What's your Minecraft Username?: zegevlier
What's the title of your suggestion?: Update rule 3.3a and re-allow freecam
What's your suggestion?:
This suggestion comes in two parts, but they fit strongly together so I opted to put them in a single post. Please, when +1/-1ing this suggestion, do so separately for both parts.
Part 1 is updating rule 3.3a. This is the rule that says
Part 2 is re-allowing freecam for photography. I will explain below why I think this is valuable.
As for updating rule 3.3a. The current wording implies that all client modifications are banned if they give an advantage. This is poorly worded, as any client modification gives an advantage, otherwise, it would not exist. Take, for example, shaders. These have the advantage of making the game look better. While this obviously isn't the intent of this rule, I don't see how they should be allowed under this rule.
Second, there are keybinds. It is clear from Kimi's reply here that the intent is to allow these. However, the 3.3a rule has no exceptions whatsoever. As these clearly give an advantage, even more than shaders, they should not be allowed under the current rule. As these are supposed to be allowed, I propose this rule be updated.
I propose the following changes are made to rule 3.3a:
- The wording is changed from "they do not give you an advantage" to "they do not give you a gameplay advantage over other players". This makes it clear that purely cosmetic mods are allowed, and that mods that only affect looks are acceptable.
- Second, the rule should have a list of exceptions. I can't see a way of wording the rule such that keybinds are allowed but eg. speed hacks aren't. Therefore, to avoid future confusion, there should be a list of mod (types) that are specifically allowed. This list should at least include keybinds, and as I argue later in this suggestion, also freecam.
I am of course open to other suggestions for wording, if you have any better ideas please leave them below.
Now part two, why freecam should be allowed. I believe that the minute benefits of banning freecam are heavily outweighed by the large upsides of allowing it.
I know that this has already been suggested, but I believe I have a sufficiently strong argument to re-suggest it here.
I am working off the assumptions that
- Freecam is essentially undetectable, so banning someone for it would require out-of-game proof
- The mere act of taking screenshots using freecam is not harmful to the server, and should, in a perfect world, be allowed. In other words, it is only banned because people abuse it.
There are two ways to use freecam, maliciously and non-malicously. For simplicity, I am going to say that taking screenshots is non-malicious, and metagaming is malicious. I know there are other cases for both, but these are the most common.
Please see this diagram for what happens for both cases if we allow and disallow freecam:
Notice how the only thing that disallowing freecam does is punish innocent players. The chance of someone finding out isn't altered if someone metagames with or without the rule. I know that there is an alternative, replaymod, but it will always be more work to go into replaymod to take a screenshot than it is to go into freecam.
In summary:
Rule 3.3a should be updated to make it less ambiguous and easier to understand.
Freecam should be allowed on the server.
How will this benefit the server and community?:
See above
What's the title of your suggestion?: Update rule 3.3a and re-allow freecam
What's your suggestion?:
This suggestion comes in two parts, but they fit strongly together so I opted to put them in a single post. Please, when +1/-1ing this suggestion, do so separately for both parts.
Part 1 is updating rule 3.3a. This is the rule that says
This rule is poorly worded and needs to be updated.
Part 2 is re-allowing freecam for photography. I will explain below why I think this is valuable.
As for updating rule 3.3a. The current wording implies that all client modifications are banned if they give an advantage. This is poorly worded, as any client modification gives an advantage, otherwise, it would not exist. Take, for example, shaders. These have the advantage of making the game look better. While this obviously isn't the intent of this rule, I don't see how they should be allowed under this rule.
Second, there are keybinds. It is clear from Kimi's reply here that the intent is to allow these. However, the 3.3a rule has no exceptions whatsoever. As these clearly give an advantage, even more than shaders, they should not be allowed under the current rule. As these are supposed to be allowed, I propose this rule be updated.
I propose the following changes are made to rule 3.3a:
- The wording is changed from "they do not give you an advantage" to "they do not give you a gameplay advantage over other players". This makes it clear that purely cosmetic mods are allowed, and that mods that only affect looks are acceptable.
- Second, the rule should have a list of exceptions. I can't see a way of wording the rule such that keybinds are allowed but eg. speed hacks aren't. Therefore, to avoid future confusion, there should be a list of mod (types) that are specifically allowed. This list should at least include keybinds, and as I argue later in this suggestion, also freecam.
I am of course open to other suggestions for wording, if you have any better ideas please leave them below.
Now part two, why freecam should be allowed. I believe that the minute benefits of banning freecam are heavily outweighed by the large upsides of allowing it.
I know that this has already been suggested, but I believe I have a sufficiently strong argument to re-suggest it here.
I am working off the assumptions that
- Freecam is essentially undetectable, so banning someone for it would require out-of-game proof
- The mere act of taking screenshots using freecam is not harmful to the server, and should, in a perfect world, be allowed. In other words, it is only banned because people abuse it.
There are two ways to use freecam, maliciously and non-malicously. For simplicity, I am going to say that taking screenshots is non-malicious, and metagaming is malicious. I know there are other cases for both, but these are the most common.
Please see this diagram for what happens for both cases if we allow and disallow freecam:
Notice how the only thing that disallowing freecam does is punish innocent players. The chance of someone finding out isn't altered if someone metagames with or without the rule. I know that there is an alternative, replaymod, but it will always be more work to go into replaymod to take a screenshot than it is to go into freecam.
In summary:
Rule 3.3a should be updated to make it less ambiguous and easier to understand.
Freecam should be allowed on the server.
How will this benefit the server and community?:
See above
