An addition to the crime rules.
Because level playing fields are fun.

I brought this up in an xhelp and was suggested to put it here. When certain crimes happen on gold, my understanding is that you need to xhelp to give gms a chance to react when someone commits a crime on those areas. Giving life to the NPCS that would reasonably defend that territory, I realised the other day that this does not really happen on the mix side say for when a corporate vehicle or Judge vehicle for example turns up in the mix. Without breaking too much IC, there are factions that would reasonably react to certain vehicles entering the mix. What I thought would be a good way to balance that a little is if certain corporate or the like players want to commit any crimes on red, they should reasonably need to xhelp for it as well. That way it gives the factions that would reasonably turn up to defend a chance to just like it would in other districts.

I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on this.

Agreed.

While the general idea I agree with, one thing to keep in mind is that the Mix does not have the infrastructure for quickly responding to situations like topside-based organizations. I agree that there should be xhelps for major events that'd undoubtedly lead to NPC attention (and 99% of the time the GMs are aware of such incidents, when they do happen).

However, the Mix is huge and chaotic. For example, the time it'd take for a gang to verify the report, organize, communicate effectively and respond to a situation is far, far longer. I think it's fair to keep this in mind when comparing NPC responses.

In response to Cowbell; while the Mix doesn't have their own hyper-elite police force against corporate citizens, it has historically been as simple as NPCs or PCs screaming 'Judges in the Mix!' and a whole riot ensuing. It doesn't need to be an organized and effective response, it just needs to be an appropriately chaotic and destructive one.

Regardless, none of this is to refute the point. As I've said, while it might not be a rule at this moment, there usually are xhelps and GMs 99% of the time are notified of what is going on, if there is something that could draw attention. I'm just putting out the idea here since I feel there's a disconnect between how topside responds to an emergency situation versus how the Mix would respond.

I can't really go into specifics ICly here but topside organizations have a lot more tools in their disposal to receive reports compared to just SIC shouting.

The non-WJF corporate presence in the Mix is actually greater in theme (at least, in theory) than in practice, so I don't know if it would really create better outcomes to make it even more restrictive since there's already considerable natural disincentives for topsider players to have activity of any kind in Red Sector.

The WJF being in the MIx is definitely atypical but again those situations that do occur are good events for pretty much everyone, and stir stuff up, and by the very nature of the faction those events cannot ever really be surprise activities as far as staff are concerned.

The response rationale has an internal logic but I think fundamentally the XHELP-For-Crime concept is really about topside being safer in theme than in gameplay practice, whereas I'd say the situation is reversed with the Mix where it's notionally a lawless free-for-all where everyone is on their own and no one cares and danger lurks around every corner, but in practice the player density makes it hard to do anything secretly. On that basis I'm not sure the added hurdle would be theme positive.

I've been mulling this post over for a few days now and I think I've finally managed to order my thoughts on the topic a little. The short version:

I like, in general, what is proposed here. However, I think that the spirit of 'help crime' already captures this. I say the 'spirit' of it as there are, in my view, loopholes there that stem from the focus on 'crime'.

An example of what I mean:

Snake Ganger PC Scales takes a loan from PC Snark.. They don't pay. The loan defaults and now Shark is allowed to legally kill Scales. Shark gets a tip Scales just went into Snake HQ so Shark gathers a posse and goes in and kills Scales. Shark wonders if they need to xhelp first as the help files says attacks in ganger HQs but the entire help file is talking about criminal action and what he's doing is legal. So he just rolls in.

Similar situations could occur when it comes to legally sanctioned actions by the WJF or corps. I agree that this feels like an edge case but I also feel that it hits most heavily when it comes to situations described by the original post. I feel that the important parts are already covered in 'help crime' and all that is needed is to adjust the helpfile so it's not so focused on legal and illegal actions.

How would I do that? I'm a little at loss. My first thought is something like this. This is just a rough idea. The exact verbage could probably use a little polishing.

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In Withmore City, the Code of Militant Justice (WCMJ) serves as a guideline for official law enforcement while corporations, gangs and syndicates maintain their own 'law' within their respective domains. But for some, crossing such lines is a lifestyle. Whether a destitute panhandler, newly blooded ganger, illegal arms dealer, self-styled urban terrorist or self righteous vigilante; every day is a gambit evading the consequences of breaking the these laws. As a player, you will find it ubiquitous in coded features and player-influenced lore.

Getting away with such transgressions is just a part of the struggle, residents of Withmore City will often need to use every means necessary to get ahead, even if they have to ruffle some feathers along the way. In one's earliest forays into such RP, consequences can seem overwhelming and brutal at times but the risk often equals the reward. It is important to remember that is not about succeeding or failing but rather telling a story. The web of intrigue woven around even the most innocuous illegal activity can often ripple in ways not perceived.

Keep in mind that it's not just about the WCMJ. It's about actions that would cause the local 'authorities' to react. A PC judge transgressing in a ganger HQ needs to xhelp just as much as a PC ganger transgressing in the Hall of Justice. Being a representative of any one group of authority doesn't make someone exempt from the need to xhelp before committing any of the transgressions described below.

SOME TRANSGRESSIONS REQUIRES NOTIFICATION & APPROVAL FROM GMS VIA XHELP

TRANSGRESSIONS THAT ALWAYS REQUIRE XHELP

- Kidnapping NPCs

RED SECTOR TRANSGRESSIONS THAT REQUIRES XHELP APPROVAL

- Attacks/Bombing/Theft in/on NPC run Ganger/Syndicate/Faction HQs

GOLD SECTOR TRANSGRESSIONS THAT REQUIRES XHELP APPROVAL

- Violent acts/Bombings in Corporate Buildings / Lobbies / Hall of Justice

- Theft in Corporate Buildings / Lobbies / Hall of Justice

GREEN SECTOR TRANSGRESSIONS THAT REQUIRES XHELP APPROVAL

- Any planned bombings

- Planned violet crimes

- Crimes involving Corporate or WJF Buildings / spaces

BLUE SECTOR TRANSGRESSIONS THAT REQUIRES XHELP APPROVAL

- Any crime being planned for Blue Sector

EXAMPLES OF TRANSGRESSIONS THAT WE DO NOT REQUIRE AN XHELP

- 95% of acts on Red Sector

- Tagging on Gold or Green in public areas

- Assaulting or Kidnapping other players on Gold Sector outside of Corporate Buildings

BOMBINGS ON GREEN AND BLUE

Bombing a place is a large action and we want to be prepared for the world to respond in a realistic way. This could mean ambient SIC messages, screams for help, WJF or Emergency Services responses, News Articles, etc. As such, if you're going to take this action on Green or Blue sector, we want a heads up. This heads up does not mean you won't get away with your crime. It does mean that there will be a response. This response helps make your effort meaningful and impactful. A response from the GMs is NOT a negative thing. We want to help your actions have the impact that you are intending, where possible.

"No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well maybe chalk it up to forced consciousness expansion: Tune in, freak out, get beaten." - Old Man Thompson

If there was some issue with the game being consumed by uncontrolled conflicts then more rules might be better, but there isn't. I don't really see any benefit in further complicating something that's already pretty involved, the more minutiae and fringe scenarios and exceptions get added the less players are likely to even bother.

I prefer crime in Red Sector and the WJF patrolled areas of Gold Sector for precisely Grey0's reasoning. Do I fear Staff intervention? No. However, it is a very real struggle to line up targets of interest and Staff on a reliable time table. Plus, this only compounds as more and more players get involved.

The caveat is you gotta @note your IC-actions. They don't need to be glamorous notes (mine often resemble a child with a crayon) but they need to be there.