Personally, I think it's the presence of griefers that drives the "people I don't know getting involved is a potential threat" logic, which then leads to accusations of cliquish behavior from new players, which then causes cliquish behavior. This is easily defused by assuming good faith until someone demonstrates otherwise.
To the point about responding to rude behavior, obviously, there's a difference between IC and OOC reactions. If you come up to my character and she's having a shouting match with someone in public, then you try to comfort her, she's probably not going to respond pleasantly IC. OOC, I welcome the addition to the RP, but IC? The reaction will probably be icy. Likewise, jumping into a conversation she's having with people at a table in a tavern may, depending on what's said and how it's approached, get a cool response. However, all of this is IC -- and if my character chews you out IC, you can be sure there'll be an OOC tell coming to apologize for her being such an ass and let you know it's all IC.
The bad RPer is the one who asserts RP in an obviously public location is private, dismisses or gets annoyed OOC with those who attempt to engage there, and attempts to control OOCly who can and cannot RP with them in an obviously public location. That's inconsiderate and poor RP by any standard. Again, in this instance, I'm referring to clearly public locales -- the Adventurers' Guild, the main streets of a city, the Bismark, etc. I'm not referring to locations off the beaten track, player or FC housing, or very secluded locales where there's a possible intent to be private. It is not rude OOC to engage with people RPing in an obviously public location, and you do not have to ask them if it's okay to start RPing with them. They accept the IC consequence of the existence and social interactions of other characters the second they take the IC action of speaking in a public location. (Your character's actions may be rude IC, but ICA=ICC; be prepared to accept a negative response IC.)
That said, my message is simple: It's simply wrong to think it's not okay OOC for people to get involved with your RP in a public place. If you want your RP to be private, don't do it in public.
As a postscript, I'm sure I come off as an angry lunatic here, but the sort of "my scene in the Adventurers' Guild where I cough up blood and my friends come in and help me, but you can't RP a reaction or helping because it's a private scene" behavior, as well as the "oh, I'm going to ignore you because I don't know you're an RPer and, oh, you didn't ask first before talking to me, so even though I'm spouting rhetoric that'd provoke a response from you, I'm going to complain OOC that your responding was rude and invading my scene" behavior, is a massive pet peeve of mine. It splits the community, alienates new players, creates cliques, destroys any semblance of being welcoming, and promotes this strange belief that ICA doesn't equal ICC unless you want it to and it furthers your OOC goals. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that.
We as a community should not accept that.
To the point about responding to rude behavior, obviously, there's a difference between IC and OOC reactions. If you come up to my character and she's having a shouting match with someone in public, then you try to comfort her, she's probably not going to respond pleasantly IC. OOC, I welcome the addition to the RP, but IC? The reaction will probably be icy. Likewise, jumping into a conversation she's having with people at a table in a tavern may, depending on what's said and how it's approached, get a cool response. However, all of this is IC -- and if my character chews you out IC, you can be sure there'll be an OOC tell coming to apologize for her being such an ass and let you know it's all IC.
The bad RPer is the one who asserts RP in an obviously public location is private, dismisses or gets annoyed OOC with those who attempt to engage there, and attempts to control OOCly who can and cannot RP with them in an obviously public location. That's inconsiderate and poor RP by any standard. Again, in this instance, I'm referring to clearly public locales -- the Adventurers' Guild, the main streets of a city, the Bismark, etc. I'm not referring to locations off the beaten track, player or FC housing, or very secluded locales where there's a possible intent to be private. It is not rude OOC to engage with people RPing in an obviously public location, and you do not have to ask them if it's okay to start RPing with them. They accept the IC consequence of the existence and social interactions of other characters the second they take the IC action of speaking in a public location. (Your character's actions may be rude IC, but ICA=ICC; be prepared to accept a negative response IC.)
That said, my message is simple: It's simply wrong to think it's not okay OOC for people to get involved with your RP in a public place. If you want your RP to be private, don't do it in public.
As a postscript, I'm sure I come off as an angry lunatic here, but the sort of "my scene in the Adventurers' Guild where I cough up blood and my friends come in and help me, but you can't RP a reaction or helping because it's a private scene" behavior, as well as the "oh, I'm going to ignore you because I don't know you're an RPer and, oh, you didn't ask first before talking to me, so even though I'm spouting rhetoric that'd provoke a response from you, I'm going to complain OOC that your responding was rude and invading my scene" behavior, is a massive pet peeve of mine. It splits the community, alienates new players, creates cliques, destroys any semblance of being welcoming, and promotes this strange belief that ICA doesn't equal ICC unless you want it to and it furthers your OOC goals. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that.
We as a community should not accept that.
The Freelance Wizard
Quality RP at low, low prices!
((about me | about L'yhta Mahre | L'yhta's desk | about Mysterium, the Ivory Tower: a heavy RP society of mages))
Quality RP at low, low prices!
((about me | about L'yhta Mahre | L'yhta's desk | about Mysterium, the Ivory Tower: a heavy RP society of mages))
