We have just completed yet another EXHAUSTING registration weekend, one in which we did something we've never done before -- closed registration nearly a day early. This was due to the fact we had a huge number of new accounts registered, above our usual numbers. While we do like to think this is due to the growing popularity of PottersWorld, a simple examination of the IPs of those new accounts shows this is not the case. Most of those large numbers are due to existing members registering multiple new accounts.
Normally, this wouldn't bother us -- except in the past few months, there have been more and more accounts deleted due to inactivity or player requests. Again, in most cases, those accounts have been barely used.
The staff have examined this issue closely and have come to the following conclusions:
-- too many people are registering accounts that never get used. On the average, we have 100 new accounts each term, yet over half of these get deleted due to little or no usage.
-- too many people taking on multiple accounts; this is bad because:
------ it creates a lot of character accounts that are barely used (members spread too thin)
------ it gives the impression that this is a shallow site where people do not devote time or effort to character development, but continually create/delete characters in hopes of finally getting that one "popular character"
------ it creates more work for the staff
-- too many people deleting a character just before registration period, only to then register another new account (the "revolving door")
"I've lost my MUSE for this character!"
You cannot truly have a successful character unless you put some work into it. Each character needs a degree of development through active, continual posting, work on character history and characteristics, and this cannot be accomplished quickly. We often read of the cry of "I've lost my muse for this character", which begs the question -- did you ever really have it? I have personally watched some members create character after character after character, and I have to ask myself -- what are they looking for? Are they so hungry for a popular character or a prefect or a "boyfriend" that they will keep creating/deleting characters until they get it?
Ask any handler of a successful character around the board and they will tell you -- its VERY hard work! They are continually writing, finding ways to make their characters interesting, spending time role-playing with a large variety of characters, but one of their strongest characteristics is that they STICK WITH IT.
The Conclusion
When PottersWorld first opened over 3 years ago, we had some controls in place concerning how many characters an individual member could create. Over time, we relaxed those rules in an effort to accomadate member wishes. However, it is the unfortunate conclusion of the staff that we can no longer rely on the "common sense" of members to control their own impulses -- we have to put some of those controls back in place.
Below are CHANGES to our ToS putting controls on multiple accounts back into place.
New to the ToS:
QUOTE
Multiple Accounts or Alters
When the same player/handler creates more than one account, we call this having an 'alter'. The first character created is referred to as the "primary" and any after that are "alters".
Because we have had a large problem with members frivolously creating/deleting accounts in large numbers -- which does not give them enough time to properly develop a character -- the following rules are in place for creation of more than one account:
For all Members:
-- may not register more than 1 new account per term.
-- may not have more than 3 students at Hogwarts at any given time
-- may not have more than 4 accounts TOTAL without special permission from the staff (handling of stock accounts does not count)
If you have requested an account be deleted, or if an account is deleted due to inactivity:
-- you must wait ONE FULL TERM before you can register another new account
-- anyone with 10 or more accounts that have either been deleted by request or deleted due to inactivity within 1 calendar year will not be able to register any new accounts until their existing accounts reach the Adult World (graduate from Hogwarts)
For those with existing accounts ("the grandfather clause"):
-- if you already have over 3 students at Hogwarts, you may keep them
-- if you already have over the 4 character limit, you may keep them
-- the above rules apply for characters created AFTER today
If you want to try to risk ignoring these rules:
-- anyone attempting to register an account in violation of the above rules may have all their accounts deleted, and they themselves banned.
A word about IPs
IP -- (internet protocol) - a special number assigned to your computer/internet connection; it is also a primary way for the staff to identify which accounts go with with member.
The only way the staff has to identify whether an account belongs an individual member is through the IP. Therefore, the above rules WILL apply to those IPs. No one IP will be allowed to register more than one account per term. No IP will be allowed to hold over 4 accounts to the same IP except by special permission of the staff.
A word about Proxies:
Proxy -- a computer network service that may allow a member to hide their true IP.
The platform this board runs on is Invision Power Board (IPB) -- not to be confused with InvisionFree. IPB costs money to purchase and run, and therefore, it has FAR more to it than InvisionFree. We have some very powerful tools at our disposal, ones that can capture and store every IP that has ever logged onto an account on this board. Using those tools, the staff have the ability to search each IP thoroughly, and can keep a very accurate record of what accounts are connected through the IPs.
Some people may try to sneak on more accounts than allowed using a proxy server. This is not a good practice. First of all, you cannot guarantee that the proxy you use will be "private". Most proxy companies have a limited number of IP numbers to use, and you may find your character sharing the same proxy IP with another member -- someone who may misbehave so badly, they get banned. In that case, your account would be banned as well. Proxy sites are also somewhat of a pain to use; if you log onto our site through a proxy site, you may find your refresh time is incredibly slow, you cannot see certain things, or certain functions (like using editing or formatting) doesn't work for you. So too, if you slip up JUST ONCE and log on with another IP, our system keeps a record of this. Your supposed "secrecy" would be forever breached.
When the same player/handler creates more than one account, we call this having an 'alter'. The first character created is referred to as the "primary" and any after that are "alters".
Because we have had a large problem with members frivolously creating/deleting accounts in large numbers -- which does not give them enough time to properly develop a character -- the following rules are in place for creation of more than one account:
For all Members:
-- may not register more than 1 new account per term.
-- may not have more than 3 students at Hogwarts at any given time
-- may not have more than 4 accounts TOTAL without special permission from the staff (handling of stock accounts does not count)
If you have requested an account be deleted, or if an account is deleted due to inactivity:
-- you must wait ONE FULL TERM before you can register another new account
-- anyone with 10 or more accounts that have either been deleted by request or deleted due to inactivity within 1 calendar year will not be able to register any new accounts until their existing accounts reach the Adult World (graduate from Hogwarts)
For those with existing accounts ("the grandfather clause"):
-- if you already have over 3 students at Hogwarts, you may keep them
-- if you already have over the 4 character limit, you may keep them
-- the above rules apply for characters created AFTER today
If you want to try to risk ignoring these rules:
-- anyone attempting to register an account in violation of the above rules may have all their accounts deleted, and they themselves banned.
A word about IPs
IP -- (internet protocol) - a special number assigned to your computer/internet connection; it is also a primary way for the staff to identify which accounts go with with member.
The only way the staff has to identify whether an account belongs an individual member is through the IP. Therefore, the above rules WILL apply to those IPs. No one IP will be allowed to register more than one account per term. No IP will be allowed to hold over 4 accounts to the same IP except by special permission of the staff.
A word about Proxies:
Proxy -- a computer network service that may allow a member to hide their true IP.
The platform this board runs on is Invision Power Board (IPB) -- not to be confused with InvisionFree. IPB costs money to purchase and run, and therefore, it has FAR more to it than InvisionFree. We have some very powerful tools at our disposal, ones that can capture and store every IP that has ever logged onto an account on this board. Using those tools, the staff have the ability to search each IP thoroughly, and can keep a very accurate record of what accounts are connected through the IPs.
Some people may try to sneak on more accounts than allowed using a proxy server. This is not a good practice. First of all, you cannot guarantee that the proxy you use will be "private". Most proxy companies have a limited number of IP numbers to use, and you may find your character sharing the same proxy IP with another member -- someone who may misbehave so badly, they get banned. In that case, your account would be banned as well. Proxy sites are also somewhat of a pain to use; if you log onto our site through a proxy site, you may find your refresh time is incredibly slow, you cannot see certain things, or certain functions (like using editing or formatting) doesn't work for you. So too, if you slip up JUST ONCE and log on with another IP, our system keeps a record of this. Your supposed "secrecy" would be forever breached.