Melkire

Going to second Freelance and Tyndles on this: in absence of any experience with a fellow roleplayer and in absence of any familiarity with them or their character, appearance and level are two big factors, if not the two biggest factors, in making a snap decision or a judgment call on the fly. That's my outlook and I'm not surprised to see that a few others, at least, share it. Put another way: if OoC I know nothing of you or your character, what you're wearing and the level of your avatar are going to be very important in how my character reacts to yours IC.

Add me to the list, please! Tengri Moks a.k.a. Tengri Geneq.

Hoo boy. It's a tribute to one of the most notable monks of the series. http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Yang_Fang_Leiden

Had something similar happen several weeks ago. Highlander male took offense to my little lalafell lass' banter (she may have insulted the size of his... ahem) and hoisted her up by the hair. Cue a challenge to a duel outside the Quicksand. Cue /random rolls and OoC communication in tells and it made for a very fun spectacle. Had a crowd of maybe a dozen watching? Was certainly entertaining. But yes, roleplaying authority can be troublesome at times. We've had a number of topics on that alone over the past few months, years, etc.

Gorgeous. Well done, all of these.

Tanking and liking tanking, in my experience, requires a bizarre blend of control freak and perfectionist mentalities, coupled with a desire to strive to perform under adverse conditions, all of which is married to keen senses of space and rhythm. Oh, and a dose of masochism. The mental process often resembles and/or includes the following thoughts: "This is the ideal aka best way to pull this group, let me see if I can do it." "I want these mobs HERE and I want to be HERE and I want us positioned like THIS." "That ****ing **** of a **** pulled that mob off me, I'd better get it back from his **** ***." "Okay, pop THESE cooldowns, that ought to keep me alive until... ffs healer UGH okay fine so I'll do THIS now....." "Wonderful, we've good AoE dps. Let me do a long pull for a large pack and then try my best to NOT DIE." "Ahahahahahaha I love boss mechanics!" "That guy ran ahead of me and pulled before we were ready. I think I'll let him learn his lesson." "So my party is capable of this much DPS and this much healing, and so-and-so needs special attention because he tends to run into conal AoE so I'd better spin it away from him without spinning the boss TOO much because the other guy is a monk...." And so on.

Just for clarity's sake, might I ask if this is or isn't considering forced GL3 loss during some fights in ARR when a boss jumps? 'cause I sure as hell don't always enjoy what I'd consider consistency. *shakes fist at T9*

I've got a Lalafellin alt who I roleplay as a Brass Blade. I simply have NOT had the time to level her PLD to 50 and grind out AK and WP for the Vermillion set's pieces and the Sipahi Turban. Instead, I stick her in rust red haubergeons and gauntlets and such. It gets even worse with this alt of mine because she's also supposed to be a capable thaumaturge and conjurer, and yet I've barely leveled those classes at ALL compared to PLD. So I understand and sympathize with those in similar situations, even if I raise an eyebrow from time to time with people who haven't leveled the main class/job of their main character. Peer pressure, being what it is, tends to be unavoidable. Folks will inevitably run into social norms/standards/what-have-you that settle into place that arise not through any malicious intent but from individual decisions as to what said individuals want and/or don't want. It's a shitty situation, to be sure. Keeping an open mind helps, of course, but I'd really not care to see folk's preferences laid by the wayside to accommodate other people's preferences because at that point we're still playing favorites, except then we're doing so deliberately. ...I'm intrigued about this perceived "gritty Europhile hyur blood and iron sort of rp" you mentioned. Putting aside my curiosity as to what "Europhile" has to do with anything, are you referring to the distinction between what's commonly referred to as low fantasy and high fantasy? Because that's worth a thread all on its own.

Your preferred PvE class doesn't have to be the same as your preferred RP class (substitute "job" for "class" when applicable). Sure, it helps, but you could easily level DRK to 50 or 60 for glamour purposes, and then play a DPS for your PvE needs. You just won't be guaranteed the drops for use as glamour for your DRK.

I think the question posed by the OP is probably more, "Are there even ports and ships in western Othard that could and would ferry Xaela to Eorzea?" There's no doubt that many Xaela would want to get out from under Imperial rule; the question is not why but how, as in, "how does a Xaela go about getting off Othard and making his way to Eorzea?" The continent of Othard has been under the Empire's control for a long time (approx. 60 years max, as new lore dates the Empire's conception at 1522) so no port under Imperial authority would willingly ferry Au Ra to Eorzea. The Domans got away with it because they rebelled and (presumably) either had their own ships or stole them... but Xaela tribes aren't as unified, and they're nomadic, and not all of them are coastal (many being landlocked in the steppes/deserts by choice), and whether the coastal tribes are capable of seafaring vessels is another question, as is "if not the coastal Xaela, then who?" EDIT: A quick review of the 51 tribes shows that only the Jhungid, the Kharlu, the Mankhad, and the Haragin tribes are coastal, and of these only the Haragin have ever built a seafaring vessel that took them to other lands and that was in legend. There are a number of river tribes that use small boats, but that doesn't qualify as seafaring.

Likewise re: Brass Blades needed for scenes, I've got one (just need to grind to 50 for the outfit grrrrrr). And it should also be noted that there are several cases, particularly in the Ul'dah starter quests, of hardworking, loyal, "for the good of the people" Brass Blades who are not rotten, selfish, or corrupt. Fufulupa and Leofric are notable in this regard.

Brass Blades are basically the cops. Immortal Flames are basically the army. Sultansworn are a strange cross of FBI and Secret Service.

Then I, personally, would be without a few tools that help give me at least some forewarning of what to expect out of individuals I come into contact with.

It's already in FFXIV. It's referred to as "glamor" but accessing and using it requires having a level 50 character.

Welcome to the RPC! Working backwards: 1. I believe "no disposable e-mail addresses" is in place in case staff ever need to reach you for purposes such as password retrieval, etc. Don't quote me on that, though. I'll have to review the exact reason behind it (a.k.a. get in touch with people who know why it was put in place and ask THEM, mwuahahaha) 2. Stage fright sucks, but I've found over the years that the layer of anonymity, however thin at times, helps isolate oneself. In any case, good luck! 3. No, you don't have to speak like NPCs or in "Ye Olde English" if you don't want to. Furthermore, plenty of folks around here and in XIV in general aren't native English speakers! 4. Eva's "Roleplayer's Handbook" is a delightful starting guide. 5. OMG SWTOR :bouncy: That was an excellent introduction. Again, welcome!

The impression that I get from this, and I may be wrong, is that people think I believe being permissive of others rp and being open minded mean accepting any and all character concepts, when in reality I just meant to point out the inconsistency inherent in being "rigidly permissible" of some martial supernatural powers and not others, for the sake of argument. Sorry if that frayed your nerves. It is a pet peeve of mine that people unevenly apply realism to things in a fantasy setting that is inconsistent in its level of grittiness, and I could not help but compare to the hypocricy of the old d&d player who permits his wizard to fly and summon meteors, but disallows the fighter his flaming sword. You're welcome to play with who you want, but I'd hope the new playerbase is judged on creativity and synergy with the setting, rathe than what entertainment motifs or cultural themes a players' concept has that you like or dislike. More so than anything else, I'd hate to see a player be restricted to applying their character'a abilities only in the narrow way the in-game skill set allows First and foremost, the comment I quoted wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular, nor was my intent in quoting it directed at anyone. Secondly: I've roleplayed with many a player whose character was capable of more than the narrow depiction provided by the in-game skill sets. Conjurers capable of redirecting flames and calling down thunder, or else starting a mobile whirlwind with themselves as the center. Arcanists who circumvented the need for grimoires. Paladins who wielded lances with their shields rather than swords. My original contention was that, if someone is going to pick up and use a FFXIV label ICly, then they should be familiar with and cognizant of what that label entails, the extent of capabilities implied by that label, and what capabilities that character may have that falls outside or beyond that label. If I'm playing a pugilist who can also see through walls, I should be mindful that the label "pugilist" as understood and interpreted by most XIV roleplayers isn't going to include "seeing through walls" as a capability, and I should strive to communicate that well in my writing / emoting / etc. Glancing at someone's level when they ICly claim to be a pugilist, or a gladiator, or a thaumaturge is a poor-but-still-useful indicator of how much knowledge I can expect, at a glance, someone to have regarding the class/job they're roleplaying as... assuming they're even bothering with it to begin with, as I've RP'd with folks who roleplayed as class A despite not having it and their avatar showing class B. If I encounter seeing-through-walls pugilist, and that comes out in our interactions, I'm going to glance at their PGL/MNK level to see how far they've progressed. It's a quick check to see whether they've played through the class/job/quests as a gauge of how familiar they might be. If it's lower than expected, or if they don't have very many classes leveled, I might send them tells asking them whether they're new to the game, whether they're familiar with pugilists, and whether this strange capability of their character's is something unique to the character or if they're interpreting "pugilist" differently than I am. If I see the inverse - if MNK is maxed and there's a decent number of classes leveled, which implies familiarity with XIV, its setting, and its lore - then I might just shrug it off and roll with it, or I might still send those tells. I roleplayed with someone within the past few weeks. Prior to HW's release, they wanted to roleplay out a scene in which their character showed off a greatsword. We had that scene without issues. A few days later, they were running an IC dungeon/instance with some friends and I, and politely asked that we pretend that their axe was in fact a greatsword. Again, no issues. Out-of-character communication is important in roleplaying. I use out-of-character accomplishments - levels, classes leveled, jobs acquired, gear worn, titles used, etc. - to try and get a feel for both the player and the character, and that feeling is then used to prompt OoC communication. Or, in the case of Pinkie Pie Miqo'te, I might just walk.

Someone else put it very well, imo. I'm going to quote them anonymously.

Sorry, I should have been more clear: Out of character, I will make fun of and look down on and disrespect Pinkie Pie Miqo'te as a character concept. Partly because it's hilarious, partly because it's not something I care to have to roleplay with. That said, I won't be a dick about it, won't throw that laughter or disrespect into their face or into a public space. I'll either keep it to myself or to a private space. I'll also - because it is my choice, my $15, and my perogative - choose to avoid encountering or interacting with that character. Out of character, I will respect Pinkie Pie Miqo'te's player, their choices, their decision to roleplay said character, because it's their time and entertainment, not mine. I may even get along great with the player in OoC channels, maybe even tells. I just won't roleplay with Pinke Pie Miqo'te. In character, if inadvertently confronted by Pinkie Pie Miqo'te despite my OoC attempts to avoid our characters colliding in narrative, my character will react as my character is wont to. ...this is all ironic in light of the pink Miqo'te child that can be found somewhere in Heavensward's areas. I assure you that my discontent with such a concept is not the color but rather the "I'm a pony from a different setting/universe altogether!" aspect.

...when did being respectful of others' characters become a requirement or a communal expectation? I'm totally down for respecting others' rights to RP what they want, to spend their $15 and make use of it the way they want, etc. ... but to me, that doesn't translate into a necessity to respect someone's character. I'm going to laugh at the interdimensional traveler who is Pinkie Pie from MLP:FiM reincarnated as a Miqo'te and runs around town declaring such. I can't help that. That has to do with my preferences. I won't try to shut them down; it's their time, their money, and their fun. That, I can and will respect, and I'd hope everyone would feel the same. That said? I will quietly remove myself from the vicinity so that I can roleplay in a separate space from them so as to avoid clashing. Conversely, folks can feel free to make fun of my characters and laugh at them / diss them / etc. Hell, at times I roleplay a lore-breaking LOST-smoke-monster zombie. That's absolutely ridiculous and I don't expect anyone to respect that character... but it's there for folks who want to roleplay with it, and I won't force that character on anyone, nor do I ever expect others to be okay with it or accept it or spend time anywhere near it. EDIT: tl;dr, I respect players, I don't necessarily respect each and every character concept. That's just me, though, as a person.

[Admin Hardhat] Moving to "Making Connections" forum. Also, friendly bump! [/Admin Hardhat]

From an aesthetic standpoint while observing the mechanics, most offensive PGL/MNK skills require bodily contact with either the target or the ground. The only exceptions that come to mind are Arm of the Destroyer, Mantra (not offensive anyway), and Elixir Field, the latter of which, yes, looks like a laser beam. As someone who prefers to remain as lore-compliant as possible, I tend to avoid characters who roleplay pugilists shooting laser beams or such. Is the character a skilled monk who's invested months if not years of training into the discipline and come away with the knowledge and skill to do such? Then by all means. If not? Then my character is going to believe that there's more to it, and is going to want to know how the other character is capable of such. Please keep in mind that this is merely my opinion and my preference. Doesn't affect anyone but me and those who interact with my characters. Does this come off as inflexible? Maybe, but that would be a pretty extreme interpretation of my stance on such things, I feel. As always: people should feel free to roleplay what they want to roleplay, and to find like-minded folks who will roleplay alongside them. That doesn't mean everyone's views will line up, nor should it. /shrugs

I'm of the opinion that someone roleplaying a character who has certain skills that more or less borrow from the aesthetic of a class/job and its mechanics has an obligation to at least be familiar and knowledgeable about what said class/job is capable of. Take the difference between pugilists and monks, for instance. There are certain things a pugilist can and cannot do, and the distinction between them and monks is an important one. A pugilist is more or less a martial fighter trained to understand and utilize their body to inflict harm upon other bodies. They're not known for particularly superhuman feats (save Hamon Holyfist, but come on now, it's Hamon Holyfist), which is to say you wouldn't expect them to break rock with their fists, or cross long distances in the blink of an eye, or any other such dazzling displays. You would, however, expect them of monks, and that's largely due to the lore behind them. Furthermore, I'd expect someone playing MNK at level 60 to have a better understanding of what such a character ought to be capable of than, say, a level 25 pugilist who can't even access Greased Lightning III to see how stupendously quick/fast/swift a monk can be. That's tied up in "OoC achievement" : if you've played pugilist up through the level 30 quests, if you've unlocked monk, and if you've played monk up until 50 (or 60 now), then you know what you're talking about when you write for such a character. This won't always matter (generic swordsman characters can more or less ignore GLA/PLD lore and mechanics without detriment) but OoC knowledge, familiarity, and skill do contribute, in my eyes, to how seriously I take someone's character and that character's actions, and to how my character reacts to those. In a way, it comes back to the question of how lore-compliant folks want to be, and how lore compliant they expect their RP partners to be. I, for instance, am not someone to sit there and accept a pugilist throwing a punch through the air that someone translates into a gust of wind that stikes my monk from several malms away. In the first place, Air Render is from an entirely different Final Fantasy title altogether, and just because the lore there supported it doesn't mean that the lore in XIV does. Secondly, according to XIV lore, monks aren't even capable of that... so why should I accept that a pugilist is?

Slight addendum as I accidentally neglected to mention our future plans: We will be looking into implementing server filters for the Events and Directory Boards, a la Linkshell Hall. This should assist both in denoting the major unofficial RP servers and in preventing smaller servers' threads from drifting towards the bottom of the boards as a result of higher activity on Balmung and Gilgamesh. Please note that this is something we're looking into. It may necessitate a change down the line in how server tags operate, or it may not. We'll be working with our technical staff on this (our wizard, dohohoho~) and should have an update soon. :moogle:

[Admin Hardhat] We'll have to get on this, then. I'm not very familiar with the admin controls for the wiki yet, but I'll take a gander. Worst case scenario, we have a wizard do it. ;D [/Admin Hardhat]

[Admin Hardhat] Quick note that the OP did check with staff prior to posting and that this doesn't count as the sort of advertising that this site's rules prohibit. [/Admin Hardhat]