Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy

We as the Scoop! GM team wish for the game to be an enjoyable and memorable experience for all players involved. The following page concerns various sensitive themes and topics and how we intend to handle them, and advises a considerate approach for players on dealing with these same themes within the Society Game.

The Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy, also known as the CAT Policy, is the method by which we set out what themes we expect will or may come up in play, providing players with full knowledge of what themes to expect and how they will be handled. As an official ORPGSoc game, Scoop! is subject to the ORPGSoc CAT Policy and it is essential that players familiarise themselves with this policy before playing, for awareness of what themes are allowed and disallowed. This page in some cases reiterates and in some cases adds more specific restrictions and clarifications that apply to Scoop!. Therefore, we encourage you to read this page carefully, even if you are an experienced player, as elements of this CAT Policy differ from previous games. Regardless of the CAT Policy, all players and GMs should treat each other with respect. If someone else asks out of character that you stop roleplaying a particular theme or topic around them, for any or no reason, respect their boundaries and stop.

If you have any particular themes you do not want brought up at all, please inform the GMs either in your character creation form, by email or in your Discord private channel, and we will do our best to ensure you avoid encountering them.

We aim to create an environment in which all players can feel safe and comfortable. Whilst we use the following policy as a guideline in how themes in our game will appear and be handled, the policy should not always be taken literally and attempting to reason to the wording instead of the spirit of the policy will not be tolerated.

Many of the themes presented here and in this game are complicated and nuanced. If you have any questions about our explanations of, or our presentation of, certain themes, please feel free to contact the GMs.

If you feel the CAT policy has been breached, you can reach out to any member of the GM team. If you have a concern about a particular GM, you can reach out to the head GM/CAMPO, Isla, via email or Discord. Any such issues will be handled with the specific case in mind and we will do our best to account for the safety and comfort of all players. If you have a concern about the CAMPO, please contact the Society Welfare Office, Jasper, by email or on Discord. You can also approach the Society President, Faith, with any concerns by email or on Discord.

All Scoop! players must be 16 years or older to play. Most players will be between the ages of 18 and 30. If you are under 18 years of age, you must disclose this to the GM team for safeguarding reasons. Scoop! characters must also be 18 years old or older.

You may request not to roleplay with another player or GM before or at any point during the game, and we will do our best to ensure that you come into contact with that person as little as possible. You may ask us to inform that person of your request or you may keep your request confidential, though keeping the request confidential will prevent us from asking that person not to roleplay with you during the course of the game.

Society Games have certain safety calls that players must familiarise themselves with and respect in-session.

Due to the nature of roleplaying games, it is necessary to maintain a strong divide between In Character (IC) and Out of Character (OC) issues. This is generally referred to as the IC/OC divide, and means that all arguments, tension, or other in-character feelings should not spill into the real world. Similarly, OC feelings should not be brought IC.

Before initiating in-character romantic relationships, you must obtain OC consent from other players and GMs involved. Please note that roleplaying romantic relationships between employees and their bosses is not permitted in Scoop!, as detailed further below.

• Sexual assault, sexual coercion, or any other form of non-consensual sexual activity
• Sexual activity with those lacking the capacity to consent e.g. children
• Sexual harassment
• Use of real-world discriminatory slurs
• Suicide and self-harm
• Extreme violence
• Extreme gore
• Miscarriage and stillbirth
• Medical malpractice
• Eating disorders
• Forced abortion
• Incest
• Torture
• Cannibalism
• Slavery or human trafficking
• Mind control or other means of removing agency
• Emotional/physical abuse
  • Although the behaviour of some characters may be viewed as bullying, players are not permitted to play characters who are the perpetrators or victims of abuse in any other sense.
• Genital mutilation
• Animal abuse
• Child abuse
• Eugenics
• Genocide
• Genocide denial
• Degenerative diseases or cancer
• Real-world current figures and events, as well as real-world historical figures and events
  • Scoop! takes place on an Earth-like planet but not on Earth; no characters will be aware of or familiar with real world events or figures, and no places or societies are meant to be directly analogous to real world places or societies.
• Terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism
• Indiscriminate violence
• Dieting
• Romantic/sexual relationships between employees and their bosses
  • Players are not permitted to roleplay romantic relationships with their character's head of department, the Editor or any other character who has official power over their employment.
  • Player characters are permitted to have romantic relationships with heads of other departments.
• Discrimination on the basis of gender or sex, sexual orientation (e.g. homophobia), gender identity (e.g. transphobia), physical disability, mental health condition, neurodivergence, nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, or faith.

These are themes that we suspect may become relevant in Scoop!. Although they are allowed, they should be handled with care, and may come with some caveats to inclusion.

• Discrimination on the basis of class, age or educational background
• Distrust of journalists
• The use of AI may feature as a theme in Scoop!, but AI has not and will not be used at any point by the GM team when creating and running the game.
• Intense workplace culture
  • The workplace in Scoop! can be fast paced, demanding and stressful at times. Players may choose whether to explore this theme, but overworking and unhealthy work-life balances are topics which are permitted.
• Harm to animals/endangered species
  • Environmental issues present in Scoop! may cause harm to animals, fish, and other natural life. There will be no harm to pets in Scoop!

While the GMs are not intentionally bringing the following themes into the game, they are permitted and may come up unpredictably. These should be handled sensitively both by GMs and players.

• Childbirth and pregnancy
  • Pregnancies and births may occur over the course of the game, but no detailed descriptions will be given.
• Consensual sexual activity
  • While this may occur and be referenced in game, it will not be detailed. If it occurs in Turnsheets, it will be handled in a fade-to-black style.
• Mental illness
• Physical disability
• Drug or alcohol addiction
• Gambling
• Homelessness
• Chronic illnesses
• Common phobia triggers, such as needles or spiders
  • If you have any phobia triggers you wish to avoid, please inform the GMs either in your character creation form, by email or in your Discord private channel.