How to RP non-RP things

[Sebastian Wolfe]

Alright, we all have come across situations where we've had to RP something that technically exists outside of RP, and had to pull something out of thin air to make it fit.

Well, here's a guide as to how I do it.

IDs

Lawful/Semi-Lawful (IMG, Daumann, CR, LPI, Researcher, Civilian etc.)
Identification papers, e.g. "Sir, ships with Daumann papers are not permitted access to Freistadt"

Unlawful (Corsair, Outcast, Brigand etc)
Known faction contacts, e.g. "Records indicate you're affiliated with the Corsairs. Mind explaining yourself, criminal?"

AI ID
No life signs, e.g. "I'm not detecting a crew on board. Are you by chance an AI ship?"

Pirate ID
Known criminal record, e.g. "Hmmm... It appears your ship is well-known to the authorities. Begone, criminal!"

Freelancer/Independant Trader/Mercenary ID
The appropriate license, e.g. "Your ship licence indicates you're a merc. You looking for a job?"

The Wild ID
This one's a bit tricky. If they've got Nomad-ish weapons, you can call them out on that, but otherwise you'd best treat them like a normal Navy/Police pilot until they do something Wild-ish, e.g. "He's siding with the Nomad! He must be infested!"

Nomad ID
Well, if they've got a Nomad ID, then they must be in a Nomad ship, so nothing really needs saying here.

Recruit ID
I'm not sure how to RP these, but depending on their ship choice treat them like they had a full ID, e.g. "I trust your training for the Bretonian Armed Forces is going well, rookie?"

Vigilante ID
Record of improper police action, e.g. "Your record shows you like to play policeman. Well, try and catch me, you wannabe cop!"

Slaver/Smuggler ID
An inconsistent manifest. Or, alternatively, you can just call them a slaver/smuggler if you catch them in the act. "There appears to be some... gaps in your trade logs. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you some questions"

Actions that don't exist within RP

Chat-board peeking
I'd not do it unless you're in a freighter or cap. ship bigger than a Gunboat, or unless it's your guard system. However, call it monitoring system-wide comm signals, e.g. "Their comm. signal's still within the Bering area. They must be somewhere around here."

Actions that you do because of server rules, not RP rules

Staying out of a system for 4 hours - Respawn outside
Nav. system/gate malfunction or a jumphole being out-of-phase, e.g. "Damn, the hole's not alligned. I can't jump in"

Staying out of a system for 4 hours - Respawn inside and going to log out
Replacement ship order delay, e.g. "Well, looks like I'm going to have to order a new Bastet from Omicron 100. Looks like I'm going to be here a while."

Staying out of a system for 4 hours - Repairs
Replacement parts delay, e.g. "Damn, looks like I'm going to be grounded for a while, Yokohama doesn't have enough parts to repair my ship." or "Just great, looks like I'm going to have to head elsewhere. Planet Leeds doesn't have the parts I need to fix this tub"

Not re-engaging the same hostile
Targetting error, e.g. "What the..? My targetting computer just crashed. You lucked out today, pirate"

Travelling to/from Connetticut
Just say you're going there, or leaving. If you're an Unlawful, just travel there and tell anyone that tries to stop you. If you're a Rheinland ship, it's best if you tell the LN before entering Liberty, and before leaving the system. "Hey, back off, stupid cop-pig. I'm only headin' to Conn, so you can't stop me, else you'll be breaking your own laws"

Apologising for disconnect
ION interference caused a system shutdown. Put it over System, so as to increase the odds of getting the people that were around, e.g. "Damn, that ION burst fried my systems for a second there. Sorry about that."

Helping the Admins
(i.e. informing someone they're breaking server rules)

Telling someone off for not having ID
Tell them of their error, and if you're in a Police faction, detain them, e.g. "Sir, it is illegal to fly without any form of identification. I must now place you under arrest for failing to provide proof of identity"

Telling someone off for having multiple IDs
Same as above. e.g. "Sir, it is illegal to fly with multiple Identification papers. I must now place you under arrest for identity fraud"

Telling off a re-engager
Be a braggart, e.g."Hang on, didn't I blow you out of the stars earlier? How the hell did you get a new ship already?" or "Well, that was fast. I didn't think you'd be able to get that wreck you call a ship back together
so soon."

Cloaker
Forbidden tech use, e.g. "A cloaking device? Those are prohibited by Sirian law! Get 'im!"

Mismatched equipment
Compatibility/Compliance issues, e.g. "Wow. I didn't know that a Nyx could use Krakens. Do the IMG know you've got them attached?"

ID/Ship mismatch
Same as above, e.g. "Well, this is unusual. A criminal using a Valkrye. Man, the Rheinwehr must really be ticked off at you."

Oversized Ship
Tonnage questions, e.g. "Sir, are you aware that your current permit does not allow you to use a ship of that size?"

Objects that do not exist in-RP

NPCs
Call them NPCs, but have the acronym mean Non-Personalised Callsigns. Calling them Rookies or Cadets also works, but that could get confused with the above Recruit ID. "Damn, too many pesky Generics around. I can't deal with this now."

Admins
You can't RP the Admins. Don't even try.

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Don't tell them the truth : That in reality you are a potbellied german VW factory worker named Horst.

[bobby]

Cool guide.
But I don't get it, are you trying to Justify metagaming?

[Elvin]

As above, would just add, that for ooC cahtter is usually used "static".
Example.
X: Rofl!
Y: Sir, your comms are transmitng a lot of static, perhaps you would like to take a look a that.


Edit:
And I don't think he is justifiing anything, just giving hints.
Saying "Your identification papers seem to be seriously messed up" sound better than "//You have wrong ID" (which is actually is aginst rules a bit).

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I buy things I don't want to make an impression on people I don't like.

[SeaFalcon]

Nice guide but...

Arresting so soon for someone having 2 ID's?
No fines or something?
And most of the time those people are like 0.o what the hell is he talking about?

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And I don't act on ID's but only on ship tags:
"My targeting computer indicated that that ship is registered under the(Faction)"
"Mind explaining that sir/madam?"

Also the 4 hour rule:
"I got chased of there. Had to run out with my ejection pod."
"(Faction) destroyed my ship. Those guy can fly like hell"
"I don't dare to come in (system) again for a while.
"Those guys really scared me off!"

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Freelancer discovery videos

[Soul Reaper]

I think it was more of an ''idea for a guide'', not a guide..or else it'd have to have every possible RP in it, and, its a pretty good idea actually.

You guys, just have to figure out what to use yourselves

cuz...like..rly, I've seen RP getting messed up cause of this,

Example (this really happened to me):

-Amigo, this guy has 2 IDs ? what is he..he should unmount one of them..for us to be sure to kill or not


fail

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User was banned for: http://discoverygc.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=114477
Time left: (Permanent)

[Sebastian Wolfe]

Nice guide but...

Arresting so soon for someone having 2 ID's?
No fines or something?
And most of the time those people are like 0.o what the hell is he talking about?

Yeah, it is a bit of an extreme example. Warnings should come first before the arrest. But, you have to admit, arresting someone for Identity Fraud for having 2 IDs is well within RP for a police character.

Oh, and I'll just go update it. I realise I forgot the Vigilante ID.

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Don't tell them the truth : That in reality you are a potbellied german VW factory worker named Horst.

[SeaFalcon]

In the Netherlands people can have 2 passports D:

But putting up a fine and 2 hrs time to get it all in order should be ok.
and if the dude fails to get 1 ID less or get an new ID or change his ID...
He can be arrested and transported to Sugarland first stop. Second stop Malta.

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Freelancer discovery videos

[jxie93]

For mismatching IFF and ID.

"Your identification documents state you're a pilot for [X faction] but your transponders signals indicate you're from [Y faction]. Is there a malfunction with your ship's comm systems or are you a spy?"

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[Mounteblanc]

Or we could, you know, ignore the existence of IDs and base your reactions to the other character on how they act.

[Ceoran]

the major part of those without ID or multiple IDs won't understand what you are telling them if you try to keep it inRP. At least that's my own experience and why I stopped doing it.

Also, checking up the IDs is not meta-gaming, nor is acting according to what you found by doing so. ID overrides IFF since the IFF could be screwed up by accident. A GC for example could get into serious trouble for blowing up a Interspace-trader who has problems with his IFF (And those who are around long enough know that a mismatching IFF is not always the players fault.).
All those telling that IDs wouldn't exist just need another reason to keep bitch-fighting in the forums instead of just playing the game.

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Go play the game, within the given limitations. That is how role play games are played. Not by trying to work around those limitations or whining about them.