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 from, or written to fit, the setting (You may draw inspiration from an existing character, story or species as long as this is true)
- Takes actions that are believable for someone existing in the setting. Self-antagging and validhunting are two examples of activities that are not believable, presented below, but they are not the only examples.
- 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.
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. Essentially, treat people in-character based off of who they are in-character, not based off of their role, or their status as an antagonist.
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 admins.
Rules vs Policy, how do they interact?
Space Law and Job Guides are in-character documents and violations should be handled by the appropriate roles where possible, such as crimes being solved by Security. However, repeated violations to the detriment of others’ experiences, especially as Command, are punishable with a job or server ban. Command staff, especially, are expected to act reasonably, as they are vital to the round and hold a lot of power over 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, outside of Red Alert.[2]
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[3]
Players may not take actions, or play in a way that prioritizes their own power above, or to the detriment of, all else: two examples of these sorts of actions, Godmodding and powergaming, are present below, though they are not the only examples of a violation of this rule. Any efforts to make the normal player more powerful should come with an equivalent contribution to roleplay.
Godmodding
Godmodding is where a player puts themselves into a state in which they are so powerful that they are effectively without counter, outside of cases that are designed to do such like Heretic ascensions.
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[4].
Powergaming
Powergaming is the the act of using in-game mechanics, external information, and/or roleplay concepts to favor their own character/story, and give an undue advantage.
Powergaming can take several forms, but it is generally rooted in “playing to win” or a focus on the game as a game[5] to the detriment, or instead, of roleplay. Playing your character, and allowing others to do so, should always take precedent over gameplay, no matter what position you are in. When a player extends beyond their role, or goes beyond what a reasonable character would do in order to gain an advantage, they are powergaming.
Remember, you are on this server to engage people and make stories. It is your responsibility to be considerate of, and contribute to, others' fun, not just your own.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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 primarily, but not exclusively, applies to playing to win.
