Feb 20, 2016, 05:45 PM
I've seen an increasing number of situations in which people have been warned regarding rules that don't actually exist, and situations where people are allowed to do some things by some admins which other admins forbid. There are also unwritten rules, which are often followed by many people but are actually not offical rules.
Unwritten Rules (both enforced and misconceptions)
"If you get shot, FearRP no longer applies". - This is a rule known by most people, but is actually not written anywhere. It is a product of common sense in which you realize that FearRP relies on saving your life. If you get shot, the person is already trying to kill you so you must run to stay alive and not stand still like a moron. However, this common sense is not followed in some other scenarios, for example the recent BR on a SWAT officer who refused to get out of his SWAT van under gunpoint (which is still not closed by the way). It is common sense that he is safer inside his bulletproof van than outside with all the gunmen, however the written rules imply that he must obey the gunmen at all times.
"Criminal isn't a valid job because it's too vague" - This is a new one. Several admins have taken a stance that this is an actual rule, and have been warning people against using "Criminal" as a custom job. Is it written in the rules? Nope. Does this have a valid reason and basis? Yes, because the rules do ask you to specify accurately what you are roleplaying. However, nobody ever gets warned against keeping "Citizen" as their job, and that is arguably even more vague than Criminal. Also, I am skeptical against setting my job as "Contraband Owner | Car Thief | Mugger" or something even more ridiculous.
"Paramedics can't heal the police during raids" - This isn't a rule. The closest rule to this states that paramedics must stay a safe distance away from any ongoing raid, which means that injured police may retreat a relatively safe distance away from the raid and get healed by a paramedic, before returning to the raid. Thankfully this isn't a problem, I haven't seen anyone get warned or punished for this as long as they actually stay the distance away, just that many players quote the initial statement as a rule.
"Killing that guy because he jumped on your friend's ragdoll is Backseat Administrating" - Someone was actually punished for this. Why can't you kill him in character for murdering your injured friend?
"If you are a large organisation working with the government you must have a warrant to enter a private property" - This is literally the opposite of what rule 9.9 says, yet I've personally been told off by an admin for this.
Rule grey areas and ambiguity:
2.1a You cannot attack a person who has a gun (or stun gun) pointed at you.
This rule implies that the first person to shoot during a mexican standoff should be banned for FearRP, which is obviously not the case.
2.1b You cannot draw a weapon when someone has you at gunpoint.
This rule states that you cannot take out a weapon from your inventory (or an already equipped weapon if you have your hands out or something else), when you have a gun pointed at you. This rule says NOTHING about safety mode (putting the gun by your side while having it out).
Can you draw a gun when someone has their gun by their side, looking at you? No, but the rules don't state it.
If someone with a gun pointed runs up to a man who has his gun on safety, does the latter get put under FearRP? Debatable, but the rules don't clarify.
8.2 Do not hostage a fireman when they are in your base to extinguish a fire.
I just want to say that this rule should be changed to include paramedics, and include not just hostaging but also muggings, at all times. Don't know why firemen get the privilege.
Something on custom jobs:
"SWAT cannot patrol" - we all heard this one. Yesterday, however, I saw SWAT with a modified custom job which grants them the ability to patrol. They said admins gave them permission to do so. I am sure players who did that before were warned against it, but that time it was allowed. What changed? If you can do that, why can't the SS do /job CIA Agent (or similar) and go investigate high profile crimes?
Please discuss, express your opinions, maybe tell me how horribly wrong I am, etc.
Unwritten Rules (both enforced and misconceptions)
"If you get shot, FearRP no longer applies". - This is a rule known by most people, but is actually not written anywhere. It is a product of common sense in which you realize that FearRP relies on saving your life. If you get shot, the person is already trying to kill you so you must run to stay alive and not stand still like a moron. However, this common sense is not followed in some other scenarios, for example the recent BR on a SWAT officer who refused to get out of his SWAT van under gunpoint (which is still not closed by the way). It is common sense that he is safer inside his bulletproof van than outside with all the gunmen, however the written rules imply that he must obey the gunmen at all times.
"Criminal isn't a valid job because it's too vague" - This is a new one. Several admins have taken a stance that this is an actual rule, and have been warning people against using "Criminal" as a custom job. Is it written in the rules? Nope. Does this have a valid reason and basis? Yes, because the rules do ask you to specify accurately what you are roleplaying. However, nobody ever gets warned against keeping "Citizen" as their job, and that is arguably even more vague than Criminal. Also, I am skeptical against setting my job as "Contraband Owner | Car Thief | Mugger" or something even more ridiculous.
"Paramedics can't heal the police during raids" - This isn't a rule. The closest rule to this states that paramedics must stay a safe distance away from any ongoing raid, which means that injured police may retreat a relatively safe distance away from the raid and get healed by a paramedic, before returning to the raid. Thankfully this isn't a problem, I haven't seen anyone get warned or punished for this as long as they actually stay the distance away, just that many players quote the initial statement as a rule.
"Killing that guy because he jumped on your friend's ragdoll is Backseat Administrating" - Someone was actually punished for this. Why can't you kill him in character for murdering your injured friend?
"If you are a large organisation working with the government you must have a warrant to enter a private property" - This is literally the opposite of what rule 9.9 says, yet I've personally been told off by an admin for this.
Rule grey areas and ambiguity:
2.1a You cannot attack a person who has a gun (or stun gun) pointed at you.
This rule implies that the first person to shoot during a mexican standoff should be banned for FearRP, which is obviously not the case.
2.1b You cannot draw a weapon when someone has you at gunpoint.
This rule states that you cannot take out a weapon from your inventory (or an already equipped weapon if you have your hands out or something else), when you have a gun pointed at you. This rule says NOTHING about safety mode (putting the gun by your side while having it out).
Can you draw a gun when someone has their gun by their side, looking at you? No, but the rules don't state it.
If someone with a gun pointed runs up to a man who has his gun on safety, does the latter get put under FearRP? Debatable, but the rules don't clarify.
8.2 Do not hostage a fireman when they are in your base to extinguish a fire.
I just want to say that this rule should be changed to include paramedics, and include not just hostaging but also muggings, at all times. Don't know why firemen get the privilege.
Something on custom jobs:
"SWAT cannot patrol" - we all heard this one. Yesterday, however, I saw SWAT with a modified custom job which grants them the ability to patrol. They said admins gave them permission to do so. I am sure players who did that before were warned against it, but that time it was allowed. What changed? If you can do that, why can't the SS do /job CIA Agent (or similar) and go investigate high profile crimes?
Please discuss, express your opinions, maybe tell me how horribly wrong I am, etc.