Smiling River

I've kind of been working IC'ly on the 'sister linkshell' thing for a while now, as well as a server wide RP storyline, involving all/most leaders of each LS meeting to kick it off. I have a lot of strong arguments against merging linkshells, for example, less fun, more drama- due to to lack of cohesion in RP style/preferences... but I just wanted to toss this in there. All such things must start IC, otherwise it's metagaming aint it? I don't think anyone should be forced to do anything they wouldn't want to do, IC and OOC. If you agree with the idea of dismembering linkshells, start with your own. Personally I am doing fine, almost too much RP for me and mine... so I guess I don't really feel the pinch which prompted this. That said, as I stated above I've kind of been pecking away at unifying things from IC. I may elaborate later, dead tired. Sorry if things are not explained well.

Hey you might remember me from AETHER back in the day, I played Mason Lermontov. Or maybe not. Nonetheless, welcome the the community~

One of the problems with the current system is itâs self-ranked. Meaning a shell can classify itself whatever it wants. I am not sure how to get around that but Iâve been in linkshells before where the classification seemed off. I am sure that each LS has reasons for picking âheavyâ in this instance, but I wonder if the RP content is consistent within that category. Maybe we just do away with the classification all together and just list as much info as is available about each shell? Or maybe go by % OOC generally over the pearl(s)? I am not sure how this would work since the 2 pearl thing really messes things up⦠since I can see people claiming that they do RP while there is a lot of chatter in the OOC shell at the same time, so they essentially manage both IC and OOC at once. Personally I donât understand how thatâs possible, but maybe itâs just me. Another idea is to break up the heavy category into OOC pearl and not. Maybe some info about how often the OOC pearl is used⦠because I personally would consider a LS on the lighter side if there is tons of OOC convos but very few IC ones, but the IC ones are technically âheavy.â Food for thought.

Hit our half-year mark just recently. Still going strong! Visit us :afro:

Welcome to the RP community. Try get one of those "intermission" pearls I hear it's a good way to find random RP.

Well in that case, [glow=red]MEGA WELCOME[/glow] Send me a PM or a tell in game and we can chat about that!

*nosebleed* Welcome to the Roleplaying community on Balmung.

So far the only buggy thing I noticed, and you may know this, is that when I hit 'delete' on a post, it throws me to a weird page, with a single line of code on it. I have to 'refresh', it brings up a box, hit 'continue' and then check if it's deleted. Any other way, and it wont be, but that seems to do the trick, but it's a process.

Welcome back to the game and the RP community!

Awesome Happy to meet some new RPers and a cool LS to boot. I and possibly some members of the Everwatch will be there ^^

Weeelcoooome

(Reminder that this is indeed tonight!)

Welcome to the community! Look out for me (Oskar Helvig) if you want to join an OOC server-wide LS. Good way to get in touch with other RPers and groups!

Alright, it's been a busy week but we've updated the application process because of your responses in this thread. We've decided to take the "review" portion of the application into a private forum after we receive in initial app. The application itself expanded to include the questions we typically ask anyway afterwards, and the entire process will be more of a discussion on points of interest rather than a Q&A. We may still have some questions/concerns/misunderstandings about the application, but since we donât wish to approach them in the way of forum Q&A, an OOC interview may take place. This can be done over mumble/vent, forum chatroom, or in-game â up to the applicant! I think that covers all of the most recent changes. Please continue to submit your thoughts, as we are looking to take a proactive role in the community, and see ourselves through anotherâs eyes in order to better the Everwatch!

Heya and welcome

Woot! Welcome to the community Feel free to join our OOC LS for every RP'er on the server. Contact me for an invite (Oskar Helvig), it's a good tool to get in touch with fellow RPers! :magic:

Welcome to the RP community! If you haven't already, pick up a server-wide OOC pearl for all RPers! I don't think you included your full character name, so feel free to look me up for a pearl invite ^^ (Oskar Helvig). Enjoy your stay

Welcome to the community! The bad part about Ul'dah being a hotspot for RP is that, it's also a hotspot for everything else... which can damage immersion. Personally I do most of my RP with a number of folks in Gridania, it's nice and peaceful. If you ever find yourself in The Nest (Gridanian Grand Company HQ) look out for us~. Comedic and into heavy RP is indeed a great combination, as most comedic characters are more casual with the RP. Contact me (Oskar Helvig) for an OOC pearl if you still need one!

Since a bunch of people have brought it up, we're currently internally discussing altering the application process based on the views expressed in this thread. Thank you all for taking time to type out such thoughtful responses, it's exactly what we need, and please keep them coming. So as to not overly clarify things I'll just use a list! Remember, just as your view is from the outside, mine is from the epicenter, and can be as one-sided, so do not take my word for it - if you're interested in RPing with us, don't be afraid to reach out, chat OOC'ly... we're actually pretty nice. [*] Not elitist in a sense that we look down on others, or tell other LS how to play - but we know what we like, and strive for that with our RP and Linkshell in general. [*] Events /can/ be sort of similar, and I've been trying to vary them. We ask that every member creates events of their own so, hopefully that issue will soon work itself out. Although, I've always found it really entertaining myself, and never 'oh this meditation again!? Bleh.' - I'd like to think we have some events that are 'regular' and others as 'one time only'. [*] Journals shall not be judged as primary source of RP! We're in a time of war, on which we are at a losing end (*sense of urgency, go!*), and Everwatch band of mercs in a young age bracket... romantic feelings happen, to deny it would be to RP unrealistically. However, while it may drive some interaction between characters, this is by far not the heart of the shell. Pun intended. [*] Militaristic - seems to be a completely opposite view of us all being totally into eachother! Weird huh, how both of these cannot possibly be true at the same time. Anyway, yes, there is a bit of that... but you know, it's a merc company not a tea house. [*] ERP - man, I'ma come out and say it, slander is what that is. As a shell we've a rule against it, so no one does anything openly or publicly in anyway, nor have there been instances, even. There is no way to enforce this rule in private chats though, nor would I have time for that... so honestly if I don't know, I don't care. I think most Linkshells feel the same way. But, I must say that I really really thank you for speaking up about it! That post in general made me so happy and yet so sad.[/list:u] I'll update ya'll on the app change, should it happen. Until then, if you keep posting, I'll keep reading! :study:

First of all, I think the main issue here is miscommunication, as you seem to think I am saying things I actually am not. I am not sure if itâs my lack of clarity, or you reading things in my response that arenât there. Either way, I think if we can actually get on the same page, weâd have a lot less perceivable differences between us. I have never once mentioned that there /are/ fixed rules for everyone. What I said was, that if you have an opinion, I donât think you can simply give up there. âI like RP in tavens! I think thatâs the best type of RP!â â for example. Thatâs nice, but what are the /reasons/ behind that? Is that opinion ârightâ? Well, for the person, maybe⦠but if that person is making a claim, they ought to defend it with evidence or good arguments for it. Now, a second personâs opinion can be, âNo, I think RP in wild areas is better.â â also purely a preference, yet, since those two clash, how do you settle the difference. Well, one way is person A states why the think their opinion has validity, person B states why theirs does, and the one whose claims hold more water is ârightâ. Now, Person A may still love tavern RP more, their feelings on it may not change, they may simply not be interested in anything else, but their belief that âTavern RP is bestâ would be seen as invalid, given the example. Is that any more/less clear? I acknowledge opinions, but thatâs only where I start, and it seems that is the place where you end. I think without first clarifying what we mean by ârightâ and âwrongâ itâs a bit pointless to have this conversation, as weâre talking about different things. For instance, no way am I saying that there is a âstandardâ way to RP for everyone, or that everyone should RP in a certain way. All I can try to do is make an observation, and state why the way I see something is accurate. At some point it just comes down to oneâs acceptance of the case or rejection of it. I mean, even if I make the best possible case as to why /say should be used instead of /party for RP, for instance, at the end of the day itâs on you to take it or leave it. But, about what you said on lore. Honestly, I've had plenty of fun with the little lore they've offered, because my fun in RP doesn't rely so much on lore as it does on the characters, and character development. The lore can be change completely, but for my money it's how the character changes with/against it. I also think that I RP with a bunch of creative folks who do not need to step outside the bounds much to get the most juice out of what we know and can safely assume. Don't paint me in the wrong light though, I am not against adding lore which isn't there, all I said was that you have to be very careful, because SE lore may contradict you later on. I did not say that we have to be so bland and just confine ourselves to purely what is in the text w/o making any assumptions or leaps of creativity. Those types you mentioned are extremes, so let's not try to corner each other into them.

(Yo Eva why you so judgmental?! Also, my character has no interest in fashion but is very political, on the far liberal side (based on the setting) so please let me know how to get involved if at all.)

Agreed with ya on the later part of what you said, but the earlier seems off to me, primarily because while we are aware that certain aspects of the game will be released, we know little/nothing about them at the moment. Thus a character portraying an unknown 'thing' that wasn't released may misrepresent it, or RP it differently than when it actually is and the real lore comes out. There are ways to bypass this as well, but this point stands. And as far as 'right' and 'wrong' goes, and I wasn't referring strictly to RP, I see as "there is no right and wrong - just opinions" as a lazy cop out of actually defending your views against opposing ideas. It feels comfy to believe that, it does, but don't go around saying it around the Philosophy department.

Very thoughtful post. I often think about similar but a bit more specific topics and wish to post up academic style essays on why a certain part of RP should be this or that way, but of course I never have time. Pretty psyched to yap about them though on an RP podcast, I think that'll be a good way for me! Anyway! I thought most people were aware of this, at least in the general sense that you portray types of RPers. I thought the examples were interesting though, as they showed some bias on your part, especially the one about meta-emotes. I am simply not confident in the IC/OOC barrier of other people at the moment to even attempt such things. That and, I wouldn't anyway because they spoil it for me. If your frown, I am still curious as to why, but if you frown and tell me the thought, I already know. Will that effect my character? Hopefully not, but it may subtly. Will it effect how much fun I am having? Yes, in a negative way. That's why I don't have a problem with telling people that they shouldn't meta-emote. If you don't want to take my advice? Fine, that's cool, but I will likely not have as much fun OOC'ly and move on from RPing with you eventually. I also believe there are some hard "right" and "wrongs" here, and just in life in general. It's hard to detach from your own personal preference and look at the arguments put forth for both sides of w/e issue after a debate, and admit to one side having a stronger case than the other, and thus is right. It is especially hard in such debates since ones ego gets in the way of admitting that a side you might have not agreed with before actually is the right one. I think people do change their minds on things eventually though, that's how society moves forward with ideas, the zeitgeist always moves in one direction, nothing simply lingers in the middle ground as it would if there was no "wrong" or "right". All of this is to say, YOU ARE SO WRONG ABOUT DAT! Seriously, very cool post. Need more of these.

The following notice is posted in Gridania. [align=center]Guided Meditation[/align] Everwatch is hosting a free guided meditation session on the 21st Sun, 23rd bell outside the Stillgade Fane near Nophica's Altar. Calm the body and soothe the mind in these troubling times along with fellow countrymen and women. The meditation will be lead by Oskar Helvig and take approximately a bell. [align=center]Sign up below to reserve a spot! __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________[/align] (OOC note: [spoil]Tonight, 3/21/12 @ 11pm EST outside the CNJ guild[/spoil]

Locking to due Gospel's request. I am sure this is pointless to say, since those who think it already will not stop doing so because of these words, but I am trying to stay out of all sides of this... incident or whatever you call it. Just trying to keep the peace, and also not silence critique if it's legit and not simply finger pointing. If you /do/ wish to say more on the topic, please start a new thread.