You can't do that

[Durandal]

This is the clarion call of every big name on Discovery since at least 2012 when something does something different than they've envisioned.

"Your faction can't do that."
"You can't build that there."
"Nobody [the writer of the complaint and his clique] will take you seriously."

They can. This is a roleplaying server. As long as somebody is operating within the scope of the rules they can do anything they damn well please and it is none of your business whether you like it or not, because they aren't hurting anybody.

My number one gripe since returning has been the emphasis which people put on their own personal opinions as word of law, particularly those who joined after 2011 or so. I remember a time when I fought against these same notions, but only to the extent that people's work wasn't recognized in the game's lore. There's a distinct difference between lore and roleplay however. One is canon. The other - until declared otherwise - is not.

What do any of you think you actually gain by declaring a person's or group's roleplay as illegitimate, and trying to shelve it just because it doesn't align with your oh so important world views of the pixelverse known as Discovery Freelancer? Are you really so invested here that it helps you sleep better at night knowing your belief system is intact? Does it actually make you mad when someone does something ingame or on the forums which is incompatible with your notions of how everything should be? If it does, check your goddamned priorities.

For the sake of making the point that this is actually an issue I'm going to quote a few people with names redacted with a myriad of different complaints.

[3/26/2016 10:12:20 AM] [REDACTED-1]: d'no
[3/26/2016 10:12:51 AM] [REDACTED-1]: I'm probably wondering what kind of stunt some Core / Order players are going pull off
[3/26/2016 10:13:03 AM] [REDACTED-1]: like they always do when something new is released in the omicrons
[3/26/2016 10:15:16 AM] [REDACTED-2]: Something to not look forward to.

Their business, doesn't matter unless they break the rules.

[3/28/2016 6:03:50 PM] [REDACTED]: thats not how small factions work
[3/28/2016 6:03:55 PM] [REDACTED]: Core = not a house
[3/28/2016 6:06:36 PM] [REDACTED]: HA
[3/28/2016 6:06:43 PM] [REDACTED]: Seriously, good luck on that

Their business. Roleplaying a state is not against the rules.

If you wish to build a Docking Ring then, you'll need to bury the hatchet and contact Ageira. Otherwise a Docking Ring is not possible.

This would hold a bit more weight to it if if Gallia wasn't capable of developing their own rings, and Crete and Malta didn't have theirs.

[3/15/2016 6:38:36 PM [REDACTED-1]: Join Ageira while keeping a distinct tag in your name because of your DM status. Complete independence, Ageira would only want to make sure you won't break rules or do things which Ageira inRP wouldn't make (because you will carrying their tag). No unreasonable demands from their part.
+
[12:50:19 AM] [REDACTED-2]: Of course you don't because you believe to be "independent"
[12:50:36 AM] [REDACTED-2]: And all these questions were irrelevant to begin with
[12:51:01 AM] [REDACTED-2]: If you want to be independent DM faction, then don't use Ageira ID

Their business if they want to remain an independent entity and not answer to you.

So what's the bottom line here? Well, I think I summed it up in the OFL chat pretty decently the other day, but for the sake of not breaking forum rules with my own colorful brand of language I used to drive the point home I'll paraphrase a bit.

If everyone actually spent all this time playing the game instead of trying to dictate what constitutes legitimate roleplay, this might actually be a fun and much more active environment. Instead however, all anyone seems to care about is whether something conforms to their picture perfect personal views of Discovery or something. So how about we get off our collective high horse as a community and play the game and interact with others regardless of whether their roleplay makes sense to you or not, just like everyone did five years ago.

Let's try to adopt one of the core principles of improv here, since that's essentially what a dynamic roleplay environment is all about. When someone approaches with you with something you didn't expect or even don't like, try to look at it from the "yes, and" viewpoint instead of the "no, stop" mindset we've seemed to slip into. You don't flat-out refuse to engage with something you dislike, because that breaks immersion, prevents the story from going anywhere, and is trying to exert a degree of control that's antithetical to the nature of an improvised activity.

So fly around with an open mind and see what RP comes your way. Shoot some people, talk to some people, and don't spend so much time worrying about how everyone else is doing their thing. Why? Because it's a game, and that means it isn't a crime if someone plays it differently than you, especially when the only person you have any right to change is yourself.

- J