchy occurences. You may feel like saying 'BULLLLSHIT"..but I am here here to ask that instead you start to try to say mentally or in chat ..."NUTS!, or MONKEEBALLZ! or WHOOPS! or something similarly Humorous instead. Lets make death funny again!!
Sounds weak, I know, but totally valid and applicable.
I honestly feel that if we all make the symbolic effort to change the tone, a true change of tone will take place.
I am practicing what I preach here because im guilty of this as well...Im TRYING, I really am.. I am doing my dead level best to lighten up a bit..meet me halfway on this.
3. In light of what has occurred here, I am going to further set an extremely high standard for what I as a player or admin will accept as an accusation of hacking. And although I am stating it here before speaking with Harvey, as a matter of respect to players who for now are assumed to be clean..i will not tolerate unfounded accusations. If you have concerns, you are encouraged to register with the BT site and express your concerns PRIVATELY there. To accomplish what we are attempting here, despite the temptation otherwise, i will not tolerate unfounded hinting, accusing, (direct or otherwise) INGAME that a player is unclean. On such accusations, i will issue ONE warning, second offense in any game, and you leave. Simple as that. Lets all work to make this a fun thing again, and not a distrustful one.
This absolutely includes and applies to former and current members of MP5. While I cannot stop anyone from making jokes or comments about Typhy, i personally will not accept disparaging comments toward, Myst, Maniac, Snipe, Grape, MesaBoogie or anyone else related to MP5. They deserve decency and respect and have already and will continue to pay the price for Typhy's behavior. I am working off the 'Benefit of the Doubt" theory here, please respect that. I personally will kick on the FIRST offence, for undue bulldogging of any of the said players, and any i may have forgotten. This is fair. They have not been accused nor has proof been submitted that they are unclean (Filthy, dirty, pirate whores mb, but not cheaters). I am making a personal policy to crack down on these unfounded accusations or personal abuse. They deserve to feel that they can come to Harveys to have FUN. I give them my word on this. I can place myself in these member's place, and under the ASSUMPTION that they were not aware and have been let down by Typhy, and will ask that you publicly respect that assumption.
4. Cheating is not a joke, nor is it funny. (Really people, the jokes have all been made, you will not be original with your hack reference when you say them ingame.) Over the last two days i have heard them all..and they are sort of getting tired. i personally as an admin will ask that you refrain from joking about the matter, although yes, sometimes its funny, but overall, does nothing to advance the underlying goal of FUN. I ask that you refrain from making hack jokes in ANY AND ALL forms, and allow us to start to put these things behind us. As i said, the place for these thoughts, is PRIVATELY in the BTS site or feel free to share your thoughts as a registered member in the DAMN forums. That is where that discussions belong...not in your game or the games of others who are coming in to blow off some steam..and kill shit.
I will issue one warning and, one only, for these comments, and on the second offense, I will remove you from the server. I know I'm asking alot, (and will likely be perceived as an asshole for kicks relating to this) but this has been a big deal, but truly its not funny, and as we said, we have a goal in mind, and that goal is to remove HACKING from our everyday vocabulary when thinking about this game.
So if, in the coming days, i remove some players, know two things..I am doing this so we can all feel like the game is FUN again, and that those players are of course, welcome back!! , provided they make an attempt to respect the server request, and understand why i am doing it. (Its more a 'Nun and her giant ruler' type of thing, instead of something more serious- so if i have to kick you , dont take it too awfully serious, (as if you had just been smacked on the hand by a smelly old nun and her ruler of righteousness ) I apologize in advance if I have to remove someone (or YOU) for two minutes for joking about it, but in the long run, i PROMISE the game will be more fun, and perhaps we'll see the welcome return of the 'GG' into the game chat.
I really do miss seeing that. I'll do my best to say it more as well.
Have a great day, and i'll see you on the killing field.
