What degree of disclosure does your group have between characters?

[Marius Delphus]

I'm used to campaigns where the players know "the basics" about each others' characters and are entitled to use that knowledge in character. "The basics" includes character race, class, level, attribute scores, saving throws, usual weapon(s), (other) important magic items, and important spells (where applicable).

For example, in a 2E game I'm a player in, my 16th-level wizard would have died a couple times over if the other characters didn't know where I kept my cube of force, and how to use it to save my bacon. (We place a very high value on spellcasters where I come from, as it were. The other characters, bless them, will take significant risks to make sure spellcasting PCs don't die. )

I've never played in a game where shocking secrets were kept, but the DM of the above game has run one. This DM let one player have an assassin... and it wasn't until after *all* the other characters were dead that the fact was divulged. The players still remember that game with shaking heads and muttered oaths, over ten years later.

 

[Desdichado]

You know what I mean!

Merak "hong needs to clean out his mind with ivory soap" Spielman

Nope. On the other hand, I know exactly what hong means!

Gothmog, to your question, I've played both quite frequently. I prefer the type of game you prefer, as I don't like to give opportunities for meta-game thinking, and I actually kind of like to keep certain things about my character a secret from anyone other than my DM, because I like intrigues, twisted plots and the like.

However, as hong said, this is primarily a style issue, not a right/wrong issue. But it's two-pronged. First of all, you say the DM seems to be in your camp, yet he's clearly not doing enough to enforce that aspect of the game. I'd draw a line in the sand and say something to the effect of "look, this is what the DM wants us to do, so this is what I'm doing" and set an example of diligently doing your part to help the DM out. He'll probably appreciate it, for that matter. However, if the DM doesn't really care that much, and that's the reason he hasn't really put his foot down, I'd say get used to their play style. If they're fine with you not sharing your info, then don't, but if the other players really seem to want to play that way and the DM doesn't stop them, then you can either adapt to their style, or find another group more to your liking.