Space Law- A rewrite discussion

[Nerkson]

So lets be honest here. Space Law is kind of outdated. If you haven't seen it in a bit (and let's be honest, most people don't), here's a link to it:

https://wiki.ss13.co/Space_Law

Time to dissect it, and why it's got some flaws.

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What is the purpose of Space Law?

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As the very first sentences say on the wiki:

Note: Space Law is an in-character set of loose guidelines for playing security, NOT the actual server rules.

As a security officer, you are not absolutely beholden to Space Law so long as you follow the rules.

Its intent is to be a guide line to help security officers make judgement calls on scenarios, and in a lesser sense help the crew understand how officers might think and behave to certain crimes.

The first section is probably the best idea of what space law should be about - rough guidelines of how to be an outstanding security officer, and how to handle basic interactions.

Where space law tends to fall apart is when people take it literally, and the book itself doesn't help in that matter. Situations arise that space law doesn't cover, and can't reasonably cover. Its punishment times are sometimes strange, and realistically inapplicable. Any security officer following it closely will probably get people yelling at them 24/7.

So, how can we write a better Space Law? What nuggets of wisdom can we include in a potential re-write of the law? What information is worth having?

[KikiMofo]

The fun part about space law book is that it doesnt really matter UNLESS someone wants it to. Some people want to be strict followers of the space law and thats fine, if they want their character to be that way whos to tell them they cant. Some others don't care about the space law and just treat it as mall copping and again thats fine too. Its all about how individuals want to play their character.
As far as brig times go ehh who really cares much. 5 minutes in the brig for literal murder isnt that bad. The only thing I think officers should follow more is unless they are being brigged for higher times there is no reason to strip search them. Strip searching for everything is boring.

[nefarious6th]

Space Law has the exciting duality that if you follow it, you get yelled at by other officers; and if you dont follow it, you get yelled at by other officers.

I think as you play more of security, you develop a stronger "method", for lack of a better word, for determining appropriate punishments. One of the ones I liked a lot was Emily's where she took how much time she spent arresting someone and divided it by two, I think, and that was their brig time.

Yeah, the only thing about Space Law I guess that I find important is that the page says it's all approved punishments that won't get you into hot water with admins.

Replacing a lube-spamming clown's arms with bike horns isn't covered but it doesnt necessarily mean that's a bad way to go about punishment. No matter what way it's written, there will always be people who only follow the codex of Space Law and don't come up with alternative punishments like horn arms outside of Space Law. I'd be curious to know which sections you think need a rewrite; Employee of a Hostile Corp, for example, makes a lot of sense in-universe as a crime, but I rarely charge someone with EHC/"being a syndicate"

[Kotlol]

Just add this paragraph.

"Officers may use their own discression to brig someone or not, or even come up with alternate fitting punishments (Such as community service or banning someone from accessing said objects ever.)"

Now if you are creative.. you can BAN SOMEONE from USING ARMS. And you get your bike horn clown!

There a fix.
Though having standard brig times in space law is good enough too.
Also about trials...

I notice whenever I try to setup a trial as an antagonist... or when I have to do it as security. It takes as long as brigging to get a lawyer and "actually" get a trial started.

INSTED. We need to have a clear guide line for it.
Since trials would only be counteracted against PERMABRIGGING, but if someone is brigged for 2 minutes and they cry for a lawyer, then get spat out of security and "it just ends there"

I would like trials ot mean more as well... so insted I recommend the following.
"When a lawyer is requested to setup a trial, the suspect is injected with a tracking implant and put on bail."
This means an antagonist (or innocent) does this.. they can still go about and do their things, but sec can track em at any notice as the TRADE OFF for being setup for a trial.
I rather have the whole "innocent until proven guilty" system be more clear in security. Insted of "Guilty until proven innocent"
Would lead to a whole less Ahelps for brigging charges.
And also allows antagonists to use their credits to get out of jail till they have a trial. (or use it to quickly get to their secret stash and go down fighting insted of "you got busted, here comes interrogation + brig time" now it's shortened to: "I want a lawyer and fair trial and hereby allow myself to be tracked" )

So yea.

[Chayot]

Most of y'all's points are covered in the guidelines as it stands.

>Where space law tends to fall apart is when people take it literally,
I do take it very literally, and always have. I'm An HoS player from Goon1.
I, very literally, apply the punishments from space-law, to criminals and antagonists.
The only people who get upset over it are the ones who think they should be punished worse.

[KikiMofo]

Yeah the best part of spacelaw is you dont actually have to follow space law unless you want to.

As far as trials go, yeah they are always a pain to set up and get people interested in but when it actually happens its worth it.
Usually though I say trials should only be used for rampagers, mass poisoners, and stuff like lings or vamps because they are eating people.
Or you can always ask the person you are brigging if they would like a trial instead. Thats always a good way to do it.

[Waffleloffle]

is there an easy way to reference the book's in-game text as well because I swear it recommends doing some ridiculously bullshit long brig sentences

[Shiiba]

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is there an easy way to reference the book's in-game text as well because I swear it recommends doing some ridiculously bullshit long brig sentences

I think it mentions like 15min iirc

[KikiMofo]

I dont think Ive looked at the ingame law book the entire time I've been playing. Im a great HoS.

[Ikea]

https://github.com/goonstation/goonstati...ce_law.txt Its pretty bad and definitely needs updating, it has drugs as a crime (which goes badly far more then it goes well when someone treats it as such), recommends sentences of 5-15 minutes for being an enemy of the station, and says that perma brigging is sometimes fine.

[Kotlol]

https://github.com/goonstation/goonstati...ce_law.txt Its pretty bad and definitely needs updating, it has drugs as a crime (which goes badly far more then it goes well when someone treats it as such), recommends sentences of 5-15 minutes for being an enemy of the syndicate, and says that perma brigging is sometimes fine.

Agreed on that part. I remember the fact that "drugs" are just allowed unless the captain says not to.
But.. in reality... it is suppose to be the other way around.
And whenever I ban drugs as a captain, security won't do anything and I am public enemy number 1.

Note.. it's not a NT policy, it's space law. XD

And the long brig times when I saw that I was: "You can't even put the clock past 5 minutes..."
Alot of it is outdated for sure. So good job calling it.

Also.. your wording: "Enemy of the syndicate" ...don't you mean enemy of NT? Since the syndicate is the enemy of NT! XD Aka.. the wording means.. every NT employee who doesnt agree with the syndicate could be brigged.