Elite roleplay: Q&A and OOC

Isaiah Evanson
03 Jan 2017, 7:26pm
My thoughts on lore-free are... why? What's the point?

The biggest draw about the Elite universe, for me at least, is that it's relatively vague on details but it has enough "ground rules" on the technology and limitations humanity still faces - for example, the FSD is still a relatively new form of travel, and up until recently humankind was still confined to one spot in the galaxy. 

Once you start shattering those limitations and say that anything is good to go, it stops being Elite. It also removes the urge for people to be creative with their characters and the personal limits they might have. Additionally, "crossovers" start to happen with different series and franchises being injected into the story. 

Not sure about anyone else, but if I saw the USS Enterprise fighting the Executor Super Star Destroyer while trying to rescue the Serenity, I'd turn my happy ass around and leave.
Stryker Aune
03 Jan 2017, 7:32pm
Isaiah EvansonMy thoughts on lore-free are... why? What's the point?

[...]

Not sure about anyone else, but if I saw the USS Enterprise fighting the Executor Super Star Destroyer while trying to rescue the Serenity, I'd turn my happy ass around and leave.


My sentiment exactly.

Last edit: 03 Jan 2017, 7:38pm
User1355
03 Jan 2017, 7:39pm
Isaiah EvansonMy thoughts on lore-free are... why? What's the point?

The biggest draw about the Elite universe, for me at least, is that it's relatively vague on details but it has enough "ground rules" on the technology and limitations humanity still faces - for example, the FSD is still a relatively new form of travel, and up until recently humankind was still confined to one spot in the galaxy. 

Once you start shattering those limitations and say that anything is good to go, it stops being Elite. It also removes the urge for people to be creative with their characters and the personal limits they might have. Additionally, "crossovers" start to happen with different series and franchises being injected into the story. 

Not sure about anyone else, but if I saw the USS Enterprise fighting the Executor Super Star Destroyer while trying to rescue the Serenity, I'd turn my happy ass around and leave.


*nods*
Luke3107
03 Jan 2017, 8:10pm
Stryker AuneIs that what we are calling it now, the Marrybelle incident?
Catchy title isn't it?

It's fair enough. I just figured it would be a good idea to allow the more wild fantasies to expend themselves. No one would have to participate, but it would help prevent the regular instances where people come in, only to feel chased off the site completely, because their character doesn't fit the rules. This way, there is a place for them to go that also permits others to critique their work in a less authoritative fashion.

But if people don't like the idea, then that's fine too. That's all it was, an idea
Nsite
03 Jan 2017, 8:28pm
There's nothing wrong with having a code of conduct, a standard, and guidelines (and how strictly they pertain to Lore). I'm all for that.

But once again, strictly from an outsiders view (and believe it or not, in an effort to help, not cause harm), I do find it alarming the unabashed passive aggressive attitude towards certain newcomers that 'dont fit the mold'. Rare probably, but none the less on display, and reflective of your community- especially when someone continues to read on the gauged reactions. It becomes obvious who is an insider, and who is an outsider, and very quickly.

Question: Is your message as a community 'You're welcome when we accept you"? Because that seems contradictory to all the brand culture represented on this website.

In this particular instance, instead of just completely ignoring the unrealistic roleplay, trying to help, and or cordially guiding the dialogue in a fashion that might have some constructive outcome, a certain individual who will remain nameless out of respect not only goes on an incredibly insulting "RP" with undertones of condescension and disdain that at the very least could be misinterpreted as unintentionally self-righteous (after all, there was dictated 'lore' and back story that was completely unbeknownst to Rowen yet was used as a basis to judge him unfairly yet later critiquing his interjections of unbelievable storyline. Sorry, I call it how I see it) but then chooses to go to an entirely different OOC subthread to draw even more attention to 'what he/she didn't like'- once again not absent of condescension.

We can be cordial and let the niceties fly all we want, but this is targeting and targeted behavior. And it's something people with questionable moral fiber participate in when they try and manipulate. If you can't say it out in the open, or if you can't say it to the individual directly, find someone who you can say it to privately or ask for help in how to communicate what you're trying to get at. Sure, be annoyed, even bothered, that someone who is obviously new doesn't quite know the ropes- but to ostracize someone for trying? Publicly humiliate them? To receive judgment and your ridicule their first try? What kind of sentiment do you think an outsider has about your community when that is touted as acceptable? Rowen's story, even if interpreted by some as unlikely in the world of elite (however, if you've ever landed on an Engineer's pad, is it really so unlikely, or is this an unfair assessment simply based on a preconcieved judgment of someone you really just dont know yet, as Stryker pointed out), did a nice job of handling himself. Takes courage to say what you mean- even more so to enter a creative space with other creatives. So no, I as an outsider do not agree with the behavior- and I'm happy to say it. How much more outside can I be anyway. It's nice out here, you should come join me sometime. Maybe that's why the trip to Colonia doesn't bother me so much....

Anyhow....


Brutal I know, but if you care about the brand Inara, you'll ask hard questions in an effort to make it better, and more in line with its mantra, log line, and mission statement. Powerful personalities need people with equally powerful integrity and bravery to keep the balance, because in all fairness, each are necessary in this FICTIONAL story we weave.


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She wants to say more.....It's right there....but she needs trust. I wonder.... She opened her mouth, but before any words slipped from it, something caught her attention. She turned her head.

That man at the bar. He was wearing a visor....Did it just? No! She waited a moment. The visor changed from some eyes, to a pair of equal signs, then to some other emote. She couldn't help but wonder why any grown man with a shred of self respect would choose to wear a helmet that flashed gimmicky pixalted Kawaii emotes. It wasn't even that clever. More then half the children in her 3rd grade class had visors that did that. It had gotten so bad that the school had banned them because they were such a distraction.

She thought about it more, and a smile blossomed on her face. She was particularly keen of the kitty emote  >^.^<  and wondered if she would witness that too. The smile burst open into a silent fit of giggles. Then the subject changed to hairy chests, and scars...She couldn't help it. The giggle fit became less then quiet. She grabbed onto Ten's arm, pointing at the pair of silly men.

Last edit: 03 Jan 2017, 8:39pm
Mhera Bathana
03 Jan 2017, 11:02pm
Huh,

So, let me get this straight. Your saying that new players shouldn't be shamed or ridiculed, yet, you shame and ridicule a new player to make your point?

Double standards, deary. They don't work if you wish to be taken seriously.

Last edit: 03 Jan 2017, 11:31pm
Nsite
03 Jan 2017, 11:29pm
No, I'm being direct and forward, and left you anonymous while using an example of what I was talking about. Further, Its one thing to point out the problem, and another entirely to be insulting and demoralizing right out of the gate (not to mention bold if you assumed no one else might have a reaction to that type of toxic behavior). If you can't seem to articulate the difference, I don't have any advice other than pigeon holing my argument into a I know you are but what am I hyperbole isnt a serious response. Great work completely diverting from owning your part, however.

Last edit: 03 Jan 2017, 11:36pm
Luke3107
03 Jan 2017, 11:39pm
Sorry Nsite, I get what you tried to do, but it would have been better off if you just left it at stating there was an example of it in the forums rather than posting the actual example. It undoes the anonymity you tried to preserve.

It's like saying "I'm not going to say who's a great Formula One driver because I don't want to implicate anyone but his name sounds like My Call ShoeMaker."

And to be fair, giggling about it in RP isn't a bad thing. I react the same way when I see people walking about town in a onesie. I can only imagine the stuff people are going to be doing in the 34th Century, ad when Mhera came onto the OOC forums to mention it, she had the decency to say "It breaks immersion for me, but how do you guys feel about it". Which is precisely what needed to be done when someone has an issue with something.

I've agreed with most, if not all, of what you've said so far. I hope you'll appreciate why I disagree with you on this point.
Nsite
04 Jan 2017, 12:19am
Luke (and Lilith), I appreciate your position, as well as your mature response. And disagreements are the catalyst for discourse/change so no harm no foul.

But the conversation and question was brought up "if we only have grizzly characters in RP, why?" As well as someone aptly addressed the notion that if "we accept eccentric characters from people we've known a while, we should accept others who are eccentric out of the gate".

And while I now agree that posting the particular line of dialogue may not have been the 'best' way to ensure anonymity, I also wanted context as to why I felt it was an important talking point- and that, quite frankly, I wasn't misinterpreting what was said incorrectly.

Yes, giggling over something happening in RP is absolutely fine, and even insinuated jabs that are not hypercritical and or are in alignment with solid story.

That wasn't what this was. Clearly. It was multiple attacks with borderline derogatory sentiment, that was echoed by what was said here in this thread, clear as day.

And, euthanizing it so what happened is less uncomfortable to talk about isn't a good tactic to really examining the health of the community here and its potential for growth.

She did not say "It breaks immersion for me, but how do you guys feel about it?" all happy go lucky, harmless question here. She continued her insinuations as to another person's intelligence, and started in, yet again, dismantling his integrity as a player (to which, I might add, I've seen far far worse).

And since now we're in the thick of it, and we are concerned about the immersion, context of roleplay, etc- why don't we just break it down, shall we?


I know I am new here, and no offence. But, the helmet emote thing, is breaking immersion for me.

1) Is your immersion more important than someone else's? Was his roleplay (which was actually quite engaging, and gave plenty of opportunities for involvement of other people rather than the regulars) that bad? I think this is personal conjecture. So, while I sympathize that you're upset he took you out of the moment, is that his problem, or yours? And was the response given warranted? Probably not.

I am having a hard time understanding why a grown man in a seedy bar would resort to using something that on the best of days, I would considered immature.


2) Your definition of 'a grown man' and 'maturity' are subjective, further, it's rather emasculating that you would push your notion of manliness as a defining characteristic of what his character should be. Although this is RP, it should still operate under some core universal freedoms, one of which is not to judge someone by their sex, race, color, creed, or personal beliefs as to what man, woman, and their socially acceptable behavior should be. Sorry, I take offense to this, big time. What you feel is manly, or immature, is by no means the basis in which everyone else should operate. Simply saying 'it doesn't fit in this universe and it's breaking immersion for me' would have been fine, but you pushed your ideologies and notions on to other people, and made it personal. Tell me otherwise.

    a) immature was the ensuing response, maturity is choosing to ignore it and step over it, which Rowen did beautifully- Ironically being the example of how easy it is
        to sidestep such 'inconvenient immersion breakers'.

It would be one thing, if he was using it to actually paint himself as silly. But that's not the sense I've been getting from the role-play.

3) Once again, this is based on your contextual opinion (subjective) of his writing. So it is, once again, your opinion.

And Luke, where did she ask anyone what they thought?

Respectfully, if the forum RP rules, regulations, guidelines on lore, and or appropriate attire/outfitting/basis in the Elite Universe are not CRYSTAL clearly lined out and obvious for players, how can we expect anyone to follow suit?

And finally, I apologize profusely to anyone I might have offended, and or bothered by these posts. But I notice, I speak, and I appreciate you Luke for doing the same. Truly. I don't look at anyone here as 'the enemy', but I won't compromise my integrity to be liked. Maybe that means I spend more time in Colonia by myself, I feel there are absolutely SOLID players in this community, SOLID roleplayers. I am absolutely blown away by the work that's gone in to some of these characters. Isaiah's Bio page is a masterpiece, it's the first time I read something that long, fan based, and was engaged the whole time.

I speak up because belittling people unfairly is wrong- it disrespects the integrity of what a lot of people have worked very hard on (writing is a very intimate and personal endeavor, no matter the audience), and turns it into less than what it is. It cheapens it. My 'subjective' opinion here, but I think many would agree.

Don't like it? Lobby to have me removed. But I'd be hard pressed to find any Administrator here that feels pointing these particular issues out would do more harm than good.

-TNG

Last edit: 04 Jan 2017, 12:32am
Ryan Murdoc
04 Jan 2017, 12:26am
People will read and react on something depending on their current mood. No amount of explaining will change that.

And it takes character to look into oneself and admit mistakes publicly, with the addition to be able to change and adapt. And grow by doing so.

And hello there TNG.

Last edit: 04 Jan 2017, 12:33am
Nsite
04 Jan 2017, 12:33am
Ryan MurdocPeople will read and react on something depending on their current mood. No amount of explaining will change that.

And hello there TNG.


Hello Ryan!
User4296
04 Jan 2017, 12:40am
Just to offer my two cents - I realize that the IWG has been on our fair side of these kinds of conversations, but I'm not going to lie to you - the fact that this kind of thing keeps happening has sort of killed a lot of my need to RP on this forum. Interacting with people in Inara, frankly, just isn't fun anymore.
Mhera Bathana
04 Jan 2017, 1:08am
I will be taking my leave.

Sorry to have unconvinced anyone.
LordPsymon
04 Jan 2017, 1:11am
What? Why would you leave over his comments? From what I observed, he was taking what you said and putting a malevolent spin on it, which I believe is unfair as that was not your intentions.
Mhera Bathana
04 Jan 2017, 1:25am
Simon DaturaWhat? Why would you leave over his comments? From what I observed, he was taking what you said and putting a malevolent spin on it, which I believe is unfair as that was not your intentions.


I'll PM you when I have time.

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