PKill Policy

[Kinaed]

I've posted up a specification for how we'll auto-post to the IC_Event board for executions, burnings, etc. At this stage, I anticipate that any PK that doubles as a public event will require the PKill to be registered. The specification looks like this:

Code: Select all

Syntax: Pkill Register <name>
        Pkill list
        Pkill review [name|number]
        Pkill match <string>
        Pkill edit <name>
        Pkill delete #

When a player intends to kill another player, they can register the pkill
using the Pkill register <name> command.  This will enter the player into
the following POLCA:

                         PKill Registration

Target        : <defaults to <name>>
Reason        : <enter the editor to provide up to 640 chars> 
Public        : <yes|no, defaults to yes, IF YES the IC_Event 
                section must be filled, else the rumor section>
Rumor         : <allow a sentence that would fit into game rumors>
IC_Event      : <enter the editor to provide up to 3200 characters>
Cnotes Updated: <defaults none, must be a valid cnote number to submit>
RP Tools      : <defaults no, must be yes to submit>
Requests      : <defaults to none, enter editor for up to 640 chars> 
Comments      : <defaults to none, only staff can update this field>

Type "submit" to register this pkill or "cancel" to abort.

When a player types any execution command, burn, etc, the game will check
if the player has submitted a PKILL registration. If the player has not,
the game will error:

   Kinaed has not submitted a valid PKill Registration for this event.

Otherwise, the game will allow the burn, dq, etc, to go through as
normal, then do the following:

- Copy the IC_Event portion of the PKill Registration to IC_Events
- Copy the Rumor portion of the PKill Registration to the Rumor command
- Copy the full contents of the Pkill Registration POLCA to the death
  board notice.
- Skip a line and copy the cited cnote to the death board notice.
- Removes the PKill Registration from the list of Pkill Registrations

Pkill list will show a player all pkills they have registered. Staff
will see a list of all registered pkills in the game. Staff can edit
a PKill registration to add comments, and players can edit them to
update them at any time. Both players and staff can Pkill delete #.
Pkill registrations are removed when a character goes inactive.
Pkill review # will simply show the contents of the Pkill 
registration. They appear in much the same manner as gnotes, and hence
Pkill match <string> will search for matches.

PKILL REGISTRATION LIST

The list appears as follows, in similar format to gnotes:

PKill Registrations:
 1) Author: <killer> (date) Target: <Name>: Reason

The thing is, the way I wrote this - theoretically, any PKill could use this system (except PKills in self defense, which tend to be spontaneous) - but all other pkills actually require Cnotes in advance, so perhaps a PKill registration may be worthwhile to consider for other deaths?

The Benefits:

• Before PKs happen, people would know that they're guaranteed to be policy compliant in steps taken
• Reminders to people to leave moods, write cnotes, put up rumors, or IC_Event posts, etc may increase the quality of PK and RP around them
• More bureaucracy around PKs may reduce the risk of death for smaller things, thereby making what people are willing to do ICly more interesting and less risk-adverse

The Disadvantages:

• Staff really prefer to review PKs after the fact rather than before it because we don't want to get too involved in IC Events
• Players will have to spend a few ticks filling out the registration

[Applesauce]

Still deciding on my reply to the poll, but I would like to suggest the "rumor" part of this new system also be added to the "bounty" command... because the automatic rumor just says "There's a bounty out on X" which sounds like someone wants their head. In reality, it could be much less severe, or it could even be FROM that person who wants something delivered to them, etc.

Basically, the way people have actually been using bounties, it makes more sense that IF there's going to be an automatic rumor, then the poster should be able to specify what it should say.

[RedShirt]

I'm not thrilled with the idea of a form every time there is an execution. The amount of IC casework to get to that point should leave plenty of paper trail in physical mail, gnotes and cnotes for policy imms to be satisfied with the validity. Seeing as there has been a grand total of one public execution and two? burnings in the 5 months I've been playing, the "problem" of people being executed for minor things is non-existent. (Being framed and or honestly getting the wrong person might be an issue for players, but that's another problem entirely.)

Maybe I'm slow and stupid, but it is going to take me longer than "a few ticks" to completely fill out that form, and get all the rumors and stuff right how I'd like them. I'd rather just get to the roleplay event, then deal with the IC things that need cleaned up after the event is over.

That said, I would propose the following instead:

After a public execution the game sends a personal board note to the guild involved in the execution that says who executed who, how and when. It then would present a checklist for players of that guild to ensure the event is properly documented.

- That would be my only complaint with the burning and execution I've seen, and I think the failure to meet expectations in that regard has to do with player ignorance/absentmindedness/being in a hurry than any sort of poor sportsmanship on their part. Leadership changes rapidly (at least if feels to me) and positions are sometimes apped in which means the player may simply not know what is expected. I'm new (compared to oldschool hardcore years and years old players), and I don't, yet my character is dangerously close to being IC rank to oversee an execution. Scary, huh?

A checklist of what needs done would be helpful in educating the player on what needs to happen codewise, as well as IC traditions and expectations. It would also operate as a handy reminder to the flustered/absentminded who knows all these things, but may be in a hurry/disturbed by what their character just had to do.

As it would be sent to the whole guild, it would prevent any secret uses of the command - which would be impossible, really, NPC guards are everywhere and would report to other PC Order/Reeves what happened. This would also allow the whole guild to be delegated to the various cleaning up after the show tasks if the major player in the execution was in a hurry and needed to log out. And besides, that's what lower ranked minions are for, anyhow. :)

What I'd like to see:

Congratulations Soandso for burning/hanging/beheading/drawquarter/deathbytickle Jon Doe on (IC Date). Please ensure the following:

The corpse is removed to (room name) and (buried? Stored for the sexton? I don't even know where or what to do with the body, see how this is a problem? I bet I'm not the only lawful who doesn't know what to do here. :( )

The mood of River Square reflects the nature of the style of execution that occurred.

Please consider starting a rumor about the event! (This is better done after than before the event anyhow, in case anything interesting happens, then you can talk about it!)

Notice of their imprisonment is updated on the appropriate IC boards in Ahalin and your Guild Hall.

Public notice is posted on the IC board in front of your Guild Hall.

A notice should be posted to the IC_Events board (can players post on that, or do imms need to do it?)

Other things done that I have no idea about, but staff/experienced players would find important and my character would probably know, if they had had a mentor/training they should have had.

What happens to items on the player when they die anyhow? Stuff having to do with that should go here.


And that is what I'd personally like and find useful. A post execution checklist to be run through by myself and my guildsmates. And then, having it, any choice to do things wrong for whatever reason would be deliberate player choice for their character to be bad, and then the character can/should be held ICly accountable.

Knowing is half the battle.

Thanks for your consideration!