ESOC Update

[n0el]

As many of you have now noticed, ESOC has been refreshed with updated graphics, new team members and a renewed focus on promoting a positive culture around AoE3. The website has been a hub for players of the classic real-time strategy game for over a decade, providing resources, discussions, and tournaments for the game's passionate fanbase and now its time to take the next step forward for the game we all love. The refresh includes a sleek new design for the forums, updating to match the wonderful graphical updates that the Definitive edition has brought us, as well as updates to the Discord, Twitch and Youtube graphics. But the main focus of the new ESOC is on promoting a positive culture around Age of Empires 3. The community aims to be welcoming, inclusive, and respectful to all players, regardless of their skill level or background. We have implemented a new code of conduct and moderation policies to ensure that the community remains a safe and positive environment for all. The new ESOC provides a fresh start for the community and a platform for continued growth and engagement for years to come.

Code of Conduct

The following rules are aimed at all members of the ESOC media platforms (ESOC discord, ESOC forum, ESOC Twitter, ESOC Youtube, ESOC Twitch, etc), it applies to all members of the official server and Twitch, so many regular members, members who have contributed financially and administrators, without discretion or exceptions of any kind.
We are guided by our community goals, to create a healthy environment and to foster the growth of both community and play.
Rules:
Permitted conduct...
• Treat server members with respect and courtesy
• Make friends and welcome newcomers
• Start discussions, as long as they are respectful.
• Publish and speak English.
• Report or inform the staff of those behaviors that are not allowed, as long as these can be justified or proven.
• Feel free to make inquiries about the game and offer advice.
• Answer questions if you know the answer or share helpful resources with those in need.
Conduct not allowed.
• Flaming or attacking other members of the media platforms, how to cite some examples, name calling and baiting of any sort. Discussion and debate is allowed, as long as it is with respect.
• Post offensive or derogatory comments, including those of a racial, religious or sexual nature.
• Discuss or touch on controversial topics, that are not directly related to AoE3 or another game in the series, outside the channels created specifically for this. It is specified that the official Twitch chat is not a place allowed to talk about off topic items
• Discuss or post links to inappropriate content (racism, sexism, extreme violence or animal cruelty, etc.)
• Post links to malicious websites.
• Post content that could be considered advertising, spam, or any other form of unauthorized solicitation, for example, soliciting money or donations or make requests online.
• Attempting to obtain or publish another person's private information.
• Promote scams and liars looking for some economic benefit.
• Openly discuss the actions of the staff (you can do it privately with the ticket system)
• Impersonate members with posts, username, or profile.
• Create smurfs accounts to evade a ban.

About the Staff
Staff and team members reserve the right to delete any post or content from the site and to ban users according to the severity system.
The team must also follow the rules. If you have any problems with a team member or feel you are being treated unfairly, please contact us with the ticketing system, this will be discussed privately.

Severity system
Minor violation: by mistake or misunderstanding of a user, it is easily solved by chatting and with a friendly warning.
Medium Violation: A violation taken with foresight and knowledge of this code of conduct or a large number followed by minor violations.
Serious infringement: An infringement made specifically against one of the rules and for the purpose of creating discord or havoc.

Duration of bans
Minor violations: A user will only be banned for minor violations when they have repeatedly committed a minor violation after several warnings and the violation is upgraded to a moderate violation, as they are acting insubordinate to the moderator's prior instructions.
Moderate violations: If a user commits a moderate violation, he will receive a suspension of 1 day, the second time, it will be 3 days, the third time will be for a duration of 7 days, the fourth will be for one month, and the fifth will be for one year and the sixth and final will be permanent.
Aggravated violations: When committing a very serious violation, the user will be banned for at least 7 days and the staff is responsible for discussing whether this period is extended or becomes permanent.
Any infractions that are very serious or illegal activities will result in a permanent ban of the user without the possibility of returning under any circumstances.

In order to achieve and maintain the new ESOC, we have several new team members which have joined across the various functions of ESOC. In the @Community Team, @edeholland is joined by @EliteRifleman, @moonshine, @dutchdude117, @Jaegerchere, @KrispyK, and @Nicius. In the @Media Team, @Joshua667746 (aka Josh) will lead the streaming and content side while @Guigs will lead the tournament admin side; they are joined by @Bronchy, Facundo, Chosen, @GKShaman, GeneralSpades, and @Challenger_Marco. The @Development Team now has @Dunamai and Dori helping the legends @EAGLEMUT, @musketeer925 and @Kao. Last but not least, we have introduced a new team which is adjacent to the ESOC staff, the @Pro Team. The ESOC Pro Team is responsible for offering key input on event rules in order to maintain the highest level of competition possible and creating content to help new players learn the game (check out the Strategy Wall for recent additions). The ESOC Pro Team consists of @Ezad, @Revnak, @Kawapasaka, @Kynesie and @JulianK.

[iNcog]

ESOC has come a long way since it was founded in 2015, gotta admit.

[callentournies]

thought @Kawapasaka was just some 1600 Elo china one-trick back on EP?

[harcha]

Kynesie being involved in event rules is ironic.

[Don Nameless]

I've been waiting for this graphic update since the release of aoe3de, now everything is nicer, only it's bad to see a gap at the top of the page. I just hope I don't get aoeforum-style warning messages.
There are few of these pros I hope you will add more over time.

[gibson]

thought @Kawapasaka was just some 1600 Elo china one-trick back on EP?

BOAWO

[iNcog]

I'm glad to the old skin is still available to use.

[Dolan]

custom theme gang

[Don Nameless]

When emojis updated?

[edeholland]

Kynesie being involved in event rules is ironic.

I understand where you are coming from, but the renewed focus on AoE3 and ESOC's culture means we have to put some past grievances behind us. We want to focus on how everyone in the community can contribute to the game we all (used to) love.

[iNcog]

It's not the same game anymore but I like the idea of trying to move forward instead of dwelling on the past.

I think you're going to have to rebuild the competitive scene from the ground up though. Good thing you have a lot of fresh blood to work with. As far as I'm aware, the playerbase of beginner to intermediate players is growing. This is the opposite approach to AoE4, which is good since they literally only care about the game as an esport and fail to even do that well. On the other hand, aoe3 is feeding into its playerbase intelligently. It sucks and I've been quite critical of it in the past (since, you know, the game is not the same at all and they've expanded on what makes the game less fun to play at a high level), but it's probably the best thing overall for the game.

[n0el]

Kynesie being involved in event rules is ironic.

I understand where you are coming from, but the renewed focus on AoE3 and ESOC's culture means we have to put some past grievances behind us. We want to focus on how everyone in the community can contribute to the game we all (used to) love.

Doesn’t it seem very relevant to have the best water and defensive player ever to be able to give input on which maps are most fair? It’s not new that kynesie has given great feedback with regards to water maps in tourney pools.

[n0el]

thought @Kawapasaka was just some 1600 Elo china one-trick back on EP?

China practice pays off.

[Don Nameless]

The competitive scene has completely changed compared to the past tad or ep but also since the beginning of DE where there was a cross between Nilla tad and ep player. The pro of today are not those of yesterday or at least some and they are not those of the past.
It's just time going on. Now for me it's not even Aoe3 it's another game that is called aoe3.

[Don Nameless]

The writing "User control panel" is hardly visible with the current background. Were the old emojis deleted? When I go to edit avatar they appear for about 2 seconds and then disappear.

[n0el]

The writing "User control panel" is hardly visible with the current background. Were the old emojis deleted? When I go to edit avatar they appear for about 2 seconds and then disappear.

should be better now, there was an issue with the main banner

[aaryngend]

Looks great, better than before ! This is the style I'm going to keep using.

[SoldieR]

Best of luck! Keep it going!

[Warno]

Looks awesome!

[tilanus]

Congratulations to ESOC for these great updates! Very happy to see a lot of familiar faces being added to the team. It's been - and still is - an honor to work with everyone from the old as well as the new guard, both on the ESOC site (back in the dayz!) and now DE.

[uberjz]

@tilanus can we stop nerfing china

[Don Nameless]

@tilanus can we stop nerfing china

Please some restraint

[MCJim]

Happy to see this positive message.

I've not experienced much negativity lately, but I must admit I haven't been very active. I hope, for the people who suffered from possible negativity, things are getting better now.

[Snow Lynx]

Nice job on the updated page. Looks good! I just went on another forum for a different RTS game I used to play, just to see how it was getting on. Hadn't been on it since I was a kid - apparently no one else had either cos the last post was a sad goodbye from the pages' manager 9 years ago lol. So good to come on here and see ESOC is not only alive but refreshed too! :)

[MrRewindThat]

Excellent job! Well done.