Being discussed about not re-logging and leaving the system. A good point.
The idea was just to use common sense. If you shoot someone, RP first. Don't troll people. Make one demand per pirate encounter to be fair to others. The rules were meant to be a simplified not to create confusion, but to allow people to use common sense instead of feel like they're walking on eggshells. Apparently the reversed happened.
As always, we're going to review and adjust as need be, like with anything. The entire point of this change was to essentially say "RP first, don't be a dick, and have fun".
But if you all want pages of rules, we can do that. If you want to be hand-held, sure. But don't expect the community to grow when a newbie sees pages of rules and goes "nope, too strict".
Ideally if you got banned, it was if you REALLY deserved it, instead of "well you stepped on Rule 1, article 4, subsection 6, asterisk 3 stating blahblahblah". Who wants that?
Point is, and perhaps we'll revise how the "Rules Clarification" section works, RP first, then act. Make one reasonable demand, don't cheat. It was meant to be simple. But those who want to find loopholes are the ones who make it so that simple idea is too much for this community.
We'll see how it works. I hope it'll work, but with anything you can only try and see. You can't please everyone, and no matter what you'll have people who complain and find fault with everything. But changes are never easy, and you can get better without change. Is it perfect? No. And sometimes you have to take a step back to get better. Is this a step back? Who knows. But it's an effort to make improvements, even if many don't see it that way.
Lastly, we're tired of those finding loopholes and trolling people and just bad apples. This is a private server, and as such we could just outright ban you if we didn't like you, and you know what? There's nothing you could about it. You're a guest here. If we don't want you, then good bye there's the door. But we'd rather be fair so to speak with regards people and give people a shot. But this harsher punishment system is to weed out the trouble makers. Kick and scream all you want, but when you ruin the fun for others, it's time for you to go. So this new system will weed them out. For everyone else, sorry it's harsher. In cases like brand new people, we'll evaluate and see where to go. But if you don't like the harsher system, you know who in the community to blame. With the appeal system though, if you're wrongly sanctioned or banned, just provide the evidence. If you're right and we were wrong, then awesome. Glad you could provide your side. But the truth is what shall set you free, if I may use such a phrase.
Just... Give it a shot. Provide suggestions, and just stop with the anti-staff mentality. We're not perfect, we make mistakes, but staff will burn out and leave over the constant harassment. I'm probably going to take a break for a short time soon too from all the people who having nothing good to say. It's tiring, and it makes what I volunteered for less enjoyable.
So please, just play the game. Have fun, RP first, don't be a dick.