Good day, everyone! I’m @Eandvwigle, a Moderator for Stargate: Horizons since at least August of 2021 (although it is possible that I might’ve joined earlier, I just don’t have access to those exact records), and to my knowledge, the only moderator that was directly appointed to the position by the game’s creator, Totoro987123.
In this guide, I’ll be covering some important information that all players should know, but for one reason or another, is not as publicly available as it should be. Please keep in mind that all of this information is unofficial and unapproved until I update this post to say otherwise.
The Unofficial Player’s Handbook to SG:H
The Rules
One of the most alarming things about SGH is how the game rules are not actually posted anywhere. No worries, I’m here to inform you.
-
Do not spawnkill. This is defined as killing a person in their respective spawn. It is also highly common to see moderators also enforcing spawnkilling in the immediate area surrounding someone’s spawn.
-
Do not cross-team (OW & SGC). If you are actively helping the other faction, and it is not for a justified roleplay purpose, you can (and likely will) be moderated. This includes not only authorization protections against cross-teaming OWs, but also includes avoiding engagement of certain individuals due to an agreement that was not made in roleplay.
-
Do not spam. Can also extended to include needlessly sending an excessive amount of messages where fewer would have been more practical.
-
Do not inappropriately roleplay. This is against Roblox’s Terms of Service, and the punishment will vary based on what you’re actually doing.
-
Do not exploit glitches. Glitches are defined as any action that takes advantage of an unintended affect on the game. Punishment will vary based on the severity of the glitch and the affect on gameplay.
-
Do not harass. This is also not only against Roblox’s ToS, but it’s also against the law in many states and provinces (in more severe cases)! General toxicity and incessant targeting of players fall under this category. If you are caught discriminating against a player or group of players based on any classifying factors, a report will be sent to Roblox and action will be taken.
-
Do not push players into restricted areas (including the line).
-
Do not unauthorize OWs for the sole purpose of killing them (AKA Auth Abuse).
-
Do not leave to avoid administration (LTAA). This also includes server hopping.
-
Do not bypass Roblox’s chat filter.
-
Do not exploit the Roblox engine. You will be banned immediately.
-
Do not break Roblox ToS. Need I say more?
What is not against the rules?
-
Using alarms. The idea is that if any player, for any reason believes there is a necessity for a code, alarm, or DEFCON – so long as they possess the proper gamepasses to use those functionalities – it is not considered abuse. What this means is that in order to punish someone for abuse of alarm systems, you would need to somehow prove their intention, state of mind, and prove that they had absolutely no reason (in their mind) to use that code. With all of this considered, moderators are just not going to bother with dealing with alarm abuse. De facto, alarm abuse is not practically enforceable.
-
Not following orders. The gamepasses that a player purchases does not command adherence to orders from the moderation perspective. All reports for someone not following orders will be ignored by staff.
-
Fail roleplay. While SG:H is a roleplay game, roleplay is not enforced. We suggest that if you are interested in a roleplay experience, you either create a private server or you take a look at our group’s page and find out more about it.
-
Regular authorization. Members of the OOTG and Commanding Officer teams are permitted to authorize OWs, regardless of the base status, base codes, DEFCON, or any other situation that may be ongoing. That being said, rules about cross-teaming and auth abuse still apply to all members of those teams.
Remember, the goal of the staff team is to deliver a memorable experience for players to enjoy the game with and to keep the community safe. We may do things or choose not to do things in keeping with these values, despite them being listed or not being listed in the rules I have outlined here.
Appeals
If you feel you have been unfairly punished, or you wish to have your punishment removed, you may file an appeal form. They typically (but not always) get read within 14 days, however there have been times where they have gone unread for several months at a time, so patience is key. Below I have listed some general guidelines for making your appeal. Following these do not guarantee your punishment to be overturned; they are simply my belief of what will make your appeal stronger.
-
Honesty is the best policy.
-
Own up to your mistake if you did make one.
2.1. If your appeal was about a wrongful punishment, explain what you think the moderator’s perspective was, and then proceed to explain the reality of the situation, how the two scenarios are related, and what you believe would be the appropriate response, knowing the information that you have. -
Be respectful and understanding of the moderator. Attempting to make a moderator appear as if they are lying, decieving, or framing you are the best ways to get your appeal denied. Don’t do it.
-
Show improvement! I personally do not review appeals, but if I were to, I would look for a change in behavior. Unfortunately, not all moderators share the same vision as I do; and if there is solid proof that your ban was correctly made and all the procedures have been followed, there is very little you can do for permanent bans when being reviewed by these moderators. That being said, you should still attempt to show behavioral improvement… you never know who could be reading your next appeal.
I wish I had more tips, but ultimately what it comes down to is: If you didn’t do it, you got to prove it somehow. If you did do it, you gotta convince someone that you’re ready to be let back into the community.
Click here to go to the appeal form.
Updates to this Guide
I will be routinely updating this guide to allow new players more and more information into the SG:H community. As of right now, it’s just the moderation stuff; but soon it will expand to interactions with players, the base layout, weapons, teams, etc. This was last updated 2023-06-03T05:43:00Z.
This guide was updated on 2023-08-07T14:56:00Z with changes to the format. The content of the article has not been substantially changed.