Difference between revisions of "WildRP Server Rules"
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WildRP Server Rules can be found [https://www.wildrp.com/rules here]. Here in the wiki, you can find more detailed explanations of the various policies and additional information. | WildRP Server Rules can be found [https://www.wildrp.com/rules here]. Here in the wiki, you can find more detailed explanations of the various policies and additional information. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Music Policy== | ||
+ | Playing full recordings of any music/spoken word over in-game voice chat is not allowed. This simple ruling avoids issues with audio copyrights on a community-wide level. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Soundboards and live performances of personally created music are allowed to be shared over in-game voice chat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Live covers of songs are an issue the staff team has been monitoring very carefully. Outside of mentioning that lyrics and songs should be adjusted to fit the time period if they don't, we haven't issued a strong recommendation about song covers for the following reason; | ||
+ | |||
+ | Live song covers are in a weird place right now in regards to Twitch and Youtube terms of service. The Twitch ToS allows for the covers in a roundabout way, but according to our attorneys and US rebroadcasting standards, they really should not. To our knowledge, there is no precedent court ruling of any kind that rules on Twitch's position that "people performing live music during gameplay is not a copyright violation.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | This issue is currently being handled in ongoing federal court cases, and it’s all in an effective legal grey zone that is leaning more and more toward being illegal. We are also dealing with the possibility that specific people have their own copyright deals and may be following ToS, and know that Twitch also has rapidly been adding artists to their Soundtrack copyright clearing platform, which makes a blanket ruling on live covers even more difficult. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We are effectively stuck between a rock and a hard place until those court cases work themselves out and either Twitch or the US Government issue more clear guidance on the topic. For now, we are allowing the live covers and just monitoring the situation. If someone is playing audio that you believe will cause problems, we'd ask that you alert the staff team so we can look into it and possibly render guidance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Character Policy== | ||
+ | The goal for players at WildRP is to create unique characters who help populate an immersive world. We encourage players to be as creative as possible when creating and naming a character. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Using the names of celebrities, existing fictional characters, or significantly immersion-breaking names for your characters are prohibited. Characters may have a name with comedic or satirical value but should be done tastefully, and names that are clear references to a celebrity or existing fictional character may result in being asked to change the character name by staff. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Creating characters that are direct historical references can clash with the alternative history present in WildRP and is not recommended. Modeling your character after a reference is permitted, but creating a character with a one-to-one likeness is prohibited. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Please message the WildRP support bot if you have any questions involving naming a character. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Supernatural Roleplay</h5> | ||
+ | Explicitly supernatural roleplay is not allowed under any circumstances. Supernatural creatures, magic, ghosts, aliens, etc should never be treated as real on the server. Characters may believe in these things and refer to having experienced supernatural events, but this should not extend beyond their personal beliefs and superstitions or stories they tell. Keep in mind the experience of other players and their immersion. All roleplay conducted on the server should be grounded and believable. If you need additional clarification, feel free to reach out to the support bot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Dueling Policy== | ||
+ | <h5>Permanent Injury or Death</h5> | ||
+ | In order to keep duels a rarer and exciting event, duels are required to come with serious consequences. Frequently, this results in death for the losing party. If you choose to have your character survive after losing a duel, however, they must suffer a significant permanent injury. Some examples of this may include things such as: losing the use of one or both eyes, losing the use of one or both hands, significant damage to the torso or leg(s), spinal damage, etc, or an injury so severe it will result in death within a short timeframe. Ideally, these injuries should be so severe they will impact gameplay/character behavior and be something that will be readily apparent to other players. For example, losing a finger, a toe, or gaining a scar would not be considered permanent serious injury. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Examples of long-term effects of a permanent serious injury could include things such as the following: inability to use longarms, loss of movement speed/inability to sprint, difficulty or inability to ride a horse, difficulty eating, difficulty seeing/shooting, significant cognitive damage, needing to rest frequently, and/or requiring regular specialized medical treatment. If you are unsure whether your chosen injury is severe enough, feel free to ask for feedback via the support bot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Legalized vs Illegal Dueling</h5> | ||
+ | Legalized dueling requires the presence of a peace officer (the Law) who will verify that both participants have formally agreed to conduct a duel underneath an agreed-upon set of rules, and that no foul play occurs. Prospective legal duelists must contact a member of the Law team, who will forward their request for a duel to the proper members of the department. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Illegal duels which are conducted without the presence of a peace officer, or duels in which foul play occurs will likely result in criminal charges for any involved participants or criminal accessories. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
==Downed, Unconscious, and Permadeath Policy== | ==Downed, Unconscious, and Permadeath Policy== | ||
+ | <h5>Using conditions while downed</h5> | ||
+ | |||
+ | In lieu of using voice responses or /me, the Condition system may also be used to indicate your current state and injuries while conscious or unconscious. Conditions should generally be states that can be observed prior to closer examination of an injured person, such as a visible wound or excessive perspiration. | ||
<h5>Call for Help</h5> | <h5>Call for Help</h5> | ||
− | <p>'''Call for Help''' is a feature players can use after they have been downed anywhere in Saint’s Crossing. If you are downed while alone somewhere remote, your entire group is downed (such as after a shootout), or another character leaves you downed in the wilderness, you can “call for help” to send the local townsfolk running to report your missing state to the tiplines. This allows you to avoid respawning and losing your inventory.</p> | + | <p>'''Call for Help''' is a feature that players can use after they have been downed anywhere in Saint’s Crossing. If you are downed while alone somewhere remote, your entire group is downed (such as after a shootout), or another character leaves you downed in the wilderness, you can “call for help” to send the local townsfolk running to report your missing state to the tiplines. This allows you to avoid respawning and losing your inventory.</p> |
− | <p>By default, Call for Help will be enabled after a short time if you have been downed and there are no live players nearby; other players who are also downed will not interfere with this function. If you have waited and you do not believe you will be rescued, you may choose to call out for help, which sends the local townsfolk out to alert the tiplines. A telegram will be sent to the LEOs, Rangers, and Medical teams giving your vague location, allowing them to start a hunt for your missing person. Please allow a minimum of | + | <p>By default, Call for Help will be enabled after a short time if you have been downed and there are no live players nearby; other players who are also downed will not interfere with this function. If you have waited and you do not believe you will be rescued, you may choose to call out for help, which sends the local townsfolk out to alert the tiplines. A telegram will be sent to the LEOs, Rangers, and Medical teams giving your vague location, allowing them to start a hunt for your missing person. Please allow a minimum of one hour after you have used Call for Help for a search party to assemble and find you. This feature creates RP, but the clues the teams receive are vague and you will want to account for both travel time and the time it will take them to search the area.</p> |
− | <p>If you have still not been found after a reasonable period | + | <p>If you have still not been found after a reasonable period, you can respawn at a nearby safe location via “Recover at Shelter.” If you already used “Call for Help,” please be sure to update the tiplines of your well-being so other players are not left searching for you after you have already been rescued.</p> |
<p>If you do not wish to send a telegram to these tiplines at all, you can skip the “Call for Help” feature completely and wait for the Recover at Shelter timer to complete. For example, an outlaw who does not wish to notify the law of their location may prefer to RP that a random passerby found them instead. However, remember that this will wipe your inventory! The choice is yours.</p> | <p>If you do not wish to send a telegram to these tiplines at all, you can skip the “Call for Help” feature completely and wait for the Recover at Shelter timer to complete. For example, an outlaw who does not wish to notify the law of their location may prefer to RP that a random passerby found them instead. However, remember that this will wipe your inventory! The choice is yours.</p> | ||
<p>As a final note, keep in mind that the '''Call for Help''' feature is not available in Guarma, as there is no access to telegrams on the island.</p> | <p>As a final note, keep in mind that the '''Call for Help''' feature is not available in Guarma, as there is no access to telegrams on the island.</p> | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Permadeath</h5> | ||
+ | Be very mindful that once a character has been permanently killed, there is no reversing the decision. If you are unsure whether or not you are ready to perma your character, it is recommended to delay their death rather than make a decision that cannot be changed down the line, as a heavily injured/sick character can still be killed off but a dead character is permanently dead. Upon permaing a character you should not be revived for any reason. Continuing to play a perma’d character after their death to do anything except act as a dead body, even to do something like transfer items to someone else is considered a rule break. In the event an item is stored in a horse saddle or bank when your character dies and you intended for another player to have it after your passing, it is acceptable for the other player to recreate the item and continue the RP as though they were given it directly (for example, a customized gun or a horse). | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Forced Death/Injury== | ||
+ | When a player downs another character, it is up to the player of the injured party to determine the severity of their wounds. As the initiator, you may try to “guide” a situation to a certain extent (such as pointing your gun at a character’s foot before shooting or throwing a bucket of water on an unconscious person) but it is ultimately up to the other person to decide how they want to react to the situation, and we expect all players to respect the other’s choices. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Players must always give players the option in any scenario where a character is downed to play out the scenario as they see fit unless they have specific pre-approval from staff or the players they are interacting with. What may have been intended to be a minor injury can result in death if a player chooses. On the other hand, a player should be able to have their character survive any attempt at killing them if they choose to do so. If you wish to do something very serious to another character such as throwing them over a high cliff they would not realistically survive, or blowing them up with dynamite, etc, we recommend reaching out to the player prior to taking action. This makes it so no player has to feel like they are being forced into a perma or “expected” to perma. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Example:''' Shooting a character and leaving them for dead in the wilderness is acceptable, as they can utilize the “Call for Help” feature and have their character recovered. Shooting a character and then dumping them off a very high cliff or in a lake where they would realistically not survive, or deliberately using Red Dead mechanics to remove a character’s head will likely be considered an attempt at a force perma. Shooting down a character and then telling someone “I shot them in the head/heart/etc” would be unacceptable as it is up to the player to determine their own injuries. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Value of Life== | ||
+ | In order to create an immersive, roleplay-first environment, all characters are expected to act as a real person would and attempt to keep themselves alive. While exact behaviors will vary from character to character (some people may be more risk-taking than others, some may be more cowardly or selfless than others, etc) the general expectation is that decisions, especially those made in the face of violence, feel realistic and grounded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Frequent participation in vigilantism, quick drawing/rapidly pulling weapons, or other violent/dangerous behavior likely to lead to severe injury or death can possibly be considered failure to value life. Charging a character with a gun pointed at you for a melee attack is considered NVL due to the fact that in a realistic setting, you would be shot before you could get within range. | ||
+ | |||
+ | When you’re playing a civilian and you are attacked or robbed by outlaws, always try to imagine how a civilian would react. While you as a player may be able to outgun the outlaw, your ''character'' would likely be uncomfortable with the risk. Value your life as a civilian over trying to save the day and your money. Similarly, if you witness another character getting robbed, think about what kind of intervention would be realistic. As a player, you may be able to surprise a criminal but realistically, civilians risking their lives for others unprompted are few and far between, especially over replaceable things such as goods or money. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Example 1:''' You and a friend are alone on the road and surrounded by 6 bandits, all with guns pointed at you. Refusing to comply with their demands would be considered failure to value life, as your chances of escaping unscathed are fairly nonexistent. However, if you and your friend were in a fairly defensible position and up against only 3-4 members of a gang who were hunting you, while the odds may not be in your favor, it may make sense for you to make a stand because you believe this gang is out to kill you and there is still a chance of you escaping the situation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Example 2:''' You and a friend witness two bandits holding up two other travelers. It appears to be a fairly standard robbery so rather than intervene and risk your own lives as well as theirs, you let the scene play out. Once the bandits have left you approach the travelers and see if you can aid them, taking note of which direction the bandits went so you can inform the law. | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you are ever unsure as to whether or not an action in a given situation would be considered failure to value your life, you may reach out to the support bot for further clarification. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==RDM== | ||
+ | Here are some examples of RDM or Random DeathMatch: | ||
+ | *Randomly roping/hogtying, shooting at, stabbing and/or hitting players | ||
+ | *Randomly roping/hogtying, shooting at, stabbing and/or hitting of NPCs. NPCs are to be considered players and characters will be punished equally for intentionally harming NPCs as they would harming player characters. | ||
+ | *Planning to shoot/commit violence on sight. This topic should be avoided in RP to prevent confusion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Best practices for avoiding RDM: | ||
+ | *Create a scene via roleplay prior to any violence being committed, and extend vocal roleplay as much as is reasonable for the scene. This means you should be having some sort of conversation prior to any weapons being fired. | ||
+ | *Give your opponent a chance to respond verbally and prepare for their own next move | ||
+ | *Find ways to indicate imminent violence, especially if your weapon is not already drawn and pointed. Some examples of this include: using the hand on holster stance, using /me, verbally indicating you may be planning on attacking, moving into cover, etc | ||
+ | *If you have a reason to harm an NPC, roleplay the scene out even if no other players are present in the immediate vicinity. This should only be done with the intention of creating roleplay, and as stated above, will likely come with in-character consequences. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Shootout Policy== | ||
+ | The main goal in every shootout scenario is to provide an immersive scene where both parties feel satisfied with the roleplay involved. Before initiating a shootout all parties should aim to extend the RP and make everyone involved aware that a shootout is about to commence. This may take some time before all characters involved are aware there is about to be a shootout. This process helps avoid situations where players are instantly downed without realizing violence was about to occur. When initiating a shootout, the aim should be to indicate that PvP has begun to the other side and to allow them to react and get to cover. Attempting to quickly down an opponent immediately is highly discouraged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | While the character's goal is always to preserve their life and the life of their friends, the goal of the player should not be to “win” a shootout or gang war. A player’s goal should always be to further the story and create realistic, immersive, and entertaining stories for players and viewers to enjoy. Extending a shootout by utilizing cover, deliberately missing shots/using suppressive fire, and yelling/roleplaying during the fight is strongly recommended. Execution animations during shootouts should be used very sparingly and only when characters are already in close quarters with each other. Whenever possible, avoid using executions entirely in a PvP scenario, as executions are usually best served in scenes where a character does not have a chance of fighting back, such as at the end of a scene after being kidnapped. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Running away from the Law when heavily wanted for certain crimes may be considered a form of vocal roleplay. Failure to comply with Law orders while heavy wanted may result in being shot. Law will always attempt vocal roleplay in these cases but may not wait for a response if a player doesn't comply in a timely manner. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Examples:''' | ||
+ | *When a known violent criminal gang robs a bank and flees from the scene, if they fail to respond to or choose to ignore the pursuing members of law, the law may choose to escalate to shooting after multiple verbal orders and warnings. | ||
+ | *When rival gangs engage each other multiple times in verbal or physical ways during a session (or over the course of multiple sessions) and the roleplay has escalated to the point the characters may want to shoot each other on sight, they are still expected to prioritize extending roleplay and have verbal communications prior to a shootout. That being said, depending on the circumstance it may make sense for a gang to escalate to shooting more quickly after verbal initiation. For example: | ||
+ | **Gang A and Gang B have antagonized each other multiple times over the course of a session. Gang A corners Gang B and draws weapons on them. It may make sense for Gang B to begin a shootout after having the initial verbal confrontation, rather than having an extended rehashing of the previous roleplay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The goal in any potential shootout scenario is that it is clearly understood by all involved that a shootout is about to occur. It may take several minutes for everyone to become aware of this, and thus initiating a shootout may take some time. This process helps avoid situations where players are instantly downed without realizing violence was about to occur. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Meta-gaming== | ||
+ | A good rule of thumb is that the only information your character has is things they have seen, heard, and experienced themselves. You as a player will often have more information than your character, and using this information can create unfair and unpleasant experiences for other roleplayers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Meta-gaming also includes taking storyline knowledge gained on one character and applying it to another. Alternate characters should have completely separate story lines and information should not be shared across a player's characters, as each one is a totally different person. You should not continue to pursue conflict that stemmed from one of your own dead characters on a new one. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Best practices for avoiding meta-gaming: | ||
+ | *Avoid watching streams or being in meta chat conversations related to active storylines involving your own character when possible, even while offline. This is especially true for streams/meta chats of characters you are in conflict with. | ||
+ | *While it is recommended to reach out to other players for specific events such as getting consent for a torture scene, try to keep these conversations in-the-moment. Extensive pre-planning can be constituted as metagaming. | ||
+ | *Similarly, discussing character backgrounds for characters who have a history together that predates being on the server is more than welcome, but communications such as telling another player where to find you on the server is prohibited | ||
+ | *Information gathered while your character has been rendered unconscious (through /me or conditions) should not be remembered by your character | ||
+ | *It is generally not recommended to immediately reroll back into the same group/gang after a perma. Playing with a new group or letting things settle first before rerolling after a character death can help avoid any meta/character crossover | ||
+ | *If you are running multiple characters at a time, it is recommended to keep their storylines as separate as possible. In the event you have multiple characters in a converging storyline, it is best to bench one or the other until the conflict or story arc has come to an end | ||
+ | *Any knowledge your alt characters have of each other (such as a familial relationship) should have occurred prior to <b>both</b> of their time on the server, as it would be impossible for them to have met through organic roleplay. Information regarding anything on the server should not have been shared by these characters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Power-gaming== | ||
+ | Some examples of this problematic behavior include, but are not limited to: | ||
+ | *Never losing a fight | ||
+ | *Never going fully unconscious or dead when downed | ||
+ | *Overuse of lassos and hogties | ||
+ | *Always having a character remember every detail after being downed | ||
+ | *Always expecting victims to not remember crimes | ||
+ | *Characters who are extremely powerful, “jack-of-all-trades” with no discernable weaknesses | ||
+ | *PvPing with the intent to “win” instead of creating roleplay | ||
+ | *Overuse of execution animations, especially in PvP scenarios | ||
+ | *Utilizing meta information for your own gain | ||
+ | *Not allowing opponents the chance to respond to a scenario verbally and/or in PvP | ||
+ | |||
+ | Players exhibiting any of these behaviors will be subject to staff evaluation and possible disciplinary action. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Hogtied Rules== | ||
+ | Examples of times where breaking out of hogties ''may'' be appropriate: | ||
+ | *Your captor is outside of shouting voice range. | ||
+ | *Your captor has left you alone for an extended period of time, such as leaving you outside while they are inside having a discussion or leaving you in a room by yourself inside a building. | ||
+ | *A major distraction occurs, such as gunfire or explosions and your captors are no longer paying attention to you. | ||
+ | *Your captor indicates to do so via RP or OOC instruction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Group Size Rules== | ||
+ | Best practices for following the group size rules: | ||
+ | *When meeting briefly as a criminal group, communicate ahead of time who will be involved if a PvP situation arises. If the law or an enemy gang enters the scene, uninvolved members should remove themselves from the situation as quickly as possible to avoid confusion. | ||
+ | *When non-criminals/civilians/law are in groups larger than 6, communicate ahead of time who will be involved if a PvP situation arises. If criminals enter the scene, uninvolved members should remove themselves from the situation as quickly as possible to avoid confusion. Ideally, uninvolved members should also be unarmed. In the event there is no way to safely or logically leave the scene, it is recommended for civilians to find cover until the confrontation is over. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Best practices for keeping to the 10-man gang size limit: | ||
+ | *Always be mindful of your total numbers. Do not admit new members to a gang if you are unsure if you are already at 10. | ||
+ | *If you feel your numbers are naturally growing to the point where you will exceed the gang size limit, it is recommended to find natural and organic ways to split the group up, if possible. Internal conflict is great roleplay! | ||
+ | *Splitting a gang but continuing to work closely together is highly discouraged, as this can be viewed as skirting the 10-man gang size limit. The two gangs can still be friendly with each other but should, ideally, operate in different areas and have their own unique goals and structure, to make it clear to other players that they are separate groups. | ||
+ | *Gangs may hire other characters/civilians for legal work but it should be very clear they are not a part of the gang or involved in any of the criminal activities | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Conflict Initiation Rule== | ||
+ | The goal of the Conflict Initiation Rule is to allow conflict that is fair, fun, and balanced. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here are a few examples of things that are not allowed under the Conflict Initiation Rule: | ||
+ | *Coming to the aid of a friend in a different gang who is in an active conflict with a third gang to bolster their numbers beyond the 10-member gang size limit. | ||
+ | *Take revenge for an allied gang, person, or group who is in active conflict with a third party | ||
+ | *Purposefully seeking conflict with a gang knowing they are at war with another gang for the same reason (such as seeking revenge for an injured friend) | ||
+ | *Purposefully seeking conflict with a person knowing they are part of a gang that is in conflict with one of your allies, with the goal to insert you and/or your gang into that war. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here are a few examples of things that are allowed under the Conflict Initiation Rule: | ||
+ | *Acting on aggression from a rival gang that is already in conflict with another gang. '''For example:''' You are a member of Gang A, and you are friends with Gang B. Gang C is in conflict with Gang B. Gang C also attacks your gang, Gang A. Your gang is now allowed to fight Gang C but you should not team up and coordinate the conflict with Gang B with the mentality to win. Be mindful of the experience of Gang C as well as your allies and try to space out PvP scenarios in a way that is fun and fulfilling for all involved parties. | ||
+ | *Defending yourself against outside aggression is always allowed, as the Conflict Initiation Rule pertains to the player/group who is the aggressor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Can criminals from different groups work together?''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Criminals from different groups ''are'' allowed to spend time together, ride together, and even commit crime together. However, please keep in mind the following best practices: | ||
+ | *If you are actively wanted or in conflict with another group, you should avoid using other groups to protect yourself and stick with your own organization. | ||
+ | *"Mixed group" crimes should be rare and have significant RP backing. Constantly mixing members from multiple organizations can make things unfair and unbalanced for the law and confusing for other groups who may wish to initiate conflict | ||
+ | *In the event that any conflict is initiated while in a mixed group, it should be understood that the receiving party can retaliate specifically against the individuals involved, and the other parties will not come to their defense. For example: 3 members of Gang A and 3 members Gang B join forces to rob a bank. They take a hostage which turns out to be a member of Gang C. Gang C can retaliate against the 3 members of Gang A and the 3 members of Gang B who were part of the bank robbery and the other members of Gang A and Gang B should not come to their aid. Only the members present for the bank robbery are allowed to get involved in this conflict/provide aid. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Hostage Rules== | ||
+ | The following rules are designed to ensure hostage situations are roleplay scenarios that provide a mutually enjoyable event for all parties involved. Hostages are powerful negotiation tools, but they do not guarantee the ability to get out of any situation. Commonly accepted standards of roleplay and server rules apply to all hostage scenarios, and taking a hostage does not guarantee a “scenario win.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Captives are expected to act as believable hostages and should comply with most commands once fully captured | ||
+ | *Hostage-taking should be conducted with good etiquette towards the player being taken as a hostage. Any form of excessive violence or torture involving hostages which detracts from the RP scenario is discouraged | ||
+ | *Law will generally allow hostages to be used as bargaining chips when interacting with newer or unknown criminals. When dealing with known violent or heavily wanted criminals, Law may decide that the hostages are already at risk of serious injury or death and may not allow hostages to be utilized as bargaining chips. This is especially true for jailbreak scenarios, where Law may decide that the danger created by letting a known violent criminal go is higher than the risk to the hostage themselves | ||
+ | *Demands while using hostages should be reasonable and fair. Unreasonable demands may be refused or even considered power-gaming. Keep in mind the experience of the LEOs responding or other players you are making demands from using the hostages | ||
+ | *NPC hostages will be treated as real hostages but must be used extremely sparingly. Generally speaking, if at all possible, player hostages should be used instead. | ||
+ | *Overuse of hostages for jailbreak scenarios is discouraged. While hostage trades can be great RP, using hostages for jailbreaks too frequently can be frustrating and demoralizing for the LEO team. Remember - starting a shootout to attempt to free a criminal during transport is a welcome alternative to attempting a hostage trade if it feels appropriate for the story and scene. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Example 1:''' In order to rob a train, a gang holds up all the passengers. Through negotiation with the law, they agree to release all of the passengers except for one to ensure they can have enough time to empty the safe without law interfering. Telling the law not to board the train until they are finished and have released the hostage is an example of a reasonable demand. Telling law they must count to 30 before pursuing would be an example of an unreasonable demand that the law would likely not follow. Telling the law that they must all hand over their weapons so the law has no way to pursue would be considered power-gaming as well as an unreasonable demand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Example 2:''' The leader of a gang that is fairly new to the Crossing is captured. The gang members decide to kidnap a civilian from town and hold them hostage in exchange for their leader. Given the limited history of the gang, Law may likely comply. Conversely, the leader of a known violent gang who has been committing acts of torture and cannibalism is captured. Members of this gang have been broken out of jail on multiple occasions using hostages in the past. This is an example where Law may deny the hostage trade and attempt to shoot down the hostage takers instead. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Robbery Rules== | ||
+ | The primary goal of any robbery should be to create story for all involved parties. Robbing banks, trains, or players for the sake of “loot” is highly discouraged. As a criminal, the experience of the parties being robbed or taken hostage should be a top priority. | ||
+ | |||
+ | While you are welcome to disguise yourself during one of these scenarios, on an OOC level your goal should be to get caught for your crimes - eventually. This is especially true for high-level crimes such as bank and train robberies, as the law would go to great lengths to identify all involved parties. This is aided mechanically through the use of the evidence system, and as a criminal, you are always welcome to put down extra details to help identify yourself and can send tips from NPCs who may have “witnessed” your crimes to the ANON tipline. Part of our collaborative roleplay environment is giving opportunities for investigation into your criminal misdeeds. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Bank and Train robberies are mechanic-based activities for criminals to create roleplay for their group, nearby civilians, and for the Law. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Bank Robberies</h5> | ||
+ | All bystanders must treat bank robbery scenarios with respect and obey commands from the Law and criminals alike. The only players that should provide medical assistance at any point during a bank robbery are those involved on the outlaw or Law sides. All uninvolved, law-abiding civilians are expected to leave the area. Any character that is hanging around near a bank robbery may potentially be charged with a crime. Please be respectful of any commands given by law - in some cases, it may be acceptable for uninvolved characters to take refuge in a building, but to avoid bubbling you may be asked to leave town entirely. If it seems like there are a lot of people in town, removing yourself from the situation preemptively is highly recommended as bubbling can create great frustration for both the law and criminals involved in the robbery. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Train Robberies</h5> | ||
+ | Similar to bank robberies, passengers on a train being robbed should treat the scenario with respect and obey commands from the Law and criminals alike. In most cases, the criminals will disarm train passengers, but vigilantism during these scenarios is strongly discouraged. Any character that does not comply with law orders once the Law has entered the scene may potentially be charged with a crime. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h5>Robbing Other Players</h5> | ||
+ | Robberies, when done well, can be very rewarding for both the criminal and the victim. There are a few best practices for making robbery an enjoyable experience, even for the player being robbed: | ||
+ | Do not “pocket wipe” other players. This means taking every item they have on their person or dumping things on the ground to make them despawn. It is recommended to be choosy about what items you take and why, and how much money you take and why. | ||
+ | Create a scene and roleplay with your victim. Do not simply search them and run. Talking to your victim before, during, and after the robbery can make it feel more fulfilling and less like you are simply looking to loot them. | ||
+ | Avoid robbing people in scenarios where they are mechanically disadvantaged. For example, while they are writing a telegram and unable to see your approach, or during a poker or blackjack game where they cannot stand up right away. Waiting for a character to leave a telegram station or to walk away from a game table can make the scene feel more dynamic instead of mechanical. | ||
+ | Leave clues as to your identity (if in disguise) with your victims and/or the law | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Property Ownership Policy== | ||
+ | Players may operate a business out of a location and even grant a unique name to a location, but the official/legal name does not change and any alternative names may not be recognized by other characters on the server. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here are some examples of appropriate usages of property: | ||
+ | |||
+ | *The Smith Family may operate out of Emerald Ranch, referring to it as "Smith Ranch", but should make no claims of leasing or owning the location. | ||
+ | *Black Lung Mining Company is founded and begins operating Annesburg coal mines. They should make no claim on the mines, and any attempt to control who is allowed to work in the Annesburg coal mines would be considered a criminal activity, as they do not own the mines | ||
+ | *Two sets of players from different time zones use Manzanita Post. Each set of players refers to the location with a different name. They should not "correct" each other or try to claim the other is illegally residing in the location. Players may choose to try to collaborate, or simply follow their own separate stories/RP. | ||
+ | *Any documentation regarding property ownership/management is SOLELY for RP purposes/flavor and holds no legal backing, and should never be used to attempt to push players out of a location or lay claim to a location under any circumstances. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Detail System Policy== | ||
+ | Here are some examples of details that are using the system as intended: | ||
+ | *“Three pairs of bootprints, headed east” | ||
+ | *“The sink is full of bloodied rags and used medical supplies” | ||
+ | *“The smell of cooked rabbit lingers in the air” | ||
+ | *“Papers are scattered all over the desk and floor and the room is in disarray” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Essentially, the goal of details is to provide small clues for other players, either to help indicate that an event has occurred or to help someone (the law, a criminal, etc) find your character. As such, details should be placed for a specific purpose and should communicate things that further RP. Details that are used to imply ownership are '''prohibited.''' Ideally, details should add a level of immersion and flavor to the world without making other players feel pushed out of a location or storyline. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In any situation where a note can be used instead, you should '''not''' use a detail. No flyers, papers, or signage should be indicated via details under any circumstances. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For property destruction, minor and specific damage may be indicated via details (such as broken windows, scorch marks, damaged furniture, etc) but under no circumstances should there be significant structural damage or should buildings be rendered unusable without explicit staff approval. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Keep in mind that Law players are tasked with removing details when appropriate as they collect evidence since the majority of details are for criminals to aid the law in their tracking and capture. | ||
[https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
Line 28: | Line 272: | ||
[https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Serial Killer Policy== | ||
+ | In order to apply to play a serial or spree killer, please submit to the support bot for review and approval: | ||
+ | |||
+ | *A brief character backstory | ||
+ | *Rough plans for the character including methods they may employ for killing, frequency of their killings, and potential endings you would consider | ||
+ | *How you plan this experience to be for law players (how you plan to interact, how you intend to leave clues, what you will do to feed the investigation, etc) | ||
+ | *What time zone you generally play in (rough estimates are fine!) | ||
+ | *How you would like to handle it if your killer gets discovered and/or caught early on in their story | ||
+ | *Any other relevant info | ||
+ | |||
+ | Examples of things that may result in denial: | ||
+ | *If there are too many approved killers in a single timezone | ||
+ | *An experience that is likely to overwhelm the law department or service players | ||
+ | *Pacing that is too quick or frequent | ||
+ | *Methods of violence that may create issues for players | ||
+ | *Inadequate resolution or an unsatisfying plan if they are caught early | ||
+ | |||
+ | All serial killer characters are required to have some type of permanent end to their story - for example, execution or a life sentence with no release from Sisika. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [https://www.wildrp.com/rules Return to the main Rules Page] | ||
+ | |||
+ | Return to the [[Application-Based Roles]] Page. |
Revision as of 10:10, 6 February 2024
WildRP Server Rules can be found here. Here in the wiki, you can find more detailed explanations of the various policies and additional information.
Music Policy
Playing full recordings of any music/spoken word over in-game voice chat is not allowed. This simple ruling avoids issues with audio copyrights on a community-wide level.
Soundboards and live performances of personally created music are allowed to be shared over in-game voice chat.
Live covers of songs are an issue the staff team has been monitoring very carefully. Outside of mentioning that lyrics and songs should be adjusted to fit the time period if they don't, we haven't issued a strong recommendation about song covers for the following reason;
Live song covers are in a weird place right now in regards to Twitch and Youtube terms of service. The Twitch ToS allows for the covers in a roundabout way, but according to our attorneys and US rebroadcasting standards, they really should not. To our knowledge, there is no precedent court ruling of any kind that rules on Twitch's position that "people performing live music during gameplay is not a copyright violation.”
This issue is currently being handled in ongoing federal court cases, and it’s all in an effective legal grey zone that is leaning more and more toward being illegal. We are also dealing with the possibility that specific people have their own copyright deals and may be following ToS, and know that Twitch also has rapidly been adding artists to their Soundtrack copyright clearing platform, which makes a blanket ruling on live covers even more difficult.
We are effectively stuck between a rock and a hard place until those court cases work themselves out and either Twitch or the US Government issue more clear guidance on the topic. For now, we are allowing the live covers and just monitoring the situation. If someone is playing audio that you believe will cause problems, we'd ask that you alert the staff team so we can look into it and possibly render guidance.
Character Policy
The goal for players at WildRP is to create unique characters who help populate an immersive world. We encourage players to be as creative as possible when creating and naming a character.
Using the names of celebrities, existing fictional characters, or significantly immersion-breaking names for your characters are prohibited. Characters may have a name with comedic or satirical value but should be done tastefully, and names that are clear references to a celebrity or existing fictional character may result in being asked to change the character name by staff.
Creating characters that are direct historical references can clash with the alternative history present in WildRP and is not recommended. Modeling your character after a reference is permitted, but creating a character with a one-to-one likeness is prohibited.
Please message the WildRP support bot if you have any questions involving naming a character.
Supernatural Roleplay
Explicitly supernatural roleplay is not allowed under any circumstances. Supernatural creatures, magic, ghosts, aliens, etc should never be treated as real on the server. Characters may believe in these things and refer to having experienced supernatural events, but this should not extend beyond their personal beliefs and superstitions or stories they tell. Keep in mind the experience of other players and their immersion. All roleplay conducted on the server should be grounded and believable. If you need additional clarification, feel free to reach out to the support bot.
Dueling Policy
Permanent Injury or Death
In order to keep duels a rarer and exciting event, duels are required to come with serious consequences. Frequently, this results in death for the losing party. If you choose to have your character survive after losing a duel, however, they must suffer a significant permanent injury. Some examples of this may include things such as: losing the use of one or both eyes, losing the use of one or both hands, significant damage to the torso or leg(s), spinal damage, etc, or an injury so severe it will result in death within a short timeframe. Ideally, these injuries should be so severe they will impact gameplay/character behavior and be something that will be readily apparent to other players. For example, losing a finger, a toe, or gaining a scar would not be considered permanent serious injury.
Examples of long-term effects of a permanent serious injury could include things such as the following: inability to use longarms, loss of movement speed/inability to sprint, difficulty or inability to ride a horse, difficulty eating, difficulty seeing/shooting, significant cognitive damage, needing to rest frequently, and/or requiring regular specialized medical treatment. If you are unsure whether your chosen injury is severe enough, feel free to ask for feedback via the support bot.
Legalized vs Illegal Dueling
Legalized dueling requires the presence of a peace officer (the Law) who will verify that both participants have formally agreed to conduct a duel underneath an agreed-upon set of rules, and that no foul play occurs. Prospective legal duelists must contact a member of the Law team, who will forward their request for a duel to the proper members of the department.
Illegal duels which are conducted without the presence of a peace officer, or duels in which foul play occurs will likely result in criminal charges for any involved participants or criminal accessories.
Downed, Unconscious, and Permadeath Policy
Using conditions while downed
In lieu of using voice responses or /me, the Condition system may also be used to indicate your current state and injuries while conscious or unconscious. Conditions should generally be states that can be observed prior to closer examination of an injured person, such as a visible wound or excessive perspiration.
Call for Help
Call for Help is a feature that players can use after they have been downed anywhere in Saint’s Crossing. If you are downed while alone somewhere remote, your entire group is downed (such as after a shootout), or another character leaves you downed in the wilderness, you can “call for help” to send the local townsfolk running to report your missing state to the tiplines. This allows you to avoid respawning and losing your inventory.
By default, Call for Help will be enabled after a short time if you have been downed and there are no live players nearby; other players who are also downed will not interfere with this function. If you have waited and you do not believe you will be rescued, you may choose to call out for help, which sends the local townsfolk out to alert the tiplines. A telegram will be sent to the LEOs, Rangers, and Medical teams giving your vague location, allowing them to start a hunt for your missing person. Please allow a minimum of one hour after you have used Call for Help for a search party to assemble and find you. This feature creates RP, but the clues the teams receive are vague and you will want to account for both travel time and the time it will take them to search the area.
If you have still not been found after a reasonable period, you can respawn at a nearby safe location via “Recover at Shelter.” If you already used “Call for Help,” please be sure to update the tiplines of your well-being so other players are not left searching for you after you have already been rescued.
If you do not wish to send a telegram to these tiplines at all, you can skip the “Call for Help” feature completely and wait for the Recover at Shelter timer to complete. For example, an outlaw who does not wish to notify the law of their location may prefer to RP that a random passerby found them instead. However, remember that this will wipe your inventory! The choice is yours.
As a final note, keep in mind that the Call for Help feature is not available in Guarma, as there is no access to telegrams on the island.
Permadeath
Be very mindful that once a character has been permanently killed, there is no reversing the decision. If you are unsure whether or not you are ready to perma your character, it is recommended to delay their death rather than make a decision that cannot be changed down the line, as a heavily injured/sick character can still be killed off but a dead character is permanently dead. Upon permaing a character you should not be revived for any reason. Continuing to play a perma’d character after their death to do anything except act as a dead body, even to do something like transfer items to someone else is considered a rule break. In the event an item is stored in a horse saddle or bank when your character dies and you intended for another player to have it after your passing, it is acceptable for the other player to recreate the item and continue the RP as though they were given it directly (for example, a customized gun or a horse).
Forced Death/Injury
When a player downs another character, it is up to the player of the injured party to determine the severity of their wounds. As the initiator, you may try to “guide” a situation to a certain extent (such as pointing your gun at a character’s foot before shooting or throwing a bucket of water on an unconscious person) but it is ultimately up to the other person to decide how they want to react to the situation, and we expect all players to respect the other’s choices.
Players must always give players the option in any scenario where a character is downed to play out the scenario as they see fit unless they have specific pre-approval from staff or the players they are interacting with. What may have been intended to be a minor injury can result in death if a player chooses. On the other hand, a player should be able to have their character survive any attempt at killing them if they choose to do so. If you wish to do something very serious to another character such as throwing them over a high cliff they would not realistically survive, or blowing them up with dynamite, etc, we recommend reaching out to the player prior to taking action. This makes it so no player has to feel like they are being forced into a perma or “expected” to perma.
Example: Shooting a character and leaving them for dead in the wilderness is acceptable, as they can utilize the “Call for Help” feature and have their character recovered. Shooting a character and then dumping them off a very high cliff or in a lake where they would realistically not survive, or deliberately using Red Dead mechanics to remove a character’s head will likely be considered an attempt at a force perma. Shooting down a character and then telling someone “I shot them in the head/heart/etc” would be unacceptable as it is up to the player to determine their own injuries.
Value of Life
In order to create an immersive, roleplay-first environment, all characters are expected to act as a real person would and attempt to keep themselves alive. While exact behaviors will vary from character to character (some people may be more risk-taking than others, some may be more cowardly or selfless than others, etc) the general expectation is that decisions, especially those made in the face of violence, feel realistic and grounded.
Frequent participation in vigilantism, quick drawing/rapidly pulling weapons, or other violent/dangerous behavior likely to lead to severe injury or death can possibly be considered failure to value life. Charging a character with a gun pointed at you for a melee attack is considered NVL due to the fact that in a realistic setting, you would be shot before you could get within range.
When you’re playing a civilian and you are attacked or robbed by outlaws, always try to imagine how a civilian would react. While you as a player may be able to outgun the outlaw, your character would likely be uncomfortable with the risk. Value your life as a civilian over trying to save the day and your money. Similarly, if you witness another character getting robbed, think about what kind of intervention would be realistic. As a player, you may be able to surprise a criminal but realistically, civilians risking their lives for others unprompted are few and far between, especially over replaceable things such as goods or money.
Example 1: You and a friend are alone on the road and surrounded by 6 bandits, all with guns pointed at you. Refusing to comply with their demands would be considered failure to value life, as your chances of escaping unscathed are fairly nonexistent. However, if you and your friend were in a fairly defensible position and up against only 3-4 members of a gang who were hunting you, while the odds may not be in your favor, it may make sense for you to make a stand because you believe this gang is out to kill you and there is still a chance of you escaping the situation.
Example 2: You and a friend witness two bandits holding up two other travelers. It appears to be a fairly standard robbery so rather than intervene and risk your own lives as well as theirs, you let the scene play out. Once the bandits have left you approach the travelers and see if you can aid them, taking note of which direction the bandits went so you can inform the law.
If you are ever unsure as to whether or not an action in a given situation would be considered failure to value your life, you may reach out to the support bot for further clarification.
RDM
Here are some examples of RDM or Random DeathMatch:
- Randomly roping/hogtying, shooting at, stabbing and/or hitting players
- Randomly roping/hogtying, shooting at, stabbing and/or hitting of NPCs. NPCs are to be considered players and characters will be punished equally for intentionally harming NPCs as they would harming player characters.
- Planning to shoot/commit violence on sight. This topic should be avoided in RP to prevent confusion.
Best practices for avoiding RDM:
- Create a scene via roleplay prior to any violence being committed, and extend vocal roleplay as much as is reasonable for the scene. This means you should be having some sort of conversation prior to any weapons being fired.
- Give your opponent a chance to respond verbally and prepare for their own next move
- Find ways to indicate imminent violence, especially if your weapon is not already drawn and pointed. Some examples of this include: using the hand on holster stance, using /me, verbally indicating you may be planning on attacking, moving into cover, etc
- If you have a reason to harm an NPC, roleplay the scene out even if no other players are present in the immediate vicinity. This should only be done with the intention of creating roleplay, and as stated above, will likely come with in-character consequences.
Shootout Policy
The main goal in every shootout scenario is to provide an immersive scene where both parties feel satisfied with the roleplay involved. Before initiating a shootout all parties should aim to extend the RP and make everyone involved aware that a shootout is about to commence. This may take some time before all characters involved are aware there is about to be a shootout. This process helps avoid situations where players are instantly downed without realizing violence was about to occur. When initiating a shootout, the aim should be to indicate that PvP has begun to the other side and to allow them to react and get to cover. Attempting to quickly down an opponent immediately is highly discouraged.
While the character's goal is always to preserve their life and the life of their friends, the goal of the player should not be to “win” a shootout or gang war. A player’s goal should always be to further the story and create realistic, immersive, and entertaining stories for players and viewers to enjoy. Extending a shootout by utilizing cover, deliberately missing shots/using suppressive fire, and yelling/roleplaying during the fight is strongly recommended. Execution animations during shootouts should be used very sparingly and only when characters are already in close quarters with each other. Whenever possible, avoid using executions entirely in a PvP scenario, as executions are usually best served in scenes where a character does not have a chance of fighting back, such as at the end of a scene after being kidnapped.
Running away from the Law when heavily wanted for certain crimes may be considered a form of vocal roleplay. Failure to comply with Law orders while heavy wanted may result in being shot. Law will always attempt vocal roleplay in these cases but may not wait for a response if a player doesn't comply in a timely manner.
Examples:
- When a known violent criminal gang robs a bank and flees from the scene, if they fail to respond to or choose to ignore the pursuing members of law, the law may choose to escalate to shooting after multiple verbal orders and warnings.
- When rival gangs engage each other multiple times in verbal or physical ways during a session (or over the course of multiple sessions) and the roleplay has escalated to the point the characters may want to shoot each other on sight, they are still expected to prioritize extending roleplay and have verbal communications prior to a shootout. That being said, depending on the circumstance it may make sense for a gang to escalate to shooting more quickly after verbal initiation. For example:
- Gang A and Gang B have antagonized each other multiple times over the course of a session. Gang A corners Gang B and draws weapons on them. It may make sense for Gang B to begin a shootout after having the initial verbal confrontation, rather than having an extended rehashing of the previous roleplay.
The goal in any potential shootout scenario is that it is clearly understood by all involved that a shootout is about to occur. It may take several minutes for everyone to become aware of this, and thus initiating a shootout may take some time. This process helps avoid situations where players are instantly downed without realizing violence was about to occur.
Meta-gaming
A good rule of thumb is that the only information your character has is things they have seen, heard, and experienced themselves. You as a player will often have more information than your character, and using this information can create unfair and unpleasant experiences for other roleplayers.
Meta-gaming also includes taking storyline knowledge gained on one character and applying it to another. Alternate characters should have completely separate story lines and information should not be shared across a player's characters, as each one is a totally different person. You should not continue to pursue conflict that stemmed from one of your own dead characters on a new one.
Best practices for avoiding meta-gaming:
- Avoid watching streams or being in meta chat conversations related to active storylines involving your own character when possible, even while offline. This is especially true for streams/meta chats of characters you are in conflict with.
- While it is recommended to reach out to other players for specific events such as getting consent for a torture scene, try to keep these conversations in-the-moment. Extensive pre-planning can be constituted as metagaming.
- Similarly, discussing character backgrounds for characters who have a history together that predates being on the server is more than welcome, but communications such as telling another player where to find you on the server is prohibited
- Information gathered while your character has been rendered unconscious (through /me or conditions) should not be remembered by your character
- It is generally not recommended to immediately reroll back into the same group/gang after a perma. Playing with a new group or letting things settle first before rerolling after a character death can help avoid any meta/character crossover
- If you are running multiple characters at a time, it is recommended to keep their storylines as separate as possible. In the event you have multiple characters in a converging storyline, it is best to bench one or the other until the conflict or story arc has come to an end
- Any knowledge your alt characters have of each other (such as a familial relationship) should have occurred prior to both of their time on the server, as it would be impossible for them to have met through organic roleplay. Information regarding anything on the server should not have been shared by these characters.
Power-gaming
Some examples of this problematic behavior include, but are not limited to:
- Never losing a fight
- Never going fully unconscious or dead when downed
- Overuse of lassos and hogties
- Always having a character remember every detail after being downed
- Always expecting victims to not remember crimes
- Characters who are extremely powerful, “jack-of-all-trades” with no discernable weaknesses
- PvPing with the intent to “win” instead of creating roleplay
- Overuse of execution animations, especially in PvP scenarios
- Utilizing meta information for your own gain
- Not allowing opponents the chance to respond to a scenario verbally and/or in PvP
Players exhibiting any of these behaviors will be subject to staff evaluation and possible disciplinary action.
Hogtied Rules
Examples of times where breaking out of hogties may be appropriate:
- Your captor is outside of shouting voice range.
- Your captor has left you alone for an extended period of time, such as leaving you outside while they are inside having a discussion or leaving you in a room by yourself inside a building.
- A major distraction occurs, such as gunfire or explosions and your captors are no longer paying attention to you.
- Your captor indicates to do so via RP or OOC instruction.
Group Size Rules
Best practices for following the group size rules:
- When meeting briefly as a criminal group, communicate ahead of time who will be involved if a PvP situation arises. If the law or an enemy gang enters the scene, uninvolved members should remove themselves from the situation as quickly as possible to avoid confusion.
- When non-criminals/civilians/law are in groups larger than 6, communicate ahead of time who will be involved if a PvP situation arises. If criminals enter the scene, uninvolved members should remove themselves from the situation as quickly as possible to avoid confusion. Ideally, uninvolved members should also be unarmed. In the event there is no way to safely or logically leave the scene, it is recommended for civilians to find cover until the confrontation is over.
Best practices for keeping to the 10-man gang size limit:
- Always be mindful of your total numbers. Do not admit new members to a gang if you are unsure if you are already at 10.
- If you feel your numbers are naturally growing to the point where you will exceed the gang size limit, it is recommended to find natural and organic ways to split the group up, if possible. Internal conflict is great roleplay!
- Splitting a gang but continuing to work closely together is highly discouraged, as this can be viewed as skirting the 10-man gang size limit. The two gangs can still be friendly with each other but should, ideally, operate in different areas and have their own unique goals and structure, to make it clear to other players that they are separate groups.
- Gangs may hire other characters/civilians for legal work but it should be very clear they are not a part of the gang or involved in any of the criminal activities
Conflict Initiation Rule
The goal of the Conflict Initiation Rule is to allow conflict that is fair, fun, and balanced.
Here are a few examples of things that are not allowed under the Conflict Initiation Rule:
- Coming to the aid of a friend in a different gang who is in an active conflict with a third gang to bolster their numbers beyond the 10-member gang size limit.
- Take revenge for an allied gang, person, or group who is in active conflict with a third party
- Purposefully seeking conflict with a gang knowing they are at war with another gang for the same reason (such as seeking revenge for an injured friend)
- Purposefully seeking conflict with a person knowing they are part of a gang that is in conflict with one of your allies, with the goal to insert you and/or your gang into that war.
Here are a few examples of things that are allowed under the Conflict Initiation Rule:
- Acting on aggression from a rival gang that is already in conflict with another gang. For example: You are a member of Gang A, and you are friends with Gang B. Gang C is in conflict with Gang B. Gang C also attacks your gang, Gang A. Your gang is now allowed to fight Gang C but you should not team up and coordinate the conflict with Gang B with the mentality to win. Be mindful of the experience of Gang C as well as your allies and try to space out PvP scenarios in a way that is fun and fulfilling for all involved parties.
- Defending yourself against outside aggression is always allowed, as the Conflict Initiation Rule pertains to the player/group who is the aggressor.
Can criminals from different groups work together?
Criminals from different groups are allowed to spend time together, ride together, and even commit crime together. However, please keep in mind the following best practices:
- If you are actively wanted or in conflict with another group, you should avoid using other groups to protect yourself and stick with your own organization.
- "Mixed group" crimes should be rare and have significant RP backing. Constantly mixing members from multiple organizations can make things unfair and unbalanced for the law and confusing for other groups who may wish to initiate conflict
- In the event that any conflict is initiated while in a mixed group, it should be understood that the receiving party can retaliate specifically against the individuals involved, and the other parties will not come to their defense. For example: 3 members of Gang A and 3 members Gang B join forces to rob a bank. They take a hostage which turns out to be a member of Gang C. Gang C can retaliate against the 3 members of Gang A and the 3 members of Gang B who were part of the bank robbery and the other members of Gang A and Gang B should not come to their aid. Only the members present for the bank robbery are allowed to get involved in this conflict/provide aid.
Hostage Rules
The following rules are designed to ensure hostage situations are roleplay scenarios that provide a mutually enjoyable event for all parties involved. Hostages are powerful negotiation tools, but they do not guarantee the ability to get out of any situation. Commonly accepted standards of roleplay and server rules apply to all hostage scenarios, and taking a hostage does not guarantee a “scenario win.”
- Captives are expected to act as believable hostages and should comply with most commands once fully captured
- Hostage-taking should be conducted with good etiquette towards the player being taken as a hostage. Any form of excessive violence or torture involving hostages which detracts from the RP scenario is discouraged
- Law will generally allow hostages to be used as bargaining chips when interacting with newer or unknown criminals. When dealing with known violent or heavily wanted criminals, Law may decide that the hostages are already at risk of serious injury or death and may not allow hostages to be utilized as bargaining chips. This is especially true for jailbreak scenarios, where Law may decide that the danger created by letting a known violent criminal go is higher than the risk to the hostage themselves
- Demands while using hostages should be reasonable and fair. Unreasonable demands may be refused or even considered power-gaming. Keep in mind the experience of the LEOs responding or other players you are making demands from using the hostages
- NPC hostages will be treated as real hostages but must be used extremely sparingly. Generally speaking, if at all possible, player hostages should be used instead.
- Overuse of hostages for jailbreak scenarios is discouraged. While hostage trades can be great RP, using hostages for jailbreaks too frequently can be frustrating and demoralizing for the LEO team. Remember - starting a shootout to attempt to free a criminal during transport is a welcome alternative to attempting a hostage trade if it feels appropriate for the story and scene.
Example 1: In order to rob a train, a gang holds up all the passengers. Through negotiation with the law, they agree to release all of the passengers except for one to ensure they can have enough time to empty the safe without law interfering. Telling the law not to board the train until they are finished and have released the hostage is an example of a reasonable demand. Telling law they must count to 30 before pursuing would be an example of an unreasonable demand that the law would likely not follow. Telling the law that they must all hand over their weapons so the law has no way to pursue would be considered power-gaming as well as an unreasonable demand.
Example 2: The leader of a gang that is fairly new to the Crossing is captured. The gang members decide to kidnap a civilian from town and hold them hostage in exchange for their leader. Given the limited history of the gang, Law may likely comply. Conversely, the leader of a known violent gang who has been committing acts of torture and cannibalism is captured. Members of this gang have been broken out of jail on multiple occasions using hostages in the past. This is an example where Law may deny the hostage trade and attempt to shoot down the hostage takers instead.
Robbery Rules
The primary goal of any robbery should be to create story for all involved parties. Robbing banks, trains, or players for the sake of “loot” is highly discouraged. As a criminal, the experience of the parties being robbed or taken hostage should be a top priority.
While you are welcome to disguise yourself during one of these scenarios, on an OOC level your goal should be to get caught for your crimes - eventually. This is especially true for high-level crimes such as bank and train robberies, as the law would go to great lengths to identify all involved parties. This is aided mechanically through the use of the evidence system, and as a criminal, you are always welcome to put down extra details to help identify yourself and can send tips from NPCs who may have “witnessed” your crimes to the ANON tipline. Part of our collaborative roleplay environment is giving opportunities for investigation into your criminal misdeeds.
Bank and Train robberies are mechanic-based activities for criminals to create roleplay for their group, nearby civilians, and for the Law.
Bank Robberies
All bystanders must treat bank robbery scenarios with respect and obey commands from the Law and criminals alike. The only players that should provide medical assistance at any point during a bank robbery are those involved on the outlaw or Law sides. All uninvolved, law-abiding civilians are expected to leave the area. Any character that is hanging around near a bank robbery may potentially be charged with a crime. Please be respectful of any commands given by law - in some cases, it may be acceptable for uninvolved characters to take refuge in a building, but to avoid bubbling you may be asked to leave town entirely. If it seems like there are a lot of people in town, removing yourself from the situation preemptively is highly recommended as bubbling can create great frustration for both the law and criminals involved in the robbery.
Train Robberies
Similar to bank robberies, passengers on a train being robbed should treat the scenario with respect and obey commands from the Law and criminals alike. In most cases, the criminals will disarm train passengers, but vigilantism during these scenarios is strongly discouraged. Any character that does not comply with law orders once the Law has entered the scene may potentially be charged with a crime.
Robbing Other Players
Robberies, when done well, can be very rewarding for both the criminal and the victim. There are a few best practices for making robbery an enjoyable experience, even for the player being robbed: Do not “pocket wipe” other players. This means taking every item they have on their person or dumping things on the ground to make them despawn. It is recommended to be choosy about what items you take and why, and how much money you take and why. Create a scene and roleplay with your victim. Do not simply search them and run. Talking to your victim before, during, and after the robbery can make it feel more fulfilling and less like you are simply looking to loot them. Avoid robbing people in scenarios where they are mechanically disadvantaged. For example, while they are writing a telegram and unable to see your approach, or during a poker or blackjack game where they cannot stand up right away. Waiting for a character to leave a telegram station or to walk away from a game table can make the scene feel more dynamic instead of mechanical. Leave clues as to your identity (if in disguise) with your victims and/or the law
Property Ownership Policy
Players may operate a business out of a location and even grant a unique name to a location, but the official/legal name does not change and any alternative names may not be recognized by other characters on the server.
Here are some examples of appropriate usages of property:
- The Smith Family may operate out of Emerald Ranch, referring to it as "Smith Ranch", but should make no claims of leasing or owning the location.
- Black Lung Mining Company is founded and begins operating Annesburg coal mines. They should make no claim on the mines, and any attempt to control who is allowed to work in the Annesburg coal mines would be considered a criminal activity, as they do not own the mines
- Two sets of players from different time zones use Manzanita Post. Each set of players refers to the location with a different name. They should not "correct" each other or try to claim the other is illegally residing in the location. Players may choose to try to collaborate, or simply follow their own separate stories/RP.
- Any documentation regarding property ownership/management is SOLELY for RP purposes/flavor and holds no legal backing, and should never be used to attempt to push players out of a location or lay claim to a location under any circumstances.
Detail System Policy
Here are some examples of details that are using the system as intended:
- “Three pairs of bootprints, headed east”
- “The sink is full of bloodied rags and used medical supplies”
- “The smell of cooked rabbit lingers in the air”
- “Papers are scattered all over the desk and floor and the room is in disarray”
Essentially, the goal of details is to provide small clues for other players, either to help indicate that an event has occurred or to help someone (the law, a criminal, etc) find your character. As such, details should be placed for a specific purpose and should communicate things that further RP. Details that are used to imply ownership are prohibited. Ideally, details should add a level of immersion and flavor to the world without making other players feel pushed out of a location or storyline.
In any situation where a note can be used instead, you should not use a detail. No flyers, papers, or signage should be indicated via details under any circumstances.
For property destruction, minor and specific damage may be indicated via details (such as broken windows, scorch marks, damaged furniture, etc) but under no circumstances should there be significant structural damage or should buildings be rendered unusable without explicit staff approval.
Keep in mind that Law players are tasked with removing details when appropriate as they collect evidence since the majority of details are for criminals to aid the law in their tracking and capture.
Sisika Prison Policy
Sisika Visitation
If you would like to schedule a visit with a prisoner, please reach out to law via the ANON tipline. Sisika Penitentiary visit requests must include the name of the character requesting the visit, a return telegram number and the name of the inmate they'd like to visit.
If you have committed a crime in the last 60 days or are considered a major criminal you will likely be ineligible for a visit. Senior law will review your request in-character and send a response confirming or denying your visit.
As a reminder: Sisika Penitentiary is a high-security prison. Please treat any visit seriously and respectfully.
Sisika Guards
If you are interested in playing a Sisika guard, you will apply via the Support Bot. For more information, see the Sisika Guard Guidelines.
Serial Killer Policy
In order to apply to play a serial or spree killer, please submit to the support bot for review and approval:
- A brief character backstory
- Rough plans for the character including methods they may employ for killing, frequency of their killings, and potential endings you would consider
- How you plan this experience to be for law players (how you plan to interact, how you intend to leave clues, what you will do to feed the investigation, etc)
- What time zone you generally play in (rough estimates are fine!)
- How you would like to handle it if your killer gets discovered and/or caught early on in their story
- Any other relevant info
Examples of things that may result in denial:
- If there are too many approved killers in a single timezone
- An experience that is likely to overwhelm the law department or service players
- Pacing that is too quick or frequent
- Methods of violence that may create issues for players
- Inadequate resolution or an unsatisfying plan if they are caught early
All serial killer characters are required to have some type of permanent end to their story - for example, execution or a life sentence with no release from Sisika.
Return to the Application-Based Roles Page.