Original Documentation vs How I see myself

[Bushranger]

How do you interpret the Armageddon documentation in your game play? Are you a traditionalist who strives to obey documentation to the letter? Do you ground yourself in the documentation but don't let it restrict your creativity? Or do you throw the documentation in the fire and play the game how you like to play?

This is me:

How Akei'Ta Var documentation was originally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O3_EOmbpmI

How I see other people playing Akei'Ta Var:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fd9qP-sHbQ

How I would play Akei'Ta Var:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4qcbmiNmBM

[palomar]

In my play I try to stick to the documentation as far as possible. If I am uncertain of how to interpret the documentation I consult clan boards if applicable, or ask staff. Sometimes staff interpret documentation or parts not fully detailed in the documentation in different ways. This can cause some problems if you play in a clan for a long time and over staff rotations. My experience is that staff rotations are much smoother these days than in the past, however.

While some documentation is rigid and fundamental and shouldn't be ignored, there are admittedly some grey areas and creativity could be beneficial if you make sure to communicate it properly. I wouldn't recommend throwing the docs in the fire, because it'll make playing your character very difficult as staff and other players potentially won't understand what you're doing. Going against the docs or ignoring them is a surefire way to get promptly stored with a bad account note if it's jarring enough (riding beasts as an elf, sexing commoners as a Tuluk noble etc).

As for your ATV example, Bushranger, remember that the docs have been changed quite a bit since the tribe was last open for play in 2010. It's possible that there wouldn't be a difference between how you see current docs and current portrayal (and how you'd play them according to current docs). Some but not all clans have had their docs updated and changed in the last few years. I'm sometimes confused when I don't recognize current portrayal with my years-old understanding of a clan's place in the game world (because I have only read old docs and not the new, which the current players obviously have).

[Bushranger]

It's all about refinement and style. Personally I like to ground myself in the documentation but I don't let it restrict me from breaking the rules if I have to for a fun character and comedy is super important! I've never played Akei'Ta Var which is why I used them as an example but here is a concept I did play: A mundane ranger who lived in the gemmed quarter, socialized with and worked for gemmed mages. I read the documentation about how gemmed are feared and mistrusted by everyone then I ignored that documentation and made the character I wanted to play. He was the son of a gemmed mage who had grown up in the gemmed quarter. He feared and mistrusted magick not because it was unknown and unfamiliar to him but because he did know about it. There is no documentation about this and it even breaks some conventions but my concept and background was grounded in the fundamentals and staff approved the character.

I'm not advocating flagrantly playing against fundamentals such as having elves ride around on raptors!

I'll break down my video analysis of my play style: The Akei'Ta Var are not an original desert elf tribe and back in the day they didn't exist (This was Apache by the Shadows which is not shown, general desert elf culture and nothing more). Then they were created and some documentation was released (Apache by the Incredible Bongo Band - Video 1) and you can play completely within the documentation. From what I've seen of the Akei'Ta Var players over the years they've taken the documentation and added their own style and expanded it with their creativity (Apache Jump On It by the Sugar Hill Gang) which is awesome. When it comes to me however I mix some comedic relief into my characters.


I'm not advocating blatant disregard for the fundamentals such as elves who ride around.

[Jihelu]

Armageddon 2 the electric boogalo, make everyone the son of a  Shepardgemmed.
I'm always scared of saying shit that might be 'too smart' or something along those lines but if its for the sake of humor I just say it and hope people understand my humor without it delving too "Ooc"
The joke is, no matter what I say it can't be ooc, because I'm not funny.

[palomar]

I didn't think you were advocating disregard or playing against docs, Bushranger. Sorry if it came across as such. It's simply an extreme, which needs to be considered when you work with the documentation in your play style. Your role example makes perfect sense to me. Creativity is a potentially great thing and it seems you were able to communicate the intentions clear enough through your app that staff got what you were up to.

[Jave]

When I was playing characters I would typically read all the documentation and plot out where I thought my character was going to align with it, and where he wouldn't on a roughly 2:1 ratio in the documentation's favor.

So if I was going to play a character who was going to be "ok" with associating with mages, he was going to be a stickler about hating elves and breeds & he was going to be fully convinced that the templarate and nobility were simply better human beings by virtue of birth.

If he was going to think that nobles and templars were no better than him and we all put our boots on in the morning they just have a fancier hat -- then he was going to be extremely distrustful of magick and also hate elves and breeds.

Etc.



I did this as an internal check & balance to avoid having my character be too much like a special snowflake but as I've said before, so long as your character and you as a player are aware of documentation, and how the game world would react to your wild ideas, then feel free to play the exception to every single cultural convention you like.

Some things aren't up for debate because they're so deeply ingrained into that race psychologically or biologically as to be unbreakable (you can't be a cunning and genius half-giant, an elf who rides animals, a dwarf with no focus, etc) but aside from those ... go nuts. Just keep the game world conventions you are disregarding in mind and try not to be too surprised and upset when the social consequences for loving elves set in should you make that opinion too public. 

[Norcal]

How do you interpret the Armageddon documentation in your game play? Are you a traditionalist who strives to obey documentation to the letter? Do you ground yourself in the documentation but don't let it restrict your creativity? Or do you throw the documentation in the fire and play the game how you like to play?

This is me:

How Akei'Ta Var documentation was originally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O3_EOmbpmI

How I see other people playing Akei'Ta Var:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fd9qP-sHbQ

How I would play Akei'Ta Var:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4qcbmiNmBM

If I could give kudos for GDB posts, this one would defiantly get some.

I view docs kind of like my budget lines at work.  I am supposed to stay on line, yet I have the option of and over or underspend of 15% with no major repercussions.  Anything more than that and the auditors and donors are on me.

So if I apply this to conforming to clan docs, then I figure it gives me some room for individual play. And I suppose it depends on individual taste. For me I have a hard time seeing some things in game that are just against the docs. Like a mundane human chasing after gemmed for romance. Yet I am sure that it would occur in Zalanthas, just like humans and elves making breeds. 

[Marauder Moe]

I have said before that for every aspect in which your character is unusual, they should be ordinary in nine other ways.

[Jihelu]

Every two normal characters I have I have that social reject that can't stand anything socially acceptable because his parents hit him too much as a child or something.

I love the reactions people give me.
People follow the documentation, good on ya.

[ibusoe]

How do you interpret the Armageddon documentation in your game play?

Thank you for making this thread.  This is one of the awesomer threads that I've seen in a while.

[Iiyola]

+ 1 Bushranger. Hi-la-rious! XD

[Rokal]

How do you interpret the Armageddon documentation in your game play?

Thank you for making this thread.  This is one of the awesomer threads that I've seen in a while.

+ 1 Bushranger. Hi-la-rious! XD

[Saellyn]

I'm brought back to my days of watching the Fresh Prince. +1 Karma, Bushranger. +1 Karma.