Important Administrative Announcement.

[jerusalem-s.livejournal.com]

One of the most difficult things about inheriting a game without a set structure is that you are forced to construct the structure and the rules to support it as you go. In many cases, this creates problems as the perceptions of the players don’t always meet those of the administration.

In every case thus far we have taken into consideration the actions, comments and complaints of the players before taking steps and this time is no exception. This time, however, there has also been talk of legal ramifications and therefore, this particular rule is not only iron-clad, it will be ret-conned.

Due to the amount and nature of the adult activities in this game, due to the number of sexual references and activities, we are going to have to require that all players be of the age of 16 or over. This is non-negotiable. We are not the thought police. We cannot ferret out every single instance of someone lying about their age. However, if we discover that you are under 16 years of age, we will have to ask you to please leave the game until your sixteenth birthday is reached. There will be no exceptions.

Along these same lines, there is to be no more explicit sex in the communities. Any of them. You are welcome to RP sex scenes, but we are going to ask that you place them in your character journal behind an lj-cut and with a clearly stated warning before that cut. You are welcome to link that entry to the comment thread in the community where your RP started, but the link must also bear a clear NC-17 warning.

This rule will not be enforced until 10/06/05.

If you’re in the middle of something, don’t worry about it. Simply carry on. Please be aware, however, that next time it will need to be clearly labeled and in the appropriate spot.

This is for the protection of the players, the administration and the game itself. It is not open for argument, mediation or even armed mobs. Legal counsel was sought and granted, arguments were put forth and examined. The bottom line is that we’re seeking an environment that is both safe and comfortable for our players and this is the route which has been chosen.

Thank you.

Comments

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[leeadama.livejournal.com]

Fantastico. Good rules.

[leeadama.livejournal.com]

We're such naughty high school students, gawwd...

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Question: is it just sex scenes or frank language and discussions of a sexual nature? To be safe, perhaps those ought to be moved as well.

Also, you may want advise people who make blends that if they make photographics blends of an explicit sexual nature, those blends are potentially subject to 18 (?) USC 2257 (which presently requires something to be offered for sale, but obscenity prosecutions are on the upswing) and stringent records must be kept as to the identity of the parties in the pictures and their ages at the time of photographing.

This is probably overly cautious, but it is the nature of my personal business that I know such things can be an issue.

Thank you for thinking to protect us.

[jerusalem-s.livejournal.com]

Photographic blends of an explicit nature... really oughtn't to appear here at all. This isn't the place for them and the example you quote is more for the record-keeping than for the pornographic content, despite the direct correlation.

We're sticking to regulating text only... and anyone who puts blatantly pornographic material of a visual nature on the comms will have it deleted and be asked to please keep it in the personal journal, appropriately labeled and beneath a friendslock.

[janet_fraiser]

*loves you for many things, btw, this being only one of them*

I read Fandom High from work, where we have monitoring software. So, yeah, no explicit photos makes me happy.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

*nods* Just thought I'd toss it out there as a heads-up.

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Sensible and reasonable -- I have no problem with this, and am quite relieved actually.

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

Works for me.

Inara seems to have more counselling work than sex work anyway. :)

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

Sounds good. I'm actually surprised that these rules were not in place earlier. Every where where I rped basically had this stated and bolded.

[spyprincipal.livejournal.com]

In the blazing fast-forward whirlwind that has been this game's opening month, it was overlooked. We're fixing that oversight now.

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

Yeah, whirlwind is a good description. And I'm still amazed by the amazing job the amazing mods are doing. (Thesarus, who needs you?)

Another small thing that might be nice is if some RP rules were put in place. IE, journal is first person unless it's an e-mail or letter. Communities are third person with quotes.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

1.) In terms of the no-sex in comms and marked appropriately in personal journals? Good idea. Was already doing that, myself (though I needed to switch the rating from TVMA to NC-17 in my few entries of that type, which is absolutely no big at all - few seconds' work at most).

2.) Tense - Usually, I just try to match whatever tense my scene partner is writing in, so that the styles are fluid. But constantly switching to accomodate my scene partners also means that, occasionally, my tenses will sometimes switch mid-sentence, which makes me headdesk, repeatedly.

3.) Thanks to the mods... gotta give it up to you guys, as always. You just rock like ... rocking chairs with space shuttle engines strapped to the back of 'em.

4.) Poll whore! ;D

5.) Usually, Shane's journal is kept in first-person. Perfectly comfortable with that. Unless, of course, there's a situation like with the party she held at her place (and the party wrap-up scene afterward, though not quite so much)... in which case it was basically whateverthehell tense and style the party-goers favored.

6.) The mods still rock :D

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

I like this rule, I was just saying yesterday that I am glad most of the people I RPG with are over 18 because it would freak me out a bit to play with a 13 year old.. though I do need to ask one player how old they are even though I have not done anything naughty with them. Maia is a good girl with only one scene to her name. *smiles*

but yes YAY for the rule I like that rule very much. and for the record. I am 25 *smiles* I can show proof somehow if you need it.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

This is a very good rule.

May I ask, however, why you chose 16 instead of 18 as the age cut off? I mean, don't get me wrong, I know what I was doing at 16, but in the eyes of the law, is 16 acceptable?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

It is in the UK, though I don't know how well that would hold up in the US.

[jerusalem-s.livejournal.com]

Frankly, and this is heavily qualified with an 'as far as I know' the only people I'm aware of between 16 and 18 have indicated that they're not interested in the sex scenes and not planning on reading any, much less writing any. As I feel the game at large is approximately an R, as long as all NC-17 is off the comms, appropriately labeled and locked, I have no issues with players 16 and up.

If it's off the communities, it's not the problem of the administration.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

You mean properly locked right? That's easy to do isn't it (just tick a box?) cos I've not done a locked post before, btw I also really appreciate tyhe job you're doing as admin, it must be a nightmare!

[janet_fraiser]

Locked? *looks at initial post* I don't think I see a part where it says we should lock smut, but am I wrong? (Seriously, I could be missing it.)

[janet_fraiser]

I believe in Oz it's the acceptable age too, or so I'm given to understand from the 16 year old from Oz on my RL LJ who laughs when I freak that she reads smut I write. :)

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Excellent rule. Thanks!

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

*Applause* Thanks for this.

[master-of-fear.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Thank goodness I'm turning 20 XD I feel ooooooold. Not really, but yeah XD

[janet_fraiser]

*rolls eyes at you as she's turning 30 soon*

[best-bang-yet.livejournal.com]

Well done. There are some things you just don't want to be reading with parents in the room. It makes for an awkward trip home.