[Nev]

I think that since Limelight Gaming is a business; it would be logical to introduce a new procedure to the unban procedure that would create a way to pay real money to expedite their ban. 

Example:
(1) day ban = $5 // (1) week ban = $15 // (1) month ban = $30 // (6+) month ban = $100

Could create a way to issue bans to manually/optionally enter a monetary value;
/ban <user/userid> reason time cost(optional)
/ban Vauld FearRP 24h $5

I personally don't see an issue with this as at the current time the administrator(s) are doing fantastic work but not necessarily providing as much of a benefit as they could be. The server itself has seen relatively lower donation periods - this month only at £391.85 - and this method could not only increase these earnings but also, from a player perspective, bring LL into an improved light.

Rule-breakage is rule-breakage, however, I do not think the current model works for a game that is decreasing in popularity and a game-mode that has many rules that are broken every day either intentionally or by accident. I believe that the benefit of a system like this would reflect positively towards the staff team, community managers and the community itself.

It's not a permanent unban, as it's still on record. You would be silly to think that a 24H ban is going to lead to a complete change in player-attitude and it doesn't encourage players to look over the rules on the forum either. You know what encourage people to make sure they follow the rules? Money. Real consequences. 

Someone spends X amount of dollars to remove a lengthy ban? That's a sure way of knowing they'll at least put in the effort to stay within the boundaries of the rules. If they don't want to expedite their un-ban, they'll wait out the time! If they want to pay to access the services and come back in to attempt to ruin the experience for others? That'll just end up with them being removed again and maybe the staff member issuing the next punishment won't set it so they can pay to come back in.

IMPORTANT: Let's not forget that most bans are accompanied by blacklists and that their overall consequence, whether it be a PTE/NLR/Weapon/Etcetera blacklist, is not going to change as those still require in-game playtime to expire. This is simply allowing them to re-access the services.

I figured this is best as a discussion than a suggestion as it may conflict with current rules regarding changes in administrative procedure. Discuss! Do you like this idea?

[jess]

Paid unbans dont look good in terms of public opinions and makes the server look money hungry, sometimes the server has low month donation periods but usually get bette

Im so totally against this

[Nev]

Paid unbans don't look good in terms of public opinions and makes the server look money hungry, sometimes the server has low month donation periods but usually get better

That's certainly an opinion. I don't necessarily think it has a negative effect on how anyone might view the community. If anything, I think it has the opposite effect and would be quite an improvement to how both current and new players view the community.

Strict on rules while offering a solution to those player(s) that wish to get back into the server and enjoy the experience. They're not obligated to pay to 'expedite' their access back into the services. Is Amazon Prime or any form of Expedited Shipping something you consider to be a money-hungry move by corporations?

The fact is that, as in those examples, you're paying to access something faster. In this case, you'd be paying to access the services without waiting for the time to expire // the cost serves both as a safety net that you won't go and break the rules immediately while also providing an equal consequence that, to some, is far more costly than just waiting out a ban expiration.

I think it is quite hypocritical to say this is greedy, but requiring someone to have a £5 membership to wear a virtual suit and pay £20 to wear a government outfit is somehow more logical (?)

[Soviethooves]

Pay for unban

Get banned again because they didn’t learn their lesson

Lose money and have to choose to wait or pay again 


+Support

[bismo]

+support and also pay to get out ofjail

[Vauld]

Who cares about public opinion! This is the best idea I've ever heard lmao. They get unbanned, the server gets money, and it's a great way to reform people. If anything is going to stop people from minging after an unban it's them having $100 on the line.

[ForceGhost]

The worry for me would be incentivising staff to ban players to increase profits.

What would happen if someone paid for an unban and then the ban was found to be invalid? Would the player be refunded?

If this was to be implemented I think punishment history should also be taken into account for the unban cost.

Example:
1st Ban: £10
2nd Ban: £15
10th Ban: £120

[Dan]

+support

[Oneshott]

The worry for me would be incentivising staff to ban players to increase profits.

What would happen if someone paid for an unban and then the ban was found to be invalid? Would the player be refunded?

If this was to be implemented I think punishment history should also be taken into account for the unban cost.

Example:
1st Ban: £10
2nd Ban: £15
10th Ban: £120

These all seem like very valid concerns. Dont think its as easy as unban for $$$.

[Soviethooves]

Nah, it seems pretty simple.

Pay = Get unbanned (History could be a factor)

If ban is invalid and they pay, refund money and have HR sort the staff member out. If anything this incentives staff to be careful with their judgements as LL would lose money for these mishaps.

[Welker]

Just because limelight is a business does not mean monetary gain should be the first and foremost goal and we currently make enough to steadily sustain the server as it is, this just seems like a desperate move and would be unethical given the player demographic. 

Limelight DLC, Limelight loot boxes, what next?

You're talking about a community predominantly made up of children/teenagers and it just comes off as extremely exploitative. As for membership, is it entirely optional and a way to support the server as almost every financially stable community has to sustain itself.

[WZSteve]

-support

This idea would turn LimeLight into EA or Ubisoft. It is not a healthy idea for the server population, recruiting, or overall moral of current players and it would also turn players against staff as the public would believe staff team would then have a "quota" to fill.

Furthermore, a ban is supposed to be punishment. So you have time to cool down, think about what happened, read the rules, and then try to apply them towards that situation, so you know what you did was wrong and why the action was taken and then what to do if you are in that situation again in the future.

It is exploitative & unethical as @Welker said, and LimeLight has FAR more honesty & integrity than this. I would not see them ever implementing a system like this. I never have, in all my time running or playing at RP communities in various games seen a Gaming Community who had a similar practice.

As to rule breaks, the staff is fantastic at what they do, and if it is an accident, I don't think I have ever seen a ban for it unless the player does not want to RP and will not listen in the @ sit. The only people who get banned are repeat offenders who have not learned the lesson in less invasive punishments.

[PilotC]

- Support

So I'm going to have to side with my fellow colleagues on staff for this one.

One of my favorite statements I've heard is "Practice good (insert business service here) and the money will follow." Most people have a very hard time understanding this concept because it's so true and so simple... if you provide a good service people will pay for it. When you charge outrageous prices and force someone into payment you've got a higher risk of long - term loss. Early on it's great, tons of money but down the road people aren't going to return because they won't be left with the feeling of "Wow! I got such great service and I don't feel scammed."

Out the gate I'll already say I personally am not comfortable with the idea of assigning a monetary value to a punishment; I'd happily surrender my position on staff and consider leaving the server if I was asked to charge a player monetary amounts to get out of a punishment. Not to mention the fact you are asking staff to put a child or teenager (at least half our player base probably) into an uncomfortable situation. In my mind Limelight's server has always been a place that's accepting of any player background from rich to poor; social to anti - social; new to gaming or been doing it since computers were made. The idea puts a price tag on that luxury in a world that's already full of dollar signs on everything except for oxygen... and if you're dying we put a price tag on that even.

To argue that there is no difference between that and donator; the ideas are two entirely different concepts. When I first joined the server I never even knew donator existed and I certainly never felt obligated or in a position where I HAD to pay money to the server in order to play. In this instance though, it's like trying to take a free to play game and making it a play to win. Anytime a player gets punished they will see that money amount and it puts staff and players both in a EXTREMELY uncomfortable position that shouldn't have to occur if it can be avoided. In my opinion the items that come with donator are great but are never forced into your face as things you "have to have" but privileges and gifts that come with the generosity of helping the server.

[roxas]

I'm with all the -supporters.
Besides that - breaking rules is like breaking the law. You cannot get out of jail just because you pay for it, when you committed a crime. People who had their fun ruined by a rule breaker will leave the server when said person can just pay money to ruin their fun again. And again. And again.

Huge -support from me.

[Kahjo]

Pay for unjail? Oh hell yeah