Anyone have any plans for a plugin like MCBans?

Discussion in 'Plugin Development' started by Sh8kezula, Jul 7, 2011.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Offline

    Sh8kezula

    Edit - Sorry for then rude title of the post. I did not mean to start a flame war between competitors. It was only my intent to drum up competition. My worlds "take over " were not meant to imply "remove and replace." If I have offended anyone I am sorry.


    It seems the the guys who make MCbans don't take their own product seriously considering the major impact that this plugin has on members of the MC community.

    They don't give timely support to erroneously banned players. Plugin features are rarely updated or upgraded. The system for server reputation encourages server owners to trick players into griefing and appealing so a server gains rep like banning ppl is a game.

    Something on this scale needs better support, staff, updates, features, web site, reputation system, and rules.

    If these guys don't want to properly support their own product or even branch out for help then maybe we the community can stir up at least some competition to whip them into shape.

    Anyone able to step up to the plate?
     
  2. Offline

    ashour

    i think that would be a illeagl think stateing ur takeing his plugin.
     
  3. Offline

    Sh8kezula

    I'm not saying steal his code and destroy his current project... I'm saying start a new one... It wouldn't be called MCbans, or maybe it would... I don't know maybe firestar wants to comment.

    It wouldn't be stealing the plugin It would be starting a new plugins that does something similar but more efficiently.
    Its no different that what all plugin creators do every day. They take on projects that other plugin devs no longer have the personal time to keep updated and supported.
     
  4. Offline

    Korgano

    I've noticed some issues with MCBans too

    The server I play on has a 1.2 rep yet we have hundreds/thousands of bans, never lost a single dispute, and we post extremely detailed and specific ban reports with screen shot proof for every ban. Our rep should be 3+... it doesn't make sense. The rep system definitely needs improvements. Also the support is nonexistent.. the mcbans forums are dead and mcbans staff never reply to anything.

    So yeah, I think it's a good idea
     
  5. Offline

    MCManager

    only, if the owners dont agree
     
  6. Offline

    Sh8kezula

    They have it as open source now.. They are looking for ppl to help work on the plugin.
     
  7. Offline

    ashour

    Note u said help work on it not take it and go get donations :p
     
  8. Offline

    Sh8kezula

    I'm not trying to be mean to the current owners... but seriously.. something that can affect a players in the way that MCbans does needs a more professional management. Their current policy is guilty until proven innocent... What player can provide proof that they did not grief... Any dishonorable admin can start banning whom they wish with minimal regulation from the Staff.

    Better policies need to be put in place... The current staff my be working on these problems but they sure don't let that be known to the public.
     
  9. Offline

    nickguletskii

    Solution: don't use MCBans at all. I find it disgusting really, there is no way of providing proof.
     
    WaterNode, darkmage0252 and poiuyt580 like this.
  10. Offline

    superbomb17

    +1
    btw...could you help me with a plugin im making? i love ur spyer plugin.
     
  11. Offline

    Sh8kezula

    That is why i suggest improvement... There needs to be a way to collect and reference proof, for public viewing... This is not a hard thing to do.
     
  12. Offline

    nisovin

    Let's be honest. You say you'd be willing to do it now, but after a few months of handling all of the user complaints and petitions, you'd grow tired of it and look for a way out. Unless you can actually hire and pay a large staff to handle the customer interaction, it just wouldn't be worth the hassle to do this. Nobody would be willing to do this kind of thing for free for very long.
     
  13. Offline

    Borch

    If anyone is gonna make a new site like this or improve mcbans, here is how I'd like it to work:
    It has to have some kind of "social network component", where you can subscribe to certain server owners, and then your server will only ban players that have been banned by one of the other servers you subscribe to. Maybe combine this with a thresold feature (needs to be banned by at least X of the people I subscribed to).

    So for example, I know 3 guys that run servers and I think are really great admins; the 4 of us decide to sign up on mcbans, subscribe to each other, install mcbans on our servers and there we go. I think even if you really only work together with 3 or 4 other server owners it will already help alot.
    If you want to make the site really cool you make it so that you can see there if your server rejected some player, and also shows you why (like: "because user XYZ you subscribed to banned him 2 days ago")
    So if you find out that one of the people you subscribed to is being an **** and bans random people for no reason, you just unsubscribe, and everyone banned by only this guy can get into your server again.

    But this would probably take some more effort, and as it looks like, nobody is willing to.
    BUT it would have the great advantage that it is pretty self regulating and doesn't require too much interaction by the mcbans admins, since bad server owners just wouldn't have any subscriptions.
    I agree that the way mcbans currently works has lots of flaws, and thats the reason why I'm not using it, despite running a public server where everyone can build everywhere. Which is a pain sometimes.

    I hope someone understands my idea, as I have some problems expressing it in a clear way :p (Not a native speaker)
     
  14. Offline

    DerHeiligste

    The Bukkit API is GPL, so all derived works must also be under GPL for them to be legally distributed. This means that using the McBans code is legal if you also license using the GPL (or McBans is being illegally distributed, in which case you got no rights...)

    This is not, of course, legal advice :)
     
  15. Offline

    ashour

    i would help with what i got if i do some law working and legal, 100% in if legal who ever starts it pm me
     
  16. Offline

    chaseoes

    I like the idea behind MCBans, and then again.. don't. :p

    I like the idea of having a global database where the names of banned people/reasons come up - it could be very useful to servers who have strict application processes and can easily check if people have a ban history on other servers etc. Then we could get some kind of an API going for plugin developers. Then they could make something like, for example, a plugin that notifies all admins (or groups with a certain permissions node) about someone's ban history/reputation upon their login (and could be configurable so they only get notified if their rep is under a certain amount?).

    Interesting concept, would be cool to see.
     
  17. Offline

    codename_B

    You can distribute plugins under any license you like.
     
  18. Offline

    Everdras

  19. Offline

    LennardF1989

    I find this a horrible idea, way to much power for one server admin. People are getting global banned for spamming, I mean, WTF. That's reason for a temporary local ban, not global.

    Global bans should be issued based on multiple server owners, not just one.

    @Everdras Bukkit is GPL, but CraftBukkit is LGPL. Also, you are not modifying CraftBukkit source, you're using it as a library. You can distribute plugins under any license you wish, as long as you note that it uses Bukkit/CraftBukkit and the respective license you used it under. You will not have to open-source anything either if you don't want to. This only counts when modifying Bukkit, CraftBukkit gives you the choice. Take a look at this wonderful article: http://www.sitepoint.com/public-license-explained/ First quote hits the nail right on the head.

    I also like the statement people think GPL is like how people thought about AIDS in the early times, you do not get GPL by touching something with GPL!
     
    poiuyt580 likes this.
  20. Offline

    desmin88

    @Everdras
    Incorrect.
    Talk to EvilSeph, plugins are NOT bound to the terms of GPL and can be released under ANY license they want to.
     
  21. Offline

    ChrizC

    @Everdras
    I must concur with the group verdict here - whilst Bukkit and CraftBukkit are GPL and LGPL respectively, and therefore all modifications to their source are also GPL/LGPL, plugins can be released under license that the author decides.
     
  22. Offline

    Supersam654

    I would be interested in helping out with this project. I am a little new to Bukkit programming (about to release my first plugin), but I am great with PR and documentation (that will definitely be needed). If someone starts a GitHub page/website for the MCBans fork/takeover, then PM me and I will be glad to help out.

    Sam
     
  23. Offline

    codename_B

    Need I say more? I am, of course, correct. Please note: plugins are not modifications of Bukkit in any way - they may modify it but they don't change the bukkit source code, they're extensions to the software.
     
  24. Offline

    Hretsam

    To refer back the the original post.
    I never used MCBans for the same reason nickguletskii said, there is no proof.

    Maby if your going to make this plugin, you wont auto kick them but let them join.
    Then if a 'tagged' player joins your server the admins/mods get a message that the player was banned on an other server.
    Something like "The player 'Hretsam' was banned on 3 other servers!".
    Then with a command you can see from which server, with a reputation? and a reason.

    This allows the moderator/admin to make their own judgement if they allow the player on the server or not.

    But that is just an idea, i'll be interested to help developing with this.
     
  25. Offline

    Everdras

    Ah. Hm, it's probably a good thing I'm not wanting to major in law then...
    I'll stick to writing the code. >.>
     
  26. Offline

    Zovator

    I personally dislike MCBans because they intervene too much, it's much easier when you control everything and nobody can take away your correct bans, they have multiple times unbanned people that actually griefed. But then again that's just my opinion :p
     
  27. Offline

    Borch

    Thus my idea of subscriptions to other server owners. If you make the system open, you could see which server owners are subscribed to most, the ratio of subscriptions/unsubscriptions in the past week or whatnot, which could be used as some kind of rating.
    Or you could ignore 99% of the users there and just build a small network with befriended server owners. In that case, it would just be a simple way of banlist sharing, instead of manually copying the files between 4 people.
     
  28. Offline

    Evenprime

    I think this got very relevant again now, if you read through the latest comments on MCbans thread. http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/ad...-global-ban-system-953.94/page-39#post-500621

    I was "kinda" live there when the mass banning based on a personal grudge of one person (closely related to MCBans) against specific players happened (the thread that documents this is in another forum, I'll provide the link if someone needs - not sure what bukkits rules are concerning links to such "darker" forums), and how he bragged about having banned many dozens of accounts to pay back somebody for apparently stealing his code, which is quite obviously NOT something that should get people a MCBans entry, as it isn't game related.
     
  29. Offline

    bergerkiller

    I find it quite odd that this "much used" plug-in doesn't have a ban duration setting? I mean really, I can understand somebody hitting a key by accident and he starts flying or speed-walking. And then getting banned on almost all servers? Come on...
    And yes, there should be proof that somebody is a well-known abuser, like a griefer. Ban the griefer from your server (for a certain amount of time) and contact your "fellow servers" that you encountered abuse. When the same player now joins another server, a message is displayed that he had violated rules in the past. Server admins watch him regularly. Still misbehaving? Another ban. Servers can set a threshold for the amount of violations upon which a player is not allowed to join. A plugin right there. :D

    Also, a central forum must exist where ratings can take place. Unjustified ban? -point. Caught a real abuser or troll? +point. Just like the like or dislike systems. Although, it seems a bit weird to give points for banning...
     
  30. Offline

    Supersam654

    In case there has been a slight mis-communication/lack of communication, a new plugin has been created and is currently being developed called CommunityBans. It is similar to MCBans, however has improved lots of major things including automatic mandatory proof when a ban is made. Also, the ranking system has been replaced by a simple count of the number of bans you have. If you have more bans than a server will accept, you cannot join that server. We opted for this system over ranks because, like many of you have said, it encourages people to ban others, like a game. If you have any questions, feel free to post them here and someone from the team will be happy to answer them.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page