Are questions about the social rules/etiquette of a multiplayer game in-scope?

Question

I've recently been playing a massively-multiplayer game in which an informal or semi-formal honor code or code of conduct has taken root among most players. The rules not only require adherence to the game's formally-defined Terms of Service (ToS), but include player-defined and player-enforced rules to provide some protections to new and/or casual players. Players who violate this code of conduct are not banned from the server (since they did not violate the ToS), but they face in-game retaliation by players, including expulsion from player alliances and being "marked" as fair game for relentless PvP attacks. Despite the general consensus on these rules, I have not been able to find a fully-authoritative and exhaustive document defining all the rules - the rules are a social construct that is generally learned by hanging out in game chat rooms and participating in alliance activities.

Are questions about the existence of, interpretation of, or enforcement of player or community rules in-scope for this site, at least to the extent that a "good subjective" answer can be provided based on experience actually playing the game online with real people?

Answer 1

Based on the tour, this could be on-topic within the following bullet points:

• Gameplay strategies and tactics

  If these informal rulesets result in you getting 'marked' for constant PVP attacks or for blocking your attempts at joining an in-game guild/alliance/etc., then it certainly would be appropriate to discuss strategy or tactics on playing the game to not fall prey to that kind of outcome. However, notice the emphasis in my previous sentence; if the retaliation you're experiencing is only due to in-game chat, e.g. what you say or how you say it—with other players, then that probably is more 'interpersonal/roleplaying' and less 'gaming'; a resolution to such a question would just be "don't talk to people in-game".

• Game mechanics and terminology

  Similar to the above; if there are in-game terms about playing that you don't understand, or behaviors discussed solely in that game, you could ask about that, for example, if a game has a term for tank-class players sacrificing themselves after tanking, called 'brobdinging' and you are always expected to 'brobding' as a tank-class player, whether you want to or not, you could ask what 'brobding' means and how to effectively do/be/adhere to such a term.