Roleplaying Etiquette

[Threepio]

*ahem* I would like to make a few comments about the manners of roleplayers in these forums. This is of course not directed at anyone in paticular, as I see it to be a boardwide problem and it needs to be addressed.

Please, wait your turn! I have noticed in the past that good RPs have been ruined by excessive posting! And it has recently become an issue again, so I thought I would make a seperate post on this problem. *puts hands on hips*

"The Second Wave" in the B&G at GJO had to be restarted because of rampant posting. No one waited for the people who started the main action of the thread, and it became incredibly unrealistic.

In a thread it is kosher to reply to an action...and then wait for the person that action is made against to reply back. If two more people show up and you start having a conversation about "Wow look at this guy getting beat up by me" then that totally skews the thread and makes RPing not fun anymore.

People cannot be on every day 24 hours a day. Hard to believe, I know. So allow time for others to reply. Thank you, and have a nice day.

*scuttles off*

[Emiliana]

--Sits down and claps--

We had that problem in Sweet Realization. Although it was an open thread, Zasz and I had had something planned for the ending. However, within each night, the thread would have at least 2 more people in it and 3 more pages of posts. Sorsha even asked for them to pause, but nuuuuu.. :cry I was so lost each time I went to post, that I was forced to just say Okay! Pretend Gitane left!

...My little rant is over.

[ReaperFett]

I find a POST-IT note system works. After you post, have an emboldened bit saying noone post until _____ does. When they post, remove.

[Blaine]

Sometimes people just know when it's not their turn... Then again, Fett's idea of a certain order always has been the best one.

[Graham Holfast]

Originally posted by ReaperFett
I find a POST-IT note system works. After you post, have an emboldened bit saying noone post until _____ does. When they post, remove.


But then again, some people have a nack of totally ignoring that, so :|

[Diego Van Derveld]

Its an optimistic idea, but yeah...there are those that simply won't adhere to it. Then again, it also would take what is essentially an open thread, and close it off to those in the queue.

[Gia Van Derveld]

COMMON SENSE!! you can't post three times to your opponents one!

:)

[Emiliana]

Also, people, PLEASE... If you just KNOW that a thread is already crowded and that your character being there would NOT further the plot in anyway, it would simply make it even more confused, then DO NOT JOIN.

I was looking through Sweet Realization again, and suddenly was slapped with a big ole can of WTF... Why the Heck was Chewie suddenly in there?!

[Wei Wu Wei]

And if people would learn how to fight in RPs, that would help.

If people would teach how to fight in RPs, that would help even more.

[Ishiva Ruell]

:: wearing a excutioners hood ::





Please use common sense and be considerate. Wait for those participating in the RP to respond respectively. Especially those involved in direct interaction with each other. Or else get one mean looking vibroblade stuck in your most precious vitals.

>D muahaha

[Wei Wu Wei]

That wasn;t the sort of teaching I meant...

[Ishiva Ruell]

Too bad, it's the only teachin ya gonna git... :lol

[Wei Wu Wei]

Can you please try to be serious? All this joking around is going to make people take this thread lightly and more than likely ignore all the good points made here.

[Xenodoros Stormrider]

Originally posted by Cold Blaine
Sometimes people just know when it's not their turn... Then again, Fett's idea of a certain order always has been the best one.

Again, we just know when it's the right time to post.

[Lord Que]

I dont see what the problem is here, its basicaly a matter of common sense. If you attack someone, and then someone else joins the thread and does something directed at you, wait till the person you attacked replies before you make another post, I believe this can be used as an example for all situations. Common sense people

[imported_Blade Ice]

Originally posted by Emiliana
--Sits down and claps--

We had that problem in Sweet Realization. Although it was an open thread, Zasz and I had had something planned for the ending. However, within each night, the thread would have at least 2 more people in it and 3 more pages of posts. Sorsha even asked for them to pause, but nuuuuu.. :cry I was so lost each time I went to post, that I was forced to just say Okay! Pretend Gitane left!

...My little rant is over.

I just want to say one quick thing to this one. First off if you have a planned ending don't leave it an open thread because more then likely your idea will get screwed even if people post in turn. I have done that before had a planned ending every body posted just fine in it and the ending didn't turn out how I had planned its the way open threads go there unpredictable in ending.

now to get back on subject I know I myself sometimes have problems posting in turn because someone post a question to me and I have an idea to answer it right away and I don't want to forget the idea but I know there are those who have posting rights before I do. But to say posting out of turn is unrealistic thats a lie because people always butt into conversations in real life.

But Do please try to be as conseterate as possible.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Wei has a very good point. People SHOULD be taught how to fight in RPs. I thought that MASTERS did that for their apprentices.

Groups need to make sure that people are being taught the correct way to RP, or at least, make sure they're being thoughtful about their Rping. I am not pointing fingers, but a master, who is training an apprentice, should be able to pass onto them their knowledge about fighting in RPs.

If the master was never taught either, then maybe that needs to be addressed.

[Emiliana]

Actually, Blade, it probably wouldn't have mattered what the outcome was, because what we were planning would still have had a chance of working.

Also, we decided on it after he had made the thread and it had started. :p


One thing I find intresting, though... Some people just choose not to have common sense. I mean, yes, I understand that there are situations where turns may briefly not work because one character wold have nothing to post when it's their turn and another's posting would make sense... But, yeesh, at least wait for the person to start the thread to post every once in a while!

[Zasz Grimm]

Hold the Phone.

I had a planned ending, it COULD have happened. People COULD have waited, but NO. People had to post every 5 minutes in replies.

I went sick and couldn't carry on.

I find it Ironic that I made an open thread, expecting to further my character in an RP, and I get left behind.

It's a load of crap. And it screwed someone out of possible membership for a rather long time.

There needs to be a rule about this.

[ReaperFett]

And how would you make a rule? Should we say that you can only post every 4 posts if more than 4 are posting? WOuldnt that be unfair if someone dissapeared?

[Wei Wu Wei]

Remember, in a very large thread in which there are many people in many different places, we have a "Over here, this was going on," And then there is this whole "Meanwhile, across town," thing going on.

If all of you were in one place, and not scattered about, then we would have to wait for you. But Wei for the minute does not know about, notr care about Hob, or Jehova, or anyone else because they are about a mile away from him and he has no clue they are there. So, if me, LD, and Lance were to post a mile a minute, then it woul dhave no effect on the others not directly involved with LD.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

Originally posted by Emiliana
--Sits down and claps--

We had that problem in Sweet Realization. Although it was an open thread, Zasz and I had had something planned for the ending. However, within each night, the thread would have at least 2 more people in it and 3 more pages of posts. Sorsha even asked for them to pause, but nuuuuu.. :cry I was so lost each time I went to post, that I was forced to just say Okay! Pretend Gitane left!

...My little rant is over.

This is the reason why I've withdrawn from participating in open threads. I had left notification in all the major forums ( and also clearly stated in my last post in that thread) that it would be my last post for the next two days and to please slow down and not leave me behind. When I got back I found they had moved on without me, and it hurt. So now I only RP in closed threads, or by request of participation only, as my time allows. My time is limited and I don't need the lack of consideration that I got in that thread again.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Originally posted by Wei Wu Wei
So, if me, LD, and Lance were to post a mile a minute, then it woul dhave no effect on the others not directly involved with LD.

Yes, but it is very annoying to come back to a thread that the day before was only about 9 posts long, only to find that it has escalated to about 4 pages or whatever.

The fact being, in any thread you need to post in an Order and it should be clear for the first time you post how the order goes.

As for learning how to fight, aside from preliminary training most people who were at TSE didn't have ANY other training - we just picked up from reading threads how fights go. Don't complain about not having the knowledge when you have a whole host of threads to read over to pick up how things go.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

Originally posted by Wei Wu Wei
Remember, in a very large thread in which there are many people in many different places, we have a "Over here, this was going on," And then there is this whole "Meanwhile, across town," thing going on.

If all of you were in one place, and not scattered about, then we would have to wait for you. But Wei for the minute does not know about, notr care about Hob, or Jehova, or anyone else because they are about a mile away from him and he has no clue they are there. So, if me, LD, and Lance were to post a mile a minute, then it woul dhave no effect on the others not directly involved with LD.

I agree with Vega on this. And furthermore, charging on ahead just because you aren't interacting with other characters in the thread at that moment .. well it's still very rude. You should have enough consideration for others to wait for them. But by your opinion, you don't seem to feel that way, Wu.

This RP is a message board, not Talk City where everything has to move at a ridiculous pace. It's not fair to have that attitude because not everyone is online here 24/7. People like you need to learn to wait and cooperate with others.

Sorry if I'm being harsh, but it's upsetting.

[ReaperFett]

I think it depends on what's happening too though. If two people have a convo just sitting round, why cant they go for a while? Providing they dont do big things

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Oh, and just another point - some posts have no purpose, and could easily be merged into one larger post. I know its just a small point, but it makes a thread seem so much less cluttered if you just hold back a little while and merge what you have to say or do into a longer paragraph instead of just dropping in random "OK"s or "Padawan A looked on in fear"s.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

For example (sorry guys but you are my example! ^_^;) Lance and Wei are saying "Ok what should I do?" "Just be ready for anything dood" but realistically, if I were not waiting for Jibrelle to post I'd of already tried to cut you both in two.

^_^ LD doesn't tend to let people chit-chat about her. ;) BUT, I totally understand that we want things to move on, and I WILL post as soon as Jibrelle gets her post done.

[Emiliana]

I think I said this earlier, but, please... Make sure that it makes sense to have your character in there.

And keep IC and OOC seperate, ALWAYS. I know that a lot of people around here have forgotten that. Therefore, if they're mad because of something someone did OOC, they'll automatically hate the person's character IC, even if they've never met.

[imported_Blade Ice]

That is actaully very true I tend to hate a person IC if I don't care for them OOC but its hard to like someone IC if you don't like the person playing them. I try my best but sometimes you just can't make it work.


I mean thereare exceptions there are a few people I don't care for in the GJO my charcter being evil has to hate them IC too.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Sorry if I sounded inconsiderate, Sorsha. I was only asking a question. I only wanted to clarify something. Now that I know, you won;t have to worry. If I don;t ask questions, then I will never learn, right?

I'm really glad this thread was made. I make it a point both IC and OOC to be polite and considerate of others. Now I know how to do that. Thanks, all who have helped me, I learned a lot.

[Gia Van Derveld]

*hugs for Wei* So glad you've been helped by this. :)

[Master Yoghurt]

Great input guys :)

Posting is often a lot like chess, you make one move, your opponent does the next one etc. Like everyone said, it is important to be conciderate to each other, and letting the participating posters have a chance to reply. People often get preoccupied with Real Life or something suddenly pop up that prevents posting for some time. At such times, one should not take advantage and try to attack in a series of subsequent posts. One should also not post your opponents actions or exaggerate the ammount of attacks done in one post. Like it has been said before, it is all about common sense; being conciderate and having respect towards your fellow posters

[Oriadin]

This is a really tricky subject actually. Its going to be very hard to come to a conclusion on whats best to do, and then get everyone to follow it. As some of you will no doubt know, there was a hopefull man wishing to become a Jedi, under the name of Jackson DeWitt.

Now, I was a bit angry at the way that thread went. I was the first to reply to the thread as it looked like an interesting one and one I felt I could contribute to. Inbetween my last two posts there were something like 34 posts! About three or four other people decided to join and before you know it, the thing gets out of control. I wasnt best pleased as there was no way I had time to post because I was in bed asleep. This has happend to me a number of times and I get the feeling its always going to be a problem because I live in the UK and go to bed when most of the people who live in the US get the best time to post. I have to try and be patient but its hard sometimes.

I dont know whats the best way to keep a lid on it either. Any thread with more than about 4 people on it is pretty much doomed unless its closed. Every single time things just spirel out of control. The problem comes when you arent to close to many people so you cant invite them to join a RP so you HAVE to leave it open.

I also do the character Archer, who did the thread Hostage Situation. Now, I was holding hostages, had a force field around me so people couldnt get in. A Jedi came, decided not to negotiate so I killed of a hostage. I go to bed for the night, get up in the morning and someone is in the same room as me, holding a gun to my head. What am I supposed to do? I have yet to see an open thread with more than three people that hasnt gone this way. It IS a matter of getting people to wait, and be as fair as possible but when you have several people trying to take the story forward, its always going to move quicker than you would like.

It was mentioned before, about the Jedi masters training thier padawans to be a bit more respectfull when posting. This is a great idea but its got to be the same for Sith, bounty hunters and whoever else.

[Jackson DeWitt]

I am sorry about that Ori :\ I guess I got a bit carried away with the momentum. I will make a more concerted effort to remain faithful to post order. I thought that you were backing off as the Knights came to talk to me...thats the main reason I went ahead.

I am very eager to post with you, and I am glad you're working with me on this storyline :)

[Angelica Shin]

That's why I am sooo glad ppl dun RP with me much, my threads all go at a snail's pace......

And because of all these reasons about large group RPs, that's why I never join them, because one-I usually xcan't play insomnia cos I have school, and two- I'm consdiered grounded from the net and three- I'll soon be loosing my preacious computer...Again.

But yeah, having ppl post to a thread every 3 mins. gets annyoing.

[Tempist the Uncaring]

::makes one of his elusive OOC posts::

Regulation has always been a hard topic to decide about, but it is actually pretty easy, once you get a few basic ideas down. Even though some people need it forced through their skulls to get it, it's basicly curtasy (spelt wrong, I know).

1) An open thread should be limited to three people, taking turns so no one gets left in the dust.

2) More people should only be added if they are invited by a key player in the thread. For example:

Say Alpha and I are having one of our regular fights, and someone posts in as an observer. Then someone else wants to join in the thread, they would have to get permission from me or Alpha, and not from the observer.

3) In a closed mission, where it is taking place in several locations at once, maybe there could be a different thread for each active location. When they all meet up, they meet in the thread that has the designated "rally point", and it all gets condenced there, where people take turns posting. This is where the post-it idea would work best.


Now,addressing the fighting thing.... since atleast 75% of the threads in the Roleplaying forum are fights, it would only make sense to look and copy who you like best, untill you get your own style down. If you actually need someone to teach you, then it's best to join a group, or ask OOC for someone who's willing to teach them IC. I'd be willing to make another Roleplaying 101 thread, like I did in TSE a long time ago, but this one would be serious, just showing some of the different styles of creating the story for the post.

[Zeke]

Not a bad idea. The Roleplaying 101 sounds like it could do alot of good.

[Morgan Evanar]

You can learn how to roleplay if you lurk for a week or two instead of running out and posting. Realize that other people get sick, have jobs, have school, have other obligations. Give them an oportunity to respond.

Its not difficult. I fail to see why so many newer people have a problem with this.

[DarthHERA]

Oriadin has a good point. But I dont think any one thing will fix it - it basically just boils down to the ppl invovled in the thread being considerate.

Sometimes Ive seen people put a little ooc: note saying "my last post for the night" or something, that kinda is a hint for the thread not to run off insanely. Maybe trying this or something similar will work.

[Oriadin]

Originally posted by Jackson DeWitt
I am sorry about that Ori :\ I guess I got a bit carried away with the momentum. I will make a more concerted effort to remain faithful to post order. I thought that you were backing off as the Knights came to talk to me...thats the main reason I went ahead.

I am very eager to post with you, and I am glad you're working with me on this storyline :)

Ah its no problem, if anything I was a bit anoyed at everyone else for jumping in but I can understand it. Jackson is one of the most interesting characters Ive seen here so its easy to see why so many people want to be a part of it. Not to worry, I was only going to be a bystander anyways so it worked out ok in the end really.

I like your idea about the last post for the night thing DarthHERA. I have thought about it a couple of times but never done it. Think I'll have to start.

Tempist the Uncaring's idea about muliple threads for one mission is a very good idea I think but its going to need a lot of work for everything to come together at the right time, but I definitely think its something that could work.

[Sene Unty]

I think I should offer an apology to both Oriadin and Jackson for butting in on the dream thread. I really found the story to be incredibly exciting and I really just wanted to participate. If I ruined the story I am very sorry. :(

I really want to be involved in this characters story. I find it to be to my extreme liking.....I just hope I can do so without ruining any more RP's.......

[Oriadin]

Dont worry about it mate. Weve talked about it now and its in the past. We will all know now for future reference.

[Jackson DeWitt]

:) I will RP with anybody and everybody I can. You're all the biggest heroes to my character, and its everything he dreams about doing :D

[Sorsha Kasajian]

I just can't handle the pace of this place anymore. It's too fast for me, and there's no downtime. That may be the nature of the boards, but after 2 years, I'm just burnt out from it. So I'm effectively retired from the Role-Playing Forum. I'm not quitting, but my time is limited and I just can't keep up, even when I had the time, I had trouble, so this is it for me. From now on, I'm going to stay in the story telling forum, and only appear where there's a need for my character story wise. Anyone who wants to contact me can do so via pm here or over at www.meras.org

[imported_Taja Loraan]

I just have a little something to say with regards to planned endings not working for open threads.

This isn't necessarily true. Take Taro Idol's "Count To Six And Die" roleplay. It couldn't be closed, because that was the character's first post, and complete 'strangers' were needed. I'm pretty sure he had an idea right from the beginning about how the thread was going to progress, but took into account everybody else's posts in his writing along the way. There were a heckuva lot of people who posted to that thread and not all of them affected the eventual outcome, but that sort of thing can't always be avoided and has to be expected. So basically, large threads CAN work out, but it requires A LOT of patience on the part of the main characters involved.

One thing I noticed in that thread, and many others, is how people post like once or twice to a thread then abandon it. Most of the players in Count To Six And Die roleplayed out their exit, but there were a few who posted right near the beginning then disappeared. In large threads, there can be two reasons: firstly, you might get freaked out by the number of posts made while you were away, which is understandable. But if you join a thread and then decide to leave, PLEASE make a post stating that, no matter how far along the plot has already gone. If you join a thread, you are obligated to follow it out of consideration and so it shouldn't be a problem to somehow slink away once you know what's going on. It's more realistic than sitting perfectly still and silent while everybody else is killing each other. It's nice to know that a person hasn't outright chosen to ignore your thread after a while, because it can hurt when you see that same person posting freely elsewhere.

The second thing, which affects most of us, is time constraints. I'm not a particularly active roleplayer and the people I interact with IC know OOC the reasons for it. Everybody here understands that RL comes first, always, and things may come up at any time and you aren't always able to post saying that you'll be away. But if you KNOW that you're going to be gone for a while, please don't join in new threads. If there's a plot you're really eager to participate in, contact the person(s) involved before you leave and arrange something for when you return. This way, everybody's happy.

I shall now royally shut it. :)

[imported_Firebird1]

Que???

Royally Shutting it???

First Sene now you! What the heck has gotten into people? It's like you all have to appologize for speaking your minds. Maybe thats another problem that we should be focusing about, for another thread.

Anywho I've been here for about three years and I haven't seen RPing this slow for me in a while. It's like I can't get anything started, and when I do I've got to beg people to post in it. I don't like doing that, and I don't think most people like doing it either. I know a lot of it is fast paced, but it's more fast paced for some characters then others. Thats wrong, anyone should be able to enter an open thread and RP, except that it seems thats not happening.

If my comments seem out in left field, IM me at Fire354658 on AIM or Firebird1_us on MSN. Just make sure you tell me who you are. I've been out of this OOC stuff for atleast six months (IC Stuff for a little less.) so feel free to IM me or PM me or even Email me, I'm on MSN these days so my Emails changed, but I'll still reply, respond, RP, whatever to solve this burnout/slow down problem.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Don't hesitate to RP!! I also extend the offer for IM and PM, if people are unsure about their ideas, and/or want someone to bounce their RP thoughts off of. I cannot be in everyone's RPs, because they'll all suffer from me being spread to thin, but I am open to being approached about anything.

Also (:() Sorsha, I'm going to try to PM you about a soul.

[Sene Unty]

I think most people feel like they shouldn't join in on something out of fear of being told they don't belong. They hesitate before replying because they don't want to be thought of as a person who butts into others business.