Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

I think it's a dangerous way to go, not only does it take activity away from the server, but it also furthers cliques and the ability to OOCly exclude people in- and outside guilds, both intended and by mistake. I thought it was bad enough with skype groups for OOC communication, and even that tends to generate both OOC and IC confusion.

I say stick to the game and make up an IC excuse if you can't make it to a meeting, or whatever. If you can't live with this use the forums, they're suited for this kind of communication.

That's just my opinion anyway.

What prevents people from using tells to do the exact same things you folk are fearing?

Heck, before the party chat overhaul, which was a longer period than since it was overhauled, one could use party chat to run 2 different convos at the same time.

Hoihe wrote:What prevents people from using tells to do the exact same things you folk are fearing?

Heck, before the party chat overhaul, which was a longer period than since it was overhauled, one could use party chat to run 2 different convos at the same time.

In 4 years here Hoihe I have encountered it all. Skype/Discord RP, Tell whispers, Tell message birds not using sending spells, forum RP and much more. People use every medium they can to do their RP here.

I have always felt that if the information is legit and not meta then what is the problem? At some point all the rule lawyer BS does is piss people off and they leave.

When talking about wanting new RP population I fell threads like this discourage that. The RP on BG is really not as hard as threads like this make it out to be.

Dude! I'm trying to convince Players to keep their RP IG, not off the Server!

So if anything, this thread should be encouraging people to log in to play, not "play" off-world!

And as well, it is misreading this thread to interpret it as stating RP is hard to have. This thread is about keeping the RP ON THIS MEDIUM, especially when it is storyline and campaign affecting RP, so that EVERYONE can partake in it.

But the thing is, for those of us who can't get in game all that often interacting with DMs and other players in advance of being in game can help 'set the scene' for the in game RP to come. How many times have players posted that they can't log in as often as they used to?

For me personally if I didn't use Discord and forums/PMs I would likely stop playing. These mediums allow a lot of the setup to be handled "off camera" so that when I meet up for some bit of RP we can get in to the meat a bit faster. If I know I can only be in game for an hour or two, it's important that some of the discussion RP is handled in advance, otherwise I log in and by the time the setup / preliminary discussions are done, I have to log off. This would quickly diminish my desire to log in at all, since I would end up spending the little time I have on setup. Would I still hop in game occasionally? Sure, but would mostly be character building/grinding rather than story building and mostly solo, since relying on anyone else to be around for RP would waste my short amount of time in game.

I know for a fact there are many top notch, long time players in a similar position as me. Work, School, Family, Personal obligations tend to stack up quickly in real life so utilizing any and all mediums at your disposal becomes the only way to keep up with RP.

Long story short, regardless of what anyone else thinks is valid methods of RP as long as it's allowed I would keep doing it and if it wasn't accepted I would likely move on. Not a threat as we hear plenty of those, just reality of the situation. Calodan can tell you, for instance that he and I used to run around once or twice a week for as many as 6 hours. However, since the start of this year I think we have been in game together maybe a half dozen times. Each of those times was facilitated by setting up the RP basis through either PM's back and forth or Discord. Without that the chances of us logging in at the same time would be far less and the amount of time spent on set up would have made it so that we didn't actually accomplish anything.

Does this further anyone else's RP? Indirectly it does, because when Calodan's PC goes out and interacts with others and is impacted by the RP with one of my characters I am indirectly progressing others RP. The same holds true for others I RP with. Rule of thumb stays in place that certain things should only be done in game, but if an IC conversation can be handled via Discord that sets up for getting in to the 'good stuff' once in game then it is an invaluable tool that enhances (not replaces) the in game experience.

chad878262 wrote:I think DM Boo said it exactly how it should be. I have participated in Skype/Discord IC RP just as I have had RP go on with other players over PM's or private guild forums. If it is not RP that impacts the server or other players, or would take place behind the closed/locked doors of the guild it is fine to use skype or discord. Actually I prefer it because I get to interact with other guild members that I never (or at least rarely) see in game. I actually would say it's a bit disappointing that some players refuse to utilize such media for RP only because it is really the only realistic way to have a conversation IC with everyone that has a character within a given guild. Timezones as well as differing schedules make it impossible to have meaningful, real time RP with the entire guild, but by using Discord groups you can make sure everyone has the opportunity to be included within the conversation. Some of my favorite people to interact with are European and we simply don't always have occasion to play in game together. Interacting IC'ly with them over forums, PMs and Discord is a nice way to ensure our characters are still interacting on a regular basis, as they would be were they 'real' people as opposed to alter ego's whom we play for a very limited amount of time each week.

Now, as soon as the RP Goes beyond having a chat within the confines of a secure guild hall or other location I would agree it needs to go in game. My philosophy is any RP that is viable to occur over PM is equally viable to utilize Discord/Skype. If you want it accepted by the DM Staff you need to PM it to them for their review, simple as that.

Every last bit of this.

Scheduling is a nightmare, and frankly in order to give everyone an opportunity to be a part, I can completely understand why Discord and Skype are viable options, given they offer the exact same sort of exchange as guild forum RP, in a far, far more efficient and timely manner. All you need to do is copy and paste, and that RP is then transcribed on the forums for posterity, without it taking freaking DAYS to reach a resolution. I'm not sure why you're so damned salty about it, Steve, given you wouldn't be privy to any of those conversations any way.

I also can't see why Discord isn't perfectly fine for the simply social RP as well, given none of that stuff affects server plots in any way. Quite frankly, it doesn't bother me in the least that sometimes people just want some freaking peace and quiet to RP with the individual they want to, without the often crazy inundation of tells, distractions, time demands, etc that can sometimes come with being physically in game. It may be a persistent world, Steve, but it's also a hobby we do for fun. And sometimes, being in game is the opposite of that, even if you want to just unwind in your character's mind a little while. If nothing other than casual, social RP is happening, what difference does it make so long as the people doing it are enjoying themsevles? Especially if that enjoyment then, in turn, leads to more involvement in actual plotlines, etc? It works both ways, instead of JUST encouraging people to take things off game.


You're making a mountain out of a molehill, just for the sake of shouting, it seems. So long as official things are in turn documented here on guild forums (that you won't see) and with DMs, Discord solves way, way more problems than it creates.

Steve wrote:And as well, it is misreading this thread to interpret it as stating RP is hard to have. This thread is about keeping the RP ON THIS MEDIUM, especially when it is storyline and campaign affecting RP, so that EVERYONE can partake in it.

Not to play devils advocate, but, well... not everyone can partake in storyline PM's between 2 players on this medium, can they(and we've had a few of those between us )?

I get where you're coming from, Steve, for real. In my number of years here I have steadfastly turned down every single offer to join Skype or Discord... but that is mostly because I LOATH AND DESPISE anything that is (likely) going to generate more immersion breaking OOC, tells, or the sharing of meta-info. Which is pretty much what Skype and Discord are a wonderful vehicle for.

If players choose to use those mediums responsibly, however, or if RL prevents them from being present and IG(chads is a good example... that poor bastard is working abroad so much that he rarely gets a chance to be in-game), then I'm not really bothered by it.

This kind of crap, however...

Maverick 40 wrote:I will say this, I ran into a group outside of Nashkel Mines. My character began attempting to interact with the group of 3-4 other characters. Only one responded when I offered to aid their exploration of the mines. My character followed in group, while the team ran forward with no IG RP. The one other character/player was good enough to let me know via tell that they were on skype together. When we ran into another character within the mines, the group barely RP'd and moved quickly past.

... can get absolutely stuffed. Grind-monkeys running around, being mutes in-game because they're too busy OOC'ly yammering on Skype(lets be real, there's a 0% chance that any RP would be happening on that crap) while zerging around is, in a word, just plain damaging... to the setting, and to RP standards. Anyone who is doing this should really just GTFO of here.

Are some of you actually saying DMs are having private Discord/Skype channel RP with Players?

Steve wrote:Are some of you actually saying DMs are having private Discord/Skype channel RP with Players?

My comments of discussions with DMs were relating to PM's. No I do not have any communication with DMs and am not aware there is any DM Skype or Discord channel available to players. My point was the interaction with them OUT OF GAME via PMs is no different then IC interaction with other players. My point is there is NO DIFFERENCE between RP that happens via Skype/Discord vs. the RP that happens on private guild forums and via PM with other players. End of the day it is all RP and has impact on future interactions with others.

I wholeheartedly agree players chatting on skype while in game is BS. I wouldn't participate in such as I can't be bothered to try and keep a conversation going on Discord (which is only installed on my cell) while trying to keep up with in-game conversations (on my laptop). Even if I could, I agree it's robbing other players in game the chance to interact which is absolutely a rule violation. However, RP'ing with a player via PM, skype or discord that you would otherwise be in game, in a private guildhall where no one else has any chance to interact with you (aside from a DM, but never seen them jump in and involve themselves in guild meetings before) has zero impact on anyone. In any of the cases no one else is going to have the opportunity to participate. All doing it on Discord does is ensures that those who don't have the ability to be in game can still participate in the conversation. It is not taking away anything from other players, as they would not be included anyway. It is simply adding the ability to include more players that should be involved in certain RP that doesn't require in game actions be taken.

chambordini wrote:And you intend to stop this so called negative behavior how?

Like most other non-mechanical solutions are: added to the General Server Rules.

Check this out:

I was sent a PM that was IC communication—not emoting RP, but a letter—that included a copy/paste link of an outputted Discord Chat Log.

What the IC communication was asking the recipients was to take the RP convo that was supposedly IC "transcribed" word for word, as IC "evidence" to the character and actions of certain Characters.

Now, according to Maecius and Boo, I should be able to disregard this Discord-held Private IC meeting because it DOES pertain to Server Wide Campaigns that will effect the Guild I have a character in, and actually, already are.

So, am I supposed to honor this IC or not, or do I get to OOC ignore whatever I feel like touched too much on the larger RP of the Server?

Steve wrote:I was sent a PM that was IC communication—not emoting RP, but a letter—that included a copy/paste link of an outputted Discord Chat Log.

If it's the same one I received you may want to check it again Steve, it's a chat log using the client extension. It's only put on discord as a means of dissemination.

You know.... including word for word chat logs in an IC "letter" is in poor taste anyway, whether those happened in game or on Discord (the incident happened in game, FYI).

The player that sent that letter out likely needs to consider what falls within the realms of In Character and Meta, because word for word recollection isn't that damn likely.

But HEY! Thanks for letting me know about this!

Absolute privacy is pretty easy to obtain IG. Going off the server to RP may as well be an extension of this and I'd treat it as such. Furthermore there are events that take place in exotic locations where I'd be fine with a DM running an event on one of these mediums. This game can be broken down to core P&P elements, no? Seems like a bonus in that respect.

Speaking, as a European, who plays a lot, without Skype to catch up on some 1 on 1 rp with people who I love rping with on the weekend, I would be unable to progress that rp at all during the week, meaning very slow moving rp progression between myself and that character.

I dont think this takes anything away from the server, but adds to it so I can roleplay more around with other people and groups during the weekend, rather than having to sit with these people and updating on each and every time what either char has been up to that week while the other was offline due to time difference, I would likely have no time to roleplay with others at all then if I didnt use skype for this.

Kiran wrote:Speaking, as a European, who plays a lot, without Skype to catch up on some 1 on 1 rp with people who I love rping with on the weekend, I would be unable to progress that rp at all during the week, meaning very slow moving rp progression between myself and that character.

I dont think this takes anything away from the server, but adds to it so I can roleplay more around with other people and groups during the weekend, rather than having to sit with these people and updating on each and every time what either char has been up to that week while the other was offline due to time difference, I would likely have no time to roleplay with others at all then if I didnt use skype for this.

While I agree with you that this is indeed a benefit, it certainly removes 100% of the risk from any high intrigue play. Be it if only a chance of being overseen or followed. I suppose the same could be said for guild situations on the forums, but the forums do not mediate the same level of intricate RP that live-chat skype or discord allows either. Personally, I prefer to not RP at all unless it's on the server or through correspondence on the forums.