Rule 6 Working Page
Roleplay Rule 5: Believable Characters and Self-Antagonism[1]
The following must be true about any character you play on this server:
- Is at least 18 years of age and physically and mentally mature
- Is not a copy or direct reference to an existing character in media or a real person.
- Is a species written to fit the setting (You may draw inspiration from an existing character, story or species as long as this is true)
- Takes action that is believable for someone behaving in this workspace/community. (Self-antagging must, at the minimum, be believable)
- Does not use netspeak when speaking aloud (LOL, Lmao, :3, gyatt, etc. This is fine over PDA.)
- Values their job, their life, and the lives and feelings of others at a believable level.
The reputation of characters should be an in-character result of their actions, and out-of-character feelings or behavior should not be a factor in interactions. Conflict with characters should be fueled by IC reasons that come through interaction and reaction.[2]
If you are displeased with the reputation your character has built with another character, you are expected to communicate out of character and come to an understanding before involving administration.
How do Rules and Policy Interact?
Job Guides and Space Law are IC documents and violations should be handled IC where possible, but repeated violations, especially as command or to the detriment of others’ experience, can be punishable with a job or server ban. Problems with command staff not behaving in a reasonable manner should be treated OOCly if to a severe degree, as command staff are vital to station integrity and hold a lot of power over the crew.
Self-Antagonism
Self antagonism is where a player, that is not an antagonist, breaks Space Law or Standard Operating Procedure, effectively making themselves an antagonist by pitting themselves against the rest of the station. In order to do this, a player must have strong in-character reasoning to do so, or have an accepted OPFOR. Exceptions may be made at admins' discretion for cases that apply the Discretion and Intervention rule.
Valid-Hunting
Valid-hunting specifically refers to pursuing a perceived antagonist or event character (though they need not actually be one) in order to disrupt them, as any role not specifically meant to be doing such.[3]
It is always reasonable to defend yourself or someone close to you from imminent danger, or a station-wide threat, such as nuclear operatives, blob, and more. Should the danger not be imminent, it is at most permitted for a player to arm up, barricade, and prepare to protect themselves.
Roleplay Rule 6: Victory is Secondary[4]
Players may not take actions, or play in a way, that prioritizes their own power above, or to the detriment of, all else; any efforts to make the player more powerful should come with an equivalent contribution to roleplay. Some definitions are below, though this is by no means a comprehensive list.
Godmodding
Godmodding is where a player extends beyond their role, or goes beyond what a reasonable character would do in order to gain an advantage.
Any role (including antagonists) is allowed to prepare, and use, what is available through that role to defend itself, assuming the situation warrants it, with some notable exceptions, for their ability to make a player nearly impossible to defeat[5].
How much is too much?[6]
If a player, through any combination or single item, can kill in less than three attacks with only damage, or has at least 80% armor protection in more than one (1) category, outside of intended cases, then they are in violation of this rule.
Blueballing
Blueballing refers to the practice of killing a target, or an antagonist, immediately before round end, to either facilitate victory, or prevent it. Don't be the type of player that does this.
- ↑ We want our players to play believable characters, and also to create believable conflict with other players during the round. To this end, this rule was made.
- ↑ Essentially, treat people in-character based off of who they are in-character.
- ↑ Combat does not need to be initiated for this rule to apply. Non-combat actions such as following an antagonist around and harassing them can still be seen as validhunting. It is never validhunting to defend your life from a round-ending antagonist, such as an ascended heretic, blob, revolution, or nukies.
- ↑ This one is pretty tough, and it's essentially for playing to win, rather than playing to create an engaging story. Killing all the antagonists in a round may be fun for you, Captain, but everyone's bored for the next 2 hours, and the antagonists are sad they didn't get to roleplay with anyone.
- ↑ Examples of where this rule applies will be included in the department's Jobs policy. An advantage need not be used or useful to be counted as powergaming.
- ↑ This rule of thumb is created using deathsquad members as a rough idea of how powerful an individual player should be.
