CLK3pzj7

1
2
3LS-RP	
4    Los Santos Roleplay
5    Los Santos Roleplay	
6    Posts: 192	
7    Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:28 am	
8    Contact: Contact LS-RP
9
10[27/FEB/2019] Tester Manual
11
12Post by LS-RP » Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:46 am
13
14Los Santos Roleplay
15Tester Manual
16
17Table of Contents
18
191.0 - General
201.1 - Introduction
211.2 - Confidentiality
221.3 - Getting started
231.4 - Communication
241.5 - Professionalism
251.6 - Feature and bug testing
26
272.0 - Website administrative functions
282.01 - Introduction
292.02 - Tester tab
302.03 - Game admin tab introduction
312.04 - "Administrator and general statistics"
322.05 - "Send Message"
332.06 - "Ban a user (ingame)"
342.07 - "Jail a user"
352.08 - "Unban IP & account"
362.09 - "UCP (Un)Ban Management"
372.10 - "Look up a user!"
382.11 - "Look up namechanges"
392.12 - "Look at the factions"
402.13 - "IP Scan through IP's and ranges"
412.14 - "Decrypt masked username"
422.15 - "Set login message"
432.16 - "Player refund panel"
442.17 - "Advanced player searching"
452.18 - "Group view"
462.19 - "Admin notes"
472.20 - Joint Admin Records Lookup"
48
493.0 - Applications
503.1 - Introduction
513.2 - Why do we handle applications?
523.3 - Application functions
533.4 - Application guide
54
554.0 - Ban appeals/ban evading
564.1 - Introduction
574.2 - Finding ban evaders
584.3 - Handling ban appeals
59
605.0 - Progression and tester candidates
615.1 - Introduction
625.2 - Tester to (Senior) Forum Moderator
635.3 - SFM to TA to Admin
645.4 - Sub-teams
655.5 - Tester candidates section
66
676.0 - Miscellaneous
686.1 - Other useful threads/guides
696.2 - Tune-up refund prices
706.3 - Tester in-game commands
716.4 - Handling spray bans
726.5 - Handling /givespray
736.6 - Monthly requirements as a tester/FM/SFM
74
75
761.0 General
77
78
79
801.1 Introduction
81As a part of the staff team for Los Santos Roleplay, you are given access to some classified sections which other community members won't be able to see. You are also given a lot of power in terms of looking up players information, and we expect you to handle all of these privileges with the utmost respect. If you are ever in doubt of what you're allowed to do, feel free to ask any admin for guidance.
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83
841.2 Confidentiality
85Confidentiality in the staff team is an important pillar of the staff team's reputation and ability to work efficiently. As a tester, you will have access to private staff communications and private player information to conduct your duties. The confidential communication methods you are given access to also include any in-game staff chat, alongside any Discord or Teamspeak channel dedicated to the staff team.
86
87Any breach of confidentiality should be reported to a Lead Administrator immediately. Breaches of confidentiality include, but are not limited to:
88
89    Disclosing ANY private UCP information. This can include:
90        Telling players who are inactive or who is not inactive.
91        Disclosing any other accounts a player may have (e.g. alternative characters)
92        Disclosing any items in possession of a player (e.g. weapons, money)
93        Disclosing any private information on a player's account (e.g. IPs, secret words)
94    Streaming in-game without prior permission from a Lead Administrator.
95
96A sense of mutual trust is necessary for staff team members to work efficiently and impartially. If you are unable to keep any of the above information confidential, you should leave the staff team immediately. Staff team members who breach confidentiality will be banned immediately and without question.
97
98All UCP activity is logged and can be referenced.
99
100
1011.3 Getting started
102Before getting inducted, you are allowed to request the -1 permission on up to two of your characters. This'll allow you to answer /helpme's in-game. YOU SHOULD NEVER do any applications with your -1 character(s), wait until you've been inducted so you know how to properly deal with applications. You can request your -1 permissions on this thread.
103
104All tester duties such as the handling of applications and feature testing will be conducted with your _Test character, so it's a must to get that created (this is done at the induction with the Head of Testers).
105
106Now that you've created your _Test character, you'll need to acquire your in-game rights as a tester. In-game authority in Los Santos Roleplay is divided by admin levels, here are some of the basic ones:
107
108+Custom • Lead Admin
109+4 • In-game Lead Admin
110+3 • Level 3 Game Admin
111+2 • Level 2 Game Admin
112+1 • Level 1 Game Admin
113-1 • In-game Tester
1140 • Normal User
115
116Your Test character, the one you will be handling applications with, gets the +1 rank. Your normal characters, the ones you normally play with in-game, get -1. Only two of your characters may have the -1 admin level. Post in this topic and request your admin levels. Once done, add yourself to the member roster.
117
118You can only head in-game on your _Test account if you're in the Tester-Admin Scheme along with a level 3+ admin who's agreed to bring you on a TA session. Furthermore, you can head onto your _Test account if there's a hacker in-game and there are NO ADMINS AVAILABLE AT ALL. You should always ping the admin team on discord, and if you're completely unable to reach anyone and the hacker keeps on DMing etcetera, you can head on your _Test account and ban them. First, when entering your _Test account, you should /awp <ID> them then /ban them if your suspicions are true. If you ever experience this and you've headed on your _Test without permission, consult the Head of Testers as soon as possible! This is to make sure no misunderstandings occur and you won't be removed by a mistake.
119Here are some basic +1 admin commands you can put to use, in case such an incident occurs:
120
121/awp — use this to spectate a player. /watchoff to stop.
122/checkall — shows all players in possession of illegal weaponry. (e.g. miniguns, heatseekers, etc)
123/as [ID] — shows the actual stats of a player.
124/stats [ID] — shows regular /stats of a player.
125/clearguns [ID] — removes all weapons from a player.
126/ban [ID] [reason] — self-explanatory, it bans a player.
127
128Do not use your _Test account for anything other than testing in the test server unless the aforementioned requirements are met. Disregard of these instructions will result in your permanent banishment from Los Santos Roleplay.
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130
1311.4 Communication
132Communication throughout the staff team is primarily handled by Discord. mIRC is no longer used by the staff team and as such is no longer required.
133
134    Discord
135
136    As previously stated, Discord is currently the primary mode of communication for staff team members. To receive your role on discord, post in this topic with the information requested.
137
138    Your Discord nickname in the LS:RP Discord server should always be your staff name.
139
140    Whenever you are in-game, you should also be online on the LS:RP Discord server.
141
142    TeamSpeak 3
143
144    The password for tester channels on the LS:RP TeamSpeak 3 server is "inb4urremoved". Whenever on the LSRP TeamSpeak 3 channel, your staff name must be your nickname on TeamSpeak or in your user description. This is to ensure both players and other staff team members know who you are.
145
146Staff team members are expected to actively communicate with each other and with the community at-large. Your activity on Discord will be monitored during monthly checks. If other staff team members request assistance over a staff communication channel (e.g. with high application counts or a lack of staff members in-game), you should attempt to assist them in any way possible.
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148
1491.5 Professionalism
150Professionalism in the staff team is expected of all staff team members. Maintaining a professional attitude among our staff team is important for upholding the staff team's reputation and providing a courteous environment for players to approach staff team members with any issues they may have.
151
152It is important to maintain a professional attitude, even when being attacked or harassed. Your top priority, if being attacked or harassed, should be to contact an administrator to deal with a player as opposed to "stooping to their level" and throwing attacks or harassment back. An important adage to remember is to "be the better man."
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154Staff members should not use offensive avatars or forum signatures on any official LS:RP medium (e.g. Discord avatars, LS:RP forum signatures.)
155
156Staff members are expected to follow all server rules. This includes in-game rules, forum rules, and Discord rules.
157
158It is important to remember that you as a staff team member represent the collective server and staff team. You are a part of something bigger than yourself while you are in the staff team. Strive to maintain the staff team's reputation and provide the best experience possible for players and other staff team members.
159
160
1611.6 Feature and bug testing
162The name speaks for itself. You are a tester, and it will soon be expected of you to test. There are two types of testing, one is for features and the other is for bugs. Testing of features happens once every few months, while the handling of bug reports is an everyday activity. You can find a detailed guide on how to deal with the Bug Tracker here. You will be informed by the developers when a massive feature project has to be tested. All testing, of course, happens in our test server. While in there, follow all instructions of the development team, strictly and obediently. Do not fool around with your colleagues while testing — no trolling, random kicking, ajailing or banning. If you run into a bug while testing, report it on the forum, in our staff section. Do not enter the test server without being on Discord — if you are caught guilty of that, you will be removed.
163
164Do not give information related to the test server to anyone. If you are curious to know how features are tested, give this exemplary topic a read. It covers how the latest Truck System was tested before its implementation.
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166
1672.0 Website administrative functions
168
169
170
1712.01 Introduction
172The Administration menu is the main tool for LS-RP Staff team to conduct their duties even when they're not in-game, giving them access to various commands and features that assist us with most of our duties.
173
174The Administrative panel can be found here and it contains most of the tools that a Tester / Game Administrator needs to face issues that may come up.
175
176Through this manual, we will go over each and every tab that you'll need to be aware of, in as much detail as possible to make it approachable and easy to use.
177
178
1792.02 Tester tab
180Image
181
182The Tester Tab itself contains all the basic tools testers need for their duties.
183
184Dropping down to each and every action:
185
186CHARACTER APPLICATIONS
187
188Image
189
190This area contains the three categories, which are:
191
192    First Row — Regular applications, these applications are ready for review as outlined at the Applications guidelines. You check the IP → jump into the application and start reviewing it by clicking at the "Review" button!
193    Second Row — Didn't log in within 1 hour timeframe applications, these applications are regular applications but they are to be immediately denied. The tester is required to state first that the person has to log in within the 1 hour timeframe, but it's mandatory to also review the application and help the player improve the application if need be when they re-apply! This doesn't only help us get more people accepted in, but it also reduces the time taken for the person to create a perfect application. And finally, it makes the person re-apply to correct the mistakes, which is a win-win situation for the server.
194    Third Row — Waiting to login applications, these applications cannot be reviewed. It means that the player is still logging in to confirm/verify their account before it can be moved to either first or second rows.
195
196EXPORT APPLICATIONS
197
198This tab is currently not being used.
199
200APPLICATION STATISTICS
201
202The application statistics tab redirects to you a list of every single _test account that has ever been created. You can even find some cool old people to track their progress! However, this tab is mainly for you to track your own progress in the applications, which is a vital duty of a tester to progress in the staff team. You can track your own progress for your own sake, or you can just leave it be. Every month the Head of Testers checks out your activity and puts it in a personnel file.
203
204DENIED APPLICATIONS
205
206This tab redirects you to the page which includes the denied applications. This can be done for you to review the recently denied applications. You cannot however un-deny an application (similar to unaccept applications!). You can only review the reason of denials of the recent applications or go back to the database to review older applications.
207
208ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS
209
210Same to the above, it redirects you to the recently accepted application. For tracking purposes mainly. In case you have accepted an application by mistake, read up next!
211
212FIND APPLICATION
213
214Image
215
216A good tip for this page is that this is NOT to find an application of a player. This is to find applications handled by a specific tester. That means, if you type "Mood_Test" to the search engine, it will give you all of the applications that this specific tester has handled so far! It's a good tracking machine to find out your answers to applications to spot your own mistakes or something specific! Tricky, yet helpful tool.
217
218UNACCEPT APPLICATION
219
220Image
221
222This is one of the most frequently used tabs, after the Character Applications one. It's the easiest way to unaccept an application since it does everything by itself! All you have to do is type the full name of the character you want to deny (which you can find in case you forgot from the "Accepted Applications" list!) and then write in the "Reason" tab the reason you want it unaccepted. This will immediately send the message to the player (which it's recommended you write the reason of denial again all over) and it will also disallow the player to log in to the gameserver!
223
224Keep in mind to double-check if the player is in-game while you do that because it won't work. If the player has already been in-game on the character, you cannot unaccept the application either, and there's no way to unaccept them then.
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226
2272.03 Game admin tab introduction
228The Administrator Tab is a tool that testers also frequently use. It is a very helpful tool to run up players, decrypt masked users through the MaskID, check for namechanges, ban users IG and much more tools that are explained below. Testers, however, do not use all of these tools seeing that they don't have the authority to, but they are given the access that they will be trained in as a part of the Tester-Admin Scheme.
229
230The Administrator Tab is, as stated before, a very helpful tool that testers will be using to fill up their duties in-game, forums or anything they need to handle. It's one of the most frequently used tabs by the entirety of the staff which should be taken seriously, considering that the actions done through this panel affect someone's entertainment but also the security of the server.
231
232With great power comes greater responsibility. This is something that should be kept in mind at all times as part of the staff team.
233
234
2352.04 "Administrator and general statistics"
236This page showcases some basic statistics regarding the server's status.
237
238This page is only visual and displays raw numbers.
239
240
2412.05 "Send Message"
242This page allows the user to send a message to a user control panel account or a character, which can be read on the account's (or the character's mailbox page). For an example of what a message would be, click here.
243
244This function is generally never used. The only circumstance would be where you accidentally deny an application and would need to get in touch with the player. Consult a senior staff member for guidance.
245
246Image
247
248Receiver: enter a user control panel account name
249RE (Subject): enter the messages' title
250Receiver = Character?: check yes if message should be delivered to a character (Receiver is a character name instead)
251Your message: enter a message
252
253
2542.06 "Ban a user (ingame)"
255This page allows the user to ban a player who is currently offline in-game. This functions the same as it would through an in-game ban. This does not work if the player is currently online in-game. If they're online, contact an administrator to perform the ban.
256
257
2582.07 "Jail a user"
259This page allows the user to adminjail a player while offline.
260
261This function is unused by testers.
262
263
2642.08 "Unban IP & account"
265This page allows the user to unban a banned user either by a character name or IP address.
266
267This is the main way you would go on about unbanning someone. Ensure that you click the checkbox as the function may not work properly sometimes.
268
269Image
270
271Input character name or an IP address: enter information of your own choice
272Unban from UCP as well as game?: check this to ensure the player is unbanned correctly
273
274
2752.09 "UCP (Un)Ban Management"
276This page allows the user to unban a user control panel account.
277
278This step is necessary when unbanning someone and they attempt to log in their account after they have been banned.
279
280If you unban someone and they tell you that they still can't log in, even though you used the function above, this one is required.
281
282Retrieve the last IP addresses from the right column on the lookup page, and enter them into the 'Unban IP' box.
283
284Image
285Track IP (lookup): finds all logins in-game and on the UCP from an IP address or range
286Unban IP: unbans an IP address from the UCP (allowing people with the IP to log in on a UCP without getting autobanned)
287
288
2892.10 "Look up a user!"
290This page allows the user to find a player's lookup page, containing detailed statistics and administrator records.
291
292Enter an existing player's name and you will be directed to the player's page. If none is found, then:
293the player does not exist
294the name was misspelled
295the player namechanged
296
297Public profile: links you to the player's guestbook
298Character Applications: links you to the character's attempted applications
299Admin jail: links you to the admin jail page
300(Un)ban: links you to the (un)ban player page
301
302Level: if -999, the player is currently banned
303
304Previous names: shows every namechange done on the character
305
306Connection log:
307/24: removes the last set of numbers from the IP address and looks the range up
308/16: removes the last two sets of numbers from the IP address and looks the range up
309
310
3112.11 "Look up namechanges"
312This page allows the user to enter any name, and the full namechange history of the target character will be displayed.
313
314This sometimes contradicts if more players had the same name before. In the event that the right person is not found, try another alias.
315
316Ensure that you match the dates in which the player held the name with your lead, to ensure that you are not mistaking the player for someone else.
317
318
3192.12 "Look at the factions"
320This page allows the user to view an up to date list of the in-game factions. It replicates the in-game /faction command.
321
322This serves as a simple list and does not have any additional functions.
323
324
3252.13 "IP Scan through IP's and ranges"
326This page allows the user to search an IP or an IP range and to view in-game logins and UCP logins along with respective dates.
327
328Difference between an IP and an IP range:
329An IP has four groups of numbers.
330192.168.1.128
331
332An IP range can have four or fewer groups of numbers.
333
334192.168.1.12
335192.168.1.
336192.168.
337
338
3392.14 "Decrypt masked username"
340This page allows the user to enter a mask ID and have a player name returned.
341
342This function generally should not be used by a tester. Consult an admin if using this is required.
343
344
3452.15 "Set login message"
346This page allows the user to set a message to show up on a player's screen upon logging in. This is mainly for admins who need to inform players on their next login, that they've been forum reported and need to answer it within 48~ hours.
347
348This function is not used by testers.
349
350
3512.16 "Player refund panel"
352This page allows the user to refund players, only used by level 2+ admins.
353
354This function is not used by testers.
355
356
3572.17 "Advanced player searching"
358This page allows the user to enter specific statistics of a player, and then get a list of players matching the conditions.
359
360Image
361
362All items are self-explanatory, generally, are going to be what you would see in a /stats picture.
363
364
3652.18 "Group view"
366This function is not used by testers normally. It's mainly connected to the property management subteam, thus you won't see anything if you click it.
367
368
3692.19 "Admin notes"
370This page allows the user to make an administrator note on a player, which can be seen by other staff members on their lookup page or in-game.
371
372This function should not be used by a tester. Consult an admin if using this is required.
373
374
3752.20 "Joint Admin Records Lookup"
376This page allows the user to enter a character name or a UCP account in order to see their administrative records across all characters or accounts.
377
378This is useful when searching a UCP account in order to see all characters existing on the account.
379
380
3813.0 Applications
382
383
384
3853.1 Introduction
386Handling character applications for new players that have a desire to join the server is one of your primary tasks as a Tester. You are expected to be checking for new character applications on a daily basis, and the recommended application count per month is 40 applications. All character applications must be vetted properly, checking their background story, roleplay explanations, IP history, et al. Character Applications, and how to handle them, will be explained in further detail in 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.
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388
3893.2 Why do we handle applications?
390Every single character application is reviewed by a member of the staff team to deter and catch ban evaders, check for plagiarism, check an individual's roleplay ability and many other reasons. It's extremely important that every person that tries to join the server is vetted appropriately by the staff team to ensure that they are able to meet the roleplay standards that we expect from all of our players.
391
392
3933.3 Application functions
394If you're handling an application, you'll see them categorized in one of three categories:
395
396    Accepted (and is welcome to join the server)
397    Denied (with a reason, shown to the player for him to improve his next application in most cases)
398    Yet to Login for an Hour (the player hasn't passed our security checks and confirmed his account by logging into the game)
399
400Accepted: Very self-explanatory, if you've checked the application and you're satisfied that it meets all of the requirements, you can accept it and the player will then be able to login to the server.
401
402Denied: You've reviewed the application, and you're unsatisfied with parts of it: you'll put what the applicant needs to improve on in the denial reason so that they can fix it for next time.
403
404Yet to Login for 1 Hour: Applicants in this list have failed to login within an hour since applying, which is a reason to deny them by itself. However — you must review these applications like you would any other applicant that has applied for the server, but instead, you'll deny them and include "failed to login within 1 hour" in the denial reason as well as any other feedback on their application.
405
406
4073.4 Application guide
408We'll use this section of the guide to give a high level overview of what to look for when reviewing an application.
409
410Here are some questions that you should be asking as part of your preliminary review of any character application:
411
412    Has the applicant logged in-game within one hour?
413        Yes — continue on with the application.
414        No — continue on with reviewing the application, but: take into account that you'll be denying them for that reason along with any others.
415    Have you checked their IP on whatismyipaddress.com? Does it show as a VPN / Proxy / Spam Device?
416        Yes, and their IP is showing as a regular internet provider — carry on with the application.
417        Yes, and their IP is showing as a VPN / Proxy / Spam Device — put in a ban for the user on the application page for Proxy Usage and have them appeal to you on the forums.
418        No — check their IP and their type of ISP on whatismyipaddress.com.
419    Is the applicant linked to any other banned accounts (this can be checked by using the IP search on their character page)?
420        Yes — ban them for "Linked to a banned account [Firstname_Lastname]" and discuss their connection with the account on their ban appeal.
421        No — continue on with the application as usual.
422    Did the applicant write the application in completely their own words? Taking snippets of the application and plugging them into Google will help you figure this out, but you'll also notice and recognize many plagiarised applications with experience.
423        Yes — if it's their first time plagiarising, deny them with the reason "Plagiarising, Warning 1/3" — we give 3 warnings for plagiarism before they are banned.
424        No — continue on with the application.
425
426These are the steps that you should be doing when you first review any character application. If you need help with breaking down the specific, long answer questions, of the application, Lantto's easy application guide will help with the specifics.
427
428
4294.0 Ban appeals/ban evading
430
431
432
4334.1 Introduction
434This section will explain how to detect ban evaders and do efficient background checks, as well as what to do in case someone appeals one of your bans!
435As a tester here at Los Santos Roleplay, one of your main tasks is handling player applications. Whilst doing these you are required to perform background checks to ensure the player is not evading any sort of ban from the server as well as ensuring they are not using any proxy servers to prevent them being linked to any previously banned accounts they may have had during their stay here at Los Santos Roleplay.
436
437Furthermore, you will often notice admins requesting a character name lookup while in-game over the tester-admin chat. The same principles apply to these lookups as well.
438I suggest you read through the entirety of this section as it provides quite an insight into the overall process of catching ban evaders when to ban as well as how to handle ban appeals.
439
440
4414.2 Finding ban evaders
442As mentioned, there are two main reasons as to why you would be looking up a player; Handling an application background check and looking up a player (that has already passed the application stage and is actively playing) when requested by another member of the staff team.
443
444A background check is a check made to ensure the player's application, which you are handling, is not currently linked to any banned accounts or such. As a staff member, you have a variety of tools available for you to check these things! They're all explained in depth below.
445
446When another member of the staff team requests a lookup on someone, more often than not, they will have a specific reason for it, such as the quality of their application, possibly ban evading, or any previous history. If no specific reason is given, you can utilize the same methods as you would for an application background check. It is important to note that while these lookups should generally be detailed, you should also make sure to keep the requesting staff member updated in a timely manner. You can, for example, let them know that you have spotted something suspicious however inconclusive, so you are still searching.
447
448
449User lookup
450
451You will be utilizing the User lookup menu every time you need to perform a check, so it is important to understand the basics and how it works.
452
453Image
454
4551- Quick access panel. Can be utilized to look up the characters public profile, character story, admin jail and ban/unban someone.
4562- Unique ID assigned to player.
4573- Email assigned to character. (Not necessarily the same as main account)
4584- Player level. If they are banned, will show as -999
4595- Experience points, will show negative if banned.
4606- Total hours of in-game play time.
4617- Character name
4628- Namechanges, clickable link if there are any previous namechanges utilized on that specific character slot.
4639- Main account username. Can be utilized for a joint admin record lookup.
46410- Email assigned to main account. Can be different from 3.
46511- Memorable hint assigned to character.
46612- Memorable word corresponding to 11.
467
468Image
4691- Hardware ID
4702- IPs used to log in-game
4713- Similar IP lookup, small range
4724- Similar IP lookup, large range
4735- IPs used to log on the UCP
4746- Any vehicles owned by the player will be listed below, including drugs/weapons inside alongside other info.
4757- Admin record relevant to that specific character.
476
477
478The user lookup panel can be reached through several routes;
479
4801- While handling a character application (first tab only) you can click the direct IP and then the corresponding name.
481Spoiler: show
4822- Administration tab -> Game Admin -> Look up a user!
4833- Direct link
484Spoiler: show
485
486
487Hardware ID (HWID) explained
488
489Hardware ID is a nifty thing we have here at Los Santos Roleplay. One important thing before going into depth about it though — hardware ID is confidential to staff. That means you're not supposed to speak to any non-staff player about it nor should you be using it as evidence in ban appeals. You're allowed to use it as evidence when discussing it with other staff members but not (ever!) in the actual appeal itself.
490
491Another thing — you should never and I mean never try to fiddle around with changing your hardware ID. Hardware ID usage is logged and if you're seen fiddling around with it you will be permanently banned. I suggest you not to look up your own HWID at all.
492
493
494Hardware ID can be defined as a sort of a name for computers. These aren't unique, though - computers can be similar. What this means is that you will often get a list of people with the same/similar computers based on their specifications. This can be extremely useful for confirming ban evaders and such.
495
496Let's look at a specific example. To look up someone HWID (hardware ID), you're going to need to open up their profile — remember, HWID is only available if the player has actually logged in to our game server to verify your account. That's why you should never accept someone who has not logged in to our game server.
497
498Now, after you've opened up their profile, under the basic information section you should see a section called CONNECTION LOG. This is a list of the last 100 server logins on the left as well as the last 100 UCP logins on the right. Now, to check the HWID you click on the date of the server log list.
499
500Image
501
502Now, after you click this a list should be brought up! It might be colorful, it might not.
503
504Image
505
506This shows a list of people all over the world (well, in the Los Santos Roleplay database) with the same/similar computer model. As you can see, there's a total of 17 results/different users in this particular instance. The amount of black and orange shown is suspicious in itself and can be a reason for you to look further.
507
508So, what do the colors mean?
509
510    A black color means that that player is banned.
511    A light-red color means that that player matches the IP NET of a banned user - meaning his IP is similar to a banned player.
512    An orange color means that the player matches the country of a banned user.
513    A white color means the player is not banned.
514
515Now, common sense should often be applied in these cases. You get an application, you look up his HWID, you see that he's colored light-red — you look up his name in the list and see what banned user he is similar to!
516
517Eg: you're handling Jeffrey_Barkley's application from the list and see he is light-red — you'd look up his IP address which is 89.123.241.165. You'd search for a similar IP address (using CTRL+F) and would find out that Carlos_Enriqueta's IP address (89.123.234.216) is suspiciously close to Barkley's.
518
519Do keep in mind that you should not be quick to rush to judgment and issue a ban! Someone having a similar IP address and the same HWID does indeed mean that the chance of it being the same person is around %90, but that itself is not enough to warrant a ban.
520If you find yourself in this situation, look into other similarities and red flags. These will be covered below.
521
522Through experience you'll get more comfortable and more experienced in these areas - you'll find out that hardware ID can be extremely helpful at times, but can sometimes also not help you at all. Remember, HWID is not always available - this can happen either if the connection log is too old (~2009) or the HWID is simply faulty - this means that there are just too many similar computers to even be worth listed so the system decides not to.
523
524It is important to mention that HWIDs can be altered/changed in order to fool the system, and you may have heard of instances where players actively attempting to ban evade are doing this. While it is true to some extent, these players will also be found and banned as they are bound to slip up.
525
526For example;
527Image
528
529As you can see above, either due to IP changes or just forgetting to change their HWID, one of the results shows multiple links, while the other 2 only show the current character. This is why it's important to click multiple HWID links and be thorough while performing a lookup. It is recommended checking a few whenever you see a new IP being used.
530
531IP addresses and proxies
532
533What is an IP address?
534An IP address is a unique serial allocated to a device on a network. Every device connected to a network must have a unique IP address, as this is how other devices communicate with it.
535
536A good analogy is the postal system. Every house on the system needs to have a unique address, as this is how other people communicate with the house by post. Imagine the mayhem that would result if a few houses in completely different places shared the same IP! That's why we need unique IP addresses.
537
538When your computer sends a message to any other computer, the first thing it includes is the IP address of the other computer. Similarly, when a server is sending you information (eg when you connect to LS-RP) its messages will all start with your IP address.
539
540However, you need to remember that only each internet connection has a unique IP address. Any computers sharing an internet connection will share an IP address. Read the 'local IPs' section below if you want the long explanation about why this is.
541
542
543Static and dynamic IP addresses
544
545Life would be much too easy for us if two accounts having used the same IP address at some point meant that they were in the same household. There are two types of IP address: static and dynamic. Your ISP (internet service provider) is given a load of IP addresses that they can allocate to their customers.
546
547If you have a static IP address this means that it is your IP address, and as long as you are a customer with that ISP you will have that address. If you are given a static IP, then when you join your ISP you are allocated it and keep it. If your router disconnects from the internet, it will be allocated that same IP address again when it reconnects. When you leave your ISP to join another provider, it will get reallocated to a new customer.
548
549If you have a dynamic IP address this means that you are sharing that IP address with others. The IP address is unique to you while you are using it satisfying the rule of each device needs a unique address, but once your router disconnects from the internet that address is no longer allocated to you. When your router connects to the internet again, it will be allocated a new dynamic IP address. This means that someone with a dynamic IP address could be using the same address for as short a time as 1 hour, or as long a time as 1 year (provided they never turn their router off).
550
551There's little point to dynamic IP addresses these days, but they were useful to ISPs back in the day of dial-up internet when people only connected for an hour or two at a time. Imagine you're a small ISP with 100 IP addresses, meaning that you can support 100 connections at once. Why would you allocate these 100 connections to 100 specific customers when they won't all be using their connections at once? You can instead have 150 customers and dynamically allocate these 100 IP addresses to customers as they connect. You just have to hope that no more than 100 of your customers connect at once! In the age of broadband, dynamic IP addressing has little use as people tend to leave their internet connection on permanently. However, many ISPs still use dynamic IPs (and will often charge customers if they want a static one).
552
553
554It will happen that you'll find a banned person on the very same IP address. In this case, it's going to show a => BANNED tag at the end of their name — example.
555
556Now, a rule that we have here at Los Santos Roleplay (which you should be aware of!) is that IP addresses are a player's own responsibility. This means that if a player has a sibling who managed to get themselves banned on that IP address, the banned sibling will simply have to get unbanned if they wish to play as well.
557There are exceptions though! Some countries have a bit of a messy network and IP addresses are all over the place. What this means is that a normal, non-banned player with a dynamic IP address will randomly get a banned IP address assigned to him for some time. So be wary of these!
558
559Proxies and Virtual Private Networks
560
561Image
562These are pretty simple to check! Just next to the IP address at the bottom of each and every application you have a nifty button called "Proxy Check". Click it and you'll see if it's a proxy or not - if it is, it's going to pop up in the "Services" area. If it's not, it's going to say Services: None detected.
563
564Alternatively, you may want to look up multiple IPs while going through a player's profile on the user lookup page. Simply copy and paste the IP on this site: https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup and hit 'Get IP Details'.
565
566This will provide a lot more information rather than a simple proxy/no proxy search, more on this below.
567
568This is how a proxy or VPN would be flagged as.
569Image
570
571If it says " Suspected network sharing device" then it most of time is a proxy/VPN as well, if you're not sure just google the ISP/Organization you're given on the IP lookup and you'll see if it's a legit ISP or a hosting service. Before you ban someone for proxy use on the UCP make sure it is not a cell phone carrier. For example, some 3G cell phone carriers show up as confirmed Proxy Servers.
572
573
574
575
576Looking up IPs
577
578Image
579When going through user lookups, make sure to click several different 'direct' IP links to see if there are any hits on the exact same IP. You will also be provided with further information on how many times x player has used said IP and when was the last time they did. Do not forget to check UCP IPs as well if they're different.
580
581You will also notice there's a -- /24 and a -- /16 following each IP.
582What they so is scan through a certain range of IPS. /24 is far more reliable whereas /16 will provide a much wider range.
583
584    To clarify, clicking the /24 link on the image above would send you to this:
585    https://ls-rp.io/?page=profile&select=a ... 106.205.64.
586    So you're looking through any IPs where the first 3 parts are specified: 106.205.64.
587
588    Whereas /16 would scan even further:
589    https://ls-rp.io/?page=profile&select=a ... &t=106.205.
590    So any IP on this range that is in the database would be brought up: 106.205.XXX.XXX
591
592For example:
593Image
594Even though each player has only logged in to that exact IP once - marked as "(1)" following the player name - it is quite obvious that they are the same person/utilizing the same PC due to the time frame between those two logins.
595
596Once again, it is important to note that while similar IPs can often be assigned to different people, finding the same name throughout multiple lookups either on /24 or on /16 is highly suspicious and grounds to look further between both users profiles.
597
598
599Similarities, coincidences and red flags
600
601Now to the most interesting part of figuring out if someone is a ban evader or not!
602As mentioned above, you should never ban based off just a similar IP address and the same HWID. You always need to look for links or similarities within the two characters.
603We're all people. People like to stick to things they like and with that ban evaders also trip over some small things which you can use to your advantage.
604
605User lookup main page
606
607A list of things ban evaders most commonly keep the similarities;
608
609    E-mail addresses
610    Memorable hints and memorable words
611    Similar character names. (See namechanges as well)
612    Similar main account names.
613
614Look for similarities between all of the above. A player may be using his main UCP account's name as part of his e-mail for his second account, or his memorable word, and so on.
615
616For example, it can be as obvious as this:
617Image
618Or slightly less obvious:
619Image
620
621
622Character applications
623You can reach each characters application through the quick access panel at the top of the user lookup page.
624
625The first red flag when it comes to character applications is what we consider a 'perfect application' from someone who claims he is just joining LSRP for the first time. It is extremely rare that someone is able to write up a perfect application on their own, mentioned all the rules and details normally requested by testers.
626
627    Character stories— Most people stick to the same writing style, may be using the same plot, or other similarities. Make sure to check for plagiarised stories as well.
628    Question 2 on character applications— this is the questions which asks you what servers you've played on in SA-MP - it is commonly seen that ban evaders will answer this question the same way on both applications - they'll list the same servers and character names.
629    Questions 3 and 4— Look out for specific phrases that may seem odd or stand out. Look out for exactly the same sentences in question 3, even though sometimes re-positioned. Look out for wrong answers. Look out for players giving out correct answers and or examples that are very specific while not part of the in-game rules and are based on their personal understanding.
630
631Examples:
632Spoiler: show
633Remember, there's a bunch of things people like to stick to. Always look through all the information they provided thoroughly and see if you can spot any similarities!
634
635
636Chronology
637
638When finding similar IPs, look at the time/date to determine how recent they are to each other. Look at when a character was banned and when the second one wrote his application. Look at the time difference between player 1's ban appeal being locked and player 2's application being posted.
639
640Geolocation
641
642Sometimes, players can easily change their IP address constantly due to having a dynamic IP assigned, however their Latitude or Longitude, State, City, Country, etc will always be the same in these instances. You can easily spot these when utilizing https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup
643
644For example:
645Image
646It is worth mentioning that you would also get the same results if it just so happens that 2 players live close together, depending on how their ISP allocates IP addresses.
647
648Forum accounts
649Look for similarities with everything mentioned under the User lookup menu. Look for IP links to other forum accounts/IG logins. You can ask a FM+ to assist with this part if it is really necessary and you don't have access to it.
650
651Ban Evaders subforum
652You can find a lot more examples here. Simply go through any of the names provided and try to spot the links and similarities yourself if you feel that you need more experience. If you believe that you have found someone evading constantly, you can submit your own entry.
653
654Banning
655
656
657Remember, you always need enough proof to actually ban someone from the UCP. I've explained above what you should be looking for when banning someone for ban evading and what not.
658You always need to be sure that whoever you are banning is actually guilty. Now, this doesn't mean you shouldn't ban people where it's blatantly obvious they're ban evaders. Whenever you ban someone, take your time and think about the ban - double-check what you've gone through and what you're basing your ban off!
659
660Remember, if you're ever not sure about banning someone or not — please do come to any staff member (be it a tester or an admin) or simply ask over discord's staff chat what people think about your ban! We're a team after all, no one here is going to blame you for asking if you should ban someone or not.
661
662Once you are certain that someone is ban evading, you can use the quick access panel on top of their user profile to ban them.
663Make sure to be specific and include who they are linked to. -- i.e. "Ban evading (John_Doe)"
664
665
666If the person you are attempting to ban is currently in-game, you can request a ban through the tester-admin chat. If you're unsure what to say, you can use the format below, but anything works as long as you specify who you want banned and what for.
667
668Code: Select all
669
670/at Need a ban, ID X, John_Doe - Ban evading (/1Doe) - Your tester name 
671
672
6734.3 Handling ban appeals
674If someone has appealed your ban, it doesn't mean that you messed up — it could always be someone who is attempting to get past a ban and try to slip through and get into our server. There's always a possibility though, that the person you banned is innocent — this has happened to everyone here in staff. We're all people, we make mistakes - don't worry if you messed up a ban.
675
676If you're unsure about how to handle a ban appeal, always speak to experienced testers or admins. Ban appeals can differ a lot and there's a bunch of different scenarios you can get yourself into as well as a bunch of lies you can get from someone you banned.
677
678When doing a ban appeal you should always review what you've banned him for initially — see how strong your evidence is and see if it's holding up in the appeal against his ban.
679Don't be shy of asking him questions or trying to get him to admit ban evading/copy-pasting. You should always look into their forum account, see if there are any other forum accounts posting from that IP address. Look at their previous posts as well — there's always a chance they've already been banned for the exact same thing by another tester and it was resolved in the past. In this case, you should always try to contact the tester (if still a part of the team) to see what happened.
680
681Even though ban appeals are different, someone was bound to be in the position that you are — feel free to look through the ban appeals archive, see what kind of questions we usually ask the banned user in what scenario, etc.
682
683It is important to remember that you are not supposed to provide a player with proof or evidence on how they are ban evading. Furthermore, all discussions relevant to the ban between yourself and the banned party should happen directly on the ban appeal rather than forum PMs, discord etc unless there are exigent circumstances. (For example, you need someone who copy pasted their application to PM you with answers he has re-written himself.) When in doubt, never hesitate to contact a senior member of the staff team.
684
685And one more thing — if you're ever not sure about a ban even after discussing it with senior members of the team, you're always free to give the person the benefit of the doubt and unban him.
686Remember, we'd rather have 10 guilty people playing on the server than 1 innocent person staying banned.
687
688    Below are the guidelines for handling ban appeals assigned to you.
689
690    Ban Appeals have a set time-frame in which LS:RP staff members are required to respond. This is moderated and enforced by the Head of Ban Appeals.
691
692    • Ban Appeals must be forwarded by the Forum Moderation Team within 24 hours.
693        The Forum Moderation Team (specifically FMBs and FMCs) are tasked with ensuring that Ban Appeals are forwarded to the appropriate staff member(s) within 24 hours.
694    • Staff members must respond to their ban appeal(s) within 48 hours.
695        All staff members are required to proactively check their ban appeals and respond to them (and each additional reply by the banned player) within 48 hours.
696    • Ban appeals may be locked and archived after 72 hours of inactivity.
697        Ban appeals can be locked and archived after the banned player has failed to respond to your query after 72 hours.
698    • Resolved ban appeals must be archived after 24 hours.
699        When a ban appeal is concluded, you will be required to lock it and leave it there for an additional 24 hours. After that time period has expired, you will be required to archive it. This is to ensure the player views the conclusion to prevent confusion, as well as to prevent a clutter of locked ban appeals in your section.
700    • Ban Appeals to retired Game Administrators must be forwarded to the Lead Admin Ban Appeals section.
701        The Forum Moderation Team is tasked with looking into each new ban appeal and determining whether the banning administrator is still a staff member. The only exception to the above rule is "Ban Evading" and "Copy & Paste" Bans, in which case it can be moved to the Testers Ban Appeal section and any tester will be able to handle it.
702    • Ban Appeals to retired Testers must be forwarded to the Testers Ban Appeal section.
703        These appeals can be handled by any LS:RP Tester.
704    Additionally, there is another set of guidelines which relate to ban reasons.
705
706    • Players banned for hacking must stay banned for at least one (1) year.
707    • The ban length of those banned for bug abusing varies and is handled case by case.
708        It is important to mention that specific bugs may cause more damage than hacks do. For this reason, staff members are to use their own discretion when handling these bans. Factors to be taken into account are malice and harm done to the server. For example, someone who abuses a bug which makes the script spawn several millions to said player, it is clearly malicious and has a massive effect on the server economy; this would result in a long ban (eg. 10+ months).
709
710
7115.0 Progression and tester candidates
712
713
714
7155.1 Introduction
716The following points will try to explain how progression works in the staff team. Naturally, most testers aspire to reach the rank of admin, and maybe even become a lead admin one day. Achieving the latter is no small task, and will most likely never happen to you unless you're extremely dedicated to the staff team for many years. Reaching the rank of a normal admin is achieveable though, and that's what this guide will try to explain below. So read on if you'd like to know more!
717
718
7195.2 Tester to (Senior) Forum Moderator
720When you first become a part of the staff team, you'll be given the rank of "LS:RP Tester". This is the first rank in the hierarchy, but also the rank that must be filled out at all times. They're the backbone of LS:RP when dealing with applications, answering /helpme's in-game and finding ban evaders.
721Once you've been a normal tester for 2 months in a row, you'll be able to apply to become a "Forum Moderator" (read me for more information). Forum moderators have more responsibility within the team as they also deal with warning people on the forum and generally knows the ins and outs of the team better. The forums get a lot of reported posts every day that need to be taken care of, so the forum moderators are important to have on the team.
722Once you've been a forum moderator for two months, you'll be able to apply for the position of "Senior Forum Moderator" (read me for more information). Senior forum moderators have a lot more responsibility as they deal with moving ban appeals to the correct sections, approving/disapproving refund requests, they get the ability to ban people on the forums and much more. Once you become an SFM and have been so for around ~3 months, you'll be put in the pool of Tester-Admin candidates, but more about that in section 5.3.
723It is important to note that you need to manually apply with the given forms from this link through a PM to the Head of Testers, who will then review it and let you know whether you'll be invited to the respective team or if you need to improve on some areas first.
724
725
7265.3 - SFM to TA to Admin
727Once you've reached the rank of a Senior Forum Moderator, you'll be under closer observation from the Head of Testers. The HoT will personally review your activity stats each month, including: ban appeals handled, refund requests handled, applications handled, time spent in-game and tickets handled. In order to be considered for the Tester-Admin scheme, you'll need to have proper stats for three consecutive months, and then you'll be forwarded for discussion once the next TA batch is up for discussion within the monthly lead meeting. Do not that this is discussed on a need-by-need basis, meaning we don't consider new tester-admins every month, but rather when the admin team is thinning out, and we've got a list of candidates rather than a few. Once you've been invited to become a tester-admin, you'll be briefed about how the process will go from TA to Admin.
728
729
7305.4 Sub-teams
731One of the things that will help you understand teamwork and progress further with understanding your roles is joining a sub-team. Sub-teams moderate a number of different sections of the forums to keep everything closely moderated and under control. Joining a team won't take up all your time, your duties there will be light and something you could do when you're freely browing the forums. You have to keep in mind it is not mandatory to join a sub-team. You just have to balance it out with your tester activities, but also know that it is a good way to get to know your fellow staff members. Sub-teams vary with duties, so if you're involved in a lot of other work other than your Tester work, you could be excused from bad stats, more or less. Consult with the Head of Testers, or the sub-team leader, if you're unsure of how much work you should do in your sub-team.
732
733
7345.5 Tester candidates section
735This is a process that everyone reading this went through. This section gets flooded with tester applications every time it opens. Staff members speak their mind and vote on as many individuals as they can possibly recognize to paint a picture to other members and the Lead Admins team to act as an introduction. Based on the amount of yesses the application gets, the applicant is more likely to be given a chance and be forwarded to a lead meeting where they give the final words and eventually forward the accepted to the induction. Participating in this section is mandatory.
736
737
7386.0 Miscellaneous
739
740
741
7426.1 Other useful threads/guides
743Staff Procedures
744Plagiarism Checker — The one on the UCP is currently bugged, so use this one instead.
745Lantto's easy application review — useful tool to have opened in another tab while doing applications.
746Request a new UCP name
747All in-game commands
748/helpme guide for testers!
749General Assistance Guide - Ticket Assistance Guide!
750
751
7526.2 Tune-up refund prices
753These are essentially only for Senior Forum Moderators, as they are the only ones who can accept/deny refund requests, with the exception of admins. This manual contains the refund request prices due to some people asking normal testers what the value of an item is. This list contains the value of weapons, vehicles, tune-ups for vehicle destroys and more.
754
755Refund Request Weapon Prices If you need to refund any form of weapon, ensure you use these correct prices and not the prices that may be street value ICly. Refunding weapons is a huge target for abusers, so ensure you double check their evidence before proceeding forward with accepting a request.
756Spoiler: show
757Refund Request Vehicle (full) Prices In the rare case that a player needs a FULL vehicle refund, which means his vehicle was removed permanently, you may refer to these prices. It is highly advised to contact a higher level admin when handling these types of refund requests. All vehicles are in Alphabetical order.
758Spoiler: show
759Refund Request Vehicle Modification Prices Ensure, if proof is present, you provide the prices of any vehicle modification the player may have had. The full prices of modifications are listed below.
760Spoiler: show
761Refund Request Vehicle Tuneup + Jumpstart Prices Probably the most common group for refund requests. Do not refund them the full price of the vehicle, but the prices listed below which allows them to buy a tuneup + jumpstart for their vehicle.
762Spoiler: show
763Refund Request Clothing Item Prices In the other rare case that you may need to refund an individuals clothing items, all prices are listed here.
764Spoiler: show
765Refund Request Job Identification Numbers It is common for members to have their jobs refunded due to a server rollback or crash. Ensure you do NOT give out the mechanic or other legal side-jobs to official faction members, there is a scripted regulation for a reason. The "state agent" job does not get refunded without proper identification of being in an official LEO faction that permits its usage.
766Spoiler: show
767
7686.3 Tester in-game commands
769
770    /testerhelp
771    Displays a list of all the commands you have access to.
772
773    /testerduty
774    Toggles tester duty on and off.
775
776    /showmain
777    Displays your UCP account name next to your in-game name in /o, /at and /testers.
778    * Post on this thread if you'd like to have your UCP account name changed.
779
780    /z
781    Use this to speak to other testers that are online and on duty.
782
783    /at
784    Use this to speak with online admins.
785
786    /togz
787    Toggles tester chat on and off.
788
789    /testercolor
790    Toggles the color of your nametag off when on /testerduty.
791
792    /helplist
793    Displays a neat GUI with all available /helpmes that need answering!
794
795    /rsd
796    Accepts a /helpme request.
797
798    /drs
799    Disregards a /helpme request.
800
801    /payphoneads
802    Displays a GUI with all pending payphone advertisement requests.
803
804    /givespray ID/PartOfName
805    Gives a player a spraycan.
806
807    /banspray ID/PartOfName REASON
808    Bans the ACCOUNT (all characters belonging to UCP name) from getting the /givespray permission.
809
810    /checksprayban
811    shows the UCP name of the tester+ who spray-banned the person.
812
813    /unbanspray ID/PartOfName
814    Lifts the ban given by /banspray (all characters belonging to the character's UCP account).
815
816
8176.4 Handling spray bans
818If a player is abusing their spray-cans in-game, such as not being in a faction but tagging up hoods with faction-affiliated graffitti, or writing stupid things with the spray can, you can /banspray them. They'll be able to appeal for it on the forums and you can deal with it there. When they've been banned from spraying, any other tester/admin will not be able to /givespray to them, effectively shutting them down.
819
820
8216.5 Handling /givespray
822Every now and then faction members will ask for a spraycan to tag their own hood or tag other factions turf. We do not hand out /givespray freely. If you attempt to /givespray to someone and it says they're banned from it, please ask them to make a spray ban appeal.
823
824When a /helpme for a spraycan comes in, you accept it and ask the one requesting it the following:
825
826    What faction are you a part of? — We don't just hand out spraycan permissions to anyone, it has to be a faction member (official/unofficial).
827    Did you roleplay obtaining it? If yes, how? — We need to make sure they don't just acquire the spraycan out of nowhere. They can roleplay buying on in a 24/7 for example.
828
829If the player is a part of a faction and can say which faction it is, along with having roleplayed obtaining it, you can /givespray to the player and they'll be on their way.
830
831
8326.6 Monthly requirements as a tester/FM/SFM
833In order to progress through the team, you'll need to proove yourself with being able to stay active, rather than just lurking around on the team. Therefore we've got some requirements set up so you can see how much is expected from you.
834
835LS:RP Tester:
836
837    24 hours online time per month
838    40+ applications handled
839
840Forum Moderator:
841
842    24 hours online time per month
843    40+ applications handled
844    Tickets 1-4 (ideally 5-9)
845    Forum activity, generally
846
847Senior Forum Moderator:
848
849    24 hours online time per month
850    25+ applications handled
851    Tickets 1-4 (ideally 5-9)
852    Forum activity, generally
853    15+ ban appeals (varies month-by-month)
854    10+ refund requests (varies month-by-month)
855
856Top