Playing Armageddon with spouse?

[Melkor]

Yo, everyone. So, for the last several years, I have regaled my woman with anecdotes about "ARMAGEDDON," which she always laughed about (she initially thought it was just people RPing in a chatroom.....), but always suggested I play again. I did start playing again and rediscovered my love for it. She is becoming interested, and I am thinking of getting her hooked on this drug. Evil, right?

Now, my question is about first-timers, learning, OOC relationships, and how they all apply.
Initially, I thought it would be easiest to have her make a character related to mine, so I would be there to walk her through noob mistakes, syntax, etc. However, that would not only put a cramp in my styleeee  ... But it would also probably be a waste, because if my first characters in Arm are any indication, she will die.... quickly.
Now, I am thinking about having her go off and experience stuff on her own, join a house for basic exp and safety, and eventually play with her once she is familiar with the game. After all, I'll still be in the house with her to help her with commands and syntax.
Thoughts?
Have any of you experienced this? Any advice?

[wizturbo]

Playing a close relative, friend or even 'mate' in-game is probably a pretty good idea for a first character in my opinion.   It gives you a good reason to spend time together, and makes it realistic if she blabs IC stuff to you around the house.

[Melkor]

Playing a close relative, friend or even 'mate' in-game is probably a pretty good idea in my opinion.   It gives you a good reason to spend time together, and makes it realistic if she blabs IC stuff to you around the house.

Good point, good point. Though even if I OOCly learned some juicy info about a house, I wouldnt act on it. Still a good point.

Had an issue 10 years ago when I tried helping my younger brother learn the game. It went horribly, though I was pretty noobish, too.

[Harmless]

Let us know how it goes, whatever you guys decide to do. I think a joint concept would be cool, or just meeting up in game and going from there (like in any other MMO). Whatever you guys do, let us know if she likes it or not and what could have gone better for her.

[WarriorPoet]

Help her set up, get her into the game, show her syntax and get her comfortable with emoting.

Then kill her. Show her what we do.

[Miradus]

Let me state that I think this is a horrible idea. Perfectly horrible.

If my wife played Arm, we'd never get anything done around here at all.

[Gravity]

I would strongly suggest using her as mantis bait.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I will say the mud sex might put a little kinky heat into the relationship.

Maybe.

Just saying.

[Raptor_Dan]

I will say the mud sex might put a little kinky heat into the relationship.

Maybe.

Just saying.

...I want to say this is true, but it's not. When you have a threeway with your spouse's PC, her PC ends up crying, and you end up with the other PC, then conspire to have the first one killed....

Wait, that is pretty kinky. B-dubs, strawberry jam is NOT a suitable replacement for ginka sauce. The tingle just isn't there. In fact, the only real positive change that actually happens, is when your friends brag that they did someone in an airport bathroom, you can laugh at them and say you fucked atop a heap of dead raptors, spiced out of your gourd, lost in the desert.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I will say the mud sex might put a little kinky heat into the relationship.

Maybe.

Just saying.

...I want to say this is true, but it's not. When you have a threeway with your spouse's PC, her PC ends up crying, and you end up with the other PC, then conspire to have the first one killed....

Wait, that is pretty kinky. B-dubs, strawberry jam is NOT a suitable replacement for ginka sauce. The tingle just isn't there. In fact, the only real positive change that actually happens, is when your friends brag that they did someone in an airport bathroom, you can laugh at them and say you fucked atop a heap of dead raptors, spiced out of your gourd, lost in the desert.

I was thinking like...this...

[Armaddict]

I've never had an SO play this with me, but I've had a lot of RL friends or previous-game-friends come to try it out.  The first character or two together works out well, but inevitably it turns into something where they expect it to be a long term OOC alliance.  A lot of the time, me saying that's not really how it works is what kills the interest in the game for them.  To which I *shrug*.

As long as it doesn't turn into permanent, involved OOC alliances, I think you'll be just fine with it.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I've never had an SO play this with me, but I've had a lot of RL friends or previous-game-friends come to try it out.  The first character or two together works out well, but inevitably it turns into something where they expect it to be a long term OOC alliance.  A lot of the time, me saying that's not really how it works is what kills the interest in the game for them.  To which I *shrug*.

As long as it doesn't turn into permanent, involved OOC alliances, I think you'll be just fine with it.

I think allying with each other, when you live together and love each other, should be okay, as long as you aren't suiciding off a cliff everytime your SO's character dies.  Then keep playing, when death comes, go and maybe hook up with the other, or let it happen organically. 

I know there is a "don't keep playing with the same people" thing in Arm, due to people having an advantage or something, or possibly "cheating" but in the case of spouses,  I would personally not care.  Let them have their fun.  It's probably good for them, and we maybe get a new long term player in this case.

Like you said, though, when it's your buddy across town who always wants to be your hunting buddy all the time every time...that's a little...well I'd just find it annoying after two or three chars.

[Armaddict]

I guess I should be more specific to avoid that confusion.

When I said permanent, involved OOC alliances, I meant where through death, you just pop up somewhere else in the world with the expressed idea of getting that part of the world somehow benefiting your SO.

I fully expect people who enjoy spending time together to continue to spend time together in ways coolest to them.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I guess I should be more specific to avoid that confusion.

When I said permanent, involved OOC alliances, I meant where through death, you just pop up somewhere else in the world with the expressed idea of getting that part of the world somehow benefiting your SO.

I fully expect people who enjoy spending time together to continue to spend time together in ways coolest to them.

Yeah, I get you.  I'm in agreement.    Though if you both happen to be in Luir's...I mean.  They got those curtained booths for a reason. 

Anyway.  I guess the one thing I'm not sure anyone has said, is that you should use the Request Tool to let them know their are two players playing from the same IP or whatever.

[Marauder Moe]

I will be a dissenting voice and suggest that you should store (or just stop playing) your current character and just watch over her shoulder while she learns over a character or two.

Playing together and her learning the game with essentially no OOC separation can set bad precidents and lead to bad situations.

I'd say, paradoxically, that she should be able to play independently before you two should play together.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I will be a dissenting voice and suggest that you should store (or just stop playing) your current character and just watch over her shoulder while she learns over a character or two.

Playing together and her learning the game with essentially no OOC separation can set bad precidents and lead to bad situations.

I'd say, paradoxically, that she should be able to play independently before you two should play together.

That would be good too.  But it's also quite likely they don't want to play without doing it with each other.  Dunno.  I guess do what makes your SO most comfortable with playing.

[Melkor]

So... Some are for playing together, Moe is for her playing solo while I tutor her, and others just came to make me laugh a lot.

Good stuff.

I'll talk it out with her.

[Feco]

Whatever you do, make sure you inform staff.

[Melkor]

Of course. I want everything to be on the level.

[whitt]

Of course. I want everything to be on the level.

I think Feco means there will be two actually players coming from your IP so it doesn't look like you're multiplaying and you both wind up tempbanned.

[tiptoe]

My SO and I have both been playing for several years. Initially, we just informed staff that we would be sharing an IP address. He started playing before me, so he coached me through syntax and the general feel of the game. It's a bit of an unspoken rule that we do NOT play characters that interact with each other. We've ended up in the same clan/tribe twice, but not intentionally and it was super awkward. Neither of us felt comfortable really interacting with each other in game because we were so worried about something being seen as OOC communication. So, for those characters we avoided playing at the same times.

I don't recommend intentionally playing with someone you know, especially someone you live with. If rp leads to you killing her character, or your mistake ends in her character's death it can be difficult to separate rp from OOC and not be angry with the person (at least for me). I try to just avoid the situation altogether. It can also become a situation where OOC communication is interfering with rp or leads to metagaming.

Also, families need to be approved through staff first... and they may discourage the two of you being related in game (I'd check with them though).

[boog]

Gosh, you're right, tiptoe. We *have* played together, on and off, for years. <3

[Refugee]

My spouse and I have Mudded together for many years, although not recently.  I highly recommend it.  And it goes better for us when our PCs play together as friends, not mates.  Playing as mates means one day having to RP a mate's death, and then going on alone with your PC's life, which caused all sorts of issues for us.  So we don't do that anymore.

[Ourla]

This is so sweet! Although I'd played text-based games for years already (which made it way easier to get over the learning curve in Arm), I was introduced to this game by my then-SO, the infamous Psionic Fungus (hi, Bill!). We had a blast but never really played together, but eventually he had to have an intervention with me because Arm was, like, ALL we talked about.

Ditto what other people said about keeping staff informed that you're sharing an IP address, and don't forget to take breaks and go on dates without wearing your armor and fancy boots.

[tiptoe]

Gosh, you're right, tiptoe. We *have* played together, on and off, for years. <3

<3 <3

I'd feel bad if I killed you, boo(g).