1 Topic by dappl

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Topic: incorrect server ban

Our server got recently banned and we do not think this is appropriate.

# 2020-03-23: heinrich5991: faking jxsl13's "Simply zCatch Grenade"
ban 91.250.87.150

Of course we had read the rules, which are the following:

  • A modified Teeworlds server must not use a standard gametype (dm, tdm, ctf, lms, lts)

  • The player count shown must resemble the amount of human players. The maximum player count must be the maximum number of human players. Update: As of 0.7.x, you may broadcast non-human players to the server list using a special bot flag. This allows client-side filtering.

  • Don't host an excessive amount of servers. There is no fixed limit but try to not overdo it. (i.e. there should be people playing on them eventually)

  • Do not host servers purely for advertising purposes (e.g. passworded & having only an advertisement as name; having sponsoring info or the likes in the server name is perfectly fine).

And none of them covers our case. Some player called jxsl13 (we do not know him/her) must have accused us for faking the server. All we did was creating a new server with the gametype zCatch and named it simply what it is: Simply zCatch Grenade. No zCatch Laser, no hammer, no shotgun, simply just grenade.

Therefore we'd like to have the ban revoked, since none of the above rules have been violated.


Thanks in advance,
dappl

2 Reply by Browed

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Re: incorrect server ban

Yes now the teeworlds community is generally imprudent.
If you compare with the past, and what is happening now.

So now it turns out I can't make my own server?
I am also interested in the real reasons for the ban

3 Reply by dappl

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Re: incorrect server ban

Thanks for your quick response. We honestly don't know how this could happen.
I already contacted bans@teeworld.com two months ago twice and still no reply. sad

4 Reply by heinrich5991

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Re: incorrect server ban

Oops. I removed the email from the ban list, now there's only two contact options remaining that we definitely see, the Discord server and the IRC channel.

As you figured from the description of the ban, we banned the server for impersonating another server that already existed for a longer time. Rename the server and I'll happily remove the ban.

5 Reply by dappl

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Re: incorrect server ban

Thanks for removing the email for future unban requests.

There never was the intention to impersonate another server, we just wanted our own zCatch server and even had a little community. I also think the accusation that we tried to impersonate is too harsh. Just having a similar name is neither impersonating nor faking. We didn't copy any player information, databases, rules, motd, etc.

Because there is no rule against having similar names, I see no reason to rename it.
Looking at it right now I see the following problems:

  • No clarification about "faking" servers.

  • Right now there are 3 servers with the exact same name "Simply zCatch Grenade", but only our server got banned?

  • Running it as "S1mply zCatch Grenade" should be allowed then shouldn't it? Not the exact same name -> no rule for this. Could also use special characters.

I don't want to offend anyone, I'm just trying to make a point here.

6 Reply by heinrich5991

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Re: incorrect server ban

dappl wrote:

There never was the intention to impersonate another server, we just wanted our own zCatch server and even had a little community. I also think the accusation that we tried to impersonate is too harsh. Just having a similar name is neither impersonating nor faking. We didn't copy any player information, databases, rules, motd, etc.

Okay, then call it "unintentionally making a server too similar to an existing one".

dappl wrote:

Because there is no rule against having similar names, I see no reason to rename it.
Looking at it right now I see the following problems:

  • No clarification about "faking" servers.

Yea, should be fixed.

dappl wrote:

  • Right now there are 3 servers with the exact same name "Simply zCatch Grenade", but only our server got banned?

The servers are all by the same person.

dappl wrote:

  • Running it as "S1mply zCatch Grenade" should be allowed then shouldn't it? Not the exact same name -> no rule for this. Could also use special characters.

No, that would not be allowed.

7 Reply by dappl

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Re: incorrect server ban

I'm sorry to say that this didn't help me to clarify the situation.

heinrich5991 wrote:

Yea, should be fixed.

So will it be fixed? Can I contribute somehow?
There has to be a rule for this.

heinrich5991 wrote:

The servers are all by the same person.

Since there seems to be a secret rule that states "you shall not fake servers" those should be taken down. What is the difference if they are from the same person? How can people know that they are from the same person? And how do you know about this? -> needs clarification.

heinrich5991 wrote:

No, that would not be allowed.

Again missing clarification. The name "S1mply zCatch Grenade" differs from "Simply zCatch Grenade" so why would that not be allowed?

How about a server rule "Do not name your server like other persons server names in any way"?
Thanks for figuring this out with me.

8 Reply by heinrich5991

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Re: incorrect server ban

dappl wrote:

I'm sorry to say that this didn't help me to clarify the situation.

You can rename your server to something not resembling "Simply zCatch Grenade" and be unbanned. If you genuinely have troubles understanding that sentence, you can come and join the Discord server, we can help you find a name there.

dappl wrote:

So will it be fixed? Can I contribute somehow?
There has to be a rule for this.

Fixed it here: https://www.teeworlds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=10442. Where else do you need it?

dappl wrote:

Since there seems to be a secret rule that states "you shall not fake servers" those should be taken down. What is the difference if they are from the same person? How can people know that they are from the same person? And how do you know about this? -> needs clarification.

Because impersonation isn't a problem between servers of the same person. You can check their IP addresses or contact the server owner in case you want to know whether they're hosted by the same person.

Again missing clarification. The name "S1mply zCatch Grenade" differs from "Simply zCatch Grenade" so why would that not be allowed?

Because it's still similar.

dappl wrote:

How about a server rule "Do not name your server like other persons server names in any way"?
Thanks for figuring this out with me.

Yea, added, see above.

9 Reply by dappl

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Re: incorrect server ban

James wrote:

If you genuinely have troubles understanding that sentence, you can come and join the Discord server, we can help you find a name there.

I do understand that sentence and appreciate your offer.

James wrote:

Fixed it here: https://www.teeworlds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=10442. Where else do you need it?

Thanks for updating the rules! The text is way more clear than my try to phrase a rule.
Since we don't want to violate the rules, we renamed our server to "Just zCatch Grenade". smile

James wrote:

You can check their IP addresses or contact the server owner in case you want to know whether they're hosted by the same person.

Regarding the "Simply zCatch Grenade" servers, I just joined them and there is no way to contact the server owner. I wonder why you already know the server owner, but maybe someone already reported them. wink
Interestingly the third server with a different IP address is not available anymore so i couldn't check it.

10 Reply by heinrich5991

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Re: incorrect server ban

dappl wrote:

Regarding the "Simply zCatch Grenade" servers, I just joined them and there is no way to contact the server owner. I wonder why you already know the server owner, but maybe someone already reported them. wink
Interestingly the third server with a different IP address is not available anymore so i couldn't check it.

Thanks. Unbanned. Might take an hour or two to propagate.