Don't take this to mean I either support or disapprove of the existence of these 'illegal' maparts, but if the whole point of the regulations is to prevent non-consenting players, including minors, from seeing these maparts displayed, isn't the objective already achieved?

If the owners of such maparts are going so far as to hide them away on alts/chests, the public is probably already protected from viewing them since only the owner now knows where they are (and the mapart itself cannot be viewed without holding/placing it).

I think spending the time to track down every contraband map on the server is a bit of a thankless and time-consuming task: for the purposes of ensuring that 99.99% of players are unable to view these maps, it is likely just as effective to threaten a ban/heavy penalties for anyone who knowingly has these on display/placed anywhere on their island. Thoughts?

TLDR: Nobody who isn't actively trying to expose their eyeballs to these maps will see them, so is there really a need to hunt down every copy in every chest/hidey hole?

Disclaimer: I do not personally own(to my knowledge) any maps that could be considered 'sussy baka'; my above thoughts are purely out of curiosity

 

While I don't have a dog in this fight, because I don't have any non-default mapart anywhere on my island, and I personally agree with the rule and overall enforcement, I do think that the letter of the law is being violated here.

The posted rules very clearly state that everyone is being given one month, that is until May 12, 2024, to hand in their illegal mapart. It also clearly states that any illegal mapart not handed in after that time will be subject to confiscation and possibly punishment. To wit:

"We are giving the community 1 month to “hand in” their map arts that no longer comply with the rules as stated above."
and
"Failure to comply with these rules by MAY 12, 2024 will result in immediate confiscation and possible punishment."

Nowhere in the posted, updated rule does it say or even imply that confiscations will begin prior to May 12, with or without notification. Given that this issue was raised in the forums at least a couple of weeks prior to the updated rule posting, and that nothing was visibly done by staff (this isn't a call out, simply stating fact) until the rule was both formalized and communicated to everyone, it would stand to reason that nothing would be visibly done by staff, until and unless that activity was after 5/12, or had been otherwise communicated and the notification updated.

Historically, for the really big stuff (of which I consider this to be), staff has generally been very open about what and why something is being done, and done so ahead of time. Not always, but most of the time. In this instance though, staff made a rather big deal about the new rule, which had some very clear instructions and what I thought to be very clear boundaries defined...and those boundaries have been crossed by staff prior to the deadline.

I get that if someone was flaunting the mapart and even going over the line intentionally (which is already covered in the rule as "being found to have created new mapart..."), something should be done. But even then, I would think staff would let the person know once it was done rather than have the player show up to a defaced island or stolen (yes, in this case it's stolen) goods. I do say stolen because at this point, the deadline has not passed and the "legal" confiscation of the mapart is being done prior to the penalty phase of the rule starting.

A lot of trust in staff was eroded by the actions of a couple of days, regardless of how many votes and polls were taken and how much agreement there was on the back end, because it was:
1) Done in "secret"
2) Done in at least indirect if not direct contradiction to the stated rules and plans moving forward
3) Done without the courtesy of notifying the person who was impacted

Novembree - I appreciate the position that staff is in, and I appreciate point 2 that you have made above that people will be notified if their mapart is confiscated. However, neither of those excuses the actions that were performed.

Lastly, the post really comes across as justification of the action followed by the equivalent of "I'm sorry if you were offended by our actions", but not an actual acceptance of having crossed a line or taking responsibility for those actions...nor does it include an apology which, frankly, is due to those who were impacted.

 

Time to shove this under the rug

 

Or how about ‘we will take your maps down but won’t tell you about it and won’t give you any notice because we just feel like it’ instead?

Yeah still a bit annoyed that my maps were taken without any notice as it feels like they were just stolen without me being notified but it’s whatever at this point

 

Step 2: Remove casino examples from /warp info- DONE.
Step 3: ………

 

I was going to write something very similar to what 1_DarkLight_1 already did just a few posts above this but they did a much more thorough & level-headed job than I would have.

1 of my maparts for sale was taken down w/out prior notice & while I was offline by Houzo. The store was broken & all copies of the maps removed from my /is. Houzo sent me a mail abt this but didn't inform me of Y the mapart was removed. Personally, after reviewing the rules above, I don't think the mapart violates any of them. The image is of the character 2B from the video game Nier: Automata in an action pose in profile; she is clothed in a black dress & the image is not sexual in nature.

Frankly, if any of my maps were going to run afoul of these new rules, I'd have thought it would be my rendition of Frazetta's "Spirit of the Forest" which was displayed & on sale right next to 2B; the subject of that mapart doesn't appear to be wearing any clothes @ all. Still, that image isn't sexual in nature, either (tho it may be in a natural setting & centering on the wonder of Nature). Frank Frazetta is a legendary fine artist of fantasy paintings whose works have been sold for decades & large sums of $$$. I don't think NE1 would classify him as a smut peddler.

Mafrorific let me know that 2 of the maparts in his gallery received the same treatment as my 2B 6-panel: removed w/out warning. This directly contradicts the "non-negotiable" rules set into motion recently. We ostensibly have until the 12th of March before these sorts of actions should B taking place, as detailed by the new rules set forth. I believe luka has multiple anime maparts of an overtly sexual nature for sale in 1 or more galleries; have they applied the same treatment to themselves??

I demand the reinstatement of the confiscated maparts. I'm reasonably active on the server (altho I don't use Discord) & will abide by the rules where they R reasonable. But the rules cannot be reasonable when they R subject to selective enforcement or outright contradiction by their enforcers. Furthermore, there should B a mechanism of appeal put in plc; art is, by definition, a subjective matter & summary judgment behind closed doors seems vulnerable to corruption & open to tyranny.

It appears that 1_DarkLight_1's reasonable post above has gone over a week w/out address by those in authority. This is telling. I believe it was Confucius who said it was the mark of a tyrant to give no warning & yet quick to punish.

 

never thought confucius' quotes would come into play with a mapart rule list

 

This

 

The important part is that we comply with the EULA. I don't know about anyone else but I would hand in every single piece of map art I've ever seen if it means the server stays running.

Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk

 

‘Hey guys, you got a month to throw away non-complying maparts, anyway we’re gonna start taking all of them whenever and wherever we see them 2 weeks in without letting you know’

 

fr its stupid..

 

I was given a /mail by houzo about a week after they were taken saying something like "just to let you know we confiscated your maparts" or something.. A week after they were taken? Whats the point in even telling me at that point

 

luka,

While I appreciate yr application of these new rules to yrself (allegedly), I have to call yr statement to me's sincerity into question for a couple of pts.

1st, the disjoint in time from confiscating my mapart to yr informing me that another of mine is up for review; specifically the 1 I mentioned in my last post. This smacks of revenge for my calling out yr own violations of the new mapart regulations. "Oh, U R gonna challenge me?? Well, let's make an example of U for NE1 else who might pipe up." How come the 2nd pass for me specifically?? As I previously stated, this mapart was right next to the 1 U personally confiscated (literally 1 block to its right on the same display wall). There is no good reason Y both maparts wouldn't have been subjected to the same treatment @ the same time based on what U've said here & how staff have comported themselves recently regarding the new rules. Occam's Razor says this is retaliatory action for raising the issues I have.

2nd is yr personal apology to me. Sincere apology recognizes the wrong that was done & communicates that to the 1 offended against while simultaneously communicating how this recognition will change future behavior. It's important that the offender understands how what they did was wrong while also indicating how this will change future outcomes. Yr apology seems empty in that it hits neither of these bases. U personally enforced "rules" which have NOT been set forth. Yr apology contains no indication of how yr remorse for past actions will change yr future behavior. On top of these things, U attempt to distance yrself from yr own agency in service to tyrrany by saying Microsoft made you do it. It's like, "Hey, man, my car's momentum made me run over yr dog. I'm really sorry abt that. I was just driving, man." No attempt @ reconciliation, no indication U will more carefully consider yr future actions, just an unqualified, "Sorry." It would B weak of me to accept such a tepid "apology" in the same way it was weak to proffer it in the 1st plc.

To riff on this same pt, the Microsoft EULA is a weak defense in itself. For a long time now, the server has been in violation of that "Agreement" cuz of the gambling promoted betw/ players but moreso cuz of the gambling promoted by the server itself: crate keys. It's not like Microsoft is going to perma-ban skyblock.net cuz U don't take down all the saucy maparts this wk. I think U already know this but it didn't prevent U from attempting to raise it as a defense for yr own actions. To reiterate: U, luka, attempted to mask yr own responsibility in unjust actions by supplying an excuse U already knew to B faulty.

As pertains to my confiscated mapart, I think yr stated grounds for taking it seem flimsy & play into what I've already said above. Man-butt figures into both of the artworks U mentioned (more than that: both of those feature full frontal male nudity) but the woman-butt in mine is 2 much?? Seems sexist. On top of that, U & yr fellow star chamber voters have positioned yrselves as the arbiters of what constitutes artistic butt. I have to challenge this when full frontal male nudity is acceptable mapart but a profile shot of a woman charging into battle is deemed 2 lascivious. It's not like she's dual-wielding DD ion cannons & arching her back so the viewer gets a better shot of that behind; we all have butts (apologies to any butt-disabled, I was being figurative) & this mapart is an accurate portrayal of the main char in Nier: Automata, no exagerrated anatomical lady parts. Yes, the dress is low-cut but not something U wouldn't C simply going outside (!!!) once in a while. Do U support body negativity when it comes to the fairer sex??

So, here we R: yr explanations for yr actions have failed & yr apology was hollow; I have been the victim of injustice & demand recompense. Return my confiscated mapart to me & trust me to hand it in on my own recognizance by the deadline set forth in the rules. Otherwise, it is U who is the rulebreaker. I suggest doing the same for all confiscated maparts but I don't demand it; I speak for myself here. I'll let U decide how to affect reconciliation for the time I've had to spend here defending something I shouldn't have had to in the 1st plc.

 

Who got the time to read that waddahell

 

I cannot read this please go back and not abbreviate so I can read XD

 

god the ups and downs of this post are killing me

 

Which one this time? Would be nice to know what’s been taken.. this is kind of taking the piss now not know what is or isn’t being taken out a of a pile of 200+ maparts