Moderator Application
Personal Information
Byond ID? StephenNelson
CM Character? Brian Scott
Are you 16 or older? Yes
Timezone US East
On average, how many hours are you available per week to moderate? 12
Qualifications
Do you have any previous experience in being staff (not just SS13)? Standards Head of Fraternity
Do you play any servers aside from CM-SS13? TG and Desert Rose rarely
Provide links to any previous Colonial Marines applications that you've made: CO Whitelist application on the old forum that I can't seem to find.
Are you currently a staff member elsewhere (not just SS13)? If so, where? No
Have you ever been banned for more than 24 hours on Colonial Marines? No
Have you ever been banned for more than 24 hours on ANY server? If so, which server, when, and what for? No. Was banned from headrev on TG for spacing myself when very new to SS13. - Successfully appealed.
Are you familiar with the chat program Discord (its use is required)? Yes
Communication is a vital part of being a Moderator. Are you willing to actively do so with the team? Yes
Common Staff Situations
A player randomly shoots someone at round start and MPs have detained him. Message the player in question asking them why they did what they did. As the MPs have arrested the player it is largely an IC issue. The player may be new, and god knows accidental shootings happen on CM. Check the player's note history for relevant incidents, and if it is a recurring problem consider a ban.
A player ahelps that a predator has violated the honor code when killing him, what should you do? Suggest that the player file a player report against the predator on the forums. If the violation is clear and egregious, message the predator asking for an explanation.
You see a player walking around the ship naked and clearly lost at roundstart. Ideally nudge the SEA and have them show the likely new player the ropes. If no SEA is available, a mentor could be asked to help out the player. If none of the above are available, the moderator could send the player some pointers and answer questions, as long as doing so does not interfere with any more pressing concerns for the round.
A player is being very rude to you in adminhelps, calling you names and arguing everything you say. He is requesting to speak to an Admin+ staff member. Remain cordial the entire time. Suggest that the player file a staff report if they feel you have been unfair in your treatment of them. Give them the name of the mod manager and inform them they can contact them over BYOND or discord if they feel they need to. If they refuse to stop abusing ahelps after the above consider a ban.
A player ahelps that a marine is named 'John Doe', how do you deal with this? Message 'John Doe' and inform him that his name does not meet the naming rules for CM. If this is a first time offense for an improper name, offer to change it for them and add a single note relating to the name issue. Check notes for repeated name violations.
You see a Maintenance Tech running around in armor and carrying a rifle. The security level is green and there has been no threat to the ship in the round at this point. Message the MT asking them why they are ignoring their shipside duties and SOP. With the new agent system in place and various other IC possibilities they may have a reason for doing what they're doing. Barring acceptable justification, ask them to stow the armor and rifle. Consider adding a minor note and check note history for similar issues.
A Marine ahelps that they were killed by a survivor. It is early round, the Marines have just landed, and the survivor claims that they were outright hostile to all Marines from the get-go and openly stated their intentions. How do you deal with this? Inform the survivor that outright physical hostility towards marines is no longer acceptable on CM. If they continue arguing link them to the rules page and specify rule 2. Add a note and check for similar issues in the past. Check to see if the dead marine will be revived and healed. If the survivor stuffed them in a locker or otherwise hid them consider an aheal.
You receive an ahelp from a player stating that an MP has locked them up in permanent confinement for running into Requisitions and taking an attachment that was laying around. Message the MP and confirm that the marine is not lying, I'm sure staff on CM get their fair share of ahelps from arrested marines that do not tell the whole story. If the permanent confinement is in error, inform the MP and ask them to brig them for trespassing and theft, crediting the poisoner any time spent in the brig for the false charge. Add a note to the MP for improper procedure and check for a history of MP related issues.
The round is stagnating. There are 30 marines and 4 aliens. The marines won't leave the ship, and the aliens won't attack. What would you do, to "encourage" the sides to engage each other? Generally a slight nudge to DEFCON 1 is enough to get the round resolved one way or another. Sending the marines an ERT is another way to break a stalemate. In my experience most stalemates unfortunately result in staff intervening on behalf of the marines, however CM mechanics make it difficult to aid the xenos directly in the event of a stalemate. Messaging the CO or sending a QM message blatantly asking for an assault from either side often results in a lot of anger, as players feel as if they are being told to essentially die. In this case of 30 to 4, a marine assault makes more sense. a forced bioscan would probably be enough to make the marines re-deploy.
You are playing as a medic, and another medic overdoses all your patients and prevent marines from being revived. It seems like it may be on purpose. How do you deal with this situation? Admittedly I am not sure how much leeway staff have when they are actively involved in a round, but I would assume that when you are playing the game you are unable to act as a moderator in any fashion due to the massive conflict of interest it would represent. In this case I would try to handle the issue IC, asking the medic to stop. If that fails, I would send an ahelp and let the active staff handle the issue.
The round ends, a Marine starts shooting a hostile CLF member and the CLF member ahelps about being killed after the round ended. Inform the CLF member that hostile parties remain hostile towards one another after round end.
A Marine is running around disarming, punching and stealing gear at round start. You receive an ahelp from one of the victims. Consider sleeping the player in question if he is still a major disruption. Message the player in question and ask him why he was doing what he was doing. If he is unable to offer a suitable justification inform him that his behavior does not meet CM RP standards and that roundstart hooliganism is against the rules of the server. Issue a stern warning for a first time offense. Add a note to the player. Check note history for similar issues and consider a ban for repeat offenses.
You receive an ahelp from a Marine saying that he was killed by another Marine. When you ask the murderer why, he said it was because the other Marine had punched him. Inform the killer that such behavior does not meet the escalation standards for CM as specified in the rules. Issue a stern warning for first time offenses and add a note. Check note history and consider a ban for repeated escalation issues.
You find out that there is an improper mutiny occuring. The mutineers are rallying together and preparing to storm the CIC. How would you attempt to resolve this situation? Use MOOC to broadcast a message to the effect of: "There is currently no approved mutiny, would-be mutineers need to stand down." If players continue to mutiny asleeps may be used to buy time to make sure the mutineers understand that their mutiny is not approved. If players still refuse to stand down short bans can be used as a last resort. Notes would be added at this point as well. It is likely that just one or two would take it this far after the asleep and MOOC warning.
There are minor racist comments going on IC. 9 of the 10 people are laughing and RPing but one player gets offended and Adminhelps about it. "Racism, the use of slurs and other targeting terms or phrases is strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated." Inform the players that racism is not tolerated and tell them to cease. Short bans and notes can go out if they refuse to stop after a warning.
A marine opens fire at round start in briefing killing multiple marines and instantly logs off. Ban the Ckey tied to the marine in question. They can appeal on the forums if they want to play on CM again.
You see a player playing a Xeno larva/chestburster run towards the frontlines straight from the Xeno hive the second they burst and die. Message the player asking why they did what they did. If they have no acceptable excuse, issue a warning for a first time offense, and consider a xeno ban for repeated offenses. Add a note to the account detailing the incident.
You see a Xeno memeing, saying AYYLMAO, REEEEEE etc in hivemind chat, as well as insulting the Queen. Message the xeno player in question and ask them to stop with the memeing and LRP behavior. If they refuse to stop issue a short ban and add a note. Check note history for repeated offenses and consider a longer ban or xeno ban if LRP behavior has been a recurring issue.
A Xeno player calls the shuttle a "dropship". A different Xeno player ahelps that it's low role play to call it a "dropship". Inform the second player that the "hivemind" represents mental concepts translated to English, so calling a shuttle a dropship is actually A-Ok
A Command staff player at briefing near round-start mentions there are aliens on the planet. You receive an ahelp from a marine regarding this. A minor slip up like this isn't a major issue in my opinion, message the Command staff player in question and let them know that their character should have no way of knowing what threat they are facing on the planet. If they designed their entire brief around xenos issue a warning and add a note. Hopefully you catch their slip up before this point.
You find a Marine killing another Marine on the EVAC Pod to take the last spot and claims it was RP as he was saving himself. There are two other marines in the pod along with him. This is a tricky one, as I could certainly see this occurring in the real world in such a desperate situation. Rule 14 does not forbid such an action, although it is a bit scummy. If marines are fighting over evac pods the round is almost over, and aheals and asleeps are not needed or helpful. If I observed escalation at all from the aggressor such as "GET OUT OF THE POD NOW OR I SHOOT!" I would probably let the incident slide as IC. If it was a wordless PB of a marine standing in a pod I would at the very least add a note to the murderer, and I would inform them that in the future some escalation should be used before silently removing a person from a round, even at the end. Check note history for greifing incidents and consider a ban if the player has been found to do similar actions in the past.
A player insults you after you warn them for a minor issue and begins ranting in LOOC or dchat about staff and mentions you specifically, referring to you as an 'idiot' and a 'retard'. As always, remain cordial. Tell them that they need to stop spamming chat, and encourage them to file a staff report against you if they feel it is necessary. If they are incessantly spamming looc and dchat a ban may be warranted, however an occasional off-comment would not warrant such an action. Rule 3 applies, but I understand that players in CM get angry. Banning over chat insults should be reserved for the worst offenders.
A player ahelps saying he was hugged by a Xeno when he was ssd, and wants the larva be removed from him via admin powers. How do you handle the ahelp? Inform the SSD player that being SSD does not offer them any protection from the xenos.
You see a fellow staff member give wrong information in an Adminhelp or incorrectly enforce a rule. Message the staff member in question and let them know that the information was wrong, with a link to the wiki or changelog if possible. For a rule violation, ask for clarification without accusing the staff member. If blatant, message an admin or senior staff member with the details. Keep an open mind at all times, as their interpretation of the rule or understanding of the mechanics may actually be correct.
Two staff are arguing in msay if an ahelp is breaking a rule. Because the staff who took the ahelp thinks the player broke a rule, they ban the player based on their interpretation of the rules, with others thinking the person was fine. What would you do? At the end of the day, once the ban has been issued it is up to the player to file a ban appeal or staff report. If I felt that the ban was in error I would message the player in question encouraging them to file an appeal. Informing an admin or other senior staff member of the issue would also be a good idea, as they could offer a ruling that could be carried forward for other similar issues in the future. At no point would I inject myself into an argument between staff and exacerbate the situation.
Why would you like to become a moderator? I have been playing CM for about 4 years now, and it has been my favorite SS13 server for the entirety of this time. It seems like you need Moderators at the moment, and I would be more than willing to help out if you'll have me.
In your opinion, what is the most important quality for a moderator? Temperament - The second a moderator, or any staff member, resorts to insults or passive aggressive comments when dealing with an issue they lose a massive amount of credibility. It is important that a moderator remains objective and impartial when handling an ahelp or a developing issue within the round. This is not to say that staff shouldn't be able to joke around in general, OOC staff shenanigans remind us that the staff is, at the end of the day, still human. That being said when handling an issue professionalism goes a long way in mitigating the situation.
Anything else you Reading through reports and appeals on the forum is a guilty pleasure of mine, and I can't help but notice that a lot of the ambiguity could be removed if staff were recording their screens. Logs are great, but they often lack the context that a video brings. Are staff not allowed to record their screens while moderating on CM? I would likely record the rounds that I moderate if accepted and then edit the videos if needed for a report or appeal.