Vampire: the Masquerade - New York by Night OOC Thread

[KitanaVorr]

I don't mind being asked for a translation or an explanation for the literary allusions. One of the things I had thought about becoming once was an English professor and one day I might actually do that when I retire. It gives me great pleasure to analyze and explain the weavings of literary allusions in many of my writings.

Just post asking for one and I'll post an answer to it so everyone else can benefit as well (to hell with whether or not they want to listen to me be didactic but hopefully not pedantic!)

The only thing though, there are alot of secrets with Cate so I won't be able to tell you everything other than "it hints at something".

I know there are many different playing styles in the game and one of the good things is that we all seem to get along quite well with the myraid of styles.

Just so that everyone knows beforehand, I suscribe to the playing style where I prefer player characters to find out things about my character by talking with them so I rarely spill any secrets through thoughts except for foreshadowing. I also rarely ever provide an explanation for the motivations of my characters unless its obvious.

Exceptions are when I agree with another player to work a subplot out to play our characters off one other. Then I don't mind discussing any motivations with the player.

The number one thing I really don't like is the use of outside knowledge of my character by other players to assume anything about her unless its based off her description, action or words during a scene in which the other player character is present. It ranks up there with someone else posting an action or reaction for your character w/out your permission. (the ST and any player I'm working a subplot with is the exception of course)

I find great fun in discovering things about other characters via conversation. It provides for great unscripted character development and also, not knowing how someone else will react is interesting.

I hope this helps to further the understanding of differing playing styles.

 

[reapersaurus]

(to hell with whether or not they want to listen to me be didactic but hopefully not pedantic!)

too late.

Just so that everyone knows beforehand, I suscribe to the playing style where I prefer player characters to find out things about my character by talking with them so I rarely spill any secrets through thoughts except for foreshadowing. I also rarely ever provide an explanation for the motivations of my characters unless its obvious.

My take on this approach is that it leads to the situation where the other players don't know what your character is really like, or really wants, or really feels.

In my eyes, a character thought or action or expression that another player doesn't get, is an almost-wasted thought or action.
I don't play online games to listen to myself talk - unless what I'm saying is heard, and understood, than I might as well be writing my own story.

The number one thing I really don't like is the use of outside knowledge of my character by other players to assume anything about her unless its based off her description, action or words during a scene in which the other player character is present.

I completely agree here.
So much so, that I will not beat around the bush here. LOL
stands on table and points at Festy - "Festy, please stop doing this!"

Oh, and to be fair, I'll mention the example that pops up to the top of my mind (tho it was done with good intentions):
When Kitana looked into Nikolai's eyes from across a room in the first scene and read what he'd just THOUGHT.

I find great fun in discovering things about other characters via conversation. It provides for great unscripted character development and also, not knowing how someone else will react is interesting.

I think conversation is an incredibly overrated way of getting across a character's complexity of motivations and feelings and thoughts.
It is too restrictive (i.e. almost noone actually would say to another person many things that actually let them in on what they're thinking), too open to misinterpretation, and most importantly too dependant on the other player saying the right things to flow the coversation in the direction that will reveal your character's motivations.

I hope this helps to further the understanding of differing playing styles.

and likewise.

 

[KitanaVorr]

too late.

Oh I know, but I have to try!

In my eyes, a character thought or action or expression that another player doesn't get, is an almost-wasted thought or action.
I don't play online games to listen to myself talk - unless what I'm saying is heard, and understood, than I might as well be writing my own story.

Yes I agree, but you can't please all players so I really just please myself in my posts. And the ones who don't understand can always speak up and ask. I like mystery and if there's something that the PC doesn't get, the PC can speak up or wonder or try to find out. It takes the fun out of it if everything was so easy to find out.

But I do make sure that what she is doing or what she is saying is clear. Of course, sometimes what she's saying is absolutely meant to be mysterious and have many levels.

Originally posted by reapersaurus
Oh, and to be fair, I'll mention the example that pops up to the top of my mind (tho it was done with good intentions):
When Kitana looked into Nikolai's eyes from across a room in the first scene and read what he'd just THOUGHT.

Oh I totally forgot that I had done that! Though I don't remember taking it from Nik's thoughts, only the expression or something that Nik had. At that point I was trying to get used to reading your writing style. LOL, no worries though. Cate forgot it as soon as she thought it. So clean slate. I hadn't decided exactly how I wanted to play her at that point.

Originally posted by reapersaurus
I think conversation is an incredibly overrated way of getting across a character's complexity of motivations and feelings and thoughts.
It is too restrictive (i.e. almost noone actually would say to another person many things that actually let them in on what they're thinking), too open to misinterpretation, and most importantly too dependant on the other player saying the right things to flow the coversation in the direction that will reveal your character's motivations.and likewise.

I suppose that could happen. But I thought Carrick and Cate's + Nathan and Sabrina's long conversations went really well. They learned alot about each other in different ways plus at the same time (and more importantly) developed connection with each other.

Without conversation, how are characters supposed to become friends and develop a connection? Its a little easier with a child as in Sabrina's case she's just an adorable child and nearly everyone is enamored of her innocence. With adults though, the only way to develop a real connection is through conversation.

 

[Tory Adore]

The bottom half of Vych's green dress in the picture (that finally worked) is not a bikini swimming suit bottom eventhough it looks like that. It just looks like that in the picture, 'cause it's croped right there. In the full length version, the solid green piece in the bottom, middle half of the dress actually continues down the middle frontside and middle backside to the floor, and she doesn't have the long sleeve chiffon duster (jacket) on. I just didn't like the other picture I have of it as well as this one.

 

[Jemal]

Quit waving that steak in front of Jemal, he's running out of drool.


Seriously, though, awesome posting and nice pics for visualization, too.

 

[Catulle]

Hi all,

Suffice to say the weekend was a little more busy than I had anticipated, and I'll bring things up to speed over the course of the day. Sorry about the delay.

To throw in on the communication thing, I think there has to be an aspect of writing for the audience, as well as for the characters in the scene. We're all playing the game for fun, and as I see it a fair amount of that aspect of an RPG comes from the passive as well as the active; we play to see other people play as well as to portray our own character (that's some of the point of using the horrible term 'storytelling game'). That said, I also think we're all well-enough adjusted to differentiate between what the character knows and what we, as readers, know.

Oh and, by the by, last night I saw Evanescance's video for Bring Me To Life. On Kerrang! TV. At prime-time. Yay.

Regards,

Barry

 

[Festy_Dog]

originally posted by reapersaurus
...stands on table and points at Festy - "Festy, please stop doing this!"

Festy backs up and raises hands

Sorry, sorry, Max was just taking a stab at what could have caused the outburst, he isn't certain he was just guessing. Nikolai doesn't seem to be the mentally unstable type, cos of the calm and collected appearance and all. So he thought something struck a cord in him since he got so animated all of a sudden, Max does have a degree in psycology after all. If my posts contain material which you consider to be metagamed let me know and I'll delete it or just edit it approproately.

Apologies,
Festy_Dog

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Hate to break in with something off topic but...

Shalimar

You still in Valkys' Call of Cthulhu game? I havn't seen you post since it picked back up.

 

[Shalimar]

I haven't checked it since Valkys said it was dead and the posting had stalled out. if its just 1 or 2 people posting its still dead as far as I can tell.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

I think everyone is back. It's still a little slow, but it's moving.