dm expectation of players
[[dm_expectation_of_players]] last edit on
Apr 13, 2006
1:04 AM
by {Destiny}
In addition to following rules concerning conduct, cheating and the like, the DM staff expects that players will play the game in the spirit of having fun and nurturing a creative role-play environment. Although we acknowledge that non-RP play on the server occurs at times for various reasons, and that some players may enjoy that style of play over others, every player is expected to contribute to the Role-Play environment.
We recognize that there are two forms of interaction on the server: In-Character(IC) and Out-of-Character(OOC).
In-character interaction means it fits entirely within the game world, and is a product of the role-played scenario using the perspective of the character, not the player. Out-of-Character interaction means that it is a player-to-player or player-to-world interaction, and the characters themselves are not the ones engaged in the activity at the time.
We will refer often to the difference, and admittedly, it can be subtle at times. Players should take the time to clarify what they do with a DM if there is any doubt as to whether something would be IC or OOC.
Soloing is bad
Soloing/solo-crawling - that is, playing in a dungeon or area killing monsters without a party with no in-character reason - while not strictly illegal, is discouraged for several reasons:
At times, there may be legitimate role-play reasons for your character to venture out alone - whether it's a personal trial, or your character's personality is naturally anti-social and has role-played this legitimately, or whatever. In cases as these, be prepared to offer legitimate in-character motivations, not just "he's a loner" - and keep in mind that the risks may be grave if you are slain where no on can find you.
General Role-Play Etiquette:
Players are expected to stay in-character as much as possible. Using out-of-character knowledge is frowned upon and scores no points with a DM should they need to intervene in a scenario. If you are unclear what would be common knowledge to your character, either ask a DM, or the other players involved, in an out-of-character manner.
This extends to multiple characters played by the same player. Each character does not necessarily know information proprietary to all of the others character.
Player to player role-play is essential to Bruehawk's. As such, players are expected to operate in the spirit of cooperative effort. When a DM is present to oversee a player-to-player role-play, they can be expected to act as a "referee" to the play, if requested.
However, when a DM is not present, it's accepted etiquette that the dice-wand be used to adjudicate the results of contested actions.
At times, this may mean your character does something you may not wish to do, but that follows the logic of the scenario. For example, a Half-Orc grabs your Halfling by the scruff of the neck, and lifts him off his feet.
If you had just role-played that your Halfling was flat on his stomach after falling, it should be assumed he is, in fact, lifted from the ground. If your Halfling were standing, opposed Dexterity checks may be appropriate to determine if he could evade the grab.
Regardless of the result, players are expected to play along, and accept the success of failure of their role-played actions and use their own best judgment to remain true to the scenario and fair to each other.
NPCs and the World in general.
While NPC's aren't controlled by a DM at all times, they are still living, breathing, thinking inhabitants of the world, and should be treated as such, even if the game engine is incapable of replicating all the complex behavior possible.
Breaking the law in front of an NPC guard should be treated as if the guard actually performed his duty. A character of a dark-race should avoid buying from merchants who would have an obvious dislike or hatred of the character. There are multitudes of potential scenarios which can't be accommodated by in-game mechanics, and the best players will behave in such a way that the mechanics are unnecessary, and not take advantage of a "dumb" AI.
Treating the world this way not only shows good role-play ability (which is always looked on favorably by the DM staff) but also enhances the playing experience for the player - your can bring the world to vivid life with your imagination much more fully than even the most comprehensive scripting.
Communication Channels:
Excessive party-chat about what stats an item has, what was on television the night before, where the best treasure is, or other out-of-character or real-life topics does not constitute good role-play. If used purely for chatting between players not otherwise engaged in role-playing, it can be acceptable. But, should you be involved in role-play or in a DM-led scenario, turn party-chat off as it is primarily a distraction to the DM to have the extra text in the communication box, and does little to enhance the role-play potential of the scenario.
Additionally, keep in mind that the DMs can read anything spoken in Party Chat - so remember your audience isn't just who you've invited into the group. Some DMs may take offense to profanity or abusive language - and though a DM can squelch the Party Chat channel, that channel is often necessary for a DM to perform his or her function. So, please, behave accordingly.
Engaging the DM and getting the most from your character:
Players are encouraged to formulate their own ideas and agendas for their characters, then present those ideas to the DM staff so that the DMs can assist your character in its goals. In some cases, this may require your character to overcome obstacles or fulfill some task to succeed.
DMs are here to have fun as well as the players - and nothing is more satisfying to a DM than a player who has a firm grasp on their character's motivations and goals and provides an easy "hook" for the DM to work with to enhance the experience for both.
The more active a player is in role-play, and the more willing a player is to stay in-character, the more potential that player will have for DM attention and subsequently, DM rewards. The player that stands by the wayside or power-games through dungeons excessively is one that may wait for a long time for a DM to engage them in anything more meaningful.
If you are lacking direction, ask a DM for some suggestions - or find other players, and strike up a conversation. Take the opportunity to sensibly explore the vast world the builders have provided for you. Use good judgment, of course - one might wander around a city's downtown taking in the sights, but still not travel down that dark alley. By the same token, the forest with the cute bunnies might be perfectly fine for a stroll, but that ominous cave probably isn't someplace to venture into alone.
Players and Alignment:
A character's alignment is not a straightjacket which that dictates behavior. Rather, it is a thermometer to gauge where a character sits in terms of morality and ethics. A character's alignment will follow what the character does, not the other way around.
At times, a DM may, at their discretion, shift a character's alignment for engaging in certain courses of action. For many characters, this may not be a large issue. However, for certain classes or characters, alignment is essential to both the role-play and game-play of the character (e.g. Paladins).
If a character engages in an act which is not in-tune with their alignment, or could be called into question as being such, the player should be prepared with a good, in-character motivation why that action fits their alignment - provided they do not wish their alignment to shift.
Otherwise, the DM will make the shift, if they so desire - the magnitude of which will be dependant on the nature of the act.
In game-play, this can restrict or allow certain classes or abilities, as well as affect role-played relationships (for example, a cleric of a "Good" god whose alignment shifts to evil will lose their clerical abilities).
In the event of an alignment shift which invalidates certain classes, the character will be modified with classes appropriate to the new alignment.
If such occurs, only a DM-led quest to return both alignment and abilities can restore the character to its previous state.
Dark Races and other "shunned" characters:
Bruehawk's does not prohibit the playing of characters of evil alignment or dark races (Drow, Duergar, Tiefling, Half-Demon/Devil/Dragon, etc) at this time.
However, both server events and the general culture of the world will make life difficult for these characters. This can include anything from merchants refusing to sell to them and other NPC reactions, to being run out of some towns/cities, up to PK and possible permadeath of the character.
To accommodate characters of this sort, Silver Dune is the recommended starting point, as the social situation there is more tolerant of traditional "evil" characters.
Players who prefer to play dark-race characters should do so knowing full well the risks involved. If something bad happens to your character in-character, take it in stride and move on.
Interaction with the DMs:
DMs are volunteers, and most will, given time and initiative, engage players with everything from minor NPC interaction to full-blow quests. DMs are not at "a job" with hard and fast rules of what duties they're expected to perform.
That being said, however, the DM staff will, from time to time, plan quests or plots involving one or more characters. The player can expect that a quest will have some reasonable chance of success, but that success is not guaranteed. Most DMs want players to succeed - but not at the expense of sacrificing game integrity.
Consequently, player choices, dice-rolls, combat, even role-play scenarios may affect outcomes. The player, however, can expect that the DM will be fair to the scenario and have a reasonable in-character reason for whatever happens. If currently known facts are unclear, a player can request clarification. However, to maintain integrity of a scenario, a DM may withhold information to protect the mystery or suspense of the scenario.
Some plots are more intricate than others, and require greater resources to coordinate than others. Players should recognize that the accomplishment of the goal may take a few hours, or several real-life weeks or more to complete. The important thing for the player is to not give up at the first setback or out of impatience.
DMs are expected to be as fair to a single player as possible, while acting in the best interests of the server as a whole. At times, these goals may be at odds with each other. Players can expect the DM to act for the common benefit whenever possible.
Working with multiple DMs
The DM staff uses several methods of communication to maintain consistency with the world and players. However, not every detail of a particular character's situation will always be known to all DMs.
The Player is responsible for informing any DM working with the character of any unusual circumstances applying to their character (for example, a special RP-only power, or special permission of some sort) and be prepared to name the DM that granted the circumstances should any follow-up or clarification be required.
By agreement, the DMs respect what other DMs have done, and will make allowances for other DM's decisions - however, if the nature of prior DM decisions is not made known to the current DM by the player, that won't constitute a valid reason for reversing any conflict or determent to the player.
Further, players are expected to abide by any single DM's decisions - pleading a case to a second DM who may not be aware of all the details of your situation with the express purpose of gaining a more favorable outcome for your character is, at best, frowned upon and at worst considered a form of cheating and will be dealt with accordingly.
We recognize that there are two forms of interaction on the server: In-Character(IC) and Out-of-Character(OOC).
In-character interaction means it fits entirely within the game world, and is a product of the role-played scenario using the perspective of the character, not the player. Out-of-Character interaction means that it is a player-to-player or player-to-world interaction, and the characters themselves are not the ones engaged in the activity at the time.
We will refer often to the difference, and admittedly, it can be subtle at times. Players should take the time to clarify what they do with a DM if there is any doubt as to whether something would be IC or OOC.
Soloing is bad
Soloing/solo-crawling - that is, playing in a dungeon or area killing monsters without a party with no in-character reason - while not strictly illegal, is discouraged for several reasons:
- It is detrimental to your character. The world is dangerous. A character alone runs a higher risk of dying than one in a group. Do not be surprised if your equipment turns up missing, and becomes part of the monster's treasure hoard if there's no one there to save you. Do not assume that just because there wasn't a monster in particular place one day that there may not be one there the next day. The world will change and adapt - sometimes as a result of player's actions, sometimes all on its own.
- It takes away the valuable contribution a player can make to the game's story as a whole. Each person has something to offer, and we are eager to experience your creativity. Don't be selfish and keep your character's personality to yourself - share and experience the rewards sharing can bring.
- It minimizes your chances of being involved in larger server events. Quests begin from social situations - and a DM who sees a group of players talking in-character about something has a much easier time organizing a quest than one who must track down characters spread individually out over the entire map.
At times, there may be legitimate role-play reasons for your character to venture out alone - whether it's a personal trial, or your character's personality is naturally anti-social and has role-played this legitimately, or whatever. In cases as these, be prepared to offer legitimate in-character motivations, not just "he's a loner" - and keep in mind that the risks may be grave if you are slain where no on can find you.
General Role-Play Etiquette:
Players are expected to stay in-character as much as possible. Using out-of-character knowledge is frowned upon and scores no points with a DM should they need to intervene in a scenario. If you are unclear what would be common knowledge to your character, either ask a DM, or the other players involved, in an out-of-character manner.
This extends to multiple characters played by the same player. Each character does not necessarily know information proprietary to all of the others character.
Player to player role-play is essential to Bruehawk's. As such, players are expected to operate in the spirit of cooperative effort. When a DM is present to oversee a player-to-player role-play, they can be expected to act as a "referee" to the play, if requested.
However, when a DM is not present, it's accepted etiquette that the dice-wand be used to adjudicate the results of contested actions.
At times, this may mean your character does something you may not wish to do, but that follows the logic of the scenario. For example, a Half-Orc grabs your Halfling by the scruff of the neck, and lifts him off his feet.
If you had just role-played that your Halfling was flat on his stomach after falling, it should be assumed he is, in fact, lifted from the ground. If your Halfling were standing, opposed Dexterity checks may be appropriate to determine if he could evade the grab.
Regardless of the result, players are expected to play along, and accept the success of failure of their role-played actions and use their own best judgment to remain true to the scenario and fair to each other.
NPCs and the World in general.
While NPC's aren't controlled by a DM at all times, they are still living, breathing, thinking inhabitants of the world, and should be treated as such, even if the game engine is incapable of replicating all the complex behavior possible.
Breaking the law in front of an NPC guard should be treated as if the guard actually performed his duty. A character of a dark-race should avoid buying from merchants who would have an obvious dislike or hatred of the character. There are multitudes of potential scenarios which can't be accommodated by in-game mechanics, and the best players will behave in such a way that the mechanics are unnecessary, and not take advantage of a "dumb" AI.
Treating the world this way not only shows good role-play ability (which is always looked on favorably by the DM staff) but also enhances the playing experience for the player - your can bring the world to vivid life with your imagination much more fully than even the most comprehensive scripting.
Communication Channels:
Excessive party-chat about what stats an item has, what was on television the night before, where the best treasure is, or other out-of-character or real-life topics does not constitute good role-play. If used purely for chatting between players not otherwise engaged in role-playing, it can be acceptable. But, should you be involved in role-play or in a DM-led scenario, turn party-chat off as it is primarily a distraction to the DM to have the extra text in the communication box, and does little to enhance the role-play potential of the scenario.
Additionally, keep in mind that the DMs can read anything spoken in Party Chat - so remember your audience isn't just who you've invited into the group. Some DMs may take offense to profanity or abusive language - and though a DM can squelch the Party Chat channel, that channel is often necessary for a DM to perform his or her function. So, please, behave accordingly.
- Do not use emotes/smileys in Talk - rather, use "*smiles*"...or some other text-emote to designate an action your character is taking.
- Use the Whisper channel only for conversation or very subtle emotes (ones which cannot be seen from a reasonable distance away).
- When you must speak out-of-character, preface Talk with "**" or "ooc-" or "((" so that those listening will know it is not your character, but your player, doing the talking.
- Although it's faster to run between zones - most people don't travel long distances that way. And, if they did, they would be in no shape to do much once they got to their destination. It is more in-character to walk long distances (turning on Search Mode or Stealth Mode can help with this).
- Even though a character's name floats over their head, in-character, they are strangers to you when you first meet - avoid using someone's proper name until you have introduced yourself to them, or they to you.
- Use of the Shout channel is discouraged, with very few exceptions. If you are unsure what the exceptions are, don't use it.
Engaging the DM and getting the most from your character:
Players are encouraged to formulate their own ideas and agendas for their characters, then present those ideas to the DM staff so that the DMs can assist your character in its goals. In some cases, this may require your character to overcome obstacles or fulfill some task to succeed.
DMs are here to have fun as well as the players - and nothing is more satisfying to a DM than a player who has a firm grasp on their character's motivations and goals and provides an easy "hook" for the DM to work with to enhance the experience for both.
The more active a player is in role-play, and the more willing a player is to stay in-character, the more potential that player will have for DM attention and subsequently, DM rewards. The player that stands by the wayside or power-games through dungeons excessively is one that may wait for a long time for a DM to engage them in anything more meaningful.
If you are lacking direction, ask a DM for some suggestions - or find other players, and strike up a conversation. Take the opportunity to sensibly explore the vast world the builders have provided for you. Use good judgment, of course - one might wander around a city's downtown taking in the sights, but still not travel down that dark alley. By the same token, the forest with the cute bunnies might be perfectly fine for a stroll, but that ominous cave probably isn't someplace to venture into alone.
Players and Alignment:
A character's alignment is not a straightjacket which that dictates behavior. Rather, it is a thermometer to gauge where a character sits in terms of morality and ethics. A character's alignment will follow what the character does, not the other way around.
At times, a DM may, at their discretion, shift a character's alignment for engaging in certain courses of action. For many characters, this may not be a large issue. However, for certain classes or characters, alignment is essential to both the role-play and game-play of the character (e.g. Paladins).
If a character engages in an act which is not in-tune with their alignment, or could be called into question as being such, the player should be prepared with a good, in-character motivation why that action fits their alignment - provided they do not wish their alignment to shift.
Otherwise, the DM will make the shift, if they so desire - the magnitude of which will be dependant on the nature of the act.
In game-play, this can restrict or allow certain classes or abilities, as well as affect role-played relationships (for example, a cleric of a "Good" god whose alignment shifts to evil will lose their clerical abilities).
In the event of an alignment shift which invalidates certain classes, the character will be modified with classes appropriate to the new alignment.
If such occurs, only a DM-led quest to return both alignment and abilities can restore the character to its previous state.
Dark Races and other "shunned" characters:
Bruehawk's does not prohibit the playing of characters of evil alignment or dark races (Drow, Duergar, Tiefling, Half-Demon/Devil/Dragon, etc) at this time.
However, both server events and the general culture of the world will make life difficult for these characters. This can include anything from merchants refusing to sell to them and other NPC reactions, to being run out of some towns/cities, up to PK and possible permadeath of the character.
To accommodate characters of this sort, Silver Dune is the recommended starting point, as the social situation there is more tolerant of traditional "evil" characters.
Players who prefer to play dark-race characters should do so knowing full well the risks involved. If something bad happens to your character in-character, take it in stride and move on.
Interaction with the DMs:
DMs are volunteers, and most will, given time and initiative, engage players with everything from minor NPC interaction to full-blow quests. DMs are not at "a job" with hard and fast rules of what duties they're expected to perform.
That being said, however, the DM staff will, from time to time, plan quests or plots involving one or more characters. The player can expect that a quest will have some reasonable chance of success, but that success is not guaranteed. Most DMs want players to succeed - but not at the expense of sacrificing game integrity.
Consequently, player choices, dice-rolls, combat, even role-play scenarios may affect outcomes. The player, however, can expect that the DM will be fair to the scenario and have a reasonable in-character reason for whatever happens. If currently known facts are unclear, a player can request clarification. However, to maintain integrity of a scenario, a DM may withhold information to protect the mystery or suspense of the scenario.
Some plots are more intricate than others, and require greater resources to coordinate than others. Players should recognize that the accomplishment of the goal may take a few hours, or several real-life weeks or more to complete. The important thing for the player is to not give up at the first setback or out of impatience.
DMs are expected to be as fair to a single player as possible, while acting in the best interests of the server as a whole. At times, these goals may be at odds with each other. Players can expect the DM to act for the common benefit whenever possible.
Working with multiple DMs
The DM staff uses several methods of communication to maintain consistency with the world and players. However, not every detail of a particular character's situation will always be known to all DMs.
The Player is responsible for informing any DM working with the character of any unusual circumstances applying to their character (for example, a special RP-only power, or special permission of some sort) and be prepared to name the DM that granted the circumstances should any follow-up or clarification be required.
By agreement, the DMs respect what other DMs have done, and will make allowances for other DM's decisions - however, if the nature of prior DM decisions is not made known to the current DM by the player, that won't constitute a valid reason for reversing any conflict or determent to the player.
Further, players are expected to abide by any single DM's decisions - pleading a case to a second DM who may not be aware of all the details of your situation with the express purpose of gaining a more favorable outcome for your character is, at best, frowned upon and at worst considered a form of cheating and will be dealt with accordingly.