and they told us not to clap so, we clap as hard as we can

Well, won't this be fun. A little background for this one: this is a coin hunting/fishing group. There's a lot of these about--some make you stand by little traffic cones, some make you collect gems, shells, spinning stars, clovers..the concept's the same behind all of them. Join the group, flip on the HUD, collect things. When you have a sufficient number of collected things, go to the main sim and cash out.

They're generally tiny amounts of Lindens, but seriously, sometimes that's been the difference between paying rent or not on a parcel, so...I play when I'm low. And this group, at least, rarely has drama.

Until today.

[14:53] Dxxx Sxxxxx: Group Notice Sent by: Dxxx Sxxxxx
HUNTERS
Let us be clear. Requiring a group be joined before allowing hunters to hunt our coins is a breach of our TOS. Putting coins on a land restricted to group members only is a breach of our TOS. THEREFORE =hunting the coins that are placed on a land that requires a group join to hunt them is also a breach of our TOS. It is called CHEATING and may be subject to the penalties of cheating REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE. I am intentionally leaving no room for doubt. There is none.

So let's explain what's happening. While I've only seen this a couple of times, as I mention below, it's been a while since I've read the full terms of service for this particular game. And one of their terms is--if you own the sim, and you put out coins or a fishing buoy for hunters to hunt, you cannot then require a separate group to hunt items in the first place, and you most especially cannot lock the parcel--or entire sim--so that only members of that group can get in to find coins or fish.

This doesn't seem too arcane for anyone, right? If you're going to invite people seeking to bump up their Lindens by a few, you can't do anything other than control how often the coins pop back up. You must keep your lands and holdings open. (Though of course it is permissible to secure a home spot on that sim--as long as there are no coins on that parcel.

Makes sense to me. And if it's really that awful to individuals to have all the dirty plebs crawling over their pristine lands, they can set up their own game, or have a weekly raffle board, or something. That's not hard either.

[14:55] Nxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thank you, [Dxxx].
[14:55] Dxxx Sxxxxx: you're welcome =)
[14:56] Emilly Orr: Wow. Although I have run into this once or twice, but I never thought to register a complaint.
[14:56] Nxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thanking you twice apparently, so as not to leave room for doubt that I'm thankful. There is none.
[14:56] Dxxx Sxxxxx: blushes
[14:57] Nxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Emily, it didn't occur to me either or I would've said something.
[14:57] Nxxxxxx Hxxxxx: ?
[14:57] Nxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Re: "Wow. Although I have run into this once or twice, but I never thought to register a complaint."
[14:57] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: its as usual, those who respect TOS are the stupid ones

And wow, this came out of nowhere. Way to disrespect not only the owners of the game she's playing, but their stated rules.

This is from the first section of their Terms of Service:

1.0 - Land Owner Rules

1.1 - Coins, gems, and buoys must be placed where the are accessible to all hunters. Violations of this rule include but are not limited to:

1.1.1 - Coins, gems, and buoys in secret skyboxes that do not have a freely accessible teleport system from ground level.1.1.2 - Coins and gems buried under the terrain level so as to make them impractical.1.1.3 - Coins and gems buried inside objects or clusters of objects so as to make them impractical.

1.2 - Security systems must not be used in the vicinity of coins or gems.

1.3 - Land with coins and/or gems must be set to allow for general access. Hunters must not be selectively banned to give others a game advantage. Note that maturity ratings are fine and hunters with unverified accounts should expect to be unable to access adult hunting locations and skill gaming regions.

1.3.1 - Land restrictions based on avatar type or a specific type of attire is not permitted with the exception of a restriction against child avatars on adult sims and nude avatars on any sims.
1.3.2 - We disallow any restrictions or land bans based on a hunter's experience, tenure, rank,skill. However you may have a land restriction based on avatar age.

All of that seems to make perfect sense to me, but based on later revelations, not to all of the existing players.

[14:58] Dxxx Sxxxxx: Gold Hunt is to be accessable to all players..excepting of course of age restrictions and gambling rules. requiring a group be joined to either hunt our coins or get advanced notification of coins rezzing or being available is a very big no-no
[14:59] Dxxx Sxxxxx: [Rxxx] I respect you and have given you no cause to disrespect me., save the drama for soemwhere other than this room thank you
[14:59] Nxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:
[14:59] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: those who break TOS get the money and the xp

And banned. The banning seems like a big down side.

[14:59] Emilly Orr: [Rxxx], calling people who respect the ToS of the group they're in 'stupid' is not going to win you points here.
[14:59] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: those are 2 facts, no offense
[15:00] Mxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: is [wxxx] here?
[15:00] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: you should read what i wrote lady
[15:00] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: and i dont need brownie points

Obviously not. Or manners.

[15:00] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ENOUGH !!!
[15:01] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: can I ask a question about this?
[15:01] Rxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: tell that those ppl who went there hunting , not me, thank you

But you were the one griping about a game TO the makers and mods OF that game, so...they're telling YOU.

[15:01] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes of course
[15:01] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If one cannot hav coins set to group, what's the difference with fishing buoys?
[15:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [The fishing game] is one game and [the coin collection game] is another game
[15:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: just liek the rules for pinochle and pojker are differwentr

I should insert something. I generally leave replies unedited. With Miss D...I think English isn't her first language. So there are issues. I'm leaving this one mostly untouched to show those issues--my edits were "andpojker" being one word, it's now two. But it does hurt sometimes, wanting to correct her spelling in the group.

[15:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: two entirely completely different games
[15:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the way coins ar ecollected is very different than the way fishes are collected
[15:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oen persaon can get a coin .. many peopel can sit at the same single buoy
[15:03] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: understood thank you

Yeah, I actually didn't catch that was the difference. Interesting. Is there a max upper limit of 'fishers' on any given buoy? I don't know that, either.

[15:03] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: private buoys are allowed however private coin lands are not and in the past private groups were used as a nasty tool for revenge or to rank up in [the coin collection game].
[15:03] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but the money is in the same pot, correct?
[15:03] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i hope that helps
[15:03] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there is one atm for all of the games inclusing the exchanges

Right. Everything pays into the same account, is paid out from the same account, but there are two actual games.

[15:03] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: thanks MVC, I thought it was the same game
[15:03] Dxxx Sxxxxx: yesh its in the same account for your conveniance
[15:04] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no they are seperate games under one company
[15:04] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the various games ar elisted on the website
[15:04] Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Got it, thank you
[15:04] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: np :)

So, I thought the drama was over, and closed the window. Half an hour later, though, there was another notice, and I opened the chat group again:

[16:00] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Group Notice Sent by: Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx
ATTENTION HUNTERS
Let us be clear. Requiring a group be joined before allowing hunters to hunt our coins is a breach of our TOS. Putting coins on a land restricted to group members only is a breach of our TOS. THEREFORE =hunting the coins that are placed on a land that requires a group join to hunt them is also a breach of our TOS. It is called CHEATING and may be subject to the penalties of cheating REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE. I am intentionally leaving no room for doubt. There is none. The estate bans will begin now
[16:00] Emilly Orr: More drama?
[16:01] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: excuse me Emily ?
[16:01] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no.. clarification of rules.
[16:01] Dxxx Sxxxxx: it came from me before..now it comes from [Txxxx] - a much higher level of authority =)
[16:02] Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: just estate banned 17 very high level hunters who have chosen to NOT read notices and forget the rules regarding restricted lands

Then someone won a fishing thing, and the chatter was all about fish rankings, so I tuned out and went on with shopping at various events, until this:

[16:29] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: who banded me and why

Well, hello Mr. "I Don't Listen to Rules, I Don't Have To, and It's My Land, I Can Cheat On It". Welcome to your ban.

[16:29] Dxxxxxxxxx Lxxxx: talk to [Txxxxxxxxxx]
[16:29] Dxxx Sxxxxx: [Fxxxxx] we don't discuss bans in this room

They don't. They'll message you privately if you ask, but they shut down any talk of bans of specific individuals in the group chat.

[16:30] Dxxx Sxxxxx: if you have an issue with a land you can mnessage a staff to help sort it =)
[16:30] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but why i asking the reason
[16:30] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes i have issue
[16:30] Dxxx Sxxxxx: not in here you're not
[16:30] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: who did this and why i wanna know this thats all

That's the simple part. Mr. F, you were banned for cheating, by a mod who works directly under the owner of the game (an owner who gives Miss T, said mod, the authority to deal with issues in precisely this way). Consider it the same as if the owner himself banned you, because...if you protest it, the owner will weigh in, and agree. Got it?

[16:30] Dxxx Sxxxxx: you can message me. you can not discuss it in here =)
[16:31] Nxxxxxx Hxxxxx: ?
[16:31] Nxxxxxx Hxxxxx: [16:02] [Txxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx]: just estate banned 17 very high level hunters who have chosen to NOT read notices and forget the rules regarding restricted lands
[16:31] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no i will here coz this is not right thing band
[16:31] Dxxx Sxxxxx: no
[16:31] Dxxx Sxxxxx: you will not

Pretty much in this group, if someone ignores a mod--and Miss D is one--things do not go well for them.

[16:31] Dxxx Sxxxxx: [Nxxxx] please allow me to do my job
[16:31] bxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this is not right thing and not justice i know it
[16:32] Nxxxxxx Hxxxxx: sorry ill be qiuet
[16:32] Dxxx Sxxxxx: I said yu can message me to discuss it. I asked you to do so and said not to dioscuss it in here., I have muted you until I am satisfied you understand room rules and follow directions given by staff
[16:34] Dxxx Sxxxxx: im will initiate IM to you [Fxxxxx]

And that seemed to be that. No one brought anything up past this point...at least, until I logged off, anyway. This group is pretty good about quelling drama anyway, in a very direct way: first, a warning, then a chat ban, then they bounce the person causing the issue.

For my part, I'm just a player, not a sim owner. And considering anyone who got banned was likely sent notecards prior to this with copies of the TOS to read through, it's not the fault of the game owners that the sim owners either didn't bother, or didn't think it applied to them. Too bad, so sad, basically. Life goes on.