Reading Main Descriptions.

[Revelations]

While reading the similar thread about the length of main descriptions, I was wondering if people actually took their time to read the more lengthy versions of descriptions?

Also, how large of an importance do you place in having a good description? After all, it's simply a description.  :wink:  Although that's the case, I can't help thinking that a description portrays more than simply the physical details of your character. It may sometimes give the impression of the style of roleplay that the PC might play, no?

[sacac]

I read the Mdesc once when I meet them.
I glance over the EQ list.

And then I remember the Sdesc.

If i see them wearing a cloak or something, I jsut go for what their hair and eyes look like and general figure.
If they are naked, I'll look at that tattoo on their back.


Per your questions:
1. I place a lot of importance on the Mdesc, it tells me the most about them.

2. It definately gives the impression of Rp, if I see a very flowery Mdesc and a dictionary-need sdesc, it definately shows.

[Yokunama]

It may sometimes give the impression of the style of roleplay that the PC might play, no?

To quoted text
Don't think so.
Your roleplaying shouldn't be affected by how great or the length of your main description.

Anyways,
Usually, I read the main descriptions. Examining it from top to bottom, myself is -always- comparing other character main descriptions to mine; looking for ways I could improve my main description.

If there is something going on in the room at the time, I try to look over it later. It is kinda hard to read, when your character is right in the middle of some important conversation or roleplaying.

[Edit] Added a bit more information.

[Larrath]

I read the main description as well as the equipment list.
If the main description is very long and I'm in the middle of something, I might read it a little later.

As long as the descriptions don't look newbish, they don't really matter to me.

[amoeba]

It may sometimes give the impression of the style of roleplay that the PC might play, no?

To quoted text
Don't think so.
Your roleplaying shouldn't be affected by how great or the length of your main description.

I find the contrary to be true in practice. Peoples roleplay styles, not necessarily thier 'roleplay' itself tends to follow thier mdesc.  

I brief over the description to get a feel for what they look like, I rarely if ever read them in depth. Then again I am one who keeps my descriptions purely descriptive and simple.  (my backgrounds are another matter.  I really would like more length availible for them).  If you want to know something about my character, looking at them will not give you much, interact with , or observe them to learn more about them.

[Tamarin]

I only read sdescs.  mdescs are totally useless.

[Bardex]

I find that people with 2-page mdescs tend to write 4-line emotes more often than not. I don't bother reading the 2-page mdescs past the first few lines. The 4-line emotes I read unless they take forever to type them out or don't EVER do anything else. If they take forever to type them out and don't do anything other than those 4-line emotes, I just try to avoid that PC completely.

I don't like sitting there for 10 minutes waiting for someone to nod their head and say "yes" no matter how pretty they make it look.

[bloodfromstone]

I usually look at someone with intention of reading their main description, then get distracted a few lines in by something happening in the room... Then I remember what I looked at them for in the first place and scroll back to get a good read.

[Seeker]

I try to read the entire mdesc when I first encounter a character.  I do this for two simple reasons:

1)  To note if there is anything about the appearance of the character that -must- be noticed and dealt with (hideous mutations, deformities, eternal flames lapping about their visage, etc.) , and

2) to insure that there is no descriptive text about the character's calves.


A well-written mdesc can often give you an insight into the character or the player behind her.  The choice of adjectives, especially, can give you a peek into what  mood the writer wanted to convey when encountering her puppet.

Seeker

[Tlaloc]

I only read sdescs.  mdescs are totally useless.

I don't think thats true at all. For example, there have been many, many times when I've been chatting with someone, in game, and their sdesc says something benign (like the stout, obsidian-skinned dwarf), and it wasn't untill I read the mdesc that I realized that they were anything but benign (IE: "Holy crap! This dwarf is really made of obsidian! I'm rich!")

With not reading the mdescs, you tend to loose some really fascinating details about people...like how the human-looking person you've been really friendly with is really a half-elf, or the green-eyed noble you've been chatting with has vibrant blue hair, or that the friendly woman who just bought you a drink has eyes that are glowing fire.

On the other hand, reading mdescs can keep you from freaking out too badly. The 'fire-haired young lass' could be a Krathi, about to kill fireball you...but on closer inspection, she just has red hair. The baobab-skinned woman might be some sort of wood golem...or she might just have purple skin.

Mdescs are far from useless.

[Nidhogg]

A quick thought on mdescs. It can't hurt to have a killer first sentence. Kind of likea novel, it helps to grab the reader.

[flurry]

I tend to read through an mdesc if it holds my attention, but at the very least I'll skim it.   I think mdescs are great - the main reason I only skim some of them is because I can't pause the action around me.   So if things are slow, I'll read it more carefully.

And this is a rarity, but just recently a mdesc helped me realize that a word in a particular sdesc was being used incorrectly.  I looked at the sdesc and thought hmmm..that doesn't seem right, I think they -meant- (other word), but I couldn't be sure without looking at a dictionary and the mdesc.   Sure enough, the mdesc removed any doubt.

Now while this might not happen much, there are times when an mdesc can clear up an ambiguity in an sdesc.  You can't expact crystal clarity in three or four words, and it's nice to have that mdesc to clear up any possible misconceptions.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I read absolutely everything in this game.

Everything.

[moab]

I'm with 7.  I read everything. I like reading.  I like roleplaying.  

I read Mdescs because well, _you_ wrote it for a reason.  Must be important.  And good Mdescs are going to give you clues about the character (or deceptions) that can be roleplayed with.  

Now, if I don't have time to read someone's Mdesc because lots of things are going on (combat, important conversation) sometimes I'll look at the character to see what's in their hands.   If I want to see the Mdesc later, I'll look at the character again.

[Rhyden]

I read absolutely everything in this game.

Everything.

Room descriptions, main descriptions and item descriptions are there for a reason. It would take away imensely from the RPI if these elements were not there to read and register.

[amoeba]

A couple more comments after reading the prior ones.

I don't generally read mdesc in detail for a couple of reasons. One, when I look at someone it is usually when I first meet them, often interacting with them.  I belive in keeping some flow to the game, and I brief over the mdesc and move on.  Occasionaly if something interesting hits me I'll go back and read it in more detail, but this leads to point two.  

This is my opinion, is that my character would not notice all that detail, that mole on thier left butt cheek, that elaborate tattoo on thier back, the way scars trace around his neck looking like a distorted micky mouse.  Now, if I deal with that person intimately I would notice these things.  The same goes for thier equipment list. I brief over it. I mean think about it, think about your co worker from yesterday, did you even notice what color shoes he had on? Did you even look?  

Certianly you could look at everything and 'forget' what you didn't see.  Me, my guy never really looked in the first place, so no need to artificaly 'forget' something.  As I said with more contact, I tend to notice more about them.  As one person said, a killer first sentence would be good, make what is importaint stand out.

As for reading all that is in the game, of course, with this exception I do. In fact I wish thier was more in each room to read. Eons ago in the early 90's I immed for a brief time on a hack and slash called newmoon.  There in each description we were required to write a seperate description for ech 'lookable' item. Basicly each noun.  Even on items themselves.  If a staff had a special little knob on it, we were to write a seperate description for the little knob.  I still find it frustrating not being able to look at the patch of russet colored grass growing in a circle.

[bracken]

Depends really on how often my characters would really notice people around them....if they are at the egocentric end they don't look much....or may only really notice someoneone as a person after few meetings.
And dangerous people I may never look past their sdesc. :?

[nameless]

Depending on the mdesc, depends on whether or not I read too deeply.  I always tend to keep mine simple and just about physical attributes.  I feel robbed when people write a little too much and I can tell what his/her's character is, with out having to do more then look at them.

[bloodfromstone]

I have to disagree with amoeba on this one... I'd much rather read everything and then determine what it is my character would see or notice. Probably not ic for me to notice the mole on their butt, no, but there might be some minor details that would be very striking to a specific character, or maybe a very important detail that is only covered in a short sentence...

Just my thoughts, though. To each their own.

[Yokunama]

I only read sdescs.  mdescs are totally useless.

I don't think thats true at all. For example, there have been many, many times when I've been chatting with someone, in game, and their sdesc says something benign (like the stout, obsidian-skinned dwarf), and it wasn't untill I read the mdesc that I realized that they were anything but benign (IE: "Holy crap! This dwarf is really made of obsidian! I'm rich!")

With not reading the mdescs, you tend to loose some really fascinating details about people...like how the human-looking person you've been really friendly with is really a half-elf, or the green-eyed noble you've been chatting with has vibrant blue hair, or that the friendly woman who just bought you a drink has eyes that are glowing fire.

On the other hand, reading mdescs can keep you from freaking out too badly. The 'fire-haired young lass' could be a Krathi, about to kill fireball you...but on closer inspection, she just has red hair. The baobab-skinned woman might be some sort of wood golem...or she might just have purple skin.

Mdescs are far from useless.

Is it ok, if our main description contanins something like that? Really, the dwarf carved from obsidian sounds like a nice thing to pull off.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I am pretty sure that you don't want to do something like that. However, if you just have the undeniable urge to play a living rock, email the MUD.

Because this is a fantasy game, anything is possible, but oddities are not something to be just rushing into.