1: It’s been clarified to me via support ticket that RPing the use of in-lore addictive substances, such as Bloodthistle, is considered the promotion of real-world drugs and can result in a ban, despite NPCs doing the same thing during quests (players follow ToS, WoW follows ESRB). Is the same rule true for tobacco, alcohol or other substances like pain relieving herbs, which also appear in-lore?
2: There’s rumors floating around that Blizzard CSRs, notably any blue posters on the forums, are contracted through a third-party company and are not actual, technical Blizzard employees. This seems ridiculous to me but I’ve seen it brought up a few times now. Is this true?
3: I’ve heard other rumors that MVPs have been given additional privileges with the new forums, specifically that someone got into an argument with one and found themselves quickly suspended for a short time. Are MVPs capable of their own banning, or was that just a coincidence?
Thank you for any answers that shed some light on these.
As long as your RP is not public, you can RP whatever you want really. I’d recommend a private channel or within a group that you’re RP’ing with. Otherwise, simply stay within the code of conduct.
Not really any of your business either way to be honest. Nor is it a question for the CS forums.
MVPs are players just like the rest of the non-blue posters. They are not allowed to, nor can they, suspend anyone. If someone else was breaking the forum rules and it was reported, then that player could very well have earned a suspension.
So just for full clarification, if I RP my orc here taking a puff from a cigar or chugging a mug of grog, I could get in trouble for promoting the use of real-world drugs?
Players are bound by the rules of the terms of use, while developers are bound by the ESRB board. The rules are different for players as already explained in your contact.
Blizzard maintains it’s own in game staff, though I’m not sure why this would be a topic of speculation, nor that it even matters to be honest.
As far as I’m aware the rules are the same, but I know we already have trust level 3 by default, as some of the mvp posters also create content, as well as edit and maintain guides across the forums, and the level requirements are there for us to use some extended linking and graphics that would not otherwise be accessed by a level 1 poster. But the ability to flag a post is the same.
No point in further rumors to be honest though, the rumor mill is wrong.
Neither of those correlates with illegal drug usage or serious addiction problems, so kept as simple as that - no big deal. Trying to use that to segue into addictive and illegal drugs, that’s where the danger zone lies.
RP-wise, bars are often roleplay scenes, and there’s all sorts of alcoholic drinks. Heck, for a couple years in vanilla-BC this gal ran an inn with bar, bought and sold many drinks, and it was never an issue.