First off I think we need to change the "Cancel" button on the MOTD to say "I agree". Sure, 90% of them won't read it but when they click on "I agree" that means they've accepted our rules whether or not they actually read them which means if they break the rules, they're liable for punishment so they can't say they didn't know that something was RDM (because they agreed to our rules). I know we have a very extensive rule list covering nearly every aspect of RDM and gameplay rules. That can be a lot for new people to take in, but it's there for a reason - everyone's well being (including theirs!!)
Another suggestion that I have come up with is to have two lists of rules. We keep these rules, and add a new set of simplified rules to actually display in the MOTD. If they wish to look at the current rules ( the in-depth rules) then we should add a link or something of the sort to show them the extended rules. This way we get to keep the current rules, which is pretty lengthy, and replace it with a shorter to the point MOTD that won't scare people away with a big wall of text.
That big wall of text is necessary because the simplified MOTD won't cover everything. Our strict rules is what makes us one of, if not THE best TTT server around. Why do we need to loosen them up? Looser rules would only make it easier for people to RDM and get away with it, and for trolls to take advantage of this and make everyone's time less enjoyable. It'll also make people not take our RDM punishments as seriously because we don't punish as severely for it.
Also, the "if you run out the time as a traitor with less than 2 kills" rule should stay. 95% of the time the "traitors better trait! if you run out the time with etc etc etc" messages never work because most new people seem to be incapable of reading chat so if they won't read the chat, why would they read the motd? From my experience, new people I slay tend not to break any more rules once I punish them once or twice. Once they see that we'll actually punish them for things, they won't want to be punished anymore and will take reading the rules into higher consideration. Anyway, they waste
everyone's 8 minutes so wouldn't it only seems fair to make them sit out a round so their 8 minutes is "wasted" as well?
If they won't listen to us (which most new people don't because they won't read the chat or listen to people talk on the mic), then how else are we gonna deal with them but punish them each time they break a rule?
This confuses new players when they ask why they were slain, and makes them mad and leave.
I don't know about everyone else, but I always tell people the reason that they're being slain
before I slay them so it really shouldn't confuse them as to why they were slayed.