Ravana: an explanation

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Ravana
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:55 pm
IGN: Ravana

Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:18 am

I appreciate the fair and measured response to what could have been perceived as a mindless rant. I think for me the passion has always been the long-form writing - I don't mind chats but I do find it harder to maintain whatever state of mind I am portraying in chats - it's too easy to slip into old tropes. For example, I found it really hard to walk into the Reaper's Arms and see people Ravana knew and not say hello, despite the fact that would be out of character for current Ravana. Probably help if my characters were a little less out there.

While it's true I do enjoy being disruptive (in the constructive sense!) I feel it does suit what I am trying to do here: when was the last time anyone sat and listened to the story of a homeless drunk? Til recently, not me. Ravana doesn't yet have his own story. Drunks are an inconvenience, they are irritating, they piss people off. I was attempting to convey some of that irritation in the form I was taking - it wasn't intended as vandalism (although I accept it could be seen as such). I was thinking it would be as it is with most homeless drunks - gain some momentary attention then back to life as usual as if the encounter never happened.

I think I underestimated the depth of feeling such an approach would cause, so once again I'm sorry if I have offended. I think for me, everything I've written in the city has been part of our shared story, the collective story of Ravenblack's city. I see it no more as mine than anyone's and expected others to share that view. I now understand and accept the view of the posters on whom I have trespassed (although I don't necessarily think it's good for the health of the city).

Having said that even 10 years ago, I think my view was on the wane. To my eyes it was born of the great stories of domination from the early days, when the city was small: Capadocious take over and EvilBill & the Church of Blood (admittedly these were before my time, but they were more living memory perhaps than they are now). Events encompassed everyone.

The funny thing is, I sense that the city is much smaller now yet still riven with cliques and siloes as in it's heyday (as Greyce's human pointed out - sorry don't know real name unless it's actually oblivion :D ). Must be high time for some dickbag to show up and shake things up or die trying? Oh wait did I say that already? :P
Claws
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:32 pm
OOC: Keo
IGN: Claws
Graphic Artist: Tex

Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:33 pm

It's not for the health of the city it's for the health of the writers. Just respect that you need to ask permission in the forums. It's not an outlandish request or something to shake up. You don't know what other peoples lives are like or their confidence in their work or what they're going through in their daily lives. In chats? Yeah, they're in the mindset that anything could happen. Go for it. But forums? No. Just be decent and hit them up like 'hey, can I'. It's not hard.

This isn't some artsy show that needs shaken up and taught the good old ways. It's people writing for fun and sometimes as outlets. It's common decency to just ask.
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Church
Site Admin
Posts: 218
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:12 am
OOC: Tex

Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:39 pm

I'll just say one last thing, then. You are not your characters. Your drunk may be the type to butt in as he so pleases but as a writer it'd be nice to see more respect for other writers and their works by not just inserting your own work into the things they've put time and effort into.
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Ravana
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:55 pm
IGN: Ravana

Sun Jan 20, 2019 3:30 pm

Point taken - times have changed
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AdaMaS
Posts: 129
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:48 am
Location: The Hellfire Club
IGN: AdaMaS
Lineage: Mahorela
Graphic Artist: Mandolin
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Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:06 pm

I feel your pain, Ravana. You are certainly always welcome to tread upon my threads if you so find the opening. As it once was...shall continue to be.

Times have indeed changed and community is really only such in name only. Who am I to dictate if your character was or was not in the same area at the time?
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Seppuku
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:17 pm
OOC: Megatron
IGN: Seppuku
Lineage: Corvidae

Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:06 pm

Methinks the point is that it's good RP etiquette to ask permission before joining someone's threads. If it's marked as open, I feel that's free game. If it's marked as closed, invite, private, solo or for specified people, then you should respect that and refrain from inserting your character into a story where he/she isn't welcome.

I can also understand the confusion, if the thread isn't marked appropriately and replies are removed because the thread is anything but open. When in doubt, ask. It's polite. This has nothing to do with the characters themselves and there's no need to shame writers for wanting to stick with more private RPs.
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AdaMaS
Posts: 129
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:48 am
Location: The Hellfire Club
IGN: AdaMaS
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Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:28 am

Maybe. However, coming from a time when it was fully acknowledged as a community rp game. That's how interaction happened. And when you had a solo piece of rp, you marked it as such. There's far too many avenues for individuals to cry ooc foul now, in my opinion. Times were different earlier on and interaction was less avoidable. I just think for so many to go on attack crying rude about current etiquette is a little unfair when just as few have bothered to acknowledge the earlier.

Just make it known like everyone always did. It's just a '(Closed)' in the title.
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Church
Site Admin
Posts: 218
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:12 am
OOC: Tex

Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:02 am

AdaMaS wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:28 am
Maybe. However, coming from a time when it was fully acknowledged as a community rp game. That's how interaction happened. And when you had a solo piece of rp, you marked it as such. There's far too many avenues for individuals to cry ooc foul now, in my opinion. Times were different earlier on and interaction was less avoidable. I just think for so many to go on attack crying rude about current etiquette is a little unfair when just as few have bothered to acknowledge the earlier.

Just make it known like everyone always did. It's just a '(Closed)' in the title.
Considering a good 80% of writing that goes on in this forum are solo RP's, and writers aren't all that familiar with having to tag as a solo piece (you know, because we like to think the few people who still write for this game can at least be polite and ask first regardless on tags or not) it seems a little ridiculous to me that people are having such a hard time with this.

Times change, at least out here in the real world. People's ideals and perspectives change. People got more manners over the last fourteen years or so. It's not disrupting your own game play and chats is still free game for interaction, but do not force that interaction upon writers who may not want it here, unless it's stated that they're game.
Ask first, unless the piece of work is explicitly marked as 'open'. 'Open' is the word you're looking for, now. If it's marked as OPEN, please do join in and have fun. If it's not? Send a PM asking. It's easy peasy.
I don't care how offended you might feel that this is a thing that the rest of the community feels should happen now. I've been around in those days when people didn't ask and they're nothing to sing praise about - crossing was in abundance and people argued OOC way more than we do now.
People no longer write OPEN threads as much for a reason; their own and the ones I've already mentioned. Respect that.
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Hestia
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:59 am
IGN: Hestia

Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:52 am

As far as I can tell, most threads are closed (either solo or for a predetermined group). Logistically, it would be far more of a hassle to go through and retroactively change the ‘standard’ of title posting compared to the minimal effort (and possible outreach opportunities to be had) by sending a PM to ask if it’d be okay to join a thread. If yes, then OP may have a direction they’re going in you can help flesh out.

I do so love tormenting my characters, however I’m far more open to discussing said turn of events OOC than letting someone godmod my character. If you want your character to chop one of mine’s legs off, odds are I’ll say yes. But if you’re going to just assume your character can do that without allowing me the chance to explain why that may or may not be appropriate, that’s not particularly fun.

I’m not saying anyone has to ask permission to play their character how they want, just that it’s better to form relationships with players rather than assume you know what’s going on and intended by a thread*.



*I’ve written dream sequences as standalone posts before wherein the revelation of said dream sequence came a few weeks later when I finally had time to write it. An interjection at that juncture would not be appropriate.
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ophelia
Posts: 1439
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:56 pm
OOC: -
IGN: ophelia
Lineage: Lokason
Graphic Artist: Greyce

Tue Jan 22, 2019 3:20 pm

Church wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:02 am
. People got more manners over the last fourteen years or so.
That's a pretty shitty thing to say- especially if someone is coming back from a hiatus that's longer than most people have actually been playing.

BUT

I think it's abundantly clear how the writing business goes/is to be done and that's a great thing going forward should someone else pop out of oblivion to poke around a bit. If it's not explicitly marked open- then inquire about joining.

I also recommend folks join the writing group. Great resource to meet people and hopefully spark some writing enthusiasm, engage with folks you might not otherwise on an IC (writing level) and all that cool jazz! <3
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