Activities performed as an antagonist are not considered powergaming.
For non-antagonists, generally it is considered powergaming to get or collect materials or items not relevant to the performance of your role, or to do so in a way that bypasses reasonable interactions with players. Like self-antagging, powergaming has a grey area where there may be some subjectivity, some examples are provided below to attempt to provide more clarity here.
The collection of materials for purposes that you have no IC reason for needing yet, but know you may because of OOC knowledge is sometimes also referred to as powergaming, but can also be described as metagaming. Examples of this are preparing for nukies without an IC reason to believe they’re coming, preparing for the end of the round, or collecting weapons “just in case” someone attacks the station.
Not powergaming:
- Collecting items from maintenance for your role, to build a rage cage, or to give to the clown as a peace offering.
- Asking atmos for an air canister for a shuttle or so that it can be used for self-service jetpack/tank refills.
- Making weapons to defend against a known significant threat.
- Security asking the janitor for galoshes because they’ve been slipped a lot during the round.
Possibly powergaming*:
- Breaking into atmos and stealing an air cansiter without any reasonable attempt to get it by interacting with atmos/engi. - Security getting galoshes roundstart.
- HOP using their access to take things from departments without interacting with the department head.
- Getting weapons because “it’s too quiet”
- Arming yourself roundstart as a non-security role
- Hiding/overly securing antag objectives preemptively.
*Depending on the exact situation, these may need to be done frequently or combined with other “possibly powergaming” things to be considered an issue.