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In-Character Play
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DM
Decorated


Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 225
Location: Perth, Western Australia

 		In-Character Play
So I was reading the articles about "Building Fences" and "Organic Farming". The idea of the forums being a meta resource for discussion kind of got to me and made me realise just how very little "in character" discussions we have-it's not an accepted practice on the IRC or here in the forums where it is treated more as a matter of trust than another direction with which to play the game. I for one would love to go about playing ARG's in a more in-character fashion. A direct result of ILB was players giving themselves code names, ranks and even helping the supposed enemy-it was quite in character in parts, and the interaction in the IRC was deeper, with players refering to eachother by rank and treating eachother as such.

So, thinking about this, what would it take to form an "in character" movement that doesn't hinder on people wanting to play Meta? They are called Alternate Reality Games for a reason, because they are supposed to suck you into a new and interesting world where you can take up the role as a main character. To keep such actions to oneself takes from the immediate gameplay experience-The events in ILB showed me that you could mix in-character and Meta relations. As a result, ILB was the most fun ARG I've played to date, not because it was the best ARG ever made, but because there was an extra level of interaction there. You can be in-character in the real world, maybe, but for people such as myself in other countries we can only partake in events in an online fashion.

So my idea? There is the possibility of in-character IRC channels, maybe a new topic type of [IC] where recent events in game can be played upon and discussed in an in-character fashion. These topics would not clog up single sub-forums, as there would only need to be one per ARG. This way, posts of an in-character manner can be shared and not intrude upon meta discussions. Everything would function as it always has, but with a more accepting, even embracing ideology. I understand misdirection is an issue, but if it is in a stated in-character form, rather than the likes of which took place in ILB, people will know better than to believe it and will stick to believing what they hear in the meta, as they always have.

It also gives more depth to relations amoungst the community, as a group or guild could even be formed of investigators, played by members of the forums, that investigate ARG's like recent projects they have been directed to-ARG's still have to have some sort of real-world relation, a group of crack investigators of not just the paranormal but general mysteries and unusual events. Be they time traveling AI from the future, alternate-Earths, website hauntings, hackings, and just about anything else. Another permanent sub-forum could be created for such a group to discuss possible new projects and investigations. Though I doubt PM's posting in character in such a place would still be unaccepted in most cases. I've handled a text-based RPG of over 500 members on a website that expanded upon this, and it worked brilliantly.

I'd like to think Unfiction is open to all forms of play and cooperation on every level, and is open to the idea of something like this. I think a lot of people would be interested in the idea of in-character play, and in doing so would remove anybody stepping on anybody elses toes, there's no hinderance to Meta play or In-Character play, the two aren't seperate, and everybody gets what they want.

Just an idea.
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PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 7:44 am
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konamouse
Official uF Dietitian


Joined: 02 Dec 2002
Posts: 8010
Location: My own alternate reality

 		There have been "in-character" chat rooms in other ARGs. Dale Sprague and Sam Green set up a chat room during CTW. Ron had his blog to communicate with us at one time in Urban Hunt.

And some of us have created a "character" to interact rather than be "ourselves". I'm a different person with a different name when I'm interacting with ARG characters (so when I get a phone call for "Heather", I know that it is game related).

As for forums for posting with characters (that is not a board set up by the PMs themselves), that is why Immersion Unlimited came about. They are happy to host any PM who wants to have his/her characters interact with the players, and still allow Meta & non-PM area discussion.
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PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 12:30 pm
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catherwood
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee

Joined: 25 Sep 2002
Posts: 4109
Location: Silicon Valley, CA

 		Re: In-Character Play
DM wrote:
... I for one would love to go about playing ARG's in a more in-character fashion. ... They are called Alternate Reality Games for a reason, because they are supposed to suck you into a new and interesting world where you can take up the role as a main character.
...
I've handled a text-based RPG of over 500 members on a website that expanded upon this, and it worked brilliantly.
...
I'd like to think Unfiction is open to all forms of play and cooperation on every level, and is open to the idea of something like this. I think a lot of people would be interested in the idea of in-character play, ...

It sounds like you enjoy RPGs. It also sounds like you enjoy playing an ARG as if it were an RPG. I think of an ARG as a world in which I myself enter and do not play as anyone other than myself. In a highly-immersive ARG, I can have discussions about what the characters are doing in a completely realistic and natural way without ever thinking about it as a game. It is up to the ARG to present itself in an engaging and believeable way for this magic to happen; usually it doesn't, and we end up with dry meta-analysis of the characters instead.

Unfiction doesn't have to be open to all forms of play. We are a diverse group of people with diverse interests; some of those interests are pursued on outside message boards. Immersion Unlimited is one of those outside spaces which attracts many of the same people who enjoy Unfiction too. I wouldn't try merging them or blurring the line between them, any more than I would expect Unfiction to host the kinds of discussions I have with members of Quest4Treasure or TheStone, two other forums where I run into Unfiction members with similar interests.

I think to be clear about this being a board for Alternate Reality Gaming, there will be times that we do stifle some forms of play ON this board and politely request that it go to another forum. (Why we have a forum for Console Video Games on an ARG message board is for the historians to explain.)

PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 1:11 pm
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Gupfee
Site Admin


Joined: 22 Sep 2002
Posts: 817
Location: Massachusetts

 		It's quite clear in the Terms of Service for the unforums that this kind of character posting is NOT acceptable. As others have pointed out, there are other forums where this is permitted.

Please read the TOS for further information.
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PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 3:23 pm
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MageSteff
Pretty talky there aintcha, Talky?


Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2716
Location: State of Denial

 		Re: In-Character Play
DM wrote:
So my idea? There is the possibility of in-character IRC channels, maybe a new topic type of [IC] where recent events in game can be played upon and discussed in an in-character fashion. These topics would not clog up single sub-forums, as there would only need to be one per ARG. This way, posts of an in-character manner can be shared and not intrude upon meta discussions. Everything would function as it always has, but with a more accepting, even embracing ideology.


There already is a place for IC interaction on forum boards, it's called Immersion Unlimited


Quote:

I'd like to think Unfiction is open to all forms of play and cooperation on every level, and is open to the idea of something like this. I think a lot of people would be interested in the idea of in-character play, and in doing so would remove anybody stepping on anybody elses toes, there's no hinderance to Meta play or In-Character play, the two aren't seperate, and everybody gets what they want.


I think the TOS for Unfiction is specific. This is a player resource that is to remain free of PM manipulation of players. You are free to create IRC rooms for whatever purpose you desire, UF has no control over IRC rooms. IRC rooms have been used in the past for IC contact in several games; Chasing the Wish, Acheron, and Orbital Colony, to name a few. These rooms are separate from the Player only discussion rooms. Again for IC on forum boards - games are free to create their own forums; FindAraya, Aware, and Who is Benjamin Stove? did, to name a few, and of course Immersion Unlimited is available for those PMs who don't want to create their own. Personally, I don't see a need for UF to be all things to all people, especially since those resources are already available in the community. There is no reason why people can't play on more than one board, unless you want to count player lazyness. But Unfiction isn't responsible for that.

Quote:

Just an idea.


One which has been discussed before and rejected by the administration of this forum. Not to mention a percentage of player who appreciate that this space is kept free of PMs posting to game play related discussions. There are other resources available for those who want to have IC forums, or you can start your own forum for IC discussions.
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Magesteff
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead


PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 4:23 pm
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CreativeEmbassy
Veteran

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 145
Location: State College, Pa, USA

 		Poor DM. Thought he had an original idea... Wink

Just remember, ALWAYS remember, to use the Search function. There are LOTS of threads on this topic already, which is why so many people are tired of talking about it. Immersion Unlimited may seem a little dull right now, but that's because there are no games that require IC talks and IG boards playing right now.
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PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:18 pm
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SirQuady
Unfettered


Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 576

 		Re: In-Character Play
MageSteff wrote:

This is a player resource that is to remain free of PM manipulation of players.

Interesting. I was under the impression DM meant people playing at being IG without PM involvement.


MageSteff wrote:
You are free to create IRC rooms for whatever purpose you desire, UF has no control over IRC rooms.


Big IRC n00b question: are you talking about the IRC rooms in the same...uhh...server? as #unfiction and #ctw and such? or other servers?
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PostPosted: Wed May 24, 2006 7:14 pm
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MageSteff
Pretty talky there aintcha, Talky?


Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2716
Location: State of Denial

 		Re: In-Character Play
SirQuady wrote:
MageSteff wrote:

This is a player resource that is to remain free of PM manipulation of players.

Interesting. I was under the impression DM meant people playing at being IG without PM involvement.


If he is talking about an RPG situation there are plenty of other places for that as well. The administrators have set this up as a place to discuss Alternate Reality Games, not host RPG games. (admis, please correct me if I am wrong)

Quote:

MageSteff wrote:
You are free to create IRC rooms for whatever purpose you desire, UF has no control over IRC rooms.


Big IRC n00b question: are you talking about the IRC rooms in the same...uhh...server? as #unfiction and #ctw and such? or other servers?


Those rooms are hosted on the Chat-Solutions.org server, which is not owned or controled by unFiction. Please note that Chat-solutions has their own TOS that must be abided by when using their service.

There are many, many IRC servers which can host any number of rooms. Most people use the Chat Solutions server for ease of accessing multiple rooms at a time if they are unfamiliar with using chat programs such as mIRC which allows for multiple servers to be in use at the same time. If you start an IRC room, you are free to set any additional restrictions on content for that room, and are responsible for moderating or adding moderators who will uphold those rules.
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Magesteff
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead


PostPosted: Thu May 25, 2006 12:54 am
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Puppy_Zwolle
Entrenched


Joined: 18 Oct 2005
Posts: 969
Location: Not Zwolle anymore. really no kiddin'

 		Re: In-Character Play
MageSteff wrote:
The administrators have set this up as a place to discuss Alternate Reality Games, not host RPG games. (admis, please correct me if I am wrong).
I know RPG and ARG are not the same but it is fun (and even helpfull) to have some RPG going on to keep up with the story. Kinda like profilers do, at least in movies.

I remember in the Menace-Media-"ARG" we mixed RP and comments just to be able to have a clue as to 'where in the story' we were talking about. Sounds difficult but it actually made it 'playable' and added our own layer of fun.
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PostPosted: Thu May 25, 2006 5:46 am
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