Server Rules

Core Rules

The Core Rules of Clamp Station outline the overall expectations players are held to and mandated to uphold in their behavior. This does not include In-Character actions to an extent; those get their own category. Do note that these rules carry a heavier penalty and are subject to greater scrutiny.

Core 1: Staff Intervention and Discretion

Players are expected to follow the spirit of the rules, not just the letter. Any player engaging in activity that is not in the Spirit of the rules, even if within the letter of the rules, may have their actions ruled at the staff's discretion. This is to avoid exploitation of the phrasing of rules and to give staff the Authority to counter problematic behavior that skirts the rules' tolerance limits.

No, this is not a “We decide when you’ve broken the Rules” Rule; it is specifically to counteract instances of bad Faith and should not be used by staff without due cause.

Core 2: Civility and Respect

Players are expected to treat both each other and the staff team with Civility and Respect, in both normal conversation and debate.

While it may be normal to disagree on certain matters and come to a state of discussion, all Players are expected to engage with each other in a civil and non-hostile manner.

In plain terms: Don’t be an Ass; this isn’t Twitter.

Core 3: Server Stability

Players should not in any way attempt to threaten the Server’s integrity and ability to function, mainly pertaining to the actual Game Server, but also to the general functioning of the Game itself, which includes Bug Abuse and exploits.

Trying to crash or lag the server, or causing lag and crashes via repeated actions, may constitute a violation of this rule. If you find a bug or exploit, or if something you do causes issues with the server, report it via an Ahelp to remedy the cause, and notify Maintenance staff via a dedicated Coding Channel so the issue can be fixed.

Usage of In-Game bugs and exploits, as well as repeatedly using something that threatens the Server’s stability in a negligent manner, may cause you to violate this rule.

Core 4: Content Safety

Players have the right to avoid exposure to themes and topics they may find upsetting or disturbing, and are required to be asked for consent before being involved in such topics and themes.

These themes may include, but are not limited to:

Trauma/Mental illness

Self-Harm/Suicide

Substance Abuse / Addiction

Gore/Torture/Abuse

In essence, don’t force players to engage with topics they may be uncomfortable with. If you violate this principle of consent repeatedly or in a severe manner, you are in violation of this rule and may be liable to disciplinary action depending on the specifics of the Violation. Please respect your fellow players and their comfort.

Core 5: Round Stability

Players are expected to maintain the integrity of the Rounds they play and avoid large-scale disruptions to the ongoing round and its runtime. This is the mandatory Anti-Grief rule, and effectively forbids any destructive actions that could cut the round short prematurely without due reason, whether due to In-Character conflict and Antagonist Actions.

Examples may include sabotaging the Supermatter Crystal, irreparably destroying large parts of the station, or removing players from the round. Generally speaking, if something ends the round prematurely for a Player or all players, it falls under this rule.

In short, don’t blow up the station, and don’t Round remove players outside notable exceptions for Antagonists cleared for permanent termination.

Remember, the game should be fun for everyone, not just you.

(Note: Obvious attempts at griefing the server will be treated under this rule, and may be subject to staff interpretation and judgment.)

Roleplay Standards

While Clamp Station may be openly classified as a Medium-Roleplay Server and not subject to the strenuous standards seen in High-Roleplay Environments, Character Creation, Character Conduct, and established lore are limited to a degree for various reasons.

Try to stay cohesive, believable, and somewhat grounded.

RP 1: Believable Characters

Any given Character should behave as a person would, and by extension, be fit for a workplace environment. This means that a Character must be in possession of their mental faculties, mentally stable enough to work, and of a character that would be accepted by a Megacorporation.

Examples may include, but are not limited to:

Psychiatric Patients

Deranged Killers

Mustache-Twirling Villains

Open Enemies of the Company

Suicidal Individuals

These aren’t to say that a Character may not have flaws or Trauma, but to imply they should be fit enough to work a 9-to-5 job and optimally not kill their coworkers by default, and may only hold these example qualities for limited durations. Your character should not be John Evil or John Bad Guy, nor be ignorant of their own safety, nor seek to jump into the SM; this isn’t a den of comic villains, nor a Psychiatric Hospital; it’s a company made to turn a profit.

RP 2: Character Creation

All Characters must adhere to the basics of common Employment and Society.
This is to say, a few criteria are absolutely forbidden for a Character to have, including, but not limited to:

• Non-Anthropomorphic Characters: (Barring the exceptions of Cyborgs/AIs, and possessed/Sentient Mobs)
• Mentally Underdeveloped Characters: (A character must have basic cohesion of their surroundings and actions, and be capable of proper reasoning, decisions, and preferably, qualify to give their Medical Consent.)
• Minors or Plainly Childlike Characters: (This specifically means species Age and Maturity, not stature or height, you know what this means, and there will be 0 tolerance for any cases of this particular violation.)
• “Feral” Characters: (A Character must have basic comprehension of Social Functions and should be fit to work in a company, even if they’re not very knowledgeable. Minor tolerance relating to Ashwalkers.)

This does not cover all bases. Please remember to maintain basic ethical standards. Your characters should be capable of giving informed consent, both medical and otherwise, and must conform to the basics of societal life.

RP 3: IC and OOC

Players are expected to maintain a clear distinction between actions made In-Character (IC) and Out-of-Character (OOC). This goes just as much for grudges and dislike as it does for the narrative structure of the round.

This rule covers a variety of problematic behaviors, most notably:

• Metagrudging: Acting unfavorably or downright hostile against someone in an IC fashion due to OOC grievances, both per-character and especially across multiple Characters. If you have grievances with someone, Metagrudging is not the way; there are always staff available to lend an ear and assist.
• Metacommunication: Using alternate means of communication to acquire information beyond what your Character has available, be it through the OOC channel, LOOC channel, or something like Discord, and using said information In-Character, especially to the detriment of another or the round as a whole.
  
  - Malice is often the reason Metacommunication is taken harshly, and staff will generally be lenient when Metacommunication is used to help another player, like securing someone who has been dead and unfound for a while, though making an Ahelp to request some assistance in being found will always be preferred over Metacommunication.
• Valid-Hunting: The act of targeting a player due to their Antagonist Status while not being part of Security.
  
  If your Character is not part of Security, they should not try to engage an Antagonist without acting in direct Self-Defense of themselves or their Friends/Associates/Close Coworkers. If you shoot an Antagonist without being either Security or a target, you will be asked to provide a proper reason.
  
  The only exception to this is during an active Red Alert, where crew Militias are in effect.
  
  Of Note, neither Command nor the Captain is part of Security, with the same applying to the Blueshield. Unless an Antagonist is directly threatening a Member of Command, this must be substantially proven. Any antagonist may threaten the safety of Command, but you must know for sure they are targeting a Member of Command to step in directly.
• Powergaming: Using gameplay mechanics to give yourself an unnecessary advantage in Combat against other players, without due reasoning.
  
  For Clamp Station, this is largely reserved for Combat purposes, not for utility items such as tools, medical supplies, spacefaring gear, etc, though general usage may negate the tolerability of such additions.
  
  Weapons and Armor will be mainly considered, alongside things like Combat Medication, drugs, and other buffs. Someone should not have Armory-Grade Armor, several guns, and a spare baton, without really good reasoning, not even security officers or their superiors, keep it to a sensible degree of what your character would need for any given circumstance or scenario in their everyday workplace environment.
  
  Depending on the Alert Level and general Circumstances of the station, this may vary drastically and will be handled with tolerance, as this rule primarily serves to curb egregious overpreparation and powergaming.
  
  Yes, this applies to Antagonists. Wiping the Security team is neither funny nor acceptable; be interesting, not unfun for the other party.
• Self-Antagonism: Behaving as an Antagonist would, without being an Antagonist in the sense of being an Antagonist rule.
  
  While Clamp Station doesn’t often employ Antagonists outside of dedicated event circumstances and allows the general crew to generate conflict, players should not overdo it.
  
  This will be interpreted loosely, but mainly couples with Core Rule 5 and RP Rule 1, with the main focus being to stay believably valid for continued In-Character employment and not disturb the round too much beyond the involved parties.
  
  Generally, don’t blow stuff up, kill people intentionally, or disturb the round in a major fashion that an Antagonist would, and there will be no administrative problems.
• Slang and Internet Speech: The use of Internet Slang, as well as common SS13 slang, is not allowed because it continually detracts from the narrative's overall immersion and believability. This isn’t an NRP or LRP Server, but a medium-roleplay server; please behave like it.
  
  Generally, your character should not use abbreviations such as “Lmao”, “Rofl”, “Smh”, as well as SS13 slang that refers to OOC matters, such as “Valid”, “Tot”, “Robust”, though calling a Singularity a Singulo, or a Changeling a Ling, is perfectly fine. The nature of the slang is the point of contention, most notably the OOC implications behind some slang.

RP 4: Narrative Cohesion

Players may not behave in ways that invalidate the narrative or damage its cohesion.

In short, don’t break Character.

But in long form, this also includes things such as respawning as the same Character after dying, going to cryo while in pursuit of security, or while actively wanted.

Respawning as a different Character is generally always allowed, though you may not act on previous knowledge or go loot your body. Abuses of respawn privileges are not tolerated.