Post by kalbaern on Oct 23, 2009 13:57:54 GMT -5
In chatting with players here over the last several months, a few things have stuck in my mind. The first revolves around "Trust".
Many players, myself included have little trust of a PW's DMs, Admins or even their fellow players (I of course refer to "elsewhere" when I include myelf ). This isn't uncommon and often well founded. We've all likely known DMs that catered to a select few or used their status to advance their own PCs plots over others or outright abuse those they dislike. Most will know or have heard of players that "name drop" they are buddies with DM "X" as a way of bullying others. Player's often fear that their fellow players will abuse rules or game mechanics especially in PvP situations and there will be little recourse.
"SFS" was founded as a result of many of these "fears" and "distrust" encountered elsewhere. While excersising our collective creativity and making a unique world were a big part in our launching of this PW, creating a player friendly environment was the bigger motivation. It's for that reason that our DMs can only help players and run events here. Any punishments are soley the duties of our Co-Admins, "Quendros" and myself "kalbaern". Furthermore, our DMs will not oversee a guild or it's events if they as players are members in the guild(s).
We've adopted this as a way to promote trust here. Players needn't fear that DM "X" and his/her buddies will do as they please at others expenses. We've witnessed more than enough of those things on other PWs and you've our promises that we'll not go that route here. Sometimes it's hard to believe that too. Sometimes we all make assumptions based on our past experiences elsewhere. If you've ever such a fear here. Let us know. Whether it's something posted publicly on the forums or sent privately in a PM or Email, we'll do our best to address your concerns.
The second issue stems around "fitting in". Some players when they are involved in a DM run event feel they cannot truly portray their characters as they would like. You should never let the presence or absence of a DM influence a characters actions here. You should also never feel compelled to travel with folk if you don't feel you have an IC reason to do so. Sometimes senior players and /or DMs will offer to let new players join them for an outing, only to have the new player feel like they are holding the group back or are unable to really contribute to a party's success. Many new players feel they have to tag along when invited so they'll "fit in" here. That's never the case. Don't ever feel you "have to" do anything. "SFS" is all about players choosing their own courses and not being mere pawns for others.
We won't take players wanting to "find out for themselves" as stand-offish or pure power gaming soloers either. I myself have always preferred to explore and interact with others based on chance as opposed to OOC invites. I enjoy figuring out things for myself and testing my characters personal limits often. So don't feel "you have to" do anything you don't believe your Pc would do normally here.
If your PC hates half orcs or elves or gnomes and there is one or more involved in an event, you'll never be forced to be nice and play along anyhow. Do take a moment to consider your actions though. An Elf that despises orcs and their half breed spawn would be in character to either refuse to join up or go along inorder to watch the half orc and reveal it's "true nature" to the rest at some point. Playing a xenophobic PC need not mean you'll never travel with race or class "X". It's fine if you see it that way, but don't rule out joining soley on that. I've often used "keeping an eye on" PCs as a valid reason to join an outing. A paladin could very well refuse to join a group because there is a Bannite priest in it ... or the paladin could also go along to prevent that same priest from bringing the rest to harm or converting them to "his" evil ways. Either would be valid here. I personally would go along to counter the evil priest's words and prevent his plots if I were the paladin, but we'll not hold a refusal to join a group against any either.
The third thought revolves mostly around DMs that are logged in as players. It's hard for many not to see a DM as a true player when we bring our PCs into the world to play. When players are in a group or around a PC whose player is a DM or Admin, many get cold feet. They worry about every little detail and hence things are less "fun" suddenly. There's also a tendancey to look to the Player/DM for constant guidance and approval. Please don't. When DMs come on as players they are just that ... players. We don't login to "spy" on players as players. We don't log our PCs on to hassle players we dislike. We log on to merely play. So if you see me on playing a half orc paladin with a 6 intelligence, don't expect "me" to be your group's leader. Treat myself and the rest of our DMs and Admins as players when we log in as such and we'll all have alot more fun in the end.
Feel free to add your own thoughts or concerns to this topic. Here at "SFS" we encourage folk to speak their minds and would rather hear something we don't like or think untrue than to have players keep issues bottled up until they explode .
Many players, myself included have little trust of a PW's DMs, Admins or even their fellow players (I of course refer to "elsewhere" when I include myelf ). This isn't uncommon and often well founded. We've all likely known DMs that catered to a select few or used their status to advance their own PCs plots over others or outright abuse those they dislike. Most will know or have heard of players that "name drop" they are buddies with DM "X" as a way of bullying others. Player's often fear that their fellow players will abuse rules or game mechanics especially in PvP situations and there will be little recourse.
"SFS" was founded as a result of many of these "fears" and "distrust" encountered elsewhere. While excersising our collective creativity and making a unique world were a big part in our launching of this PW, creating a player friendly environment was the bigger motivation. It's for that reason that our DMs can only help players and run events here. Any punishments are soley the duties of our Co-Admins, "Quendros" and myself "kalbaern". Furthermore, our DMs will not oversee a guild or it's events if they as players are members in the guild(s).
We've adopted this as a way to promote trust here. Players needn't fear that DM "X" and his/her buddies will do as they please at others expenses. We've witnessed more than enough of those things on other PWs and you've our promises that we'll not go that route here. Sometimes it's hard to believe that too. Sometimes we all make assumptions based on our past experiences elsewhere. If you've ever such a fear here. Let us know. Whether it's something posted publicly on the forums or sent privately in a PM or Email, we'll do our best to address your concerns.
The second issue stems around "fitting in". Some players when they are involved in a DM run event feel they cannot truly portray their characters as they would like. You should never let the presence or absence of a DM influence a characters actions here. You should also never feel compelled to travel with folk if you don't feel you have an IC reason to do so. Sometimes senior players and /or DMs will offer to let new players join them for an outing, only to have the new player feel like they are holding the group back or are unable to really contribute to a party's success. Many new players feel they have to tag along when invited so they'll "fit in" here. That's never the case. Don't ever feel you "have to" do anything. "SFS" is all about players choosing their own courses and not being mere pawns for others.
We won't take players wanting to "find out for themselves" as stand-offish or pure power gaming soloers either. I myself have always preferred to explore and interact with others based on chance as opposed to OOC invites. I enjoy figuring out things for myself and testing my characters personal limits often. So don't feel "you have to" do anything you don't believe your Pc would do normally here.
If your PC hates half orcs or elves or gnomes and there is one or more involved in an event, you'll never be forced to be nice and play along anyhow. Do take a moment to consider your actions though. An Elf that despises orcs and their half breed spawn would be in character to either refuse to join up or go along inorder to watch the half orc and reveal it's "true nature" to the rest at some point. Playing a xenophobic PC need not mean you'll never travel with race or class "X". It's fine if you see it that way, but don't rule out joining soley on that. I've often used "keeping an eye on" PCs as a valid reason to join an outing. A paladin could very well refuse to join a group because there is a Bannite priest in it ... or the paladin could also go along to prevent that same priest from bringing the rest to harm or converting them to "his" evil ways. Either would be valid here. I personally would go along to counter the evil priest's words and prevent his plots if I were the paladin, but we'll not hold a refusal to join a group against any either.
The third thought revolves mostly around DMs that are logged in as players. It's hard for many not to see a DM as a true player when we bring our PCs into the world to play. When players are in a group or around a PC whose player is a DM or Admin, many get cold feet. They worry about every little detail and hence things are less "fun" suddenly. There's also a tendancey to look to the Player/DM for constant guidance and approval. Please don't. When DMs come on as players they are just that ... players. We don't login to "spy" on players as players. We don't log our PCs on to hassle players we dislike. We log on to merely play. So if you see me on playing a half orc paladin with a 6 intelligence, don't expect "me" to be your group's leader. Treat myself and the rest of our DMs and Admins as players when we log in as such and we'll all have alot more fun in the end.
Feel free to add your own thoughts or concerns to this topic. Here at "SFS" we encourage folk to speak their minds and would rather hear something we don't like or think untrue than to have players keep issues bottled up until they explode .