Should SoD allow Zhak to return to SoD?

[Enlityn3]

It's really about just appealing your case in a reasonable fashion to the staff. Some of us needed to have a conversation with wiz, others had to write letters of apology (all for attitude relevant things, not any exploits). I don't want to stir the pot, but giovani is someone out of the spotlight and had his ban repealed, so this isn't about popularity.

I'm not saying bans aren't repealed for reasons other than popularity, but it seems to me there were legitimate reasons to ban Zhak. I don't want this to be about my ban, because that isn't the reason I would rather not have Zhak on the server. But just for the record, I never exploited anything.

 

[Zhak]

I've never (intentially) trained anyone in game, I'm not sure why Wiz made that comment in my banning message. It's apparent that Wiz was pretty steamed when he made his banning message, he made the comment I should've been banned eight times over.

I've been jailed twice, once for making a perverse sexual comment in ooc ( 10? months ago ).. and the second time was because I asked to be jailed as a joke and a GM actually did it. I was rarely a dick to people in game and as has been demonstrated, many of the people that were 'trolled' or 'harassed' on the forums or in IRC have said to let me back.

I think it means something when every person that has actually gotten to know me has said that I'm a pretty mature good guy and they've all said to allow me to come back. I don't know any of the people who've said no, which is fine. They're taking a look at the situation that's been painted for them, but I don't think any have many experiences with me.

As Jun has explained, I've been banned twice... One was over 4 years ago by Melwin and Wiz and bannings were a lot more frequent back then and the other was for something that happened on another server. I've never been suspended for any of my actions in game and overall I've got a pretty good relationship with the staff.

The main reason I was banned was because I was an idiot in IRC and openly flamed the staff on two? maybe three occassions. It was a silly thing to do and although I was intoxicated, I still accept full responsibility. I've made the comment to Wiz that I have no problem being banned on the forums / IRC if he feels it neccessary. I don't feel like I was banned in game due to in game actions and that's primarily why this can of worms has been re-opened and I've asked for access to my characters again.

 

[Kisuo]

I think Zhak should be allowed to return, so long as he does infact abide to the rules laid out for him.

 

[iaeolan]

Um hi... breaker?! LOL!

NO WAY! couldn't figure out who he was........ and it seemed noone else knew....

 

[Elysium]

Coming from someone who's trolled him/been trolled back repeatedly, I think he should be unbanned. He didn't really deserve to be banned from the actual game itself.

 

[JayelleNephilim]

NO WAY! couldn't figure out who he was........ and it seemed noone else knew....

Oh no, i was saying he was another one whos ban was lifted even after sassing staff and being a jerk to others (or so I hear... he was banned right around the time i started playing and i've never really met/talked to him - i've heard he turned a new leaf though).

 

[volvov2]

Oh no, i was saying he was another one whos ban was lifted even after sassing staff and being a jerk to others (or so I hear... he was banned right around the time i started playing and i've never really met/talked to him - i've heard he turned a new leaf though).

Yea hes pretty mellow now, no raids to bitch out, etc. etc.

 

[junius]

Um hi... breaker?! LOL!

sup? Let zhak play imo, although I would like to see him re-level his toons.

 

[articbre]

AFAIK Zhak has never exploited, just trolled and bitched. Zhak has had a long time to sit and think about what he's done and everyone has had time to cool off. In this thread it proves that most of the people he has bothered have found that they have forgiven him for what he's done. Zhak has also taken his time out to apologise to these people and take full responcibility for his actions.

If someone has actually reformed themselves why should they be held down by the chains of their past. I would really like to think of this ban as more of very harsh jailing that was well deserved. Although As long as the people, Himself, Wiz, and GM's feel as if he's ready to come back, there should be no reason for Zhak to remain banned.

 

[iaeolan]

Oh no, i was saying he was another one whos ban was lifted even after sassing staff and being a jerk to others (or so I hear... he was banned right around the time i started playing and i've never really met/talked to him - i've heard he turned a new leaf though).

Was something to do with a plat dupe afaik, so it must have been a pretty convincing leaf.

 

[Dzillon]

Of course this case is a special one, of course no other people could realistically make a post with such a request, and for the few people who argued against Zhak and those backing him up, this thread is more about expressing your advice on the matter.
This problem is so edgy, people have the right to express what they think. They make good points, most people could agree that it's a "second offence" (prolly more), just let them speak out ; anyway I see the tendancy here to give the final chance, but it's just not a full support of the server.

 

[Danku]

No matter what, in a population of people this size there will always be dissenters. So the fact that it is not unanimous is really not a big deal to me since it is overwhelmingly in favor of letting him return. Hell, his favorite targets are saying let him back.

Zhak's actions were not in game issues so much as board issues. I had posted before that Zhak does need some kind of punishment. Have his board posts moderated. Maybe a nice simple solution there?

 

[Allielyn]

Oh no, i was saying he was another one whos ban was lifted even after sassing staff and being a jerk to others (or so I hear... he was banned right around the time i started playing and i've never really met/talked to him - i've heard he turned a new leaf though).

If I recall correctly, Breaker was allowed back, but not allowed to touch his former character - he had to start from scratch. This is actually the case I was taking precedent from when I said maybe allow Zhak back but not allow him Zhak/Podge.

Now, I could be wrong, but if Breaker was ever legally allowed his original character, I never heard of it. If not, then maybe this case should be re-evaluated as well.

 

[Widan]

Breaker got banned for cheating in game on his character though, no? Again, Zhak did not cheat in game so there is no reason to keep his game account banned.

 

[Wiz]

Breaker got banned for cheating in game on his character though, no? Again, Zhak did not cheat in game so there is no reason to keep his game account banned.

No, Breaker was banned for flying off the handle.

 

[Daelius]

i say enough with the long wordy posts, be it for or against zhak coming back. It's just a powder keg waiting to explode in flames.

Nice and simple, respond to this thread with a yes or no. No explanations, no targeting, no nothing. Just a simple yes and no.



I Vote Yes

 

[Xardon]

This thread just reminds me of something Wiz stated in another post, just the words itself are fairly close:

This may sound harsh, but the community does not make the rules here. We can't give someone a free pass just because they protest strongly, and making all your friends petition for you is not the community trying to say something, it's you trying to say something.

I could understand why Zhak would not get his chars back, because it *could* create "drama" in the fact that people might cry favortism. If he is not IP banned, why not start up a new character? It doesn't take too long to get back up in levels, plus he has lots of friends support, and that helps a lot in getting re-geared.

I've never had any problems with Zhak, and anytime I have dealt with him he's been pleasant to me personally, but I can see why he shouldn't get his characters back from a community point of view.

 

[misin]

I'm VERY disappointed in people's lack of lawfulness and the rules. Even some of the GMs. You're wanting to give Zhak special treatment. Would ANYONE else whatsofrigging EVER, EVER get a second chance if they used Macroquest? If they thought it was funny and claimed a ticket that wasn't theirs during a lotto contest? Need I go on? Yet, here's a guy, because he's "nice to his FRIENDS" and a donator, is being supported to come back regardless of all the rules he broke and already got break after break and being let off the hook. Frankly, I've lost a lot of respect for people who have said yes to him coming back even though they have been as lawful as they could be on other issues. With that said, I will strongly consider withdrawing my plat donations if he's let back in. I'm sorry, I really am, but I can't support a server that wouldn't even give me a second chance if I screwed up but would give a guy who's already used up his 9 lives and then some which is 8 lives and then some more than he should have had, another chance?

Again, I'm sure he would just be as nice as can be and would probably never do any wrong again knowing this is truly his last shot and that Wiz isn't afraid to put him in his place. But, is that really reason enough to let him back? Does the community run the game, or does Wiz? Does the community make the rules, or does Wiz? Does this community have messed up standards, giving the "celebrities"(aka big mouths and hence known throughout the server)special treatment? I didn't agree with kaloft being let back in(and I LIKE him.) I don't agree with Zhak being let back in. Regardless of what they've done for the server, rules are rules. And it isn't right to lift their bans while people who have done far less wrong and will do far less wrong in the future whoever they may be, are sol.

"Unban him he's nice to me and I think he's a good guy and he's done a lot for the server" is no kind of argument for his return. What does it say about yourselves when you support his return? Do you turn your heads the other way when Zhak does wrong? Because you're one of the few who's in his circle of friends? You're not seeing the outside view of the picture here.

People have been unbanned for intentionally training others and getting them killed, along with other things that are pretty agressive acts against others. I got jailed for 3 days for exploiting a bug and it was the longest 72 hours i've spent in a long time. It has nothing to do with not respecting rules or wanting to treat him specially because he's a plat donor. He's been gone for a month or so already and its obvious he's suffered pretty badly. His reason of banning was being an outright dick, and i think that he's served a fair sentence (as in he's felt the same harm if not more than what he has caused). The important thing here is that he's realized that what he's done is unacceptable and he's been punished enough. This is only a sign of SoD not caring about its rules to ruthless, unforgiving, perfect people that have never done wrong and thus see no reason to show mercy. People get ahead of themselves and do things before thinking about what the reprocussions might be. I'm sure we've all done something in SoD or RL that should have gone punished but we were able to tie it up before it got out of hand. If you were to be caught you'd take your punishment and learn from your mistakes and you'd hope that people were merciful and forgiving.

So give zhak a chance and whip his ass hard when he gets out of hand again. Dont take it that he's being let off the hook because he's been hanging on that hook for a month so far and thats enough of a wake up call.

 

[gtoo]

If I recall correctly, Breaker was allowed back, but not allowed to touch his former character - he had to start from scratch. This is actually the case I was taking precedent from when I said maybe allow Zhak back but not allow him Zhak/Podge.

Harney is not ip banned.
Harney could recreate characters right now.
This is a plea for him to get zhak/podge access.

 

[Zhak]

Right, this thread is a plea to get zhak/podge access. I'm currently not ip banned and have been playing here and there on an alt who was never banned.

No matter what, in a population of people this size there will always be dissenters. So the fact that it is not unanimous is really not a big deal to me since it is overwhelmingly in favor of letting him return. Hell, his favorite targets are saying let him back.

Zhak's actions were not in game issues so much as board issues. I had posted before that Zhak does need some kind of punishment. Have his board posts moderated. Maybe a nice simple solution there?

People have been unbanned for intentionally training others and getting them killed, along with other things that are pretty agressive acts against others. I got jailed for 3 days for exploiting a bug and it was the longest 72 hours i've spent in a long time. It has nothing to do with not respecting rules or wanting to treat him specially because he's a plat donor. He's been gone for a month or so already and its obvious he's suffered pretty badly. His reason of banning was being an outright dick, and i think that he's served a fair sentence (as in he's felt the same harm if not more than what he has caused). The important thing here is that he's realized that what he's done is unacceptable and he's been punished enough. This is only a sign of SoD not caring about its rules to ruthless, unforgiving, perfect people that have never done wrong and thus see no reason to show mercy. People get ahead of themselves and do things before thinking about what the reprocussions might be. I'm sure we've all done something in SoD or RL that should have gone punished but we were able to tie it up before it got out of hand. If you were to be caught you'd take your punishment and learn from your mistakes and you'd hope that people were merciful and forgiving.

So give zhak a chance and whip his ass hard when he gets out of hand again. Dont take it that he's being let off the hook because he's been hanging on that hook for a month so far and thats enough of a wake up call.

These two posts sum up how I feel