(11-19-2023, 04:26 PM)Fab Wrote: I hate the need to link the "rules clarification" thread. if rules need to be clarified, it means they're not well written. I hope that thread is atomized.
Rule clarifications should be put into spoilers under the related rule.
As for the OP...
The server rules should be written in a way that will allow for them to be directly accessible ingame, as a simple text copy-paste, with the forum version having links attached to other words than "here" (words like "in the appropriate forum thread").
Any rule re-write that fails to achieve this is half-arsed and another failure. No more different rule version on forum and ingame already. Jesus.
The original Help System (check my sig) already included the unified rule rewrite I did 3 years ago (also check my sig), which staff were unable to process or engage with in any manner due to issues with their egos. Since you once again deliberately chose to ignore the points already put forward several times, which will unambiguously improve the rules, there probably is still no point in trying to engage with you guys in any topic-based factual manner anyway, but...
I'll still point out several problems with your version (which you'll probably ignore). There is more than I'll list in this first post, but writing even this short version is most likely a waste of time, judging from past experience.
- Starting the rules with "Don't be a dick" immediately lets every newbie know that disco has community issues that the staff is unable to deal with, let alone deal with in a non-infantile manner. It also provides 0 useful information. Also, if you look at things that some of the "top echelons" of disco consider being a dick and not being a dick, its quite comical. What we really need is that those people re-learn what "being a dick" means. For example, there are people at the top of disco staff who flew around in groups of 2-4 aces that few people could beat, they picked on noobs and graciously offered that only 1 of the aces will "duel" him. One of them beat the crap out of the victim while the others mocked the lack of skill. They dont consider that being a dick, they consider it "sportsmanship" because they dont use numbers or ship class, only "skill". If someone tries to help the victim, or it tried to run, they called that "being a dick for denying a blue", and number-ganked the "dick" for days to "teach him not to be a dick". Until the guys in your staff make a serious commitment to rethinking that kind of behavior, having something like "don't be a dick" or "be excellent" in the rules is a farce, and disco will never grow in population again, ever, no matter what else you do. And frankly it wouldnt deserve to.
- Start the rules with the most important information, which is that it's a role playing game and you need need to role play in english.
- the first section of the rules should also include the most important information about bounties/hiring and POBs, which is needed for those who only start playing on the server without forum related things like forum bounties or POB construction: That you cant attack POBs without declaration (is that rule even needed anymore with vulnerability being turned on and off?), and under what circumstances someone can be hired on the spot. Keep the things needed for POB construction and forum bounties in separate sections, that only people who want to build pobs or place forum bounties need to read.
- official faction rules are still a mess. They need to be made shorter and make it clear for OFs that they have a responsibility to help and make the game playable for their members and indies alike. More than "you can tell indies to stand down to balance fights", which only led to OFs telling indies to stand down to benefit their friends and "important people", which leads to more squabbling not less.
- still many useless repetitions of words that make things long and cluttered.
