Metagaming Through Teamspeak

[FergusW]

I have found, through Player Reports and Teamspeak questions that there seems to be a 'grey area' and one of those I believe is Metagaming through Teamspeak. I have searched it up in the metagaming section of the server rules but all I could find is about Side Chat, forcing people to log on and scouting Teamspeak. Unless I am silly, I am aware rules fall under common sense too but I just wanted others opinions on this since I was told by an ex Kavala DI and Staff Member (now banned but question asked before he was banned) and he said that it was fine.)

I ask another Member of staff a few weeks ago and they say that it isn't allowed. I look at Player Reports and I see some people getting off with warnings for it. Can I get opinions on this all important question:

Are we allowed to use Teamspeak to get Gang names etc EG "This is Invillian doing a Weed Run. Lets rob them!" Personally, I have absolutely no issues with this since it is not affecting in game systems and it is not in the Teamspeak part of the rules either so I assume that it is fine?

I am asking community because @TomTheDoge told me to <3 and here I am!

 

[TomTheDoge]

I am asking community because @TomTheDoge told me to <3 and here I am!

To be fair I was talking generally rather than his specific case but fair enough! <3

In this case I think you answered your own question personally.

scouting Teamspeak.

Is that not what you'd be doing?

I'd also like to add that a warning doesn't necessarily mean no action was taken. A warning is action as we keep a note of such things but we don't always ban depending on the discretion of the staff member.

 

[Rossss]

Is that not what you'd be doing?

Not searching to see what they're doing as the rule says though.

Tbh though Fergus, could just be avoided, doesn't impact anything too much.

 

[FergusW]

Not searching to see what they're doing as the rule says though.

Tbh though Fergus, could just be avoided, doesn't impact anything too much.

I know but I have seen Staff Members banning for Metagaming in this case. Does knowing a certain gang or something like that change behaviour and IG Characteristics? 

 

[Rossss]

I know but I have seen Staff Members banning for Metagaming in this case. Does knowing a certain gang or something like that change behaviour and IG Characteristics? 

Not too sure of any cases myself, but the honest truth is i've seen staff banning a lot more for what they think is wrong or should be (unwritten rules) against the rules rather than what is actually against the rules.

 

[LONG BEARD]

I've always viewed metagaming as using out of character info in order to gain an upper hand or to help someone else gain an upper hand in game. 

Using out of character info is unavoidable in many cases. Example, arranging with friends to all log in and meet in Kavala is technically metagaming. To play by the letter of the law, you'd all have to log in, not tell each other where you're spawning, then use in character comms to arrange a meeting place and travel there. No one is going to do that.

Common sense is indeed the rule of thumb.  

 

[Rossss]

I've always viewed metagaming as using out of character info in order to gain an upper hand or to help someone else gain an upper hand in game.

Whilst I completely agree, that is a long shot from what the rules define as bannable under metagaming.

 

[TempR]

"Metagaming is any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game."

That is the definition of metagaming and what that basically says is if you use any out of game/character things to change your in game/characters actions is metagaming. So your example of using ts to check what gang it is would be metagaming if you changed your actions due to that information, like robbing them cause you know they are a bad /small gang.