Metagaming (Vote)

[Kylin]

Poll open for 7 days. Choose one of the options below (or neither if you don't like either option).

 

Metagaming (OPTION 1)

 

Meta-gaming is a character knowing something IC that clearly could not be known outside of an OOC source. This often happens when an RPer writes an IC Journal or a story of something their character did alone for the group to read but never intended it to be OOC knowledge.

 

For example:

 

UnfortunateGuy (UG) is always kind to AbsurdlyPowerfulMan (APM) IC.

APM thinks UG is their friend IC.

UG writes in their character's IC private journal he in reality hates APM.

APM reads this OOC and IC starts saying UG hates them though UG is still treating them the same way like they like them.

 

 

Metagaming (OPTION 2)

 

Metagaming refers to knowing something OOC and applying it as IC knowledge without any logical explanation. When stories are posted on the forums, they are all considered OOC knowledge unless somehow specified otherwise (such as a newspaper clippings). This applies to other OOC sources as well. Donât use OOC tools to gain IC knowledge.

 

For example:

 

Example1: AbsurdlyPowerfulMan, having never consulted an alchemist or alchemical text in his life, spends the afternoon before the castle raid mixing together a large batch of sulfur and saltpeter. "This oughtta blow a hole in the castle wall!"

 

(Clearly metagaming. Out-of-Character, APM obviously knows how to make gunpowder. But, even assuming that sulfur, saltpeter, and gunpowder even *exist* In-Character, there is no way that APM would know that mixing them together would do anything, much less how much of each ingredient to use.)

 

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Example2: AbsurdlyPowerfulMan, faced with the prospect of raiding an imposing castle, visits the Alchemist's Guild to acquire a few healing draughts. There, he sees an old man demonstrate his new invention, "fire-sand", a black powder that explodes when exposed to fire! Intrigued, AbsurdlyPowerfulMan purchases a large sack of the "fire-sand" from the old man. "This oughtta blow a hole in the castle wall!"

 

(Not metagaming! OOC, APM still knows what gunpowder is, but his *character* doesn't have any idea... until he happens to see the stuff in action at the Alchemist's Guild! Let's hope he has the good sense to stand well clear of any open flames between here and the castle....)

 

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Example3: UnfortunateGuy's player posts on the FFXIV RPC forms a bit of his character's background, including a secret place he has underneath a warehouse in town. Later that day, UnfortunateGuy's character opens the secret door behind the haybales, to find AbsurdlyPowerfulGuy waiting for him, sword at the ready!

 

(Metagaming. The only reason APG's player knows about the secret place is because UG posted on the forums about it! APG's character has no way of knowing about it, much less getting there *ahead* of him to set up an ambush.)

[Eva]

I voted for Option #2 as it was more elaborately outlined, but I think that you should add the example from Option #1 to it as well.

[Aveline]

I agree with Kes, it feels like option one should be merged in to option 2 for well-rounded examples. (Since out-of-game journals tend to be popular, it seems like Option 1 would be a crucial example to have for new players)

[Renaise]

Ive gone with option 1, but I agree they are both valid examples so I think merging the two might be the way to go.

[Nanapariri]

I'm with Kes and Mythis on this.

 

I voted for 2 but I'd like to see my example added to the others as they are all valid and might come up in RP. Its best to cover all the bases.

[Koti Nexus]

I also voted on #2 as well.

Because to me, any OOC Knowledge applied to IC Knowledge is metagaming. A character should never know what you know as the player and it should never be applied.

 

After all, RP is a learning experience for your character and Roleplaying the life of your character is much like roleplaying the real life, just for that character.

If that makes any sense at all...