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Player Bill of Rights

I motion for an amendment that clearly states that a player has sole right to decide if and when their character may be killed. With an add that a GM seeking to remove "dead weight" (IE characters around in absentia of their players) that said player should be contacted first before the GM is allowed to kill that character, if approval is not given the character is to instead be downgraded to NPC status and dropped off with in permissible time.

I make this request mainly due to the handling of one of my previous characters who was killed by the GM of the RP, without request because I was gone for four days, but I was active in all JPs prior to that sudden burst in activity.
 
I like it, at least now we have a condensed version of player rights. Also, as Cora has said it would be best to amend that particular right. Though if you cannot get in contact with the player...well. But, If a player leaves, and returns, their character should be put in 'storage' provided they say they will return.
 
I disagree there, I'd say only the second suggestion is an option to be applied.

Needing permission to kill someone in a plot even if say, their ship is vaporized by some decision ("No you can't kill me, I survive...somehow.") they made could become troublesome. People are going to die, I'm just making sure it doesn't seem worded in a way that would suggest the GM has no choice for characters to die without explicit permission even if something catastrophic happened.

On the whole, it looks good!
 
It could be clarified that characters can be killed en masse that way, such as a ship exploding. But that they shouldn't be killed individually without opportunity for mental backup and without some forewarning that they COULD die if they aren't careful.

Basically, how Fred does it. Don't kill out of revenge, or anger, or frustration, or out of some attempt to prune without some process to alert the player.
 
Cora said:
I make this request mainly due to the handling of one of my previous characters who was killed by the GM of the RP, without request because I was gone for four days, but I was active in all JPs prior to that sudden burst in activity.

I suppose it's just as well I didn't have any character(s) at the time of the (real-life) accident that left me out of commission for weeks, since finally coming back only to find her dead would have added insult to injury. That said, a lack of a response should be treated as a request to have any "abandoned" characters put into hibernation, so to speak, rather than irreversibly killed.

Of course, coming back after a very long time away could have its consequences - anyone else here familiar with the story of Rip van Winkle?
 
There are certain instances that character hibernation are not really possible. Such as the case for a character that was on the Sakura when it blew up and the player hadn't been online in months. The ship got destroyed- there isn't much help for it. Or even Sora when I went away on vacation (I had given 2 weeks notice that I was leaving) ... I came back and the ship was destroyed and EVERYONE's character was dead- even mine.

I think within reason, some allowances should really be made. If you aren't interested in coming back- you need to say something. But there is only so much a GM can do to save characters in situations like mass battles. They shouldn't have to hold off a chance for plot advancement because someone went away for a couple of weeks, that's not really fair to the active players.
 
What I'm saying is that in a situation where someone has been missing for a few weeks and hasn't actually said anything at all (and thus, has not said she/he isn't coming back), her/his character(s) should be moved off the plotship and left somewhere out of harm's way (but not somewhere from which they cannot easily join a new plotship (or return to their old one if it's still around) if and when the player comes back).

Example: Suppose Xerena has one character, Kusanagi, serving on YSS Tachikoma under Taii Aramaki.

Situation: Xerena has been absent for about 3 weeks. She did not tell anyone in advance that she would be away, either temporarily or permanently. After the first 2 weeks or so, the YSS Tachikoma plot GM sends her an e-mail, to which she has not yet replied.

Recommended Action: Have Kusanagi transferred off the YSS Tatchkoma to an offstage background position, where she will stay until Xerena returns. Send a private message to her account so that if and when Xerena returns, she will be aware of her character's status. For the time being, assume that, since her transfer, Kusanagi has been leading a rather uneventful career, keeping a safe distance from the action of any active plots. In her spare time, she practices those skills she is not using in her day-to-day life (like anything combat-related) so as not to lose her edge, but not with enough intensity to noticeably improve them.

When Xerena comes back, she has Kusanagi request a transfer back to the YSS Tachikoma, or perhaps to another plot. If necessary (and it may well be if returning to the Tachikoma), Xerena and the appropriate plot GM(s), and any other players whose characters may be affected, can discuss the details of Kusanagi's return (for example, whether Kusanagi will be resuming her old station - both Aramaki, the captain of the YSS Tachikoma, and Togusa, who took over Kusanagi's duties when she left, might have things to say about that; in fact, that issue might be best dealt with ICly).

Of course, it is entirely possible that the YSS Tachikoma got blown to bits - with Kusanagi onboard - within those first 2-3 weeks, but Kusanagi shouldn't be left aboard the YSS Tachikoma for months on end - she should await Xerena's return in a place that isn't a target.

Note: The ship and character names, which were all taken from a certain anime, are used purely as examples, and are not (to my knowledge) used by any actual SARP characters or ships.
 
Sounds good to me, Xerena.
 
Within reason, I don't see an issue with pulling a character out of harm's way for long, extended absences. But you should take into account that when battles that kill ships can occur in one missed JP session- magicking a character off ship is a little unreasonable. Especially when survival of the mission is a big deal but- something should be arranged between the GM and the player so they can create a good story and not reward or punish someone for having other concerns than RP.

But yeah. I have no problem with what we have here but I do feel that within reason- survival of missed missions should be discussed to figure out how to make it work. I'm not one for splattering a missing player's character across an airlock for lulz.


This is approved for use.
 
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