Final Fantasy XIV and a Culture of Enabling

[StriderShinryu]

When trying to help can result in bans, it's hard to blame their frustration.

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

[Saefinn]

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

This is what I wanna know too, after 8 years of being helpful, I've yet to run into any problems like this. I've had a handful of poor attitude people and that's it.

It's why I get the feeling it's more down to a how and not a what. Because normally I find those who aren't very constructive or are rude or put people down tend not to think what they do is any of that.

And it'd be very odd for GM's to moderate people for helping people when the devs are introduced a whole system designed with the intention of helping people and encouraging people to help others...granted it's a broken system but either way, it's intended for helping people.

[KizuyaKatogami]

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

While i’ve not been banned i have been reported for it (according to said reporter). Don’t have actual proof so can take it with a grain of salt but the conversation was basically about them not knowing to do positionals and aoe in malikah’s well. It was a duo and after i had told them the proper positionals for one of them’s job, they both proceeded to get hostile at me and told me at the end of the dungeon they had reported me for enforcing my playstyle on them. :/

[ZedxKayn]

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

Well I wouldn't know, I'm not a GM.

I already get griefed enough as is, I don't risk opening my mouth when I see mistakes.

[KizuyaKatogami]

That's what he's asking people to do. To politely give advice to players who aren't performing well so that they can improve.

At least that's what I got from his post.

Ah my post was moreso directed at him saying they haven’t had the chance to learn. At level 80 they’ve had multiple chances to try and find guides etc to help them. I’m of the view that i find it kind of lazy if they haven’t taken the time by the time they get to endgame content to figure it out. But that’s why i’m saying it’s something that should be taken seriously more earlier on instead of when they get to endgame. The sooner they learn the easier it is for them to grasp it instead of all of a sudden having a huge mass of information thrown at them because they’ve been doing multiple things wrong while being told before it was okay.

[LittleImp]

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

I track a lot of ban cases, and while there're a lot of ridiculous cases where people get banned for unbelievably stupid things, I've never personally heard of this happening. Usually when there are supposed cases, the person who was 'helping' was actually being kind of abusive.

However, in said cases I'm familiar with, the person who did the reporting was often also being abusive first. It usually plays out like, Person A gives advice. Person B, who is receiving the advice, responds abusively or with snark. Person A insults them back, is reported and struck/banned.
Recently someone I know was banned for calling someone in Emerald EX an idiot for not having his class quest abilities unlocked and being snarky about it.

It's less about real ban cases, and more about a feeling of imminent pressure or danger people who give advice end up feeling. I've never been GM jailed or banned, but I've been threatened with reports by people I was giving neutral advice to. Whether or not I genuinely think I have a chance of getting banned, this kind of response still has a negative chilling effect on my willingness to help others.

[BunniEclair]

I hear this so often here. How often does this actually happen and when did it happen last? What exactly was said and done that was reported? How often have you personally been reported and banned or warned after giving advice?

It really doesn’t happen. People can report whatever they want- it’s only when GMs decide they have done something wrong that they get a strike or a ban. What is more common is people claiming they were “helping” but what they actually did was insult or be overtly rude and hostile towards another player.

Anybody who claims they got banned or jailed purely for giving a suggestion or advice is full of it.

[Lanadra]

When trying to help can result in bans, it's hard to blame their frustration.

I mean, if said 'helping' is done in an abusive manner then yeah.. I can see that resulting in a trip to the gaol. That's my issue with what you say whenever I see it said. Because it's always used as an argument but due to how we humans are.. we never add that we were being a complete ass about how we offered our 'help' to that underperforming player. Yes, there are the 'u don't pay my sub' types, but many people that are willing to learn will still respond very differently depending on how they're offered advise/tips/help. I said earlier in this thread, and I now repeat it: I wouldn't respond well to snarky comments in a DF party either.

[SturmChurro]

It really doesn’t happen. People can report whatever they want- it’s only when GMs decide they have done something wrong that they get a strike or a ban. What is more common is people claiming they were “helping” but what they actually did was insult or be overtly rude and hostile towards another player.

Anybody who claims they got banned or jailed purely for giving a suggestion or advice is full of it.

I don't know, I'd rather err on the side of caution. I've read some horror stories. I've never been banned in-game, or had a GM interaction, but I have been on the forums... for what I think are some really ridiculous things - that by the way people get away with WORSE all the time on here. Don't ask me how or why. I'd rather not get a permanent strike on my account, just because a GM is having a bad day.

[StriderShinryu]

So basically I'm getting that it either never happens or is, at worst, basically the result of a game of telephone where one guy sometime years ago on reddit said "I got banned for helping!" (when he was probably not exactly being helpful) ended up growing into some sort of old wives tale about everyone who ever helps getting reported and banned. Which is pretty much what I expected. It would be nice if it stopped being used as an excuse.