"Genocide" Game Mode

[Lifixs]

 

First thing, this is not an excuse to murderbone. Animal cruelty laws still apply.

 

Second, I'm aware this would take some serious work to make, this is merely an idea.

 

Third, we already show religious persecution in the game (Cultists), why not genetic?

 

At the beginning of the round a message arrives from Centcom. It informs the crew that through rigorous testing, Nanostrasen has determined [Random UI/SE Value Description] to be superior, and [Random UI/SE Value Description] to be extremely inferior. Characters receive a message apprising them of their status depending on their superiority/inferiority.

 

The AI and crew are then given the new law:

Law 0: Ensure Genetic Purity, Those with [Description of Inferior Traits] are non-crew animals and may not remain on the station.

 

The round ends when either:

A:

No "inferiors" remain on the station.

B:

The authority of nanotrasen aboard the station has been overthrown.

 

Many different things could happen from there depending on how the players react to the situation.

 

A more detailed cosmetics system with regard to the barber would complement this quite well. Random SE genetic variety for players might allow various mutations to be selected as superior or inferior for the purposes of this game mode.

 

A potential issue I foresee is a dramatic difference in the populations either way.

What if the Clown is superior, but people with black hair are inferior?

What if hulks are superior, and one random crew member is inferior?

Not sure how this would be balanced.

 

Anyway there it is, hope you had fun reading this abomination.

 

[Streaky Haddock]

 

I can see ADR forcing this mode and setting tajaran/unathi as inferior every time.

 

HEHEHEH

 

[IamnotDave]

This could be okay if done well, but I have a couple questions: Do the "superior" crew have to obey the command? And the loyalty implant makes sure you can't break the law, but is this a law, and if so, do Detectives, Blueshields and other implanted crew need to obey it, even if it involves suicide? Sorry if I sound a bit abrasive.

[Lifixs]

 

This could be okay if done well, but I have a couple questions: Do the "superior" crew have to obey the command? And the loyalty implant makes sure you can't break the law, but is this a law, and if so, do Detectives, Blueshields and other implanted crew need to obey it, even if it involves suicide? Sorry if I sound a bit abrasive.

 

Superior crew members don't necessarily have to obey the new law. But those in Heads/Sec are obliged to follow the law or risk being overruled by higher authority. Implanted crew *must* follow the new law.

 

Implanted crew must obey the new law even if they themselves are inferiors. They wouldn't have to commit suicide, but they would have to leave the station as soon as possible. There are ways to get out of this situation involving surgery and genetics, but yea its a sucky situation.

 

[IamnotDave]

You might want to change that, forcing people to undergo genetic experimentation or bugger off to a Z-level doesn't sound very fair. (possibly make it a command from a possibly unreliable source, adding it to mutiny, and making a head a mutineer?)

[Lifixs]

 

You might want to change that, forcing people to undergo genetic experimentation or bugger off to a Z-level doesn't sound very fair. (possibly make it a command from a possibly unreliable source, adding it to mutiny, and making a head a mutineer?)

 

Thats fair enough, yea.

 

[IamnotDave]

Yeah, the implanted member can choose to follow the mutineer head. (I hope)

[mrbits]

 

Eeehn, I can see this taking on some very unflattering shades of RP. Yes yes it's all fictional alien races, but it would only take a couple of immature players to anger a lot of people and make things terrible. Wouldn't wanna see the round where sex or skin colour comes up as a topic of inferiority...

Also! I can't speak for the admins, but I know that I would not want MY server to be "that one SS13 server with the genocide event."

 

Third, we already show religious persecution in the game (Cultists), why not genetic?

Security doesn't arrest cultists for practicing religion. Security arrests cultists for murder, mayhem and trying to summon a gigantic animated .gif that destroys the whole station. The "but they haven't done anything yet!" catch doesn't work here, either, since CentComm and NatSec have a fair understanding of the cult's mystical bullshit - particularly the part about using dark magic to mind control free-willed individuals.

 

[Lifixs]

 

Eeehn, I can see this taking on some very unflattering shades of RP. Yes yes it's all fictional alien races, but it would only take a couple of immature players to anger a lot of people and make things terrible. Wouldn't wanna see the round where sex or skin colour comes up as a topic of inferiority...

Also! I can't speak for the admins, but I know that I would not want MY server to be "that one SS13 server with the genocide event."

 

 

I don't see how its very different from the current situation, people who bring real-world prejudices into the game are banned. The selection of traits for the purposes of the gamemode is entirely arbitrary/random, which if anything demonstrates the frivolous nature of prejudice.

 

Security doesn't arrest cultists for practicing religion. Security arrests cultists for murder, mayhem and trying to summon a gigantic animated .gif that destroys the whole station. The "but they haven't done anything yet!" catch doesn't work here, either, since CentComm and NatSec have a fair understanding of the cult's mystical bullshit - particularly the part about using dark magic to mind control free-willed individuals.

 

The cultists persecute crew members who DON'T practice their religion, often brutally as you have described.

 

[mrbits]

 

I don't see how its very different from the current situation, people who bring real-world prejudices into the game are banned. The selection of traits for the purposes of the gamemode is entirely arbitrary/random, which if anything demonstrates the frivolous nature of prejudice.

Well, the first and biggest difference would be that there is no event currently on Paradise requiring players to physically and verbally hate characters in order to win the round.

This sort of social commentary is very important, but like any message you need to consider the medium and the audience. A rousing round of genocide could shed light on the stupidity of racism, but I think the average doof playing SS13 would just chalk it up to trollin' good times on that wacky Internet where anything goes - especially when he helped win the round by cuffing and evicting those dark-haired fellows. I don't have a lot of faith in the mob.

 

The cultists persecute crew members who DON'T practice their religion, often brutally as you have described.

Sorry, I misinterpreted your point as Security opressing the spiritual beliefs of the cultists.

That being said, I still don't think it stacks up neatly. The cult's dark juju is not so much a way of life as it is a means to an end - whether that end is murdering specific people, destroying the station or slaving the crew to a dark master who cannot be disobeyed. Cultists don't do these things because they hate the crew's beliefs or way of life: They do them because that is their mission, and Silly Old Nar'Sie will not be denied.

 

[IamnotDave]

 

Well, the first and biggest difference would be that there is no event currently on Paradise requiring players to physically and verbally hate characters in order to win the round.

 

If this is added to the mutiny roster, and it isn't a gamemode on it's own (like I suggested), you wouldn't have to do this unless you want to. (I have no idea why though...)

 

[Vaargrath]

I agree with points mrbits has made, we live in a world where genocide is a disturbingly recent occurence. For the sake of showing respect to the victims of these horrible crimes I believe that we should be above glamorising them.

[Rumiluntti]

 

I agree with points mrbits has made, we live in a world where genocide is a disturbingly recent occurence. For the sake of showing respect to the victims of these horrible crimes I believe that we should be above glamorising them.

 

yeah, the dead must be pissed if we kill furries in a spehh man game.

 

[Lifixs]

 

I agree with points mrbits has made, we live in a world where genocide is a disturbingly recent occurence. For the sake of showing respect to the victims of these horrible crimes I believe that we should be above glamorising them.

 

What about murder victims?

Torture Victims?

Victims of police brutality?

Victims of Cults?

Victims of Terrorist Attacks?

 

All these things happen in real life and ingame, but why are they fine?

 

[Vaargrath]

 

I agree with points mrbits has made, we live in a world where genocide is a disturbingly recent occurence. For the sake of showing respect to the victims of these horrible crimes I believe that we should be above glamorising them.

 

What about murder victims?

Torture Victims?

Victims of police brutality?

Victims of Cults?

Victims of Terrorist Attacks?

 

All these things happen in real life and ingame, but why are they fine?

 

 

That's a good question, and I agree with your sentiment that drawing the line at one specific act of brutality while condoning others can seem quite arbitrary..

 

To get an idea as to why this topic is daintily tip toed around in the media one only has to look at the definition for genocide as defined by Resolution 260 (III) A of the United Nations General Assembly. Genocide is a horrible thing, and unlike other forms of harm portrayed in SS13 genocide is an act of harm that encompasses murder, police brutality, and torture. If you were to count the number of direct deaths inflicted in genocides within the modern era you're looking at a number of around 1.5 million people, with millions more victims of violence and displacement.

 

Genocide is not a historical issue, it is something real and present with minority groups in westernised countries such as Greece, and regions such as the Balkans who live in fear that it could happen again. And unfortunately we live on an internet where there are relatively large organised communities of people who froth at the mouth at the thought of forcing their most hated minority of the month into concentration camps. It is for that reason that I don't want to see genocide portrayed in a game designed for entertainment, and I base that opinion on the same reason that the portrayal of real world religion is strongly frowned upon within more popular servers, it is simply too much of a heated issue to bring to a light-hearted game, even on a position of satire.

 

It's for the sake of not compromising the experience of space station 13 for the victims of genocides, and the minorities who fear it happening to them, by inviting the topic of genocide onto the server. If you did implement this game mode you risk people taking it too seriously or creating an enviornment that invites the wrong kind of people, heating up a debate on a topic that space station 13 isn't the correct environment to discuss with any kind of decorum.

 

I hope that you'll find my answer satisfactory, having worked with refugees I have developed a rather strong opinion on the matter. Ultimately it is for the community to decide whether or not to include a gamemode like this, and I appreciate that all the members of the community I know of wouldn't see this gamemode as an excuse for racial hatred.

 

[Lifixs]

 

It is for that reason that I don't want to see genocide portrayed in a game designed for entertainment, and I base that opinion on the same reason that the portrayal of real world religion is strongly frowned upon within more popular servers

 

What if the scope was reduced to only encompass the various species that are playable? Besides human, clown, and mime every other one is entirely fictional. Would that not eliminate the potential offensiveness for 99% of the population?

 

[Vaargrath]

 

It is for that reason that I don't want to see genocide portrayed in a game designed for entertainment, and I base that opinion on the same reason that the portrayal of real world religion is strongly frowned upon within more popular servers

 

What if the scope was reduced to only encompass the various species that are playable? Besides human, clown, and mime every other one is entirely fictional. Would that not eliminate the potential offensiveness for 99% of the population?

 

As I said earlier my opinion on the matter is pretty strong and I wouldn't want to just shut down your idea. If it were my decision I wouldn't allow an event like this to take place. But it isn't my decision, nor should it be. It's for the community to decide whether or not a mode like this would be inclusive and enjoyable for the widest audience possible. It's just important to remember that real-world comparisons to sensitive topics was banned on most servers (including this one, but hey I could be wrong on that) after certain segments of the population used 'free speech' and 'satire' as an excuse to purposefully cause offense to others.

 

I.E a chaplain that decides to 'satirise' a major world religion.

 

[Rumiluntti]

You must be fun at parties.

[Vaargrath]

 

You must be fun at parties.

 

Hey, if your kind of party involves genocide you're probably right.

 

 

[Lifixs]

 

You must be fun at parties.

 

Hey, if your kind of party involves genocide you're probably right.

 

 

You probably couldn't handle Cards Against Humanity, which is an excellent party game that I'm almost certain includes references to genocide.

 

[mrbits]

 

You probably couldn't handle Cards Against Humanity, which is an excellent party game that I'm almost certain includes references to genocide.

Cards Against Humanity is a game you play with your friends, not strangers who can't tell when you're joking. Also, the cards in Cards Against Humanity are pre-written requiring no input from the players - you just drop them as you draw them. The gang laughs at how shocking someone ELSE is being, not because dead babies and race jokes are the pinnacle of comedy.

 

Back on target: I don't feel "SS13 has X and Y so why not Z" is a point that really sells the game round. Also, I think IamnotDave had the right idea with the Mutiny game round: If we want to have parts of the crew/ station subject to arbitrary laws that chafe the crew's morale, Mutiny gets the job done without having to get into any sensitive areas.