Becoming a Guide - Help!

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Dear Staff,

Originally I posted this under general mistakenly. I have been a citizen of World of Warcraft for nearly 16 years. I live and love its lore, its community, gameplay, art style, and its world! One of my favorite things to do is help new players with questing, mechanics, addons, and especially the lore of the game and how to navigate its world.

I’ve created fanfic, read the novels, and enthusiastically helped roleplayers and non-roleplayers alike understand the backstory of the characters, expansions, group roles, and mythos of the game.

A few weeks ago, for the first time in a decade and a half, I got in trouble. Someone in MG whispered a lewd request/remark and I responded tongue-in-cheek instead of ignoring. I am not easily offended, so I did not report this; if I did, because in MoonGuard, I would be reporting a lot! My response to him carried the same tone and language that he used. However, it seems that he reported my response.

The next day I found out I was suspended for 72 hours. I appealed this, explaining that I was approached, and was simply responding to his request. But I just got an automated response that the penalty would be upheld. The ‘official reason’ was that I had solicited a type of ‘picture’, when in fact he had offered to me, and seemingly reported my response. But this reason is wrong; I did not initiate the whispers with this player/guy, I ironically responded to his. I had hoped that the whole log was available for the GM to review, but I suspect only my whisper/response was taken into account.

I appealed a few times without success.

I’ve played the game since its release, and I pride myself in helping others, and motivating new players to complete achievements, get through game goals, and carry them through content. When I learned about the Guide Program I eagerly and excitedly tried to join, but because of that one-time penalty I did not qualify. This broke my heart.

I’ve taken pride in being an exemplar member of the community. Sometimes I spend hours coaching and helping newcomers. In fact, when the penalty-event happened I was in Elwynn Forest initiating roleplay with newcomers, and greeting them! “Greetings Adventurer!” is always my opening line.

I am heartbroken, and I can’t seem to get help about this. I wish to be part of this program, I wish to officially help others, and now I feel I carry an unjust tarnish in my 16-year-old account.

Please help. :frowning:

Sincerely
~Willow

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According to the in-game code of conduct, “falsely reporting another player with the sole intent of restricting their gameplay” is frowned upon. If someone solicited you, and then reported your in-kind response, then it sounds to me as if this penalty was applied to the wrong person if anything.

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I feel the same way, I feel that I never got a chance to defend myself or speak to someone (outside of cold/automated responses). I understand that they have a lot in their plates, but my WoW account means a lot to me, and I don’t think this penalty and furthermore restrictions due to it was deserved. Thank you, Kolzi.

At the very least I would like to know what’s the span of this ‘flag’. I certainly hope I am not doomed to be a ‘persona nongrata’ over this.

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The only way to appeal an account action is through the tickets you’ve already posted. Unfortunately, posting on the forums is not going to change the outcome of the appeals.

While it’s admirable that you’ve been an upstanding member of the community, it doesn’t negate any bad decisions that happen afterwards.

That said, I don’t see anything in the Guide requirements that say anything about account actions removing you from the program. I might have missed a communication or post somewhere, but it looks like you’d still qualify.

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Thank you Perl! Basically the NPC that initiates the ‘recruitment’ states that because I have a penalty on my account history (the one in question), I do not qualify.

I am hoping that a GM is able to help me with this, and at the very least someone reads this post and understands my case and the context of what happened. The tickets I opened received the same ‘canned’ response. Which, again, I understand and admire the team for most likely handling hundreds and maybe thousands of cases! So automation is necessary…

But I also would like to feel appreciated as a veteran member of the game, who went through an out of context penalty-resolution.

Regardsless, Perl. Thank you for your reponse!

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Unfortunately, there are no GMs on the forums. So no, a GM will not see this nor can the blues here change the outcome of an appeal.

Templated (or as you put it “canned”) responses are common when replying to tickets and appeals. They help to provide consistency in replies.

The only way to appeal account actions is via the ticket system as you’ve done. If the facts are that you violated the rules (which you seem to admit to here), then unfortunately there’s really no further recourse.

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This is where I disagree. The reason for the suspension was that “I requested something of him”. I never did such a thing; he complimented me in a rather vulgar way, then asked if I wanted him to send the item in question. I responded sarcastically using his same language. This message-response was reported.

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You’re welcome to disagree, but it still sounds like your reply was a violation of the rules. Even if it used the “same language”, it doesn’t matter. Your reply or the reported language has to stand on its own against the rules…which it sounds like it didn’t.

When someone takes the low-road, stooping to their level doesn’t make your actions “ok”.

You’re welcome to appeal the action again until such time that you’re told no further appeals will be entertained.

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If the game isn’t letting Elorys become a guide, but the listed requirements do not mention anything about it, perhaps we could at least seek some clarity about this - is this an intended restriction on the guide feature (I suspect it is), and is this a permanent disqualification if so?

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Everyone, regardless of how long they have been part of WoW, is going to be treated the same.

Also, the person that whispered you may very well have been suspended as well, but Blizzard will not tell you the actions taken against another player.

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I posted this here, and you dedicated some of your time to address it. I may or may not like your reponse necessarily. But I still got a human response, and I appreciate it. I’ve been pretty stressed over this, especially since it got in the way on something I consider dear to me (helping others.)

The fact that you read through my story and plea, and took time to respond to it is already a worthwhile endeavor, and I thank you for it.

Yes, he took the low road, and yes he baited me into a penalty that is affecting me as a serious member of the WoW community. Perhaps someone will understand the context and downgrade the penalty to a warning, perhaps not. But just the fact that some of you have read this, helped. Thank you.

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I’d still be curious as to if the penalty “ages off” at some point.

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Mhm, agreed. At the very least I’d like to know this. It seems very draconian for certain suspensions. Someone cheating? Using derogatory language publicly, I understand. But something on a gray zone like this… I am hoping it ‘ages off’.

That would definitely help with my anxiety about it.

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I believe the penalties for an account silence age off. They double for each additional offense but after some period of good behavior, the penalty halves in succession until it eventually becomes the same as for a new offense.

Other, more serious penalties, may never age off but I don’t know where the line of seriousness is.

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While I hope most account penalties can age off for the guide program; I disagree that this is a grey zone.

It doesn’t matter what the other player said first or that you responded in kind. Your response, like theirs, violated the rules. Period. You don’t get a pass because they broke the rules first.

Given that Blizzard looks at more than just the reported line of text, I would imagine that player has had a similar penalty applied for what they said; but that in no way gets you off the hook for breaking the rules as well.

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I can only hope! Thanks for your reply, Nok!

Also… I love your profile picture!

EDIT: (response to Eilis)

Eilis,

First of all, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

My frustration is that the official reason of the suspension does not match the context of what happened. (The reason for the suspension was very specific).

Also, the punishment and repercussions of it may not fit the alleged offense. I see racial slur, mindless foul language being used frequently over public channels go unpunished (I continue to see the same person post over time), and yet I was affected beyond the length of the original penalty over a racy whisper-conversation with someone who initiated it. It is frustrating!

However, not to go on a tangent and not to misuse this precious digital real-state, I was hoping to have someone more knowledgeable help with answers regarding the lasting effect of it. Some of you have; I think it ages off generally, I am hoping it ages off for the program.

Regardless, I will continue to help others, and continue to be a guide to new players as I always have… but it would be nice to be a part of an official list !

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From what you’ve said in your OP and replies, you did in fact ask for one.

It may have been a tongue-in-cheek response to their initial offer; but you did still ask. It doesn’t matter who initiated it; it doesn’t matter that the other player broke the rules first. Your response was against the rules and you’re being penalized accordingly.

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Indeed I am. I gave the context and some insight as to my personality and demeanor in hope of some leniency; either official or from fellow members.

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The forums, even the CS forums, has no weight in any systems, events and the like. Regardless of what you post here, the blues nor players here will be really able to get you into that program. The best we can do is maybe find info that can help, but that’s about it.

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Thank you Tolna! I agree; what’s done is done… I earned myself a small penalty over a stupid reply to an uncouth person who knew what they wanted to do.

Now I just want to address something more practical. 1) Hope that this ‘offense’ ages off, and 2) That eventually I get to help as a Guide.

I understand the reiteration by Eilis to express that I deserved the punitive measures given to me, but lesson learned on my part! Now I would love to move on to be a productive member of our community.