Editing Inferris (section)

== About ==

=== History and Development ===
Inferris began in 2023 by [[User:Azzy|Azzy]] under the principal to become a mature, engaging, and supportive community where members engage in lighthearted conversations to more meaningful and mature topics, ensuring a space for everyone to connect authentically without the discomfort of internet trolls and toxic environments.

The Minecraft server project began that same year and significantly changed over time. One major iteration of note was the creation of a [[wikipedia:REST|RESTful API]] for ease of data access in late 2023.

In 2024, a Moderation Mentorship Guide was created for moderators and admins alike to deliver moderation training that teaches concepts and items such as, but is not limited to: becoming a safe presence, the power of observing and feeling the room's temperature, mod voice versus regular voice ([[wikipedia:Code-switching||code-switching]]), de-escalation practices, crises, handling investigations and reports securely and properly within compartmentalization and transparency guidelines, using the role for the greater good, the clear guardrails and rules against authoritarian or threatening presence, handling staff-on-player and staff-on-staff relations with internal reporting and retaliation protection mechanisms, and more.

In 2025, development began on a rewrite targeting the API and database schema with the outcomes of applying new foundational skills to practice, reducing performance overhead, and strengthening the premise of clean, scalable code.

The Discord server is on track to release some time in 2026 Q3. Currently, there is no release date of the Minecraft project.

=== Mission and Vision ===
The mission of the Inferris project is to establish a platform that fosters genuine interactions among its members within a selectively nurtured culture. The vision foresees a digital environment where sensitive topics can be discussed maturely. The 17+ age gate was set from the start on grounds of reducing bad actors, internet trolls, and any individuals not prepared to participate in sensitive or mature topics. The community will be a large driver in the directionality of the project to allow new expectations without compromising core values or guardrails.

Integrity and rule guidelines are described to be currently undergoing integration into the culture's expectations so that once the Discord window opens, it may be significantly easier to cultivate the community with clear guardrails rather than staff "aimlessly patching unsteady policy reforms" without clear values or expectations.

=== Development Status ===
Inferris is currently in the active development phase. The primary focuses are:
1. Polishing the Discord community server and finishing development of major Discord bots and virtual participation economy,
2. Ensuring policies, guidelines, and guardrails are accurately reflected in cultural expectations and cultivation practices related to community management, user experience, and moderation
3. Releasing a production "v1.0" build of the Inferris Minecraft servers.