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(03-14-2014, 01:15 PM)Natalie Mcbeef Wrote:(03-14-2014, 01:09 PM)Ignacius Wrote:(03-14-2014, 12:57 PM)Natalie Mcbeef Wrote: I actually dealt with a similar issue in the past, but it went a bit further (people died). I think most people have seen it, but there was some good discussion on the issue.
http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=6259
Honestly? Â I think the easiest solution for that particular scenario is that if you're going to play a criminal, or involve that element of crime in your story, you have GOT to play it smart. Â And people who interact with you, you can feel free to say, "I want to know WTF you're doing out here, because I didn't tell anyone where I was going and you weren't following me."
Whatever you do, make sure you know what's going on with crime in a story. Â Ignacius is a terrifying criminal; I wrote a story about how brutal he can be not long ago. Â Most people wouldn't know that, though, because he's extremely careful and smart about being a criminal. Â He doesn't handle his business at Hawker's Alley and he makes sure nobody that knows who he is has any reason to give him up. Â Just like a criminal, you have to think ahead, think smart, and be prepared to only visit major cities under assumed names and with good disguises.
On the same note, people who play law enforcement can't be omniscient or omnipresent. Â They can't be out on Coerthas if they're local law enforcement for Gridania; they've probably got work to do there. Â If they're out traveling, they're not looking for your character.
I've never had a serious problem playing a cop or crook (and I play a LOT of the latter), because I keep my ducks in a row. Â Playing a good criminal is all about knowing exactly how wide your footprint is and making sure you know how to lay low. Â Playing a good cop is a lot easier. Â You just have to know how to not godmod.
lol not again.
edit:
ok that was a bit snarky.
To elaborate the issue in both cases is that someone who plays law enforcement tries to arrest another person who plays a law enforcement officer. Essentially saying 'I'm more law than you'. This is problematic for a number of reasons, it's saying, 'I'm the arbiter of what's law and what's not'. That's what happened in the thing I posted, and that's what happened with erik.
/endderail
To be fair, you're probably right that it's bad law enforcement procedure. Â If you find out someone might be dirty, you don't arrest them on the spot. Â You go to their superiors, set up surveillance, see how deep it goes. Â You make sure you're not stepping onto a sting or undercover operation. Â Or arresting and killing a potential witness or turncoat?
I mean, as a player of an active criminal, I guess I don't mind law enforcement taking more of an interest in each other than me, but it does seem like it would get stupid soon if they're not part of the same direct chain of command. Â Cops are supposed to be more buddy-buddy, uniting against the dirty criminal element, and criminals are supposed to be self-defeating and competitive.
Maybe it's because I hang out in Limsa. Â We all seem to be bordering on the criminal there....