Wirehead Studios

Read the rules here. (http://www.wireheadstudios.org/generations/rules.php)

The rules are now avaliable on the GenArena servers page (http://www.wireheadstudios.org/generations/servers.php). I highly suggest everyone read them, as we will begin enforcing the rules immediately.

Also, be on the lookout for a similar set of rules for the forums (http://forums.wireheadstudios.org/) and IRC channels (http://www.wireheadstudios.org/irc/cgi-bin/irc.cgi) in the near future.


Addendum by Tabun

We would like to stress that, although these rules are somewhat formal-sounding, we do not intend them to spoil your fun. Don't expect them to be enforced strictly and don't let them deter you from joining the servers. If you end up playing with friends that like to break the rules also, feel free to do so, as long as everyone playing agrees. Also note that rules are less vigorously upheld on the Euro-based server in comparison to the US-based server.

Just be mature, sensible and pay attention to what your fellow gamers are chatting about. The main point of having rules is to maintain the friendly-spirited, fun and newbie-inviting gaming that best befits the nature of Generations Arena.

Just because I'd like to clarify a few things and feel like commenting, I'm not arguing against any of these.

No spawn camping ...
As long as nobody cries spawn camp when they chew on a rocket the moment their protection runs out because someone else ran around the corner and shot on reflex, this is cool. I agree 100%. :)

No verbally abusing players ...
(A): Keep foul language to a minimum. PG-13, please.
Is the f-bomb completely banned, or will the occasional one be let go?

©: Sarcastic comments such as "GG BFG" or "Stupid *whore" fall under this rule.
Even if it's the Arena BFG in .99d? Aw, nuts. ^_^

(D): Non-verbal taunts. Is it necessary to /taunt after every kill? Don't abuse it.
I think I made a comment about getting annoyed with hearing Doom's garbled yell of joy constantly. I <3 you guys for this one.

Chat frags/Idle frags/Face in the wall ..
I'd actually recommend something to add on this one. I've occasionally seen people slide up right next to an idle/etc. person, aim at the sky like they're not doing anything, then shooting someone in the back (figuratively) when they turn around to avoid a chatkill. It's rare, but it happens, and also should not be tolerated.

Also, accidents happen. Rockets have a blast radius and grenades can bounce wildly, so crap is going to happen... I wouldn't say doing a /kill on yourself should this happen is the way to go, but a heads up if you saw it and slipped can be a wonderful thing.

Item camping ...
Does this include suddenly running into the room sitting on top of an item spawn point for the last ten seconds waiting for it, or is that kosher?

Pure, raw, devestation ...
I don't think I have to worry about this one, myself. :thumb:

I think these rules are a fine addition as a whole. The concerns I was seeing on IRC last night appear to have been misplaced. Thanks for working towards a better experience, guys.

Not bad for a first try :) I've got two sizable gripes about the rules that strike me as odd... (in pretty colored pictures!)

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(http://dl.downloadhosting.com/download/tekhead/SpawnProtection3.jpg)
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I swear, you people seem like you don't even remember the definition of spawn camping. Under any normal circumstance, when you're walking along in-game and see an enemy player, what do you do? Frag them! Spawncampers are the scum who sit at one exploitable spawn with a big gun waiting for their victims to respawn. An excellent illustration still exists on the lamerkatz's page:

http://www.lamerkatz.com/play/index.shtml (http://www.lamerkatz.com/play/index.shtml) (go to the "Load Camp Ranger program" link at the bottom)

In short, if you want to flame/kick/ban someone for spawnkilling, by all means go for it. However, don't change the definition of spawnkilling while you're at it. Getting nailed from the get-go sucks, but it happens and you respawn across the map. Deal with it, and grab a weapon to fight back with when you come back into the game. 3 seconds is plenty of time to do so in almost any map (unless you're playing a map like pro-q1dm6 with 30 people in the server... but that's another story). Having one guy consistently pegging everyone after they respawn before they can even react for the entire game? That's lame.

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(http://dl.downloadhosting.com/download/tekhead/Chatkilled.JPG)
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As far as chatkilling goes... players have to understand that by typing they are putting themselves at risk to be fragged. Since the immediate goal of each game is to frag, you should only expect to get a grenade stuffed down your pants when you make yourself a sitting duck when there's live action going on. It's true that for a player to go out of one's way to score a chatkill isn't very honorable, but that's the way the game goes. If you take the risk, then deal with the consequences I say. I don't want to come off like I'm trying to encourage this sort of behavior from people, but damnit sometimes chatkilling is honestly unavoidable! My suggestion is if you do it, try to be smart about it (hiding and whatnot) but please don't whine about getting fragged... it's like having sex without contraception - you're taking an optional risk; grow up and deal with the result of your actions.

< /rant > :)

p.s. the rest of the rules are rock solid  :thumb:

I don't know what maps YOU'RE playing, but anything > 8 players is night impossible to grab a weapon before you find someone more than willing to wipe the floor with you. As for your picture with the glory-charging melee. That's entirely legit, waste the fools; HOWEVER, if you remain in that room providing you survive, you're spawncamping.

Chatfragging is not a bannable offense PROVIDING it was an accident. If you sit there and go for the humiliation, you're a jackass. If you bfg a chatting/consoled player, you're a jackass. If you grab the lsov, activate it, and stand next to a chatter/afker, you're not QUITE a jackass, but you're being a jerk.

If you pop up the console and wait for people to come by so you can shoot them in the back, I will find you and introduce you to the business end of my freaking chainsaw...

The spawn protection is designed to avoid spawn-die-spawn-die syndrome, if anyone DOES decide to go for you, feel free to waste ammo keeping them off of you. The rules don't say anything about not fragging actively hostile spawn-bait. The rules are in place because of the occasional ass who insists on sitting at spawn waiting for people, or those who sit on a weapon respawn in a spawn-infested room. THESE ARE NOT SAFE ROOMS TO REST IN. Not to mention the fact that actively denying weapons to a newly spawned player is mildly lame, and partially the cause for the bitching. I don't give a rat's ass about how it's bad strategy, we're here for fun, not to win every match we're in. That discussion is over, we don't care, quit bitching, grab your gun and go.

Valid point, ideally, but I can't count the times I've spawned in the exact same location, and been fragged by the exact same person who's camping a near-spawn weapon.

As for the colorful comment, spawnfragging and spawncamping are two separate items. Stalking a freshly-spawned player is lame. Fragging a freshly-spawned player who whips out the saw and runs at you is NOT. Happening upon a non-protected player who has no gun happens, but try to avoid it if at all possible (in a non-tourney setting). Knocking a fresh-spawn into the slime/lava is lame. Pinning a fresh-spawn into the corner with slippy's signature rocket-lightning combo is freaking lame, and punishable by death via chainsaw injection.

I'm not saying that no players exploit the spawn protection for all it's worth, but I ALSO fully believe that there are more players who'd never think twice about fragging a fresh spawn.

Me personally? I tend to pull out the saw and hit it once to drop spawnprot, partially to let you know what's up, and partially because I get shot in the ass 90% of the time by whatever jackass saw me spawn, so running for a weapon is sporking worthless. You'll only die tired (and yes, that was pre-censored).

*sigh* /rant myself...

Three seconds might BARELY be enough time to pick up a weapon... but hey, I agree, sh-- err, crap happens. If that protection of yours run off when I'm around, you WILL get shot at. This goes if I'm not in the room you spawned in... if you are, I'd just run past. I'm honorable in this sense.

Typefragging though... I seriously side with Tek on this one. I potshot someone typing every now and then when I play. Sure, it might be lame... but they know the risks of wanting to type while playing a game that's pretty much 'kill the most people to win'. I'm not saying I kill every typer I see, but I do potshot them randomly to let them know there's still a game being played.

As for overusing the 'non-verbal' taunts... I do that a LOT. Well, maybe not a lot... but enough to let people know I'm doing it. I don't mean it as an insult when I do it since I play for the fun of it... but that's why it's there, is it not? If you take one of these taunts seriously, I think there's something wrong. I especially love spamming Anarki's 'I rule!' taunt. :)

I never camp though, so that first one, and almost all the other rules, shouldn't be a problem for me. Granted this is if I ever play again... but I think I will some day.

Those rules are all good to me.I can't count the amount of time in q3 that I was fragged multiple times by a respawn camper.There was one game there was an entire group of campers slaying helpless spawners.I went for maybe 30 secs before giving up.That sucked.Games like this need rules.

This person would get ass kicked for abusing the rules.

And you guys seem to have missed the part that says

We understand that accidents happen. We're after are the deliberate idiots.

You guys seem to think that we're going to start kicking and banning you for each and every little thing. We're not.

By the way Tekhead, we know the definition of spawnkilling. The rules state examples such as chasing down a protected player and spamming them, hoping that the protection runs off. They do not state anything against players running directly at you trying to saw/gauntlet.

We'd all appreciate it if you'd take your over the top sarcastic extreme examples and anecdotes elsewhere. You've been ranting off and on about issues covered in the rules for months now, usually when you've lost a game.

Deal with it.

Two of the questions I asked have not been answered, I was serious about them.

1) Is the f-bomb banned speech? I tend to use it a lot when I do something stupid, so I'd like to be clear on whether or not I need to curb this.

2) Will sitting on an item spawn point for 10 seconds be considered item camping? There are some who would, so I want to be sure.

Sorry, I had to go to work and didn't have time to respond. Sorry. ;).

1) The F-word is considered the worst of the English curses (for some unknown reason), and as such shoud be used as little as possible. We try to keep a PG-13 rating* here.

2) Don't make it a habit. If you get to a item spawn a few seconds early and wait, there's no problem. Very few people have 100% perfect timing where they land mid-strafejump on a quad just as it spawns. Most either get there a tad early or a tad late. If you find yourself waiting more than a few seconds, try getting there just a bit later the next time.

*For the non-americans here, PG-13 is one of several ratings designed to inform people just what to expect from a movie. A PG-13 movie can contain most curses as well as very brief nudity. The F-Word can be used, but only sparingly.

We should play like we have some Honour.

I don't often play Gen to score the most frags. I play to have a good time, and because I like the people who play it.

I agree that these rules are needed.

Exactly.

Tekheads picture does show something that occurs extremely often. A spawned player chooses, instead of peacefully acquiring a weapon first, to assault a nearby fragger. Using his saw, he closes in swiftly, aided by the ample invulnerability protection time, forcing the former to either run off, frag himself with a rocket against the charging loony or to run around waiting till the spawn-prot wears off. Obviously this has nothing to do with the rules being discussed here. It is however, quite a nuisance (mainly because it happens so many times). I've never been a fan of spawnprotection, since it creates new problems while only solving others halfheartedly. Again it's players abusing the situation that was created to protect  them from being abused in the first place.. Spawn Protect/Fragging Doesn't Kill People, People Kill People! ;]
Too bad there's no way to code it so it's subjective to the situation .. oh well, not like I can't live with it.

/me whips out the rail and holds the rabid doomer at a distance ;]


Fully agreed. I would like to add that another reason why I play is to improve. Meaning sharper timing, aim and evasive action. For instance, I don't use the pentagram for insane fragging (especially not when I'm in the lead), but to measure my ability to time it to the (sometimes milli!) second. After I acquire it, I usually annoy people with axe, fist, blaster, gauntlet or knife, regardless of my inventory. Again, common sense is the dilly-o. N'est-ce pas?

On that note, me and shambler played a 1on1 in req2dm3 earlier today. While in no way making myself an easy target, giving frags away or walking blindly into the fray, I feel I enhanced the game by restricting myself for the better part to grenades, single shotty and blaster (as Strogg). I picked up neither the invul or quad. It was a fun game, and it allowed for both of us to learn and improve our game, without it getting boring. This is ofcourse, IMO, so if you disagree shambler, please do tell - I can't speak for ye ;].

I brought this up in #wirehead one night, and no one else even seemed to know what I was talking about.

I do find it highly annoying.

I also find it annoying. Mind, so are railguns. I'm prepared to put up with it.

Big thank you there!  Thats my biggest concern going spectator to chat...

I agree with the rules totally. And I agree with Tabs gripe about people using spawnprotection like a temporary Pent.
This is REALLY annoying on maps like Howling Wilderness where players get given the SG on spawn. Doomers running up to you and shotgunning you in the face without you being able to do anything is a real bloody pain.

I doubt anything will get done about it though.

Its either getting waxed at spawn with no chance, or having people glory charge at spawn.

I find spawnkilling the more annoying of the two, and the spawn protection is almost required on big games to get anywhere.

Rules sound good to me.  The other night when I was playing, I think I was chasing down people who had just spawned, but didn't realize it, which is kinda cheap.  Apologies for that...I didn't realize.

But yeah, simple rules to follow...shouldnt be a problem, Con.

Here's a basic rule with spawn protection to keep in mind.  When someone's protected, the instant they attack they lose the protection.  Also, if someone's being agressive after a spawn, knock the crap out of them with whatever you've got.  If they keep charging they'll forget that timer is about to expire and they just did a suicide charge.  If they get close enough to attack with the saw (doomers), then give them some lead upside the head, or a rocket in the nose.  Sure, you'll take half-damage from the rocket, but they will die instantly.  Better a point for you and lose half the health than to hand them a frag by doing nothing.

Remember, everything has an upside and a downside.  Spawn protection solves the "respawn in front of 3 people shooting rockets and die instantly" but also brings up the inability to frag someone who is protected.  You have to decide what annoys you more.  I have no problem with people charging me with the saw or gauntlet while protected.  I think it's kind of funny, and I'll usually whip out a melee weapon myself for a second to goad them into attacking, then surprise them with something a bit more powerful once they try to hit me and lower their defenses.

As for the rules, we're not doing this to spoil your game.  We're not bloodthirsty lamers looking for excuses to ban and kick people.  Basically we're just letting you know what most players have complained about as bad behavior from a VERY small group of abusers.  Those abusing other players usually do so mercilessly, so we're just watching out for the other 95% of the players to make sure their fun is not spoiled.  If someone's constantly chatkilling and being a jackass, let us know.  If someone's camping the top spawns on Slimey Place and knocking respawned players into the slime repeatedly, let us know.  If someone's pounding newbies with 50 to 0 and saying "OMG J00 SUX I RUL3" let us know.  That's the kind of crap we don't want spoiling people's fun.

I'm pretty loose on enforcement myself.  I have to see something really deliberate before I'll take action.  If someone stops to chat in the middle of a rocket fight and gets blown up, then stupid is as stupid does, sorry, your bad luck.   If you stop to chat on the Quad spawn and someone frags you for standing on the item spawn, sorry, you're being a camper by typing - find a better place to type.  However if someone walks up to a person who is standing out of the way and typing because they're having a system problem and then blasters that person to death, then sorry, YOU are getting kicked.

you could code it so when you switch weapons the spawn protection comes off.

I actually like this idea. The only reason I can see for switching is to prepare for an attack.

Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me either, roadkill. Some people would have to get used to it for a bit (;)) but that sounds like it could work, to me.

You know, that's the best solution I've seen yet  :thumb:

every dog err cat has his day LOL

One problem with this...  The spawn-in code is a little funny right now and sometimes it switches weapons at spawn.  I'm sure you've seen this happen before.  That would cause the spawn protection to instantly turn off as soon as you spawn in.  If I can find a way to work around this I can give it a try.

I've never seen that happen.

I have, but only while using Slipgate. On rare occasion, I've spawned with the wrong weapon in hand. For example, I'll be using the Super Nailgun or RL  and get killed. When I respawn, I still have the SNG up, but it visibly switches to the Shotgun, swap sound and all.

same here as makou