How To Write Game Rules for your Server Project

Starting a new server project can be an exciting venture, especially if it’s a game server (FiveM, Minecraft, Rust, etc). But one of the most important aspects of any game server is having clear and concise rules in place to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all players.

Whether you’re creating a FiveM server or a Minecraft server, it’s essential to take the time to carefully consider and write out the rules for your server. In this blog post, we’ll go over some best practices for creating game rules for your server project.

List of Examples: FiveM Server Rules

1. No Metagaming: Do not use out-of-character (OOC) information to influence in-character (IC) actions or decisions. Your character should not know things that you, as a player, know.
2. No Powergaming: Avoid forcing actions or outcomes on others without their consent. RP should be cooperative, and both parties should have a say in the outcome of interactions.
3. Respect Roleplay: Stay in character (IC) and prioritize immersive roleplay experiences. Avoid disrupting RP scenes unnecessarily.
4. No Random Deathmatching (RDM): Do not attack other players without a valid in-character reason or roleplay scenario. RP combat should be realistic and make sense within the context of the roleplay.
5. Value Life: Treat your character’s life with care. Do not engage in reckless behavior or engage in actions that would lead to your character’s death without proper roleplay justification.
6. No Vehicular Manslaughter: Do not use vehicles as weapons to intentionally harm or kill other players without proper roleplay justification.
7. Follow Server Lore and Storyline: Adhere to the server’s established lore and storyline to maintain a cohesive and immersive roleplay environment.
8. No OOC Harassment or Hate Speech: Be respectful to other players in the OOC chat and avoid using hate speech, derogatory language, or harassing behavior.
9. Use Appropriate Character Names: Create realistic and appropriate character names that fit within the server’s setting and lore.
10. No Cheating or Exploiting: Do not use cheats, hacks, or exploits to gain an unfair advantage. Report any bugs or glitches you encounter.
11. Listen to Staff and Admins: Follow instructions and rulings from server staff and administrators. Disputes should be handled through the appropriate channels.
12. Use Proper Communication Channels: Use the appropriate in-game communication channels for IC and OOC communication, such as /me for actions and /ooc for out-of-character discussions.
13. No Advertising: Do not promote other FiveM servers or unrelated products/services within the server.
14. Respect RP Boundaries: Respect other players’ boundaries and consent in roleplay scenarios, especially in sensitive or potentially triggering situations.
15. Obey Server-Specific Rules: Familiarize yourself with and follow any server-specific rules that may be unique to the server you are playing on.

This list provides a general overview of common rules found on FiveM roleplay servers, but it’s essential to review the specific rules and guidelines of the server you choose to play on, as they may have additional or modified rules to ensure a fun and fair roleplaying experience.

Determine the purpose of your server

Before you start writing game rules, it’s crucial to understand the purpose and goals of your game server:

• What type of gameplay experience are you trying to provide for players?
• What is the overall theme or tone of your server?

Answering these questions will help you determine what kinds of rules and regulations are necessary to support your server’s vision.

Think about the goal of your server and in what way you want your players to play.

Consider the target audience

It’s also essential to consider the target audience for your server. Are you aiming for a younger audience or an older one? Will the server be geared towards a specific game genre or playstyle? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your rules to their needs and expectations.

Determine the consequences for breaking rules

One of the most crucial aspects of any game rule set is determining the consequences for breaking those rules. This could include temporary or permanent bans, demotions, or other punishments. It’s essential to be clear and consistent with these consequences to ensure that players understand the consequences of their actions.

Use clear and concise language

When writing game rules, it’s essential to use clear and concise language that is easy for players to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may be confusing to some players. It’s also essential to be specific and avoid using vague language that could be open to interpretation.

Good example: Do not cheat.

Bad example: Don’t use Cheatengine 1.4 or other programs to achieve unfair advantages

Just don’t make it complicated.

Keep the rule set short

While it’s essential to have comprehensive rules in place, it’s also important to keep the rule set as short and sweet as possible. No one wants to sift through pages and pages of rules, so try to be as concise as you can while still covering all necessary bases.

This can be a challenging balancing act, but it’s worth the effort to create a rule set that is easy for players to understand and follow. To achieve this balance, consider organizing your rules into categories or sections and using bullet points or numbered lists to make them easier to read. You could also include examples or scenarios to help illustrate the rules more clearly. By following these tips, you can create a concise and effective rule set that is easy for players to understand and follow.

Make the rules accessible

It’s essential to make your game rules easily accessible to all players. This could be through a dedicated section on your website, in-game announcements, or a pinned message in your server’s Discord channel. It’s also a good idea to periodically remind players of the rules to ensure that they are following them.

Also make sure to post the rules ingame, at least somewhere.

Review and update the rules regularly

It’s essential to regularly review and update your game rules to ensure that they are still relevant and effective. As your server grows and evolves, new situations may arise that require additional rules or the modification of existing ones. Make sure to get feedback from players and staff members when making changes to the rules to ensure that they are fair and reasonable.

Recommended: Use our Rule Generator

If you want to check out our rule generator (especially for FiveM), feel free to do so by clicking here. It’s completely free.

Our FiveM rule generator offers a wide range of pre-defined rules to select.

Conclusion

Creating game rules for your game server project is an important task that requires careful consideration and planning. By following the best practices outlined in this blog post, you can create a comprehensive and effective rule set that helps ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all players. Remember to regularly review and update your rules as needed to keep them relevant and effective.

We hope this blog post has been helpful in guiding you through the process of creating game rules for your server project. Do you have any additional tips or best practices that you’ve found useful in your own experiences? Is there anything you think we may have missed in this blog post? We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please feel free to leave a comment below!