Well, as most of us will be aware, the practise of using NPC's as a way to alt has caused admin to set some new rules about the use of them. Thanks much to those folks who brought the wrath of the gods down on us via not applying for legal alts.
That said, I think now is a good time to discuss NPC's, and so here's a convo on the topic we had on OOC channel today:
(yes, an intelligent convo on OOC. Miracles DO happen)Ginger said OOC, "Does the Rule for NPC's mean I can't have two NPC companions?"
Ronter said OOC, "no it means you rp from you watching npcs doing things etc"
Dami said OOC, "You can have 10..just don't rp 'as' them."
Tranzier said OOC, "I believe you can have companions... but I also believe that in a duel or brawl they can be auto killed, as they are kinda like pets."
Tenebrae said OOC, "Ginger, as long as you are not ---being-- the npc's but seeing them through the eyes of your char, its ok."
Tranzier said OOC, "I think I am going to auto kill every NPC I see... just for fun. Get the owners all maaad and whatnot."
Tenebrae said OOC, "I think I would ignore you."
Ginger said OOC, "I mean, I have my "pet" NPC. . .and my armor NPC. . .I would have had another armor NPC, but I sold my troll armor. . .Eggy is retired."
Tenebrae said OOC, "I would ignore you utterly, just as though you were trying to autokill my char. "
Jaidin said OOC, "All NPC-dealios are done through your character. "Jaidin watched Sarah, the maid, answer the door and let in the mayor." etc. As for duels-- don't bother."
Dami said OOC, "Bah, I seemed to attract them by the masses...I have like...9 npc's and an npc army after Dami."
Tranzier said OOC, "I Don't get it though.. "/watches" is better than "|name"
"
Dami said OOC, "I'm waiting for them all to get into a room, and BAM! Auto-deathness."
Tranzier said OOC, "Heaven forfend one play the character they created, right?"
Tenebrae said OOC, "Jaidin, I will occasionally need to write "Gomrak eyed the vampiress" but won't npc if she's not in the room with them. I think the issue is whether they are being used as alts, rather than props, it's it?"
Ginger said OOC, "I was just checking, cuz I periodically use my armor as NPC. . .as well as whatever pet I have. . ."
Tenebraesaid OOC, "Dami, I think npc's are great. And you might not agree. But then, you are free to ignore my rp
"
Ginger said OOC, "Both the NPC's are subjugated to Ginger. . . sorta, kinda. . ."
Dami said OOC, "Nah, I agree too, Tene. Just not the way the people that want my char dead use their npcs."
Dami said OOC, "Hell, even I have an npc.."
Tranzier said OOC, "Just saying, according to Vuryal they are just like pets in battle. They get mentioned they die heh heh."
Tenebrae said OOC, "Well, there's the right way and wrong way to npc. I was really against them being used as alts, and looky how it screwed things up for the rest of us. :\"
Tranzier said OOC, "I see it as "Hey look at me! I can RP allll theeese people at the same time!" and then they mentally masterbate by rping with themselves for an hour while other people sort of ignore them because they can't figure out what the hell is going on."
Ginger said OOC, "I use them the same way other people use regular magic. . .necromancers work with dead. . .so I have semi-permanent Dead NPC's that I use in duels and RP"
Tenebrae said OOC, "That's not my experience, Tranz. But then, I tend to rp with people who can read."
Jaidin said OOC, "IT's just that we want you to RP your character. So instead of making you rid of your children, servants, bartenders, and so forth, an easy solution was made: RP your character, have the alt's actions in there. (So yea, basically alts were being RP'd more than their signed-up characters.. If you're going to do that, then -make- that character)."
Ginger said OOC, "Kay, but I like my semi-permanent NPC's. . .the one's that aren't pets."
Tranzier said OOC, "Ginger, summoning the dead and junk in battle really isn't using NPC's as they are the substance of your attack I would think. No different than a sword... "
Jaidin said OOC, "Not sure about everyone else, but I've seen pets RP'd-- with the owner present, the owner (character)'s actions written here and there "Fluffy wiggles about. Bob smiles at Fluffy and continues his conversation with Nancy. Fluffy.... etc." So, treat an NPC like your pet. Unless some people RP the pet without their character there... I've never seen it, but eh, it could happen. Don't do that."
Tenebrae said OOC, "I used to rp Maladroit on his own, but never as a main char, more to cause havoc for tene to walk into. But cheah, if it stops the hideous faux-alting, I'm for it"
Ginger said OOC, "Yes, Tranzier, but having them already at hand and giving them personality is crossing the line between attack and NPC. I -keep- at least 2 of my undead minions at hand full-time. The pendant and my eyes."
Tranzier said OOC, "I see nothing wrong with that, as long as I don't have to sit and see you have a conversation with them instead of you interacting with other players."
Tranzier said OOC, "I just hate to see someone developing NPC's instead of their damn characters. Lazy in my book heh heh."
Ginger said OOC, "If I'm talking to my eyes, then I probably shouldn't be playing Hollow. . . I should be locked up in a mental hospital"
Tranzier said OOC, "Jaidin, I would say your face reminds me of my arse... but I have a really nice arse and comparing the two would be a dis-service to my arse."
Tenebrae said OOC, "I will, of course, disagree, Tranz. How is being that creative lazy? You still have to put effort in to the creation. In fact, it's twice the work, so what you're saying makes no sense"
Tenebrae said OOC, "And a well-played npc --invites-- rp. Just look at Leo and Jack."
Tranzier said OOC, "Thing is Tenebrae... if I am rping with your character and half of what you say and do involves your friggin maids fluffing your pillow and shining your shoes and junk, you are pretty much saying that my rp isn't stimulating enough and you need to distract yourself with pillow fluffing and the like. Kind of an insult. Also, if I want my character to get to know your character, I don't want to have to invest in all the friggin background noise of your NPC's because they really mean nothing. "
Tenebrae said OOC, "Can you simply choose not to interact with folk who use npc's a lot? I tend to not enjoy rp'ing with uber-mages who are all-powerful and aggressive, because I don't enjoy it. You have the same choice there, I think"
Ginger said OOC, "Sure, I was just, have been worried about my NPC usage."
Tranzier said OOC, "Also, the elitest are absolutely sure to rip your RP if you don't interact with the NPC's. Say your servant offers my character a cup of tea, and my character doesn't acknowledge the NPC. That would throw the RP of the person off if his NPC's are ignored. "
Tenebrae said OOC, "Not if they are good rp'ers, Tranz, they'd simply rp that you ignored the maid. "
Jaidin said OOC, "Someone once said to me when critiquing my duel: when responding to your opponent's actions, don't make them fancy. Bob made this brilliant attack against Nancy. ... Well, Nancy shouldn't make most of her post responding, and even further-glorifying Bob's actions. I think this can apply in RP. If Tenebrae made this brilliant display of her maid handing Jaidin a tea cup, I think it's fair enough to say: "Jaidin took the teacup from the maid, a slight nod of thanks given. Then, attention resumed upon Tenebrae." <-- It's simple, without ignoring her, so these so-called 'elitists' don't rip you a new one."
Dami said OOC, "I like it...I agree."
Tenebrae said OOC, "I think manners might go both ways, Jaid. And good point."
Tranzier said OOC, "And then, Tene, they would have to react to the ignoring IC, and then we get into it because I treat servants like a sofa or something and if I ignore those comments, as I am ignoring the servants altogether already... I just see it as a way to be elitist and have a way to rip other's RP. Just because I ignore your 40 servants and friends and kids and pets... doesnt' mean you need to ignore my rp. What you are suggesting will simply put up more walls between people and increases your list of people you don't rp with."
Tranzier said OOC, "Or increases the list of people who won't rp with you. "
Tenebrae said OOC, "Again, that has never been my experience, in three years of rp using npc's. Perhaps I have never met anyone so selfish as to demand I don't rp the way I rp, or refuse to acknowledge what I've taken the trouble to post. But then, I rp with folk who are sensitive to other's posts as part of the enjoyment. "
Tenebrae said OOC, "And really, if someone were to ignore --every-- npc action merely out of a personal dislike for the practise rather than because the post was garbled or stupid, then no, I would not enjoy rp'ing with them"
Tranzier said OOC, "It isn't selfish, I generally do try to interact. I just don't appreciate being forced to acknowledge random NPC's every time I want to interact with someone I respect. I shouldn't have to learn about your maid's kid's pet's hurt paw."
Ginger said OOC, "I tend to go the opposite direction when RPing. . .I try to react to -everything- no matter how small."
Tranzier said OOC, "Also, if I am interacting and spending all the time to try to interact with all the NPC's, it waters down the rp between the actual character and my own character. It lessens it."
Ginger said OOC, "Consider this, Tranzier, what if the NPC -is- the focus of the RP. . .example being my pendant when I first got it, the Rasulka was attacking Imar and we were -both- fighting it off him."
Liadan said OOC, "But life isn't uninterupted. You could be conversing with someone at their house or what have you and here comes their kid holding out a cat and asking you to look at its 'boo boo'. It happens."
Ginger said OOC, "If you said boo boo in front of my cat she'd defenestrate you, Liadan. . ."
Tranzier said OOC, "That is an actual rp Ginger, not a load of background noise that has nothing to do with the actual character itself. As a part of the character, the pendant is incorporated into the actions and the being of the character. An NPC, such as maids and servants and brother and the like are not part of the actual character. Meaning, the maid has little to do with the character aside from doing stuff for them, the pendant influences the character's actions and moods and outlook on life."
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So there it is. Please feel free to discuss any of the points above, or make your own. This kind of discussion is not only good for us to have, it's good for other folk (especially noobs) to read.