- this is not a sermon, this is the first draft of an ethical philosophy; I will post it in small chunks, and expect MUCH revision:

1- this is a game, and games are fun; if it's not fun, it's not a game

2- this is a multiplayer game; there is no escaping other people

3- each player can either enhance or ruin others' enjoyment of the game

4- it is the duty of each player to ensure their own enjoyment of the game

5- it is a voluntary duty of each player to ensure others' equal enjoyment

--more to come soon, these are just the opening remarks..

Hrm. I think most of us would argue with point #5.
It's not my voluntary responsibility to make sure Smittens enjoys himself. In fact, sometimes I choose to do the opposite. >:P

You could just replace #5 with:
"Don't be a dick."
-- The Holdan rule (Stolen from LeberMac! Stolen!)

..heh, I kinda thought that WAS what I was saying, but I'll try to think of a better way of putting that :D

..and anyhow, is that not what "voluntary" means? maybe I should clear up the opt-out/opt-in dichotomy

1 - if the game is not fun, it's still a game. Just a not so fun game. Like Checkers. boring game unless you have an animated opponent. Very few people play checkers against the computer.

2 - Sure there is. Avoiding people is easy, especially in the VO universe. Just pick an isolated spot and do your thing. It's kinda like avoiding bots. Interaction with others is far from mandatory.

3 - enhance, ruin, or have no impact whatsoever. See point number two

4 - By your logic, if I get enjoyment from killing and taunting other players in VO, then it becomes my duty to do so, in order to ensure that I am maximizing my enjoyment of this game. While that does sound like a lot of fun, my opinion here is that 'duty' is probably too strong a word.

5 - While this is a nice notion, I really have no interest in playing a game where all the players have been neutered to the point where there is no risk of getting upset. I like my food spicy sometimes. Don't serve me up a bland version of this game by imposing rules of behaviour on the unruly.

Oddly enough, I don't even play a pirate in VO. Mebbe I should.

okay, granted iTripped.. I address some of that in the next block:

6- positive activities are those that add to the enjoyment of the game

7- negative activities are those that thwart enjoyment of the game

8- an act that is positive for one player may be negative for another

9- each player has the duty to ensure his activities are mutually positive

..hmm, "duty" is probably the wrong word here (care to suggest another?); and IC vs OOC is coming in the next block..

10- due to the mechanics of the game, character “death” has little true meaning

11- in moderation, death may cease to be a negative act

12- once a character has advanced sufficiently, money also has little meaning

13- in moderation, the loss of money may cease to be a negative act

14- in excess or in repetition, death or loss are often negative acts

There is only The One Rule. I call it "The One Rule". The One Rule: Make sure the newbs survive long enuf to be worth pirating. i.e. don't kill the newbs before they are hooked on the game and have established enuf funds to keep coming back to thier repeated demise.
All hail "The One Rule".

k
tanks
cya

that "one rule" should kinda extend to a certain act of courtesy.

yes this is an MMO, you will never find a friend everywhere. having said that, we all know that there are some real "jerks" (*nicer way to say it) in VO.. some do it cause that's the type of char they choose to be, some, because that's who they really are.

<rant>
i do find that there are too many pirates, and not enough... uh... non-pirates? everyone wants to be "bad". when everyone turns pirate, what does that leave us? Unreal-Vendetta-Tournament-Online?

oh, and to keep n00bs from leaving <**please see any thread about "not enough players"**> pirates should use their heads, and not pounce on anyone with a combat lvl lower than 4.
(here's a hint, if the n00bs total lvl's add up to less than 10, don't waste your time pirating them, give them a warning to leave the way they came and fire a single shot[not missle] across their stern/bow).
</rant>

the fact is, that people will be who they want to be, we all have to DEAL WITH IT. period. but keep it friendly.

Despite the numbers of Syn and CLM, there are actually not that many pirates ingame...not to be confused with just assholes, who are not necesarily pirates.

Also thanks to BP n00bs are no longer recognizable by their level. Hey, level's a palindrome!

i guess you are right... and if a char is in neither guild, what category would BUNNY fit in?

(p.s. so is "boston did not sob!") tee hee

If I see a N00b in grey, I shoot 'm a couple of times, but don't kill 'm. Even when the n00b is returning fire. I DO finish him of if he starts calling me a fucking lozer or something of the like..

And I give a reason why I attack them.

i attack noobs in grey with the intent to kill. it rarely works out that way though, but i try

so is that it? are you done painting??