[La Flama Blanca]

In the Community Discussion thread, Jammin wrote that the biggest topic raised was leadership and recommended that we “take ownership of your idea.” Having posted the thread to gather community feedback on the teaming rule and in the absence of any other action, I have gone ahead and taken responsibility for drafting up a teaming rule that I propose we implement in our staff guidelines. This is also in response to a vote by the staff team conducted on 2/2/2021, where a majority voted to revise the current punishment scheme for teaming. Thank you to everyone that contributed to the teaming rule feedback thread. 

I would like to see this new teaming rule formally implemented no later than March 15th. I post it here because I would like to see community involvement from staff and non-staff alike with this new guideline and ask for your comments and opinions on the following draft proposal. 

For reference, you can view our current teaming rules in our staff guidelines. 

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New Teaming Rule Proposal

Teaming

Teaming is defined as partnering with another player to frustrate the purpose of the game. This occurs when the collaborating players are on opposite teams, with one being a traitor. Teaming is classified into two different categories: moderate and severe. Staff members should err on the side of caution when determining what category an instance of teaming should fall under. The examples provided in these guidelines are illustrative and are not a non-exhaustive list. 

Not Teaming

Situations that do not result in any game disruption are not teaming and should not be punished. 
-Reviving an innocent as a traitor and immediately killing them results in no game disruption and is not teaming. 
-An innocent choosing to not try killing a known traitor (but not helping them in any way) is not teaming.  
-Letting an innocent into the T room with the intention of killing them, or letting them in by accident is not teaming. 

Moderate Teaming

Moderate teaming involves situations where the teaming results in minor game disruptions. In these instances, at least one party is aware of the teaming and can reasonably expect that it will result in disruption to ordinary gameplay. 
-A detective providing a known traitor with health equipment for their exclusive use (like a bold booze, health station in a T room) is a form of moderate teaming. 
-An innocent following around a known traitor all map with neither killing the other and resulting in round delays is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor giving an innocent a T weapon, with the innocent then using that T weapon to damage other innocents without any unforgiven reports being filed is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor reviving an innocent and letting that innocent kill them alone to allow them to boost their score and win the map is a form of moderate teaming. The emphasis here is that there must be an actual impact on the scoring. 

Punishments
First Offense - Warning (Properly logged into watchlist and awarn)
Second Offense - 24 Hour Ban
Third Offense - 1 Week Ban
Further Offenses - 2 Week Bans

Severe Teaming

Severe teaming involves situations where the teaming results in major game disruptions. In these instances, both parties are actively working together to achieve the other’s objectives and are fully aware that their activities will defeat the objectives of the game.
-A traitor letting an innocent into the T room when it is, objectively, neither an accident or with the intention of killing them, resulting in the deaths of at least one T buddy is a form of severe teaming.
-A traitor reviving an innocent with that innocent then killing your T buddies, but choosing to spare you at any point is a form of severe teaming. 
-An innocent, or traitor, helping kill members of their own team in conjunction with a member of the opposite team is a form of severe teaming. This could be done so directly, such as an innocent and a traitor standing side-by-side and shooting anyone that enters a certain room. This could also be more indirectly, such as by trapping multiple teammates in a room to allow a traitor to plant a C4 outside. 

Punishments
First Offense - 2 Week Ban
Second Offense - Permanent Ban

[Battons]

I actually really like what you've drafted up here, I think in addition to watchlist first offense should also receive a warn to make it easier to see who has done it. Otherwise I think this last part
"-An innocent, or traitor, helping kill members of their own team is a form of severe teaming. This could be done so directly by shooting their own teammates, or more indirectly, such as by trapping multiple teammates in a room to allow a traitor to plant a C4 outside. "
could potentially be reworded because it kinda implies RDMing would be a form of teaming if you take it literally but outside from that these are very well made. Thank you for taking the time to do this Nicky.

[La Flama Blanca]

I actually really like what you've drafted up here, I think in addition to watchlist first offense should also receive a warn to make it easier to see who has done it. Otherwise I think this last part
"-An innocent, or traitor, helping kill members of their own team is a form of severe teaming. This could be done so directly by shooting their own teammates, or more indirectly, such as by trapping multiple teammates in a room to allow a traitor to plant a C4 outside. "
could potentially be reworded because it kinda implies RDMing would be a form of teaming if you take it literally but outside from that these are very well made. Thank you for taking the time to do this Nicky.

Thanks - both helpful suggestions and I have added them both in!

[Ethan]

~snip~

Moderate Teaming

Moderate teaming involves situations where the teaming results in minor game disruptions. In these instances, at least one party is aware of the teaming and can reasonably expect that it will result in disruption to ordinary gameplay. 
-A detective providing a known traitor with health equipment for their exclusive use (like a bold booze, health station in a T room) is a form of moderate teaming. 
-An innocent following around a known traitor all map with neither killing the other and resulting in round delays is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor giving an innocent a T weapon, with the innocent then using that T weapon to damage other innocents without any unforgiven reports being filed is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor reviving an innocent and letting that innocent kill them alone to allow them to boost their score and win the map is a form of moderate teaming. The emphasis here is that there must be an actual impact on the scoring. 

~snip~

I wouldn't mind making most of these changes, but I want to touch on the three indicated. In my entire time staffing Dink's TTT, I don't think I have ever seen the two cases I struck through, and I am unsure if even listing them is really worth any benefit or if they instead just clutter an already long list of rules/staff guidelines.

Then there's the case I highlighted in red. I would argue that this case does absolutely fall under the "major game disruption" you talked about. There have been multiple instances where I have seen this case happen, and where 20+ people need to sit in spectator/dead and wait for these two teamers to die before they can resume playing the next round.

In every one of those cases, the majority of players voiced their frustration in voice and text chat about having to wait while two players just play their own game rather than the game that TTT is supposed to be. For the case highlighted in red, I think more than a warn is warranted on the first offence.

[Deer-ly]

I hate following around a traitor the whole game not even knowing and then im told im a teamer, i get context but its annoying

[JesseTheUndeadCowboy]

~snip~

Moderate Teaming

Moderate teaming involves situations where the teaming results in minor game disruptions. In these instances, at least one party is aware of the teaming and can reasonably expect that it will result in disruption to ordinary gameplay. 
-A detective providing a known traitor with health equipment for their exclusive use (like a bold booze, health station in a T room) is a form of moderate teaming. 
-An innocent following around a known traitor all map with neither killing the other and resulting in round delays is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor giving an innocent a T weapon, with the innocent then using that T weapon to damage other innocents without any unforgiven reports being filed is a form of moderate teaming. 
-A traitor reviving an innocent and letting that innocent kill them alone to allow them to boost their score and win the map is a form of moderate teaming. The emphasis here is that there must be an actual impact on the scoring. 

~snip~

I wouldn't mind making most of these changes, but I want to touch on the three indicated. In my entire time staffing Dink's TTT, I don't think I have ever seen the two cases I struck through, and I am unsure if even listing them is really worth any benefit or if they instead just clutter an already long list of rules/staff guidelines.

Then there's the case I highlighted in red. I would argue that this case does absolutely fall under the "major game disruption" you talked about. There have been multiple instances where I have seen this case happen, and where 20+ people need to sit in spectator/dead and wait for these two teamers to die before they can resume playing the next round.

In every one of those cases, the majority of players voiced their frustration in voice and text chat about having to wait while two players just play their own game rather than the game that TTT is supposed to be. For the case highlighted in red, I think more than a warn is warranted on the first offence.

I actually appreciate that you at least being open minded about some of these changes, but you never saw a detective giving a traitor a d item? It can happen more often then you think and the keyword I think that is beneficial in the way Nicky said it was “known” meaning they know that the person they give a d item is a traitor.  This phrasing differentiates situations such as where a detective gives a person they believe to be proven a d item but it turns out later the person was a traitor. Mistakes like that can happen after all, heck even an innocent could do it after picking up d weapons and then giving who they think is proven one. Also the last parts you mentioned, where players are complaining about having to wait. Isn’t that kinda similar to delaying then which again staff usually can and have warned people about delaying using the staff text command that pops up on everyone screen, not talking about admin/ the @ chat btw. Anyway my main point is people don’t seem to enforce the delaying stuff not that much anyway from what I notice from time to time, but again it does get enforced sometimes, heck I notice people rarely even give out slays too for delaying like it says they should too. In conclusion, why is it that most or some staff don’t seem to enforce the delaying rule that much but then they want to jump straight to a ban when they realize or think it’s teaming? The way you described that last part sound very similar to delaying regarding certain situations? Hopefully what I said at least makes senses here a little and I do no mean to offend anyone here I am just asking questions and discussing which I also hope won’t be taken the wrong way. Again I do appreciate the fact that Ethan, you are at least being open to some of these changes which shows you are at least willing to discuss the issue and taking regard of others thoughts into it. Thank you.

[fanta]

If this gets approved one of you guys need to man up and unban crab, just saying.

[jax]

Moderate Teaming
-A traitor giving an innocent a T weapon, with the innocent then using that T weapon to damage other innocents without any unforgiven reports being filed is a form of moderate teaming. 

Can you elaborate more on this? There have been times that as a T I’ll drop C4 in the middle of a crowd, and hope that an innocent uses it (because let’s be honest TTT players are dense) or sometimes they’ll plant it for 10 minutes, and another innocent will try to defuse and fail, and kill everyone with a blast.
Is the innocent warned for teaming? Or both players?

Sometimes I’ll drop a bold booze and then when I see an innocent drink it, I’ll KOS them for being a speedy boi.

Also, great write up. I’d like to see these changes implemented.

[ratty]

good proposal, my only input is maybe we could slim down a few of the examples, like the more specific ones.

[Nicol Bolas]

If this gets approved one of you guys need to man up and unban crab, just saying.

Any changes to rules don't invalidate past bans as they are grandfathered in so to speak, so an unban request would be required.