PH How to Handle Suspected Ghosting and/or Hacking on the Server

**§5Aki**

Hello, so, the title of this thread speaks all. Recently we've been having a problem with players not knowing how to properly handle ghosting, verbal ghosting, and/or suspected hacking.

Rule Number 1: Do Not Call Out Ghosters/Hackers!!!

Literally, don't. Calling them out does NOTHING in helping the situation. All it does is make the offenders more likely to dip and not be punished.

What to do if you suspect there's Ghosting/Hacking:

Ping for staff in the Gmod #PH Channel Discord.
Give us the names of the offender(s)
Steam IDs
General description of what's going on.

Example of what can be typed: @PH On-Call-Staff Aki (Steam Id: Steam_0:1:234567890) and Geb (Steam Id: Steam_0:1:234567890) are ghosting.

This can also be used for any other situation as well.

Constant Mic spam, slurs being used, illegal spots, team switching, etc.

Give the names, Steam IDs and general description.
However, pinging for staff is supposed to be used with caution. Please do not ping for staff for small things.

Someone burped into the mic once, someone doing too many impressions over the mic, etc.

Pinging for staff is supposed to be for critical things that completely ruin games.

Aka Ghosting, Hacking, OR and increase of Mic Spam

Start recording even before staff says they can/cannot arrive. Any evidence is great evidence.

OBS and Brandicam are both free recording devices you can download on your computer.

Gather as much as you can on the offenders.

How can I gather evidence?

If the Offender is on your team and you're Hunters:

Console command kill after the hunters are unblinded OR grenade bomb/spam shoot props to lower your health until you die
Begin recording once you're in First Person view of the suspected offender
Record who you can.
If their account is public, check for friends online playing GMOD. If their account is private, keep an eye on who dies on the opposite team that influences their kills. Sometimes ghosters tend to kill their friends to make it easier to ghost.

What do I do when Staff does get on and the sus people are still at it?

You may continue recording if you want but just communicate with the staff team. Ask them if they need any help, relay some of the things you've recorded, etc.
However, allow the staff member to do their thing. They know what they're doing so don't over step or "help" in other ways.
An example of "helping" is hiding in barely legal spots to lure the ghoster/hacker towards you. Just keep playing the game as you normally would. Eventually the staff team will get a handle on the situation, the player(s) will be dealt with, or the player(s) will eventually leave.

What happens if the Ghoster/Hacker leaves before they're punished?

Talk to the staff team. See if they have enough evidence for them to be punished next time OR, if in the case of hacking, be banned.
In the case of hackers, it's good to go to the Ban Request area and put up a ban request if the staff believes so. Even if the evidence isn't enough to properly ban for hacking, the evidence will be kept in that thread for when the offender comes back on and begins again.

What if there is staff on the server and the Ghosting/Hacking suddenly happened?

Type @ before your message and it'll be sent straight to Admin Chat. The staff member should see it and begin the process of gathering evidence.
An example of how your message can be worded: @Hey, Aki and Geb are being kinda sus. They're both friends on Steam too and on opposite teams.
That's usually all the staff member needs to know. Sometimes they might have already noticed and already begun the ghosting procedures. Most likely the staff member will somehow contact you stating this or something similar.
Allow them some time to answer back. Don't abuse the @ chat because they're not responding. There are many components that can be at work as to why they're not answering you but, chances are, they've seen your message.

What do I do about someone Verbally Ghosting (aka in chat or in VC)?

Ask them to stop and refer them to the rules.
If they continue after that and completely ignore what they're being told, ping for staff about the situation.
If the situation grows to be a constant verbal ghosting every round that the player dies and you have the powers, gag/mute them. Alert the staff in the discord that they've been gagged/muted because of the verbal ghosting.

That is basically anything that you need. If anyone has any other points they'd like to bring up it would be greatly appreciated. In the end, listen to staff, respect the rules, and don't be a dick. :D