Conduct

Though we at GateMUSH like to take a hands-off approach with some things, we expect you, the players, to put in effort of your own. In short, there are a few things we expect from you during your stay here.

Firstly, be aware that this MUSH runs on the concept of consensual RP. Players should not dictate the actions of other people's characters. We're all here to have fun, and nobody should have to feel like they're being bullied into doing something they don't want to. Communicate abundantly with your fellow players, and make sure they know what you want to try and do. Likewise, you should listen to other people, and be prepared to adapt your plans in the event things change.

Secondly, you should also know that your in-character actions have in-character consequences; in short, ICA equals ICC. While consensual RP is the backbone of the MUSH, abusing it to avoid these consequences is frowned upon. If you think an action might have big consequences, talk with the people who're likely to get involved.

IC =/= OOC. It's a fact of life that characters don't always get along with each other--that doesn't mean that players have to do the same. You can play a depraved, psychotic murderer, and still be a perfectly reasonable person OOCly; the character isn't the player, and the player isn't the character. Grudges, rivalries, and vendettas are all integral parts of RP, but they run much more smoothly--and are more fun--if you don't take it personally and communicate with the other party. It's just a game, and while things can get emotional at times, carrying IC issues into OOC relationships (or vice-versa) is immature and just plain bad form.

At some point, you may OOCly acquire knowledge about plots, things, and other characters. Some characters know a lot about the multiverse--they might be dilligent researchers, well-connected, or just well-traveled. However, this does not give players free license to use OOC knowledge ICly. This can ruin plots for everybody else, and it's just as twinkish as item-hoarding and power-gaming. If you're in doubt about whether your character would know something, ask the people who would be affected by it.

A twink, in a role-playing context, is someone who treats the MUSH as though it were any other game; twinks play to win, not to have fun. As a result, they end up stepping on other players' toes, abusing their characters' powers, and generally making the MUSH into an unpleasant environment. Don't be a twink. We realize that some characters are powerful on their own, or have access to assets above and beyond what most other characters have. This does not give players free license to overwhelm other characters; if you are playing such a character, don't constantly use your most powerful resources.

No-selling is also frowned upon. Simply put, this is the act of shrugging off bad things that happen to your character. This doesn't have to be physical damage--players can also no-sell by ignoring the effects certain things would have on their characters' mental states. Very few characters can ICly yawn in the face of overwhelming force, or keep their cool when they're being overwhelmed. If something is disturbing, frightening, or generally creepy, roleplay it out. While many characters have ICly faced great and terrible threats, this does not mean that they're inured to them to the point of acting in a "ho-hum" manner when confronted with them.

Complaining about things might seem cathartic, but it doesn't help anything in the long run. If you have a problem with another player, and haven't been able to work it out on your own, use +gripe. If you have a problem with the administration or other MUSH-related issues, use +feedback. The staff will try and deal with the issue as best as we can.

Finally, all players are expected to make an effort to use proper spelling and grammar. We recognize that some players are not native English speakers, or may have a disability such as dyslexia, but poor typing can be difficult for other players to parse, and generally looks sloppy. Excessive typos, misspellings, and illegible grammar without sufficient explanation are suitable grounds for a gripe. We don't expect you to be perfect, of course--typos happen to everybody, after all--but do your best, and don't be afraid to spellcheck if you think you need to. It only takes a little bit of extra time.

In most of these cases, a three-strikes rule applies. If a player disrupts RP by breaking any of these rules, he or she will be warned by the admin. If the behavior continues, another warning will be issued. If the player is still behaving in a disruptive manner, he or she will be fired from the MUSH. The only exceptions to this rule are players who engage in Tinysex, and players who harrass other players. If you do either, you will be fired from the MUSH after a single confirmed incident. See 'news tinysex' for more information on what constitutes Tinysex.