Hi,
here is a set of house rules that we use in a PBEM game called Galaxy, which I also play.
It's fun you should check it out
. I am sure some of you have heard of it before.
Anyway, I have left the rules unchanged. Just food for thought. I would like to see a set of "general house rules" to be established and published on the PBW site to avoid troubles before they start.
Galaxy House rules
Rules for Players
Behavior that is not allowed:
[1] Using another player's password to send orders without that player's consent.
[2] Using another player's password to request a copy of that player's turn report without that players consent.
[3] Trying to crash the server.
[4] Gaining access to the server and/or reading the game data files.
[5] Out of character verbal abuse of other players. Remember it is just a game and people are just playing a role.
[6] Playing more than one nation in a game. It is allowed to do this for a short time to help out an ally that is on vacation. However you should notify the GM before you do this.
Sin against any of these rules and you are expelled from the game.
Behavior that is considered bad:
[7] Joining a game and then dropping out after a few turns. Joining a game implies an intention to play the game through to the end. Leaving a game without a good reason is considered very disrespectful. Don't join unless you are willing to commit yourself to an entire game, which may take several months.
[8] Giving your planets very offensive names.
[9] Attempting to influence a player's behavior in one game by offering threats or concessions in another game is called "cross play". This is strongly discouraged.
[10] Forming alliances before a game starts.
There is little a GM can do against this but it won't win you any friends.
Behavior that is allowed:
[11] In-game and in-character everything is allowed. If you can express it as a set of orders it is allowed(1). Provided you do not sin against [1], [2], or [3]. In-character, that is in the role of leader of the nation you are playing, everything is allowed. So you can lie and cheat, come back on agreements, or send a mass 500 warship while claiming you are only sending a small cargo ship.
You are also allowed to do this out-of-character, but you will not make many friends that way. If you want to enjoy galaxy for a long time make sure that you clearly identify when you are talking in or out of character.
Exceptions to the rules for Tiger games (ed.: those are team games, usually players from the former Soviet Union against the rest of the world):
[12] Rule [10] does not apply.
[13] Rule [6] does not apply provided you play a nation in the same team.
[14] The team leader can remove a player from the team and give the nation to another player.
Some of those don't apply to SE4, but most of them do and make a lot of sense. As I said, just food for thought.
Rollo