English

.:Roleplay Metagaming:.

.: 1.0 Preface

There are plenty of activities in ryzom for us to do to spice up our time on Atys. You have weapons to hone, magic to study, foraging to expand, and crafting to improve. There are also occupations, or jobs, to do to earn some dappers, but not all activities are hard-baked into the game. One of the most prominent is roleplaying, which is enjoyed by, from what I have seen, a large part of the community. However, as of late I've noticed it's been plagued by a phenomenon, in regards to roleplay, known as "Metagaming." This is what I wish to discuss with you all.

.: 2.0 Disclaimer

While I may touch on PvP, I would like to point out that I'm not making this post because, admittedly, I got irritated at being killed in an open PvP zone while digging. It's an open PvP zone, and anyone who stays in it accepts the risk. It's the hiding behind roleplay that bugs me when justifying it and how the players go about the roleplay. I am also going to use examples I've encountered in game, however no names will be mentioned, except my own. Additionally, I am assuming that both parties involved have an intention of roleplaying or willing to roleplay when it arises.

.: 3.0 What is "metagaming?"

Let's clear this out of the way. In the roleplay sense, "metagaming" is when a player uses elements or knowledge that the character themselves would have no awareness or knowledge of in roleplay. It occurs most commonly between two parties that have little to no history or interaction with each other, but it can still happen with parties that do have some relation with each other.

For example, let's say we have two homins. One is named Charlie, and the other is named Veronica. In the world, Veronica has been studying magic secretly for a while and Charlie has never met her. Veronica's player has put that fact in her bio, which is a background of the character but isn't necessarily general knowledge in game. The first time they meet, Charlie knows about Veronica's magical abilities, only because the player read Veronica's bio and found out. Charlie the character did nothing to obtain or earn this knowledge, and any interaction involving that knowledge has now lost a majority of its significance that might've happened.

Let's use an example related to Ryzom. Wirroy's profile icon on the forums is that of the guild, ShadoWalkers, which is a known Marauder guild. With that knowledge, you can deduce Wirroy is a Marauder. Now, let's say you are a major roleplayer and you encounter Wirroy in game, in an open PvP zone. Your toon and Wirroy have never met or interacted, or have only seen glances of each other. Despite this, you attack Wirroy because you, the player, know that Wirroy is a Marauder from seeing his forum icon, or his guild icon in the game's General User Interface (GUI) above his head. Then you enter roleplay and say something like: "Ma-duk save your soul, marauder," and then you're on your way to do whatever it is you were going to do.

.: 5.0 Why is it a problem?

5.1) It's lazy. Very, very, lazy.

I will use the Ryzom-related example above.

You can literally sum it up in simple caveman speak: "Me, not Marauder, them, Marauder. Enemy Homin. Kill." For those of you who play Dungeons and Dragons, we have a term for that: "Muder Hobo," or someone who goes around just killing everything that they consider an enemy. It isn't interesting, and it can get old really fast. Not only does it not create any dialogue, or cool interactions, it often just destroys or denies the chance of anything like that happening.

This is the one I see the most; in the above example, someone from a non-marauder faction sees me digging, they chase me down and kill me. (Don't get me wrong, some marauders do it to non-marauders too.) Not much of a big deal to die in PvP combat, but when they use roleplay to justify it, it makes -zero- sense, especially if I have never had any relation of any kind to my assailant(s).*

I'm not saying don't defend yourself, or don't attack; what I'm saying is, if your intention is to roleplay, do not always begin with violence simply because you, as a player, have information that the toon in front of you is of an opposing affiliation. You might learn something interesting about their character, or something else might happen instead that'd pique your fancy.

*Though, in an assassination case, I suppose you wouldn't, but I mean just going around killing everyone.

5.2) It makes new meetings weird, and takes away any suprises.

This one happens mostly when two parties have never met.

You don't walk up to someone and know them immediately, do you? A smaller gripe I have is Atys apparently has a telepathic internet with no anonymity laws; everyone knows each others' names regardless. Unless they are a famous or well known figure, such as nation leaders, infamous figures, or well known trainers, how in the name of Jena/Ma-Duk/Atys/whatever deity your homin believes in, know a stranger's name and backstory? The answer? You don't. You, the player, does, because you can see their name floating above the homin's head and may read their bio, if they have any, but your toon, your character, does not.

This can easily be avoided with a simple introduction, or being within earshot when two individuals*, or when they yell their name after victory in single combat. Homins don't wear nametags with a biography book on their back like a program's data disc from Tron; at least introduce yourself when asked or when initiating a dialogue. The event team is very good with this; every event I've been to, they introduce the homin they're playing as before getting into what the event is about. It is a good example to follow.

*...And introducing yourself when entering the conversation, otherwise it's really awkward/lopsided when you know two people's names but they don't know yours.

5.3) Metagaming is a gateway to excuses & oversimplification.

Using the example found in point 5.1, metagaming makes it too easy to find excuses. Do not use it as a means to use RP as an excuse for anything OOC. It's not always easy to tell when someone is running around for non-RP reasons, like hunting bosses or looking for PvP OOC, and someone who might be looking for RP or is ready for it, but when you do encounter RP, don't jump the gun and use RP as an excuse because "yer faction is an enemy." Naturally hindsight is always perfect clarity, but if you're looking for RP opportunities, don't jump the gun because you as the player know something.

Additionally, when someone metagames another's toon's attributes, like affiliation, they tend to oversimplify their character to only those attributes. For example, let's oversimplify Wirroy: Marauder, Tryker, Evil (maybe?), Enemy 'cause not my faction. That's so boring; there is more to a person's character then the things they affiliate with. Some things are fact and easily observed, like Wirroy being a Tryker, but other attributes like Marauder, and maybe evil? You don't know, maybe he just seems evil because he tends to be chaotic and he is a Marauder? An Enemy? Your character won't know until your character knows he's of an opposing affiliation via primary or secondary source in RP. Even a short dialogue might reveal that. Roleplayers who are serious tend to take time to flesh out their homins; they aren't black and white characters. If you are RP'ing, get to know them at least a little before making hasty judgments; try not to use the knowledge that you, as a player, know when roleplaying.

.: 6.0 Suggested Solution

In general, put some effort into your roleplaying and try to eliminate bad habits. Create a clear line between Out of Character and Roleplay to avoid confusions.

If you're of the roleplaying sort, open dialogue with other people's characters. Poking them with a sword until they are down because you, the player, know something and then starting up a chat in character is shallow and cheap. All you've done is create a very poor first impression. Whenever I see people do this, my first impression is they are nothing more than a common bandit, especially if they do this repeatedly. Initiate a dialogue IRP, and if you find out they're a danger to you, or some other reason, then attack. Even a quick "Hello, I don't like your tattoos," is better than just getting killed by a total stranger who only did it because the player behind the character in question knows they're of a different faction, or because they're looking for PvP and they use knowledge like that to hide behind RP. Here's another good example: Let's say you saw Wirroy come out of a Marauder Zinuakeen, within a reasonable distance*, then you can poke them with a sword and explain after that you saw them come out of the Zinuakeen so they concluded you were a marauder. That makes sense, killing someone with your blade then saying you know they're marauder without a good reason is shallow RP.

Second, introduce your character to another if they are encountered, or when asked. This makes exchanges less awkward and you'll spend less time looking for the correct pronoun to use because your character does not know their name. Also refrain from using any information that your character would not have initial awareness or any relevant knowledge of another homin, such as their guild, their health bar, their bio, their fame numbers**, skill levels***, affiliation, etc. You can learn these things through interaction and time with another homin. Leading to the next point...

Not all characters are not two-dimensional or black and white, heck, I'd reckon -most- characters are not like that. I become sad when people just go for the throat all the time because they oversimplify someone's toon because of information gathered out of character. If your intention is roleplay, learn more about them as they learn about your character, you might be suprised. Even if you find out they are of an opposing faction or an enemy, sometimes it might be more interesting to keep opening dialogues with them rather than cut it short and initiate combat. Perhaps by the time it gets dicey, your character's opinion of the other side may have changed, whether for better or worse. Wouldn't you agree it's more interesting that way?

* In my opinion, ~50 meters is acceptable in a normal light level; up to ~65m in high, and ~30m in low. I have my game maxed out and through testing, that's what I've found. (Forest for normal, PR/Desert Night for low, Lakes/Desert Day for high) Beyond that, it's hard to see.
** Fame restrictions like "Matis above 0" or "Positive Fame" is ok, but, don't try and exclude someone by placing ridiculous fame requirements to try and metagame their alignments.
*** As a measure of power; the numbers are meaningless to a homin in character.

.:Other Metagaming Gripes:.

.: 7.0 Special Rules

Let's say your guild has an unspoken roleplay rule where homins have their guild emblem on their armor and clothing. Some close guilds have the same or a similar rule. Keep special rules like that within your circle, never assume or force a stranger, like Wirroy who does not do that, to follow or begin following that rule. The only character you truly have control over is your own. I do not control anyone else but Wirroy and any alternate characters I have. If they have not expressly described that about their appearance somewhere, then do not assume it.

Things like -this- is where metagaming is OK. The game isn't perfect, so you can't display things like that. An appearance option like that requires the player to express it somewhere, like in their bio. However, do not adapt, per say, the guild icon above someone's head as "wearing their guild's emblem on their armor." That's cheap, as you can't hide that icon without leaving the guild, or having everyone else turn off the option of seeing other player's guild icons, which will never happen.

.:tl;dr:.

- Metagaming is using information obtained OOC or that of which your character would have no awareness or relevant knowledge of.
- Please refrain from using such knowledge for easy roleplay; make an effort.
- Please refrain from using such knowledge when meeting or talking about a homin, unless in/famous, or somewhat familiar, within reason.
- Please refrain from using such knowledge to instantly know a homin IRP or accidentally simplify someone's character IRP.
- Keep special rules within your own RP circles and do not force them onto strangers/newcomers.

.:P.A.Q:.

Potentially Asked Questions

1) You used PvP a lot in your examples. What do you consider RP PvP and OOC PvP?

It's a lot of opinion, this one, but my main issue is when people try to RP their way out of justifying PvP with no RP before the fighting, or a good reason, such as a Karavan warrior seeing Wirroy step out of a Zinuakeen. But this is my answer:

RP PvP: PvP in Events, Event Wars, PvP as a result of RP Dialogue, good justification seen above (within reason), supernodes* & OP Battles.*

OOC PvP: Running around killing people without a good justification (if any) or for fun, killing others because you're tagged/in open PvP zone to take bosses, supernodes* & OP Battles.*

*I wrote OP Battles and Supernodes in both categories. That's because I find they're kind of a hybrid. I treat them as conflict between the factions (RP), while they are also governed by OOC & other IRP elements. You set a time and place for OPs (both RP & OOC), then the two factions gather and fight as enemies over it (Battle over Land/Mats, RP); same with supernodes, except with the players knowing when they happen all the time and instantly knowing what materials are ready. You might say: "Well, bosses are fought over a lot too! Isn't that RP PvP?" Yeah, well, OPs and Supernodes don't happen every Atysian day like bosses do, so, no. Not to mention, the majority of bosses are not in open pvp zones. Hard to pvp over a boss when nearly 100% of the time people detag for a boss. Only way to steal a boss like that is if the first team fails and enough time has elapsed for the boss to unlock.

2) You consistently stated that metagaming should be avoided, but then you gave an example of where it's ok. Can you clarify?

When it's alright to Metagame: Things specifically expressed by the player that it is OK to use such information about their character. The "guild emblem on armor" example found under 7.0 would be something the player would have to specifically describe about their toon, or that they follow that kind of rule because their guild does. It is not alright to assume that all characters in RP wear their guild's emblem on their armor.

When it's not alright to Metagame: Using GUI elements for, or to find out RP reasons, like guild icons, skill levels, health/stamina/sap/focus bars, a character's bio with information not expressly given permission to use as general knowledge, etc.

Where it might be confusing: The Roleplay section of the forums. Read stuff very carefully; if you're not involved or don't really have a way to get involved, most likely not.

3) You use a lot of historic information in your own roleplay works on the forums. How do you explain that as not metagaming!

To put it simply (oh the irony, ha. ha.), I fashioned Wirroy as a sort of historian, like his mother whose name will not be revealed in this section of the forums. It explains his lackluster combat abilities, harvesting and crafting, allowing his fantastic intellect, speculation, and memory to shine through. Additionally, since he's a Tryker, he has a chaotic (could also be described as mischievous) nature, a drive to explore the Prime Roots, and belief in freedom of will and thought. I believe these traits represent and justify him well.

I can't think of any more potential questions to ask and answer.

I understand this is a very heavily opinionated sort of topic, so please discuss in a civil manner; I would like to hear opinions and thoughts.