How to Become an Operator

Channel Operators & Game Masters

Channel operators are users entrusted to maintain order on the channel as well as correct errors and notify the administration in the event of errors or mishaps. If you are not on the bot op list and think that you qualify, contact the appropriate game administrator.

People are granted operator status on EFnet/Undernet by Mach (kenrick@acm.org). For StarLink/DALnet, you need to contact Eingang (eingang@eingang.org). Usually, operator privileges are granted to people who have played the games for awhile so that their behaviour can be evaluated.

We do not find it amusing if people are constantly asking us for operator privileges for the games. Being an operator is not just a status thing, it is also a responsibility. If you just want to be an operator because you think it is cool, please do not even bother to ask. In fact, in general, operator privileges are granted automatically to people deemed capable of assuming the responsibility for managing the channel.

We cannot stress the importance of operators behaving appropriately. With so many games running, it is impossible for the game administrators to monitor all the channels all the time. As such, we rely on the operators to enforce the rules, particularly the rules regarding language and conduct on the channel. The games are designed to be family-friendly. If you are an operator or would like to be an operator, please be sure that you are also committed to this.

If you think someone is abusing their operator privileges or perhaps using them to cheat, please feel free to contact the appropriate game administrator with details of the problem.

Before applying for channel operator privileges, please ensure that you have completed the following steps:

1. Be playing at least three months.
   
   
2. Have at least six month's experience on the IRC, including knowledge of how to kick/ban/ignore people.
   
   
3. Get 3 other operators to vouch for you (get them to msg or mail us their recommendations)
   
   
4. You've read and agree with the channel rules (for all channels) as described in Channel Rules (For Everyone).
   
   
5. Agree to the operator rules below and to enforce them.
   
   
6. Complete and submit the online quiz below or copy it and e-mail it the appropriate games administrator.
   
   
7. After all the above is done, keep checking back with us as to your status. It may take weeks or months because we are busy.
   
   

Policies/Guidelines

Changing Scores

The /score command should only be used in the event of lag errors, typos in the bot's data file, or mistyped bot commands such as "ReneeBot, shouw categories." The score command should not be used selfishly (i.e., only change your own score) or frivolously. Please use the /note command to register corrections to the bot.

Kicking/Banning Users

You may kick off users who are disrupting the game. This includes people who are flooding the channel or people who are being excessively rude to others. In general, warn the offenders prior to kicking them. The game channel is not a place for personal flame wars; if you have a personal vendetta against someone, the parties involved must take the argument elsewhere.

You may not kick someone for personal reasons or general personal dislike. Flame wars on the channel will result in the removal of ops from all parties involved. If users are flaming each other and refuse to stop after repeated requests and warnings, any or all of the flamers may be kicked. Perseverance, of course, may require banning.

You may kick off a user who repeatedly gives out answers in moments requiring private message answers after previously warning them that this is not acceptable.

If the channel is full, people who have been idle more than 10 minutes can be kicked, provided you give a warning first. If the channel is not full, people idling for more than 2 hours should be kicked, again after giving a warning first.

Finally, users can be kicked for profanity after being warned. (See the profanity section below)

Unbanning Users

Generally, you should only be removing bans that you yourself have placed. If someone asks you to remove a channel ban that you did not place, refer them to the person who made the original ban. If they do not know who banned them originally or that person has not been seen then refer them to a different gaming network and advise them to contact one of the games administrators regarding the problem.

Ignoring Users

Sometimes people are causing the 'bot to lag by sending tons of private messages to the 'bot. If one person sends more than 15 messages to the 'bot, the 'bot will display a message on the channel indicating that nickname (user@host) may be flooding via messages. If the game seems really slow and such a message appears, message the person indicated and ask them to stop flooding the 'bot via messages. If they don't respond or respond in a negative fashion, you can use the /IGNORE command to force the 'bot to ignore that user. This is a permanent ignore so use it with caution!

Swearing/Language

Little or no profanity is permitted on any of the game channels. As a channel operator, you are expected to be curteous but ensure that a comfortable environment exists on the channel so that all users feel welcome by warning and then removing individuals who persist in swearing. Warn people who are using 'excessive' profanity that the game channels are meant to be played in a 'family' atmosphere and their swearing should be kept to a minimum.

Opping Other Users

Please do not op your friends or anyone who is not on the channel operator list. There have been many instances in the past of "friends" abusing the channel. If you wish, you may bestow +v on your friends so they may speak during the +m mode in Risky Business.

If someone has changed accounts or is using a different machine, but is a legitimate operator, have them contact Mach or Eingang to register a new address. Your giving them operator privileges does not enable them to control the 'bot, only to kick/ban people on the channel.

Moving the Bot

If the bot has lost ops, you may wish to attempt to get others users off the channel to regain ops (this is not required, only if you wish). However, if ops have been lost please don't move the bot unless someone is causing trouble on the channel (e.g, flooding) and is making the game unplayable. The game will still run without ops.

Removing Channel Moderation (+m)

If all players are experienced and nobody is giving away answers, you may remove +m. This is at the channel operator's discretion. If just ONE person wants moderation mode on, you must comply and leave +m on.

Changing Channel Limits

Please do not change the channel limits. A limit around 20-25 for Riskybus, 25 for Chaos, 10 for Boggle, and 18 for Acrophobia and MadLib works well.

X, GameSrv, Q, StarBot, Mars, W, or other bots

You may not use your ops with one bot to get you ops on a different channel or control of any other bots. This is considered abuse and will result in the immediate removal of operator privileges.

Operator Bot Commands

The following commands are available to operators on DALnet/ StarLink by messaging the 'bot with the command name plus any required paramters:

Command Name	Parameters	Description
/OPME or /AUTH	Password	For those of you who require a password to authorize yourself. Currently all bots except MadBot use /OPME.
/PASSWORD	old_pass new_pass	For operators with passwords, change your password from old pass to new pass. This only works currently with MadBot.
/PLAYERS	No Args	Instructs the #madlib bot to give you a list of players currently on #madlib and what their idle time is. Bot also shows who is "authorized" with the bot.
/BAN	Nickname/User@Host Reason	Place a channel ban by nickname or user@host for reason. This command takes wildcards.
/UNBAN	NickName/User@host	Remove a channel ban by nickname or user@host. In order to be successful, the user@host/nickname must match the original ban. Use /mode #channel_name +b to see a list of the bans. This command takes wildcards.
/KICK	NickName (Reason)	Kick nickname off the channel for Reason. If no reason is supplied, a generic one is used.
/TEMPBAN	User@Host Number_of_Games Nick Number_of_Games Reason	Place a temporary channel ban on user with User@Host or user named nick for specified number of games. Using a nick will cause the bot to kick the person as well as place a user@host ban. This ban will automatically be removed by the 'bot. This command takes wildcards.
/UNTEMPBAN	User@Host/Ban Number	Removes a temporary ban. The User@Host mask must match that of the original tempban or the current number of the ban in the show tempbans list. Use /SHOW TEMPBANS to see the list. This command takes wildcards.
/SHOW TEMPBANS	No args	Show the list of current tempbans, including who set them and the number of games each ban is good for.
/IGNORE	User@Host	Instruct the 'bot to ignore any messages from user@host. This is a permanent ignore, so use with caution. This command takes wildcards.
LIMIT	(Number)	When no number is present, turn the channel limit off, otherwise set the channel limit to number.
/MOD	No args	Turn channel moderation (+m) on immediately
/UNMOD	No args	Turn channel moderation off (-m)
/JOIN	#Channel_name	Have 'bot leave the current channel and join #channel_name instead.
/LEAVE	#Channel_name	Have 'bot leave the current channel.
/TOPIC	Bleah	Change the channel topic to Bleah.
/PROTECT TOPIC ON	(Number_Games)	Prevent the 'bot from automatically changing the topic for a certain number of games. If no number is provided, a default value is used. The maximum number of games you can protect for is 29. This does not prevent people from changing the topic via the topic command!
/PROTECT TOPIC OFF	No Args	Turn topic protection off.
/CHANGE TOPIC	No Args	Force the 'bot to select a new topic out of the topic file and set the channel topic.
/HELP	(Command_Name)	If no argument is provided, then returns a list of valid operator commands for the 'bot. If a command name is provided, specific help on that command is provided.
/RESET SCORES	No Args	Set the scores of both teams to 0 for Chaos.
/SCORE	NickName value	Set the score of nick to value in the trivia games.
/QUIET	No Args	Turn the moderated mode on/off during Terrible Trouble or the display of answers in Chaos. The default for this is on for Chaos and off for the trivia games.
/ANNOUNCE GAME	No Args	Have the bot make an announcement on some of the other game channels that a game of Acro/MadLib will be starting shortly. This command can only be used during the delay between rounds and only works in Acrophobia/MadLib.
/RESTART GAME	No Args	Erase all the old scores and players from the current game and start a new Acrophobia game. Use this command with caution since it has no undo.
/GAME HALT	No Args	Pause a MadLib game.
/GAME RESUME	No Args	Resume a paused MadLib game.

Please do not abuse your privileges; all interactions are logged and will be monitored in the event of a complaint. Please abide by the guidelines. Violations of these guidelines will result in removal from the operator list.

Operator Quiz

Please choose the best answer for each of the questions below and, in the additional comments space, provide a brief explanation for your answer.

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