Hello everyone! How's your day going?

Recently, in case you haven't followed along, we've had an issue pop up with usage and distribution of media that does not originate with the Artist. I'll discuss here, what happened and what steps were taken to remedy the situation.

The Artist in question was also a Moderator here. He had a model of a downed helicopter on his HD, from back in 2006. The model was not his own (it was a copyrighted model from an older game that was published). He mistakenly re-textured and put it up for distribution (for free), after being asked to do so. I, and the rest of the Mod Team, believe he did this in error and with no malicious intent. This Artist/Moderator has been a very valuable Community and Team Member for a good long time now, and I hope that he finds his way back to us when he's ready.

Generally speaking, when we have something like this pop up, we look at the problem and the Community Member in a holistic way. We also make note of any past infractions, and take that into account. Punishment can range from a warning (in the form of a lengthy slap....mainly in the case of a brand new Member), to a full and total ban from the Community. This case was unique, in that we absolutely hold our Moderators to a higher standard than the regular Community. As such, the following actions were taken:

- Moderator Status was removed
- The Member was given a short (temporary) ban, followed by a length of time on post moderation

The actions we took, we took as a Team; and after LONG deliberation. Our decision is final, and we consider the matter closed.

I would also like to talk about the tone that was taken against Moderators in general, in this affair. Let me be clear and to the point:

The Moderating Team at TGC are comprised 100% of dedicated volunteers. We're passionate about TGC's products, just like you. We're also passionate about this Community. It has a long and storied history, and (in my opinion) is one of the best Communities in the Game Development World. Having said this; we do NOT tolerate abuse, in any form, of our Moderator Team. You can peruse the AUP and find language that reflects this.

Let's keep things here civil, and fun! If you feel that you are having an issue with anyone in the Community, PM a Moderator here. They're here to help. If you, however, feel you have an issue with a Moderator; PM me, and I will handle it. If you are having an issue with ME; PM TheNext, and he will handle it. I've found that handling issues we have with each other in that way, versus the open boards, is much more effective.

One final note: Stay healthy and safe everyone. This is a great time to brush up on your dev skills, play a new game, binge a new show...or just spend more time with your Family and Friends (perhaps online).

- Keith