This is a translation of an answer from Tamarea, available here : http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/index.php?page=post/view/113297
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Hello,
Normally, the Event Team does not get involved in an OOC disagreement within a faction; this is not its role or purpose.
However, in this particular case, it seems that the context of roleplaying has been exceeded and it is turning into an OOC confrontation between communities. So, we decided that it was important to communicate the point of view of the Event Team on the situation, as a commentary to players about the game between different nations and cultures.
The consistency of Roleplay is being called into question.
The roleplaying habits of the different communities are suffering from a problem of image. This is simply because two different conceptions of roleplaying exist since the server merge and it appears many are focusing solely on these differences without understanding or knowing how to integrate them in their own way to play.
Thus, according to French-speaking players, English and German speaking players are viewed as completely OOC players because they focus on mutual assistance (hunting, forage, marauder boss and trading) between characters from Karavan/Kami factions.
On the other hand, according to English-speaking and German-speaking players, French-speaking players are perceived as extremist roleplay enthusiasts, and subsequently they begin to form a very negative picture of roleplay in general, roleplay becoming a synonym for extremism and intolerance. Here, the focus is on the prohibition of open cooperation between homins from Karavan/Kami factions.
Roleplaying is experienced and expressed in different ways by the different communities.
In order to solve the current conflict, it is important to understand the reasons behind these different roleplaying modes.
The German-speaking and English-speaking players often consider Roleplaying as projecting themselves inside their characters (we can compare this to Jake Sully activating his avatar Na'vi in the movie Avatar). This results in a behavior of their character that is easily social-friendly; leading, by extension to other's roleplay being perceived simply as being the player's real character.
Additionally, in these two communities, roleplaying is generally reserved for certain specific moments of the game: events and outpost battles. Outside of those "shooting" times (to resume the cinematographic metaphor) during which each one acts according to roleplay only, each actor turns back to "himself". Going on a hunt with his enemy from the "scene" is considered as normal, since two actors in opposition during a shooting scene can obviously, between two scenes, go have chat and drink together.
On the other hand, French-speaking players consider roleplaying as being puppet masters: they infuse life in their character, but it is "from a distance", without projecting themselves inside and identifying with them. This results in a roleplay which is more theatrical, allowing them to play roles easily that are well outside of (modern) social standards. According to them, the behavior of a character is obviously not reflecting the thoughts of the player controlling him.
In addition, French-speaking roleplayers consider everything happening in the "surroundings" as being part of the "shooting" (not only events and outpost battles, but hunts, foraging, treks, trades, etc); the camera is continuously working. According to them, there is no break between two events, everything played in surroundings is part of the movie
This results in a mutual misunderstanding and mutual discomfort when it comes to reacting to the behavior of another.
Imagine a movie in which two rival tribes would struggle against each other. Nobody would object if, between two shootings, actors portraying these tribes would sit down at the same table and have fun with each other, because it wouldn't be part of the movie. On the other hand, if it happened in front of the camera it would make the filmed scene completely illogical. Now, this is exactly what is happening in Ryzom: some of the players consider everything happening in the game as roleplaying, while the other part do not. This leads to OOC actions of some people being understood as IC actions, with IC consequences, and calls into question the consistency of the whole .
In addition to this, the language barrier contributes greatly to amplifying misunderstanding. How does one explain his own way of playing when one is not fluent or cannot speak another language at all? How is one to pass a would-be diplomatic message when the words and grammar are approximate and the final text is just giving a dry and truncated version of things? How can one understand fully what the other means when one understands only a few words in a sentence and a bad translation alters the meaning? The language barrier makes neither IC discussions, nor OOC discussions, easier.
Even so, the solution seems so simple. All that is necessary is that each community demonstrate the richness of its roleplaying package. It seems wrong that we have an OOC community on "one" side, and another of too much IC on the "other" side. The Bark has known many years of amazingly rich roleplay on its different servers; a constructive and extremly diverse roleplay, and there has always been enough for each taste. We have seen players whose avatars lived only for the military glory of their faction, others making everything for the cultural and commercial expansion of their nation; mercenary roleplay, Atysian UNO, neverending discussions at a bar or campfire, merciless treks, ambushes, mysteriously poisoned sources, alliances building and breaking, poets, story-tellers, linguists, craftsmen at a market, homins seeming to live with their pick in their hand, improbable friendships, Karas, neutrals and Kamists united inside their Nation ...
Solving this conflict lies in listening to each other and in mutual respect.
The reasons for the current conflict are simple : different cultures, years of the game played in a different style, different understandings of the Lore, the barrier of languages...
Which way to play is the best? Which understanding of the Lore is true? Who is right? Who is wrong? It is not we who have to judge it. Every way to play has to be respected and not be pointed at as being a "bad way to play". However, any way of playing has to respect other's ways.
What course of action can be taken when two means to understand and play the game collide? When each one interpret the Lore differently? What can be done when some people start to view others as egoists, willing to impose their way to play to the detriment of the other's way?
The solution is simple: put the problem back at the right level. Cease trying to solve an OOC problem using roleplay, and vice versa. Sit down and discuss, try to understand each other without trying to convince the other. And especially, try to find an OOC agreement.
Ryzom is a game in which antagonistic actions are possible thanks to gameplay, and encouraged by the Lore, in which avatars can fight with words as well as weapons, and this opposition brings one kind of wealth to the game. "One" because it's not the "only" source of wealth, but this is another topic.
You have to manage to solve the current conflict. First, OOC, because you cannot let any kind of intolerance solidify between your different communities. Mutual respect must always come first, both between players and between communities.
Then, IC, because it is about the roleplay balance of the game. The Factions game is important un Ryzom, as well as the game of Nations or third party Factions. The Event Team is currently preparing the Temple Wars 2 event, which is shaping up nicely and which should have some new features.
Some paths to solution of the conflict
Here are some suggestions on how to solve the conflict, which are paths that you can look at, but not the only possibilities.
First, you should resist the desire to quit your faction. don't forget that every one of you have a major something in common: you like Ryzom, you like to play your faction. Do not deprive yourself of this in vain, there is always a solution.
Then, look for a compromise between your respective ways of playing, so that none of you harm the other.
For example, currently some of the players like to hunt down the marauder NPC within an OOC alliance. This is bothering other players because they see IC the stuff earned this way worn by their enemies on the battlefield. A possible compromise would be to turn the OOC alliance into an IC alliance against the Marauders: a gathering of neutrals and moderate members of both religions, allied against a common enemy: the Marauders. In practice this wouldn't change anything in those expeditions, and thus would be fun for participating players. This would restore the roleplaying consistancy which is essential to part of the players. Thus, the conflict coud be moved strictly to a roleplaying context.
Finally, try to solve the IC conflict in order to lead to a long term unity of your faction. The role of the Event Team is not to interfere in your roleplay habits to resolve this conflict, so it is up to yourselves to find the path. Be sure anyway that we keep watching all this, and we are available to assist if needed. The Event Team is the keeper of the Lore, and will lead the players, step by step, to a common end converging, particularly through upcoming events.
We wish you a good game on Atys,
Your Event Team
- - -
Hello,
Normally, the Event Team does not get involved in an OOC disagreement within a faction; this is not its role or purpose.
However, in this particular case, it seems that the context of roleplaying has been exceeded and it is turning into an OOC confrontation between communities. So, we decided that it was important to communicate the point of view of the Event Team on the situation, as a commentary to players about the game between different nations and cultures.
The consistency of Roleplay is being called into question.
The roleplaying habits of the different communities are suffering from a problem of image. This is simply because two different conceptions of roleplaying exist since the server merge and it appears many are focusing solely on these differences without understanding or knowing how to integrate them in their own way to play.
Thus, according to French-speaking players, English and German speaking players are viewed as completely OOC players because they focus on mutual assistance (hunting, forage, marauder boss and trading) between characters from Karavan/Kami factions.
On the other hand, according to English-speaking and German-speaking players, French-speaking players are perceived as extremist roleplay enthusiasts, and subsequently they begin to form a very negative picture of roleplay in general, roleplay becoming a synonym for extremism and intolerance. Here, the focus is on the prohibition of open cooperation between homins from Karavan/Kami factions.
Roleplaying is experienced and expressed in different ways by the different communities.
In order to solve the current conflict, it is important to understand the reasons behind these different roleplaying modes.
The German-speaking and English-speaking players often consider Roleplaying as projecting themselves inside their characters (we can compare this to Jake Sully activating his avatar Na'vi in the movie Avatar). This results in a behavior of their character that is easily social-friendly; leading, by extension to other's roleplay being perceived simply as being the player's real character.
Additionally, in these two communities, roleplaying is generally reserved for certain specific moments of the game: events and outpost battles. Outside of those "shooting" times (to resume the cinematographic metaphor) during which each one acts according to roleplay only, each actor turns back to "himself". Going on a hunt with his enemy from the "scene" is considered as normal, since two actors in opposition during a shooting scene can obviously, between two scenes, go have chat and drink together.
On the other hand, French-speaking players consider roleplaying as being puppet masters: they infuse life in their character, but it is "from a distance", without projecting themselves inside and identifying with them. This results in a roleplay which is more theatrical, allowing them to play roles easily that are well outside of (modern) social standards. According to them, the behavior of a character is obviously not reflecting the thoughts of the player controlling him.
In addition, French-speaking roleplayers consider everything happening in the "surroundings" as being part of the "shooting" (not only events and outpost battles, but hunts, foraging, treks, trades, etc); the camera is continuously working. According to them, there is no break between two events, everything played in surroundings is part of the movie
This results in a mutual misunderstanding and mutual discomfort when it comes to reacting to the behavior of another.
Imagine a movie in which two rival tribes would struggle against each other. Nobody would object if, between two shootings, actors portraying these tribes would sit down at the same table and have fun with each other, because it wouldn't be part of the movie. On the other hand, if it happened in front of the camera it would make the filmed scene completely illogical. Now, this is exactly what is happening in Ryzom: some of the players consider everything happening in the game as roleplaying, while the other part do not. This leads to OOC actions of some people being understood as IC actions, with IC consequences, and calls into question the consistency of the whole .
In addition to this, the language barrier contributes greatly to amplifying misunderstanding. How does one explain his own way of playing when one is not fluent or cannot speak another language at all? How is one to pass a would-be diplomatic message when the words and grammar are approximate and the final text is just giving a dry and truncated version of things? How can one understand fully what the other means when one understands only a few words in a sentence and a bad translation alters the meaning? The language barrier makes neither IC discussions, nor OOC discussions, easier.
Even so, the solution seems so simple. All that is necessary is that each community demonstrate the richness of its roleplaying package. It seems wrong that we have an OOC community on "one" side, and another of too much IC on the "other" side. The Bark has known many years of amazingly rich roleplay on its different servers; a constructive and extremly diverse roleplay, and there has always been enough for each taste. We have seen players whose avatars lived only for the military glory of their faction, others making everything for the cultural and commercial expansion of their nation; mercenary roleplay, Atysian UNO, neverending discussions at a bar or campfire, merciless treks, ambushes, mysteriously poisoned sources, alliances building and breaking, poets, story-tellers, linguists, craftsmen at a market, homins seeming to live with their pick in their hand, improbable friendships, Karas, neutrals and Kamists united inside their Nation ...
Solving this conflict lies in listening to each other and in mutual respect.
The reasons for the current conflict are simple : different cultures, years of the game played in a different style, different understandings of the Lore, the barrier of languages...
Which way to play is the best? Which understanding of the Lore is true? Who is right? Who is wrong? It is not we who have to judge it. Every way to play has to be respected and not be pointed at as being a "bad way to play". However, any way of playing has to respect other's ways.
What course of action can be taken when two means to understand and play the game collide? When each one interpret the Lore differently? What can be done when some people start to view others as egoists, willing to impose their way to play to the detriment of the other's way?
The solution is simple: put the problem back at the right level. Cease trying to solve an OOC problem using roleplay, and vice versa. Sit down and discuss, try to understand each other without trying to convince the other. And especially, try to find an OOC agreement.
Ryzom is a game in which antagonistic actions are possible thanks to gameplay, and encouraged by the Lore, in which avatars can fight with words as well as weapons, and this opposition brings one kind of wealth to the game. "One" because it's not the "only" source of wealth, but this is another topic.
You have to manage to solve the current conflict. First, OOC, because you cannot let any kind of intolerance solidify between your different communities. Mutual respect must always come first, both between players and between communities.
Then, IC, because it is about the roleplay balance of the game. The Factions game is important un Ryzom, as well as the game of Nations or third party Factions. The Event Team is currently preparing the Temple Wars 2 event, which is shaping up nicely and which should have some new features.
Some paths to solution of the conflict
Here are some suggestions on how to solve the conflict, which are paths that you can look at, but not the only possibilities.
First, you should resist the desire to quit your faction. don't forget that every one of you have a major something in common: you like Ryzom, you like to play your faction. Do not deprive yourself of this in vain, there is always a solution.
Then, look for a compromise between your respective ways of playing, so that none of you harm the other.
For example, currently some of the players like to hunt down the marauder NPC within an OOC alliance. This is bothering other players because they see IC the stuff earned this way worn by their enemies on the battlefield. A possible compromise would be to turn the OOC alliance into an IC alliance against the Marauders: a gathering of neutrals and moderate members of both religions, allied against a common enemy: the Marauders. In practice this wouldn't change anything in those expeditions, and thus would be fun for participating players. This would restore the roleplaying consistancy which is essential to part of the players. Thus, the conflict coud be moved strictly to a roleplaying context.
Finally, try to solve the IC conflict in order to lead to a long term unity of your faction. The role of the Event Team is not to interfere in your roleplay habits to resolve this conflict, so it is up to yourselves to find the path. Be sure anyway that we keep watching all this, and we are available to assist if needed. The Event Team is the keeper of the Lore, and will lead the players, step by step, to a common end converging, particularly through upcoming events.
We wish you a good game on Atys,
Your Event Team