RWBYFanon v5

RPG Social => RPG Discussion => Topic started by: Sesh on October 18, 2016, 09:39:06 AM

Title: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Sesh on October 18, 2016, 09:39:06 AM
So there's an issue with a lot of the users on here that I've noticed during my time here. Some things are obvious like when people instahit or always dodge, but that isn't what I'm talking about. There are some characters who have information in their character sheets that wouldn't necessarily be known to everyone who interacts with that character. An example would be my character hyacacinth, she's  not your typical beacon student but she tries to hide it, so your character wouldn't know exactly what's going on.

Another example would be a character who acts rough but secretly has a heart of gold. If your character hasn't seen that heart of gold, then all they're seeing is the rough asshole exterior, and they should respond as such. Too often characters meet for the first time and it's obvious that one or both users are acting on information read in the other characters profile.

It's not always a huge deal plot wise, but it can make character interactions seem very fake and unrealistic, and frustrating for the person who is trying to write that heart of gold character. I'd urge you to think about what your character would know about whoever they're talking to, not what you know about the character they're talking to. If it comes down to it, you might try not even reading other people's character profiles unless there's information that you need to find like an exact description of their weapon.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: nathan67003 on October 18, 2016, 10:31:51 AM
I RP so hard, I don't think that's ever been a problem with me. Someone please tell me if it's ever the case.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Dr. Gustave on October 18, 2016, 10:39:11 AM
That's usually only an issue with newer roleplayers as it's a form of metagaming. It doesn't have to be combat related to be metagaming. Unfortunately the staff can't see everything at once but if anyone suspect someone else of metagaming, let one of us know and we'll talk with that person.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: nathan67003 on October 18, 2016, 10:46:43 AM
What Gus said. Don't feel bad for 'reporting': at worst, for a first offence, the worse people will get is a stern talk. Probably. I'm half-speaking out of nowhere at this point.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Viventium Umbra on October 18, 2016, 10:50:19 AM
Yeah, it makes doing sneaky things (in character, of course) difficult because I want to tell my fellow RPers what's happening, and I want to make sure the plan I've made is officially on the record, but I can't trust them to keep the information out of their character's knowledge.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Sesh on October 18, 2016, 11:12:45 AM
Quote
Yeah, it makes doing sneaky things (in character, of course) difficult because I want to tell my fellow RPers what's happening, and I want to make sure the plan I've made is officially on the record, but I can't trust them to keep the information out of their character's knowledge.

Exactly why I brought it up, I'm trying to plan something sneaky and may just have to do it by telling the mods whats going on and not telling regular users. If they'd allow that of course.

Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Sesh on October 18, 2016, 11:33:29 AM
That's usually only an issue with newer roleplayers as it's a form of metagaming. It doesn't have to be combat related to be metagaming. Unfortunately the staff can't see everything at once but if anyone suspect someone else of metagaming, let one of us know and we'll talk with that person.

 What are you supposed to say, "so and so is playing their character incorrectly and I don't like it" ? If it's just character interaction and not combat or plot important stuff then I'd feel petty and honestly kind of silly for reporting someone over that.

I've noticed it pretty constantly with characters interacting with Jack Pettibone. He's supposed to be very charming but people who have never met him always seem to instantly dislike and distrust him, despite not knowing someone who he's mistreated. But Rex shouldn't have to report every person who interacts with that character, that would get excessive quickly.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: nathan67003 on October 18, 2016, 11:41:17 AM
Yeah, good point.

Think I'm not guilty of that, though. Confim or deny?
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Sesh on October 18, 2016, 06:40:00 PM
Nathan this was not a call out post for you, chill. You haven't been too bad from what I've seen.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: nathan67003 on October 18, 2016, 06:41:15 PM
Oh I didn't think that, sorry if it seemed that way :P Just wanted to know if what I thought I did was what I actually did.
Title: Re: An issue I've noticed. Please read and consider.
Post by: Uncouth T-Rex on October 19, 2016, 12:34:03 AM
I think a really good way to avoid falling into this mistake is by starting from the ground up.

I'll use Jack interacting with Graviton as an example since I just wrote something for it.

So, I like to begin with an "Average Joe" viewpoint. To a guy on the street, Graviton is imposing, and some kind of fighter, possibly a Hunter or some other epic figure. He'd carry himself that way, and it would be pretty apparent that he either considers himself important or is important when he starts being bombastic. Now Jack actually is a highly skilled fighter, and he's familiar enough with what a Hunter is to get into Beacon. So he'd notice those things about Graviton even more. And because Jack schemes and knows that being socially mobile and having a wide circle of powerful allies/acquaintances is a good thing, he'll try and get on his good side.

Now what Jack would have no idea about is what Graviton actually is or what kind of power he wields. In this case metagaming would be Jack going "Sweet, time to buddy up to an Inquisitor!" instead of "Oh look, a Hunter at Beacon, maybe he can be useful to me some day, especially since he seems to be some kind of legal-ish guy."