(10-12-2013, 06:01 PM)FreelanceWizard Wrote:(10-12-2013, 05:36 PM)Faye Wrote: Sadly, I don't really know what can be done about it, but I don't see it as a reason to abstain from playing characters who are nobility or otherwise in positions of power.
Putting aside the other game for the moment, in most MMOs (including XIV), the problem is that you're asserting authority over another player's character and story without requesting their consent. For a lot of players, that's tantamount to godmoding, and it's no surprise to me that the reaction would be icy. It's similar to the problem of "player-run towns" -- a lot of RPers take the standpoint of, "Who gave you the right to tell me what I can and can't do? I didn't agree to that!" They don't recognize the authority because they don't feel it's appropriate or fair for you, as a player, to assert it in the first place. From an etiquette perspective, IMO, playing a character that asserts authority over other PCs without their consent is never a good idea.
As for nobility in general, I think the usual complaint is that it's often abused by those who want to demand respect and power IC without playing a character that would earn it; as such, it's gotten a bad reputation as a cheap Sue-ish trope at this point. That, I think, is the core of why most characters brush it off -- that, and you have no way to apply IC consequences to a random player who ignores it; your only only option is to walk away from the RP.
None of that is to say that noble concepts can't work, though. Usually, they work best if restricted to a group of like-minded (and consenting) players. Outside of that group, the concept needs to be set up so that it doesn't step on other players' toes. For instance, the house may be disgraced or otherwise cast down (which gives you a reason to adventure, too); it doesn't have any real power other than money and reputation (which would be the common case in XIV, which largely isn't feudal); it's in charge of an area that's "off the map" and so its authority doesn't apply to other PCs; etc.
I think you've... missed the point? No one here has said anything about ruling cities and I should hope that won't come up, because that's really silly. No one, myself or otherwise, has stated that our characters of nobility have been giving anyone orders, or expecting other characters to actually follow any such orders. Aside from her guild members ranking under her and her employees, my character, both in this game and in that previous MMO I mentioned, has never given anyone else orders. Â It's not "asserting authority," it's expecting others to have the decency to respect how you've made your character. If you met the President walking down the street, you may not obey what he says to you (though chances are, he won't be giving you any orders, much like the noble characters in question here), but I think you would at least stop and say, "Oh, wow... was that really the President?"
Giving a character political strength is no different than giving a character physical strength. If someone tells me his character is physically strong, I don't say, "Oh, your character is strong? Are you implying he's stronger than my character!? Are you implying he can force my character to do things!? God-modder! Power-player!!" Why? Because that's ridiculous. So why do the same thing when it comes to political and social influence? Someone giving their character a strength does not mean they think their character is stronger than yours in that aspect or in general, or that they intend to use that strength to lord over other characters. It's just an aspect of their character, and one that's polite to acknowledge should it ever come up IC.
![[Image: NCtCate.png]](http://i.imgur.com/NCtCate.png)
