-=AGX=- Official {CoC} Section I Member Code of Conduct

[-=AGX=- Council]

-=AGX=- Official Guidelines
2009/01/03

Section I

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS:

To be a member of the -=AGX=- on-line gaming community, a person MUST be 18 years old, or older. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if a person "gets permission" from their parents or legal guardians, this organization will not accept them until they are at least 18 years of age.
The majority of our members ages range from mid 20’s – mid 40’s and spend a lot of time talking about our jobs, our kids, our houses, our investments, etc. - pretty boring stuff for folks not actually living it. So, if you are under 18, you'll not be happy in our community anyway

For most people, all of the following principles fall under the category of "common sense", “maturity”, or "acting as an Adult". Which is why we specifically ask on our application forms if people are willing to act mature and be respectful of other -=AGX=- members and non -=AGX=- members whether playing on-line, or in -=AGX=- Forums.


1. In all matters, real-world comes first. We give all of our members as much space as they need to do what needs to be done in the real world. On-line gaming is a place to escape from the real-world, so it should NEVER place any sort of real-world burden or put any pressure on any member of -=AGX=- . As such, -=AGX=- does not have any sort of mandatory attendance or practice.

2. Respect the team and respect other gamers. Even though we hold that the real world is first in all things, we do expect for members to respect the team, by keeping in touch and communicating with everyone else. Suddenly disappearing for 3 or 4 weeks, without letting anyone have a clue what is going on - that doesn't show a lot of respect for your teammates. All we ask is that everyone let the team know what is going on. If you need to take a break for a month, just say so. Beyond that, the respect issue really hits at the core of who we are, and it can be rather contentious. Here are some guidelines for how -=AGX=- should be respecting each other, as well as other on-line players:

Treat all -=AGX=- members as equals - do not EVER order any other -=AGX=- members to do ANYTHING. make suggestions, give advice, express frustration at those who you think might do better if they did something else, but never ever order another -=AGX=- member to do anything.

The convex of that is to listen to the advice of your fellow players and seek their advice on the best way to do things. Do not be so stubborn about something that you know bothers other people, and don't be arrogant and aggressive about forcing people to do it "your way."
The bottom line is this - we work by consensus in the -=AGX=- , even on the battlefield. People don't take command - leaders emerge and people follow them because they respect their abilities.

Also, it is important to understand that the -=AGX=- respect for others goes outside our members. We should also respect other on-line players. Smack-talk is to be expected - but flat out public cursing at someone is not tolerated.
If you feel strongly enough to curse someone out (outside of our voiceware) publicly - say, in the text chat of game, you clearly are not having fun and you are too stressed out over that situation. Take a break, get out of that game, vote that person out of the game (if it is an option), or go do something else. If you stay and cuss someone out, you are disrespecting your teammates and the -=AGX=-. We are not saying you need to bend over backwards and take crap from any chump that comes into a server - rather, we are saying there is an appropriate way to deal with assholes and an inappropriate way to deal with asshats. Cussing someone out over in-game text chat, on a forum, etc. - is inappropriate and unacceptable.

3. Fun first, winning second, in that winning, takes a back-seat to having fun. Certainly, it is important to be competitive, and we should strive to be the best that we can, because quite frankly, winning is damn fun. BUT, when the pursuit of winning takes the joy out of playing, it is time to step back. Rules-lawyering, whining, and political BS are all extensions of putting winning first, and having fun second. If other people want to be an asshat over something, defend yourselves as needed, but know your limit, as well as the limits of your team-mates. Sometimes, it is much easier to just let it go and just not play those type of people ever again. If you are type to be rather persistent, you will rely on your team-mates to tell you to back off, and have the right, vice-versa, to perform the same. It is knowing when to listen to your team-mates and respecting them that becomes important.

-=AGX=- is not, and was never designed to be an ultra-competitive unit. We are about creating an on-line haven for adults, who want to get away from the crap of the real-world and blow some shit up. Strangely enough, though, we have found that over time, as members develop close friendships and experience gaming with each other, we do become rather competitive in a number of games we play.
Genuine teamwork, that can only be developed from long-term experience working with others, can be just as, if not more effective than having a team with one or two star gamers that never develop such long-term teamwork skills, because they are always switching from team to team.

Communication:
Good communications are paramount - For a team to operate effectively, they must be well informed, up-to-date on current team happenings, and able to discuss matters in real-time for games. To accomplish these goals, the -=AGX=- uses two tools - our web-based forums, and our voiceware program. Why do we use a web-based forum for our main information tool for the team? Because everyone who can get on-line can visit a web-page, members do not need any special software to download to use them, there are no additional configurations that need to be made to use them, there are no additional security risks from having additional software loaded, and they allow us to archive or highlight important data for future users, without having to re-send the data every time someone new joins the -=AGX=-.
The only limitation of using a web-based forum, is that the team relies on every member checking and using the forums on a regular basis. Ideally, everyone will check them daily, before they logon to play any games. In fact, the -=AGX=- sees it as the responsibility of all members to actually check the forums regularly, which is why we ask just that on our application forms. People who do not check the forums regularly are shirking one of the easiest yet most important duties of being a member. Likewise, those people who have important information, particularly scheduling information for important events, and do not share that information on the forums are hurting the team even worse. So, both the event coordinators and everyone else who may participate in events need to really use this tool that we have in place. Now, in terms or more immediate communications, the -=AGX=- relies upon getting everyone to a central voiceware channel/server/etc. Currently, we use Team Speak (this could change as the technology changes and/or new voiceware choices become available). More than just agreeing to use a particular software program, the -=AGX=- has agreed to meet at a standard location - our default meeting room, as it were. There is an understanding amongst all members that if we want to hook up with other members, we go and wait in the TS server. If nobody is on, don't leave, just sit there and someone else will probably join up sooner or later. Once someone else logs onto the TS server, you can hook up with them for a game. So, using a different voiceware program, or getting people to meet on a different channel can be counterproductive (sometimes it is necessary if a server crashes or whatnot), because once people start needing to check two or three different servers, they will get frustrated, and it leads to forming internal clicks, isolationism and fragmentation of our team. In basic sense, a team that talks together, works well together - so our goal is to keep as many members together, talking in the same place. Anything that prevents that from happening, or encroaches on the idea of getting everyone in the same spot on a regular basis is counterproductive to our team concept.

Cheating:
Using a hack, cheat, crack, whatever *to help you win a game* will not be tolerated.
The -=AGX=- strives to always win fair, and if you are using something that gives you an advantage that other people are unaware of and cannot duplicate themselves - you are not playing fair and you are going against our standards for fair play and winning before FUN.

Any member found to be using the aforementioned, whether on -=AGX=- servers or others, shall be immediately removed from the community, and all rights and privileges revoked.

Racism/Bad Taste:

Definition of race:
1.) A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.

2.) A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: (e.g. the German race.)

Conversations/humor/innuendos involving pedophilia, molestation and ethnicity drives a negative type atmosphere of the worst kind – not conducive to the -=AGX=- Code of Conduct. Out of respect for members ethnic background, or for those that may have been subjected to such atrocities, regardless of context:
Have NO PLACE on TeamSpeak/Forums/Game Chat.
Each member represents the clan…We’re all here to have fun and we all know “bad taste” is very relative. How does any1 member know who and who wasn’t molested, wears a turban, worships the devil etc…If you haven’t got something nice to say – Don’t say it at all! If you have a hard time keeping your mouth shut about the above…change your TS to “push to talk”. We all have the ability to mute a member and or Day Ban,…… this is directed towards members in need of verbal Imodium or running their mouth off while under the influence. Do you really think a person that has had his/her innocence stripped as a child is going to pipe up and tell you all about the experience just to shut your ignorant mouth up?

If you can’t deal with the diversity this clan offers… then exercise your right to leave.

Joking/SmackTalk:


Joking even though fun can be harmful at times. We know each other over a microphone and headset/speakers. We all have separate lives and personalities. Most of us know who we can joke with and who we can't. Keep in mind that sometimes joking can go WAY to far. The term "Mouth Cancer" has used before and that's just what it becomes. There is the option of using the mute function on T.S.(for those who don't get it: it's because people are driving other crazy). So it's either mute or move to a different channel. Joking about where someone is on a map is considered cheating also. If you get shot...don't joke about where you were and how they shot you.


SmackTalk:
Example - you hear Mr.X talking some pretty sweet smack to Mr.Y which made everyone laugh including the recipient. It was in reference to Mr.Y using a sniper and as we all know Mr.Y is a rifle-slut and it was taken is great, positive, boy's club, make every1 laugh smack talk. The context in which it was delivered was Key.

ShitTalk:
Example - I'm sure most of us can relate to Mr.Z and the way he relays his hatred for snipers.(i.e. “you campin’ S.O.B. snipin’ punk muth#*%$#er” type of talk in an aggravated tone, and clearly stressed) The outline of his conversation and the context in which it is delivered isn't "SmackTalk", and is very disrespectful to other snipers playing on the server and chatting on TeamSpeak. Respect and the maintenance thereof, which is also defined in our Code of Conduct, should dictate the outcome when a player(s) is so obviously disrespected.

Most Shittalk tends to come through when a player is frustrated and usually brought on when overcome by superior "skill".

1. Is it really the snipers fault that you don't know how to puff smoke or run in a zigzag pattern?
2. Is it really the MGers fault that you don't know how to jump and fire aka "fly-bys" or prone firing aka "pan caking"?
3. Is it really necessary to yell BULLSHIT on TeamSpeak or in game when another player gets lucky or you were overcome by again, superior "skill"?
4. Is it really the "roofers" fault that your mouse doesn't move in the upwards direction?

Last but not least...who should be held accountable for a member’s lack of self-control? Besides feeling insulted (not the whine in a corner, poor me kind of way) and disrespected...what else does this promote? This topic, I think, hits the core of who we are as a group and should be addressed as such. What do we do about it? Let the Code of Conduct do the work for us.

If/When a member is talking "shit", feel free to exercise your rights as a member and pull them down a channel to reiterate the CoC – if this fails to stop the problem - Please bring it to a council member's attention or post your discontent in the forums (JAG-Member Advocate section) and that member will be dealt with accordingly.

SmackTalk on the other hand should be promoted! Because it’s a game, and gaming breeds competition, and having a good time with your friends is not a bad thing - but again, context is everything. If you feel the recipient isn't on the same page...read another book.

Let's keep our house free from SHIT talk – As an active member you have the right to be proactive in terms of curbing it naturally and or forcefully.


Although these Guidelines and Regulations read incredibly long, everyone should read them completely and take them to heart. If you have a problem with anything stated here, or if there is something you really can't abide by, then you seriously need to ask yourself if the -=AGX=- is the right place for you. I can guarantee you that if you don't, people will start asking other members about your behaviors, and -=AGX=- members will make that decision for you. We do not do so lightly, and maybe we can save a lot of grief by making sure everyone in the -=AGX=- understands what our principles and expectations are.

Founding Members have created this clan on the principles and basis of the Code of Conduct above - and will maintain the Code of Conduct’s integrity at all times.
Founding Members:
Wardsville, Beerwulfe , Posse, Bubbles, WyldManM

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** These Guidelines and Code of Conduct are NOT be altered or changed - Unless Debated and Voted Upon by the -=AGX=- Community as a Whole **