Midian City :: View topic

Wren · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

I just thought I would share some of the things I learned about interaction and etiquette while RPing in Midian. I thought I would put it into a format of a type of NC that I think would really be helpful to new arrivals.

Hierarchy

Take the time to read about the Factions within Midian. They really do exist. Do not assume that an empty Pool Hall means there are no Hounds in Midian. It is possible that you are on at a time when many are offline, or they are out making mischief somewhere else in the city. There is always someone to play with in Midian, whether your a victim or predator. Enjoy yourself, and keep your ears open. There is a storyline running through Midian that included power struggles among the Factions, forbidden romances, fueds. Each is long standing and part of Midian's culture and politics.

Just as you wouldn't get into the politics and culture of an area you moved to in RL right away, don't expect to know and understand the culture and politics of Midian right away. As you play, you will begin to discover the leaders of the Factions and the deeper RP that they and those close to them participate in. Do not expect to just jump in. The players in these roles are not being snobs, they are respecting the integrity of the Midian sim as a whole. NO leader, especially one of a nerfarious and secretive organization, would trust someone coming in off the street with a position of trust and power. It must be earned.

If you have no desire to play in the darker and deeper waters of Midian, that is fine. The average joes and their average troubles greatly enrich the sim as a whole as long as we remember a few basics.

The difference between OOC and IC.

IC= The "in character" actions and reactions of your avatar within the storyline of the sim. Remember, just like in RL, you can never assume how someone is going to react to your words and actions. Be sure to phrase your IC posts in a way that allows those around you to react as their character would, not as you assume they will. Make no assumptions, and enjoy the challenge.

OOC= Anything "out of character" from a clarification of a mistyped word or phrase, letting new arrivals to a scene know the basics of what is happening so they can determine whether to join in, watch, or get out of the line of fire, OR, to tease the other players, NOT their characters. This type of posting, especially if a scene is in progress, should be kept to a minimum. Use a OOC (shoot I can't remember what the bloody tool is called) or ((parantheses)) to set all OOC comments apart.

Different Styles of Posting

You will meet all sorts of interesting individuals in Midian, each with their own style of dress, personality, and speech. This is conveyed by how the player outfits their avatar, the descriptive "tags" they use, but most importantly in HOW they post.

Some players like to keep things short and sweet; others to be more descriptive, and frankly some are just slow typers. Be patient and observant. If someone you approach IC doesn't respond right away, wait. They might be a long poster, or just a slower typer. If someone approaches you IC and makes a short post, reply, at least at first, with a short post of your own. If your style is a long post, but everyone in a scene is posting short, try to keep the wordiness of your posting down. AND, even if everyone in a scene is posting long, unless you are a main character in THAT scene, keep your posts to a minimum.

GodModding

Godmodding is an absolute no-no. There are three basic forms of GMing, and all will ultimately lead to you and your character being ignored.

1. The most obvious is creating a character that, first, does not respect the character guidelines of the Midian City sim and/or is indestructible or brings out weapons that could not have been concealed, i.e. a bazooka pulled out of thin air by a character that was only wearing hotpants and a bikini top. You WILL be ignored for such behaviour, and undoubtedly recieve some colorfully deflamatory OOC posts, and quite possibly be banned from the sim.

2. The second is more subtle, though equally offensive. Do NOT post how the other characters react to your characters feelings or actions. You cannot specify where a person gets shot, only where you intend to hit. You cannot say they are terrified of you as much as you may want them to be. And you CANNOT declare someone dead! The fun of RP is in the challenge of reacting with your character to the actions of others, not in dictating what they will think or feel about your character.

3. This one is rarely discussed, but VERY important. Do not GM OOC. It is not your right to tell people what to do. To be clear, OOC posting a warning to a player who happens to wander into a scene where a fight is taking place or there is a locked door is fine and very helpful. But to tell a person how they should be playing their character, or telling them not to play in a certain area because you don't want to have to RP a rescue or a medical emergency is impolite at best. ((this one may best be left out...i know what im talking about but i can see this being misunderstood that any OOC guidance such as posting orders be ignored...so most likely i wouldn't include this in a NC to a newbie...however...i have been OOC GMed by higher level players and if anyone would like me to try to clarify what i mean by this...just let me know))

Conclusion

The characters of Midian all have an element of darkness about them, whether it is something they embrace or fight against, it is why players come here. The motto of the average Midian character is "every man for himself", however, for the players behind the characters, they are decent folk who want the Golden Rule honored, not IC, but in all things OOC.

Be excellent to eachother, even if your characters are stabbing eachother in the back.
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Fortune and Misfortune are one to the strong.