Disciplinary Actions and Violation Escalation Path
Virtrium wishes to make the ISTARIA: Chronicles of the Gifted online gaming experience both fun and productive for everyone. In order to accomplish this, we have created specific “Rules of Conduct” to govern players’ behavior and actions while playing the Game. We are dedicated to enforcing the Rules of Conduct, as well as our ancillary policies covering such issues as Naming Characters, Harassment, Privacy, and Account Security. Any violation of the Rules of Conduct or our game-related policies will be handled in a fair and timely manner. Virtrium promises to investigate any alleged violations, and we will provide the “benefit of the doubt” whenever possible. We believe in following an “innocent until proven guilty” policy at all times.
The various paths for disciplinary action are dependent upon the nature and severity of the issue. In most instances, Virtrium will use an escalating disciplinary model. This model allows for up to three infractions before resorting to the termination of a player’s Account and/or a permanent ban from the Game.
Possible actions that may be taken include the following:
- No action taken: Once Virtrium has thoroughly investigated the violation issue and finds that there was no violation, we will not take any further action. A note will be added to accounts of the players involved.
- Warning: A warning may be placed on the violator’s account. Only World Masters and higher representatives of ISTARIA may do this. This warning contains all pertinent information and details relating to the violation, and it will be toggled to the player’s online Account. If no further violations occur in the 90-day period following the short-term suspension, the infraction will not be held against the player in any future actions. The player will be sent an e-mail detailing the issue and the resolution taken.
- Termination of Account: Termination of a customer’s account may occur after a single incident, or anytime after receiving the first warning. Only World Administrators and higher representatives of ISTARIA may initiate this type of disciplinary action process. This account termination note will have all pertinent information and details relating to the violation, and it will be toggled to the player’s online Account. The violator is removed from the game, and he or she will not be allowed back into the game world. The player will be sent an e mail detailing the issue and the resolution taken.
- Certain violations will bypass this hierarchy of responses and may lead directly to the termination of the player's online Account. Such violations are described below:
Type of Violation | Action Taken
|
General Harassment violations. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Aggressive, harassing behavior including derogatory and/or hateful comments that are sexist, racist, anti-religious, ethnically offensive or intolerant of gender or creed | Immediate termination of account will occur.
|
Posting or Transmitting sexually explicit images. | Immediate termination of account will occur.
|
Organizing or participating in any guilds or online groups that are based on, or espouse, any racist, sexist, anti-religious, anti-ethnic, anti-gay, or other hate-mongering philosophy. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Transmitting any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, obscene, vulgar, defamatory, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable content. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Impersonating any person, including, but not limited to, Virtrium employees, CSRs or hosts. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Engaging in "disruptive behavior" in chat areas, game areas, bulletin boards, or any other area of the ISTARIA Services. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Posting or transmitting chain letters or pyramid marketing schemes. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Posting or transmitting unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, or other forms of solicitation. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Violating any operating rule, policy or guideline of any other online service. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Violating, intentionally or otherwise, any applicable local, state, national or international law or regulation. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Modifying any files that ISTARIA does not specifically authorize Player to modify. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Using any game hacking/altering software or tools. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account.
|
Any disassembly or modification of any of the Game’s executable code, databases and/or files. Nor may you interfere with or attempt to decipher any transmissions to or from the servers running ISTARIA. | This is dependent upon the severity of the issue and any previous violations. Warning up to and including termination of account. |
Virtrium expressly retains the right to take whatever actions it deems necessary and appropriate to deal with a specific violation. We will fully and promptly investigate all suspected violations of the Rules of Conduct and its Ancillary Policies. Responsibility for proving and dealing with any violation rests solely with us. Certain violations of the Rules of Conduct may, at Virtrium’s sole discretion, result in immediate termination of a player’s online ISTARIA Account.