OOC dungeon running.

[moody]

After looking at the multi-classing thread I was thinking about this.

 

So my character plan is going be a gatherer/crafter character setup (battle classes centered around going ARC/SCH/SMN as I'll be using the summons to justify running a traveling peddler setup solo. Cheap labor ftw :geek: )

 

But to that end, while I plan on playing the dungeons they often won't fit with my IC story, so I'll end up doing them OOC with non-RP groups or RP groups that are okay with it not being in my canon. 

 

Wondering how others feel about characters running things OOC, since this game doesn't support an RP flag to flip a character's name color or add a symbol to their floater. 

 

The fact is, I prefer RPing characters who aren't the hero of the tale. I like basing my stories off of interactions with other people in heroic tales or having my character's heroic tale be one of perseverance and personal evolution into a heroic state.

 

However, I'm also a gamer. In Co* I was in a group of casual RPers for a good while that could take character from 0 to max level over a weekend without thinking it too much effort. We could run the task forces with non-standard builds and stack abilities on single characters to burn through the original buffed version of the purple triangles. I like dungeon runs. I like seeing the in game story and I like running the setup. 

 

It's just that I'm not interested in retelling SE's particular story plot with my own character. In the past this has been fine because there was game mechanic reason to make different characters with different setups and different classes so that I could have a character (or 3) in that vein that would fit in with doing 'heroic deeds' like this. FFXIV really doesn't lend itself to this (imo and so far ime) and I don't see myself bothering with alts much because of it. 

 

So... OOC dungeon runs unless I find ones that make sense ICly or will people be offended that I just don't acknowledge having done those things?

[FreelanceWizard]

As one of the outspoken members of the "mechanics and levels matter" crowd, I'll say that, personally, as long as you're having fun and don't break your character, go for it.

 

What do I mean by "don't break your character?" I mean don't do dungeon runs of super-high level stuff IC (you're a peddler, why are you fighting Bahamut?), don't go around wearing high end raid gear without an explanation, and don't whip out the high level spellcasting IC. Sure, you can know some spells, but if your -- let's call it "RP power" -- breaks with the character you're purporting to play, then sure, that might rub people the wrong way.

[Asyria]

Pretty sure everyone will respect whatever you decide, just as long as you clarify in advance. ^^

 

Only time I could see people being offended would be doing the run Ic and then later be told, after having RPed accordingly, that it wasn't supposed to be IC, so everything is now messed up!

 

But that's easily avoided.

[FreelanceWizard]

Only time I could see people being offended would be doing the run Ic and then later be told' date=' after having RPed accordingly, that it wasn't supposed to be IC, so everything is now messed up![/quote']

 

Yep, this. You've got to set the expectations accordingly (and be aware that some LSs/FCs may not be cool with this, depending on their stance on RP). The flip side of the coin can happen too -- people can treat the run IC even when everyone agreed you were OOC ("just some random Arcanist" would seem to work), so it's important, I think, to remind everyone at the end that you were OOC.

[moody]

Only time I could see people being offended would be doing the run Ic and then later be told, after having RPed accordingly, that it wasn't supposed to be IC, so everything is now messed up!

 

Yep, this. You've got to set the expectations accordingly (and be aware that some LSs/FCs may not be cool with this, depending on their stance on RP). The flip side of the coin can happen too -- people can treat the run IC even when everyone agreed you were OOC ("just some random Arcanist" would seem to work), so it's important, I think, to remind everyone at the end that you were OOC.

 

I think this is more my worry than anything else. If I happen to end up in a group of RPers and they recognize my character as an RP character, then does it hurt their experience that for purposes of that dungeon run I'm OOC and does it cause them to have issues working it into their IC story if they have to mentally cross out my character and replace it with 'unremarkable random [x] that was there' whenever the work it into their plotline?

[FreelanceWizard]

Hm, that's a toughie. I would definitely bring this up to the LS/FC head when you apply and make sure they know about it and will be fine with it. I've been in some groups where this would be an absolute, 100%, no-way-no-how, WTFOMGBBQ kind of thing, and I've been in groups that were a lot more laid back about it.

 

Using my own guild leader experience as an example, I was pretty lenient about it. However, as every group I've run did a lot of IC missioning, I don't think I would have accepted a character who would never participate in that IC, as the character wouldn't fit the group dynamic. That said, we'd have people who were "captured" do missions OOC while waiting on other players in the plot to advance it, and it was fine as long as everyone knew what the "cover story" was. Also, as a GL, I only really cared about the implementation for guild-only groups, and then only if people complained about it. "What happens in /party, stays in /party," right?

[Jonexe]

For me, I assume all dungeon runs are OOC unless specifically stated otherwise. There's a couple reasons for this:

 

1. Often times not all members are RPers (this will be especially true with the Duty Finder). I don't like wasting other people's time to accommodate me, and I'd like the same in kind.

 

2. It makes no sense to run a dungeon 10, 20, 30, or more times IC. Why would my character do that? Groundhog day?

 

3. Sometimes I just want to run the dungeon and not deal with RPing. Dungeon running for me is fun, so there will be times where that's what I feel like doing for the day.

 

RPing dungeon runs can be fun, provided it's a completely premade party and everyone knows ahead of time. I'm completely down with having a personal/non-game story reason for going into a dungeon, and my character helping with it for some reason. That can be a lot of fun too, especially if there's a good story build up. 

 

The vast majority of runs for me, however, will be OOC.

[Kyatai]

I, personally, have no issue with running dungeons OOC (I like seeing what the devs have created!)... though admittedly, running them IC is more fun- especially with an adventuring group or if you have some RP story to back up the 'delving into that dungeon.'

Preference would probably be to run it OOC for the first time to get an understanding of mechanics, etc... (especially since explaining a fight IC is often hard and time consuming). But.. there is also something to be said for just jumping in there and throwing caution to the wind, learning the fights totally IC. haha

 

If I run it OOC- I never mention it or refer to it IC.

If I know lore says "X" is dead (aka GW2, globally understood the dragon Kalkatorec (sp?) was killed- (which you do at the end of the personal storyline)), then even if my character has not actually killed "X", I just accept he's dead. If/when my character literally takes part in 'killing' it- I either treat that as OOC, or just behave like it happened 'long ago.' Grey areas, sure, but not something I dwell on, focusing more on my character's created story- not the game created one.

 

If I run it IC, and do so again IC.... then I work out a reason why I'm doing it again. Either 'alt dimension/rift' (Rift), must not have killed him the first time, not 'really' the boss/things I'm fighting, but something that fits the storyline we're working on... or something that everyone in the LS/GC can agree on. Again, not something I really stress over.

 

But yes... if I am running it OOC with an IC group, I make it clear "my character" is not there. Best way to facilitate that? simply don't say or do anything RP-like. Talk only OOC in /group and just be 'invisible' and let the others RP their story.

Just gotta make sure people you're dungeoning with are on the same page.

 

My 2 gils.

[Naunet]

As someone who has roleplayed a number of non-combat characters in many MMOs while simultaneously being involved in intense OOC end game activities, I can assure you that there is nothing wrong with doing a dungeon OOCly. I don't think I've ever come across anyone who took issue with such a thing, and they would certainly be in the wrong if they did.

[Corin Winterborne]

Something to realize is that this is a game.  There are more then one way to play this game.  RP is just one facet.

In WoW, I've found myself RP-wise out of commission.  But as one of our guild's healers, I was needed to do content.  Sometimes RP would break out.

 

My solution was to not play as my character.  I would become Random NPC #1.  I would create a sub-character that had a reason to be there, healing for my raid.  Of course, this requires the acknowledgement of the people involved.  

 

So far, everyone I've met has been accommodating.  If you are with an RP group, and want to do content, just talk with them beforehand. I'm sure they'd understand.  And if they're not...well maybe these aren't the people you want to associate with.

[moody]

Excellent excellent. Most of this matches what I was hoping to hear. 

 

Clear communication is key and generally people seem to expect some OOC running around. Sometimes I fear I'm going to end up really liking this group and then realizing that beneath the surface there's going to be a core of "one true way" RP... but there really isn't so far.  :tonberry:

 

Amusingly, I'm just fine with doing most of the overworld questing IC since it will be either "gathering supplied for crafting" or "travelling to [x] to set up shop" and the overworld quests themselves being completed can be somewhat ignored ICly as incidentals.