Tranquil Territory - Data File - Assumptions about Role-playing in ET
This document has been compiled to examine some of the assumptions and assertions I have made with regards to the nature of role-playing in Elder Tales (and examines what the concepts of Role Playing actually entail, things like out of character, in character and the difference between a role player and a regular player.
Pre-Apocalypse
Prior to the release of Novasphere Pioneers, Elder Tales had included a series of individuals and communities who focused on immersive role-playing, this meant that these players when controlling their characters attempted to act in a way that would fit the character that they had created, that character's personality and back story, their attitudes and motivations were dependant on the character – not the player which controlled that character. Much like an actor disappearing into the role they were cast in; the role player disappears as their character takes on life.
However there are times when the player lurking in the background needed to address other players, such as to refer to subjects not related to the characters; when going on a break, when asking for clarifications and more. For this there exists 'Out Of Character' or OOC, a way of differentiating character from player (in their words and deeds) – this is a symbol of the stark divide between the Role Player and the mere Player since those gamers who do not don the role of their characters had no understanding of OOC because they made no particular efforts to speak 'In Character' or IC.
In Elder Tales, there were a large number of text and voice channels, the majority were de-facto OOC channels – as most players were not role players they talked OOC all the time. Other channels for dedicated role players were only for IC comments. Still others channels allowed both IC and OOC comments though users were expected to indicate when they used the later. It was an essential means by which to ensure the integrity of immersion that role players seek.
Role-players in Elder Tales had long since adopted the Vesica Piscis as their symbol; two circles side by side which overlapped; one circle represented the Player, one the Character; it was this symbol which came to be central to those of the role play community in the days that followed the Apocalypse to overcome a new hurdle.
Post-Apocalypse
Among all the various types of players, role players had potentially been among those most able to adjust to the Apocalypse – the unparalleled level of immersion and world complexity facilitated a level of role-playing that most had never considered. That also made the sudden shift from IC to OOC all the more jarring and unwelcome to many role players.
While telepathy allowed them to communicate as once they had – role-players were faced with one more problem when meeting another role player in Elder Tales after the Apocalypse; how was one able to indicate that they wished to speak Player to Player and not as Characters?
Many role players merely began speaking out of character or saying that phrase (much as they would have typed it in the past) – yet in that amazingly impressive world that they had been transported to, the jarring clash of player and character that such behaviour caused was so significant that many of the more active role play guilds quickly called around and managed to agree on a simple sign that would allow a player to recognise when the individual before them was speaking as a player rather than a character.
The overlapping circles were a common part of the symbol used by many RP guilds, and there were a host of cosmetic items (objects with no features that distinguish them other than their appearance) that were based on the design. Particularly common were interlocking rings that were worn by many role players. Common ways to wear the symbol include:
As a double ring, necklace ornament or piercing
As the clasp of a necklace, cape, belt or similar
As a design on clothing or on a weapon inscription
Now that symbol had been commandeered – it was agreed by the majority of the RP guilds that when wanting to speak OOC in the presence of other role players, one should try to draw attention to this symbol by touching it unambiguously. In this way one could draw attention to the circles representing character and player and in doing so indicate that one was going to bridge that gap.
Because role players are generally a close-knit community (even despite their differences); almost all the approximately three thousand role players on the Japanese server were advised of the agreement and as such breaches of this guideline are considered a breach of etiquette.
In addition, references to the world outside of Elder Tales have become even less common and more unwelcome among role players, whether due to increased role-playing immersion and intensity or trying to avoid discussing problems that may have occurred in the outside world is unclear.
