arkaz.org

Hey Gang!


I have run into a few perceptions that some players seem to have on an OOC level and I thought I would answer them OOC. I speak for how I run my plots, so I am not necessarily speaking for the team. I am an old school DM and have been DMing since the beginnings of D&D, back in highshool circa 1981 (No Amby, that's AD, not BC. ) I have developed a particular style that may be different then what some of you are used to. That's why I think these OOC questions have come up and why I hope this post is helpful to you all. 8)

In the context of longer then one session plots:

1) Please continue to pick your actions based on what your character would do and not what you think I as the DM wants you to do. I understand and appreciate the support of players who want to help me have fun as well. Please be assured that when your reactions are IC and genuine, that is my reward. In other words, please do not feel you have to apologize for an IC and genuine response to something. I bring this up because a couple of players have sent me "thank you for the fun, I'm sorry I had to {insert character's reaction here}" tells this week. I want you all to have the freedom to play your character - in character.

2) As a branch off of the above point, please know that everyone who wants to be involved in one of my longer term plots will be included. This does not however, require you to be in the same "party" or work with the others involved in the plot. In other words, lets say you have a character which would not group with someone else because of a particular alignment, or belief, or you just don't like them IC'ly, or whatever.. I would much rather you act in alignment with your character and what they would do. We can always work out a way for you to be involved, even if it ends up being different then the way others are participating.

3) This also works with alignments. There are certain key choices I will include in my plots. If you want to ensure you stay on a particular side of an alignment, match your roleplay to the alignment you want. So far, this hasn't been a problem that I know of, I just thought I would mention it. On a side note: If you have a question about doing something IC and want to either 1) earn an alignment point or b) avoid an alignment point, please ask me beforehand. Also, if you are working on a alignment shift or want to do so, please tell me that too. I keep watch. 8)

4) Not all interactions are meant to be "won" the same way. That will mean different things for different encounters.

5) Continue to think creatively. My longer term plots do have multiple endings. Your actions, interactions, choices, and, of course, die rolls of lovely chance, are all are woven into what the ultimate outcome is. This goes back to point number one: react (or not) and interact (or not) based on what your character would do and not what you think I want or the outcome I want. It's really up to you all. 8)

6) Yes, I do have different ways I grant experience in encounters then critter experience. The better you play in character, the better the outcomes.

7) Please be aware that I have a partially crippled left hand so when large groups form, if you would please continue to slow down and pause and wait for answers, that would help me a lot. When everyone is speaking at the same time or running around in various small groups, I have to slow way down myself in order to be able to reply or get ahead of the group to trigger something, or take the time to bounce between groups. Sometimes answers back are accidentally overrun.


Continue the great role play gang! You all are great and a lot of fun! I have seen some awesome roleplay here and I am thrilled to DM for you.


Best Regards,
Varm

grayking wrote: 7) Please be aware that I have a partially crippled left hand so when large groups form, if you would please continue to slow down and pause and wait for answers, that would help me a lot. When everyone is speaking at the same time or running around in various small groups, I have to slow way down myself in order to be able to reply or get ahead of the group to trigger something, or take the time to bounce between groups. Sometimes answers back are accidentally overrun.

May I say, as a player that I enjoyed getting the xp for my posting. It's nice to see the forums worked into game play as well. I had a DM who gave us xp for all kinds of different things, tapes, pictures, stories, etc. It was fun to be creative and I KNOW we have lots of creative people here.

Some things I would like to add in response to the quote above....

1)When we form up a "party" during a DM adventure (no matter who it is who is running it) may we please switch immediately to party chat. This makes it easier if the DM has to "run ahead" to set something up or is doing something else and then they can then keep up with the rest of us at the same time. If you crash and rejoin the party, please remember to be in party chat.

2)If you have a specific question or emote you would like a reaction to, please send it on the DM channel. It shows up in a different color so the DM can see it and respond to you without your question getting lost in the regular chatter of the rest of us. Obviously, if the question is IC, keep it to the regular party chatter. Please do still emote things like "searches the puddle for clues", but also send that to the DM as well.

I'm glad to get to know you a little better as a DM and I look forward to the plots and mayhem you will unleash upon our poor little islands here. I think you spoke eloquently for all our DM's here and it's wonderful to see our little world grow. The Arkaz team has some great members on it and I look forward to how these stories will unfold in the future.

I want you all to have the freedom to play your character - in character.

You have no clue how much I appreciate this, thank you!!!!!

Tremayne7 wrote: 1)When we form up a "party" during a DM adventure (no matter who it is who is running it) may we please switch immediately to party chat.

One little note about this: Unpartied PCs cannot hear the conversations you have in party chat. This means anyone who wants to eavesdrop or who happens to come across the party will not hear a thing, despite the fact that characters are supposedly speaking outloud; thus use this ability with discretion and only when the DM asks you to.

Hey Gang.. another note... I know a lot of RP goes on late at night or during the day when I'm not in game. There have been a few times when I've heard of a conversation about one of my plots where I think to myself "wow, I wish I had been there."

If you keep your logs and have conversations/research/etc in game that is about one of my plots, please feel free to PM me the log (or post on your private thread if you have one. If you do, you know what I mean.) Depending on content, I'll pass out extra plot related cookies. 8)


Best regards,

Gray

Tremayne7 wrote:
1)When we form up a "party" during a DM adventure (no matter who it is who is running it) may we please switch immediately to party chat. This makes it easier if the DM has to "run ahead" to set something up or is doing something else and then they can then keep up with the rest of us at the same time. If you crash and rejoin the party, please remember to be in party chat.

2)If you have a specific question or emote you would like a reaction to, please send it on the DM channel. It shows up in a different color so the DM can see it and respond to you without your question getting lost in the regular chatter of the rest of us. Obviously, if the question is IC, keep it to the regular party chatter. Please do still emote things like "searches the puddle for clues", but also send that to the DM as well.

From my point of view:

1) Don't do that except the DM ask you to. If the group is widespread not all members of the party hear what have been told by a member three maps away.

2) The DM channel is a good way to ask something... but if you are in a group you should emote on the talk channel because your party members will see it as well... you could additionally emote on the DM channel but that comes close to spamming

And for Graykings post: WORD!

One thing I have to add: Give a DM a bit of time to react on your questions, emotes or what ever. I can say for myself that I comment every emote, question etc. but typing an answer needs time

Kazlaan

Huh....maybe I should post one of these.

I wanted to say how pleased I am in how many people have taken an interest in the various facets of my plot. As more people become involved, there are four important things I thought I should clarify:

1) Please include both myself and ambrosia in all PM's between you all that have to do with my plot. If you end up thinking "wow, I wish a DM had been here" about something in game, please feel free to send logs too.

2) Please ask my permission first before inviting a character into the plot who spends the majority of their time on another plane. While I totally understand your IC reasons to do so, I need to be clear on who they are and what they might bring to the plot before they are invited. Not only does this help keep me sane, it allows the plot to be primarily focused around Arkaz players.

3) For anyone who "researches" or "stands watch" or conducts tests, experiments, library searches, etc. I STRONGLY recommend that you conduct one action FIRST and wait for my response. The reason is that almost always, what you do next might change based on feedback. This also allows a sort of "time line flow" that is needed for those actions. In other words, if you plan to go talk to someone in Port Lavellon, Stand guard over someone, go read a book in the tower of wisdom, and go adventure with your friends, all of that will take time. Also, what if, after you visit with that NPC, you decide to do something else instead of visiting the tower? See what I mean?

Basically, everything takes time IG and what you do may change based on feedback. Therefore, As I reply to PM's and Posts, if there is a long block of "a list of what you do" .. I will probably not reply to everything all at the same time. You'll see what I mean as we interact with each other. Taking each action in turn and it's applicable feedback, will turn out more satisfying then a shopping list of block actions. I promise. 8)

4) Please be sure to include die rolls you believe are applicable to what you are doing. For example, if you are spying on an NPC or on a location, hide, move silent, and spot might be good. If you are working on a puzzle, Int, wiz, and lore might be good. Don't be afraid to pick them and list them. If I want others, I'll let you know in my feedback. 8)

As always, please PM me with any and all OOC questions, concerns, etc. As we enter the holidays and Ambrosia's last two weeks of school, there will be a little slow down on responses due to being out and her taking her finals for the semester. Your patience in advance while we get replies and feedback to everyone at appropriate times is appreciated.

Game on! You all are Great!

Best Regards,

Gray/Varm

Gray asked me to follow-up with a quick THANK YOU to all of you for being so awesome and a tiny request motivated by a desire of mutual respect:

If you are in game, and need to go AFK, please say so over the Party Channel or copy the DM channel as well as Talk.

Sometimes we will miss someone is AFK when we aren't in the same spot and this would help ensure we stay aware of what is going on with you all ..as well as plan when to kill you. err.. I mean.. NOT kill you. Yah, that was it.

Do you mean that we should always post AFK to DM channel, or just when we are actively in a DM plot?

Active in a plot. Especially active in a battle. (which happens more often then we expected. ) ..and specifically our plots, but other team members might appreciate the heads up too. 8)