Roma Victor: Ganker Crucified

Stradden · March 2006

Different MMORPGs have different ways of dealing with people who break the game's rules, whether that be ganking, cheating, or something else. I have to admit though, that Roma Victor has the most interesting way yet. Sure, you could go with a nasty email, probably a ban... but Roma Victor uses the old practice of crucifixion!

BRITAIN TO WITNESS FIRST CRUCIFIXION FOR ALMOST 2,000 YEARS

Ancient punishment is handed out for the all-too-modern crime of ganking (or gang-killing new players) as Roman-style justice returns to Britain for the first time in nearly 20 centuries.

Brighton, UK. Britain will witness its first crucifixion for almost tw millennia later this week, when Cynewulf is nailed to a cross as punishment for ganking other players as they first appear. Cynewulf, (in real life a 27 year-old electrical engineer from Flint, Michigan, USA) has no need to worry about suffering any permanent pain to his hands or feet, however, as this barbaric sentence is due to be carried out in cyberspace; in the virtual world of Roma Victor®.

Roma Victor is an online recreation of Britain in Roman times, where players live virtual lives as slaves and citizens of that all-conquering Empire. The world is currently in the final stages of testing and will officially launch on July 1st 2006, after which thousands of players will be able to live out their own virtual lives within ancient Roman-occupied Britannia.

Cynewulf, who is the first player within Roma Victor to receive this brutal punishment, will be hung on a cross for a full seven days on full public display in the digital reconstruction of the provincial town of Corstopitum (modern day Corbridge in Northumberland, England).

Kerry Fraser-Robinson, RedBedlams CEO says: "Roma Victor has been designed from the outset to offer an historically authentic and realistic virtual world. Although crucifixion is nowadays synonymous with persecution and religious symbolism, in 180CE it was just one of many severe punishments used by the Romans to punish criminals and to send a clear message out to other potential wrong-doers. And since our online world is historically authentic, we feel that applying this punishment to cheats, hackers and other virtual wrongdoers is not only appropriate, but also adds to the gaming experience by resonating with classical history."

Crucifixion is to be used as a form of player 'ban' within the virtual world of Roma Victor, with the length of the ban reflecting the severity of the punishment. For cheating by exploiting a bug and advancing his or her character's skills unfairly, for example, a player might typically receive a seven-day ban; multiple or more serious offences will result in a longer (or even permanent) ban.

For more on Roma Victor, click here.

LordGrokk · March 2006

Interesting.

This might just end up giving RedBedlam the press atention they need, at some point or other. Some religious group or other is going to find the idea of actually using crucifixion as a punishment again, be it virtual, offensive. Perhaps, with some luck (for the devs that is), it'll cause another public debate in the style of San Andreas (though I don't imagine it going anywhere as far, people care far less about religion then about 17 year olds watching low res 'porn'), that includes a lot of mentioning 'Roma Victor', it doesn't matter in what light, people will try a game out if they hear it on the news.

Either way, the system sounds pretty decent to me (from a gamers point of view), as it also shows the community the mods are hunting down hackers and gankers: because there's a new face appearing on the execution fields every time they catch one.

Stowaway · March 2006

very creative way, in character too, for dealing with trouble makers.

Harafnir · March 2006

Now that is the best and funniest ingame moderation I have ever heard about. A HUGE thumbs up to RV developers for the idea and implementation.

Elapsed · March 2006

Pretty much an encouragement to griefers. They get more attention. Still cool though and good for bringing attention to the (ugly) games.

firebrand · March 2006

They get attention and a 7 day ban or worst so i dont see how anyone would be encoraged by that.

Marku · March 2006

guys look at my avatar. lol. i like this idea. we get to laugh at those rule breakers etc.

LordGrokk · March 2006

Originally posted by -Jaguar-
Pretty much an encouragement to griefers. They get more attention. Still cool though and good for bringing attention to the (ugly) games.

Hi,
I can see what you mean. Perhaps it will indeed actually encourage a few griefers. Nonetheless, I can also imagine that once they come off the cross, a lot of people will indeed know their name, keep an eye out on them and report them the instance they go wrong again, resulting in the griefer getting crucified, again. The increased risk makes griefing more exciting, but as soon as you spend more days being banned from the game then playing it, I can imagine it becoming less and less fun and eventually result in ending your subscription. (Now, if the game would have a monthly fee, which it won't have, this would have been a lot more effective, as the griefers would have to keep paying to get back).

quix0te · March 2006

While the game itself doesnt sound like my thing, that's a great idea. I'd like to see stuff like this in other games. Not just banning, but public ridicule too.

EliasThorne · March 2006

Brilliant - great idea, it would be nice to see a plaque underneath saying why they were there as to name their alts (maybe as known alias's or some other way to keep it in character).

Again, wonderful idea, others should take up the idea, maybe with stocks or holding cells, maybe even perspex boxes hanging from cranes

trike · March 2006

Coolest idea, ever.

kasirak · March 2006

I actually have to agree with Lum's comment on another forum (Quarter to Three), this will only encourage griefers in the end.

I hadn't read some of the features of the game prior to suggesting this alternative (and I still haven't really, just glanced at it), but instead of crucifixion, I'd sell griefers as slaves to become gladiators. You restrict their access to certain areas of the game, they get to fight which is partly what they wanted to do, theyd partly get the recognition they seek and it separates the griefers from the general public.

In addition, you can create a whole market for the regular player characters to become Slave Masters and trade/equip their gladiators, make them fight, etc. They'd profit from these fights and would create an interesting relationship between a regular player and his gladiator/griefer. It might also help to serve as rehabilitation for griefers to see that they can reintegrate society. They could buy their freedom or have it granted by their master if they accept it. Depending on how much fun they had as a Gladiator, they might then continue to fight in the arenas or decide to become a master or trainer themselves.

So while at first this might seem like rewarding griefers for their behaviors, its more of a system to better integrate them into the game.

Another Idea I had for first offences for griefers is flogging. For a # of deaths or for a time period, their characters would suffer a penalty (less health for one) as punishment making it harder for them to repeat their offence. It could start off as a private event and move to a more public event, not only flogging him but marking him as a criminal and let players grief him in revenge. I prefer the first idea though since it seeks not to humiliate the player into change, but encourage him into more socially acceptable behaviors.

That's my 2 cents

EliasThorne · March 2006

Greats ideas too (love both ideas, flogging to reduce the ability to grief and the whole gladiator thing - wonderful) - you could also keep crucifixion for full bans, basiucally just leave then up on the hill there.

I'd just like to add though that players should not be able to release gladiators as unfortunatly gankers are not always solo pains in the butts - amazingly they have friends too!

Liddokun · October 2006

Haha nice! I like their creative way to ban cheaters/hackers/griefers. Maybe they can add the gallows for more serious offenders and the guillotine for permanent bans (complete with public executions).

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Roma Victor: Ganker Crucified

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