Rules

The following are the rules of MCM, obey them.

Introduction

MCM is a comprehensive Interactive Combat System which allows for players to pilot the Mech of their choice in full combat situations, either as a solo pilot or in a player made faction. The mechs are made for use in a variety of battlefields.

Role-play is encouraged but not an influential factor in play styles, group interactions, or mech choices.

Mechs

There are over 200 mechs available in various play styles. You might recognize some mechs inspired by other real world mech combat games, as well as many from the builders own imagination. Additionally available for each class size are various weapon and equipment choices, to help you in finding your own style and customizing your mech to your preferences.

Mech Perks

All verified MCM players will receive perk points, to be used in conjunction with the MCM Website allowing even further customization of your mech capability and personal play styles.

Factions

The factions are player run and administered. There are over a dozen factions currently within MCM. The factions, are individual groups of 5 or more players that not only compete as a group within the daily free-for-alls and other activities but on designated "match" days in an ongoing battle, capturing sectors, resources, and overall galactic dominance. If you have an interest in joining a faction, contact the leader or any member of your personal choice directly. Each faction has their own requirements, rules and guidelines in addition to MCM’s. In the event you want to create your own clan, you must be in good current standing with MCM, and have 5 available and active members. You are not allowed to have more than one clan membership per avatar.

Role-Play

As stated above role-play is encouraged but not a main factor in the overall game play. Many of the MCM group are comrades and friends outside of field battle, and the chat room is encouraged to be an open comfortable environment full of information but individual personality as well.

Stuff That's Legal

There's an awful lot of people who try to complain about certain actions that are completely legal in MCM. Here is the list of actions, all here, so you know not to complain about them.

Quick Jump

Quick jump, nimble, disabling prejumping, it has a few terms. It's a means of preventing the pre-jump animation from playing and preventing you from going splat if you fall from far distances. It's quite legal in MCM, in fact it's a rather good idea.

Ejecting

Ejecting is perfectly legal, otherwise we wouldn't have gone to all the trouble to put it in there. In some contexts it could be viewed as mildly cheesy. However, it's quite legal. Don't try complaining to the staff about someone ejecting.

Prim Jumping

It's a touchy issue for some people. However our current view is it's such a part of SL's physics right now we can't very well just shoot down everyone who does it, especially when it's easy to accidentally do. How does one sort out the accidentals from the intentionals. That said, there was a problem with the jump-code that was causing jump-heat to not get applied properly as of meter 11.14. Nash has found the issue, fixed it, and in future versions of the meter it will be much more difficult to bounce around like a gummy bear.

If you don't like prim jumping, ask Linden Lab to patch the physics engine. Any complaints about prim jumping directed to MCM Developers will be ignored.

Radar Use

Totally legal. There's no real way to police this even if we did make it illegal without forcing everyone to use RLV (which allows us to turn off portions of your UI selectively, such as the radar). The idea of using RLV to enhance meter security has been shot down previously so SL radar is totally legal to use. Besides this is the far future, it's not a stretch for mechs to have such a system!

MCM Mech Combat Rules

Battle Field Conduct

Mandatory Meter Use

Players must wear a meter on the field at all times. The meter must be booted prior to leaving the safe zone. If your meter becomes unbooted due to death or other reason, you must teleport off the field and reenter at the safe zone before booting again. While dead mechs may linger unmoving on the field, lurking for too long is discouraged. If you wish to spectate, there are observation areas.

Special events may alter this rule. A mod may instruct you to disregard this rule.

Safe Zone

The area where you enter the combat zone is known as the rez-in zone or the safe zone. You must boot your meter prior to leaving the safe zone for the combat area. Once you enter the combat area you may not flee into this zone. If you need to abruptly leave battle use the eject function.

DO NOT INTENTIONALLY FIRE INTO THE SAFE ZONE

You may not fire in, into or out of the zone intentionally. A player who is shooting at a legal target, and whose shots incidentally enter the safe zone is NOT breaking this rule, but the player must immediately cease firing into the zone. Players who have entered combat may NOT use the safe zone to protect themselves. If any player observes another player breaking this rule, immediately notify the event host or a moderator.

Weapon Use In Lobby

There is no shooting of any kind in the lobby and store areas. Damage targets will be provided on the training field for your testing.

Global Reset

The meter has an emergency global reset function that will reset all internal variables of your meter and immediately disable your mech, getting it ready for a fresh boot up. This function is included in case the meter functionality is broken.

Do not use this function during combat. If you are in combat and your meter malfunctions, you must legally exit the field, resolve the problem, then you may return to the field as normal. Generally, this will mean announcing in chat that your meter is malfunctioning, and TPing off the field.

Event hosts or moderators may at their discretion instruct you to do a GR in a combat area. Follow their instructions. Do NOT use this as an excuse to disobey this rule.

Outside of combat (including while legally in a safe zone), you may use this function freely.

Teleportation

Players may only teleport into the fields using:

• the deploy button in the meter
• MCM drop-pods
• MCM observation pod teleporters

Players may not TP other players directly to the fields, including safe zone, unless instructed to do so by an MCM event host or moderator.

Post Defeat Procedure

After you are defeated, press reset. A teleporter will appear over your mech. Click it to leave the arena. If the teleporter fails to get you out, then use the MCM landmark to respawn back in the lobby and work your way back to the drop pods. Do NOT walk to the safe-zones and then boot up. That confuses the players into thinking you are an active target. Do NOT boot up where you stand. Teleport back to the lobby, head back to the teleport.

Space Barring

Space barring, the act of hitting space to freeze your avatar in mid air, is prohibited.

Version

All participants on the field must wear the latest versions of equipment and meters. In most cases your equipment won't function without the proper meter, but failure to use a meter will result in consequences that could include a partial to permanent ban for repeat offenders. In addition as mentioned in the introduction only MCM created, scripted and approved items may be used on ANY MCM battlefield, this includes collars and any unapproved titlers or hover text.

Movement Enhancement

Movement enhancers, teledashers, targeting HUDs, push weapons, scanners, radars, ( THIS INCLUDES HUNGER HUDS ), and other devices of this nature are strictly prohibited on the field. Wearing such devices can and will result in an immediate banning. This also includes any added scripts that are not MCM scripts

Ammo and Repair

Repair drops and ammo reloads are not considered safe zones.

Maturity

We expect all of our players to uphold a standard of maturity. Griefing, racism, slander, and over the top negative behavior is prohibited. While often banter is tossed around on the field, please leave it on the field and don’t bring it to the chat room. Also, use discretion in your words and actions so that things don’t escalate beyond the expected chatter. Should any conversation, either in the chat room, on the field go too far, or make you uncomfortable, please contact ANY moderator online at that time to address the situation. Do not take matters into your own lands, let the staff deal with the problem. Simply put, overall have fun and when it stops being fun.. stop talking.

Non MCM Avatars

There are no non-MCM mech avatars allowed on the battle-field. All persons must either be in MCM Mechs or be a part of the administrative staff, or specifically cleared to be on field as such by the staff.

The Ceiling Prim

Colliding with the ceiling prim will cause your mech to instantly shut down. Its meant to do so, and any direct avoidance other than the natural flight path of the mech is strictly prohibited and repeat offenders will be disciplined.

Prim Shooting

Intentionally exploiting the limitations of SL physics so as to shoot through solid obstacles will result in disciplinary action. Notwithstanding this rule, no one will be disciplined for using any weapon within the spirit of the game.

Splash damage, or AOE, going through walls to hit people, is OK, direct hits with bullets through walls is NOT OK.

Camping

No blatant camping of Rez areas, giving people a chance to get out of them will not only be a nice gesture but will make the fight more interesting in that they can actually participate. Since there is no shooting in the rez zones this will also minimize the chance of your inadvertently doing so.

Exploit Abuse

Abusing bugs and exploits is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate action. Please report bugs to the appropriate forum or by adding an entry to the Known Bugs wiki page. If any person is caught exploiting said bugs, they will be banned without chance of appeal. Meter X will record all attempts at exploitation.

Getting Stuck

You may not prim sit on the battlefield unless your avatar is stuck. At that point in time, you may not remain sitting for any longer than 5 seconds. There is an “unstuck" tool that can be passed to you, all you have to do is ask in MCM chat.

Modifications to Script

Attempts to modify any MCM script to make it function other than as originally intended is a banable offense.

Hiding Name

Hiding your name or the meter indicator is prohibited. This includes using scripts, prims, and other methods to do so. Your meter "bubble" must be visible. If once you put a mech on you see that your bubble is obstructed use the Second Life Edit feature to raise it up so it is easily visible. Again, if you don’t know how please ask a moderator, or almost anyone in the MCM chat.

Spawn Trapping

You may not place mines or set off EGG SACKS or SUPPORT WEAPONS ( AIR SUPPORT BOMBS, SPORE CLOUDS ) directly next to the ’rez-in’ zones.

General

Child Avatars

Child Avatars are not allowed on the MCM Sims at this time. All avatars must appear to be of age 18 or older and played as such, however elfs, furries, fairies, and other small species are not discriminated against as long as you act and appear of adult nature. If you have any questions please feel free to IM a mod or address TOS.

Denial of Service

MCM reserves the right to refuse access and services to any person of our choosing. Purchasing your mech entitles you to the prims only. All interactive scripts, website use, and sim access is solely at the discretion of the MCM administrative team and GMs.

Gesture Abuse

Looping gestures and constant gesture spamming is prohibited, as well as the addition of any sound type to your mech that is not a part of the original build.

Logging of Conversation

All conversations with the administrative group is subject to being logged, paraphrased, and shared amongst the staff. This includes any and -all- IMs. Attempts to dispute this issue with TOS will result in immediate ban. By IMing, speaking on voice, or speaking locally to any member of the MCM Staff you automatically agree to these terms. This is as much for us to keep our own words straight as it is for us to monitor you. We are human (usually) and make mistakes. Being able to refer back to a conversation keeps us on track.

Products and Purchases

All Sales Final

All sales of Mechs, Weapons, Utilities, and general items are final. All items are no-transfer thus we do not offer refunds. Should you have an issue with one of the vendors, notecard the transaction as well as sale time and location and submit it to Ender Hanner or Nash Fraenkel. Be patient after submission most often they are incredibly busy, but eventually they will get to you.

Alteration of Stats

All weapon, utility and mech specs are subject to change at any time without notice, and often do. Should you see a spec you would like changed feel free to post on the forum where the admin team can see it. Please do not waste our time and yours with frivolous empty requests; give the reasons _why_ you feel the change is justified. Your opinion will be reviewed but this does not mean actions will follow. Do not spam group chat with these issues please be sure to direct it to the forums.

Custom Modifications

MCM encourages individual expression and customization of Mechs. Abuse of glow, bright or otherwise "unnatural or unusual" colors or patterns, and offensive material are prohibited. Any MAJOR modifications must be approved by a moderator prior to use on official combat fields. Regardless of such approval, the host of any official event may restrict any modification from use in that event if it would have a detrimental affect on that event.

Players may appeal these decisions to MCM Adminstration, but expect that the decision will most likely be upheld.

Advertising

MCM Combat Operations chat is not for advertising or slander. If you need to report something to an administrator, simply ask if one is available. Do not create arguments. Do not spam group chat. Do not promote other games in chat. Take all arguments to private messages. Do not beg for money, c-bills or pretty much anything of monetary value. This is not only poor etiquette but poor taste as well. The exceptions to the advertising are simple:

• You MAY advertise your willingness to help someone.
• You MAY advertise your offer to help with a modification or mech paint job.
• You MAY advertise to help a new player learn the ropes.
• You MAY advertise faction recruitment.
• You MAY advertise self sponsored or your faction sponsored events as long as they are MCM related.

Should you need a notice sent to the the MCM group, it can be submitted to a moderator for review and posting.

Lost Wars

All clan related and galactic conquest (Lost Wars) information can be found here.

Warning and Offenses

Warning System

MCM uses a very simple warning system. If you are caught breaking the rules, the responding moderator will chose the disciplinary action he or she sees fit. If you are unhappy with that decision you are able to contact one a lead mod or admin for review.

Appeals

Bans may be appealed by the player. Please contact the admin team via notecard or im.

Exceptions

MCM administrative team reserves the right to choose any punishment seen fit. This means that certain offenses may result in an automatic ban without right to appeal.

Administrative Team

The Forge is a privately owned SIM, all rulings of the MCM Owners are final and non-negotiable.

For a list of staff look here.