New OOC, GM and THINK tags

[pneumatik]

So first of off, if you haven't noticed them yet, there are three new tags that appear designed for pbp games: THINK, OOC, and GM

			This is what I'm thinking.

OOC: This is OOC.

GM: This is the GM speaking. Or it's for the GM's attention.

As much as I appreciate the work that went into these tags I don't think I'll be using them in my pbp game (WotBS - see sig).

I like the idea of THINK, but the way it separates the enclosed text so much from the text surrounding it that it makes it hard to integrate into a block of prose. I would guess that most IC posts I make or see are a standard prose, with actions, spoken words, and any internal character activity intermixed in one or more paragraphs. I can see how other styles of game than mine might use this one, though.

I like to keep OOC text unobtrusive when it's in the IC thread. I usually use sblock, players use size 1 and/or greyed text, but the idea is that the IC thread is readable as the story. It's a weird concern because it's not it's going to be published, but it seems to be a pretty standard convention and unspoken social contract. If anything I'd like an OOC tag that's like sblock but uses a smaller button with out so much extra vertical space above and below it.

The GM tag seems weird to me. I've been running my game for a while and have never seen a need for a tag for my text. I'm the GM, so everything I say is from the GM. I read everything the players post, so they don't need to specifically call out their comments directed right at me.

I'm not trying to be critical, I just wanted to provide feedback. I do have a suggestion for other helpful tools, but I'll put them in the thread where Morrus is asking for them.

 

[IronWolf]

As much as I appreciate the work that went into these tags I don't think I'll be using them in my pbp game.

I like the idea of THINK, but the way it separates the enclosed text so much from the text surrounding it that it makes it hard to integrate into a block of prose. I would guess that most IC posts I make or see are a standard prose, with actions, spoken words, and any internal character activity intermixed in one or more paragraphs. I can see how other styles of game than mine might use this one, though.

I like to keep OOC text unobtrusive when it's in the IC thread. I usually use sblock, players use size 1 and/or greyed text, but the idea is that the IC thread is readable as the story. It's a weird concern because it's not it's going to be published, but it seems to be a pretty standard convention and unspoken social contract. If anything I'd like an OOC tag that's like sblock but uses a smaller button with out so much extra vertical space above and below it.

The GM tag seems weird to me. I've been running my game for a while and have never seen a need for a tag for my text. I'm the GM, so everything I say is from the GM. I read everything the players post, so they don't need to specifically call out their comments directed right at me.

I'm not trying to be critical, I just wanted to provide feedback. I do have a suggestion for other helpful tools, but I'll put them in the thread where Morrus is asking for them.

I agree with you pneumatik. While nice thoughts I don't think they fit well with the typical PbP style of play. PbP'ers tend to like things subtle, kicking OOC type things as far into the background as we can and as unobtrusive as possible.

The think tags would be hard to use as they would interrupt the flow of the IC post substantially which defeats the purpose of exposing the thoughts a character is thinking.

PbP'ers try to keep the OOC stuff as out of the way as possible, hence why it gets hidden behind a sblock tag during games. We don't want the OOC talk to overshadow what is happening in the game.

And as you, I haven't seen need for a GM tag as most of what would be said by the GM would be in the GM's post and hidden by an OOC sblock.

Using the new tags above with any frequency would soon cause the IC post content to be overshadowed by the very things we would just as soon keep hidden away from the main IC threads.

As you said though, we can simply not use them so it isn't like it causes us issues either.

 

[Morrus]

So first of off, if you haven't noticed them yet, there are three new tags that appear designed for pbp games: THINK, OOC, and GM

You missed one - SAY.

			I am saying things.

I'm not trying to be critical, I just wanted to provide feedback. I do have a suggestion for other helpful tools, but I'll put them in the thread where Morrus is asking for them.

It's OK, they're just tags like the many other formatting options available. if you like 'em, you can use 'em. If you don't, you don't have to.

I only added them because they were available and took two seconds to add. I won't be hurt if they don't get used.

 

[pneumatik]

			I don't have a SAY button in my post-composing or post-editing pages. That being said, this effect is awesome. It's like my avatar is talking. I'm so easily amused. I'm glad the OOC and GM tags were easy. They looked pretty straightforward.