Can't comment on your understanding of context :)

You apply to the adult section generally, which is either approved or denied, as per point 4.

You can then register for particular adult games, which is the process outlined in point 7.

"Registering" it in an individual game happens after the user is "approved".

It looks like "approved" means you're cleared to apply to adult games. "Registered" means your age statement is recorded within that specific Adult game.

If you are not approved, you will not be able to apply to and register in adult games. Trying to send an RTJ to an adult game without having adult access with (re?)direct you to request adult access. I'm not sure whether it will be possible to send an RTJ, but GMs will not be able to add you to an adult game if you have not been approved for adult access.
This message was last edited by the user at 12:49, Mon 01 Sept 2014.

Can you please confirm - does this mean (data protection) that GMs should delete private threads including age statements currently held in their games?

Thanks

GMs will no longer be required to keep such threads.

Note that this will only apply after the new system goes live.

GMs should leave all age statements just as they are until the change actually goes live.

what is time line for this to happen (the new system going live)

Seems good to me

In reply to hegemon (msg # 21):

Says at the bottom of the first post - "about two weeks".  This is a provisional timeline for now though.
This message was last edited by the user at 14:30, Mon 01 Sept 2014.

This is awesome. I look forward to it. Especially because that means that I don't have to keep the RTJs with the age statements in my PMs and can finally delete those once the new system is up and running.

Personally, I don't mind at all that I have to wait for a certain period to be cleared. :)

I am stoked about this - for exactly the reason that shinanai just posted.  Now I don't feel like I'm the one barrier between someone getting into a corner of the site that they really shouldn't be in (and losing a game that everyone who is supposed to be there has worked so hard on as a consequence).

Excellent move!

Questions (that I think I already know the answers to):

• Since you're just checking to confirm age, if someone is in multiple Adult games or running the same, they'd only need to be vetted once, yes? That is to say, the Day of Change comes, I log in, input my information, then wait until the approved, and once approved I can access all of my adult games (just have to wait on everyone else to be vetted too so that they can respond).
• Is there an estimate on how long the vetting process might take? I mean, there's a comparatively tiny number of Mods/Admins when compared to the number of site users (though the list of adult gamers amongst those site users would of course be smaller). If I've got an adult game, with say, 8 players for instance, might we see a game slow down of a matter of days, weeks, longer?
• As an addendum to the above, I don't reckon it would matter if a game was shifted to Mature (providing of course that there's no Adult-material visible/remaining/able to be seen) until this whole thing is sorted out with a mention to the involved players along the lines of "hey, no Adult shenanigans for at least a couple of months"? Will the new system, when its up, allow for games that are Mature to be shifted to Adult?
• Woot for changes that will ultimately make it easier to run the site!

In reply to writermonk (msg # 25):

While you will be approved by the site once, to get access to Adult games, you will still need to provide the information in each individual game, to be accepted into those games.

The processing for the initial site applications will likely result in some delays to games.  Remember, the moderators will need to approve the requests, and we are not full time employees of the site.  All of us have lives away from RPoL.  We will, however, try to keep delays to a minimum.

I believe the system will allow for switching of games between different ratings (unless jase tells me I'm wrong on that).

From the original post Point 8 says that on changing a game to adult status, every player the next time they access that game will get asked for the age statement. If a player in a game is not registered for adult access, the GM will have that information before they change the game to adult status.

So yes, it looks like the system will automatically handle switching between ratings.

There seems to be an implication that not everyone who currently has adult access will be approved for it once the change takes place. Out of curiousity what sorts of things would make it so someone is denied adult access? (Seeing as I am 46 it would be most strange to be denied adult access)

I think that I have to echo concerns over the changeover process.  Once the system s in place, that should not be a problem, but I do think that we need to consider what can be done to minimise the impact.

First, is there any estimate of how many players are affected ?  Is it possible for us to get an idea of the number ? (rounded to 1 significant figure would be fine)

Second, are there any plans to get extra moderator time to handle the flood of approvals expected ?  I'd suggest at the least scheduling the changeover to a convenient time for as many of the moderators as possible.

Minimising the impact has been a consideration all along.

Not sure how we would get extra moderator time - we already give whatever time we can to the site.

Think the best to do at this point is to thank the Mods for dong what they can to help us out, and have some patience when this is being done. Yes you might not be able to post for a bit until they get to you but it is a small sacrifice especially for what could have happened.

Thank you guys for the work and time you are putting into this. :-) It is very much appreciated.

I have no issues with the mods and I realize that this will make things easier in the long run. Patience is not an issue nor is a delay in posting. I would just be interested in knowing what things could make a person be denied adult access (other than being under-age).

In reply to bigbadron (msg # 30):

Would it be possible to temporarily "hire" mods for this changeover?  I don't know whether someone can be granted limited moderator privileges or whether it would have to be done by trust.  Either way, once most applications are out of the way, those mods could have their temporary status revoked.  I would certainly like to help through the change over.

In reply to msg # 28:

The same sort of things that would cause people to lose adult access today.

-------------


If you want to minimize impact, my suggestion is for people to not make any demands on moderator time once the process begins until the bulk of the changes is done and exercising patience (as prophacyks says above).  Above all, refrain from 'are we there yet' types of questions during the first few days.

It would also be a good idea for GMs to refrain from asking questions about their players' access, though I'm sure some will be tempted.

I may be wrong, but I don't see the process being THAT much of a delay on anyone's game -- a matter of hours or minutes in most cases rather than days or even a day.
This message was last edited by the user at 17:50, Mon 01 Sept 2014.

I am looking forward to this change.  I have already posted an announcement in my games for players to read over what will happen, so they are not caught by surprise when the change is implemented.

I really don't mind the delay that may come, as it will benefit everyone, especially the GM's.

Thank you RPoL team for your hard work and keeping things running smoothly.  It is very much appreciated.

I don't know about anyone else, but I figure since I don't think I have a clear picture in my mind on how things will be once GM has access and then players if the GM's will have to do anything or if the players will just be sitting back in their characters once they do whatever they need to do to get back into the game. I figure I am going to put a thread up as roll call to know who has made it back in so far.

So just to make sure I understand:
 -Adult games will basically be "On Hold" until all the people in that given game are re-granted access to the Adult section of the site?
 -Once that's completed, GM's no longer have to worry about whether or not prospective players to their Adult Games are allowed to participate?

This is going to be messy, but I think in the long run, it's going to make running Adult Games a LOT easier.

Do you guys have any concept of how long it'll take to clear the list? (I'm assuming weeks, months)

No, adult games are on hold only for the GM/player who hasn't requested access and been approved.

Once that's done, GMs are still responsible for reporting concerns, and violations of the adult games policy to the moderators.  They are also still responsible for enforcing 'maturity' in their games.  If someone is acting like they aren't old enough to be in an adult game, then the GM is still responsible for removing them from the game.

No, I feel confident that it won't take weeks/months -- except that there may be players who delay that long in requesting adult access for whatever reason.

I'd expect the delay to be in hours for most people rather than weeks or days.

Just thought I'd hop in again and say "thank you" to the site staff. This policy change and system implementation is awesome. Props to you Jase and crew for really stepping up to fix a problem that is a real issue internet wide. This father is glad you guys take this so seriously.

Okay, that tracks. Thanks for the clarification!