The OOC clans I'm a part of greatly enrich my experience in the game because they assist me in finding roleplay with people who have cloaking gems and in general murkin' about with people, getting help on quests, all sorts of meta things you're not supposed to do but HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND THIS OUT ON MY OWN AUUUGH
This is the sort of thing the guild/city/family aethers should be used for. Why couldn't you find these things out in character? (unless, like me, your character does not want to look stupid in public and thus you can never appear so ignorant as to not know the answer to something >_>)
I left all my ooc clans for a long while (save the rarely used family one) for this reason - instead of trying to find out things ICly, I would find myself being lazy and just asking someone in a clan so I didn't have to look stupid for not knowing something. I found I was less inclined to go out and look for roleplay with people because I was getting my social needs met just by idling in my manse and chatting. I left them in an attempt to boost my own rp by forcing me to get out and interact if I wanted conversation.
I am once again in a couple of ooc clans, but we will see, I get very frustrated when say, a city aetherhunt is organised and roles decided before it's even announed to those few people who are in the city but not the clan (vague very long ago example merely to prove a point).
There are a lot of things you can't reasonably coordinate in an IC manner, especially taking into account schedules. It's especially a problem if you want to do some 'intimate' (not mudsex, but character building with family) RP but your character isn't the sort that stands around sighing in public or looking sad, fishing for conversation.
Am I missing half the game by not joining OOC clans?
A lot of planning gets done in ooc clans, because you can speak plainly about times and dates. A lot of coordination happens there as well, for the same reason that they allow blunt talk. They're very useful for discussing mechanics in real time, commiserating when necessary, gloating when it would otherwise be tactless, and generally getting to know the people you are going to be relying on as your allies. (Or, depending on the clan, your enemies. It doesn't hurt to be reminded that every character is a real person.)
There's no reason to keep them on while you are rp'ing.
As far as what you're actually missing out on... today we had a rousing debate about "longest running" versus "best" Broadway musicals, and chatted about Ascension, Timewarp, and TempIns. Also there was a brief but hilarious exchange about the booteh.
Now, I'm by no means saying that OOC clans are the absolute poop and anyone who isn't in ten at a time should go pound sand, but this is how I see it: if you're insecure in your own sense of roleplaying/character separation/what have you to the point where the thought of being in an OOC clan with your peers gets you anxious about ruining the immersion of it all, by all means, don't join them. But to those (there are quite a few I've come across) who would blame the decline of atmosphere on clans and the people that use them as a proper outlet, you'd be surprised how your perception can change - possibly for the better! - by giving one a try. When I first started with Eritheyl (who was my first dedicated Lusternian character after about two years of burning through week-long-lasting nubs), I was adamant about being ALL ROLEPLAY ALL THE TIME. It was great, until it wasn't. I found a clan, forged OOC friendships that didn't water down the game any, but actually spurred me into getting to know them on an IC basis as well. Very good for coming out of my nubby little shell.
Though, like @Lavinya, I went through phases where I was screaming "Damn and double damn these clans", quitting them all to restore what I felt was "the right method" of playing the game. Then, after a bit of that clan abstinence...I started to feel rather alone. What it really boils down to is knowing where what belongs, and keeping yourself from turning into a dud (read @Lavinya's mention of roleplay inclinations) - the clans aren't forcing you into anything, nor are the people in them - the game is always what you make of it for yourself.
Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."
-
With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
OOC clans, well... every now and then, you get to listen to me vent. Not incredibly often, but it happens... then every now and then, Talan and I butt heads... mainly because I have no censor most of the time. But yes, there's a lot that goes on in them. I wouldn't call it game-breaking that you're not in one, but it can certainly improve your relationship with others in game.
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
Perhaps because the only two OOC clans I have been really wasn't that big, and could merit being IC on the face of it being that we were mostly all in the same org, but I do feel that OOC clans may be able to provide an outlet to rp with people you normally might not go out and meet.
Outside the Blacktalon (and I suppose the Ysav'rai and Vira's order), Ayisdra really isn't that well known. Could being in one of the more popular ooc clans fix this? Perhaps. Naturally I am not one to go out and seek someone if I don't have too (I guess this aspect of my RL self is something rubs off onto Ayisdra).
Would I like to be more well known? Of course I would. but as a non-combatant with very little knowledge of how combat even works, I feel that this is much harder to do. Sure I could write things, but anyone who has seen the things I have written (or tried to write) know that grammar is not my strong suit.
Oh, yes, cliques. When I re-woke Maligorn to start doing stuff in Hallifax again, I was very aware of its notorious capacity for cliques (it's kind of hardwired into the RP, so that's fair enough). Didn't stop me from clapping and generally feeling relieved when I got invited into a few OOC clans.
Still, I find them to be great for just general chatter, when you want to just sit back, relax, and not do the mentally taxing (yet rewarding) roleplay. Maybe you're doing work in a few other windows, or distracted by real life to really do anything gamewise. It's good to have people to just -talk- to. As for @Daraius specifically, since he doesn't join OOC clans, interacting with him is almost like interacting with a Divine -- it doesn't happen every day and it is always an interesting and something-to-look-forward type of experience. But that's my take on it.
EDIT: Moreover, it can be so tempting to explain your RP over OOC channels, or get to know the player's "tells" when it comes to RP, if that makes any sense. Since we've never had that interaction, I generally understand Daraius's points of view rather than his player's. Similar with Divines, who you can't just invite to OOC clans and just hang and get to know. Except we could invite you. You'd be so welcome. Because you're pretty awesome.
The only thing I think OOC clans can hurt RP is if people get lazy and use them to communicate things that need to be done in game. The big potential problem for Lusternia I see is that more people prefer to use OOC clans to communicate, and then the game more or less turns into yet another MMORPG, where everything is hack and slash and all social interaction happens in OOC game chats.
Mental crazy fight, started off well but overwhelmed after the third or fourth wave, got ourselves together and had the people to give it a go too late sadly.
So much aeon hell and blackout Good to see you guys can still pull large numbers out though, that was more than you had at Chaos, good going!
The divine voice
of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations,
Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."
You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!
That brief period of 'Oh, shit' when the archangels refused to die for about 3 minutes. I was not expecting that one to tank two annihilating criticals and still keep going.
Why would you want an archangel to die?
Shouldn't he be tanking FOR you?
You're late to the party and likely the event in which this happened.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
I think I'll change the subject before Nocht shows up and starts banning/warning people he doesn't like.
We should start flagging posts with more than 40 characters in it. THIS IS TWEETS, NOT RANTS.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
I'm going to take this opportunity to quote something Zvoltz said back in October.
If having someone insult you and then snub you causes you to run to the forums to insult them, then a better use of your time would be to take a moment and relax or maybe find something else to do while you cool off so you can continue to enjoy the game when you come back.
(Disclaimer: I'm not taking anyone's side, I'm just grumpy as heck due to my sore foot and am getting a little disgruntled at the fact things have shifted out into the forums) Let's change the topic before the banhammer or Estarra's glittery high-heel of doom comes crashing down.
Never put passion before principle. Even if you win, you lose.
If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?
If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
How'bout this then: Just finished (well, at least mostly) coding my affliction tracker and curer. I think this is the fourth one I've coded so far... but at least it's more solid than the last one (it can even handle defenses, and have built-in "this affliction stops that cure", wow!). Now all I need is lines for all the afflictions, and cures, and defenses, and stripping, and DIAG, and DEF, and... yah.
Well, you generally only see people mass-flagging posts as off-topic or abusive from one person, but it happens every now and again.
Word count says 22. This is a pass
HELP HALLMONITORS
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
I think I'll change the subject before Nocht shows up and starts banning/warning people he doesn't like.
We should start flagging posts with more than 40 characters in it. THIS IS TWEETS, NOT RANTS.
I ban out of love.
I did just delete nearly two pages worth of posts though. Shaddus is correct. This is not a thread for rants. There are no threads where that's okay. We're usually fine with a little venting, but when you start calling out individual people it always goes too far. So please stop before I have to ban Shaddus again.
Can't think of many words to really describe how I've been feeling the last few days of logging in aside from "frustrated" and "burnt out". Mrrghl.
Edit:: ... I believe I can redact this, someone just made my day.
0
Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
The other day Shaddus said the only reason Mother Night wears all black is because she thinks it's slimming, but really she's just a fatty. If that isn't deserving of a Nocht ban, I don't know what is.
Celina, do you have any naked pictures of Mother Night?
Do you want some?
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
Comments
This is the sort of thing the guild/city/family aethers should be used for. Why couldn't you find these things out in character? (unless, like me, your character does not want to look stupid in public and thus you can never appear so ignorant as to not know the answer to something >_>)
I left all my ooc clans for a long while (save the rarely used family one) for this reason - instead of trying to find out things ICly, I would find myself being lazy and just asking someone in a clan so I didn't have to look stupid for not knowing something. I found I was less inclined to go out and look for roleplay with people because I was getting my social needs met just by idling in my manse and chatting. I left them in an attempt to boost my own rp by forcing me to get out and interact if I wanted conversation.
I am once again in a couple of ooc clans, but we will see, I get very frustrated when say, a city aetherhunt is organised and roles decided before it's even announed to those few people who are in the city but not the clan (vague very long ago example merely to prove a point).
A lot of planning gets done in ooc clans, because you can speak plainly about times and dates. A lot of coordination happens there as well, for the same reason that they allow blunt talk. They're very useful for discussing mechanics in real time, commiserating when necessary, gloating when it would otherwise be tactless, and generally getting to know the people you are going to be relying on as your allies. (Or, depending on the clan, your enemies. It doesn't hurt to be reminded that every character is a real person.)
There's no reason to keep them on while you are rp'ing.
As far as what you're actually missing out on... today we had a rousing debate about "longest running" versus "best" Broadway musicals, and chatted about Ascension, Timewarp, and TempIns. Also there was a brief but hilarious exchange about the booteh.
Vive l'apostrophe!
-
Estarra the Eternal says, "Give Shevat the floor please."
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
Outside the Blacktalon (and I suppose the Ysav'rai and Vira's order), Ayisdra really isn't that well known. Could being in one of the more popular ooc clans fix this? Perhaps. Naturally I am not one to go out and seek someone if I don't have too (I guess this aspect of my RL self is something rubs off onto Ayisdra).
Would I like to be more well known? Of course I would. but as a non-combatant with very little knowledge of how combat even works, I feel that this is much harder to do. Sure I could write things, but anyone who has seen the things I have written (or tried to write) know that grammar is not my strong suit.
Signature!
Still, I find them to be great for just general chatter, when you want to just sit back, relax, and not do the mentally taxing (yet rewarding) roleplay. Maybe you're doing work in a few other windows, or distracted by real life to really do anything gamewise. It's good to have people to just -talk- to. As for @Daraius specifically, since he doesn't join OOC clans, interacting with him is almost like interacting with a Divine -- it doesn't happen every day and it is always an interesting and something-to-look-forward type of experience. But that's my take on it.
EDIT: Moreover, it can be so tempting to explain your RP over OOC channels, or get to know the player's "tells" when it comes to RP, if that makes any sense. Since we've never had that interaction, I generally understand Daraius's points of view rather than his player's. Similar with Divines, who you can't just invite to OOC clans and just hang and get to know. Except we could invite you. You'd be so welcome. Because you're pretty awesome.
So much aeon hell and blackout
The divine voice of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations, Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."
You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!
You just successfully destroyed my entire day. Congratulations.
This is absolutely awesome fun.
We should start flagging posts with more than 40 characters in it. THIS IS TWEETS, NOT RANTS.
06/30/2014 19:37 Silvanus channels the power of the Megalith of Doom for you, stripping you of your Vernal Ascendant status.......bastard!!
(Disclaimer: I'm not taking anyone's side, I'm just grumpy as heck due to my sore foot and am getting a little disgruntled at the fact things have shifted out into the forums) Let's change the topic before the banhammer or Estarra's glittery high-heel of doom comes crashing down.
If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?
If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
HELP HALLMONITORS
The divine voice of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations, Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."
You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!
Do you want some?