TOPIC: [TTT] How to handle a report

Hello everyone!

As of late, I've been getting more and more complaints from both users as well as staff members (that were formerly users) that our staff team has not been properly handling reports. As this is a relatively big issue that I have noticed myself as well, I've decided to make this quick guide to help everyone with handling reports properly.

What is a report exactly?
To handle a report properly, you need to understand what a report actually is. It might seem like an obvious question, however a lot of staff members do have problems, and sometimes you do see staff members warning users for making supposed "false reports," perhaps presumptuously.

A report is exactly what it sounds like: a user reporting another user. This may be for everything: micspam, RDM, false KOS, hacking and even disrespect. Just because it's majorly used for RDM does not mean that users can only report others for that sole reason.

A report can be deemed false when a user is randomly reporting someone else for literally or when the user does not explain the reason for the report. Here is a good example:

In this report the user makes no attempt at actually trying to explain themselves or why they reported the other user in the first place. If the user makes reports like these multiple times and has been told by a staff member to not do it again you may warn them for it. If a user reports someone for a valid reason other than RDM, you may not warn them for it.

Note that spamming reports might also be considered false reporting, but the game does not allow you to report many users in one round and thus such a situation should rarely, or perhaps even never occur.

A user is lying in the report. What now?
If a user is blatantly lying, you can ignore their side altogether. If they're the victim you can just set the report as finished - if you do this, do make it clear to the users in question that you're dropping the report because the victim is lying - and if they're the reported user you may just warn them for whatever bad thing they did. You can also warn them for lying in the report, but as that raises quite a few questions I'd recommend you to just keep it for what it is and not warn them for it. Although, like I said, you are allowed to do so.

However, a user is not always blatantly lying. In fact, it might seem like a user is lying when they're actually not. They might just be misinformed, or have not realized something important. In these cases, opening a chat is highly recommended. Let the users talk it out and find out the truth that way. It usually ends with the two users forgiving one another and you can simply leave it at that without needing to give out any punishments.

In the few cases where the victim does not forgive the reported user, you as a staff member need to stand up and explain what you believe the truth to be. If the reported user broke a rule that he didn't realize existed, explain the rule to them and tell them to read up on the rules on the forums. In these cases you may give a punishment to the reported user, however I personally recommend you not to.

We as staff are here to help the users. If we punish new users for every minor rule broken then we're not helping them - we're only disturbing their play time. Which, by the way, is also considered a breach of the Staff Ethos.

So when should I open a chat and when should I not?
That's mostly up to you, but it always depends on what kind of a report it is. Personally I have a handy rule of thumb: if it is a report where one of the two users seems to be unwilling to talk - for example when the reported user responds with "asfafdsajfafja" - I don't open a chat. For all other cases I do open a chat, even if it might seem unneeded.

Please do understand that this is only how I handle my reports. You as a staff member might never open a chat and just tell them the mistake they made with the punishment - for example: "!warn [username] RDM - Don't throw random grenades!" - however I personally do not do this as I do not believe the user will understand that they made a mistake.

Even if it is entirely obvious that someone broke a rule, the user in question might not know it themselves. Therefore opening a chat to explain to them that they broke a rule or anything else to explain the event that happened would be for the best.

Is there anything else I should know?
You should know many, many things. For example, the way you've been taught to warn users - that I personally still use myself, might I add - is actually not the best way to do so. However you'll learn how to handle reports properly with experience and time. When I first began I barely ever opened a chat. Now I practically always do.

The most important thing you should know is this, simple sentence: quality over quantity

I'm unsure whether it is because we're the nr. 1 TTT server in the world or because we have started to track our staff member's weekly report count a few months ago, but as of late certain staff have decided to take the quantity over quality route.

Let me tell you this: no matter how great of a staff member you are, if you don't handle reports properly you might as well not do them at all. Like I said earlier, we're here to help the users - not to punish them endlessly. The chances of you getting demoted because you don't handle reports with the same care as others is extremely small - practically nonexistent, actually - however that does not mean that you should handle reports as fast as possible.

That's the reason why I made this guide: to help staff members understand that although they might not get demoted - in fact, with a high report count you obviously have a better chance of getting promoted - that does not mean that they're doing the right thing. Of course, perhaps my interpretation of "the right thing" does not match yours at all, however different opinions is not a bad thing in the slightest.

Last but not least I will show you an example of how I, personally, handle a regular report. This goes for most situations.

How I handle a report

Firstly I take a quick look at the report that I have decided to take. Note that the reported player's response clearly indicates that this was RDM, as he killed on suspicion. Other than that, there's very little noteworthy in the logs - it is quite simply put, blatant RDM.


I decided to open a chat. I first ask them for their sides of the story, and in case they forgot what the report was about I (and I do this always) copy the final log that shows the victim's death.


The user admits to having RDMed. Note that there is a slight discrepancy in the two users' stories, as the victim states he was only trying to climb a ladder and the reported user states that the victim was "charging" at him. However, as the reported user admits to it it does not really matter for the outcome.

As the reported user was only a new player, having just joined the server a few rounds before, I decided to not punish them for it. They were clearly sorry and accepted that they made a simple mistake.


Here I give a supposed "verbal warning" to the user in question. If I see them break another rule I'll punish them for it.

After this I type a quick "Thank you for your time. Have fun playing!" that I sadly enough do not have a picture of, close the chat and I finish the report. It takes but a minute, but it makes the user feel listened to and wanted in the community.

Please understand that this guide is not quite done yet. I'll try to see if I can make more pictures of other situations to show how I would handle those situations, however for now I'll keep it at this.

Thank you for reading! Hope you learned something from this!

cool but all futile when the report disappears or the logs do - fix ffs

Such a great guide for staff members on TTT, Thanks Raeker

Neat guide for starting staff members !

Amazing work, maybe add some questions you ask members in chat, Ive noticed alot of staff seem to be lacking any idea of what to ask the victim/reported, and end up rushing things.

Thank you for this Raeker! You and I share some of the same opinions when it comes to handling reports. You pointed out many issues I have with the way other staff members handle reports. My main goal is to not have to punish anyone and try to get them to forgive each other, but sadly it does not always happen, and this will help new and old staff figure out how to deal with these situations when that happens!

Kana clearly shouldve been punished cuz clearly didnt even let to id the body iks d.

#MakeCancelledReportsDissapear

#MakeGodyDissapear

Kana wrote: Thats..... Rude.

Might I say:

These are simple shorten letters that make warnings/slays more quicker and easier.

RDM - Random Death Match [Standard anyways]

RNT - Random 'Nade Throwing [Used when Detective/Innocents throw a nade killing other's that aren't T or have any reason to]

DIR - Disrespect In Report [When a user is disrespecting another user via the report system].

LIR - Lying In Report [When a user is lying in the report]

RIR - Racism in Report [This can link back to DIR]

DOS - Disrespect of Staff [When a user disrespects a staff member]

DOU - Disrespect Of User [When a user disrespects another user]

KOSus - Killing On Suspicion [Self-explanatory]

KWE - Killing Without Evidence [Self-explanatory]

FTR - Failure To Respond [When a user fails to respond to a report]

G/T - Ghosting/teaming [When two users or more are revealing information about other T's (their names in game) or an inno/detective teams up with a traitor]

MRDM - Mass RDM [RDM +3 or more]

Shame I cba to read it xd

Good job Raeker

I read this just now. It's honestly outsdanding. It's really good.

Which idiot unstickied this?

(I would like this re-stickied pls thx)

Raeker wrote: It's not on the info thread, there's no reason for this being unstickied lol

But honestly: who unstickied this and why? It's a useful guide to help our staff - it's supposed to be stickied.

I'll assume some section or global mod made a mistake. Because Hazz is new I'll just point fingers at him.

#BlameHazz

Staff barely read the ethos, I highly doubt they'll read this..

Good guide though.

EDIT: fk u hazz

This is now on the information thread!

Really handy guide, thanks Raeker