LilahNovi Interview

Matt - Today at 18:00
ready for the first scenario?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:00
Yeah!

Matt - Today at 18:01
Here is the first scenario: A guy named "Ultra Instinct Goku", a black haired assistant with his flavour text set to "He has a silver aura" spawns in via cryo and starts making his way to tool storage. What do you do?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:03
I bwoink him, and I say, "Hello Goku! Can I ask you something?" Wait for his response. (Should I continue writing or wait for you to play out the rest?)

Matt - Today at 18:03
you can just tell me what you do and I'll respond with what they do
They ignore you and go to a guy next to the elevator, and start beating him up.

LilahNovi - Today at 18:06
I check for antag. Assuming not, I wind him immediately (We did not have a wind action on /tg/ if I remember), and bwoink him again, "Hey [ckey], we need to talk. Do you understand what you did wrong just now?"

Matt - Today at 18:07
He says "What do you want? I'm roleplaying as goku."
He is not antag.

LilahNovi - Today at 18:12
"[Ckey], The first thing was that you didn't respond to my first message. The second thing was that you immediately began to attack that guy. While I understand you want to roleplay as Goku and fight, you might find that this server is not the place to do it. We are a Heavy Role Play server, where we take on realistic names, and do our jobs on the station without violence. I encourage you to take some time to read the rules."

Matt - Today at 18:12
They say "Fuck you, stupid admin, I know the rules better than you".

LilahNovi - Today at 18:18
"This community may not be for you, [ckey]. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to place a [Between 1 day and 3 day] ban on you for your behavior. If you really wish to return to the Aurora and play properly, you may do so after your ban. However, repeat behavior will not be tolerated."
Now, on /tg/ whenever we might ban someone, their character would just fall over and that would be that. If I remember right, we didn't do anything with the character. This is something I haven't observed on Aurora at all. I don't know if you despawn the person or if they just go SSD.

Matt - Today at 18:20
They say in response "This server is stupid just like your face, idiot".
their character just SSDs yes. you will need an admin or someone else to cryo them

LilahNovi - Today at 18:21
Now, I don't know the escalation ladder on Aurora in terms of bans. I've not been banned. On /tg/ we would just go with short bans because a lot more crazy behavior was accepted over there.

Matt - Today at 18:21
depends on the admin. usually we just go 1 > 3 > 7 > perma
HOWEVER
permas can be used for other things too
if banning someone is pointless because they'd just repeat the same thing once they're back then permas are fine

LilahNovi - Today at 18:22
Yeah, that's how I remember it on /tg/. They can appeal it if they really believe they're in the right.

Matt - Today at 18:22
mhm
so what punishment will it be?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:25
I'll give it 3 days, honestly. But I dance on 7 because of his outright mean behavior. Enough time for him to forget about the server and go find something else to do, but if he has a revelation and decides that he wants to play the right way because Aurora looks like so much fun, he has the chance to cool down his anger and right his behavior.

Matt - Today at 18:25
alright
is that all?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:26
I can't remember if you can set up notifications for when someone shows up.
Usually I would put detailed notes in about the person, and tell people to watch for that ckey, but I recall a notification system when the person signed in.

Matt - Today at 18:26
The ban is already a note, so it's fine
and no we do not have that
ready for the second scenario?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:27
I also tend to physically have a notebook of my own on my desk, and I'd write the ckey down just to remember in case I saw them later and needed to watch them.
Yeah!

Matt - Today at 18:27
Second scenario!
It is a 35 pop round, 40 minutes in, you are the only server staff online with 15 people playing, it is voted mercenary. The mercs boarded via merchant dock and have entered cargo. They have JUST docked.

You notice the QM is singlehandedly fighting the mercs off using cargo-bought weapons. One merc is in crit, the other 3 are fighting. The critted merc ahelps complaining about the situation.
What do you do?

LilahNovi - Today at 18:30
I let the merc in crit know that I will be handling their request and to please be patient while I work it out.
I check the QM's notes.

Matt - Today at 18:30
The QM has a note about powergaming, a note about metagaming and a warning about powergaming and metagaming.
They are also a regular, someone you know fairly well.

LilahNovi - Today at 18:34
I bwoink the QM, "Hi [Ckey!] If possible, I'd like you to deescalate and leave this situation as soon as possible. We gotta talk."
I may use LOOC to let the other 3 mercs know to deescalate as well, and maybe roleplay out "losing" the QM or something. I'm not sure where we stand on that.

Matt - Today at 18:34
The QM responds "hey man, can you not right now? there's an active firefight and i cant just quit it."
In the meantime a merc has been decapitated.
for the record our policy is to let things go as they are. we dont tell people to stop firefights-- we let it happen and resolve things while it's happening or after

LilahNovi - Today at 18:39
I had the feeling, but I wasn't quite sure.
"I'm sorry, but I have to right now. Why, as the QM, did you decide to engage the antags? As a civilian, you should be actively avoiding the antags."

Matt - Today at 18:40
"I obtained this weapon ICly, I can keep it. That and the mercs entered cargo while I was in surface cargo, I had to choose between fighting or being taken hostage."

LilahNovi - Today at 18:42
I would, in advance, have probably asked about the policy on cargo obtaining weapons. I have been curious about this. As far as I know, only the bartender is allowed to have their shotgun. Otherwise, no civilian should have a weapon on station.
Is that correct?

Matt - Today at 18:43
if you order a gun for no reason to clearly fight the antags it is metagaming

LilahNovi - Today at 18:44
The next question is, how is the security on station looking? (It's usually full to the brim, but I don't want to assume)
Matt - Today at 18:47
HoS, 4 officers.
Detective too.

LilahNovi - Today at 18:51
Oof.
"I'm sorry, but that's not the case. Cargo is a supply job, so of course you need to be able to obtain weapons for the security staff. I understand it might be tempting to order items like that for yourself, but it's out of the scope of the position. Did you call for security?"
I check to see if he called for security. I also check to see how early in the round he obtained the gun. (I may be misremembering the power of View Variables in this situation.)

Matt - Today at 18:52
He did not call security, he just gunned the antags down.
VVing the clipboard, you find it contains a piece of paper. From there, you find out he ordered the gun at roundstart!

LilahNovi - Today at 18:54
Say it isn't so! Metagaming!!! :sob: How could you do this, [ckey]?!
I wait for his response...

Matt - Today at 18:55
His response is "whatever lol"
He has now successfully killed all 4 mercs. Security JUST arrived.
After killing the antags he SSDs.

LilahNovi - Today at 19:04
So, he's upset and likely knows he's in trouble. But he's had warnings in the past.
My response would be to give him a 3 day ban, with the note attached, "Because we weren't able to talk this out, I've banned you for 3 days. Please understand, if you want to engage antags, you should be security. As well, obtaining a weapon through your cargo job at roundstart is metagaming, and you're not authorized to carry around a weapon as QM on top of that. Please take some time to try and understand the rules and read up on the wiki. Don't hesitate to ask questions."
I feel like 1 day is not quite enough, and he may just not even realize he's banned if he decides not to play in his anger. Also the leaving.

Matt - Today at 19:08
aye, all good
is that all?

LilahNovi - Today at 19:08
Yeah!

Matt - Today at 19:08
last scenario
are thou ready

LilahNovi - Today at 19:09
I am so ready.

Matt - Today at 19:12
It is an autotraitor round.

Someone ahelps about the Vaurca chef throwing viscerators and ganking him. You notice the ahelper has notes , warnings, and many bans  about being salty in ahelps. What do you do?

LilahNovi - Today at 19:21
I check if the vaurca is a traitor, which he likely is. I let the ahelper know I will handle his ahelp, and to please be patient while I sort it out.
I bwoink the Vaurca, "Hi [Ckey]! I know you are a traitor, but I received a complaint, so I just wanted to ask why you decided to attack [name]?"
I guess I would also check the circumstance, see if he attacked a crowd, etc.
I have been told that random killing for the sake of killing is not really welcomed on Aurora.

Matt - Today at 19:23
He is a traitor.

The vaurca replies, "I killed someone using the gibber, and security shows up trying to baton me. I throw a viscerator grenade and it kills the officer trying to stun me with the baton, then [ahelper] comes into the room swarming through the viscerators, killing them all. To stop him from chasing me, I throw another 2 grenades, and he just keeps trying to follow me. Eventually he is killed by the viscerators in maint."
While you type up a response the ahelper says "Are you done yet? This is really clear cut."

LilahNovi - Today at 19:24
What is the ahelper's job?

Matt - Today at 19:25
HoS

LilahNovi - Today at 19:31
I say to Antag, "Thank you for your response. I know it can be kind of frustrating to type all that out, but I appreciate it." I check the VV's to make sure that the story matches up, and assuming it does, I respond to the ahelper.
"Hi [HOS]! I've reviewed the situation, and I believe what the antag did was valid. He is an antag, after all, and when being chased, he absolutely has the right to defend himself and try to escape. Remember, he's a villain. Can you tell me why you didn't think this was a valid situation or what the antag did that upset you?"

Matt - Today at 19:36
It does.

The HoS says "What? That was clearly gank, he attacked me without even roleplaying."

LilahNovi - Today at 19:42
"It seems to me that you ran into an ongoing situation, and sadly, running is not very good for typing out responses. If he is on the run, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that he would be roleplaying during it, because he is focused on trying to get away. As well, you have a lot of tools that can take him down very fast if he tries to stand still to type up a response. I'm sorry, and I know you're upset, but I really believe this situation was valid."

Matt - Today at 19:43
He responds "What the fuck are you on about? Let me speak to a real moderator, please."
You're alone.

LilahNovi - Today at 19:47
"I'm sorry, but I'm the only moderator on, and sorry to disappoint, but I am also a real moderator. I know you're upset, but the matter has been settled."

Matt - Today at 19:48
"I don't care, it's not settled. This is why staff is shit."

LilahNovi - Today at 19:53
"I'm sorry you feel that way.  However, I'm sticking with my ruling." At this point, I would probably make a note about it. Unless they push the matter, in the past I would just let them be salty and go on their way.

Matt - Today at 19:54
They keep being salty.
Shouting a few subtle insults towards you/the staff team.

LilahNovi - Today at 19:58
At this point, I would deem him out of control, and give him a warning, "If you continue, I will have to be forced to take action and you will be issued a ban. Is that clear? Ahelps will not to be used for this kind of behavior."

Matt - Today at 19:59
He finally stops.
keep in mind in these instances you can just close the ticket
LilahNovi - Today at 20:00
Oh yes, I forgot about closing the ticket.
Anyway, tada! I hope that was okay. Thanks for interviewing me!

Matt - Today at 20:01
One last question
and we're done
this is a personal one however

LilahNovi - Today at 20:01
Ok!

Matt - Today at 20:01
Do you sometimes feel you're too light on people, or too kind?

LilahNovi - Today at 20:05
I guess sometimes I feel "too kind" but that's in my nature. I prefer to talk people down if I'm able, but I won't get into extended situations like that either. I want to give people the chance to play the game right, so I don't want to aggresively oust them from the community. The way I type my responses is usually an effort to disarm situation, and I don't want to approach people as if they're criminals right off the bat. Basically, I want to give people the benefit of the doubt first.
I would say, "I want to have faith in the civility of people" lmao
I would say, I'm kind because I strive to be that way and actively engage in that kind of behavior. Of course it's tempting to just tell someone who is greytiding or being disruptive to screw off and give them a hard ban, but it would be ideal if that person could learn and change.

Matt - Today at 20:10
alright, that's all!

LilahNovi - Today at 20:10
Oh, thanks!