Hi everyone..

It's now 6 months since the Wrecker Barricade was formally converted from the UKCT (then TeamCCUK) wrecker reporting page to the LFS Wrecker Barricade. It's now time to take stock, look at the whole thing, and figure out if it works, if it's still needed, if so then what can be improved, or if it's not then how do we wind it down.

I'm welcoming any/all comments, from hosts as well as server patrons. I'm happy to continue the barricade if it's still needed and extend it if it's required, and I'm happy to close it down if it's now surplus to requirement. This thread is to field for feeling in the community, though, rather than an absolute decision-making thread.

For a while I wondered if the barricade was actually useful because I hadn't seen a wrecker for ages in S2 online (perhaps that is because you got rid of all the wreckers! lol.... though I've only played on like 1 or 2 barricaded servers.... I don't see many protected servers). Only up until TODAY actually was I shocked to encounter a wrecker in a long while. Was AS National and in that fast back section with the blind uphill right bend, and I saw his car parked on the outside of the track, and the arrow wasn't even moving. Then he just pulled straight across the track (wasn't turning around), and it was an obvious attempt to strike me and make me lose my 1st place position. I was really shocked to see it, and everyone voted to ban him immediately off the server. I never saved any replay, but the Barricade popped into my head -- and knowing I could've used it at this time was an option. I wasn't too frustrated about it so I didn't bother, just shocked to see that people are still doing this.

I don't know how many people are on your blacklist, but if the wreckers are truly wreckers on the list, it should be a good system. I've always disliked having to put people on a blacklist for online games, because it's nice to let everyone play, but I suppose you guys are handling it well. Not many people know about the Barricade either, and I think more servers could benefit from it. Do you have a forum banner?

Actually, I drew a 468x60 banner and forgot to ask for it to be included in the rotation

I got one word: Stay open. well that was two but. nevermind.
Just stay open its a great thing to have i think.
I actually uploaded one yesterday lol :P

Unfortunately these days my time to race online often is very limited so I probably can't judge the state of wrecker activity very well, but I really hope you guys will continue. I've used your service several times in the past and I think it's a great and effective system.

Even if wrecker activity is low, it's great to know the system is there when you need it.

I still hope though that more servers will participate, so maybe something could be done to promote it better.

Quote from joen :

Even if wrecker activity is low, it's great to know the system is there when you need it.

Having raced online quite often this month on STCC server, I have to say, that the wrecker activity is very high. At least thats the impression, I got. So I think, theres a big need for the barricade to stay.

I think even if there aren't that many servers that use the barricade, the threat of being banned from a number of servers rather than just one is worth keeping. If more servers start using it then even better.

It's a nice system in that it gives discretion to those running the server. When I've admin-ed games in the past there's always a few decisions that make you think twice - was the guy unlucky/having a bad day/etc. At least with this you can make your call and know that a second opinion will be had before anything's done.

(please correct me if I'm wrong about the above)

so then RudolfR, why dont you like the barricade?

Wrecker Barricade should stay.It'd be a mistake to remove it.
Wrecker activity is less than it was before, thanks to the barricade.

Careless driving in stcc is a different thing...Stcc servers offer license points for the stcc licensing system and that makes people drive more aggressively.Every driver gets into a different mode once they're in the stcc server. Drivers should be more gentle...

I voted stay open theres still a need. I have only seen one wrecker on s2 whether thats down to there not being many wreckers or because of the barricade i dont know. But as long as the barricade is running it will keep the servers clean and also will act as a presentitive to people wrecking as they know they could be banned from many servers

I generally watch all the replays and make a list of what I consider to be the blatant wreckers. Unfortunately a high proportion of 'wreckers' are simply 'red mist' incidents or stupid retaliations/reactions, where the originators get away with it.
Having said that, on the whole Barricade does a good job.

IIRC the last time i used the barricade you could only upload one replay so if thats still the case then maybe the ability to upload more than one replay.

At the moment, it accepts either single MPRs or files of the ZIP variety, so it's capable of receiving more than one. I agree, it would be nice to be able to upload multiple MPRs directly out of your data\mpr folder. I'll look into that one

There is still a need for it..i raported one wrecker yesterday and one couple minuts ago..both on stcc servers....how can i know admins saw my raports btw? i never got confirmation on email.

Great system btw

yup, they both arrived, you dont get a "comformation email", btw

Basically a re-post, i'd like to see something like different channels, RSS feeds perhaps (very trendy), subscribing to tags (or level / category of misbehaviour, ... something) you want and get some bans applied automatically.

"The more choice available, the more likely people will choose nothing.", kind of fits the current system, IMHO.

I don't like the barricade system.

EDIT: I don't know how barricade actually works, maybe there are mistakes in my post, just ignore those then!

I consider myself a newbie, but i don't mess up too much. But it has happened i caused a crash with someone. I apologized. But he yelled: "Spacid is Wrecker!!!" And started off a ban vote against me. It took less than 5 seconds to complete the vote. (Lots of people love to press 1 without even knowing what happened)

Luckily the server wasnt Barricaded with your software (or how should i call it? ) If it was, I would have been banned on all servers with your software just because someone called me a wrecker while i didn't do it on purpose.

I don't like the idea that simple USERS can ban. Only server admins should be able to ban.

Now everyone can call everyone a wrecker and start off a ban vote. I'm sure that in 50% of the cases the vote will be completed (if nobody knows the racer), even if the racer isn't a wrecker.

In itself it isn't a problem with Wrecker Barricade, but with LFS itself. Only admins should be able to ban. Racers should only be able to kick.

just my 2 cents

Quote from Spacid :

EDIT: I don't know how barricade actually works

Quote from SamH :

Racers and Admins of servers use this form to report wrecking behaviour (primarily on S2 servers). An email notification is immediately dispatched to each of the admins in our "wrecker barricade network" individually, including a link to an MPR which has been uploaded to support the report.
[...]
Admins are free to decide, based on the behaviour they see in the MPR, what action they wish to take on their own servers.

.

In other words: You cannot get banned from more than one server for a vote ban alone on barricaded servers. The only way to get someone banned using the barricade is to manually them to send a replay to the barricade email address which will then be manually evaluated, depending on the situation, by one or more person(s).

Ok, that's a good thing!

But if all servers would be "wrecker barricaded" wouldn't it be too much work to evaluate each replay? You would need some people to help you.

Another question: If you get banned by vote, do you end up banned ? or does it only get you kicked?

Quote from Spacid :

Ok, that's a good thing!



Another question: If you get banned by vote, do you end up banned ? or does it only get you kicked?

Banned by vote equals 12 hours.