Outside Look, Inside Perspective, Overall Opinion

[Baltar]

This is the trouble when something gets too big for its own good.

Back when I started at Disco, many a year ago, things were much more casual. But then we didn't need a whole bunch of rules and regulations, coz everyone was reasonable and we sat down to have fun.

But inevitably, along would come another 1337 player... someone who just has to win at all costs, to abuse any sploit they could find, to "push the envelope" that little bit in their favour, and not giving two s**ts about anyone else but themselves. So then a decision would have to be made to close the sploit, and a rule made to enforce it. And so the spirit of Disco would die that little bit more, until we are where we're at today, which is crushed under a huge book of rules and regulations.

It didn't help that with the demise of many other servers, Disco got inundated with pwnz0rs and other assorted d**kheads from the likes of Void... the Mongolian Hordes that threatened to wreck the place beyond all recognition.

My 2-c....

Yes ... the tightening up is primarily due to the over-zealous who come from PVP only servers. And some of the rules we've got now came about from them ... and probably needed. But what we really need is NOT more rules ... but enforcement of the rules that already exist. And we need to enforce them as written ... we do NOT need our rules expanded beyond what is in the text based on someone's opinion on what the rule states. For example ... Piracy is either PVP or not. We can't go about saying certain PVP rules apply to piracy and others do not. If one PVP rule applies (cruising to catch up) ... then all PVP rules apply (4 hour death rules). Consistent ... unambiguous ... clear ... concise rules are what we need. We do NOT need rules that are applied in one situation and not in another (that's inconsistent). We need them to be easily understood so that even the new guy gets it without having to post question threads on rules (unambiguous and clear). We need the rules to be short ... the more text you use ... the more it opens itself up to interpretation (concise).

A practical suggestion: Make it password only? Requiring that you join the forum and then "earn" password, maybe by role play or something like that? Make a second, trial server with the same intent?

Not an option ... this would kill the server quick. And then you've got the issue of who do you allow and disallow ... can become abused by allowing only your friends and allies in ... not much good for diversity of role players.