So let me ask a question, this is to the DEV's and community. SInce when is discussing the price of THIS game as sold in the open market advertising??? Phoxe?
I didn't see the thread in question, but, it was probably more along the lines of linking to websites that had it for sale. If that is what was being done.
No specific thread , just a question of the forums as a whole. Where do you draw the line? If I was to say STO was a certain price now, and linked a place that lowered the price this is advertising? Hmm.. Something sounds weird about that.. Especially if the topic is STO, and there is no affiliation to the places selling the software..
No specific thread , just a question of the forums as a whole. Where do you draw the line? If I was to say STO was a certain price now, and linked a place that lowered the price this is advertising? Hmm.. Something sounds weird about that.. Especially if the topic is STO, and there is no affiliation to the places selling the software..
The weirdness is that you might be the owner of the place trying to sell the copies. There's no way for Cryptic to know someone's true intentions for posting such a link.
The weirdness is that you might be the owner of the place trying to sell the copies. There's no way for Cryptic to know someone's true intentions for posting such a link.
Ok, and what if I posted to google shopping.. (Cryptic can't tell who owns a site HA)
Ok, and what if I posted to google shopping.. (Cryptic can't tell who owns a site HA)
It's just part of the broad brush system. Rather then Cryptic having to deal with it on a case-by-case basis, which would take up Dev/Mod time, they just simply say no one is allowed to post such links.
It's really simple. Use these forums for anything related to playing or developing the game.
Anything else -- including anything to do with pricing -- should be taken up directly with Billing, or Customer Support. Otherwise use the Retail links from the STO main web site.
No worries about loopholes, copyright infringement, third-party marketing/sales, or anything else to give Cryptic, Atari, or CBS legal departments any cause for complaint.
Anything posted to the STO forum is not beneficial advertising for Cryptic. We're a captive audience. Posted links here is like singing to the choir. Advertising would be posting that material on non-STO sites to bring outsiders attention to the game.
It's just part of the broad brush system. Rather then Cryptic having to deal with it on a case-by-case basis, which would take up Dev/Mod time, they just simply say no one is allowed to post such links.
Ahh well now there's the rub according the cryptics all mighty FORUM guidlines this is not advertising .. Take a look..
3. Advertisements are not allowed. Generally speaking, posts made specifically for the promotion of a website, product and/or service are considered advertising. Additionally, posts that unnecessarily send people to a website with which you are in some way affiliated also may be considered advertisements. It does not matter if such website is a commercial website, personal website or non-profit website.
4. All signature links must be kept in your signature in your profile. Posting excessive links to websites and/or using "sneaky" advertising methods are violations of these Guidelines. You only may post a link to another website if (a) you are authorized to post such link, (b) such link specifically answers the question that is being asked and (c) the answer cannot be simply posted without the link. You must link directly to the page where the information can be found. General and unnecessary links will be tagged as advertising. If you excessively post links to your site (or you appear to be seeking out threads where your link may be relevant, so that you can post it), you may lose the ability to post links to your site.
So according to the guideline if I was to say that STO dropped in price on the market and link to GOOGLE SHOPPING as a reference this neither violates the letter or the Intention of the rules...
Anything posted to the STO forum is not beneficial advertising for Cryptic. We're a captive audience. Posted links here is like singing to the choir. Advertising would be posting that material on non-STO sites to bring outsiders attention to the game.
Well what if the price drops. someone tells their friends that the price has dropped and they run out and buy STO... How is that not beneficial?
So according to the guideline if I was to say that STO dropped in price on the market and link to GOOGLE SHOPPING as a reference this neither violates the letter or the Intention of the rules...
It's a waste of time. They can chance once sentence in the Agreement to counter-act your entire argument. Ultimately they don't want to waste the time to do that. They simply tell people not to do it, and if they do do it they lock/change/delete the thread. A rule is a rule whether its in the agreement or not.
It's a waste of time. They can chance once sentence in the Agreement to counter-act your entire argument. Ultimately they don't want to waste the time to do that. They simply tell people not to do it, and if they do do it they lock/change/delete the thread. A rule is a rule whether its in the agreement or not.
Ahh now you hit the meat of it, if it's not listed for the community then it's not a rule is it?
since a week or two ago when other companies started trying to offload their stock at cut-down prices it means that no links to third-party vendors are allowed as it shows then undercutting Atari.
And the same discussion got another member banned on Friday.
Well as I am trying to clarify the rules, and where they are written down. I don't see why the other thread you reffer to was locked, if it was indeed discussing the same thing.
since a week or two ago when other companies started trying to offload their stock at cut-down prices it means that no links to third-party vendors are allowed as it shows then undercutting Atari.
And the same discussion got another member banned on Friday.
Google is not a third-party vendor, they just aggregate the raw data...
I don't really understand the problem here. Are you annoyed that Cryptic's interpretation of their existing rules is too broad? Or is it that you didn't technically violate any rules based on the semantics of the rule?
Its their own forums, they are allowed to run them as the feel. If that includes temporarily banning people for breaking something that may not be a rule, they are actually allowed to do it.
I am not justifying their behavior, and I do not agree with that behavior, but that is reality none-the-less
19. Cryptic Studios has the final say on all aspects of these Forums. If you have a problem, you may make a complaint to Cryptic Studios directly and not publicly on the website. Creating threads or posts that question or reference administrative decisions or potential administrative decisions, such as post removals and thread closures, is not permitted. If you feel that we have made a mistake, please privately contact a Cryptic Studios and we will review the situation.
To all those that think I a responding to something done or said to me, it isn't the case. As a matter of fact the question is to clarify the rules. Which, by happenstance; you all have made my point for me. The rules extremely ambiguous and bent to fit moods, instead of a real set of rules that are clear and comprehensive.
To all those that think I a responding to something done or said to me, it isn't the case. As a matter of fact the question is to clarify the rules. Which, by happenstance; you all have made my point for me. The rules extremely ambiguous and bent to fit moods, instead of a real set of rules that are clear and comprehensive.
The whole point is that there's no single set of rules which can be totaly clear and comprehensive. That's why US laws consist of thousands of pages of material compounded by thousands of pages of state and local laws; and yet federal and state supreme courts steadily hear cases involving ambiguous aspects of a law. Most things are listed, some things are stated on the forum and there's rule 19 for everything else which might fall through the cracks or be missed.
The whole point is that there's no single set of rules which can be totaly clear and comprehensive. That's why US laws consist of thousands of pages of material compounded by thousands of pages of state and local laws; and yet federal and state supreme courts steadily hear cases involving ambiguous aspects of a law. Most things are listed, some things are stated on the forum and there's rule 19 for everything else which might fall through the cracks or be missed.
True one set can't cover everything, but when the rules say one thing and another happens, then clearly the system is broken.
If you have questions about action that may have been taken to a forum account you control, you can email community@crypticstudios.com and a moderator will review your query.
Comments
Ok, and what if I posted to google shopping.. (Cryptic can't tell who owns a site HA)
Anything else -- including anything to do with pricing -- should be taken up directly with Billing, or Customer Support. Otherwise use the Retail links from the STO main web site.
No worries about loopholes, copyright infringement, third-party marketing/sales, or anything else to give Cryptic, Atari, or CBS legal departments any cause for complaint.
Ahh well now there's the rub according the cryptics all mighty FORUM guidlines this is not advertising .. Take a look..
3. Advertisements are not allowed. Generally speaking, posts made specifically for the promotion of a website, product and/or service are considered advertising. Additionally, posts that unnecessarily send people to a website with which you are in some way affiliated also may be considered advertisements. It does not matter if such website is a commercial website, personal website or non-profit website.
4. All signature links must be kept in your signature in your profile. Posting excessive links to websites and/or using "sneaky" advertising methods are violations of these Guidelines. You only may post a link to another website if (a) you are authorized to post such link, (b) such link specifically answers the question that is being asked and (c) the answer cannot be simply posted without the link. You must link directly to the page where the information can be found. General and unnecessary links will be tagged as advertising. If you excessively post links to your site (or you appear to be seeking out threads where your link may be relevant, so that you can post it), you may lose the ability to post links to your site.
So according to the guideline if I was to say that STO dropped in price on the market and link to GOOGLE SHOPPING as a reference this neither violates the letter or the Intention of the rules...
Well what if the price drops. someone tells their friends that the price has dropped and they run out and buy STO... How is that not beneficial?
Ahh now you hit the meat of it, if it's not listed for the community then it's not a rule is it?
/10chars
And the same discussion got another member banned on Friday.
Google is not a third-party vendor, they just aggregate the raw data...
So just deal with it.
Yeah. Sometimes life really is that simple.
Ahh now that's exactly it, no where does it say that! re-read the rules..
Its their own forums, they are allowed to run them as the feel. If that includes temporarily banning people for breaking something that may not be a rule, they are actually allowed to do it.
I am not justifying their behavior, and I do not agree with that behavior, but that is reality none-the-less
True one set can't cover everything, but when the rules say one thing and another happens, then clearly the system is broken.
If you have questions about action that may have been taken to a forum account you control, you can email community@crypticstudios.com and a moderator will review your query.