Olivia

It's been quite some time since we have changed things up on the Asylum, but I feel that now is the time to do so.  I remember when I started playing here that my favorite thing to do was to run around with friends and cause mayhem by robbing everyone in sight.  At it's core, this is a cops and robbers game.  With that being said, I give you Asylum 8.0.  
The map felt stale to me, so the 8 chain will include lots of map changes going forward.  First off, the major illegal areas (heroin, cocaine, and meth) will all rotate going forward.  While the original positions are still included, there are alternate locations for all of these activities.  That means gathering and processing can and will happen in different locations at random on each restart (kind of like cartels).  Each drug has two spots for now, and gathering and processing locations have been chosen to have similar round trip times to what they are currently.  This means that all three of drug locations could end up on the west or east side of Altis in a given server restart.  I hope you'll enjoy the new locations, and I also hope you'll enjoy a chance to rob people again as they try the new spots out.  
Another thing that I have always felt we were lacking was the ability to manufacture drugs in other remote locations of the map, so we are introducing the mobile meth (crank) lab.  Crank is a new illegal item added into the game that is manufactured via an RV that is purchasable at Rick's RV shop in Sofia, as well as both chop shops.  Crank is made of all the same ingredients as meth, but is not quite as potent - and therefore not worth quite as much.  Take your ingredients and RV to a remote location, and do your best Walter and Jessie impression.  Be aware though that processing crank has risks - your RV will send smoke into the air, and the smoke means that you can be killed by the rival drug lords on the island.  The RV has a slightly larger trunk than a box truck, so while RVs can certainly be used to manufacture crank - it doesn't necessarily mean that the vehicle is being used for illegal activities.  Make sure to thank @Phantom Viper for doing the skin for the new RV!
The Altis government finally got funding to build a second bridge to the island near Pyrgos, and with that they have decided to move the prison back to that island.  There is new construction on the island, but the method for breaking people out of the prison remains unchanged.  Hack the power, lock pick the doors, hack the computer, and open up those gates.  @TheCrestedPenguin did the new prison design - make sure to thank him for his efforts to get the prison back where the community wanted it.  (Note: Prison guards now spawn across the street and not behind you)
Are you a good helicopter pilot?  Do you like sling loading large vehicles?  If so, then say hello to an old friend - the Taru.  If you want to fly the Taru though, you will need Rotorlib (with Stress Damage) enabled.  If you don't have what it takes, don't sit in the pilot or co-pilot seat of a Taru.  
APD officers, are you tired of the light system you have on your cars?  If so, you'll be happy to know that the APD has upgraded it's light system substantially.  Thank Lt. @Destrah for helping the government find the funding to get new lights!   (Note: press Tab while driving to bring up the new light controls)
Other additions etc: 
The Asylum Exchange has been brought back.  Since this doesn't seem to be the cause of the BE kicks, and the game server is now 64-bit - we will give this another shot.   Bounties will be persistent going forward.  Bounty hunters will have the ability to drop a bounty every 5 minutes. Spike strips can now be instantly deployed via the hotkey. The scroll wheel option has been disabled as a result. Additionally, spike strips can be thrown from a vehicle, which will result in the spike strip being placed behind your vehicle. Multi-color Smokes/Chemlights in cop shops Fixed redburger talent Binocs now properly show UC names Added a boat shop and garage to DP10 Various bug and exploit fixes One final thing, Anthony Kiedis is a big fan of Kavala
Hotfix 1:
Starting up the lab on an RV will now allow you to process and access trunks and crates without having to soft log etc. Chem lights should be available for both cops and civs now Hotfix 1a:
Fixed a few exploits related to crank Crank can no longer be cooked inside industrial sheds Hotfix 2:
Exploit fixes related to crank production SWAT spawn points changed for new prison location Destrah made a few additional tweaks to cop lights Hotfix 3:
Weed should now spawn and be able to be gathered again (oops) Fixed additional exploits in the crank system Hotfix 4:
Additional crank exploit fixes The crank lab now persists through restarts as a crank lab (and not a box truck)  
Hotfix 5:
The Strife server has been brought back online.   Server driven events will fire on the Altis islands drafting you to war in Strife on Tanoa.  Go play Strife for 15 minutes or more, and you will receive $20,000 in bonus pay. Level 4 donors may now purchase and wear the Wetsuit [CSAT].  

I think what everyone is trying to say here is that we do our best to re-educate rule breakers, but an admin can't watch every player all the time. People are going to break rules, and we need the player base help us find those players so that we can explain the rules to them. 
There are several pieces of software that can be used to record your gameplay, and not all of them are terribly taxing on your system,  I personally prefer OBS, but Shadowplay works as well. 

Remove "Revoke BH license" scrollwheel option Remove "Revoke Driver's license" scrollwheel option Modify "Seize all Illegal item(s)" scrollwheel option to open a sub menu that looks something like the "Add charges" menu.  Here the cop gets the following options: Seize BH license Seize Firearms license Seize Drivers license Seize Firearm and Gear Seizes firearm, mags, scopes, grenades, suppressors. Seizes police gear (vest, clothes, hat) and suicide vest.  (So anything that's not Y inventory.) Seize contraband All drugs, speed bombs, lockpicks, diamond tip drills, demo charges etc. Seize money (marked as illegal by drug dealers/runners.)  
If it's not already clear, this should be added because:
Too many times cops seize legal firearms from civilians who only have contraband or drugs on them. Fewer scrollwheel options makes everyone happier.  
It could look something like this (image borrowed from Legit):

Some of you may have noticed some different ban times showing up in the last few days - that is by design.  It's also not the only thing that we are going to modify a touch around how bans are handled here at Asylum.  
Going forward, if a player is banned our primary goal (for most types of bans) is to try to educate the player on the rules here for our server.  In the past bans have been somewhat punitive in nature, but @Paratus and I both feel that our primary goal should be to educate and rehabilitate players so that the gaming experience is better for everyone.  This is particularly true with newer members of our community.  People make mistakes, and we want to help them play better for everyone.  So with that being said, most smaller types of bans will receive smaller ban times.  The hope is that the player will come into TS and talk to an admin - and once they can demonstrate that they understand the rules we will send them on their way to hopefully never break that rule again.  (Note: for scripting, players using outside programs to cheat on our servers, and players with global bans we will not be reducing any ban times)  
For veteran players, you will likely be held to a somewhat higher standard.  If you do break a rule though and find yourself banned come in and talk to an admin.  If you genuinely understand that you messed up and are willing to make things right, I think you will find that the admin staff will be a little more forgiving going forward.  
Also, there may be times that you don't even know that you were banned since the times are smaller now for some bans.  When you log into the game though you will be presented with a message telling you that you were banned (and most importantly why).  Take that as a warning that you did something wrong.  I would also advise that you seek out an admin and talk about your ban so you know what exactly it was you did wrong.  Bans will escalate as the frequency of offenses escalate, so if you see that message please come and talk to someone.  
Some of you reading this may have noticed several times that I've said "an admin" as well.  Another new change is that you can appeal your ban to any admin now.  If you have exonerating evidence and can present that to another admin in TS - then that admin is empowered to deal with your ban and lift it now.  This is not something we have done in the past, but it's something I want to try.  I feel strongly that players that shouldn't be banned due to a misunderstanding etc should be allowed to present their case and get back onto the servers as quickly as possible.  It's still important that you fill out a ban appeal though so that we can track who is talking to whom.  The admins will keep notes there and on your player account so that we know who helped you out.  
The one caveat to the new appeal procedure is that you get only one shot at the appeal.  If the admin who helps you out feels your ban is valid and that you don't understand the rule that you violated, then you will likely continue to be banned for the remainder of the original ban.  Remember, even if you are at fault, really listening to the admin about why you were banned and saying you will not do the same thing again goes a long way to having your ban time reduced or potentially lifted right away.  People make mistakes, and if you can learn from them we are willing to help you move on from your ban faster now.  
Players with permanent bans will be treated somewhat differently.  I'm bouncing around a few ideas now with the admins on how to handle those going forward - but there will be a new process for that soon as well.  
Finally, we are changing the community manager role somewhat.  Going forward that role will be comprised of a few admins that will handle reports of admin abuse by other admins.  We want to be accountable to the community as well, and this group will be responsible for that.  We are calling this role the Admin Responsibility Council for now (since I can't think of anything better yet), and it will contain 2 or 4 members who will look at times where the community feels that an admin has overstepped their bounds.  They are empowered to deal with issues that involve actual admin misconduct, and if they need my help making decisions then I am certainly available to help them out.  The ARC is not an escalation point for your bans however, please use the normal ban procedure above going forward.  

Serpico is long gone.

I do, so why would I take your fun away?

You guys tease, but this information is actually helpful for newer players.
When I was making my legal/illegal gun guide, I got so many requests for images of what all the guns look like (because newer players couldn't distinguish an SDAR from a Katiba etc.)  It may be easy for you vets, but if you're a new player or a career cop I promise you won't have the time to inspect a suicide vest up close before you turn into minced meat ; )

APD POLICY CHANGES
Since we raised the minimum amount that would warrant probable cause, people have been able to get away with lockpicking/stealing vehicles without officers being warranted the right to search and seize illegal items off of the suspect. E.G. Lockpicks.
Individuals with charge(s) of Attempted Auto Theft or Grand Theft will automatically grant APD Officers probable cause regardless of their current bounty amount. 
Individuals who are currently in the process or have already stolen a vehicle but do not have a bounty will grant APD Officers probable cause.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact myself or any other Captain
Thank you
 

Are you good with SQF?  Do you want to Make Asylum Great Again?  Maybe you're just good with Photoshop and want to texture things.  
If any of that sounds like something you'd be interested in, then please feel free to reach out to me either on the forums or on the Asylum Teamspeak.  We have lots of ideas, and are looking for help to make these ideas into reality here.  

There are a few things to mention, but I'll get right to the biggest change: @bamf is, as of tonight, a co-owner of the community with me. Bamf will have the same authority and access as I do and we'll make decisions together going forward. So, congrats to Bamf on the ultimate promotion!
There are a few reasons for this change, and one of those is that we'd like to expand the team with code contributors from the community so that we can push out more features at a faster pace. Bamf's help in management will make that possible.
There are also going to be some significant structure changes to other parts of our team as well as policies for bans and how they're managed. You're going to get more information on that really soon, but our goal is to make things easier on the people who receive bans so long as they're not for serious causes.
So, congrats to Bamf! There are a lot of great changes coming. MAGA!

I am still about just in the background  

In the world of ARMA unexplainable things can easily happen some examples:
a whale swimming close to the shore and launching the boat with it's tail for giggles A notorious gang who catches and slaughters sea turtles and then transports the boat by slingloading it, only due the weight the sling snaps and it lands in an open field where an APD officer will react to in case of an emergency ofcourse. The "Gods" of Asylum being drunk once again Either way thanks for your information i'll treat the situations appropriately.
 

"Excuse me sir, I saw you drive your boat more than 20 meters from the coral reef so that gives me probable cause to search you."

I'll assume you mean it is sitting in the middle of a field more than 10m from any road. 
The guidebook defines off-roading as:
Since boats can't drive over-land then the only possibilities are 1) it was dropped off by helicopter or 2) somehow it survived a space shuttle launch experiment.  In either case the person was never "driving it" off-road.  Going further, the person inside the boat probably has a really good story. About the only thing that would give you PC was if it landed in an illegal area or the person was wanted for $2500 or more.

Don't ask, it's... complicated

When you find someone in a boat in the middle of nowhere, away from a road.
Don't ask how it got there but just think it through, does this count as offroading?
Who knows that boat could be full with half maimed sea turtles waiting to be rescued!

Initiation is almost always an admin issue not an APD issue, however I have heard from admins that you are allowed to shoot only the tires (i.e. not the occupants of the vehicle) without initiation (see Olio's comment here and Sneaky's here.)  I have not heard if the Captains feels differently about that rule (though they could, in theory, impose further rules about initiation for cops only.)
I'm going to refrain from making any calls about helicopters since it is a grey area and since it treads on admin/initiation territory.  (If the heli is landed, is disabling the heli really the only way you can apprehend your suspects?  What if it starts to take off as you're shooting, are you then endangering the pilot's life without initiation?  Etc.)  I do know that if anyone dies, it would be RDM (see here) but your question might be better asked in the Asylum Rules FAQ.
However, do consider that as whitelisted members, we are held to higher standards.  Even though you might be able to get away with skirting the edges of the rules, it's usually better to set a good example and go the extra mile to initiate, even if you lower your chance of surviving that situation. 
From the Guidebook: "Remember: it is always better for one criminal to get away than for officers to overstep their bounds and violate the rights of the citizens of Altis."

Initiation is almost always an admin issue not an APD issue, however I have heard from admins that you are allowed to shoot only the tires (i.e. not the occupants of the vehicle) without initiation (see Olio's comment here and Sneaky's here.)  I have not heard if the Captains feels differently about that rule (though they could, in theory, impose further rules about initiation for cops only.)
I'm going to refrain from making any calls about helicopters since it is a grey area and since it treads on admin/initiation territory.  (If the heli is landed, is disabling the heli really the only way you can apprehend your suspects?  What if it starts to take off as you're shooting, are you then endangering the pilot's life without initiation?  Etc.)  I do know that if anyone dies, it would be RDM (see here) but your question might be better asked in the Asylum Rules FAQ.
However, do consider that as whitelisted members, we are held to higher standards.  Even though you might be able to get away with skirting the edges of the rules, it's usually better to set a good example and go the extra mile to initiate, even if you lower your chance of surviving that situation. 
From the Guidebook: "Remember: it is always better for one criminal to get away than for officers to overstep their bounds and violate the rights of the citizens of Altis."

Yes, cops are allowed to camp any of these 3 areas as they see fit, however we advise not to do this for too long if there are civs in need of help or cities in need of staffing.  It's fine to wait there and get a tactical advantage if you think a robbery or prison break is incoming, but don't neglect your other duties for too long.
The Guidebook says in section 1.33, officers are not allowed to camp any of the illegal areas, however the Prison/Bank/Fed are only considered illegal areas when there is an active robbery or prison break occurring.

Initiation is almost always an admin issue not an APD issue, however I have heard from admins that you are allowed to shoot only the tires (i.e. not the occupants of the vehicle) without initiation (see Olio's comment here and Sneaky's here.)  I have not heard if the Captains feels differently about that rule (though they could, in theory, impose further rules about initiation for cops only.)
I'm going to refrain from making any calls about helicopters since it is a grey area and since it treads on admin/initiation territory.  (If the heli is landed, is disabling the heli really the only way you can apprehend your suspects?  What if it starts to take off as you're shooting, are you then endangering the pilot's life without initiation?  Etc.)  I do know that if anyone dies, it would be RDM (see here) but your question might be better asked in the Asylum Rules FAQ.
However, do consider that as whitelisted members, we are held to higher standards.  Even though you might be able to get away with skirting the edges of the rules, it's usually better to set a good example and go the extra mile to initiate, even if you lower your chance of surviving that situation. 
From the Guidebook: "Remember: it is always better for one criminal to get away than for officers to overstep their bounds and violate the rights of the citizens of Altis."

Initiation is almost always an admin issue not an APD issue, however I have heard from admins that you are allowed to shoot only the tires (i.e. not the occupants of the vehicle) without initiation (see Olio's comment here and Sneaky's here.)  I have not heard if the Captains feels differently about that rule (though they could, in theory, impose further rules about initiation for cops only.)
I'm going to refrain from making any calls about helicopters since it is a grey area and since it treads on admin/initiation territory.  (If the heli is landed, is disabling the heli really the only way you can apprehend your suspects?  What if it starts to take off as you're shooting, are you then endangering the pilot's life without initiation?  Etc.)  I do know that if anyone dies, it would be RDM (see here) but your question might be better asked in the Asylum Rules FAQ.
However, do consider that as whitelisted members, we are held to higher standards.  Even though you might be able to get away with skirting the edges of the rules, it's usually better to set a good example and go the extra mile to initiate, even if you lower your chance of surviving that situation. 
From the Guidebook: "Remember: it is always better for one criminal to get away than for officers to overstep their bounds and violate the rights of the citizens of Altis."

It's been a wild few years.
I'm not going to create a huge goodbye post, because i'll still technically be in the community, so this is more of a notification that the story of Boris has had it's final chapter.
To put it shortly, i'm currently facing some lovely physical and mental health issues and any half measures i've tried haven't worked.
To that end, i'm letting go of the virtual world and trying to focus on the physical one. That includes putting my PC into storage at the end of this month and not taking it out till things are good.
I'll be around on the forums sometimes, and i'll sign into steam every now and then, but for the most part, don't expect to see me in TS or any games for the rest of the year at least.
It's painful to have to leave Asylum after getting mod, and after working so hard for it, but truthfully, I need to do this or I might not be around to enjoy admin anyway.
And as such, the tale of Boris ends here.

The officer is allowed to search you since the guidebook says "Cocaine processing – Range: In a 300m radius around the processor" regarding probable cause.
The policy used to say that the civilian had to be in the immediate area around the processor (roughly less than a block) to gain probable cause.  But yes, in your situation, "common sense" would dictate that searching you would be wrong and would be a dick move.

Charges like attempted, evading, discharge in city etc. The courthouse doesn't clear you from crimes like that. 

Wait a minute... no one trying to offend you by posting kneepads.jpg or asking if it's promo time again?
Things have changed...