Prevent on-station characters from being played as off-station antagonists.

[Doxxmedearly]

Yeah okay more common than I thought. I'm with the party of "Make it a default rule, allow ahelp exceptions."

[geeves]

My only concern with allowing it to be an ahelp exception, is that:

1) That'd lead to antags with on-station gimmicks having to ahelp and deal with admins, which might take even longer.
2) Admins to make a call on a character for a gimmick they might not even know.
3) Every single time that on-station character antag would show up and do stuff to a new person, that person would ahelp because it's against the rule, can't expect the administration team to keep an eye on that all the time, right?

I'm behind making it a hard rule, and making it an exception for events only.

[Doxxmedearly]

6 hours ago, geeves said:

3) Every single time that on-station character antag would show up and do stuff to a new person, that person would ahelp because it's against the rule, can't expect the administration team to keep an eye on that all the time, right?

This is a fair point. That would be a huge headache.

[BoryaTheSlayer]

Big agree and I genuinely thought this was a rule already for some reason. And despite geeves' arguments, I can see an exception being allowed under some circumstances and within certain context.

[Carver]

Could simply require that, if using an on-station name, it has to be incorporated into their greater plan. Whilst forbidding those who simply throw their names on for giggles/laziness.

[Nantei]

17 hours ago, geeves said:

3) Every single time that on-station character antag would show up and do stuff to a new person, that person would ahelp because it's against the rule, can't expect the administration team to keep an eye on that all the time, right?

This already happens with job-hopping. It should be handled the same, make it a note.

[Alberyk]

After taking in consideration that this suggestion has enough support, I suggest the following rule:

Quote

Crew characters must not be used as off-station antags, such as mercenaries, wizards, ninjas and heisters. Exceptions can be made at the staff's discretion, but the presence of the character should add something to the overall story of the round.

 

[Nantei]

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Flamingo]

I think the addition of this rule is acceptable. 

[Twoscythe]

I'd like to hear some preliminary community discussion, or even rulings on the following edge cases for this rule.

I've thought of some pros/cons, but I'm sure I've missed some stuff.

 

1. Disgraced/Fired/Drepreciated station characters, returning for some non-cannon revenge.

e.g. A virologist is canon fired for negligence, after putting profit and expedience ahead of safety protocols and letting an airborne virus get loose, before it was made safe. He returns in the employ of the Syndicate, plotting to release a deadly new virus on the station, before proceeding to his objectives.

Pros:

+Fired characters now have a narratively interesting use, beyond disgraced scientists or cops all becoming janitors.

-Cooling effect will make it harder for disgraced characters to work on the station, even in non antag roles, as Personnel won't want to rehire a potentially disgruntled former employee to not use his degree.

 

2. Reccurring non-antag characters who are not actually employees or residents of the station, but traders/visitors. (I know the station doesn't accept touristy types like many others, but still.)

 e.g. San Holo, the scruffy looking freighter captain who hangs out in the bar. He might take extra-legal jobs, if the price is right, but isn't normally an actual antag. 

Pros:

+Bar is likely to turn into a rowdy Quarks Bar scene, full of suspicious/quirky characters.

+Sec will need to keep tabs on barflies, preventing them from harassing lawful residents.

+Metagame strategy for these players will be to roleplay cool/interesting/likable characters.

+Unemployed assistants will be discouraged from being graytide assholes, since their IC reputation might come in handy one day.

Cons: 

-Bar is likely to turn into a rowdy Mos Eisley Cantina scene, full of suspicious/quirky characters.

-Sec will need to keep tabs on barflies, preventing them from stopping actual antags.

-Will be even harder to get critical roles filled on lowpop shifts, because of more people RPing at the bar.

[Xelnagahunter]

5 hours ago, Twoscythe said:

-snip-

I'm not certain how these are considered edge cases.

If your character is fired and wants to come back and an off station antag then you are more than welcome to do so. That character won't see play on the station anymore and has grand motivation to do what he's doing. After your 5th round of doing it, the "friends" you had are likely to begin disregarding you as their friend because the gimmick will have gotten old. If you're talking about putting them on as a traitor, that means you readied to play the character that you shouldn't have readied to play in the first place as they are fired and should not be on the station.

If you're talking about merchants or visitors trying to roll traitor, and hanging out in the bar, then that isn't a part of this rule as it applies specifically to off-station antagonists like merc, raider, ninja, and wizard.