Player Expectations (a.k.a. What We Want to See from the Players)

[Stonewyvern]

Player Expectations

There is a certain behavior that the community of TSM expects from all it's players. The following guide is to help understand what sort of attitude and feel we want the community to project. None of these are hard and fast rules, but do not be surprised if you are reprimanded for not following this guide (and thus not following the community spirit). Much of this guide is written with the thoughts of respect, fair play, and maturity in mind while still allowing for the fun that is to be had.

Expectation 1 - Be Excellent To One Another

Our OOC attitudes towards one another can go a long way to forming a very strong community. This can be carried out in various manners.

- Be friendly and respectful to people who are new to the server or to the game. Be friendly in your responses. If they ask a question, be kind in your response. Teach. Help the new player learn the ropes you yourself had to learn.

- Be respectful to your fellow players OOCly. Some characters may not get along ICly, but that does not mean you as a player can not get along OOCly with the other player. Do not mix IC feelings with OOC ones and vice verse. Do not mistake someone's negative IC actions to mean they do not like you OOCly.

- Always keep a calm head. If something has happened in game to anger you step away from the game, take a breath, then come back and communicate in a calm and rational manner. Cooler heads will always prevail and will make things for everyone involved go far smoother.

- Communicate when you feel something is wrong. Communication is key and a DM crews eyes can not be everywhere at all times. Nor can it know if someone in the community is remiss in their actions if nothing is said. Do not report things in anger, gather all your facts (logs, screen shots, etc), so that all parties are sure that it just isn't a misunderstanding.

- Be respectful to crew members. Do not be rude, flippant, or ignore someone when you are told you are breaking a rule or are reprimanded for not following this guide. That is a show of disrespect for everyone on the server -- not just the DMs -- and will not be tolerated. If this is the attitude you automatically carry, then it's best you go somewhere else as the TSM community would not want someone like you around.

Here is a thread by Stonewyvern on more ways to interact with your fellow players:

http://www.talesofthesilvermarches.com/forum/index.php?topic=837.0

Expectation 2 - Roleplay 24/7

This is a full Roleplay server. One should roleplay at all times be they in a bar, in a city, in a dungeon, in the wilds, even while dead. We want players to be completely immersed in their character and in the world around them. Even when the PC is all alone, roleplay. You will never know which DM will be watching and a simple emote or utterance can give a DM all sorts of wonderful ideas to work with (and a potential RP XP drop). This can also help with giving yourself a sense of your own character and his or her own growth.

Being immersed also means to be as realistic as possible. Your character would not run everywhere they went. They'd certainly run from danger or perhaps run into danger in emergencies. However, running everywhere would be unrealistic. Especially through towns, inns, and the like. You don't run through a grocery store at full tilt, nor do you run to your mailbox or to the bank at the same clip. Even if they're traveling a far distance on the road, most of that will be walked, otherwise your character would be fully winded by the time they actually got into a fight.

Your character's health level also should be paid attention to in regards to roleplay. If your walking around at "Near Death", they wouldn't be walking around as if nothing was wrong. Roleplay it out. Have them stagger, limp, or hold a hand on their wound. There are numerous ways to roleplay injuries out and all are acceptable, but do not ignore the fact that your character is injured.

Keep OOC talk in the main chat to a minimum. AFKs or BRBs are to be expected, as Real Life always takes president, but do not make OOC talk a heavy habit. If you must speak OOC keep it in tells. The party chat is also considered IC, so do not use that for OOC talk either. Party chat can be seen by all DMs, so to keep chat spam to a minimum for the DMs, please only use party chat as a way to "shout" at one another through the next area transitions (such as a PC heading into a cave to check it out then hollering at his waiting companions that's it's all clear and to come in).

Expectation 3 - WoW We Are Not

The focus of TSM is to be able to roleplay and immerse oneself while playing your PC. It is not the focus to get your character up in levels as fast as possible. Nor is it the focus for your character to get as much loot and gold as possible. To that end, the crew expects it's players to play the game with the following expectations.

- Be sensible when deciding to head to a combat area you've been to before. Always try to give your characters strong Roleplay reasons as to why they will enter that area. Try not to go to the same place too many times in the same week, as it makes less and less roleplay sense for a PC to visit it. If the crew sees you are visiting the same dungeon over and over it could end up being seen as "farming" and is heavily frowned upon by the crew. You may be asked to move along and will be kept on report for others on the crew to keep an eye on.

Definition: One "visit" means you enter the area, deal with the spawns in that area once then leave the area. It does not mean you can enter the area and go around in continuous circles to catch respawns. This will, again, be seen as spawn camping. Don't do it.

Here's a post by Stonewyvern regarding both farming and roleplay expectations:

http://www.talesofthesilvermarches.com/forum/index.php?topic=839.0

- Report exploits. If you feel a mechanic or situation makes it far to easy for a person to gain XP or gold with little to no risk to the PC, report it to a DM immediately. The excuse of "it was in the system so I thought it was okay" is not an excuse and could be grounds for an immediate banning if you are caught using it. If you are unsure of a situation, ask. Who knows, you may just get rewarded for being truthful and wanting things to be fair.

- Be patient. There is no "race" to be top dog here. We all love character progression, but there is no need to get impatient when you are unable to level. Badgering DMs or bending rules in order to get what you want as fast as possible only serves to irritate others and isolate yourself. In a multi-player environ where we're all here to have fun, this is not a good thing. Again, be patient.

- Take your lumps. If you or your whole party dies, take the XP/gold penalty and do not complain. Do not try to cheat the system by logging on as another character to resurrect your party. Do not send tells to someone asking for a "rescue" when there is no logical IC reason why that PC should even know you died. Not only is that metagaming, it's trying to cheat the system. Play the game as it's been intended. Take the hit and respawn. That's part of the "risk" part in the "risk and rewards" of adventuring.

Expectation 4 - Participate and Communicate

Regardless of what style of play you have, even if your PC happens to be an anti-social loner, try and participate in what TSM has to offer. Talk to people in tells, put posts on the forums, make your presence known. Even if you feel you don't have much to contribute, an occasional "hello" or "thank you" can be appreciated. Don't cut yourself off from other players just because they don't happen to be in your "circle". Keep open, keep friendly, keep involved.

Communication is part of this and we hope all participants do just that. Be it something positive or an issue that needs to be resolved, communicate. Silence changes nothing.

Expectation 5 - Play Fair

As much as we all want our PCs to "win" in everything they do, it's still no excuse to allow yourself unfair advantages. These unfair advantages can range in many varied ways and is usually collectively known as Metagaming. It is akin to cheating and the TSM crew heavily frowns upon this coming from any member of the community. Be they player, builder, forum moderators, DM, QM, and even the Admin, no one has the right to metagame.

The following are examples of metagaming. Mind that these examples are not the limit of what can be considered metagaming and is not intended to be used as a definitive list as being the only ways to metagame.

- Reading the floating name above a disguised PC and, even though the PC has not emoted or said anything that should make your character suspicious, you begin to try and have your PC "guess" who the disguised PC is. Or you have your PC automatically guess who a person is based on very flimsy information.

- Reading from a story about a PC on the forums that is not intended to be In Character information and give your PC a reason to 'guess' things about that PC based on what you read.

- Having your PC question another about something your PC shouldn't know about (but you do OOCly as a player), then having your PC say when asked how they knew, "I was just guessing." This is also known as the 'bait' technique. Example:

PC 1: So have you thought of leaving more anonymous notes for that Banite to find?
PC 2: Not yet. I don't have enough information to goad him with--.. wait, how did you know it was me?
PC2: I didn't. I was just guessing.

This is a very unfair way of making OOC information, IC information for your character. "Guessing" is a very flimsy excuse, especially when your PC has no reason to even guess.

- Having your PC know more Lore then they should. Just because you have read it in a sourcebook does not give you rights to have your character know about it. This is doubly so if your PC has little or no Lore rating. Remember, even the greatest Loremasters in Faerun will not know everything.

- Going back and forth over the same transition point in order to try and "lose" hostiles. This is using a game mechanic in order to win, which qualifies as metagaming.

- Having two PCs that you play freely share information with one another, giving yourself the excuse that your characters "talked" things over. This is passing on information OOCly no matter how much you RP it as they are both your characters. This is very detrimental if your PCs are on "opposite sides".

- Altering your playstyle based on what you know OOCly through either the forums or game mechanics. An example would be that you read on the forums a story that indicates that charming bard is actually a follower of Mask and you immediately have your PC act wary of him when he's done nothing in game to make your PC wary. Another is seeing a DM spawned NPC showing up as hostile for you (highlighting red) and you immediately take the defensive even though that NPC has not made any hostile motions towards you or indicated that they will attack.

[TSM Junkie (Moulinous)]

I received this the other day from a player. I was sitting there thinking about it all day trying to figure out how to respond. I am little strapped for a true answer as yes, this is a role play server BUT this is something that is suppose to be fun for everyone.

Good players, bad characters:  Now there is nothing really you can do to make players play something else, but I have noticed that although the player-base is extremely friendly, the vast majority are playing lone-wolves, snide and rude characters.  Players seem to be very contrary individuals and whenever I have seen servers based in ‘good’ cities, than the players want to rebel against the establishment and play ‘evil’ characters.  If you want more ‘good’ players than having the established system being ‘evil’ would make them want to rebel against it.  At the very least all those evil characters would be seen as good roleplayers fitting into the scenario.  Unfortunately, I have looked at the four or five players on the server and said to myself, “I don’t feel like getting into a fight or being humiliated so I think I’ll stay away from the Goat.”

Originally there was some who wanted to ban playing evil PCs and I am still very much against that but this does bring up a good point about the many evil pcs we have here.
Being evil in a good setting when most of the NPC population is good is fine. Yet, and here is the big yet, I need the evil players to realize that as being a evil PC it comes with a lot more responsibility than normal.

I need them to realize that IC actions that may be correct can have a detriment on the server player wise.

This is why i am putting this here to BUMP this thread and please read it again and maybe even again. Community is what we are after. Now if I log in and see a ton of flower wearing Hippy love fest elves I will cause all the elves including the women elves to grow beards. I am not saying ONLY good...I am imploring you to remember that it is possible to have fun and let others have fun as well.

[TSM Junkie (Moulinous)]

The question has come up regarding in-game interaction when one player disagree's or dislikes another player.  Note, this is not directed at "character" disagreements, but "player" disagreements, though there is some overlap which I will talk about.  Realize that "characters" that dislike/disagree with each other, but the players don't feel the same way does not draw the same drama that player based dislike/disagreement does. 

All communities will have disagreements and even outright dislikes among it's members.  That is inevitable and I'm not about to try to tilt at windmills to stop it.  Everyone is adults here and I have the expectation that they will act as such.

So, the question comes down, "How do I interact with someone that I don't like or has traits I don't agree with?" 

Well, the easy answer in my book is....  You make sure that you stay courteous, but for the most part, You don't interact at all!

"But my character doesn't like their character so it's in-game for us to argue and attack each other, right?!" 

Sure technically it's in character, but then we all revert to Stonewyvern's Rule #1 above because anything else harms the server.  And like they say, "If you are able to piss off Stonewyvern, you have really screwed up!  When Stonewyvern isn't happy, NO ONE is happy!!"  Ask my friends, I got the patience of a Saint so if ou are able to work my last nerve, you surely have crossed the line.

For example, if "Mary" actively dislikes "Johnny", regardless whether their characters have reason to like or dislike each other, they simply don't need to be interacting.  One thing to keep in mind is defining "no interaction".  For example, actively snubbing someone is STILL INTERACTING because you are doing it in a way to make them (and everyone around them) know that you don't like them.  That's no one's business except for Mary and Johnny and I don't want to see it go beyond that. 

So, here are a few examples of what I would prefer "Mary" and "Johnny" do...

Grouped in a party and one is the party healer and the other is injured:  If you would heal anyone else or you took the responsibility to be the GROUP healer, then be just as courteous to that person.  You don't have to go out of your way or use your last bit of healing, but to actively say, "Sorry, I'm ignoring you and your death" is actively snubbing them.

Talking with friends in a social environment and the other person walks up since there are mutual friends there, then you be courteous, but basically ignore that person unless directly addressed.  Again, you give the basic respect they deserve as a human being, but you are not forced to interact with them beyond that.

If they gather the group together to go do a quest then you have a choice.  Bow out gracefully and let them go so you don't have to endure that person or agree to go in order to enjoy the company of your friends, but  that means biting your tongue and being courteous to that other person.  Same goes in reverse.  If you are gathering a group and they ask to join, they are expected to be courteous to YOU as the impromptu leader.  At anytime that someone disagrees with a decision they voice their concern and then the choice is to follow the lead or leave.

Now, I fully understand that this may not be in character for your character.  They may not have the personality to defer to others or to be courteous to someone they don't like.  Well, in a nutshell, I don't care.  Suck it up.  My first and foremost responsibility is to THE SERVER, not YOU.  Immature player interaction is going to harm the server and is more important to me than the integrity of your chosen storyline. 

Now, that out of the way, if players cannot abide by the above guidance or has questions on a potential interaction, I highly recommend you shoot any of our GM's a note prior to taking action.  Personally, I will not hesitate to pull all involved offending players into a room and drop the hammer on them equally rather than wade through miles of "He said vs She said" debate.  I've been out of High School for quite some time and not interested in returning to that environment of political caterwauling.

Truly, I don't believe we have any great fear of this taking place, but due to past interactions I've had at other servers, I know that if I don't make it VERY clear now, it is much more difficult to make it clear later.  Based on the level of maturity that I've already seen by everyone, I do not doubt that we can all get along regardless of personal likes and dislikes.  Afterall, my goal is not to "force everyone to play nice" for just it's sake, but for everyone to realize that drama never helps a server.  If a new player logs in and enters a cat fight between players sniping each other, even in character, but blatantly plaver against player more than character against character, then they immediately get a bad taste in their mouth and go find another server.  That directly harms our server by losing a potential future player and will not be tolerated.  I appreciate everyones help and support in this matter.

[TSM Junkie (Moulinous)]

As a well known heavy role playing server we all rock.

We also need to remember to help and greet new folks along as well. Try and include people in your adventures or role play. Branch out. I know as I am a person who plays (and none of you know who I am yet, lol) that if I ever saw someone purposely exclude someone because of the Player behind the Character then it would bother me. It would bother me if it was me or even if I was new to the server. Worse...sometimes all of us do it without thinking. Yes even I have.

Say you are getting ready to head out and you see a new player and yes, where you are going is tough. Yet I saw someone log in the other day who has not been around for awhile with someone that was 8th level and was excluded because the players thought it was a new player. Worse case is to send them that tell that says we are going somewhere rough just to let you know.

You never know. That is what I am saying. While we are a freindly hard brutal realistic beautiful server....I still want more from you all. Adventurers are regardless of alignment are in reality a Gypsy like group. I do not know how many people here go to taverns but at taverns people NATURALLY drift towards one another.

It is a tavern. A social gathering place and the Goat is KNOWN now as a place adventures hang out at. It is like a group of military people. We feel a natural kinship with soilders just because we all share something in common. Regardless of country...it is almost a strange thing in the taverns of the world.

Please contuine to talk to new people. Greet names as they log in. Allow yourself a chance to meet new folk and help devolp thier stories as they help devolp yours. Who knows? That is how I became good freinds with darkvale so long ago. Now I count the guy regardless of when NWN quits someone I will know for the rest of my life.

Take the chance and even if the Characters hate one another send that small tell as a Player to let them know that as a Player you think they rock.

Thank you guys and gals.

[DM Fabulator]

Bumping for all players, new and old. Please make sure you have read the above posts. I know its long, but there is information above which I am certain will improve your enjoyment of TSM.

Specifically, I would like to point out this...

- Be sensible when deciding to head to a combat area you've been to before. Always try to give your characters strong Roleplay reasons as to why they will enter that area. Try not to go to the same place too many times in the same week, as it makes less and less roleplay sense for a PC to visit it. If the crew sees you are visiting the same dungeon over and over it could end up being seen as "farming" and is heavily frowned upon by the crew. You may be asked to move along and will be kept on report for others on the crew to keep an eye on.

Definition: One "visit" means you enter the area, deal with the spawns in that area once then leave the area. It does not mean you can enter the area and go around in continuous circles to catch respawns. This will, again, be seen as spawn camping. Don't do it.

I would also like to expound upon this further. TSM is built and bred as a roleplay server. There are tons of dungeons and overland areas with spawns commensurate to all levels and classes of characters. When you as a player find an area that is particularly profitable, or one you have run through enough times to not only know when and where the zombies will spawn, but about how many there will be, approximately what their AB and HP is, and how long it will take to demolish them... I think its fair to say you've mastered that area. Go find a new one! I am not writing this because I am the evil DM who doesn't want your PC to get rich on the spoils of his or her recently conquered dungeon. I am writing this because I know that if you keep doing that same old grind you are cheating yourself of the richness which is available both from TSM as a PW, and from the challenges this game has to offer you, the player.

Personally, I truly enjoyed playing the single player modules that shipped with Bioware's Neverwinter Nights. I even played them more than once. But after a few times, it just wasn't fun anymore. Go get out of your comfort zone. Go to that new dungeon with really difficult, dangerous encounters. Maybe, just maybe, the player behind that mouse and keyboard might actually feel a tinge of adrenaline creep into their fingers when the 20 CR boss stalks out of his lair to find out just what your PC is made of. And if he finds you lacking, and you have to .. omg .. flee? Hells, roleplay it out. Go gather a group of brave souls and go back in there to kick his butt and ensure the safety and security of the realm.

And to those of you who still wish to stay in your comfort zone, I would only offer this. Don't get too comfortable. There might just be a truly dangerous creature lurking in that all too familiar dungeon. One of the most dangerous creatures known to adventurers in all the realms. A bored DM. 

Please, don't take that as a threat. "Well, if Willowknock Dungeonrunner wants to keep grinding this dungeon over and over, why I'll just spawn an invulnerable demi-lich to see what they think about that." In no way, shape, or form do I view the DM role as DM vs. PC. Quite the contrary. Ultimately, my purpose for being on the TSM staff is to help you the player tell your story. Leveling is cool, yes. Finding great loot is awsome, yes. Having all the other PCs think your PC is the cat's meow because you have a +3 staff of infinite smiting is great. But lets face it. If that +3 staff of infinite smiting was dropped by a 0 CR kobold who just happened to bumble onto the road, directly in the path of your galloping, 1200 lb charger, and gets trampled in 0.2 rounds... is that really fun? Is your PC going to run back to the tavern and proudly announce, "Look what I found on a dead kobold whose carcass I ransacked on the side of the road." There's a fireside tale that's sure to please....

Final though, just go out and see something new. I would dare say there are probably fewer players than I have fingers on one hand who have actually seen the whole server. And even for those, fear not. New content is being added nearly every week.

Thanks to all who play, and please enjoy your time doing so.

~DM Fab

[TSM Junkie (Moulinous)]

The less we think of NWN (and in this case TSM itself) as a rule-based game, and the more we think of it as a game-based story, the better.

[TSM Junkie (Moulinous)]

I can relate to both sides and prefer those servers that don't force a specific playstyle onto you and the playerbase of which is tolerant towards variety. If there already is a playerbase, the old players should be welcoming and friendly to new players instead of acting superior. They should try to make the new players feel involved instead of unwanted. On some servers I've actually put up with a playstyle I'm usually not that fond of because the players were so nice and acted so naturally that I automatically adapted. No one told me about their roleplaying rules OOC (which as a sidenote I find a quite ironic behavior for self-proclaimed roleplayers), instead they just lived them without trying to convert anyone and I followed their example because it was fun. IMO servers don't need a playstyle police, they need convincing attempts at integrating new players.

Please contuine to greet those folks who are new or old ones returning.  logged into a server the other day to see thier STarting Area as have been working on ours and noticed that they too are doing something similiar to us now. One was an old player from here and told me that the reason they started doing it was because of us. Kinda cool.

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