The official Halo 5 "Why was I banned?" thread

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> > I’ve been banned about 3 days ago from the same error. That video showing what happened was a ban from today.
> > The game starts up as if nothing occurs and when I click on a match it shows nothing but the same message thats in red.
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> The link you provided did not show the type of ban message I’m referring to. Those red warning signs next to the playlists can show up for a variety of reasons, including an expired Live Gold account. I’m referring to a message that pops up once per ban, that looks like this:
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> Did you see a message like this at any point before you became unable to play? This message pops up once every time a ban activates; if you didn’t see this message, you probably aren’t actually banned and something else could be preventing you from connecting.
> How about other multiplayer games? Can you play those online?

It doesn’t say anything about a ban and neither was there a timer to show when i wasn’t able to play.
I’m addressing that this is more of a network error, since I haven’t done anything to get this result- I havent left too many times, I have xbox live still active, etc.
I considered this more of a glitch or so since every other multiplayer works fine, and the I just can’t play this one because of no reason. It just appears in all sections, and starting a match would just give the same message that was already highlighted in red (Could not find a server that was suitable for all the membersin your fireteam). I’m not even able to play forge or custom games when this occurs. Just to note I dont have bad internet either, so I don’t see why this is a network problem too. I see this more as of the game’s fault than mines.

I haven’t gotten a response back so here’s a link that shows everything of the problem:
https://youtu.be/RTkKMXAILXU
No timer, just the same message and im unable to play for 24 hours or so.

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> I haven’t gotten a response back so here’s a link that shows everything of the problem:
> Banned for Nothing: Electric Boogaloo! - YouTube
> No timer, just the same message and im unable to play for 24 hours or so.

That isn’t a ban. Try hard resetting your console; if that fails you’ll need to troubleshoot your connection.

Lately I have been getting a popup dialogue box while playing Halo 5 Super Fiesta Games that says, "Connection lost your console has lost connection to the game server". This message kicks me out of the match repeatedly, and I get the banhammer message. I wait until the ban is up and sure enough within a match or two it happens again and again until the banhammer message hits. I immediately test my network connection and multiplayer connection and they are always connected. This seems to be a Halo server issue. It has gotten so bad that I cant even play without frusteration. Any Ideas? Anybody with the same issue? Certainly not worth playing a game that is constantly interrupted. I have rooted out the fact that my internet connection is superb, my live gold account is active, I do not leave games unless this connection error kicks me out. ???

Just looked at the banhammer message, and it say’s " Placed on cooldown for 3 days!!! because of poor connection the the halo server. This is not my poor connection!!! My connection is lightening fast!

Just looked at my network stats… Download speed: 52.49Mbps
Upload Speed: 4.8Mbps
Packet Loss: 0%
Latency: 38ms
Wireless Strength: 100%

These stats are pretty typical for my network as I have invested a lot into it for my job and my computer. Server Connectivity should not be an issue on my end.

I have a strong network setup… I honestly do not think the problem is on my end.
I think Halo Developers/ Server Managers… whoever’s responsibility this is should look at this issue and how it effects bans. Doesn’t seem too fair for honest players that just want to play.

So since none of these Employees are 343 related just a bunch of internet trolls who don’t give you useful information. Calling out the guy who sent me 2 links to a stupid 15 second video. I would like to talk to the actual manager about my ban. That apparently was supposed to be 11 hours no more no less as quoted. I’m not an uneducated sophomore moron so I know that I only had a 11 hour ban. However it lasted for more than that when quoted 11 hours. I REPEAT 11 Hours! Your moderators are unhelpful and don’t know customer service like I do. If 343 is in fact in charge of these forums, I have a complaint on the quality of them and layout and most personally, the moderators. Don’t know how you recruit them however I want to assist costumers like they cannot. If you care about your gaming community 343 please respond. I will even send letters if I have to.

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> So since none of these Employees are 343 related just a bunch of internet trolls who don’t give you useful information. Calling out the guy who sent me 2 links to a stupid 15 second video.

Not sure what links you’re referring too, but insulting people isn’t a great way to start off or allowed on this site.

> I would like to talk to the actual manager about my ban.

The ban system is automated. There isn’t a ‘manager’ of the ban system that you can talk to, I’d be happy to answer your questions and explain what is going on though.

> That apparently was supposed to be 11 hours no more no less as quoted. I’m not an uneducated sophomore moron so I know that I only had a 11 hour ban. However it lasted for more than that when quoted 11 hours. I REPEAT 11 Hours!

The ban system works on a short delay (usually a match or two.) I’m guessing from your game history that you quit. The ban registered with the system. You played and completed a match. Then quit another before your previous ban enacted. So in effect you earned another ban, before you’d been informed of your first. So your 11 hour ban was followed by a 22 hour ban (as the ban system basically doubles with each additional infraction) I’ve seen that reported a couple of times before. Either way you’ll have to wait out your ban.

> Your moderators are unhelpful and don’t know customer service like I do.

That isn’t what we’re supposed to do. We’re moderators. We keep the forum clean and enforce the rules. Most of us are also helpful by nature and try to guide you to the right answer in addition to directing you where to post. The moderator you previously dealt with does know what he is talking about, answered your questions, and did direct you to the appropriate place for you to ask those questions going above and beyond and did so politely.

> If 343 is in fact in charge of these forums, I have a complaint on the quality of them and layout and most personally, the moderators. Don’t know how you recruit them however I want to assist costumers like they cannot. If you care about your gaming community 343 please respond. I will even send letters if I have to.

Costumers? That’s a funny typo. This is the ban thread it’s about asking and answering questions about the ban system. If you have something to suggest about formatting the site then there is a thread in GD about improving the waypoint forum experience. If you’re just going to complain about the moderation team you can do that via PM.

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> Lately I have been getting a popup dialogue box while playing Halo 5 Super Fiesta Games that says, "Connection lost your console has lost connection to the game server". This message kicks me out of the match repeatedly, and I get the banhammer message. I wait until the ban is up and sure enough within a match or two it happens again and again until the banhammer message hits. I immediately test my network connection and multiplayer connection and they are always connected. This seems to be a Halo server issue. It has gotten so bad that I cant even play without frusteration. Any Ideas? Anybody with the same issue? Certainly not worth playing a game that is constantly interrupted. I have rooted out the fact that my internet connection is superb, my live gold account is active, **I do not leave games unless this connection error kicks me out. ???**Just looked at the banhammer message, and it say’s " Placed on cooldown for 3 days!!! because of poor connection the the halo server. This is not my poor connection!!! My connection is lightening fast! I’m giving up on this game

The system is automated. It treats any disconnection or DNF in the same way. There are quite a few threads offering advice on how to better maintain connection to the servers that you can search for that might help you.

<mark>This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not repost content a moderator has removed, repost a topic that has been locked, or post about forum moderation decisions. If you have a question or concern about a forum moderation decision, please private message the applicable moderator.</mark>
*Original post. Click at your own discretion.

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> > **This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not reedit content which had been previously edited by a moderator.***Original post. Click at your own discretion.
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> > This post has been edited by a moderator. Please refrain from making non-constructive posts._*Original post. Click at your own discretion._First you keep dropping me into losing games half way through, then punish me for quitting. Quit vs stats…any gamer would choose to protect their stats.
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> > Surely this banning system is against consumer rights. Paying for a service that I am banned to use… how is that legal? IMHO a class action suite should be brought against you. In doing my research in entire history of corporate business Microsoft ranks in the top 5 global organizations when it comes to egregious business practices and legal suites. Go figure. Will never buy an Microsoft product again. Selling this crappy XBox experience and moving on.
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> > Anyone interested in exploring a class action suit against Microsoft for breaching the Federal Consumer Act and your rights to be provided the services that you have paid for, please email me through this forum or REDACTED
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> Was this edited for posting a link? I read through the forum rules and the only thing that I see this possibly falling under is a rant. Also, to be fair, I’m “quoting” this as a citation for my query- not reposting edited content. Also, if posting links/personal information is against the rules, is it going to be added to the list?

Sensorship in the U.S.A is against the bill of rights which are constitutionally protected. Sensor me again, and I will take legal action.

<mark>This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not post spam.</mark>
*Original post. Click at your own discretion.

m

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> This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not repost content a moderator has removed, repost a topic that has been locked, or post about forum moderation decisions. If you have a question or concern about a forum moderation decision, please private message the applicable moderator.*Original post. Click at your own discretion.
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> > > **This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not reedit content which had been previously edited by a moderator.****Original post. Click at your own discretion.*This post has been edited by a moderator. Please refrain from making non-constructive posts._*Original post. Click at your own discretion._First you keep dropping me into losing games half way through, then punish me for quitting. Quit vs stats…any gamer would choose to protect their stats.
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> > > Surely this banning system is against consumer rights. Paying for a service that I am banned to use… how is that legal? IMHO a class action suite should be brought against you. In doing my research in entire history of corporate business Microsoft ranks in the top 5 global organizations when it comes to egregious business practices and legal suites. Go figure. Will never buy an Microsoft product again. Selling this crappy XBox experience and moving on.
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> > > Anyone interested in exploring a class action suit against Microsoft for breaching the Federal Consumer Act and your rights to be provided the services that you have paid for, please email me through this forum or REDACTED
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> > Was this edited for posting a link? I read through the forum rules and the only thing that I see this possibly falling under is a rant. Also, to be fair, I’m “quoting” this as a citation for my query- not reposting edited content. Also, if posting links/personal information is against the rules, is it going to be added to the list?
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> Sensorship in the U.S.A is against the bill of rights which are constitutionally protected. Sensor me again, and I will take legal action.
>

*Censorship You do realize there is a terms of service for using this website, right? You are only making yourself look foolish with posts like this.

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> > This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not repost content a moderator has removed, repost a topic that has been locked, or post about forum moderation decisions. If you have a question or concern about a forum moderation decision, please private message the applicable moderator.*Original post. Click at your own discretion.
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> > > > **This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not reedit content which had been previously edited by a moderator.****Original post. Click at your own discretion.*This post has been edited by a moderator. Please refrain from making non-constructive posts._*Original post. Click at your own discretion._First you keep dropping me into losing games half way through, then punish me for quitting. Quit vs stats…any gamer would choose to protect their stats.
> > > >
> > > > Surely this banning system is against consumer rights. Paying for a service that I am banned to use… how is that legal? IMHO a class action suite should be brought against you. In doing my research in entire history of corporate business Microsoft ranks in the top 5 global organizations when it comes to egregious business practices and legal suites. Go figure. Will never buy an Microsoft product again. Selling this crappy XBox experience and moving on.
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> > > > Anyone interested in exploring a class action suit against Microsoft for breaching the Federal Consumer Act and your rights to be provided the services that you have paid for, please email me through this forum or REDACTED
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> > > Was this edited for posting a link? I read through the forum rules and the only thing that I see this possibly falling under is a rant. Also, to be fair, I’m “quoting” this as a citation for my query- not reposting edited content. Also, if posting links/personal information is against the rules, is it going to be added to the list?
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> > Sensorship in the U.S.A is against the bill of rights which are constitutionally protected. Sensor me again, and I will take legal action.
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> *Censorship You do realize there is a terms of service for using this website, right? You are only making yourself look foolish with posts like this.

Plus, a private person can never violate the Constitution, only the U.S government.

A1tontoyota and ReusableLime20, while I appreciate the lesson in law and whatnot, it’s straying off-topic. Please keep this topic for discussing H5 bans :slight_smile: If you have a question about anything feel free to PM me. Thanks!

I hadn’t played H5 for 16+ hours… So, I get on, start a game, but then have to quit the game because I had to do something. I was sitting in the menus for five minutes, and when I come back it says I was banned for being idle for too long, when I wasn’t in a game. Why, and how, did I get this ban?

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> I hadn’t played H5 for 16+ hours… So, I get on, start a game, but then have to quit the game because I had to do something. I was sitting in the menus for five minutes, and when I come back it says I was banned for being idle for too long, when I wasn’t in a game. Why, and how, did I get this ban?

On your record you do have a few DNF’s. Quitting, idling, and griefing can get you banned. The system looks for patterns and dolls out punishment accordingly.

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> I hadn’t played H5 for 16+ hours… So, I get on, start a game, but then have to quit the game because I had to do something. I was sitting in the menus for five minutes, and when I come back it says I was banned for being idle for too long, when I wasn’t in a game. Why, and how, did I get this ban?

The ban system runs on a short delay; You were idle during your last DNF match. Sometimes it takes the system a bit to catch up.

<mark>This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not post spam.</mark>
*Original post. Click at your own discretion.

Oof

So I recently just got off a day ban on matchmaking on Halo 5 for what I expect to be idling. A friend of mine recently got Halo 5 and I was looking forward to playing some Big Team and doubles but I couldn’t because of the ban. So after the ban ended I decided I’d play a few matches while I waited for him to get on. After my last match, another friend called me on the phone and I left the room not realizing I was still in a gaming lobby. By the time I got back like 5 minutes later I saw I was banned for like 2 days. I really only have 2 days left of my break and really don’t feel as though I deserved this one especially after taking care to be sure not to quit or idle after the 1 day ban.

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> So I recently just got off a day ban on matchmaking on Halo 5 for what I expect to be idling. A friend of mine recently got Halo 5 and I was looking forward to playing some Big Team and doubles but I couldn’t because of the ban. So after the ban ended I decided I’d play a few matches while I waited for him to get on. After my last match, another friend called me on the phone and I left the room not realizing I was still in a gaming lobby. By the time I got back like 5 minutes later I saw I was banned for like 2 days. I really only have 2 days left of my break and really don’t feel as though I deserved this one especially after taking care to be sure not to quit or idle after the 1 day ban.

But according to your own anecdote, you didn’t take care to be sure not to idle. You said yourself: you took a call while you were still in a game lobby, meaning that a game started and there was not input from your controller for at least 3 minutes (the time it takes to get booted for idling), resulting in a boot for being idle. And since you had just come off a ban for the same thing, the system probably saw that as a behavioral trend. The ban system gets worse the more times you get banned; some people report each subsequent ban being about 2x as long as the last one. This is done because to the system, it looks like you aren’t learning your lesson, so the consequences get harsher and harsher.

Bans don’t normally get reversed (since the system is automatic), but in your case I especially wouldn’t expect a reversal because no matter what you feel you deserve, you were still idle after having just come off a ban for being idle.

Horrible Ban system you have in place with no moderation just some crappy automated system!!

Twice today I was in the middle of a game and the server disconnected and now I am given almost a 2 hour ban…what a joke!!

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> > So I recently just got off a day ban on matchmaking on Halo 5 for what I expect to be idling. A friend of mine recently got Halo 5 and I was looking forward to playing some Big Team and doubles but I couldn’t because of the ban. So after the ban ended I decided I’d play a few matches while I waited for him to get on. After my last match, another friend called me on the phone and I left the room not realizing I was still in a gaming lobby. By the time I got back like 5 minutes later I saw I was banned for like 2 days. I really only have 2 days left of my break and really don’t feel as though I deserved this one especially after taking care to be sure not to quit or idle after the 1 day ban.
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> But according to your own anecdote, you didn’t take care to be sure not to idle. You said yourself: you took a call while you were still in a game lobby, meaning that a game started and there was not input from your controller for at least 3 minutes (the time it takes to get booted for idling), resulting in a boot for being idle. And since you had just come off a ban for the same thing, the system probably saw that as a behavioral trend. The ban system gets worse the more times you get banned; some people report each subsequent ban being about 2x as long as the last one. This is done because to the system, it looks like you aren’t learning your lesson, so the consequences get harsher and harsher.
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> Bans don’t normally get reversed (since the system is automatic), but in your case I especially wouldn’t expect a reversal because no matter what you feel you deserve, you were still idle after having just come off a ban for being idle.

I did care not to quit any matches mid-game. I thought I had left the game lobby. My friend who called me was one I hadn’t spoken to for years so what do you expect me to do? It’s utter nonsense to penalize players by taking them off a game they already paid for just because I didn’t give a match 3 minutes of my time. It’s entirely pretentious to treat that the same way you would cheating or being rude to people. I understand how the automated ban system works which is why I made a post explaining that it wasn’t intentional and entirely an accident that had an disproportional consequence to it in the hopes that a person who could do more than just look at patterns take my story into account. The banning system isn’t perfect. If anything, it makes more sense to ban a player from a specific game type they were in when they made the offense instead of both social and ranked game types. I said it didn’t feel fair not to suggest that my feelings dictate how the game should go. I said it didn’t feel fair because it isn’t fair.

So even if the ban clears and I go weeks without a single incident. If I lag out or my controller dies or if I have to get up to leave and I get disconnected from the game just once I’m going to get hit with a 4 day ban being scolded for “not learning my lesson”? A fair system should decrease determined banned time based on successive matches played rather than just arbitrarily doubling. And I know it doesn’t work that way because I must’ve played 10 matches without incident.

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> > > So I recently just got off a day ban on matchmaking on Halo 5 for what I expect to be idling. A friend of mine recently got Halo 5 and I was looking forward to playing some Big Team and doubles but I couldn’t because of the ban. So after the ban ended I decided I’d play a few matches while I waited for him to get on. After my last match, another friend called me on the phone and I left the room not realizing I was still in a gaming lobby. By the time I got back like 5 minutes later I saw I was banned for like 2 days. I really only have 2 days left of my break and really don’t feel as though I deserved this one especially after taking care to be sure not to quit or idle after the 1 day ban.
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> > But according to your own anecdote, you didn’t take care to be sure not to idle. You said yourself: you took a call while you were still in a game lobby, meaning that a game started and there was not input from your controller for at least 3 minutes (the time it takes to get booted for idling), resulting in a boot for being idle. And since you had just come off a ban for the same thing, the system probably saw that as a behavioral trend. The ban system gets worse the more times you get banned; some people report each subsequent ban being about 2x as long as the last one. This is done because to the system, it looks like you aren’t learning your lesson, so the consequences get harsher and harsher.
> >
> > Bans don’t normally get reversed (since the system is automatic), but in your case I especially wouldn’t expect a reversal because no matter what you feel you deserve, you were still idle after having just come off a ban for being idle.
>
> I did care not to quit any matches mid-game. I thought I had left the game lobby. My friend who called me was one I hadn’t spoken to for years so what do you expect me to do? It’s utter nonsense to penalize players by taking them off a game they already paid for just because I didn’t give a match 3 minutes of my time. It’s entirely pretentious to treat that the same way you would cheating or being rude to people. I understand how the automated ban system works which is why I made a post explaining that it wasn’t intentional and entirely an accident that had an disproportional consequence to it in the hopes that a person who could do more than just look at patterns take my story into account. The banning system isn’t perfect. If anything, it makes more sense to ban a player from a specific game type they were in when they made the offense instead of both social and ranked game types. I said it didn’t feel fair not to suggest that my feelings dictate how the game should go. I said it didn’t feel fair because it isn’t fair.
>
> So even if the ban clears and I go weeks without a single incident. If I lag out or my controller dies or if I have to get up to leave and I get disconnected from the game just once I’m going to get hit with a 4 day ban being scolded for “not learning my lesson”? A fair system should decrease determined banned time based on successive matches played rather than just arbitrarily doubling. And I know it doesn’t work that way because I must’ve played 10 matches without incident.

True enough, the ban system isn’t perfect. However most players never have to deal with it. The rules aren’t unreasonable: don’t quit, don’t betray, don’t idle, don’t suicide too much. As for the doubling ban times, that’s an estimate that I’ve made based on what people say when they get subsequent bans. I do not know if extended periods of good behavior “reset” your ban times; I’ve heard conflicting stories about that. It may happen, it may not. Not something anyone really wants to test, I think.
Again, you say you “thought” you left the lobby, but you really didn’t. That is not taking care to not idle. That was absentmindedness, something many people occasional have. But all infractions have to be treated the same, out of fairness. You feel it was unfair because you say you didn’t intend to idle, but how does the system know that? Furthermore, how do any of us know that you really idled unintentionally, and aren’t just coming here saying that in hopes that you’ll get the ban overturned? Even if the system weren’t automatic, no one would overturn a ban just because you said “it was an accident”. Because then, everyone who uses that excuse would have to get their bans overturned, and I guarantee that not everyone who uses that excuse is telling the truth.

So, ultimately, your ban is fair. You were idle; whether it was intentional or not is irrelevant. And as you were idle, the system punished you. Hopefully after this, you will be a bit more careful to be sure that you exit matchmaking before walking away from your console. Or, you’ll keep in mind that the game boots idle people after 3 minutes and will ensure that you are back before that time. Real life interfering with game time happens, but when it happens, it’s on the player to take measures to ensure that they don’t break matchmaking rules. The other players on your team shouldn’t have to deal with idlers, betrayers, quitters, etc., no matter what the reason is.