Consider this...

[Jeajea]

I understand your reply to my comment, and I'll say that you misread my meaning. Realy fights should be taken out of the talk rooms to the fight rooms, that's what they're for. I agree wholley. But in my experience, fights don't go from words to swords as cleanly as the move from emp to arena. There's a problem, either the beginning of the fight happens in the emporium, or the end of the talk (and a lot of talk during the fighting... maybe even more talk *than* fighting, but still a lot of fighting) might happen in the arena. I just get the impression... the feeling... that the authorities see them as quite black and white, and clearly it's shades of grey. I think my only ever warn was for something like this... actually, I don't remember what I got that warn for, but it was some misuse of rooms thing... I was upset about it. I thought it was unjustified. It's curbed my roleplaying, I feel a lot less free on this site to be spontaneous than I did before, and that takes away a lot of personal creativity.

As to the IC laws... well, now. People being thrown out for fighting I have no problem with - indeed, it might even provide a much needed reason to actually move the fighting. Sometimes it's difficult to find one, and one has to be quite artificially made.

And the lack of use of the bounty board, I think, speaks volumes in terms of how much this site is... what... I hate to say getting worse... maybe, getting less free and spontaneous.

I knew my last post wasn't really very clear... well, anyway. Here's a clarification and justification. There were other things... I'll reply to anything else anyone has to say to my opinions as they come.

~Jea

 

[Acaed]

I am so sorry, I've been really, really busy over the break. Add to that my comp catching a virus and being offline for a week, and you've got my situation. Obviously, I have some explaning to do, ne?

First off, last sunday I logged onto the ISRP chat and tried to RP. However, I noticed several things, first of which my character was ignored, IC and OOC. I would go up and talk to people, and they would simply ignore me. The WizO present was less than curteous, informing me that 'things have changed'. I'm not going to say who, for I do not want tanyone to get in trouble. Add that and several other things, and you get what you have seen: I decided to leave Wizards. I have decided, however, to continue the two War threads, and at their point of merging, perhaps shift them onto my IceFall boards, if everyone agrees.

I don't know. With all this stuff happening, I'm really close to leaving wizards forever.

And Jea, Drin, Thar, and Varn, it's not you people, the 'experienced players' that I am worried about. You have pledged time and time again your commitements to making Wizards a better place. It's the casual players, that never check these OOC boards, who have no idea that they are doing something wrong. It's the absence of instruction, too! A few IN CHAT seminars wouldn't be out of place, and even if a link to the ISRP pages wouldn't be out of hand. I looked all ovewr thse boards, and couldn;t find the ISRP pages link.

I finally went to google to find it, and here it is. I read this same document before I staretd RPing, and it's what made me good. Most 'casual' RP'ers have no idea what FOD (freedom of destiny) is. This, is the problem that I have.

-Acaed

 

[Jeajea]

Amen to Acaed's comments! Some 'how to' seminars would be a very good idea, and yes... that link... preferably on the chatsite itself somewhere. Or at least available.

 

[Fenmarel]

I just dropped by to read some posts and thought I would reply to this one after reading through it.

Seminars wouldn't help hardly anything at all. I went to a couple of the seminars and the ones that were there were for the most part were the "experienced" roleplayers. The ratio of 'older' players to newer players was close to 7-1. Now after the seminar I saw that only one of the newer players was taking what was was said to heart AND that six of the 'experienced' players were doing the 'bad' things that were discussed. Alot of the players both new and old have the mindset that they know what they are doing and don't need to be told or reminded.

To many are just willing to gripe, flame, or even leave for good rather than help.

Some of us though have gotten disgusted with trying to help either individual players or the site as a whole. I've seen too many instances were what was done to help the site or certain players has been destroyed by actions of other players and WizO's as well.

As in all other things people must come to grips with the fact that nothing else can be done, that they are fighting a losing battle. With the combination of the newer players not looking into what they are getting themself into by rping online and the 'experienced' rpers shoving idiotic and moronic views down the throats of impressionable people the site will continue to run as it is. What I mean by that is the same problems that are around now will continue to be around say ten years from now. There will always be those that will flame others for not following the GUIDELINES of Dungeons and Dragons(yes even from the beginning of the game it was stated they are guidelines and please no Gary Gigax misquotes I hate those with a passion) even though this is a freeform site. There will be those that will continue to accuse people of being a snert, twink, powergamer or what have you for playing what ever character concept they have before actually WATCHING the players interact(I know watching is too hard, you see celestial, fiend, lich, half-dragon, or what ever and they are automatically in the wrong) with other characters. There will continue to be the elitists that will bad mouth certain players and harass those that interact with them on their IM's so they don't have to worry about WizO involvement. There will also be the ones that are rolling their eyes now saying that this stuff doesn't go on here and will continue to look at the world through blind eyes and deaf ears unless it directly involves them.

If you roleplay table top look at this site like a gaming group. Gaming groups break up for what ever reason all the time. The same goes with all kinds of groups. Don't whine because people are leaving for better things but be happy that if they were miserable here they didn't stick around to make others miserable as well. Play with what you have and be happy that you are fortunate enough to own or have access to a computer when many people would love to just have the money it takes for a computer or the monthly charge for internet service.

Jason

 

[Ruthia]

Adding on to many of the thoughts above my post I'd like to say something.

Sometimes the best way to help is to do NOTHING. Yes thats right, nothing. Reasons behind this? Well a lot of times the people who are causing problems like this will just get bored with the fact that no one reacts to them and move on. Yes I know this doesnt always work, but sometimes when you've tried everything else you do have to resort to this. I've had to do it on my threads in MoP many times.

Another thing to do? Well just keep being a good example for others to follow. I knew absolutly NOTHING about this site when I joined over a year ago. Reading the rules reallty didn't help and the vague hints I'd get PM'd to me didn't help either. So how'd I learn to behave? By watching how everyone else was interacting. I spent much of my first weeks around this site watching people like Acaed, Wizo_Bailey, Wizo_Reese, and many others interact. Through watching them I learned what was exeptable and what wasn't. Isn't this how kids learn? Is through watching the adults? Well just keep the mindset that those who have been around for awhile are the Adults of the site and thus the new people look up to them

Ok...SO my post doesn't make complete sense. And I know most people will not agree, but I've had my say and now I'll go back to hiding iin the MoP.

 

[Nugan]

As a less big issue, there's the issue of fighting and talking, and what rooms to perform each in. Personally, I dislike the feeling that it's not okay to talk in the combat rooms, and it's not okay to have combat in the talking rooms. Allow me to explain: I think that it's too strict. I agree that, without doubt, combats need to happen away from the talking areas, or they'll get in the way of other people's fun. Most of the time. Sometimes not. I think that sometimes some things are taken a little too heavily by some of our overseeing staff.

Amen to that. I know there needs to be some level of distinction between these two areas, but I think the line between these two areas (as well as the line at which something is considered to be a "breach of setting") has been enforced to a level that has created more fear and stiffled more creativity than it has created order. I know this is sorta off-topic, but I think some rules could be loosened.

 

[Traveler]

That's the thing about this thread...no one need hide from it....even the very very very negative folks.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions here. I will only suggest that those who don't care about this site any more for whatever reason have no call to well...bother.

This thread obviously isn't for you.

This is for those of us who for whatever reason, still have a desire to play here.

Good point, Ruthia. That is another good one.

The other thing I wanted to mention here is that I am taking my own advice...and plotting again

Stay tuned!

-Traveler

 

[Nugan]

Unfortunately, Fen's post probably represents the opinions of many many people on this site. In fact, I've felt pretty much exactly that way before.

However, I have trouble believing that there's nothing that can be done. Certainly there's nothing any one individual can do, but if we could disspell some of this negativity all around, perhaps something can be changed.

That in mind, I have another suggestion:

Be Less Critical: I think this is what I really wanted to say in my "Artistic Integrity" suggestion. We need to be, as a whole, less critical of other players on this site. There are many different views of what is good and what is bad in role-playing. Just because someone has a style that you may not like does not mean you EVER have a right to criticize them. Especally to thier face. So long as they aren't breaking the CoC or harrassing you directly, let creative differences go. Don't criticize, lock out, or label (ahem-newbie-ahem) someone over something so trivial as role-play style.

 

[Acaed]

I'm not wanting to give up on this site, it's where I started after all... I'll think of more ways to help, then post here.

Here's the site:

Click Here!

 

[Andion Isurand]

I've been with ISRP for over two years now (the boards not long after that) and I'd also have to agree with a lot of what has been said.

I also understand many people who come to this site will never seek to understand, will never care to listen and never try to get along. Even amongst other players who have been here as long as I have (and much longer), I still feel as though I get pushed out all the time. Its hard dealing with people who are so closed and even I have days when I lose the spirit for this as well.

I'm glad I have made a few friends here that help me keep coming back.