In Character Versus Out of Character

Introduction
Anytime you find yourself in a game that allows Role-playing, there are certain terms that if understood help to enhance the experience. Our goal here is to help you have a fun time and be able to role-play on equal footing with others. As such, this tutorial will help guide all players to better understand these terms.

You will sometimes see abbreviations used instead of the full terms. Here are some examples:


 * OOC = Out of Character
 * IC = In Character
 * RP = Roleplay
 * ORP = Open Role-play: All are welcome to jump in and participate!
 * CRP = Closed Role-play: All can read it, but post by request only
 * IG = In Game
 * VR = Viceroyalty

Out of Character
Every game has an out of character aspect. This portion of the game involves the person who is playing it and not to the character whom the person plays. One common mistake that some make in an role-playing game (RPG) is to mix Out of Character with In Character issues. The best way to avoid this to make sure you are always talking one way or the other.

Common areas where Out of Character is common include the General Section of the forums (Announcement, Help, Suggestions, etc), the Bug Reporting Area, The OOC Tavern, and mail specifically listed as OOC.

If you know you are sending a mail message that is to the person behind the mask, then make sure you mark it as not In-Character.

In Character
In Character is everything that happens to your character and not to the person behind the mask. This is typically done in Role-play (RP) via the forums, tavern, or sometimes even via IG Mail. One point of confusion on this matter comes to when people take part in IG actions. All IG results are IC actions and may be role-played.

In addition, the Court System is IC and the cases should be role-played. Viceroyalties may decide at their discretion whether they wish to have the role-play occur in the forums primarily. This does not prevent characters from role-playing looking into the courtroom.

It is best to assume IC when playing in the RP Forum Areas (Towns, Viceroyalties, and Groups). This helps avoid problems. If someone appears to be mixing OOC and IC in the IC Areas, ignore the OOC comments and respond only to the IC ones. This will help to avoid issues and possibly even avoid breaking a rule.

Also, don't take In Character comments (whether via RP or not) as something directed at you the person. Instead, keep that healthy barrier up and play your character as offended while you can enjoy the laughs that may bring. Remember, you don't have to keep things hostile.

Godmodding and Death
Godmodding is frowned upon in "In Character" situations like Role-play. It is polite to discuss injury or death of someone else with them and get agreement prior to having it done. The best form is to allow free form give and take injuries. One classic way to do this is to say that you have taken a swing at someone's head. Giving them a choice between whether it connects or not is great form. Remember, no one is invincible.

A touchy subject is the death of a character. Some players may choose to never resurrect while others will decide to come back to further their character. If a character dies due to health, battles/duels, or any other IG action, they may choose or not choose to role-play it. However, if someone dies in a duel or battle, the victor may RP the IG events leading up to and including the death. A great role-player will expand on the IG messages they receive about their characters.

As a general rule, players should be respectful to the wishes of the player whose character died regarding dismemberment. If there is no agreement on the matter, it will default to the choice of the player whose character died. With this said, the characters may brag about deaths that never happened, but it can not be set as an IC fact without permission of the player whose character died or an IG message that states that they killed them.

It's also important to note that the character who died is the only one who has the right to say how they resurrected. The IG component does not specify on purpose to allow players to be very creative. A player may choose to give permission to role-play the resurrection with another, but it must be with their approval.

Character Tips
Here are some good tips for Character Development that you should follow:


 * 1) Don't be all powerful or all knowing. It's boring to RP this way as there's no challenge. Like all good movies or books, there must be a hardship or trial that blocks the character's path. How one reacts to challenges makes it fun.
 * 2) Stick to your character. Don't waiver from one type to another unless your character is supposed to be unstable.
 * 3) Quality over Quantity. Anyone can rack up 1000 posts, but the ones who are remembered the most are those who help create story lines
 * 4) Feel free to read other people's posts. Some of the most fun I have read came from areas I wasn't involved in.
 * 5) Don't just say nasty things to your IC enemies. There's a point where it's no longer fun. Who really wants to read someone call someone a coward every single time they walk in. With this said, don't expect it to be roses every time either.

When in Doubt...
If you are unsure about whether something is IC or OOC, you can always ask the person politely via OOC. If they wish to argue the matter, don't hesitate to contact the local elder or a Mage to see if we can help the two of you come to a better resolution.

If someone is just irritating you, the best course of advice is to first ignore them. If someone is purposefully ruining your RP's or sending you messages constantly to harass you, that is unacceptable. Let us know and we will investigate into the matter. No one should ever feel like they can't have fun here.