Hydaelyn Role-Players
Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? (/showthread.php?tid=20160)

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RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - V'aleera - 07-20-2017

(07-20-2017, 06:37 PM)Meena Wrote: But should you have to ask to join something.

"Have to" doesn't really have anything to do with it. Ultimately no matter you do you will be "asking" to join someone else's RP; it is your choice to attempt to do so through IC or OOC channels.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - QalliFlower - 07-20-2017

(07-20-2017, 06:37 PM)Meena Wrote: But should you have to ask to join something. You aren't, by joining in forcing their character to do anything. You are simply approaching something else in the living world as another organism in said living world. 

Obviously asking can help but it really shouldn't be applicable if your search info reads "walk ups welcome"

Of coulrse you don't have to.  There are very few things any of us have to do in terms of interaction.  However, any one of us could come up with a list of things we can do that make things go more smoothly.

If someone is concerned about an OOC snag, they can make OOC contact.  If they're not concerned?  No real need for the precaution.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - LiadansWhisper - 07-21-2017

I've always been of the opinion that if the RP is going on in an obviously public space (next to the bar in the Hostelry, in the middle of an obviously busy street, in the Quicksand, etc), then it's fair game.

The only time I honestly think permission should be asked is if you intend to initiate conflict RP, since a lot of people react to that really badly when it comes to walk-ups (and, frankly, a lot of people handle it badly in the first place).

But, then again, I came from a platform that had really immersive RP worlds where everywhere was IC all the time and people eavesdropped, etc, on a regular basis.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Kilieit - 07-21-2017

(07-21-2017, 01:14 AM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: The only time I honestly think permission should be asked is if you intend to initiate conflict RP, since a lot of people react to that really badly when it comes to walk-ups (and, frankly, a lot of people handle it badly in the first place).

Basically this - it's in everyone's interests to pop them a quick tell if your character's actions are reasonably going to cause an argument or a fight. They get a heads-up that the tone of their RP is going to be changing... and you get to gauge whether they're going to be pissy about it and make it un-fun for everyone, or if they're going to be cool.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Enla - 07-21-2017

(07-21-2017, 03:11 AM)Kilieit Wrote:
(07-21-2017, 01:14 AM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: The only time I honestly think permission should be asked is if you intend to initiate conflict RP, since a lot of people react to that really badly when it comes to walk-ups (and, frankly, a lot of people handle it badly in the first place).

Basically this - it's in everyone's interests to pop them a quick tell if your character's actions are reasonably going to cause an argument or a fight. They get a heads-up that the tone of their RP is going to be changing... and you get to gauge whether they're going to be pissy about it and make it un-fun for everyone, or if they're going to be cool.

I'm going to third this as well. Not only is it common courtesy but it also can potentially resolve any potential sticky situations before they arise. You can tell a lot about how someone is going to take their characters being pushed in a certain direction simply by asking them for permission ahead of time. If they put caveats you aren't comfortable with or vice versa, best not to even engage at all.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Kieron Lohengrin - 07-21-2017

(07-20-2017, 05:06 PM)Meena Wrote: From my witnessing of public scenes, I personally am of the belief that anything you say and do in public should be held accountable against your character. As, it is publicly witnessable by multiple sources. However this becomes an issue for people who don't want thier 'bubble' pupped. And, creates a further issue where punishment for illegal actions (like, actual illegal actions - stealing, murder, solicitation etc) becomes negligible to the point of comedy.

ohey i recognize your name. thanks for the fc offer yesterday, was very kind Big Grin

on topic: i agree that actions should have consequences, but as others have mentioned not all rpers have the same improv skill / maturity level. some will forget to turn their rp tag on/off, some will have no search info, some just want to be edgelords, and some will just be plain tired irl and subsequently inattentive.

i wouldn't hold it against them; between duty finder and ui elements and whatnot, the game has around half a dozen distracting aspects at any given moment. on the other hand, some of my most enjoyable long-term rp and friendships have come from complete strangers marching up to my character, bold as brass, and chatting him up out of the blue.

sending a /tell beforehand can help, as well as messaging someone out of game to plan little encounter scenes, whether ingame or through forum posts. these days i just read lots of backstory tumblrs/wikis from signature links and make a mental note of who has interesting characters, in case we ever run into each other being ic, like at an event or somesuch.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Saravahn - 07-21-2017

(07-20-2017, 06:25 PM)ExAtomos Wrote: Way I see it... if you are using /s, your RP is fair game for anyone within earshot. If you don't want your RP interfered with, that's what /p is for. (I follow this rule myself.) If someone is blatantly (and egregiously) breaking lore in public chat, I'll just quietly put them on blacklist.

This. Really doesn't have a simpler answer.

If you're in public, in public channels, your RP is fair game. Those that lurk and don't make their presence known ICly or OOCly just need to be dealt with when the issue arises.

The only part I disagree with (on a personal level) is the use of /p. I, personally, only use that for RP over long ranges (such as combat that takes place in two spots just out of /s and /em range) or if it's requested by whatever group I am RPing with at a large public event ( even then I just try to find a quieter place if possible).

Whispers are nice and all, but wholly unnecessary if RPing out in the open. If you want private, undisturbed, specially set up RP that isn't otherwise represented in game take it to private chats, discord, forums, etc. or be prepared to describe the situation (so that they may join) to any passersby that come along.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - SicketySix - 07-21-2017

The answer for myself is pretty simple really: Because I don't want to RP in /p or /t but I also don't want my RP ruined by shitty, god modding, WoL characters.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Gegenji - 07-21-2017

We had a pretty in-depth conversation on this whole thing in the chat but, I figure it's worth it to put my opinion on the matter here. Buckle in, it's probably going to be lengthy given my penchant for rambling. Blush

The main crux of this argument is, from my understanding of the chat conversation, the concept of a "fully immersive RP environment." A situation that you can see and interact with any RP situation that is openly set in front of you. You see someone having a drink at the bar, you join them. You overhear a dastardly plot, you jump in to help/interrupt it! The entire RP world is your oyster to partake in.

While that's still technically true, it's also not the whole truth. Especially with a community as large as Balmung (and even among smaller communities), people are going to have personal preferences on what they want to RP and what sorts of situations they're willing to RP with. A good example of this is just to ask yourself and those you know what type of characters they're playing.

Are they playing a Warrior of Light? Are they playing some gritty, down-on-their-luck street urchin? Are they playing an ancient Allagan bioweapon who has accidentally reawakened and somehow has a penchant for hanging out in bars? Someone RPing as a major NPC? A traveler from another world - such as FFXI or another setting entirely?

Next question: how would your (or their) character react to any of the characters above? Especially ones that are outside the realm of play that you/they are comfortable with entertaining. Would you ignore them? Or would you engage them and simply assume that their character was crazy or a liar? Now, turn that on its head - what if you were RPing with someone who did the same to you, waving off your character's claims because they were "unbelievable" to that player?

Is one way of play really wrong compared to the other? If so, where is this hard-written rule of How One Must RP? Or is it simply more of you trying to enforce the type of RP you're comfortable with and/or want to see? Because, technically, the beauty of RP - and storytelling in general - is that there aren't set rules like that. You can technically tell any sort of tale you want with whatever characters you want.

Sure, people can cite common RP no-nos - no power-gaming, no meta-gaming, no lore-breaking - but these are all, in truth, simply more concessions in order to get along with other RPers and try to make it a more fun experience for everyone. If you play One Punch Man Comes to Eorzea and take out everyone effortlessly, there's no RP Police that's coming to bust down your door and arrest you. The worst that will happen is that you may find difficulty in finding someone willing to RP with you.

But that - I believe - is the beauty of a massive RP population like on Balmung (and why it remained the go-to up until SE straight up kept people from getting onto it anymore): there are so many RPers that even your One Punch Man could find a group willing to RP with them - though it might take some time and effort some may not be willing to put into it. However, toning such things down and following more of the RP "guidelines" simply means more chances to find someone willing to "accept" and play with your character.

That's generally what that popular, somewhat passive-aggressive statement so prevalent here on the RPC stands for: "You can RP what you want, but people might not RP with you." Translated, to me, it means: "It's not something I want to RP with." And, shockingly, that's okay. You don't have to make a character that pleases anyone - simply one that makes you happy and, hopefully, amongst all the masses you can find others with similar mindsets.

A bit tangential, but it circles back to the point at hand. You have all these differing styles and levels of "power" and preferences and goals going on independent of one another. So what happens when these different circles interact? Such as in the situations raised - that of coming across someone in public RP?

You find two thieves openly bragging amongst themselves that they just robbed and murdered some wealthy merchant. Something must be done, right? Well... you would think, but! Keep in mind that the only person whose RP you have any control of (and really, any right to control if you want to think about it) is your own. You cannot and will not have the authority to tell others how they "should" RP, you can simply enforce your preferences by RPing with those of like minds.

If you just step in and seek to enforce your RP will on these two braggarts... is it technically any worse than someone claiming to be the love child of Shiva and Bahamut trying to force you to accept their style of RP? An exaggeration, perhaps, but at its simplest it's the same concept: their RP doesn't mesh with your RP. And that's okay - again, the beauty of large RP groups is that you're not forced to RP with these people! You can go find something else.

But maybe these thieves WANT to be stopped, maybe they're doing this BECAUSE they want someone into interact. That's certainly a possibility. However, since it is not a KNOWN thing, the oft-suggested idea of "asking first" is paramount. Send them a tell, see if they're willing to have you to step in. After all, this is you seeking to impose on THEIR RP - whether it's in a tucked away location or the middle of a populated city. They are under no more compulsion to accept your addition to the scene than you are to accept Shivhamut or One Punch Man waltzing into YOUR RP scene.

Maybe it'll work out - they'll agree to have you jump in and the result could be an engaging experience! Or maybe (if, for example, their goal for their RP is to have a power fantasy of having the always successful, smug thief type who always gets away and always has a quick, witty quip) they'll end up forcing a situation where they get away anyway, rendering your efforts moot. Or maybe your character will end up in a power bracket beyond theirs and it quickly turns into an OOC argument on how your character is power-gaming theirs. Or they could just let you know that they're not wanting any intervention - be it because they're "technically elsewhere", it's part of a closed-circuit RP, or they just don't want someone else coming in and potentially "ruining" their scene. Or they just ignore you and you move on.

Sure, in the latter cases, folks have said that this sort of situation could be circumvented by the people just having their RP in party chat or other closed-circuit environment. But, again, they're under no obligation to do so - just as you aren't. Maybe they think party chat is for OOC stuff - maybe they like using emote actions, which can't be done in party? It's simply more of a concession to the "benefit" of others, not a hard-written rule that must be followed.

So, what can you do? Well, technically, you can still do whatever you want. You can seek to interact with them - but they're not obligated to accept you or what you want to do with the scene. You can seek to let them know OOCly what you feel they "should" be doing - but, again, they aren't obligated to follow your advice. Or you can go find RPers more suited to your preference of play amongst all the many others on the server and let them do their own thing. Worse thing I can see in that case is they could come posting about how no one wants to RP with them. Tonberry

Ultimately, the choice is yours. And theirs. And everyone else's.

Or something like that. I'm sure I lost track of what I was saying and trying to convey at some point during this wall of text. Maybe there'll still be something worth gleaning out of it. Blush


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Aegir - 07-21-2017

I like RPing in public and I like seeing other people RP in public. My only problem is that I have the bad luck of passer-bys tending to take an interest in an RP I'm in when we're like 5-10 mins from finishing. Then I feel bad.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Virella - 07-21-2017

Okay guys. You can all ERP in party chat, because that's private, you don't want people to see it, nor do you have any desire of other people walking in that for a myriad of reasons.

Maybe apply that logic too to any roleplay you don't want other people to see?

It's that simple.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Zhavi - 07-21-2017

(07-21-2017, 10:15 AM)Virella Wrote: Okay guys. You can all ERP in party chat, because that's private, you don't want people to see it, nor do you have any desire of other people walking in that for a myriad of reasons.

Maybe apply that logic too to any roleplay you don't want other people to see?

It's that simple.

Not necessarily.

What if you want it to be seen and responded to, but you just want to sorta give someone an ooc rundown of the full set of circumstances before they jump in? Or, as I said in my other post, what if you want people to see the rp and approach you about it, but that particular rp was supposed to be a little harder for people to just outright join in on? What if you're just an attention whore and want people to read your rp because you just like people hanging out reading your rp because it makes you feel all super special, but don't actually want interruptions?



(also, it occurs to me that this is a bizarre twist on the usual issue of 'why is no one rping in public channels?' and 'why can't I get anyone to initiate walkup rp with my character?' IS IT CHANGING? )


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Gegenji - 07-21-2017

(07-21-2017, 10:15 AM)Virella Wrote: Okay guys. You can all ERP in party chat, because that's private, you don't want people to see it, nor do you have any desire of other people walking in that for a myriad of reasons.

Maybe apply that logic too to any roleplay you don't want other people to see?

It's that simple.

ERP has a massive stigma to it, though. It's something "everyone" says should be hidden. And I'm pretty sure if you were publicly ERPing in /say and /em, you would get reported and get in trouble.

Your regular RP... doesn't have that same sort of consequence. If someone is doing their personal RP in /say and you don't like it, they're not really going to get in trouble. So it's not quite the same thing, there isn't the same level of gravitas there as compared to ERP.


... Also, I thought of something after I had already written that wall of a post above. Another situation where someone couldn't go to Party Chat. What if they're queued for a dungeon and they're just RPing to kill some time? They CAN'T go to Party Chat because then it'd end their queue.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - ExAtomos - 07-21-2017

I do wish we had some sort of smaller range /say that could be used to show that I'm speaking quietly to someone, but that the RP is still open to others to join in. It would help with chat spam at large events as well, I'm sure.


RE: Roleplaying in Public, but not..in public? - Virella - 07-21-2017

But why would I ever give the OOC rundown, or anyone, for that matter. Their character's weren't there earlier? Let them run into an awkward, wrong moment. It happens in *gasp* real life as well. That's immersion shattering stuff broheim. Sure, I'm glad to go "Oh they have x in their hand, or you can see x" if they step into the scene, but I'm sure that can be emoted out as well.

Like get out with this dumb culture of "ermgerd best not step on people's toes". We're all a bunch of nerds, doing the same nerdy shit. Stop being so shy, so overly polite, so reserved, and so afraid to insult people. 


I've always been an advocate of you don't have to roleplay with people you don't like. Just shoo them off IC, don't seek them out if they don't approach you. Simple as that. Like is that heartbreaking to just tell someone IC "Not now." Or move away IC. Or just go "Oh, I'm sorry, we're having a private conversation" IC. That's ALSO ROLEPLAY YOU KNOW.

Just because your characters don't want to be interrupted, doesn't mean the player minds it???? Can we drop this attitude that the player is the character??? If Ave shoos someone off, doesn't mean I suddenly hate their guts. They might have just caught her at a wrong day. Jolly gosh, negative interactions are a part of roleplay as well.

Grow some balls and tell people to fuck off IC if you don't want them to be there IC. That's roleplay for you. (Heck, I even did it with the weirdo who was in his slutmog. Even if I didn't agree with a single fucking bit what he was doing. Partly because I had no clue how to make Ave respond onto someone being there, but not really being there, so she just gone "okay friendo" and just left. ITS NOT THAT HARD JESSSSSSSUS)