Definition
PVP must be initiated through the host admin based on either real-time instances or planned events. Depending on if it will be a flash permanent death event or an organized and scheduled permanent death event, PVP combat will only have the option to take place until the hosting administrator announces “Player vs Player combat is imminent”.
Through this, approved actions with separately approved incentives to act upon said actions may take place either immediately following the announcement or whatever time it will take to follow up, until the end of the announced imminence.
PVP is fluid, and it is difficult to make it such a linear thing, and with that, comes something known as an “Aggressive Action”.
**The enabling of PVP will only be announced in special circumstances considering large group vs large group scenarios. Imminence does not signify the enabling of PVP within the situation. **
Aggressive Actions
These actions allow for the enabling of PVP, either by mistake, or intentional means, but through imminence, levels and layers of readiness are established in the following manner:
Safe > Imminence > Enabled
You may not know if PVP is enabled on your server, only if PVP is imminent.
Aggressive Actions are defined as the following:
- A weapon has been enabled (blades out, musket aimed) facing toward your vicinity, or within close proximity (if you spot a firearm from afar, it counts).
- Movement is aggressive within your vicinity(running towards you with blades, or a weapon out and present. 3dmg maneuvering towards you.)
- Verbal aggression in the form of a threat to harm another player in-game.
- Minor damage attack.
Aggressive Actions can be used as ‘legal’ self-defense in so that random killing does run rampant for the entire event. PVP death voids will be treated very similarly to how voids are handled with titan combat, but over a more secure outline with higher-level lore administrators.
Aggressive Actions may in certain circumstances approve the enabling of player vs player combat, but imminence must be posted first. Imminence does not indicate the enabling of PVP. It is meant to clearly cut off any random killing, non-approved killing, and to clearly indicate that the kill may or may not be legal.
Extra notes
PVP Chasing
Under special circumstances provided that a player or group of individual players wish to retreat out of a permanent death event, a chase may ensue where the opposing faction or individual will have to chase their target down. This may last a while, and multiple tactics and strategies may be used, however, once the “target” has put at least one map in between them and their aggressor, (i.e. Wall Rose Segment 1 - Wall Rose Segment 3, with Segment 2 in between both parties), the target will then be able to escape. Specific situations may have to be determined during the event if combat will still be allowed as teleportation may be enabled or not.
PVP DMing
All forms of communication are disallowed during player vs player permanent death events. If you intend to signal for reinforcements, this must be pre-organized with the hosting administrator. To match with the era, a “carrier pigeon” will be sent out from your location in-game and will notify anyone in the area that a message of some kind has been sent out. The nature of this must also be communicated and discussed with the hosting administrator.
Q: Most of my fellow branch members have their blades out and stand next to/close to each other during PDs, would I be able to legally kill them?
A: As a comparison to real life, to any armed group, a military of any era throughout history, including mutinies and accidents alike, you have to build confidence and competence in handling weapons around your teammates, in such a way to avoid mistakes being made in the field.
Q: What if my target instantly runs away? Doesn’t this ruin the surprise aspect of assassinations?
A: No, it doesn’t, unless you’ve already ruined that yourself or some sort of catastrophic administrative error has allowed metagaming to exist. The target themselves shouldn’t know they are a target, but even if they did, you, along with your group would be able to act immediately as soon as the announcement is initiated.
Q: Why can’t it stay as it is currently?
A: This system is designed for “PVP Slotting”, which allows pre-approved attacks which may contain a surprise attack to start overall. Whoever they are going against may not know it, but, will have to apply Aggressive Action rules to his own defense to protect his or her own life.
Q: What if I am killed, but I didn’t commit an aggressive action?
A: This will be verified, and adjudicated through the same manner of titan-related death review. We may ask for a recording from your point of view, and the killer’s point of view.
Q: How does PVP start without it being planned?
A: In-game tension based on the administrator’s understanding of what’s going on between two or more parties involved in a permanent death event. This tension may include verbal aggression, demands, or trespassing into unauthorized areas.