Some issues came up today, so I'm going to post the highlights here. I am not trying to pick on anyone here, and I've removed the names. This is here to serve as a combination warning of what behavior not to engage in, and an explanation of certain things.

[17:07:59 28/10/12] PLAYER 1 : I'm still thinking about specific strategies to use. choice of weapons. how to best use the terrain and more
[17:08:22 28/10/12] PLAYER 2 : In terms of the Midnight Raid, it sounds like its explosives only.
[17:08:40 28/10/12] P1 : oh no. amalgam gets guns
[17:08:58 28/10/12] P2 : Though since the enemy's paint bullets have no penetration, I'd wondering if they can cheat by using sheet metal as shields or something.
[17:09:12 28/10/12] P1 : we can just walk over to the range and fields.
[17:09:43 28/10/12] P1 : lol. If you get hit by simunition it will seriously hurt. it can even break open the skin
[17:10:08 28/10/12] P2 : Okay minimal penetration.
[17:10:28 28/10/12] P1 : yes, but don't even think about metagaming
[17:11:02 28/10/12] P2 : I wonder if anyone has a suit of armor around somewhere...
[17:11:09 28/10/12] P2 : Maybe as a decoration in the main lobby or something...
[17:11:42 28/10/12] P1 : seriously? I don't play with people who metagame
[17:12:33 28/10/12] P1 : your character doesn't know what the opposition has. Therefore you can't prepare for it
[17:13:20 28/10/12] P2 : If this has been done before they can probably darn well imagine that paint bullets will be involved.
[17:13:33 28/10/12] P2 : It's not like this is the first year the academy has done this.
[17:13:53 28/10/12] P1 : but IT IS the first time YOUR CHARACTER has done this
[17:14:36 28/10/12] P2 : [CHARACTER A] and [CHARACTER B] are first years. [CHARACTER C] is not.
[17:14:51 28/10/12] P2 : Granted, I'm not sure he has the personality to suggest that kind of thing.
[17:16:42 28/10/12] P1 : hmm
[17:17:45 28/10/12] P2 : Then again he's pissed about having been kidnapped in this thing previously.
[17:18:04 28/10/12] P2 : Probably good enough motivation to think of dirty ways to beat the enemy.
[17:18:18 28/10/12] P1 : ...
[17:18:44 28/10/12] P1 : trust me. I've already come up with dirtier ways so go do whatever you want. even if it is meta
[17:19:35 28/10/12] P1 : It isn't my job to make it easy anyway
[17:28:31 28/10/12] P1 : fun times
[17:29:17 28/10/12] P1 : if he gets away with doing anything meta honestly I'll just quit
[17:32:40 28/10/12] Misha : Assuming the enemy is going to use the resources that they KNOW they have on hand is not meta-gaming. In the announcement, I didn't write the whole thing out 'cause I thought it was obvious, but it was said what kind of ammunition will be around and what they aren't allowed to use. What WOULD be meta-gaming would be knowing that one of their captured people is in a different company's hold, because as far as they know, all of them are with Amalgam


Note about the above: The issue here is the way Player 1 handled things. If there is a concern about meta-gaming, please take it up with an admin, that is what we are here for. What makes this incident even more memorable is that Player 2 was not meta-gaming in the slightest, as I explained in the last message there. Assuming your enemy will use resources that you are well aware they have on hand is not meta-gaming, it is strategizing.

More on this below.


[17:57:38 28/10/12] MikaMika : Why don't we leave this kind of stuff for things you can PM us with if it's really that much of a concern. The chabox should not hold this much negativity, and it WILL BE STOPPED. If you have questions/concerns about the clarity of a thread, or a problem with a player, then PM either myself or Misha. No more of it should come up here because it only creates conflict that no one else needs to see
[17:58:29 28/10/12] P1 : I don't see how this is getting really negative. There was the the thing earlier, but that was over a while ago
[17:58:56 28/10/12] P1 : I'll remember to PM things that are more... sensitive
[17:59:04 28/10/12] MikaMika : Doesn't matter. It doesn't need to be here at all
[17:59:32 28/10/12] P1 : there is a difference between negativity and intelligent conversation
[17:59:47 28/10/12] P1 : that isn't up to me to decide though
[18:00:29 28/10/12] MikaMika : Inteeligent conversation does not include warning certain people to watch their metagaming. That is our department, and we will handle it
[18:00:30 28/10/12] P1 : I've got to get food. I'm sorry about what happened and I'll know how to handle it the next time I think about it.
[18:01:04 28/10/12] Misha : "[17:29:17 28/10/12] P1 : if he gets away with doing anything meta honestly I'll just quit" is not "intelligent conversation" it is negativity, and is a concern for mods. If you're worried about it, you take it up with us, not threaten to rage-quit
[18:03:02 28/10/12] Misha : As for the time that passed since the issue and the warning, Mika and I were discussing things before we said anything solid on the matter. Things do happen behind the scenes, and sometimes it takes a few to get sorted

The response to Mika was rather snarky and unwarranted. For now, we let it pass, as you can see above, but it will not be tolerated again. Telling an admin that what they're saying is both incorrect and late is not acceptable. As I stated in the last portion there, we discuss things before we take action, and no matter what the time is that passed, if an admin tells you your behavior is out of line, you respond appropriately, not by telling them they're late in talking to you about it. Especially not when it is only minutes that have passed. If someone dug up something from a week ago when they've clearly been around since, that is another matter entirely.

You still don't get to call them out on it though, not so publicly. If you have an issue, take it up in PM. That is pretty much the moral of this whole issue here. Have a problem? PM an admin. Don't bring conflict into the chatbox.

[18:04:56 28/10/12] MikaMika : As for the question about the students and their ammunition: We built the school around the idea that they would be essentially teaching a new generation of soldiers and mercenaries, and have planned ahead for the worst case scenarios. If your character has been hit in the head with either a paintball or an airsoft pellet, then they will be sent to the medic to have it properly inspected. Students may be playing for keeps, but they all must obey the overaching school rules, or face penalties to both themselves and their house company. As mods, we WILL be watching for this, and WILL enforce it by any approriate means so that the thread has minimal interruption.

I left this here because it needs to be said, and needs to be around to be read. Use common sense. The school is teaching them to fight in live combat. Of course the rules are going to be on the thin side. They have a fully equipped infirmary (more like a mini-hospital, really) for a reason. And, once more, we admins are here for a reason. We'll ref the content and, I can't state this enough, if there is a concern PM ONE OR BOTH OF US.

The reason I am posting this openly is so that people understand what is and is not acceptable, and that we WILL take action if such behavior continues. Be courteous. Be considerate. Be polite. If you have an issue, take it to private messaging. If you want to first try to work it out with the person you have the issue with, that is okay, just take it to PM. ALL parties reserve the right to bring in an admin at any point to mediate. That is what we're here for.

Thank you.