Game Policies

Acceptable Use Top

CoMUX is created for the enjoyment of its staff and players and is provided as a free service. Its creators, owners, providers, and staff assume no liability for its use. Users play at their own risk. By logging in and using this service, you agree to abide by the following terms:

1. Players must be at least 18 years old to play.

By logging on and creating a character, you affirm you're at least 18 years of age and able to take responsibility for your own actions. We will not be held responsible for underage users. If we find out you're underage, you will be removed from the game.

(See age-limit.)

2. Harassment of any sort will not be tolerated.

Players found to be harassing others will have sanctions applied against them and may ultimately be banned from the game.

(See harassment.)

3. Public rooms on the grid are to be treated as public rooms in the real world.

Despite the fact that all players are considered to be fully adult and must be 18 years of age or older to play, a PG-13 public playing environment is expected to be maintained. All players are expected to respect the sensibilities of their fellow players and roleplay accordingly. "Adult Only" does not mean "Adult Oriented".

(See sex.)

4. Users waive the right to privacy.

The platform of this game provides no encryption and thus no guarantee of privacy. Connections may be accessible to outside parties without the users' or administrators' knowledge. Information transmitted to or from and/or stored by the server cannot be guaranteed as secure. Thus, no assurance of privacy is implied or assumed.

(See privacy.)

5. Abusing the service is not permitted.

This includes, but isn't limited to, breaking into and/or altering any of the game databases, global objects, and/or objects you don't own or control; adding or executing malicious code with or without the intent of damaging game systems or user experience; stealing another player's password and using their account without their knowledge or permission, and without the staff's knowledge and permission. Each player is responsible for the actions taken by their own accounts. Anyone found guilty of such activities will be permanently removed from the game.

(See abuse.)

By logging in and creating a character, you affirm that you are over 18, that you have read and agreed to these terms of use and other policies outlined for the game and are willing to be governed by them. If you are under 18 or choose not to abide by these terms and policies, we thank you for your interest, but must ask you not to proceed further into the game.

 

Abuse Top

The one thing that will piss the staff off faster than anything else — short of being a complete and utter twink14 — is messing with the game. We've worked really hard to put together an effective, enjoyable play environment that gives a fair shake to each character, super-powered or not.

Characters progress through active roleplay and getting involved in ongoing plots, not through gathering points and spending them on mechanical items or enhancements15. So, really, you can't cheat by messing with the game server or codebase.

But, we know there are those who'll try.

So, here's the deal: If we catch you abusing the game in any way, we'll remove you from it. And we don't need to give you any warnings, first. Consider this your warning.

Generally, we consider there to be two primary levels of abuse on the game.

The first and far more serious one is anything that involves hacking into the server, the various game databases, or the code. Whether it's a denial-of-service attack, or breaking into another user's account, or the insertion of a piece of code meant to take advantage of security gaps, collect private information, or otherwise exploit the available softcode to your advantage, adjust or alter code, objects, or other parts of the game databases, or anything else of that nature, we consider that more than just cheating. It's not just a bannable offence, it's a crime. If we have enough evidence to allow us to do so, we may even press charges.

The second level is anything that gives the impression of the first. This can include (but isn't limited to) things like spoofing a +roll result, so as to ensure that you win a contest; or purposely trying to secretly gain access to code or information that gives you an unfair advantage over other players. Any way you slice it, it's cheating, and we won't stand for it.

Even the staff are bound by these rules. Their characters are subject to the same scrutiny as any other character applying to the game. They're not allowed to use their wizard and royalty powers or position to make things easier on their characters, nor to smooth the way for their friends. They are expected to behave honestly and with integrity — and we have every faith that they will and do. (If you disagree, you need to speak with one of us about it, so we can address that concern A.S.A.P.)

Frankly, there's no reason to cheat on a game like this. I mean, think about it:

It's just a game!

The things that happen to you on the game shouldn't affect what happens to you in real life. This is not a life-or-death situation. There's no reason to cheat.

So, why bother?

 

Age Limit Top

The reason for limiting the age of players of this game to 18 and older is not because the game is "adult oriented", but rather so that both staff and players know they're protected from wrongfully engaging a minor. The internet is an interactive medium. It's one thing to sit in a cinema or on the couch with friends, watching a show on TV or chatting about the latest cool title you've read. It's another thing to actively engage with strangers you've never met in roleplaying scenes that may involve or lead to other scenes involving graphic violence or sexually charged situations. The age of 18 is generally what most age-of-consent statutes determine as the full age of consent, so that's the limit we're using.

 

Conduct Top

Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

  1. Be polite.
  2. If in doubt, check the help, +help, and news, ask on the Help channel, ask the staff, or ask your fellow players.
  3. Don't assume or spoof the actions of other characters without their player's permission.
  4. If someone asks you to stop, stop. No means no, no matter what.
  5. Follow pose order.
  6. Get familiar with the theme and play within it.
  7. Remember "adult only" doesn't means "adult oriented".

 

Conflict Top

Over the course of any game, there is bound to be conflict. This is true anywhere a group of people with a variety of backgrounds and personalities meet and interact. So, this is where we come back to the whole 'everyone on the game is considered an adult' thing.

We, as a staff, really don't want to be playing referee all the time. We'd rather rely on the maturity and common sense of our players to sort out their own difficulties in an amicable manner.

But, we're not so foolish as to think there won't be times when even the best players forget, or choose to ignore, the rules of consent or common courtesy, and get their shorts in a knot about something or other. And if there is a situation that goes beyond the ability of the players involved to work out among themselves, staff may be called upon to intervene. We don't want to see it happen too often, but we know it may.

So, here's how we intend to deal with such situations:

There are a couple of ways to request dispute mediation. The first, and easiest way, is to page an on-duty staffer and request their assistance. At that point, the staffer will step in and listen to both sides of the dispute, examine any supporting material, listen to any supporting statements and attempt to come to a fair decision on the matter.

If that doesn't work, you can file a formal complaint by @mail'ing staff with the nature of the dispute, the names of the people involved, and the staff will look into it as soon as we can.

Once we've spoken with everyone involved and looked at the related logs and other material, the staff will come to a decision as to what action should be taken and will take that action as appropriate. Any appeals to this decision should be taken directly to Bahamut, the chief admin.

Whatever happens, remember this:

We believe staff intervention in the form of mediation or arbitration should only be requested when all other avenues of conflict resolution have been exhausted. This includes an 'agreement to disagree'. Staffers really don't want to spend all their time separating people that simply don't know how to play nicely together. Everyone on the game should be a mature, reasonable adult with the ability to work out whatever common problems come up. Thus, the staff sees itself as a last resort in these matters (excepting in matters of harassment, which should be dealt with immediately).

Therefore, don't abuse the right to arbitration or mediation.

Please note and refer back to the age guidelines:

Acting as an adult means you will be adult about handling things in the game, be it ICly or OOCly. Yes, you will be interacting with other adults and as such you should be able to fix instances on your own without staff assistance. If we are called in to handle the problems or occurrences there will be little leniency because we would like to enjoy the game as well and not be spending it hand-holding other adults in poor situations.

If you come to us be it in pages or @mail complaining about another player, tread carefully, we can and likely will handle it as a formal +complaint and something that could have been easily handled as adults between each other will be handled a bit more harshly and with repercussions neither party will like.

Again, we are not here to babysit, coddle, handhold, or act as parental units or authorities. We are here to provide you a game you and we enjoy, so let's keep it that way!

 

Disclaimer Top

This game is a shared medium, and represents a shared story. Characters created on this game, unless otherwise specified, remain the property of their original creator — often Marvel or DC. In the case of Original Characters, the original creator may, at their option, cede the rights to their characters to other players or the game as a whole. Or they may remove them entirely.

Unless otherwise noted, the copyright on this game and its related stories is considered to be Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 — except in those instances where copyright is clearly owned by a commercial property, which retains all rights to their property.

This game should be considered a work of fan fiction.

 

Game Rating Top

In North America, most computer games carry an ESRB rating. These ratings provide consumers with a guideline to the expected type of content provided during game play. Obviously, we haven't submitted CoMUX to the ESRB for any sort of formal rating, but we think their guidelines help us define the nature of our content.

According to the ESRB, a game awarded a "mature" rating has "content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language." Games awarded an "adults only" rating "have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity."

Though we expect most public scenes to conform to a "teen" rating, we've chosen to adopt the "adults only" label as an acknowledgement that the theme we're playing with can and will frequently lend itself to more adult situations.

 

Harassment Top

Harassment is any sort of behaviour intended to disturb, upset, or threaten another person. Forms of harassment recognized on this game include (but may not be limited to):

  1. Sexual: Persistent, unwanted sexual advances (ICly or OOCly);
  2. Contact: Persistent, unwanted communication (whether made publicly in chat or on com-channels, or privately via pages or @mail);
  3. Stalking: Persistently following someone around in hopes of getting their attention, interrupting them, or otherwise annoying them after they've clearly told you to stop;
  4. Abuse: Humiliating, intimidating, or other such behaviour that causes torment, manipulates, or harms another (usually mentally or emotionally in an online situation);
  5. Discrimination: Picking on or treating someone unfairly because something about them is OOCly different.

If you feel you are being harassed, make a log of the incident(s) and send it, along with a formal complaint (use +request) to the staff. The staff will fully investigate all incidents of harassment brought to their attention. If staff finds due cause for the complaint, they will apply sanctions as necessary. Sanctions range from a warning and/or limiting of privileges and/or characters to temporary or permanent banning from the game.

Harassment in any form will not be tolerated on this game.

 

Playstyle Top

There is such a thing as the right fit, when it comes to finding a MUX to play. No game is made for every player. That's okay.

Here on CoMUX, we focus on a combination of character-driven RP balanced with changing game-world situations. We strive to create a persistent, cohesive world that, while drawn from canonical sources, may not be exactly what you're used to from those sources. As a result, sometimes we lock in certain events that will affect your character's history. We ask that you respect that.

Further, we ask that you respect the play other people have done before you and maintain as much of their history with your character as possible. Changing players is no different than a comic book changing writers. While you're free to ignore or adjust the meaning of past events your character was involved with, even though you as a player were not involved, we ask that you avoid retconning them as much as possible.

We plan for the long-term, weeks and months worth of play with the potential to continue for years. What characters do on the game makes a difference. What's more, just because the plot staff have an idea of where the story should go mapped out, doesn't mean the story will go that way.

Our goal is to involve everyone that wants to be involved as much as we're able, given the realistic constraints of the IC situations. Plot staffers are in place to help guide RP, not to dictate it. No one likes a pre-scripted roleplay scene, after all. Including us.

 

Privacy Top

A mux is not a secure environment. There's no guarantee of privacy. If you don't want something potentially overheard by others, don't say it.

It's possible for other people to see what you're saying, even if you appear to be alone in your location. Exits may relay what's said in one location to another. Objects may have code on them that permits them to do the same. The staff will not secretly employ such techniques. Whenever such code is applied, a notice will be made in the description of the exit/object or as a separate note object in the location. Further, no player is permitted to employ that sort of code without approval from the staff, and they must apply the same notices.

Aside from the email addresses and/or Wikidot IDs we ask for, you are entirely responsible for the protection of your own personal information online. If you put attributes on your player account or on some object that could reveal your personal real-life information, this is not our responsibility. It's yours. We won't be held liable for the revelation of that information, should someone else discover it.

The collection and use of personal information

All we ask for is your email address at the time your character is registered and your Wikidot ID, which allows you to log in to this site. The only reason we collect this information is for communication purposes directly related to the status of the game.

We use that information to:

  1. Connect your alts to each other;
  2. Send notices of server or website downtime due to maintenance or technical malfunction
  3. Let you know about some sort of special event.

You can opt-out of such communiques at any time. To do so, make a simple +request asking to be taken off such lists.

We will never use this information for spamming purposes. Neither will we ever give this information to any third parties, except where required by law. We hate spam as much as you do.

 

Sex On The Game Top

Let's be plain: CoMUX is not a sexually-oriented game.

"Adult only" does not mean "adult oriented" in the sexual sense. We believe that players adult enough to handle violent and sexually suggestive material are also adult enough to censor themselves appropriately. Thus, public rooms on grid, whether OOC or IC, are considered PG-13 areas, as are any chat channels aside from the Free Speech channel.

The Free Speech channel is unmoderated and unmonitored. Political debate, off-colour humour, and sexual innuendo are all welcome there.

What happens between two consenting players or characters in private rooms is not our concern. We understand sexual situations or suggestive themes may present themselves during play. The same could be said for violence, frankly. Just be aware that's not the focus of the game. Sex and violence are by-products, not thematic staples. We simply ask that if you're looking for a place to explore sexual fantasies, you look elsewhere.

For the record:

No one (and we mean no one) can force you to participate in a sexual encounter (or any other sort of RP scene) you don't want.

 

Staff Discretion Top

While Staff has made an effort to provide clear and consistent policies, we do recognize that we’re not perfect. Policies we write may have unintended effects or flat out not work the way we intended them to. Staff’s goal is always to encourage RP and prevent player conflict, but the methods used may occasionally change as we discover and test new ways to accomplish this.

While Staff views it as an absolute last resort, we do reserve the right to make alterations to the policies posted here in the event that we find that they are broken, or not functioning as intended. Changes to policy may be enacted quickly and players will be notified as soon as is practical in these cases.

In addition, Staff reserves the right to make exceptions to policies in uncommon circumstances, particularly regarding longstanding players or players that have made notable contributions to the game recently.


See Also: Characters and Plots

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License