About the rules on the home page

[High Primate]

I notice the following issue with wording:

'‘Out of Character’ PMs are allowed."

This is confusing. By PMs, one's immediate thought is tells, which is exactly what you should resort to when you must say something OOC. Since we're going to have an influx of new players soon, it might be a good idea to fix this up a bit. "OOC and // chat are not allowed" is more accurate.

EDIT: I misread the rules. For someone reason I read them as saying "Out of character PMs are not allowed, then looked again. I even copied and pasted them without noticing this. Disregard the above.

It might also be a good idea to move them to the top of the home page so as to be more prominent.

Posted in feedback in case anyone has anything they'd like to add.

[WanderingPoet]

Would also be nice to modernize this rule a bit as well to something like "You should remain in character as much as possible"

After all - sometimes OOC is needed, like when scheduling an event in a public announcement note ((10pm EST Saturday)). And while we can RP date announcements in tendays it doesn't give the exactness of an actual time.

While I'd definitely not want to see OOC conversations happen, it'd certainly be nice to say quick notes - for example if you have to relog to fix a graphical bug it'd be easier than sending a tell to 5 other people to say such. A quick ((One sec, have to relog)) - and poof, you go relog and come back - doesn't need a conversation.

Although I'll accept that ruleifying 'small amounts of OOC for convenience' vs 'entire OOC conversations' might be more hassle than its worth - I do know that the 'no OOC allowed' rule has dissuaded some RPers from my old server from joing because it has given the server a poor image before they even joined (as odd as that may sound!).

[Cerk Evermoore]

Arelith is king of RP servers because it outlaws all OOC. I know it can be a useful tool, but folks get carried away and before you know it seven people are arguing in OOC with one another.

It makes our community a better place without OOC.

[The GrumpyCat]

You'd actually be suprised how far a quick 'One moment afk' tell will go. Said person can pass it onto any others around and people do tend to be pretty understanding, all told.

[BegoneThoth]

I've seen stuff like "hmmm // bfb baby barfed" said out loud a few times. Literally nobody complained and everyone was fine and waited.

It's one thing to outlaw ooc, and it's another to forget there's a human being at the other end of the computer; you can have both.

[Improv]

I've seen stuff like "hmmm // bfb baby barfed" said out loud a few times. Literally nobody complained and everyone was fine and waited.

It's one thing to outlaw ooc, and it's another to forget there's a human being at the other end of the computer; you can have both.

Nine years ago even something as innocuous as that would have got you an immediate stern warning from a DM..!

I do think a problem with the // OOC in regular chat isn't a quick friendly "be right back"-- it's when things are unfriendly and tempers flare, then the //OOC can be total poison. I've seen that on other servers that are more lenient and it's really immersion breaking. I think forcing people to convert any angst and hurt feelings into IC conversation if they are mad and aren't going to take a time out is a pretty great thing.

I think mandating in character all the time is going to be a must though especially during the EE launch when a lot of casual dabblers are going to show up

[BegoneThoth]

I see that viewpoint too and understand it.

[High Primate]

I would honestly rather your character inexplicably stand there and do nothing than an OOC message that you are going AFK. One is confusing, the other is a buzzkill, and leads to a slippery slope where it becomes incrementally more acceptable to go OOC. And, as noted, you can send it to one person in a tell. They'll tell the others if it becomes really necessary.

Judge things on a case by case basis, but the rules themselves should state that OOC chat is disallowed. Period.

[BegoneThoth]

At the same time I'd never hold it against someones character because they got an irl disturbance that took them 45 minutes to resolve.

But everyone can do their own thing. If someone misses a meeting due to OOC things due to needing to barf IRL or their kid needs them or they need to bio right now or the dang doorbell rang, or their work hours shifted and they can't make it ooc despite having no reason to miss it ic, I'd never, ever, hold that against someones character, even if I have to do a few mental gymnastics to not be mad at them IC and for some reason get asked to acknowledge their absence ic.

[Dr_Hazard89]

Best it remain no OOC chatter. PMs are fine. If you really need to OOC announce something (before leaving or extended/sudden afk) it doesn't bother me at all, but giving leniency in the rules will lead to OOC chat becoming much more of a 'thing'.

Besides, usually just telling one person is enough. If someone tells me they're afk, I'll explain ICly to the rest of the group "Oh. They just need a moment." or .."Oh. Frank has bladder issues, he'll be with us in a bit."

[CookieMonster]

I personally find that you can make OOC statements like that IC..

*Tian paused, taking a moment to breathe.. He began to daydream and despite any foreign attempts to stir him to action, he would seem rather content with his idle state of mind, for a short time no less.*

With regards to Date and Times of IC Events? That is vital, because IG Time is deeply, deeply flawed in my mind.