How OOC Talk Killed a Quest

[IAmJacksOpinion]

I think the point wasn't so much that players knew the end of the story OOCly, as it was that they took that OOC knowledge and dropped it IC.  If you reread it, he states that they went around telling everyone IC that player1 was dead.

That's probably my biggest pet peeve about Arm. Not so much when players communicate OOC, but when they assume that, since their character is the ballz and shaft, s/he would know every scrap of information Zalanthas has to offer. Like if a ranger from Tuluk was offered x,y, and z by a passing vender, he'd instantly know they were magickally produced because they all belonged to the set of what a magicker was able to produce.

Or if Sargeant A of Byn Unit B took his men to location C on the outer edges of the known world, and was about to touch object D, bumblefuck Runner E would say, "don't do that because of F!!"

[Sokotra]

That's probably my biggest pet peeve about Arm. Not so much when players communicate OOC, but when they assume that, since their character is the ballz and shaft, s/he would know every scrap of information Zalanthas has to offer. Like if a ranger from Tuluk was offered x,y, and z by a passing vender, he'd instantly know they were magickally produced because they all belonged to the set of what a magicker was able to produce.

Heh, can't argue there.  That has happened to me before... not often, but a couple of times it was really obvious.  One time I was playing this dirty rangery guy that happened to get in as some noble house guard/fighter-type in Tuluk.  Another guard would not stop pestering me, ICly yet in OOC-ish ways about where I was going and what I was doing.  The character I was playing was doing stuff that would be IC for him to do.  It was pretty annoying - I wouldn't have had any problem with it if he would have kept his hate for me IC, but he was basically saying I was playing my character wrong.  Dropping some hints or whatever is fine if someone is doing something stupid, but he was going way overboard and confusing IC with OOC.

However, this has been fairly rare and most people I've dealt with have done a pretty good job staying IC and RP'ing.

[HavokBlue]

I've run into that a lot, where characters seem very knowledgeable in things that the vast majority of Zalanthans don't really know. I usually just roll with it, and make fun of random Amos the Shitcloak or whoever it is that happens to know every spell a Rukkian can cast, etc etc.

[musashi]

It can be hard to decide where the line gets drawn though. 

[brytta.leofa]

When in doubt, have your character know a lot of stuff that ain't so.

[musashi]

Yeah. I wish more characters were superstitious. 

[Potaje]

Every time I see this title I think of the Lyrics:

"..Video killed the radios star.."

+1 for the topic.

[lordcooper]

I've run into that a lot, where characters seem very knowledgeable in things that the vast majority of Zalanthans don't really know. I usually just roll with it, and make fun of random Amos the Shitcloak or whoever it is that happens to know every spell a Rukkian can cast, etc etc.

Then Amos should most definitely be reported to the nearest Templar as the rogue gicker he uncertainly is.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Then Amos should most definitely be reported to the nearest Templar as the rogue gicker he uncertainly is.

Fixed that for ya!

Also, you're my hero and this is what is going to happen from now on.

And yes, the line is hard to draw. I always assume that my characters have a rudimentary map of the world in their head (For instance, even a lowly rinthi could tell ya that the North Road leads to Luirs and Tuluk). And, it's legit to know that krathi's shit fire, and vivaduans piss water. But beyond that, it's up to the player. If I'm playing a rangerly type, I can probably tell you about where to find any common game creature in the known. If I'm a rangerly type from specific areas, I may even decide to know about the location of a big ugly BAMF creature's den. (Since, if I hunt in this area, I've most likely been warned.)

[EldritchOrigins]

When in doubt, have your character know a lot of stuff that ain't so.

I haven't considered this. This is an awesome idea.  When in doubt, make stuff up.

[musashi]

Or we could all go the X-D route and just roll up 60 year olds and be like: No it's cool they'd know because they're old.   

[HavokBlue]

When in doubt, have your character know a lot of stuff that ain't so.

I haven't considered this. This is an awesome idea.  When in doubt, make stuff up.

I've done this.


I usually just get weird looks.

[Barzalene]

No. No. Then you're doing it wrong. You say these things with complete certainty. Casual certainty. The same way you'd state any fact. If *nyne blinks, you be the one dealing the funny looks.

[Thunkkin]

say (looking at ~skeptic as if #skeptic is crazy) Of course! Ever'one knows tha'! Gicker-water comes from squeezin' babies. Common sense. S'why they steal 'em in th'first place."

[Pariah]

Should probably get rid of this thread, the link posted doesn't even work, so it's like an electronic map saying press here to find out your location.  ERROR!

[mansa]

Should probably get rid of this thread, the link posted doesn't even work, so it's like an electronic map saying press here to find out your location.  ERROR!

The archive link is to the original post, but the contents of the story was reposted in the original post.

[Veselka]

Absolutely do not get rid of this thread. Wtf? It is as relevant today as it was 10-20 years ago.

[Pariah]

I wasn't aware the content of that defunct link was already the stuff being posted.  Thought I was missing the main content.

[Wday]

Ooc of the game now has me on the fence and heavily leaning to leave.  I can see in game it's actions all way to shadow boards as proof by certain things such as time and date stamps of posts there telling what is coming next from the game.