ADMIN NOTICE : OFFICIAL FACTION RIGHTS

[hribek]

1) Official Factions are free to restrict or not restrict access to their owned systems and tax players who enter owned system. However, properly Tagged and ID'd independent players may enter Guard systems. Access to systems that surround owned system must not be restricted unless there's a war with another faction.

2) Official factions have authority over players of the same NPC affiliation, as long as RP justification is provided. This authority applies in forums and in-game, and applies to player faction diplomacy, and strategic and tactical direction. However, exercise of that authority, on the forums and in game, is restricted to official faction members with the rank of the official faction leader and one rank below him/her. The authority may be exercised through the use of in-game in-RP orders, which, if not obeyed, can result in in-game in-RP consequences (arrest, court martial, and even “lethal” force in extreme circumstances).

4) Official Factions who have planned an event can restrict participation of others in that event as they see fit.

1, 2, 4 - these things are actually in effect, but dont exist as rules, but ommonly known guidelines. If it's necessary to make them into server rules, whatever. But these three re rather "official declaration and acknowledgement" of existing faction rights. So okay, we know what we do. Perfectly fine.

3) Once a faction achieves official status, they will receive their downpayment of $500 mill back. They will further receive a Cap 8 Armour Upgrade, once they have spent 3 months contributing meaningfully to server RP, for instance, via events and forum activity.

Now that is something new. Bonuses as rewads are always nice. Doesn't have to mean just cap 8 armor upgrades. I've briefly read a few posts at the beginning of the thread, I think there were some good ideas.
However, how is this a "faction right"? They "have a right" to be rewarded? Sounds a bit funny. This stands out, i think - it isn't really a faction right.

5) Official Factions control the issuance of Battleship Licences to independent players and faction members for their house Battleships, via the forum application process.
Players sanctioned for PVP violations in a battleship may, at the Admin's discretion, have the licence removed as part of their sanction. They must then re-apply for the licence from the official faction, or downgrade the ship.

An Official Faction which has granted a battleship licence to a player may ask the Admins afterwards to remove the licence, with reasons. Conversely a player who feels they have been treated unfairly by an Official Faction, regarding a licence, may appeal to the Admins.

No. Just no. we all have enough "paperwork" as it is. Although in my current situation I might theorize that people aren't going to buy a dozen Spyglasses every week, but ... wait, no. Who would... just how ? My imagination is large, but still limited...

On second thought, perhaps I could cut out the problematic parts ... *Ctrl-X, Ctrl-X*
5) <strike>Official Factions control the Battleship independent players and faction members.
Players sanctioned for PVP violations may have the ship removed as part of their sanction.
An Official Faction may ask the Admins to remove a player who have treated unfairly an Official Faction.</strike>

Uh. It got a bit funny again. Yikes!

I think that:
By buying a capital ship, one gains two things:
- firepower
- responsibility to roleplay properly, because such ship cannot be overlooked.
Spending the time to earn for it is one's own choice and does not grant any rights.

Discovery Gaming Community should have an open policy regarding this. I've been an active member of a certain official player faction with a large number of players for some time now and surprisingly - this official faction does not restrict their members' ship choice at all.

In a different (pirate) environment, gunboats are like battleships already. Unless there is a real, non-imaginary, proven problem with the capital ship pilot, they should have the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty. I do not want to put the capital/battleship "buyers" and "sellers" getting into a hostile or annoyed mindset just because of the added paperwork. On the contrary, non-faction battleships should be co-operating with the official factions as much as possible, and be encouraged to do so.
Regarding player (mis)conduct that cannot be helped in any reasonable way, the faction lead will have to pass it on to the administrators - and we all know how that works.

What we need is not a new set of rules. We have all the guidelines we require, already. We need an attitude change and we need it now. Starting with myself. Suddenly i see less trouble in the world, everyone is friendlier and can both help and be helped. Communication between actual people on the forums and in game is in fact so limited, that the same text message can mean several completely different things, depending on the recipient's mindset.

Perhaps someone could create a flow chart of how to handle problematic ships? Just to illustrate it and lead the way. I've run out of time for now.

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