RE: Statement of Intent Discussion

[Griefmaker]

I just hope that if the DMs are found to be in the wrong, that punishments are rescinded. If the server administration is not willing to admit a mistake and remedy it, then enforcing an action will only be a serious detriment the server. Heck, even the government has to make reparations (albeit rarely satisfactory) when they make a mistake to the individual.

That being said, I think there is no real issue here, since as Mith mentioned, they have already been doing this but are now ensuring that everyone is aware of the fact that they are. Best to let everyone know before hand so that they cannot claim ignorance and pitch a fit when nailed (if for justified reasons).

[Dunisbane]

If I understand the core of this thread correctly, it simply is a declaration that people that cheat by using information gathered from an OOC medium will be punished. Understandable. However, I'd like to address a few things about Skype and some feelings I see in this thread that honestly sadden me some.

First Skype. Mileage does vary between people. I don't use the voice function before anything else is said. I in fact find it not only an invaluable tool to communicate with my wife while she is at work, but as a great way to 'break the ice' and speak with people here out of game. Overall I feel in fact, that Skype has been positive to my experience. You would be surprised how much ooc tenseness leaves a conflict situation once you take the time to have spoken with the people you play the game with and against for that matter. Also when I was a faction leader it was nice to know I could log out of arelith and leave my Skype up in case I was needed and go watch a movie with my wife or play with my toddler son for a while.

I hear the word cliques being used a lot nowadays. Honestly it is no different than it was ten years ago. They were just affiliated with places back then. Light Keep, Stonehold, Bendir, Wharftown, Myon. I think it get used too much as a negative word. In reality these groups are nothing more than people that are comfortable playing the game together. In all honesty it is much easier to play with the people you get to know. If you want to get involved with someone's group, or are worried about their group in any way... interact with them. You guys don't give each other enough credit for being able to roleplay well. Seriously. I've tried to play around with most groups as one or another of my five last incarnations. You can be part of a group of people playing together and still be a part of the greater pool of arelithian players.

But you should get comfortable with people outside your group too. Even your enemies. I'm not talking about fixing outcomes, but I'm talking about good intentions on the OOC level. Caring enough that another person is behind the other monitor that you can attempt to provide an entertaining loss for them if they lose, or play along if you are the one that fails. Once the OOC stress fades and you can just play the game together is when it gets interesting. I remember a time Ryan Valtheran intended to trap Damion and he accidently blew us both up with epic traps. I blinked, exploded and loaded into death with him and his ghost said one word. "Whoops". We both busted out laughing. The death and the respawn we both ate at level 30 didn't matter because we both knew the way it played out was a hilarious accident. Or the time Damion fought the first Abyssal ruler in Paush's lair while he was trying to rescue Queen Xyndral. It was just the two of us in pvp, and we cast spells at each other and emoted things out as we fought. It was the most epic battle ever and the only person to witness it was Zedelyn on his DM account back then. And a third and final example. I had a character square off against another in what ended up a botched ritual. Our characters 'switched souls' and we like played as we were each other for a rl week. We'd give each other the info we needed and literally played each other's character trapped in the wrong bodies. None of these memories would have happened and more had trust between players not existed. It would all have been just pvp and respawning.

And I guess the last thing. I know some people want to be anonymous on each incarnation, or want to keep the game more organic by setting notells. That's fine. But that's also not who I am. I have always used Dunisbane as my login. Even before my decade long hiatus. I am who I am, and I prefer people know who I am to not. I've nothing that I feel should be hidden, and I trust that other players can differentiate between myself as a player and characters I have played in the past. It all boils down to trust. Those people that trust me as a player, I do not wish to rebuild that every time I play someone new.

[Jagel]

/thread

[Dinosaur Space Program]

Correct me if I am wrong here, but I think this declaration of intent is about metagaming and using skype while you are actively playing Arelith. I think you can still use skype for communication with Arelith people, just don't do it while you are in the game on either side.

Keep down OOC planning, don't take information from skype into IC, etc. The same as any other text based or communication medium. This really shouldn't hurt. You can still socialize and skype with each other when Arelith isn't the third party to it.

[Dunisbane]

DSP,

I do appreciate your attempts to remedy my worries. But the fact is roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of my playtime is during the time my wife is at work. Which actually necessitates my use of Skype during game play. And part of my worry is that when the original poster had written their fears of this turning into a witch hunt, it feels as though a lot of shadow rules have quickly cropped up off of interpretations of this statement.

I have a great deal of respect for you Mithreas, it is obvious the great amount of work you have put into this place since you have taken up the reigns. And I am dearly happy despite the bad things people did that you have decided to keep the game up for everyone to play. From what I can see and understand something(s) happened on Skype that were mediated because of essentially metagaming conflict roleplay information (I can only assume this was based off of a versus or multiple versus encounters). I won't pry further on this, and I understand your issue with making the game a fair environment roleplaying wise for everyone involved as obviously someone felt slighted to make the report about whoever it was. (I don't know who, I don't want to know who or why. I understand that is all private information) I would honestly have made this post a private one if it wasn't a significant point of contention player wise, as I do know quite a few players that use Skype very similarly to the way I do so.

I do the following with my Skype:
I do not use voice. I do have it up when I play Arelith and have done so since about a month into playing. I use it to communicate while I play Arelith with both my wife and other people that play the game as an ooc means of communication for fun and recreation, however I usually do so at very slow points in roleplaying or when my character is doing something like sleeping or taking a break while solo fighting. I've used it before to brainstorm ideas for new groups with interested parties. I use it with current groups when I want to take a break and get some family time in so if they need me they can send me a message. Its done wonders for my home life. I talk OOC with people from prior groups I've been in. It has always been my personal policy to try and get to know people rather than shrink away. I feel not doing so fosters an us and them mentality and that I feel is the greatest isolating factor in game play. On the OOC level of course. I can talk with you on Skype and still hate your character's guts as mine.

I need to know if this is acceptable for the server. This is my play style. I'm not trying to sneak or hide anything, nor do I intend to be belligerent. I'm being honest now so that a precedent can be made by Mithreas if he so desires.I understand he wants what is best for the server. However, this is getting awful close to very uncomfortable levels of grey for me as I am beginning to worry that I am being told what I can and cannot do with my home PC. I don't believe this was the intention to go this far, but with a new group of DMs being brought on shift and the very tangible amount of Skype hate I'm feeling I have to ask whether or not I will be penalized for my behavior.

[Mithreas]

I'll be honest, I've stopped reading this thread as it's going around in circles.

I have made all the clarifications I intend to make here. If you still have concerns, I suggest reading what I have actually written, and avoiding the temptation to extrapolate and generalise.