Admin Notice : Faction Warned

[Dieter Schprokets]

Firstly, let me start off by saying this is no typical sanction notification.

This is a warning to an official faction, based on imperfect information, to address a reported violation of the rule against harming server gameplay; a rule which I think we can all agree is very vague.

This warning is not the "right" answer. It is the best we can do with what we have been presented. Some of you (namely QCP) will think this warning is an unneeded response. Others (namely Zoners) will think we did not go far enough.

The following are the two problems as we see it:

1) The RP reasons for QCP targetting the Zoners, though plausible, are quite weak to justify the Vendetta that has ensued. Zoners, it seems, are currently your primary targets, to the exclusion of the more legitimate KNF and Corsair threats. However, the merits and demerits of the RP are not the most important issue. The most important issue is..

2) The gameplay impact it has had. Understand, this has not been consistently negative. Some support QCP's actions or are at least indifferent. Some Zoners don't mind as much, but a great many have been angered a great deal. Most importantly, obviously, Mal. But this thing was pushed into the realm of the personal, when it could have been stopped, instead of buttons being pushed all the harder.

The following is our decision:

1) QCP will stop hunting Zoners. But not just like that; both parties will find a creative way to stop. Negotiations. Concessions. A final battle event, if you want. RP your way out of it, but out of it you will go. It is continuing to create too much ill will, the conflict is not supported by the server community at large, and was certainly never desired by the Zoner players. Wanna be unfriendly? Fine, but this all out war is too much to swallow. Pirate their traders when appropriate like you would any other faction, but this focus on Zoners must end.

2) QCP will separate out from BAF and apply for its own official faction status. Existing as a subfaction of BAF has always muddied the issue when QCP created controversy. This was an ongoing discussion for months anyway. This issue just put more impetus on it.

3) QCP will start working harder to engage other players when they want to start an in-RP conflict. Work it out beforehand. Your role on the server is controversial, the concept of a Privateer unique (and sadly not well understood. I blame lousy History education). Because of your unique role you guys have a GREATER obligation than most to work with other players. Especially the ones you intend to make enemies of in-RP.

This has been a difficult issue for the Admins to determine how to properly deal with. We ask that the community respect our decision, and move forward in the manner we require.

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[Quorg]

A final battle! I love it!

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ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[Benjamin]

Well this gets a minus grade.



How much of this is based on in-game actions, and how much of this is based on the forum? From what I've seen of both, this seems basically to be a warning because hundreds of zoners players moaned. So it seems to be saying 'hey, if something doesn't go how you want it to in game, don't worry, you don't have to change, just moan loads and all your enemies will get warned and sanctioned.'

1) The RP reasons for QCP targetting the Zoners, though plausible, are quite weak to justify the Vendetta that has ensued. Zoners, it seems, are currently your primary targets, to the exclusion of the more legitimate KNF and Corsair threats.

Bit of a snap decision since this is drawn from a couple of days experience during which time there have been three (four?) zoner/QCP incidents, all but one of which started with zoner capital ships in Bretonia. Not exactly a balanced assessment of the situation taking in to account the context and how much actually happened.

The personal thing:
Another thing that seems a bit messed up. It was the zoners that got personally offended. Now normally the party line is it's your fault if you get offended, or at least to handle it decently. But in this case it's not? It's the other people's fault?

The decision:

Point 1: This whole warning came up because zoners refused to roleplay out of this situation, and now QCP are being forced to roleplay with them? Just how is this going to work in a manner that is any fun at all for anyone?

2: Agreed as I posted a minute or two ago in that thread.

3: Not really a fan of this one either.


And finally, I have been warned for something I wasn't involved with. My QCP character had nothing to do with any of this, but has received an admin warning. Pretty good argument for being indie. That and all the battleships. Sad day.

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Join Cryer Pharmaceuticals

[darthbeck]

alright. omega fourty nine is off limits now.

but some sort of final battle sounds good.

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<span style="font-family:Century Gothic">Violence is Golden</span>

[Dra1003]

The whole mess thats been happening stems from poor communication paranoia and complaining to me.

It didnt seem like that big of a problem to me wasn't it limited to omega 49?

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Ive had enough of disco for now. I might be back at the next mod release.

The Master of all things cyborg

Bio Extensive Research

[Drake]

I can't say I support Admins protecting factions just because said factions get upset when people attack them. The Zoners have a lot of players, and a lot of players who yelled and screamed, and apparently that matters more than any possible RP or in-game reasoning.

At the very roots, this breaks down to people complaining OOCly about being attacked ICly, by a group which has every right and reason to attack them.

[Taffic]

Sad that this is required! Besieged forces historically turn to guerrilla warfare & dominant forces want a simple open fight. I appreciate that the Zoners are trying to do their neutral thing, but obviously this had failed & brought them into controversy with Bretonia. Shame it got personalised as this was a wasted opportunity.

Anyway Admin has spoken.

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[Spear]

I think the wording is perhaps too strong "faction warned", but since there are no alternatives to the Admin's it will have to do.

I agree Zoner's should not be the sole focus of the QCP. Many people tried to encourage both sides to find an RP solution to recent events. When it comes to the point where the Admin's have to intervene and tell both parties to RP their way out of this then that's fairly sad.

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=LSF=

[Dieter Schprokets]

one more thing. do we get warning notifactions?

No....

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[Enko]

I somehow think that this has gone way overboard in terms of reaction. Why cant we shoot Zoners? Why are they protected under an admin shield from people targeting them? They're neutral yes, but that doesnt mean people dont have the right to shoot them with reason. Corsairs have shot Zoners, Zoners have responded in kind with RP and it was all sorted inRP.

Im telling everyone now, Im not participating in any RP at all with the Zoners in stopping this as it would be OORP to do so in itself, you can't force a reaction from me, you can sanction people all you want for things you think are unreasonable, but that can not and will not change how ingame Characters think. Im not going to participate in powerplay of my character and the faction im in.

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