Vox Gameplay Discussion.

[Baka]

Hello.

There was a recent complaints topic about a player playing as Vox, and during it a great point was raised:

How should vox behave in terms of "antagging" or conflict?

Voxes are a bay thing, and bay had their lore of "Well, Voxes are supposed to be cowardly chickens that hides in lockers and try not to bring up conflict unless they are pitted against someone, but even then as a last dire resort." Which that is established over there, there's nothing like that established over here. So let's talk about what they are, and a mindset when playing as them.

Keep in mind, because of the nature of "objective free antagging", it makes a lot of wiggle room for players to come up as scenarios. I'm not talking about what they should be doing, rather, their take on what their behaviour is because they are indeed an alien species. This is something I would like to see the lore team clarify on, but I think input from the community is important since it is also a playable game mode that all can play.

Please share your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, and comments about this subject, so we may elucidate on the matter.

[Frances]

I don't mind Vox being written as a cowardly race of space thiefs. It complements nicely the often fanatically confrontational syndie ops.

However, I don't think this is a trope that every Vox player should have to follow religiously. As long as the general sentiment of it is preserved (and Vox take the inviolate seriously), I have no issue with Vox caving under pressure, or moving away from traditional Vox beliefs when confronted with unusual situations.

For example, let's say a Vox has been in a fight and attacked by humans. Most Vox would attempt to withdraw at that point, but I don't think a Vox getting upset and deciding to pursue a fight (at the risk of their own demise) would constitute poor roleplay. I have seen Vox depicted with a wide variety of personalities and motivations, and this is perfectly fine by me.

Of course, should we find that no one makes the slightest effort to respect general Vox ideals, we might have to start enforcing stricter rules.

(AKA 1 Vox freaking out within reason is good. But every Vox freaking out all the time and essentially playing as a second Nuke mode is bad.)

[Valkrae]

As I've said on the complait this was listed on, and the lore questions thread...

I've asked Jackboot if I could do a lore writeup of the Vox, in order to better define them.

[Jamini]

I, personally, would love if Vox had a small code of sorts to limit them from going full balls-to-the-wall shoot/maim/kill, unless really provoked.

The way vox were originally done, and how I tend to play them, was with a sort three-rule "Inviolate" which essentially boiled down to three short mantras.

1. Vox do not leave Vox behind.

-In part to encourage hostage trades, in part to discourage rambo Vox, the first rule was very simple: You don't leave Vox behind, even your dead. Lore-wise, on bay, this reason was so that their cortical stacks could be uploaded/implanted into a new chick to "clone" the vox personality. Keeping it, I feel, is a good thing that helps keep the flavor of the Vox.

2. Vox do not destroy what they can steal. Minimize damage.

-Once again, to help distinguish heist from nuke, the second rule existed to encourage Vox to steal and harass rather than cause excessive damage. The vox were originally scavengers and thieves, they aren't there to kill, maim, or destroy. Damaging something is a means to an end, one that can provide materials or labor (ideally) to the arkships.

3. Vox do not actively seek to kill. Minimize casualties.

-A third point, in line with the other two, the third rule existed to discourage Vox from randomly murdering crew. While retaliation and reaction is perfectly fine, Vox just... don't have an active interest in killing people. They are there to find things that will be useful back home (like metal, plasma, nitrogen tanks, engine parts, solars, captive engineers.) not to cause terror or damage NT directly.

The inviolate, I've found, helps keep the vox from acting in an excessive manner. Crew that are aware of the code also can use it as a stepping stone for peaceful negotiations (after all, Vox are traders too! Often!) or to betray the vox.

Of course, if the crew mistreats the Vox or breaks the Inviolate (possibly unwittingly)... all bets are off. For example... cremating the bodies of Vox and making them completely unrecoverable may very well be such a sin that a vox would willingly attempt to destroy the station, or at least hunt down and bring back trophies of those responsible.

[Valkrae]

That's sort of the plan, actually. The way I see it, The Vox want to minimize death, and collateral damage. They are there to steal anything of value.

Another plan I have, is to make each individual Vox ship behave like a family. They stick with each other their entire lives, and live on the ship that shows up.

[Chaznoodles]

I, personally, would love if Vox had a small code of sorts to limit them from going full balls-to-the-wall shoot/maim/kill, unless really provoked.

The way vox were originally done, and how I tend to play them, was with a sort three-rule "Inviolate" which essentially boiled down to three short mantras.

1. Vox do not leave Vox behind.

-In part to encourage hostage trades, in part to discourage rambo Vox, the first rule was very simple: You don't leave Vox behind, even your dead. Lore-wise, on bay, this reason was so that their cortical stacks could be uploaded/implanted into a new chick to "clone" the vox personality. Keeping it, I feel, is a good thing that helps keep the flavor of the Vox.

2. Vox do not destroy what they can steal. Minimize damage.

-Once again, to help distinguish heist from nuke, the second rule existed to encourage Vox to steal and harass rather than cause excessive damage. The vox were originally scavengers and thieves, they aren't there to kill, maim, or destroy. Damaging something is a means to an end, one that can provide materials or labor (ideally) to the arkships.

3. Vox do not actively seek to kill. Minimize casualties.

-A third point, in line with the other two, the third rule existed to discourage Vox from randomly murdering crew. While retaliation and reaction is perfectly fine, Vox just... don't have an active interest in killing people. They are there to find things that will be useful back home (like metal, plasma, nitrogen tanks, engine parts, solars, captive engineers.) not to cause terror or damage NT directly.

The inviolate, I've found, helps keep the vox from acting in an excessive manner. Crew that are aware of the code also can use it as a stepping stone for peaceful negotiations (after all, Vox are traders too! Often!) or to betray the vox.

Of course, if the crew mistreats the Vox or breaks the Inviolate (possibly unwittingly)... all bets are off. For example... cremating the bodies of Vox and making them completely unrecoverable may very well be such a sin that a vox would willingly attempt to destroy the station, or at least hunt down and bring back trophies of those responsible.

 

If I recall, this is the Inviolate, which all Vox adhere to. No killing, don't leave people behind, etc. I'm rather surprised this was never followed here, because it used to be.

[Valkrae]

I think Rusty did the current lore, and it's very old, and really mixed.

[Jamini]

That's sort of the plan, actually. The way I see it, The Vox want to minimize death, and collateral damage. They are there to steal anything of value.

Another plan I have, is to make each individual Vox ship behave like a family. They stick with each other their entire lives, and live on the ship that shows up.

 

If I might suggest something?

I'd suggest the "deadspace" location the vox jump to be a sort of station, a conglomeration of ships that have docked to one-another, akin to an ever-shifting city with various vox from each ship intermingling and bartering/trading between various raids/trading missions. Having the "Inviolate" would essentially be a code Vox follow so that they do not damage each-others ships while docked to the these 'arkships'. Vox would, as a rule, simply apply it to the Meat Arkships by convention, and would expect that the meats do the same to them. (up until they don't.)

... would you like to collaborate on the writeup perhaps? I'd be interested in sharing some ideas. I'm rather a fan of the Vox.

[LordFowl]

There's a cultural restriction, which is something that shouldn't but can be broken (And I agree with the Inviolate, but breaking the Inviolate shouldn't result in OoC repercussion, but rather IC repercussion from your fellow Vox. If you somehow convince an entire skipjack of Vox to break the cultural laws they've been ingrained with, then power to you.)

And then there's a racial restriction, which literally can't be broken out of because it is a biological limit. And in most cases I don't agree with this. Vox being cowardly as a race because of biological limitation is something that I don't support. Vox being subversive and less confrontational because of their culture and their current situation is something I do agree with.

So to what I presume you're suggesting with your "small code to prevent them from going balls to the walls" is an in-game mechanic that simulates a biological limitation, such as Dionaea being slow, except in this case somehow making Vox cowardly. I really don't support this. However, if you mean implementing reminders of the Inviolate, or a similar binding cultural code, then I wholeheartedly support that.

[Frances]

So to what I presume you're suggesting with your "small code to prevent them from going balls to the walls" is an in-game mechanic that simulates a biological limitation, such as Dionaea being slow, except in this case somehow making Vox cowardly. I really don't support this. However, if you mean implementing reminders of the Inviolate, or a similar binding cultural code, then I wholeheartedly support that.

Psst. I don't think Jamini is speaking of a programming code.

[Flamingo]

I'm a big fan of the Vox, and I have a lot of ideas, but I'll keep my message short. I think the Vox should be (semi) enforced as cowardly, anti-conflict. I agree with giving the players freedom, but in all honesty, if people want to have a massive conflict with explosions and murder, I think what they want is Nuke. Now I'm not saying Vox can't kill. They very well can, but I don't want to have an inviolate that EVERY Vox ignores because they know if they out-robust their crew, they can get away with it OOC. Vox going murder-frenzy should remain rare. As long as Vox don't become "nuke ops with shitty gear" (which they arguably are now), and go around blowing shit up and killing people, I'll be happy.

As a side note, I'd appreciate it if admins/DO's would sometimes play along with nuke ops/vox to make fun events. Usually they just are told (by the crew) "If you try to dock we will engage with lethal force because centcomm didn't message us", which really kills anything not conflict related from happening. My favorite rounds consist of when the admins play the part of centcomm (see: mining asteroid was sold to nuke ops (another corporation) and Asteroidia was founded. Ended when the heads of staff faked a singularity release and the nuke ops said "fuck it let's just blow up the station since round is ending". Really killed some good RP that was voted to continue, and sparked some complaints on the forums). I know when I've been a Vox, some people have had some really silly but interesting ideas that we couldn't ever get help with, and as such had to resort to stealing shit or get robusted by security.

tl;dr: make vox follow the inviolate. allow freedom, but not too much, so that they don't become nuke ops.

[Erik Tiber]

That's sort of the plan, actually. The way I see it, The Vox want to minimize death, and collateral damage. They are there to steal anything of value.

Another plan I have, is to make each individual Vox ship behave like a family. They stick with each other their entire lives, and live on the ship that shows up.

 

If I might suggest something?

I'd suggest the "deadspace" location the vox jump to be a sort of station, a conglomeration of ships that have docked to one-another, akin to an ever-shifting city with various vox from each ship intermingling and bartering/trading between various raids/trading missions. Having the "Inviolate" would essentially be a code Vox follow so that they do not damage each-others ships while docked to the these 'arkships'. Vox would, as a rule, simply apply it to the Meat Arkships by convention, and would expect that the meats do the same to them. (up until they don't.)

... would you like to collaborate on the writeup perhaps? I'd be interested in sharing some ideas. I'm rather a fan of the Vox.

That sounds like an absolutely great line of thinking in regards to the Vox. I really like it when people go into why that culture is the way it is. I'm very fascinated by how the Vox might view their own culture in such a normative manner and simply apply their own values to the humans like that. It seems very interesting.

Oooh, you could also probably discuss things such as, say, how their environment shaped their culture. They live in space, in an environment where you need to really maintain your equipment. They seem to act in the background of society rather than openly, so maybe some of their behaviors are partially designed to keep a low profile (Perhaps using technologies which minimize their heat emissions, or by using more discrete methods of communication like sending dead-drop probes on long period orbits, and having them be intercepted at a predetermined point by other Vox. Or using such secretive methods to deliver sensitive cargo). They might also navigate their ships in a certain manner in order to make it harder for people to pinpoint the locations of their arcships. And maybe the coordination needed to stay semi-secretive is all executed in such a manner that people simply mistake it as them being stupid bird gypsies doing stupid bird gypsy things.