United Pony Republic
Last update: 07/04/2019 (DD/MM/YYYY)

UNITED PONY REPUBLIC

Administrator and moderator guidebook

Welcome to the United Pony Republic official rules and guidebook for administrators and moderators. In this document you will find rules and useful tips for being an administrator or moderator on our server.

Rules

  1. Don't abuse your position under any circumstances. By this we mean don't kick, ban, jail, slap etc. anyone who has done nothing wrong, otherwise you can be demoted. This rule becomes invalid in case at least one of the following applies:
    • the player being affected by the use of such means directly agreed to it.
    • the player being affected by the use of such means did not directly agree, however it is very clear (by their behaviour) they do not mind or they haven't raised any objection to it.
  2. Reasons for kicking/banning must make sense. All reasons are logged for future references and are available to the majority of the staff, so it's necessary for them to be meaningful and understandable. ALWAYS try to be as descriptive as possible, so instead of "being annoying" try something like "constantly begging for an admin gun", instead of "being mean" try something like "offending someone by saying they are stupid" etc. If you know your English is bad (which it shouldn't, considering you are an admin or moderator), ask someone for help or proofreading. In case you make a ban with an incorrect reason that doesn't make sense (mistake, serious typo), make the ban again with the correct reason - it will overwrite the old one, because no player can have more than one ban at the same time.
  3. With some exceptions, you should take action against a player who is breaking the rules immediately. If what they are doing is not severe enough to have a permanent AWarn warning, you should warn them verbally (preferably using the text chat).
    • The exceptions are:
    • You wish to monitor the player breaking the rules - for instance, another player has accused them of proppushing and you want to see if they'll do it again.
    • The player accusing the apparent rulebreaker is unreliable and you cannot be sure if they are telling the truth - it is advised you monitor the accused player just in case.
  4. If anyone is being racist, sexist, too vulgar or just hating in general, ask them to stop using the text chat or use the !warn command to warn them about it. If they don't stop, kick them. Ban them in case it happens again.
  5. Do not touch or pick up other players or their props, unless they are breaking the rules, you both freely agreed to do so or it is obvious they don't mind. (see rule #1)
  6. Surprisingly, the majority of players are unable to read your mind, so they might do things that you consider annoying or provocative while they have no clue (e.g. constantly following you, sitting on your head etc.). In that case, promptly ask them to stop if you don't like it. If they don't, warn them and only if they continue, you can kick them.
  7. Answer other players questions, as long as they are meaningful and reasonable, as well as assisting with things they require help with. However, while it is important to be helpful to players on the server, if an instance of rulebreaking occurs you must prioritise it over a player requesting help. Example: A player types into the chat that they require help re-railing a train, but at the same time another player says they are being proppushed. Once the higher-priority issue is dealt with, remember to help the player who requested it, if they still require it.
  8. Any disagreements are to be resolved by either a democratic vote of all participants (where applicable) or by a vote of members of a higher rank. Owner has the right to veto any decision and his/her decisions are final and non-negotiable, unless stated otherwise.
  9. Do not beg for a higher rank. You can suggest promotion for yourself or someone else, as long as you provide a sufficient and meaningful summary of reasons why you or another person should be promoted. Behaviour, self-presentation and overall usefulness to the group are the main aspects under consideration when deciding about promotions.
  10. You are not exempt from any of the rules that normal players follow - you only have some additional privileges to help maintain server order. You can be demoted for breaking any of the general rules. Be respectful and polite, and remember that, as administrators or moderators you are the ones that other players usually respect. Act how you would like other players to act.
  11. If a member of a higher rank tells you to do something that makes sense and doesn't sound wrong, do it. If they tell you something you think is wrong or untrue, discuss it with them and tell them why do you think it is wrong - higher ranks won't punish you for stating your opinion. In case you cannot agree on something or resolve some issue, talk to someone of a rank higher than both of you.
  12. If there is some sort of a problem which you cannot solve yourself, something doesn't work, something looks like it doesn't work etc., tell someone who you think can either solve it or pass it to someone of a higher rank as soon as possible. Don't wait for someone else to find out later.
  13. You are expected to communicate with other staff members about any issues or problems you are unable to deal with yourself. Because of this, you are required to use Discord and join our Discord server which is currently our primary communication channel.

Tips

  • If you see someone using an inappropriate spray, take a screenshot of it as a proof, with your mouse pointing at it so the name and SteamID of the spray owner are visible. Then, punish given player accordingly and spray your own spray over it.
  • If you think someone is hacking, first take a picture or video of proof that they are hacking (if possible), then inform a member of a higher rank immediately.
  • If you see another staff member abusing their position or breaking any of the rules, do not kick or ban them - talk to them about it first. Explain what do you think they did incorrectly and how they should've reacted. Contact a member of a higher rank and explain the situation in detail if you can't both come to a reasonable conclusion.

Most common scenarios and what to do

  • Someone is doing something minor and annoying that doesn't immediately threaten the server stability in any way - this includes proppushing, propkilling, chat and mic spamming, disrespecting, explicit content etc.
    • Warn the player - preferably using the Awarn system (see below).
    • If they don't stop within a reasonable amount of time, kick them. Don't forget to write/select a proper reason for kicking.
    • If they come back, let them, but watch them carefully. If they misbehave again, ban them right away. The length of the ban is up to you - consider how bad their misbehaviour was.
    • If the ban expires, they come back and do the same again, either ban them permanently (if you have the privilege to do so) or ban them for some time again and let anyone of a higher rank know so they can handle the situation.
  • Someone is doing something which is clearly meant to troll or aggravate other user(s) and they obviously know it is against the rules
    • You can ban such user right away, for a reasonable amount of time (depending on the misbehaviour).
    • If the ban expires, they come back and do the same again, either ban them permanently (if you have the privilege to do so) or ban them for some time again and let anyone of a higher rank know so they can handle the situation.
  • Someone is doing something which causes major lagging
    • If it seems as if the player doesn't neccessarily know they are causing problems
      • Do whatever is neccessary to reduce the lagging - clean up some or all of the player's props, freeze or jail the player. In case it seems as if the server is very close to crashing, clear all props on the server (if you have the privilege to do so).
      • Warn the player - preferably using the Awarn system (see below).
      • Unjail or unfreeze the player.
      • In case they misbehave again, kick or ban them for an appropriate amount of time.
      • If the ban expires, they come back and do the same again, either ban them permanently (if you have the privilege to do so) or ban them for some time again and let anyone of a higher rank know so they can handle the situation.
    • If it's very clear the player misbehaves on purpose (constant, fast spamming of huge props etc.)
      • Do whatever is neccessary to reduce the lagging - clean up some or all of the player's props, freeze or jail the player. In case it seems as if the server is very close to crashing, clear all props on the server (if you have the privilege to do so).
      • Ban the player right away, either temporarily (if you think they will learn their lesson) or permanently (if you have the privilege to do so - otherwise ban them temporarily and report them immediately to a member of a higher rank).

Useful commands for ULX administration addon

Our server uses ULX and several other addons for simpler administration. Here are some useful tips for using them.

Any commands can be used either via graphical menu, developer's console or chat. All three methods are equal and enable you to achieve the same effect when used correctly. Use any method you find the most comfortable for you - menu is more user-friendly and easy to use for beginners, but the console/chat methods are much faster and more efficient once you get used to them.

You can access the ULX administration menu by typing xgui into console. To access the ULX menu more easily, go to console and type: bind m xgui. Pressing the M key will then bring up the ULX Menu. Pressing it again will dismiss the menu. Note: After binding the key, do not bind another command to the M key, even if it does not exist, as you will then have to rebind the other command to use it again. Clicking "Use Defaults" in the controls options menu will also cause you to have to rebind the key.

Default (integrated) commands

status (console only) -- Shows you a list of every player on the server (including ones that are connecting) together with their SteamID, time since their initial spawn, ping and IP address. This is very useful when you need to target someone using their SteamID (for example if they have a name which is very difficult to type, even partially).

The following list of commands is to be used in the chatbox - if you would like to use them in a console instead (the only difference is they won't be displayed in a chatbox), replace the ! with ulx, e.g. !jail Sombra in chat is equal to typing ulx jail Sombra in console. Note: Replace Sombra with the name of the player you wish to target. You can use only part of the name and ignore capitalization, as long as it is uniquely recognizable (unambiguous), e.g. !jail som is sufficient to jail player with the name Sombra, as long as there is no other player with the name starting with "som" on the server.

Note that the following list is not list of all commands that are available to you - type ulx help in console to display all the commands you have currently available, including their description and how to use them. This is a very useful command to use in the game whenever you forget how to use some command.

Basic ULX commands

!menu -- Opens the graphical ULX menu. Enables you to perform most of the following commands using your mouse.

ulx who (console only) -- Shows you the currently spawned players and their group. Useful when you're not sure what group someone is in, as sometimes you cannot tell from looking at the scoreboard or chat tags.

!warn [player] [reason] (chat only) -- Gives the player a warning with an optional reason. Player's warnings are automatically reduced by one every 30 minutes. In case player has 3 warnings at any given time, they will be automatically kicked. In case player has 4 warnings at any given time, they will be automatically banned for 30 minutes. This is convenient, as player can get different warnings from different admins/moderators and get kicked/banned automatically in case they misbehaved continuously.

awarn_warn [player] [reason] (console only) -- Same as above, but can only be used in console.

awarn_menu (console only) -- Opens menu for advanced warnings administration.

!jail [player] -- Places the player in an inescapable jail at their current position. !unjail [player] to undo.

!jailtp [player] -- Teleports the player to where your mouse cursor is pointed, then jails them. !unjail [player] to undo.

!gag [player] -- Prevents the specified player from using voice chat. !ungag [player] to undo.

!mute [player] -- Prevents the specified player from using text chat. !unmute [player] to undo.

!kick [player] -- Kicks the player temporarily.

!ban [player] [time] -- Bans the player. See below for time strings.

!banid [SteamID] [time] -- Bans the specified SteamID.

!goto [player] -- Teleports you to the specified player.

!bring [player] -- Teleports the specifed player to you.

!send [player] [player] -- Sends a player to another. Please note the first player in the string will be sent to the second.

!noclip [player] -- Enables noclip for the specified player. Type again to disable. Use without arguments to noclip yourself. Note: Only superadministrators and higher can use this command on other players.

!slay [player] -- Kills the specified player.

Time strings for use with the !ban command and !jail command

Note:

All of the below can be used with the !banid command, but you must replace the player name with their SteamID (notes on how to find a given player's SteamID are below).

If you wish to ban a player, or jail a player, you must specify an amount of time for them to be banned/jailed for.

!ban [player] 0 -- permanent. They can never join the server again unless unbanned. Majority of admins/moderators are restricted from using this.

!ban [player] [number] -- For a specified number of minutes, such as a ten minute ban.

!ban [player] [number]h -- For a specified number of hours.

!ban [player] [number]d -- For a specified number of days.

!ban [player] [number]w -- For a specified number of weeks.

To use with the jail command, replace !ban with !jail or !jailtp

How to find a player's SteamID

In some situations, a player may leave the server before you can ban them for an offence. In such a situation, instead of waiting for the player to reconnect to ban them (which could take a long time, and you might not even be on the server when they next connect), you may wish to use banid on the player. While you can use the chat to execute this command, it is recommended you use either the ULX Menu (banid is in the utility section of the menu) or the console (type ulx banid [SteamID] [time] [reason]. Of course, replace all of the strings in square brackets with the actual values you want). Unlike the ban command, a player's name will not work - they are no longer on the server and ban can only target those still connected. To find the SteamID of the player, check the console. Find the log saying they have disconnected - in brackets you will find the player's SteamID. Copy the SteamID, but do not copy the brackets. Then use whichever method (chat, ULX Menu, console) you wish to execute the ban, pasting in the player's SteamID after banid (unless you are using the menu, in which case the SteamID should be pasted into the SteamID field).

Note:

If you do not see the banid command in the ULX Menu, you do not have access to it. In that case, please contact a member of staff of a higher rank, quote them the SteamID of the offending player and explain how the player broke the rules in as much detail as possible. They will then deal with the situation. If they cannot at the current moment, then contact the next rank up. If nobody is available at the current moment, leave a message with someone who can deal with the situation when they are not busy.

Reasons for banning or kicking

When banning or kicking someone using any available method, you can specify a reason. For instance, if someone is propspamming and you are using the chat commands:

!ban [player] [time] Propspamming -- You can replace ban with kick, but delete the time string.

You can type any reason you want, but it must be valid and reasonable or you may be punished for abusing your position. You can also choose from several predefined reasons in the ULX menu.

Note:

Whenever typing anything that is split into more than one word (like some players names, reasons for kick or ban etc.), use quotes around them - you can avoid a lot of trouble. For example, if you would like to kick a player with the name King Sombra with a reason Bad behaviour using the console, you should type it like this: ulx kick "King Sombra" "Bad behaviour". Of course, you don't need to pay attention to any of that when using the menu.

Note:

In case any player has an asterisk (*) in their name and you would like to use any of the commands on them, use the graphical menu instead! If you were to use an asterisk incorrectly, you can unintentionally affect all players instead, as asterisk serves as a symbol for "every player on the server".

Useful commands for TiaBot on UPR Discord server

If you use Discord and are part of our server, you can use TiaBot and its useful commands. These will work in any channel TiaBot is part of and has the rights to type in.

Note:

Some of these will require a specific permission to be granted to you before you can use them. Ask the owner to be given those. Most of the commands can only be used on the UPR Discord server and will not work in DM.

Commands

/audit - Shows you all changes to player groups that occured on the specified server in given date range. Note that this doesn't show changes in groups that occured due to synchronization with the database, only manual ones.

  • Usage: /audit server_id start_date end_date
    • server_id is one of: sandbox, cinema, darkrp
    • start_date and end_date are optional (defaults to 1 month ago till today) and in the form DD-MM-YYYY

/bans - Shows you the last ban (or in some cases a list of bans) that was given to specific player in given date range.

  • Usage: /bans SteamID_or_SteamID64 start_date end_date
    • start_date and end_date are optional (defaults to 01-10-2013 till today) and in the form DD-MM-YYYY

/check - Shows a summary of potentially useful information about given player, such as their name, rank, group on each UPR server, number of points in Cinema's pointshop, DarkRP money, dates of when they were last seen on each server, issued warnings and bans.

  • Usage: /check SteamID_or_SteamID64

/gm - Lets you send messages into the chatbox of specified server.

  • Usage: /gm server_id message
    • server_id is one of: sandbox, cinema, darkrp

/servers - Shows summary about each UPR server, such as its name, current number of players, their names and current map.

  • Usage: /servers

/players - Shows information about players on specified server, such as their names, time connected and frags.

  • Usage: /players server_id
    • server_id is one of: sandbox, cinema, darkrp, stranded

/timecheck - Shows the total time spent by a given player on the specified server in given date range. This does not rely on Utime and is considered the most precise measurement.

  • Usage: /timecheck server_id steam_id start_date, end_date
    • server_id is one of: sandbox, cinema, darkrp
    • start_date is required and must be in the form YYYY-MM-DD
    • end_date is optional (warning: defaults to same date as start_date) and must be in the form YYYY-MM-DD

/warnings - Shows you a list of all warnings issued to specified player on given server, including the staff member giving the warning, reason and date and time.

  • Usage: /warnings server_id SteamID_or_SteamID64
    • server_id is one of: sandbox, cinema, darkrp
In case you have any more questions or something isn't clear, ask any current staff member.