A) What is racism/sexism?

While unfortunately common, racism and/or sexism are not tolerated on Official Halo servers. Making derogatory comments based on a person's real or imagined race, religion, creed, sex, or sexual orientation is not allowed and grounds for immediate removal, with or without warning.

It's rather fashionable these days, for example, to attempt to insult someone by calling them a homosexual or a derogatory synonym of that. The insult is not in that they were called 'gay', but that the term itself is being used in a negative fashion. In essence, it is insulting the entire homosexual community, by saying what they are is a bad thing. Additionally, it's an attempt to insult the player, game, or whatever you're calling 'gay'. The same goes for racist language and other attempts at such slander. We do not take it lightly.

B) What's so bad about racism/sexism?

The same thing that makes hatespeech or assault against a person based on their race, creed, sex, or sexual preference illegal, and even more of a crime than just doing it to some random person. It's the same reason no sane person likes the KKK or Nazis, and doesn't care to be associated with them. And being that the majority of people play games as recreation and to relax or unwind after a day of school and/or work, the last thing they need is some immature player deliberately provoking them by using bitter and antagonistic language. If they're saying it to deliberately get a rise out of people, then it's just as bad as harassment, TKing, or anything else. It's 'being a jerk'. If they are sincere in their saying of it, then they need to play elsewhere. Bigots are not welcome on Official Halo or ANY HomeLAN servers.

C) What determines racism/sexism?

It's fairly obvious to most people, but racial slurs of nearly any kind can be grounds for removal. Essentially, any group that people can be classified into has a negative term for it. Don't use that term. The admin makes the call on hatespeech.

D) What is the penalty for racism/sexism?

For a first or minor infraction, the player in question is typically warned against such behavior and asked politely to desist. If they should continue, they are removed. Extreme hatespeech, racism or sexism may call for immediate removal, with or without warning. Global bans against such acts are also common.

Article III : Teamkilling

A) What is teamkilling?

Teamkilling takes numerous forms, but the most common is a player deliberately pointing their weapon at teammates and making bullets come out. Whether they are killing teammates outright or injuring/hindering them, teamkilling occurs by doing it on purpose. The most obvious acts are, for example, when a player joins a server, throws a grenade at the spawn and kills or damages multiple teammates.

Teamkilling is also doing such acts as standing in doorways to expressly prohibit the entrance or exit of teammates, deliberately taking the flag or objective and then going off the map with it or otherwise attempting to prevent the friendly team from winning or completing their objectives, or driving over your own teammates purposely in a Warthog (which can happen accidentally to the best of us; those tires are slippery. Just don't do it deliberately). When in doubt, refer to the basic premise of these rules: being a jerk can get you removed.

Teamkilling can also be flooding voice or text chat so that teammates (or both teams) can't see messages, warnings, or otherwise effectively use the chat system (which is there for a reason).

B) What's so bad about teamkilling?

There probably isn't a more obvious way to break the 'don't be a jerk' clause. It's not like a team doesn't already have its work cut out for it, what with an opposing team of equal or possibly greater forces, a flag to capture (and one to defend), or on Team Slayer maps, another team to beat to a bloody pulp. Having a teammate shooting them as they try to help their team often makes players drop in disgust or frustration, which only further imbalances the teams. And this spoils the game for the opposing team as well, because the TKer is ruining their competition. So teamkillers are essentially ruining the game for everyone present, for their own amusement or out of spite, and at the cost of 15 other players losing their enjoyment.

C) What determines teamkilling?

It tends to be obvious when someone is teamkilling, as they usually lack creativity and will just shoot their allies in the back over and over. You'll typically see a lot of "____ was betrayed by ", however the server does track teamkills now and may ban you accordingly. The admin present will make the call, of course.

D) What is the penalty for teamkilling?

Teamkilling usually isn't a grief player (one who comes into the server with the express purpose of taking our their insecurities or shortcomings on people trying to have a good time), but someone who's just angry at the world for the moment. However, TKing (teamkilling) will result in removal and a possible server ban. Repeated infractions, or someone who IS a grief player, will result in a Global ban (the same sort of service we provide to cheaters).