The Real Horselady
"I've been told by both players and staff that we shouldn't be using the term ShitSec in-character or OOC. What is the policy here. Just for my genuine understanding. Why is it bad RP to promote a well-behaving Skeleton or Clown to Command, providing they get mindshielded?
Why is it bad RP to call sec shit. Assuming I do ahelp, is it bad to roleplay resistance via verbal protest?"
Using shitsec and compounding that up with LOOC toxicity is just grounds for an immediate smite and ban as that discourages players from playing security. This is akin to our policy on valid-hunting, where repeated offenses will get you role-banned. In this manner we've been consistent on our rulings, and we always take a stance to generally discourage players from using the term. Whether you like it or not, the term discourages security players, that's the cold hard truth.
"Why is it bad RP to promote a well-behaving Skeleton or Clown to Command, providing they get mindshielded?
Why is it bad RP to call sec shit. Assuming I do ahelp, is it bad to roleplay resistance via verbal protest?"
First one isn't. It's one we just ask an ahelp for. We actively allow skeletons to be promoted to security positions when they are trusted by command members currently playing. I've never seen an ahelp about this, and digging through ahelp logs, there was very few instances of this being something an admin has ahelped a player for. More often than not, it was reminding skeletons of the different role-play rules we have in regards to their role.
Second one, no, ahelping and then calling secshit isn't bad roleplay. Combining that with LOOC toxicity is, and saying after the round "Wow sec was so bad that round never play sec again" is a bannable offense and terrible for role-play expectations and the player-base.
"To me, a big part of Space Station is the fact that things can and do go awry for a variety of reasons. Why I like the LRP server is there is generally more leeway with this, whereas I feel on MRP the command and sec take it so far in the opposite direction, it heavily feels like power gaming."
We've been handing out more and more bans as well as made explicit stances against this. We've even made it precedent to where a heretic shouldn't be executed or perma'ed for simply having an amulet or drawing runes on the floor, making the antagonist much easier to play. If security isn't following this rule, rest assured that people will be role-banned.
"I actively ahelp, but it seems like a lot of "rules for thee, not for me."
Even recently I watched a kobold outright being allowed by captain on MRP to wear full Nukie gear. It even detonated a grenade. I ahelped about it and was told it'd be allowed because its cute."
A captains incompetence is noted when it comes to situations like these. Repeated offenses of incompetence will result in a role-ban. This to me seems like textbook incompetence, and has been noted. This is inline with our policy. As your sentiment with "rules for thee, not for me", we've recently implented a policy about how staff feel about a certain situation. When something is deemed as "understandable", we do not punish the player for it. Recently, a ban appeal came through where an admin decided that a certain action was understandable but still applied a punishment. The original ruling goes against that, and we removed the ban completely. It is something we're actively working on since a week ago, and is still something we need to address honestly.
"Another instance I directly reported to Miiish was a Sec player that attempted to get Engineering to weld and therefore "claim," an area to arrest me for trespassing despite it being a public maints area. Failing that, they arrested me for something that happened in prison and I was already released for. The one time I was (mostly) rightfully arrested (despite the fact that HoP just wanted to demote me, not arrest me) HoS purposely took their sweet time just holding me and sitting there instead of processing me, never actually telling me why or giving me a sentence timer. This doesn't feel like RP, it's actively anti-RP and seeking to remove players people don't like from RP."
When was this? This seems to be from a while ago. I remember vaguely someone being role-banned for an instance like this.
"I want to encourage players to do cool shit. Even if in my mind it's clear someone is an antag, I resist detaining them ASAP to give them a chance to try their shit out. Unless I have clear irrefutable proof, I'm not in a rush to search/detain them. I want to promote players, foster their growth and make them lifelong players. Preemptively ruining RP scenarios and shutting down antags just doesn't seem to do that for me."
This is the same sentiment we share as well. We are still a young server, but the saying "When do you stop asking the talking dog 'Are you a dog?', and instead ask 'Can you even speak English?'" truthfully applies here. The point is, when do we attribute these issues to a problem within the staff team and not just us on the road learning as we go?
I think we're coming around to a point where we're at a place that we can call the team sufficient. Other servers would just outright ban people for having disagreements like this, and I actively reject that mentality. I applaud you for having the patience to explain these issues in a forum post and being open to talk with me openly about your experiences. That I truly appreciate and anyone who takes the time to do so will have an honest response written as well.
The goal for Funky is to allow silly shit to happen while allowing players to enjoy the base game. Admins are still learning the way to police certain issues. Precedents are not public enough, and discussion around these issues is always seen as hostile. This needs to change, and I'm not sure if all of these previous servers and the way they handled themselves rubs off on Funky as well. If it does, I need to know ASAP. I actively reject the ways other servers sometimes run themselves.
If an admin does it, I need to know ASAP.
We're all trying to do better by the players, and the LRP server existing while having MRP be our flagship was actively degrading the experience. Like I stated in my original post, I cannot let it continue like this.
If you have any questions please let me know.
