Only You Can Prevent...

[Nyr]

...OOC Communication.

I haven't seen any discussion about this recently, so I'd like to bring it up once again for the playerbase.  My thanks to Dakurus for assistance in crafting this.

I'd like to encourage players to not get involved in OOC communication that is detrimental to the game. 

We put forth the message that OOC communication is a bad thing.  There's certainly a wish for players to coordinate with each other and become friends, form communities, and share experiences--however, at the same time, we've seen the tendency for this to turn into something that ruins the game for people.  This could be anything, from slips of the tongue, to gossip, to lies, or even cliques and active manipulation of other players.

Even with this clear message against OOC communication, there's only so much that we can do.  We leave it up to the players and hope that they choose to control this problem themselves by not participating in it.  This isn't a "head in the sand" approach--there will be people that participate in the "OOC network" and may affect your gaming experience.  Distancing yourself from it creates a greater likelihood that you will avoid such things.

I've seen a few players write about their experiences simply cutting themselves off from other players (and the OOC network) apart from the absolute requirements.  Each of them have tended to fare better with regards to their attitudes and resentment of the game, staff, and their fellow players.  I'll let them discuss it if they'd like to

It's impossible to forget what has already happened, or ignore something that you've already heard.   What I can tell you is that in most cases, what is heard is an outright lie, a half-truth, or a poorly-remembered or poorly explained story.  It's rarely the truth.  I can think of cases where half-truths have been spread OOC (where I have definite proof that it was a half-truth, and that it was spread) and it adversely impacted other people in the game, both directly and indirectly.

What you can do to prevent OOC communication is to stay above it, and stay out of it. 

If you know that you've been spreading such information via OOC networks, you are responsible for your own actions.  You have the ability to control yourself physically--after all, you (probably) don't tell people what you are really thinking all of the time.  Take a moment and consider whether or not what you are sending should be sent.  It probably shouldn't be sent.

If you know that you've been getting such information from OOC networks, you're also responsible for your own actions.  You can tell them to stop.  You can cut yourself off from someone who is obviously breaking this rule.  You can encourage others to do the same.

[Thistle]

A lot of people will say they are against ooc communication ruining the game, and most will even avoid trying to give things away, but the sort of ooc communication which you might feel is 'no big deal', or 'I trust you not to tell', ruins the game anyway.  For instance you might think that something is harmless to tell, or a player is trustworthy enough, but even so, that player loses the mystery and discovery.

I have heard those two excuses given often by good solid role players who try to prevent the spread of such communication.  Remember the little things can kill too.

[Jenred]

I think this was a huge reason that the IRC chat-room went from something very active (15+ players sometimes) to a ghost-town. People either realized on their own it was a bad idea, or it ruined things for them. I've never liked OOC communication, and out of the IRC, which even had staff in it at times, I think its just bad. I don't know anyone here's AOL or Yahoo, and prefer to keep it that way.

[mansa]

The most enjoyment I have in this game is when I don't tell anybody who I'm playing, when I don't talk to other people about my character, or even start talking with other players.  I shut down my IM clients and just stay in-character.  The stories that I can create when I don't know who I'm playing with are better than when I know who I'm playing with, and have that Out-Of-Game knowledge affect my character's actions.

The most frustration I have in this game is when I hear stories from other players about their characters and their achievements, and compare them to myself.  I consider my characters and the actions I've done, and base that on the hearsay of other players' stories of their actions, and I start to feel like there is something that is preventing me from succeeding in game, based on Out-Of-Game actions.


When I remove myself from the IRC channel / AIM Blast Channel / etc, I don't entertain the thoughts that there might be some Out-Of-Game "game", and my enjoyment of the game goes up.   In fact, I'd state that my achievements of my characters also goes up.

[Eloran]

Some people need to not flame on the GDB.  -Nyr

**Edit** That wasn't a flame, Nyr.

Edit from Nyr:  If you have something you want to report a problem about, report it.  Don't beat around the bush by being passive-aggressive on the Discussion Board.  Thanks.  -Nyr

[Shalooonsh]

There's a horrible, overused old cliche, "the road to the Hell-Pits of Suk-Krath is paved with good intentions."

But, sadly, it is true.

Usually things like this start with something very small:


And then you end up with:


You start with giving simple advice... "with your first PC, you may want to go with something combat oriented."  Helpful, not game breaking, not anything out of bounds for certain, but it's a first step.  Next, that same player comes to you with something seemingly as innocent, but a bit more informationally heavy.  The slippery slope has begun, and sooner or later you have to determine whether you want to be seen as a jerk for not providing information, or if you want to be 'That Guy' and fall hard into the ranks of the OOC Info Peddlers.

Or it may begin with a simple query about playtimes leading to an exchange of AIM info.  After that, you start regularly trading stories of past characters.  Then not so past.  Then recent.  Then current.  Shortly after that you realize that none of the mystery remains in the game, that you've heard it all and seen it all, and the only option is to step back and simply rumor monger or to take a lengthy break before coming back.

OOC Infomongering helps NO ONE.  It's that simple.

The line between helping and mongering is a thin one at best, and it is best to leave walking it up to the Staff via emails or to the assigned Helpers.  Admittedly, neither of these sources is flawless.  Emailing staff can take a while to get a response, and Helpers can have gaps of knowledge or accidental slips where they say too much.

It is, by and large, a situation best left avoided.  By the time you recognize information as OOC, it's too late.  Your brain has already processed it.  There's no way to get it out.

The GDB forums provide plenty of opportunity to trade playtimes, and most players know this to be true as they've seen the various playtime threads.  Coordination via PM is just as handy, and can help protect you in the case of false accusations (which do happen.)

[Yam]

One time when I first started playing the game some guy and I exchanged AIM addresses to "coordinate playtimes".

Long story short, the guy turned out to be a meth head and I got to hear about how he went to jail and knocked up a 16 year old girl. I haven't seen him online in a few years so I think he died or something.

[alicedavignon]

One time when I first started playing the game some guy and I exchanged AIM addresses to "coordinate playtimes".

Long story short, the guy turned out to be a meth head and I got to hear about how he went to jail and knocked up a 16 year old girl. I haven't seen him online in a few years so I think he died or something.

More of the story: Some people your meet in MUDs might be much more hardcore IRL than their 'rinthi characters in Arm.

[Gunnerblaster]

The only spreading of information that I tend to do is telling ARM stories about my characters to non-players.

Anything IG, though, stays IG. It really nags me when someone meets you and OOC's 'what's your IM?'

There have been times when I have just flat out told them 'no'.

This isn't WoW.

This is Armageddon.

Bitches.

[Yam]

I usually ask for street addresses.

[Mood]

I think this was a huge reason that the IRC chat-room went from something very active (15+ players sometimes) to a ghost-town. People either realized on their own it was a bad idea, or it ruined things for them. I've never liked OOC communication, and out of the IRC, which even had staff in it at times, I think its just bad. I don't know anyone here's AOL or Yahoo, and prefer to keep it that way.

I think it's because it was filled with douchebags. The AIM Blast channel has more than 15+ players, and is very, very active.

[Taven]

I think the biggest problem with OOC communication is that Players feel they have to act like they're perfect about it. I don't think there are many examples of someone saying: "I used to do this, and I messed up big. Here's why you DON'T want to do this, learn from my mistake." I think that's because of the firm staff position on it, and fear of immediate retribution. I have heard players say they enjoy play more without the OOC chatter, and I know there's been examples about RPTs being ruined over OOC communication. Ironicly, I think my best ward against OOC communication has come from OOC communication.

I don't know how many other people who have encountered this, but word about OOC communication causing trouble has spread OOCly. There's a strong temptation to just say "Well, THEY obviously can't keep IC and OOC seperate, but *I* can." I've been guilty of that, because there's (as one may try to reason it) "Levels" of OOC talk. It's really easy to think that other people went to far, but you know you won't. Ironicly, the people that are talked about as communicating OOCly and causing trouble are the ones that usually think that, and say that too.

I would say that communication OOCly is addictive, actually. It starts small, and then just gets a ton bigger. I know it's tempting to tell friends what your PC is upto. I've given into this urge before, though I did try to limit the effect by cutting out "important" things, as well as names and sdescs. For me, there's always a battle between cutting off communications, and doing "harmless" communications. It's a circle that comes back to wondering how "innocent" those things are. When I'm playing a role that I feel is far more secretive or important then a normal one, I'll either block a large number of people, stay invisible on AIM, or just avoid it altogether.

I've been out of the OOC grapevine loop for most of my time playing Arm. It's amazing, however, the impact of rumors and "IC info" that may or may not be valid. It's also terrible to see what kind of effect that sort of information spreading has on the players. Honestly, it's strangely remiscent of the 7th or 8th grade, with spreading nasty little rumoers behind people's back. It gets even odder when you have a conversation OOCly about how the spreading of OOC information ruins things, while still spreading some "innocent" information with each other. It's really made me think, at least, about how "innocent" any information is.

I think the best way to keep the game as a game, yet still be able to talk to friends, is to talk about year old plus PCs, and their adventures, while not revealing anything that's IC-sensitive. It would be even better if there was no OOC communication altogether, but I think nearly every Arm player has some amount of OOC communication, even if it isn't always talking about Arm with other Arm players. To those of you that can completely cut yourselves off from OOC communication, I applaud you. Personally, I've been continiously trying to scale back, and I think that threads like this are a good reminder to everyone.

Hope that wasn't too rambling.

[Lizzie]

More than 15 players in blast chat, and it's very active...

which is one of the main reasons why I left it after being in it for a short time.

That place is more like a grade school playground. A few clusters of people who hang out and gossip with each other in IM and ruin the in-game stuff for everyone, and a few clusters of bullies who ruin the out-of-game stuff for everyone.

I'm just a little too old to hang out in the playground, and my hips haven't fit on those kiddie-swings in a few decades.

[Malken]

Is this the feel good thread of the summer?

This thread makes me twitch.

*twitches*

[Jingo]

Hell. Just playing an mmo with a few armers gets pretty fucking bad.

Also, when I notice two players are chatting outside of arm while in game, I wonder if I should make a player complaint.

[Yam]

I think this was a huge reason that the IRC chat-room went from something very active (15+ players sometimes) to a ghost-town. People either realized on their own it was a bad idea, or it ruined things for them. I've never liked OOC communication, and out of the IRC, which even had staff in it at times, I think its just bad. I don't know anyone here's AOL or Yahoo, and prefer to keep it that way.

I think it's because it was filled with douchebags. The AIM Blast channel has more than 15+ players, and is very, very active.

I'm pretty sure the AIM blast chat suffers from a different set of problems than IRC.

Actually, it has one of the same problems.

[Bushranger]

I'm pretty sure the AIM blast chat suffers from a different set of problems than IRC.

Actually, it has one of the same problems.

No bathers at the swim up bar no service?

[Xagon]

I actually have a question. There's something I'm dying to know about concerning a previous character, but I don't know how long I should wait until I bring up the topic. I've heard a year but is that an IC year, or an OOC year?

[Zoltan]

An OOC year, Xagon. Make that more if there's a good chance that the events are still IC-sensitive (sekrit magick stuff, characters still alive that were involved, the exact location of Tek's Pleasure Pit).

[Durant]

There was a great thread from way back in the day in which Halaster(?) posted succinctly how OOC communication completly ruined a real cool plotline.
i'f I could find it I'd post it, because even after all of these years I still remember that post as one of the main reasons I do not communicate with anyone outside of the game.

[mansa]

There was a great thread from way back in the day in which Halaster(?) posted succinctly how OOC communication completly ruined a real cool plotline.
i'f I could find it I'd post it, because even after all of these years I still remember that post as one of the main reasons I do not communicate with anyone outside of the game.

Mon, 09 Dec 1996
http://www.armageddon.org/HyperNews/get/general-archive1996/7.html

[SMuz]

I've seen a lot of other RPIs run well with OOC knowledge. That said, what I do love about this one is that a lot of knowledge remains secret.

I'm a bit guilty of OOC communication. Nothing serious, just talking about stuff. Sometimes Armageddon stuff, like "sorry ur char died", "yeah, if u want to join my clan, i could log in now and recruit". A lot of non-Arm stuff too.

But yeah, when you know something cool about a friend OOCly, you just get that itch to tell them. There was one major IC secret I figured about a character who played at different times to me. I had him on AIM, and I was so tempted to tell him to log into the game so that my character could confront him about it. Well, I didn't, said character probably died because of that very secret, but I'm not going to ask the player whether or not his character died. And I'm avoiding contacting the player because I don't want to know what happened.

Not really much point to it then. I just chat with people I meet on Arm over the GDB messages now; at least I have some guilt about talking about OOC stuff lest the imms catch me.

Hmm.. but could someone explain to me the rule about not chatting with a player outside the game, while you're still in the game? It seems fine to me, since I definitely don't talk about game stuff to people when my character could do it.

[spicemustflow]

I once refrained myself from murdering and robbing two people in the desert because I knew who was behind them. Also almost killed someone in their sleep but didn't, for the same OOC reasons. So, yeah, I don't want to know who plays what anymore.

[FantasyWriter]

Sometimes I really just want to not use AIM anymore at all... especially when I get a message that makes me want to shoot the sender or just stop playing at all.

[LoD]

Hmm.. but could someone explain to me the rule about not chatting with a player outside the game, while you're still in the game? It seems fine to me, since I definitely don't talk about game stuff to people when my character could do it.

There are countless ways innocent OOC communication can inadvertently spread IC information, regardless of your intent.

You might be idly chatting with someone OOCly while you're mining obsidian and suddenly get attacked in-game.  So, after the encounter is over, you might say something like, "Man, I hate raiders."  You feel that no IC information has moved between you and the other party, but you have no idea who THEY are also talking to, and the person playing the raider might say, "Man, I hate when people spam flee."

And the person both of you are talking to might be sitting in the Gaj, and notice your character now run into the room and warn people about a raider outdoors and what they looked like.

Now that person knows:

> Who you play.
> Who the other player is playing.
> How the other character is handling encounters outdoors.
> How you encounter an IC situation outdoors.

All from two statements both parties probably felt were innocent and non-specific.  The game isn't as big as you think, and it's extremely easy to discern a wealth of information from just a few off handed comments, whether you intended to convey those things or not.

It's just best not to have open lines of communication while you play, because the temptation to chat with people while there are breaks in action on the game will eventually lead you down the dark path of conveying IC information.  It's the same theory as if you're trying to lose weight, stop smoking, stop drinking, or achieve something specific; you avoid situations and encounters where you are likely to be tempted into doing the things you know deep down inside that you probably shouldn't.

-LoD

[Lizzie]

derail

LOD says

It's the same theory as if you're trying to lose weight, stop smoking, stop drinking, or achieve something specific; you avoid situations and encounters where you are likely to be tempted into doing the things you know deep down inside that you probably shouldn't.

Except, it's exactly the opposite. Because it is usually -recommended and encouraged- that if you're trying to stop smoking or drinking, that you hook up with fellow addicts to form a support group. If you're addicted to OOC gossip, that's probably the -last- thing you want to do. The only cure for OOC gossip, is OOC isolation. I don't isolate myself - but I did remove myself from the uglier aspects of it and my OOC interactions with other players is extremely limited. Two ex-players, 2 players I hardly ever talk to about anything, 1 who rarely plays anymore, and 1 clan-mate. That's the entirety of my buddy list, aside from my actual family.

/derail

[LoD]

derail

LOD says

It's the same theory as if you're trying to lose weight, stop smoking, stop drinking, or achieve something specific; you avoid situations and encounters where you are likely to be tempted into doing the things you know deep down inside that you probably shouldn't.

Except, it's exactly the opposite. Because it is usually -recommended and encouraged- that if you're trying to stop smoking or drinking, that you hook up with fellow addicts to form a support group. If you're addicted to OOC gossip, that's probably the -last- thing you want to do. The only cure for OOC gossip, is OOC isolation.

I think you misread my statement.

What I said was that you should "avoid situations and encounters where you are likely to be tempted into doing the things you know...you probably shouldn't."  Doesn't that sound like isolation, as far as OOC gossip is concerned?  I'm not drawing a similarity between addictions and support groups, but on the similarity that a solution to both problems is to isolate yourself from those situations and scenarios where you would be tempted to participate in whatever "bad behavior" you want to avoid.

I hope that's more clear.

-LoD

[Zerack]

I find that OOC communication, either IG or on other mediums while playing can really kill the atmosphere of an heavy RP environment quick. When your having some serious RP going on even a single seemingly harmless IG OOC comment can destroy the mood. I don't have anyone on any type of messengers...I use IG OOC for two things - to tell friends when I'll be on next and to inform people if I need to go AFK.

[RogueGunslinger]

Hmm.. but could someone explain to me the rule about not chatting with a player outside the game, while you're still in the game? It seems fine to me, since I definitely don't talk about game stuff to people when my character could do it.

Do you know how easy it is to type in the wrong window when you have two up?

[Riev]

I have yet to have my "immersion broken" or been in a situation that was "jarring" for me to "stay in character".

I'm absolutely sure OOC communication can ruin things. Such as Halaster's thread in the link in this thread. There is some OOC communication that I have no problem with. I have also known people that hate certain players so much, they want to kill them whenever they find out who they are.

I've only been playing maybe three years, but havn't come across anything that was -so- terrible OOCly that my in game play was absolutely ruined. I guess, perhaps, I'm not as "good" as you serious people? Maybe I'm not "in character" enough.

[SMuz]

I don't mistype in the wrong window. I've had years of practicing not doing that

Hmm.. I could see what LoD means, though. During that short period that the 2.Arm chat was up, I think some people did get some IC info about my character inadvertently. Though I don't see how it's much worse than you people who enter the GDB using your character's name as your GDB handle.

[FantasyWriter]

Sorta like typing in the wrong window...

I once ruined one of my own plots by "talk"ing something at a crowded bar instead of "psi"ing it.
I nearly cried because everyone involved in the plot was in the room at the time.

[Niamh]

To get this thread back on track, I would like to say that Nyr has made some very good points.  Yes, we do understand that there are a lot of really fun things that go on in the game.  But turning around and telling your Arm friends about it (especially when it concerns something that isn't well known among the world ICly, like a PC's seekrit assassination, or that Amos is the ghost that's been haunting Allanak) can really spoil the fun, intrigue, and mystery of things.  It's especially damaging when the information gets passed on to others and spread out.  Yes, unfortunately there are some people who have taken that sort of information that they've gotten OOCly and used it for IC gains.  Refraining from the OOC communication helps out a lot in preventing unscrupulous things like that from happening.

[Kronibas]

Refraining from the OOC communication helps out a lot in preventing unscrupulous things like that from happening.

I don't think OOC communication between Arm players is necessarily a bad thing, Niamh.  Not everyone who talks to folks they know from Arm talk about IC stuff.

It's sort've like that argument about gun control:  Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Well, let's replace that cliche with this new and improved version:  OOC communication with people you share a hobby with doesn't ruin the game, sharing IC information with people ruins the game.

I've introduced some of my best friends to Armageddon and they've stuck.  Where you at, Sephiroto and Fantasty Writer?  I still talk to these people.  I don't think I should be discouraged from talking to these folks, nor should I be discouraged from talking with people who I've been
friends with for half a decade (even though I don't talk to folks so much anymore these days, save for the Blast chat).

I do believe that people should be discouraged from distributing IC information.  And LoD had a good point about inadvertantly talking about
something in game, so I admit.. you need to be careful.  But you can have friends (and boyfriends and girlfriends and husbands and wives, oh my!) that play Arm with you.  I think that's okay.

[Delstro]

Though I don't see how it's much worse than you people who enter the GDB using your character's name as your GDB handle.

Specifically about this above quote.
People will make GDB Handles for specific characters who join a clan and keep their main GDB handle unassociated with their characters.
I, myself, have one GDB handle I use for clan forums, and two GDB handles I switch between every 6 months.

I am also in agreement with Krono, even though I don't maintain contact with anybody I know who plays this game, I don't want to not talk to friends that I have introduced to Arm. That is bad juju.

[el_cid]

Yeah I hate OOC communication.

[jcljules]

I recently blocked everyone from Armageddon on AIM. Too much mixing of OOC and IC in my game experience recently, and its really hard to keep communication innocent. I don't use IRC or AIM Blast either. I do hope that others choose to do this--it seems like this kind of communication is almost ubiquitous and I've seen it a lot in my year of play. I've had a few mysteries of the game ruined for me because of it, and I feel like stopping any chance of it happening again is worth the losing the 'community' aspect and the occasional 'advantages' it unfairly confers.

Stop the madness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zJvX3pIY4

[brytta.leofa]

Digressing from the original point (of not sharing IC information): There are several Armers with whom I chat regularly.  But I've discovered that I enjoy the game more when I'm doing nothing but the game: not chat, not the GDB, not random web surfing.  When I start distracting myself, my creativity plummets.

[a strange shadow]

I've met a few awesome people through Armageddon. I've also met a bunch of twerps.

I'm not going to stop talking to the awesome people. I will exercise restraint in what we talk about. Frankly, if we only chatted about the game, those people would not be categorized as awesome, so it isn't a problem in the first place.

Also, what brytta.leofa said.

[RogueGunslinger]

Refraining from the OOC communication helps out a lot in preventing unscrupulous things like that from happening.

I don't think OOC communication between Arm players is necessarily a bad thing, Niamh.  Not everyone who talks to folks they know from Arm talk about IC stuff.

It's sort've like that argument about gun control:  Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Well, let's replace that cliche with this new and improved version:  OOC communication with people you share a hobby with doesn't ruin the game, sharing IC information with people ruins the game.

I've introduced some of my best friends to Armageddon and they've stuck.  Where you at, Sephiroto and Fantasty Writer?  I still talk to these people.  I don't think I should be discouraged from talking to these folks, nor should I be discouraged from talking with people who I've been
friends with for half a decade (even though I don't talk to folks so much anymore these days, save for the Blast chat).

I do believe that people should be discouraged from distributing IC information.  And LoD had a good point about inadvertantly talking about
something in game, so I admit.. you need to be careful.  But you can have friends (and boyfriends and girlfriends and husbands and wives, oh my!) that play Arm with you.  I think that's okay.

I figure this was all pretty much a given, considering we're all OOCly communicating, right now.

[LoD]

It seems that some people are interpreting the message "Don't get involved in OOC communication that is detrimental to the game." as "Don't participate in OOC communication."

And those are two very different messages.  I don't think that anyone is suggesting that we don't ever talk to each other, develop friendships, or ever discuss the game itself in an appropriate way.  The main issue is that it's an extremely fine line between discussing the game through OOC communication and hurting the game through OOC communication.  It seems most people feel that hurting the game is the direct result of a malicious or willful act, but I doubt the majority of the guilty parties were ever purposefully trying to hurt anyone.

As others have mentioned, it really comes down to disciplining yourself.  It's similar to choosing when to go along with your friends, and when not to.  If you know that your friends have a tendency to be morons from time to time, then you might need to pick and choose the specific time and place where you hang out -- to avoid being placed into those situations.  I used to have some friends that were perfectly fine at school, hanging out at my house, or playing basketball, but they would occasionally drive around playing mailbox baseball -- and I wasn't all about damaging other people's personal property.

I have another friend who can't help but be loud at movies.  He's just one of those people that blurts out what they're thinking, and shouts things out at the screen at really inappropriate times.  He's still my friend, but I choose not to go to movies with him.

Thus, I think it's best to treat our OOC communication with other players in a similar fashion.  If we can't 100% trust them, or 100% trust ourselves, then we need to limit our exposure to it -- especially at the most critical times (while we are playing).  I always enjoyed the game much more when I didn't know who anyone else played, didn't have a lot of OOC communication, and was able to focus all my attention strictly on the game.

-LoD

[Thistle]

Another danger of ooc communication I want to bring up:

This sort of thing can sow discontent.  I've watched this happen in various arm related discussions where players talk about things and usually it is based off of an assumption or misinformation and they get more and more worked up over it and it generally ends with some statement about how terrible staff are.  A lot of mountains get made out of molehills and all of those started with OOC communication.

[Riev]

Another danger of ooc communication I want to bring up:

This sort of thing can sow discontent.  I've watched this happen in various arm related discussions where players talk about things and usually it is based off of an assumption or misinformation and they get more and more worked up over it and it generally ends with some statement about how terrible staff are.  A lot of mountains get made out of molehills and all of those started with OOC communication.

Well, maybe if staff weren't so terrible, Thistle-uuuu. (kidding)


I guess I have nothing to worry about, myself. I don't believe I've ever really engaged in IC-sharing information that has either ruined the game for me, or for someone else. I'm less worried about me, but I'd hope other people would be upfront with "Do not tell me things happening in game". Part of my fun, with this game, is the storytelling. As my playstyle does -not- lend well to some of the better stories, I do enjoy the occasional "Yes, well when I did xx action one time, yy templar did this amazingly zz torture scene." I can then tell these stories to friends that do NOT play Arm in the attempt to gain their interest.

The stories about my characters would be "So, I had this guy in Salarr, but he went outside looking for salt and died to a giant flying mekillot what was leading an argosy full of gith."

[Niamh]

It seems that some people are interpreting the massage "Don't get involved in OOC communication that is detrimental to the game." as "Don't participate in OOC communication."

[jmordetsky]

It seems that some people are interpreting the massage "Don't get involved in OOC communication that is detrimental to the game." as "Don't participate in OOC communication."

A wise man once said that the OP should probably include a link to guideline as to what "OOC communication that is detrimental to the game" is.

That wise man is me. Cuz, I does likes me some chat time while I play.

And - at the end of the day - the current rash of OOC nonsense was caused by someone who apparently (unless I misread san's post) had staff access (for better or for worse, for right or for wrong). I tend to be of the school that believes that OOC nonsense is it's most nonsensical-esque, it's usually because someone with staff resources is involved.  Nonsensical-esque is a word. I say so.

I wrote a big post about this. I will edit it and post again. Consider this a prelude bitches.

[Shalooonsh]

The stories about my characters would be "So, I had this guy in Salarr, but he went outside looking for salt and died to a giant flying mekillot what was leading an argosy full of gith."

Way to blow my plotline, jerk.

[SMuz]

Hmm.. ok, another question: What about IC information to people who don't play Arm? I do like telling my friends about this game, and there are a lot, lot of fun things that happens to my char(s). But to really get the point across, I have to tell some IC info.

There's a tiny chance that someone could tell who I am, because my nick on other forums is only slightly different and an even tinier chance that a hardcore Arm player (out of the 300 or so here) would be hanging out on the same forum. But it's like.. really tiny to have them both together

[jcljules]

Hmm.. ok, another question: What about IC information to people who don't play Arm? I do like telling my friends about this game, and there are a lot, lot of fun things that happens to my char(s). But to really get the point across, I have to tell some IC info.

There's a tiny chance that someone could tell who I am, because my nick on other forums is only slightly different and an even tinier chance that a hardcore Arm player (out of the 300 or so here) would be hanging out on the same forum. But it's like.. really tiny to have them both together

There are plenty of people who I know will never, ever play Armageddon--and so I feel no restraint in telling them what happens ICly.