RP Philosophy and You

[Gerolf]

I agree with the hood stuff but I think covert and nefarious characters need to be conscious of what you are doing.

Walking down the street, probably nothing that would raise suspicion. Walking into City Guard Head Quarters and not removing it fairly quickly will likely result in a beat down.

Just my thoughts.

[Jules]

Since I'm not a super-regular forums contributor, I just want to say, before I inevitably lose track of this thread, that I appreciate the feedback and the opportunity to mull over this stuff.

Segueing back to the original points made by Dice about being inclusive and letting people run with a hook, I think one way we can accomplish this more without necessarily breaking character is by choosing not to ICly notice and acknowledge every little thing right as it happens and by using the occasional skill/stat roll to decide an outcome rather than assuming success. The way I see it: just because I happen to read something on my screen doesn't mean that my character has to notice it right away. I can acknowledge that it's happening in my emotes and still delay an IC response due to realistic factors (e.g. being caught up in conversation, looking away at the time, being distracted by a courier, etc.).

Roll a wis or int check, and if you fail, RP making a poor judgment call or overlooking a detail.
Roll a dex check, and if you fail, RP some badly-timed clumsiness.

Take the decision out of your hands and let the dice roll on occasion. Who knows what might happen!

[Fea]

I'd like to raise a question that I've been a bit too timid to talk about due to my sporadic activity and relavative newness. Jules has mentioned it before, but I believe that it's important to have a clear cut list of instances/situations where RP should be given more priority than code. I often delegate to use RP more than code simply because of all the possibilities offered, but I'm also aware that this is only tenable based upon the circumstances of the scene, action, etc.

I know that this seems unfeasible, especially since the nature of these issues seems to be entirely contextual, but I would prefer more concrete bounds to go off of rather than having to guess and potentially ruin the RP of another player because of conflicting opinions on whether code trumps RP or vice versa.

[Dice]

That's a good and -really- awkward question. I don't know that anyone has an answer. Myself, I try to go by the code when people are in conflict, because it's the closest thing to an objective arbiter we have and that's why it exists. However, I like to do what Jules is talking about - not always notice EVERYTHING, because code can't account for all the different variables that really influence if something makes sense or not. So I guess I personally err on the side of "go with code, EXCEPT in the direction of not noticing things that don't make a lot of IC sense to notice." For example, if you codewise see somebody get pickpocketed from across the room and there are 20 people there, you probably wouldn't notice in any realistic sense. But what's realistic? Who decides these things? It differs from person to person, and that's what makes these issues so fractious.

[Leech]

Personally, I'd very much like a system of code=RP. However, there are things that happen; such as somebody seeing a pickpocket attempt in a crowded room of 100+ PCs, NPCs, vNPCs.

[Rabek]

The issue of anonymity on MUDs (specifically re: pickpockets being instantly and perfectly ID'd forever if noticed pickpocketing when realistically they should be able to disappear into the crowd) is one that has long vexed me and I really don't know how to resolve it, but it's why I don't play thieves.

[Leech]

One way would be to make a system that takes into account population flags set in each room at the room's creation, and which change based on time of day. They will factor into the checks and balances in pick pocketing. Easier said than done though, and there are a lot better things to prioritize (better, subjectively, meaning things that the population of the/a MUD talks more about).

[Kinaed]

Code can never replace RP. The code constantly gets better, but will never be good enough to replace reality, even if it's just because the rate of improvement in that direction is slower than the lifespan of the game designers and programmers here.

Code is, however, a better arbitrator than people arguing if they cannot agree, and when it comes to staff enforcing things, we look to code because it has the built-in standards we created to frame the situation.

That said, if people can agree - agree. RP is always better with people working together to make an interesting story rather than looking to code results to provide a course of action or plot.

[Applesauce]

Not touching most of this, but I think it's worth pointing out: Having a hood up by code means you are concealing your face. Concealing your face almost always has negative connotations unless it's the dead of winter and it's a health hazard otherwise (something a hood won't help anyway). You can probably just RP having your hood up if it's not concealing your face.

Pretty much with Dice on this one. It conceals your identity. If it doesn't, don't use the code. If it does, prepare to be treated like someone concealing their identity. Outdoors I'd probably allow for weather, but probably not indoors.

Regardless how one feels about the identity thing, IMO the root of the whole hood issue is lack of RP, as Jules mentioned. Some people go for the coded expose command or immediately jump on the person like they're a murderer fleeing the scene of the crime. They might be that, actually, but a hood alone is not evidence of such.

If you see someone with their hood up to a point where you can't recognize them, RP about it first to establish the reality of the situation. Edge closer trying to sneak a peek - maybe if you can JUST get the right angle, maybe lean a little further, call out a random name to try to get them to turn toward you... Whatever it is, it lets the person emote back and go a number of different directions. Maybe they give a clear indication who's under there, maybe they drop a few subtle hints about mannerisms or voice that only those close to them would catch, maybe they really ARE creepily fleeing the scene of a murder.

Until people RP about it, it's at least mildly unreasonable to take action against them. Same as if Bob walks into the room and you immediately smile and wave and greet him, only to find out his first emote is about being bloodied and beaten. Wait and establish a scene, then act on it.

(BTW I'm not saying you, Rabek, are one of the types not RPing, I'm just saying that this ^ felt like the more important takeaway regarding cloaks, not how much they do or don't stop weather.)