Suicide Command

Started by ShaLeah, June 21, 2018, 01:56:45 PM

People in Zalanthas want to live - they have an ingrained desire to survive at all costs. Suicide would be extremely rare, imo.

The idea of having time to say "goodbye" seems pretty silly, too. The world is just too harsh for people to care. If you kill yourself that means more water and other resources for them, plus they get to sell all of your stuff for their next meal. Getting genuinely close to someone would be a pretty rare occurrence. Being associates to benefit from one another is much more likely than actually being close friends.

When someone dies, they are stripped of anything valuable and left for the bugs to eat. People don't have big funerals or memorial services because those things just don't fit in with the world setting. I think I am getting a bit off topic and rambling now but I think that some people have the wrong idea about how harsh the world is lately. Maybe a staff member can correct me if I am wrong here.

Anyway...please don't add a suicide command. Suicide would be more rare than winning the lotto. I think that just having it exist would add to the misunderstanding that people in Zalanthas consider it as an option.
"People survive by climbing over anyone who gets in their way, by cheating, stealing, killing, swindling, or otherwise taking advantage of others."
-Ginka

"Don't do this. I can't believe I have to write this post."
-Rathustra

Quote from: The Lonely Hunter on July 09, 2018, 11:27:15 AM
When someone dies, they are stripped of anything valuable and left for the bugs to eat. People don't have big funerals or memorial services because those things just don't fit in with the world setting. I think I am getting a bit off topic and rambling now but I think that some people have the wrong idea about how harsh the world is lately. Maybe a staff member can correct me if I am wrong here.

This is quite false.  There are at least three playable tribes that have "big funerals" and "memorial" services.  In Allanak, what you say might be more true, but I'd still advise sticking to the docs rather than speculating too wildly about the inhuman-ness of Zalanthans.  (Of course, Zalanthans form close relationships!  They live in a harsh world, but aren't monsters.)

From >help suicide:

Quote
Suicide is a serious matter in both real life and on Armageddon, and as such, should not be taken lightly, or as a method of ceasing the play of a character. The people of Zalanthas generally have terribly strong desires for self-preservation, and this is reflected in that there is no easy way to inflict damage upon yourself to commit suicide. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to kill yourself, but you will have to figure out exactly how on your own.


I was speaking in a generalization based on the largest population and what is "standard", not the scattered cultures of small groups of close-knit people. There are tribals that have customs dealing with death - I even wrote the documents for one of them so yes, I am aware. Tribals make up a very small niche and have varying beliefs. If the specific documentation pertaining to their view of death isn't publicly available, it isn't meant to be discussed with the general public.

I didn't believe that it was needed to clarify that I was speaking about most non-tribal cultures - please pardon my assumption.

Tribal life is considerably different and, of course, you should play by the appropriate documentation. My comments were referring to the vast majority of the population.

As far as the monster comment goes we must remember that people do not know where their next drink of water or food comes from. Many live in crowded dorms or hovels, or just on the street. Hardship on Zalanthas isn't about not being able to pay your cell phone bill or make a car payment, it isn't even about running out of your food stamps or your car breaking down.

It is a harsh planet where only the fittest survive, and competition over extremely scarce resources causes constant strife, struggle, and bloodshed. We aren't talking about western civilization. Life in Yemen would be more comfortable and safer than life in Allanak for MOST citizens.

Of course you have a drastic swing if you are lucky enough to get employment by one of the Merchant or Noble Houses - but that is a very tiny percentage of people.
"People survive by climbing over anyone who gets in their way, by cheating, stealing, killing, swindling, or otherwise taking advantage of others."
-Ginka

"Don't do this. I can't believe I have to write this post."
-Rathustra

Quote from: The Lonely Hunter on July 09, 2018, 12:09:12 PM
It is a harsh planet where only the fittest survive, and competition over extremely scarce resources causes constant strife, struggle, and bloodshed. We aren't talking about western civilization. Life in Yemen would be more comfortable and safer than life in Allanak for MOST citizens.

Okay, so, I don't know anything about life in Yemen. But I would guess that an accurate description of life in Yemen would give us a richer guide for roleplaying than what most of us can imagine based on (pardon the caricature; I don't hate you) "guys it's super harsh."

"It's super harsh" is true. But it's easy to see this as a factor that only relieves our characters of social obligations and deadens their emotions. I'm not sure those are typical of how we see humans reacting in extreme poverty on Earth. How humans really act in real circumstances is going to be a rich starting point for fruitful roleplay - because humans are real and super interesting.
<Maso> I thought you were like...a real sweet lady.

Quote from: ShaLeah on June 21, 2018, 09:17:08 PM
Quote from: Akariel on June 21, 2018, 06:00:55 PM
http://www.armageddon.org/help/view/Suicide

QuoteSuicide

(Gameplay  Edit )

Suicide is a serious matter in both real life and on Armageddon, and as such, should not be taken lightly, or as a method of ceasing the play of a character. The people of Zalanthas generally have terribly strong desires for self-preservation, and this is reflected in that there is no easy way to inflict damage upon yourself to commit suicide. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to kill yourself, but you will have to figure out exactly how on your own.

Notes:
If you are mortally wounded (below 0 HPs), you may hasten your character's end by typing 'quit die'. This will end your character's life.
See Also:

quit, rules, storage
I'll continue to wonder why breeds aren't primarily suicidal tbh.

Being born among the down trodden doesn't make you suicidal. Take a stroll through the streets of Dakha, Bangladesh and tell me why they aren't committing suicide. Or in any number of shanty towns throughout India. You think you have it bad because of your parentage? Please.

Suicide is, by and large, a first world phenomenon. It's actually the privileged in a society who are (seemingly paradoxically) the more likely among a population to commit suicide. Yes, it would and should be exceedingly rare for a commoner to wilfully end their own life.

There's also the fact that this is a game, to consider. I'm not saying "Must have suicide, is just game", but for someone who isn't feeling their character, the waiting period on a storage may decrease their desire to play that new role they have. Going out to play Kiss the Mekillot isn't so easy these days, but a lot of people just wander off into the sea because its immediate gratification.

At least with a suicide command, their gear maybe doesn't stay in the game for people to get fat off of, and it can be tracked and the situation approached if someone is using it too often.
Quote from: IAmJacksOpinion on May 20, 2013, 11:16:52 PM
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Quote from: Riev on July 10, 2018, 01:32:33 PM
There's also the fact that this is a game, to consider. I'm not saying "Must have suicide, is just game", but for someone who isn't feeling their character, the waiting period on a storage may decrease their desire to play that new role they have. Going out to play Kiss the Mekillot isn't so easy these days, but a lot of people just wander off into the sea because its immediate gratification.

At least with a suicide command, their gear maybe doesn't stay in the game for people to get fat off of, and it can be tracked and the situation approached if someone is using it too often.

It would also allow staff to more easily monitor who's using and abusing it.

I don't know about a command though.  I suppose if used sparingly.  I've had a character who killed herself by swallowing the same poison she used to commit mass murder.

Death uuuuum finds a way.