[ THE RULES OF THE GAME ]
NOTE: For a more comprehensive guide to DDD, please see the Player Guide. You may also want to visit the FAQ.
THE RULES
☇ THE GOLDEN RULE
First and foremost, be respectful of your fellow players. We're all at least 15 years of age, and we expect people to act civilly towards each other, whether they're playing, chatting, or giving/receiving concrit. This goes for every area under DDD's management, including side communities, character journals, and chatrooms.
That being said, please keep in mind that we cannot moderate any community that is not explicitly a part of dramadramaduck, including any and all forms of roleplaysecrets, rp_anon_meme, or any other communities like them. Should someone say something offensive or derogatory in any of those places, we may talk to them, but there will be no punishment unless the issue is brought into the community.
Along those lines, we encourage our players to watch their behavior. The more arguing and dogpiling that goes on in those places, anon or otherwise, makes the game as a whole look bad. We encourage you to be civil and find a way to be able to talk to each other without having to worry about anonymous backlash.
Now, with that out of the way, onto the nitty gritty stuff.
☇ AGE REQUIREMENT
You must be at least 15 years of age to play at DDD. No ifs, ands, or buts, even if you're going to turn 15 within the next month or two. While we're a game that's primarily geared at fun for the whole family, sensitive topics have and will continue to be brought up on a regular basis, and we want our players to be able to handle those situations maturely. Think of it as a PG-15 rating.
☇ POLICY ON SENSITIVE SUBJECTS
While a large portion of our player base is 18 or older, our minimum applicant age, as stated above, is 15, and we feel our content should reflect that. DDD is not an 18+ game; even if it were, comfort levels aren't restricted by age groups, and not everyone is going to have the same reaction to all material. We don't want to hamper anyone's creativity, but we also don't want DDD to be a place that people can't feel comfortable in.
To this end, we've decided that posts involving explicit content--whether graphic violence and extensive gore, overtly or explicitly sexual content, or the other content outlined on our sensitive topics list--should be locked and placed behind an LJ-cut with all applicable warnings. This applies to both community content and content on personal journals.
On that note, please be aware of warnings before viewing a post's content. If it looks as though a post might be something you'd find objectionable, it can then be easily avoided. Again, this rule isn't meant to hamper players' creativity but to help prevent the discomfort that can occur when dealing with content of this nature. You're still free to explore such subjects; we're only asking for these topics to be handled with the care appropriate to a 15+ game.
These rules go hand in hand with the guidelines on sensitive topics that need mod approval, which are defined in the mod approval requests post.
☇ CHARACTERS THAT ARE MINORS AND THE LJ TERMS OF SERVICE
For those who aren't aware, sexualized depictions of a minor (which is, as defined by California law, anyone under 18) are against LiveJournal's TOS. If reported, the distribution of anything that can be considered child pornography could have dire consequences for the game and the people who run it, up to and including legal action. As none of the mod team can really afford a visit from Chris Hansen, we have to set some guidelines on this content.
Currently, this subject's still under discussion. When we have a more concrete decision on the guidelines for this type of content, we'll make a detailed announcement and amend this rule, but for now, we're asking that all overtly sexual content involving a character who's under the age of 18 is locked to members only and given the appropriate warnings.
We are aware that some of you play from canons where the age of consent is lower or unstated or canons where there are no restrictions/issues/scandal involved in characters being sexually active at the age of 15, but again, LJ's TOS is based on California law which sets age of consent at 18+. The argument on fiction vs actual depictions isn't a guarantee of safety on this, either, as the Australian case involving Simpsons porn and LJ's own Strikethrough '07 made clear. At this time, we'd rather be safe than sorry.
☇ FOURTH WALLING, GODMODING, AND CHARACTERS WITH GOD-LIKE POWERS
Most of us are aware that controlling another person's character without permission is considered godmoding and is prohibited on DDD and most other Rps, but there are other actions that also fall under godmoding, and these are equally objectionable.
Godmoding is controlling another player's character without permission. This can be in the form of assumptions on what their next action will be or delegating their next action. Suggesting they were in a situation they were never in can also be a form of godmoding, as it involves a player in something that they may or may not want to be involved in. While some characters like to lie and play tricks on others, a player should always have permission before directly involving another player's character.
Breaking the 4th wall, or canon puncturing, is having a character explain to another that they're fictional and is also considered godmoding unless it's done with permission. Part of the fun of exposing characters to the many mores of the community is exposing them to the fact that, on some of these worlds, they're characters in a movie/book/video game, but it is always up to the player to decide when they're ready to have the character deal with that issue. We know it's tempting to give new characters a 'warm welcome', but please leave out the "You're a cartoon!" response, unless you've verified with the player that they're comfortable with it.
Along the same lines, there are many characters on the community who have secret identities: superheroes like Batman and Superman, spies, phantom thieves, assassins, etc. Many of these characters can become extremely difficult to play if their extracurricular activities are spread throughout the community. Oftentimes a character's setting will allow them to know the other character's identity, and the players are usually fine with the character being recognized, but the character should never be publicly outed without permission. Before doing so, you should always check for a permissions post or contact the player directly for permission.
Infomoding is giving a character knowledge that they couldn't realistically have. When dealing with other characters, you should always keep in mind how much and what type of information your character could conceivably have access to. If the character was a cheerleader in his high school years but hasn't made any mention of anything remotely related to the sport, no one should know that but the character himself and occasionally canonmates or characters with specific, in-game reasons to know.
Finally, if you have an omnipotent character with access to information that others don't have, make a permissions post for your character or check our existing permissions posts before revealing or utilizing any of that information. If a player hasn't given you permission, or has given you permission for only limited information, that information is all that your character knows, regardless of what they may ICly have access to. Always ask before revealing information that you don't have permission for.
Godmoding of any sort is prohibited. If it happens, players are within their rights to ask the other player to remove that content from their post/response or to screen the comment themselves until the situation is resolved. If it happens frequently or repeatedly, it should be brought to the mods' attention.
All forms of godmoding are against the rules, and if repeat offenders make no effort to curb the behavior, the mods reserve the right to strip a player of an offending character.
☇ MOD APPROVALS
As mentioned in the policy on sensitive subjects, there are certain things that require moderator approval before you can go through with them. These things include, but are not limited to:
☇ IC =/= OOC OR "WHAT HAPPENS ON THE COMMUNITY STAYS ON THE COMMUNITY"
As it should be apparent within a few days of starting the game, not all of the characters on DDD are the best of friends. Many of the characters are opinionated, argumentative, or downright mean, and the clashes that result can be a hell of a lot of fun to play out. When a character insults another, however, that's all the insult is: a rude gesture from one character to another. It should never be meant as a personal insult, just as it should never be assumed that it is one without substantial evidence. The characters we play aren't tools for expressing our own opinions or venting our own frustrations. Just like with any group of people, drama will occasionally happen between players, but when characters are interacting, that drama needs to be left behind. If you're ever given reason to believe that it hasn't been, please feel free to bring the situation to the mods for review.
Furthermore, if we feel that comments or conversations between characters are displaying a level of aggression that is beyond what's called for by their characterization or we're given reason to suspect that more than IC interactions are going on, we may feel the need to investigate. If we approach you regarding it, please keep in mind that you are not necessarily in trouble. We have no intention of punishing anyone for simply having their characters behave as their characters would, but we do want to be sure that tensions aren't rising unnecessarily.
☇ OOC CONFLICTS
In a game the size of DDD, there are always going to be a lot of opinions to consider, and, in some cases, those opinions may not exactly mesh well. Sadly, conflicts are inevitable, but with some common courtesy, we can hopefully keep the damage to a minimum. The first thing to remember is RP IS NOT SRS BSNSS. We're all here to indulge in a hobby that we enjoy. If someone approaches you with a suggestion, some concrit, or a valid concern, take it in the spirit it was given. Try to look at it objectively to decide whether it applies to you or is something that could help you improve. In most cases such suggestions aren't meant to be personal.
That being said, conflicts can happen, misunderstandings can result in arguments, and sometimes steps need to be taken. If you find yourself involved in a conflict with another player, please try to maintain as much courtesy as possible--the more level-headed players can be, the easier it is to resolve disputes. Above all, we want players to try to work things out with each other first. With respect for each other and a little maturity, most situations can be handled without a need for others to get involved.
If a conflict develops beyond the point that you feel you can resolve it on your own, it may be time to bring it to the mods, either via IM or the suggestions and complaints post. There are enough members of the mod team and assistant mod team that at least one should be available on AIM at almost all hours. All of the mods' contact information, including AIM names and personal journals, are available in the mod list (coming soon; for now, please use the community profile). When you approach a mod with a conflict, you'll need to present your side of the story. Stick to facts as much as possible. Keep records of anything relating to the conflict, such as IM logs, chat logs, posts, and comments made on comm journals or character journals that can support your side of the situation and provide mods with any evidence they might need to make a decision on what action to take.
☇ DELETING COMMENTS
Do not delete comments other people make in community journals. Comments shouldn't be deleted without the consent of both parties involved; if there are comments you don't want to be seen, please ask the mods for permission to screen them.
On that note, mod comments should never be deleted.
☇ RESERVES AND APPLICATIONS
Reserves on DDD may work a little differently than what most people are used to. Once a player puts in a reserve for a character, they have one week to get their application in before the reserve expires. During that one week period, other people may still apply for that character. The reserve simply means that we won't make a judgment on anyone's application until the person with the reserve has submitted theirs.
For a list of rules on applications and information on the application process itself, please see the applications page.
☇ THREE STRIKES POLICY
Here at DDD, we have a three strikes policy, meaning if any of the above rules are ever broken three times, action will be taken. The severity of the situation will determine the severity of the punishment, which the offending party will be notified of as soon as the issue is reviewed.
MISCELLANY
☇ ACTIVITY CHECK
Activity checks are mandatory and held on the first of every other month (Feb, April, June, Aug, Oct, and Dec) on triple_d_ooc for one week. We require 20 comments from each character within the two months prior to activity check in order for your characters to remain in the game. (What that means, for example, is that the check held from October 1st - October 7th will require 20 comments from the months of August, September, or a combination of the two.) Once activity check has ended, no more proof of activity will be accepted. Aside from errors, all journals unaccounted for will be purged from the game.
People exempt from activity check are those who are on hiatus (see below) and characters who were applied for in the month preceding the check.
For an example of how the process works, feel free to browse through the activity check tag on the OOC comm.
☇ HIATUSES
In order to be considered on hiatus, you must comment to the hiatus post. If you don't, you're liable for whatever happens during activity check, including having your journal purged from the game. We will accept hiatus announcements made on the OOC community, but only if they're pointed out to us prior to the purge; we can't go digging for you.
Semi-hiatuses don't exempt you from activity check, and it is not necessary to announce them on the hiatus post. Semi-hiatuses imply that there will be some activity, so you will still be responsible for passing activity check. If you don't think you'll have the activity required, then you should take an actual hiatus. After all, there's no punishment for commenting around while not being explicitly active. :)
☇ DROPPING
We'll be sad to see you go, but if you must drop a character, be sure to comment with friend remove character_journal on the taken characters list. It allows us to keep that list, as well as the friend add/remove list, maintained and reduces the number of idle journals that have to be purged during activity check.
☇ CONCRIT
It is not mandatory to put up a post for constructive criticism, but it is strongly encouraged. If you have a concrit post, feel free to include it in the concrit directory. In addition, there's a community-wide How's My Driving post that's put up in adddictions every three months, open to all players. Again, participation is not mandatory but strongly encouraged, so long as you keep our golden rule (respect) in mind.
If you feel a character is grossly OOC and have tried every available avenue of critique, you're more than welcome to bring it to the attention of the moderators, but be aware that we will require specific details regarding how the character is OOC.
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Last Updated: 8/11/09
THE RULES
☇ THE GOLDEN RULE
First and foremost, be respectful of your fellow players. We're all at least 15 years of age, and we expect people to act civilly towards each other, whether they're playing, chatting, or giving/receiving concrit. This goes for every area under DDD's management, including side communities, character journals, and chatrooms.
That being said, please keep in mind that we cannot moderate any community that is not explicitly a part of dramadramaduck, including any and all forms of roleplaysecrets, rp_anon_meme, or any other communities like them. Should someone say something offensive or derogatory in any of those places, we may talk to them, but there will be no punishment unless the issue is brought into the community.
Along those lines, we encourage our players to watch their behavior. The more arguing and dogpiling that goes on in those places, anon or otherwise, makes the game as a whole look bad. We encourage you to be civil and find a way to be able to talk to each other without having to worry about anonymous backlash.
Now, with that out of the way, onto the nitty gritty stuff.
☇ AGE REQUIREMENT
You must be at least 15 years of age to play at DDD. No ifs, ands, or buts, even if you're going to turn 15 within the next month or two. While we're a game that's primarily geared at fun for the whole family, sensitive topics have and will continue to be brought up on a regular basis, and we want our players to be able to handle those situations maturely. Think of it as a PG-15 rating.
☇ POLICY ON SENSITIVE SUBJECTS
While a large portion of our player base is 18 or older, our minimum applicant age, as stated above, is 15, and we feel our content should reflect that. DDD is not an 18+ game; even if it were, comfort levels aren't restricted by age groups, and not everyone is going to have the same reaction to all material. We don't want to hamper anyone's creativity, but we also don't want DDD to be a place that people can't feel comfortable in.
To this end, we've decided that posts involving explicit content--whether graphic violence and extensive gore, overtly or explicitly sexual content, or the other content outlined on our sensitive topics list--should be locked and placed behind an LJ-cut with all applicable warnings. This applies to both community content and content on personal journals.
On that note, please be aware of warnings before viewing a post's content. If it looks as though a post might be something you'd find objectionable, it can then be easily avoided. Again, this rule isn't meant to hamper players' creativity but to help prevent the discomfort that can occur when dealing with content of this nature. You're still free to explore such subjects; we're only asking for these topics to be handled with the care appropriate to a 15+ game.
These rules go hand in hand with the guidelines on sensitive topics that need mod approval, which are defined in the mod approval requests post.
☇ CHARACTERS THAT ARE MINORS AND THE LJ TERMS OF SERVICE
For those who aren't aware, sexualized depictions of a minor (which is, as defined by California law, anyone under 18) are against LiveJournal's TOS. If reported, the distribution of anything that can be considered child pornography could have dire consequences for the game and the people who run it, up to and including legal action. As none of the mod team can really afford a visit from Chris Hansen, we have to set some guidelines on this content.
Currently, this subject's still under discussion. When we have a more concrete decision on the guidelines for this type of content, we'll make a detailed announcement and amend this rule, but for now, we're asking that all overtly sexual content involving a character who's under the age of 18 is locked to members only and given the appropriate warnings.
We are aware that some of you play from canons where the age of consent is lower or unstated or canons where there are no restrictions/issues/scandal involved in characters being sexually active at the age of 15, but again, LJ's TOS is based on California law which sets age of consent at 18+. The argument on fiction vs actual depictions isn't a guarantee of safety on this, either, as the Australian case involving Simpsons porn and LJ's own Strikethrough '07 made clear. At this time, we'd rather be safe than sorry.
☇ FOURTH WALLING, GODMODING, AND CHARACTERS WITH GOD-LIKE POWERS
Most of us are aware that controlling another person's character without permission is considered godmoding and is prohibited on DDD and most other Rps, but there are other actions that also fall under godmoding, and these are equally objectionable.
Godmoding is controlling another player's character without permission. This can be in the form of assumptions on what their next action will be or delegating their next action. Suggesting they were in a situation they were never in can also be a form of godmoding, as it involves a player in something that they may or may not want to be involved in. While some characters like to lie and play tricks on others, a player should always have permission before directly involving another player's character.
Breaking the 4th wall, or canon puncturing, is having a character explain to another that they're fictional and is also considered godmoding unless it's done with permission. Part of the fun of exposing characters to the many mores of the community is exposing them to the fact that, on some of these worlds, they're characters in a movie/book/video game, but it is always up to the player to decide when they're ready to have the character deal with that issue. We know it's tempting to give new characters a 'warm welcome', but please leave out the "You're a cartoon!" response, unless you've verified with the player that they're comfortable with it.
Along the same lines, there are many characters on the community who have secret identities: superheroes like Batman and Superman, spies, phantom thieves, assassins, etc. Many of these characters can become extremely difficult to play if their extracurricular activities are spread throughout the community. Oftentimes a character's setting will allow them to know the other character's identity, and the players are usually fine with the character being recognized, but the character should never be publicly outed without permission. Before doing so, you should always check for a permissions post or contact the player directly for permission.
Infomoding is giving a character knowledge that they couldn't realistically have. When dealing with other characters, you should always keep in mind how much and what type of information your character could conceivably have access to. If the character was a cheerleader in his high school years but hasn't made any mention of anything remotely related to the sport, no one should know that but the character himself and occasionally canonmates or characters with specific, in-game reasons to know.
Finally, if you have an omnipotent character with access to information that others don't have, make a permissions post for your character or check our existing permissions posts before revealing or utilizing any of that information. If a player hasn't given you permission, or has given you permission for only limited information, that information is all that your character knows, regardless of what they may ICly have access to. Always ask before revealing information that you don't have permission for.
Godmoding of any sort is prohibited. If it happens, players are within their rights to ask the other player to remove that content from their post/response or to screen the comment themselves until the situation is resolved. If it happens frequently or repeatedly, it should be brought to the mods' attention.
All forms of godmoding are against the rules, and if repeat offenders make no effort to curb the behavior, the mods reserve the right to strip a player of an offending character.
☇ MOD APPROVALS
As mentioned in the policy on sensitive subjects, there are certain things that require moderator approval before you can go through with them. These things include, but are not limited to:
- World-hopping abilities obtained in some way other than the character's own canon ability, i.e. a character being gifted with a device that allows them to world-hop.
- Use of an appable or non-appable canon character on a temporary basis, i.e. occasional journal hacking or RLs involving canon characters.
- Large-scale plots that will affect the majority of the community.
- Plots involving the death of one or more characters.
- Plots involving sensitive subjects, as defined here.
- Personal viruses affecting only a limited number of characters.
- Large-scale events (parties, tournaments, meetings, etc) involving five or more characters, for scheduling purposes.
☇ IC =/= OOC OR "WHAT HAPPENS ON THE COMMUNITY STAYS ON THE COMMUNITY"
As it should be apparent within a few days of starting the game, not all of the characters on DDD are the best of friends. Many of the characters are opinionated, argumentative, or downright mean, and the clashes that result can be a hell of a lot of fun to play out. When a character insults another, however, that's all the insult is: a rude gesture from one character to another. It should never be meant as a personal insult, just as it should never be assumed that it is one without substantial evidence. The characters we play aren't tools for expressing our own opinions or venting our own frustrations. Just like with any group of people, drama will occasionally happen between players, but when characters are interacting, that drama needs to be left behind. If you're ever given reason to believe that it hasn't been, please feel free to bring the situation to the mods for review.
Furthermore, if we feel that comments or conversations between characters are displaying a level of aggression that is beyond what's called for by their characterization or we're given reason to suspect that more than IC interactions are going on, we may feel the need to investigate. If we approach you regarding it, please keep in mind that you are not necessarily in trouble. We have no intention of punishing anyone for simply having their characters behave as their characters would, but we do want to be sure that tensions aren't rising unnecessarily.
☇ OOC CONFLICTS
In a game the size of DDD, there are always going to be a lot of opinions to consider, and, in some cases, those opinions may not exactly mesh well. Sadly, conflicts are inevitable, but with some common courtesy, we can hopefully keep the damage to a minimum. The first thing to remember is RP IS NOT SRS BSNSS. We're all here to indulge in a hobby that we enjoy. If someone approaches you with a suggestion, some concrit, or a valid concern, take it in the spirit it was given. Try to look at it objectively to decide whether it applies to you or is something that could help you improve. In most cases such suggestions aren't meant to be personal.
That being said, conflicts can happen, misunderstandings can result in arguments, and sometimes steps need to be taken. If you find yourself involved in a conflict with another player, please try to maintain as much courtesy as possible--the more level-headed players can be, the easier it is to resolve disputes. Above all, we want players to try to work things out with each other first. With respect for each other and a little maturity, most situations can be handled without a need for others to get involved.
If a conflict develops beyond the point that you feel you can resolve it on your own, it may be time to bring it to the mods, either via IM or the suggestions and complaints post. There are enough members of the mod team and assistant mod team that at least one should be available on AIM at almost all hours. All of the mods' contact information, including AIM names and personal journals, are available in the mod list (coming soon; for now, please use the community profile). When you approach a mod with a conflict, you'll need to present your side of the story. Stick to facts as much as possible. Keep records of anything relating to the conflict, such as IM logs, chat logs, posts, and comments made on comm journals or character journals that can support your side of the situation and provide mods with any evidence they might need to make a decision on what action to take.
☇ DELETING COMMENTS
Do not delete comments other people make in community journals. Comments shouldn't be deleted without the consent of both parties involved; if there are comments you don't want to be seen, please ask the mods for permission to screen them.
On that note, mod comments should never be deleted.
☇ RESERVES AND APPLICATIONS
Reserves on DDD may work a little differently than what most people are used to. Once a player puts in a reserve for a character, they have one week to get their application in before the reserve expires. During that one week period, other people may still apply for that character. The reserve simply means that we won't make a judgment on anyone's application until the person with the reserve has submitted theirs.
For a list of rules on applications and information on the application process itself, please see the applications page.
☇ THREE STRIKES POLICY
Here at DDD, we have a three strikes policy, meaning if any of the above rules are ever broken three times, action will be taken. The severity of the situation will determine the severity of the punishment, which the offending party will be notified of as soon as the issue is reviewed.
MISCELLANY
☇ ACTIVITY CHECK
Activity checks are mandatory and held on the first of every other month (Feb, April, June, Aug, Oct, and Dec) on triple_d_ooc for one week. We require 20 comments from each character within the two months prior to activity check in order for your characters to remain in the game. (What that means, for example, is that the check held from October 1st - October 7th will require 20 comments from the months of August, September, or a combination of the two.) Once activity check has ended, no more proof of activity will be accepted. Aside from errors, all journals unaccounted for will be purged from the game.
People exempt from activity check are those who are on hiatus (see below) and characters who were applied for in the month preceding the check.
For an example of how the process works, feel free to browse through the activity check tag on the OOC comm.
☇ HIATUSES
In order to be considered on hiatus, you must comment to the hiatus post. If you don't, you're liable for whatever happens during activity check, including having your journal purged from the game. We will accept hiatus announcements made on the OOC community, but only if they're pointed out to us prior to the purge; we can't go digging for you.
Semi-hiatuses don't exempt you from activity check, and it is not necessary to announce them on the hiatus post. Semi-hiatuses imply that there will be some activity, so you will still be responsible for passing activity check. If you don't think you'll have the activity required, then you should take an actual hiatus. After all, there's no punishment for commenting around while not being explicitly active. :)
☇ DROPPING
We'll be sad to see you go, but if you must drop a character, be sure to comment with friend remove character_journal on the taken characters list. It allows us to keep that list, as well as the friend add/remove list, maintained and reduces the number of idle journals that have to be purged during activity check.
☇ CONCRIT
It is not mandatory to put up a post for constructive criticism, but it is strongly encouraged. If you have a concrit post, feel free to include it in the concrit directory. In addition, there's a community-wide How's My Driving post that's put up in adddictions every three months, open to all players. Again, participation is not mandatory but strongly encouraged, so long as you keep our golden rule (respect) in mind.
If you feel a character is grossly OOC and have tried every available avenue of critique, you're more than welcome to bring it to the attention of the moderators, but be aware that we will require specific details regarding how the character is OOC.
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Last Updated: 8/11/09