The current line of discussion in this folder regarding our Traits, Features and Quirks got me thinking.
Is there anything about your character that you have a difficult time expressing or you feel generally goes unexpressed or unnoticed... because of the nature of the game? Is it that everything is text-based? The feature system doesn't quite let you say what you need to? A lack of verbiage? A missing mechanic? Something else?
Signed,
Raelee and her Strings
>Speaking to Zyllah, Alyias says, "See? Raelee knows all."
JADZIABLUE
CHIVERST
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 02:54 AM CST
I haven't had the chance to respond to the other thread yet, just not enough time in my day, but this one struck a chord and I can address it fairly quickly.
Rohese is unable to have children and it kills her inside. I struggle with being able to express that without actually vocalising it - which will never happen unless she knows you very well or she's clearly upset about something child related. Child bounties are her undoing but they aren't available in OTF so the RP trigger isn't there. I'm still trying to figure out how else I can portray that aspect of her character without being too obvious.
>>You slay me woman! ~ Wyrom
https://gswiki.play.net/Rohese_Bayvel-Timsh'l
Rohese is unable to have children and it kills her inside. I struggle with being able to express that without actually vocalising it - which will never happen unless she knows you very well or she's clearly upset about something child related. Child bounties are her undoing but they aren't available in OTF so the RP trigger isn't there. I'm still trying to figure out how else I can portray that aspect of her character without being too obvious.
>>You slay me woman! ~ Wyrom
https://gswiki.play.net/Rohese_Bayvel-Timsh'l
INIQUITY
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 05:54 AM CST
Xorus is a quiet character because there has to be a solid reason for him to be speaking about anything. The issue is that in a text based environment that is one step away from being invisible and AFK, whereas in a visual setting you would see the presence of someone along with their demeanor and body language. It is also the case that he is not inclined to be unconsciously expressive with unspoken language unless he has some reason to be manipulating others. The other thing is that he does a lot of secret shady stuff with some real bad hombres on the reg, but there have been limited situational circumstances for any of that to be outwardly apparent.
So, I guess the limitation of the game mechanics is that you do not see plants withering and dying when he walks by, horses panicking and children crying. That kind of thing. More seriously, if we had what I've called a "Misadventure Guild" where instead of helping out you do things like kidnap children from Shanty Town and sell them to the krolvin or provide sweetbreads to the Sheruvian Monastery or capture souls for the Phantom Gatekeeper, you could have ambient messaging along those lines or other things like acquiring discounts from shopkeepers because they are intimidated or frightened. Others might be defiant, or whatever. But varied NPC reactions. In terms of what already exists you have various forms of hostility to Dark Elves, but you'd think they would not have the balls if you really are one of the scary ones.
Along the same lines there would ideally be ways certain kinds of creatures would not be hostile to you (as long as you never attack them) depending on what you have done. There are various cultists Xorus should be on good terms with, and right now I assume you could be a member of the Sheruvian Order, aligned with Sheru and all of that and the monks would still attack you. Similarly, no matter how much of a necromancer you pretend to be, there is no inverse "empathic tug" with the undead.
- Xorus' player
>"Frau Blucher."
>WHINNNNNRERERYYYY!!!
So, I guess the limitation of the game mechanics is that you do not see plants withering and dying when he walks by, horses panicking and children crying. That kind of thing. More seriously, if we had what I've called a "Misadventure Guild" where instead of helping out you do things like kidnap children from Shanty Town and sell them to the krolvin or provide sweetbreads to the Sheruvian Monastery or capture souls for the Phantom Gatekeeper, you could have ambient messaging along those lines or other things like acquiring discounts from shopkeepers because they are intimidated or frightened. Others might be defiant, or whatever. But varied NPC reactions. In terms of what already exists you have various forms of hostility to Dark Elves, but you'd think they would not have the balls if you really are one of the scary ones.
Along the same lines there would ideally be ways certain kinds of creatures would not be hostile to you (as long as you never attack them) depending on what you have done. There are various cultists Xorus should be on good terms with, and right now I assume you could be a member of the Sheruvian Order, aligned with Sheru and all of that and the monks would still attack you. Similarly, no matter how much of a necromancer you pretend to be, there is no inverse "empathic tug" with the undead.
- Xorus' player
>"Frau Blucher."
>WHINNNNNRERERYYYY!!!
RAVENNA
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 07:29 AM CST
I've been thinking about this question since I saw it last night, and the answer occurred to me early this morning, getting ready for work. Our characters, with some variety, pretty much wear the same thing everyday, look the same every day. Plus, when interacting in a text-based game, often enough you respond to a name you know arriving in a room, rather than what they look like or how they do so. For example, Ysharra's been trying to find some Sheruvians for about six weeks now, so she swapped out her V'tull symbol for the Jackal for a few days, trying to flush one out for a conversation. It didn't work, and I have to wonder how many people look and notice such a thing, anyway. Or, for example, I'll be in the middle of a conversation with someone and suddenly realize they're bleeding profusely from the neck or don't have any eyes, missing a limb, and so on- things that you'd really take note of right away, I'd think.
I realize that there are some players who are very careful to look and take notice of such circumstances, what's more, I truly value the individualistic and powerful imagery that operate within a text-based environment. I would never want to give that up. It's just that sometimes I wish there were a way to make a more obvious physical impression without purposefully drawing attention to yourself with an ACT or other methods.
Ysharra says, "One day, I'm going to have "What?" inscribed on your tombstone, with lots of helpful punctuation."
I realize that there are some players who are very careful to look and take notice of such circumstances, what's more, I truly value the individualistic and powerful imagery that operate within a text-based environment. I would never want to give that up. It's just that sometimes I wish there were a way to make a more obvious physical impression without purposefully drawing attention to yourself with an ACT or other methods.
Ysharra says, "One day, I'm going to have "What?" inscribed on your tombstone, with lots of helpful punctuation."
NAAMIT
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 08:12 AM CST
> I'll be in the middle of a conversation with someone and suddenly realize they're bleeding profusely from the neck or don't have any eyes, missing a limb, and so on- things that you'd really take note of right away, I'd think. ~GK
What, that 10/per bleeder burbling rhythmically from his neck with every heartbeat? Pshaw. Nothing to worry about.
Now what were you saying? Come a little closer, I can't hear you without eyes.
৫(”ړ৫)˒˒˒˒
I am guilty of this.
What, that 10/per bleeder burbling rhythmically from his neck with every heartbeat? Pshaw. Nothing to worry about.
Now what were you saying? Come a little closer, I can't hear you without eyes.
৫(”ړ৫)˒˒˒˒
I am guilty of this.
JADZIABLUE
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 10:36 AM CST
>I realize that there are some players who are very careful to look and take notice of such circumstances, what's more, I truly value the individualistic and powerful imagery that operate within a text-based environment. I would never want to give that up. It's just that sometimes I wish there were a way to make a more obvious physical impression without purposefully drawing attention to yourself with an ACT or other methods.
I'm very guilty on this one - the whole 'not looking at people' thing. I can think of one scenario in particular where I felt like I REALLY botched it for some other players simply because I didn't look. (IE - they made a point of attempting to mask their identities and I completely missed it.) I wish I had a better solution other than just trying to improve my own habits.
In my case... the thing that came to mind when I was asking this question was voices.
We have a huge verb and tone list to add flavor what a character is saying in the moment, but nothing that actually describes their standard voice. (Especially since I think most of us shy away from perma tones.) Deep? High pitched? Raspy? Like nails on a chalkboard?
A lot of people do type their accents in game, and it can be effective. That doesn't quite work for me, however. In my head, Raelee definitely has an english accent - but a very proper and clearly-enunciated one. She sounds like the kind of person who was definitely schooled on her diction as a child. However, there's no way to type that out except for... just typing correctly. (Of course, that's another thing I fail to do sometimes...)
Signed,
Raelee and her Strings
>Speaking to Zyllah, Alyias says, "See? Raelee knows all."
I'm very guilty on this one - the whole 'not looking at people' thing. I can think of one scenario in particular where I felt like I REALLY botched it for some other players simply because I didn't look. (IE - they made a point of attempting to mask their identities and I completely missed it.) I wish I had a better solution other than just trying to improve my own habits.
In my case... the thing that came to mind when I was asking this question was voices.
We have a huge verb and tone list to add flavor what a character is saying in the moment, but nothing that actually describes their standard voice. (Especially since I think most of us shy away from perma tones.) Deep? High pitched? Raspy? Like nails on a chalkboard?
A lot of people do type their accents in game, and it can be effective. That doesn't quite work for me, however. In my head, Raelee definitely has an english accent - but a very proper and clearly-enunciated one. She sounds like the kind of person who was definitely schooled on her diction as a child. However, there's no way to type that out except for... just typing correctly. (Of course, that's another thing I fail to do sometimes...)
Signed,
Raelee and her Strings
>Speaking to Zyllah, Alyias says, "See? Raelee knows all."
LEAFIARA
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 10:53 AM CST
Mostly I end up wishing GS had something for player characters that was kind of like rangers gazing at their animal companions, and with more options to it than demeanor. So something like a relationship setting that you check with a verb like this:
>acknowledge [wave/nod] leafiara
(what Ysharra sees: familiar relationship)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave and she looks back at you with a familiar enthusiastic grin.
(what Maags and Stormyrain see: admiring relationship)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave. She blinks in surprise, but then smiles brightly and waves back.
(what Puptilian and Hapenlok see: sympathetic)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod and she subtly nods back with a small hint of a smile on her face.
(what Archales sees: annoyed)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod. She rolls her eyes, but otherwise doesn't respond.
(what Raelee sees: scared)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod. Her face turns pale and she quickly looks away.
(what a character who I've never met before sees: unfamiliar)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave, but she doesn't seem to notice.
Basically, Leafi has thoughts and feelings toward pretty much everyone she meets, but a lot of them probably don't know it and don't really have a way to know it. She usually won't jump in to get a relationship started--she prefers for all of her friends to come to her so she knows she's not imposing on them--so something like this is how people could find out.
>For example, Ysharra's been trying to find some Sheruvians for about six weeks now, so she swapped out her V'tull symbol for the Jackal for a few days, trying to flush one out for a conversation. It didn't work, and I have to wonder how many people look and notice such a thing, anyway.
Thanks to paranoia from the Eyes of the Dawn storyline, Leafiara's been wearing a certain something for at least three months that I thought would be a conversation piece because it seems so otherwise out of place for her character, but the only time anyone ever asked about it is the day she got it made as an alter. (And speaking of that story, I had played Leafi as being mortified to be seen in public with the black veins, but actually, over two months, Severine was the only one who noticed them without Leafi being the one to bring them up first.) I guess most characters are so buried in enhancives and fluff that people don't bother to look, which is fair, but almost everything I wear is very purposeful.
AIM: sweetleafiara@gmail.com
>acknowledge [wave/nod] leafiara
(what Ysharra sees: familiar relationship)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave and she looks back at you with a familiar enthusiastic grin.
(what Maags and Stormyrain see: admiring relationship)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave. She blinks in surprise, but then smiles brightly and waves back.
(what Puptilian and Hapenlok see: sympathetic)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod and she subtly nods back with a small hint of a smile on her face.
(what Archales sees: annoyed)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod. She rolls her eyes, but otherwise doesn't respond.
(what Raelee sees: scared)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a nod. Her face turns pale and she quickly looks away.
(what a character who I've never met before sees: unfamiliar)
You acknowledge Leafiara's presence with a wave, but she doesn't seem to notice.
Basically, Leafi has thoughts and feelings toward pretty much everyone she meets, but a lot of them probably don't know it and don't really have a way to know it. She usually won't jump in to get a relationship started--she prefers for all of her friends to come to her so she knows she's not imposing on them--so something like this is how people could find out.
>For example, Ysharra's been trying to find some Sheruvians for about six weeks now, so she swapped out her V'tull symbol for the Jackal for a few days, trying to flush one out for a conversation. It didn't work, and I have to wonder how many people look and notice such a thing, anyway.
Thanks to paranoia from the Eyes of the Dawn storyline, Leafiara's been wearing a certain something for at least three months that I thought would be a conversation piece because it seems so otherwise out of place for her character, but the only time anyone ever asked about it is the day she got it made as an alter. (And speaking of that story, I had played Leafi as being mortified to be seen in public with the black veins, but actually, over two months, Severine was the only one who noticed them without Leafi being the one to bring them up first.) I guess most characters are so buried in enhancives and fluff that people don't bother to look, which is fair, but almost everything I wear is very purposeful.
AIM: sweetleafiara@gmail.com
MERCEDES419
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 01:26 PM CST
I think a lot of stuff boils down to Kayse having to warm up to people before she shares anything--one of the downsides of playing a more withdraw character. It was easier to show her degree in growth as a person or towards another character when she lived in River's Rest. It was a smaller community, around the same people, and most realized she was just grumpy on the exterior--of course that took time.
In the Landing, it ebbs and flows in population and who is where--it's a different culture, so Kayse is still adjusting to that and thus it has been harder in general to show her varying "masks." Because of her observing and watching, I try and do more acts of her facial expressions or body movements, but it's almost been a completely different way of playing her--even though for the most part her personality hasn't changed.
>Rohese is unable to have children and it kills her inside. I struggle with being able to express that without actually vocalising it - which will never happen unless she knows you very well or she's clearly upset about something child related.
This is so interesting--Rohese and Kayse have something in common besides their love of fashion.
~Kayse's figment of her imagination.
Some townspeople wander by, looking twice at Kayse and Rowmi, shaking their heads, then wandering off.
In the Landing, it ebbs and flows in population and who is where--it's a different culture, so Kayse is still adjusting to that and thus it has been harder in general to show her varying "masks." Because of her observing and watching, I try and do more acts of her facial expressions or body movements, but it's almost been a completely different way of playing her--even though for the most part her personality hasn't changed.
>Rohese is unable to have children and it kills her inside. I struggle with being able to express that without actually vocalising it - which will never happen unless she knows you very well or she's clearly upset about something child related.
This is so interesting--Rohese and Kayse have something in common besides their love of fashion.
~Kayse's figment of her imagination.
Some townspeople wander by, looking twice at Kayse and Rowmi, shaking their heads, then wandering off.
JARHEAD
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 03:13 PM CST
This is even harder than the original thread...I have a very hard time expressing with Radeek as it is. His speech (I won't say impediment, but I don't really know another word for it, and accent seems too weak to describe it) is VERY difficult for me to do; I have to convert everything to VERY fractured Common on the fly, and I won't lie, I have left the game some nights with an absolute killer headache from doing so. The hardest part of it for me is to use Radeek-speak, but not have him come off as some dumb country bumpkin who just fell off the turnip wagon and landed on his head. Let's face it, if you don't really know him (and very few really do) when he starts talking like he has a mouthful of marbles, he comes off like he's dumber than a box of rocks.
He's really very intelligent (which is my/his unexpressed trait), but with that speech of his it's very difficult to pull off not being an ignorant savage, and I struggle with it each and every time I enter text for him, which is why he really doesn't say a whole heck of a lot. There are times (more than I care to admit) when I wish I had never given him that particular speech trait, just because it's so darn hard to give him a believable intelligence while using Radeek-speak.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
He's really very intelligent (which is my/his unexpressed trait), but with that speech of his it's very difficult to pull off not being an ignorant savage, and I struggle with it each and every time I enter text for him, which is why he really doesn't say a whole heck of a lot. There are times (more than I care to admit) when I wish I had never given him that particular speech trait, just because it's so darn hard to give him a believable intelligence while using Radeek-speak.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
SNOWBEAM
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 05:04 PM CST
Excellent question.
Rowmi is supposed to have a lot of layers of personality, and the way he is portrayed depends greatly on his environment, company and mood.
It's hard for me and him to stay central to that dynamic sometimes in a text-based world. The best and most effective way to develop him as a character--and develop his relationships with other characters--is by conversation. That's why he's incorrigibly nosy. It allows me as a player an excuse for Rowmi to try to make those deeper connections.
So, he can seem like a different character if debating in a small group on the porch, or having a heart-to-heart with someone in a quiet room, or standing in front or behind a crowd.
For me as a player, the struggle is always between "what would Rowmi do here?" and "what am I trying to portray here?" I want dynamism and character growth, but it has to flow with the stories and Rowmi's central theme. The beauty and pain of shared authority, I suppose.
It's sort of naturally grown into a few aphorisms for Rowmi. He likes to say nonsense stuff like "Trust is a funny thing" and "I do not deal in secrets" and mention the stars, which, to those that know him mean quite a bit more than to those who don't. He likes to rub his neck and look at the sky, and feel the snow melt off his face, and stomp on his broken bones and not notice blood everywhere, and melt when an adorable (but probably vicious) ranger companion wanders in. I like to think him taking a fake sip of cognac and staring at someone over the rim as meaning more than it likely is received.
I guess what I'm getting at is I'm 98% certain of what Rowmi means, but I often wonder what other characters see and interpret. I want to take everyone aside and explain his backstory individually, but that's not how it works. It's a symptom of improv, and only seeing one side.
I'd love a MYCHAR mechanic you can aim at another character depending on their level of knowledge of my character (of course I realize that's not how it works.) I try to convey it with facial expressions and body language, instead.
>Rowmi's eyes darken and narrow, his arms tensing as he takes a half-step back. You notice his usually sunny demeanor suddenly replaced with a thunderstorm of anger.
-The mind behind Rowmi's eyes.
Rowmi is supposed to have a lot of layers of personality, and the way he is portrayed depends greatly on his environment, company and mood.
It's hard for me and him to stay central to that dynamic sometimes in a text-based world. The best and most effective way to develop him as a character--and develop his relationships with other characters--is by conversation. That's why he's incorrigibly nosy. It allows me as a player an excuse for Rowmi to try to make those deeper connections.
So, he can seem like a different character if debating in a small group on the porch, or having a heart-to-heart with someone in a quiet room, or standing in front or behind a crowd.
For me as a player, the struggle is always between "what would Rowmi do here?" and "what am I trying to portray here?" I want dynamism and character growth, but it has to flow with the stories and Rowmi's central theme. The beauty and pain of shared authority, I suppose.
It's sort of naturally grown into a few aphorisms for Rowmi. He likes to say nonsense stuff like "Trust is a funny thing" and "I do not deal in secrets" and mention the stars, which, to those that know him mean quite a bit more than to those who don't. He likes to rub his neck and look at the sky, and feel the snow melt off his face, and stomp on his broken bones and not notice blood everywhere, and melt when an adorable (but probably vicious) ranger companion wanders in. I like to think him taking a fake sip of cognac and staring at someone over the rim as meaning more than it likely is received.
I guess what I'm getting at is I'm 98% certain of what Rowmi means, but I often wonder what other characters see and interpret. I want to take everyone aside and explain his backstory individually, but that's not how it works. It's a symptom of improv, and only seeing one side.
I'd love a MYCHAR mechanic you can aim at another character depending on their level of knowledge of my character (of course I realize that's not how it works.) I try to convey it with facial expressions and body language, instead.
>Rowmi's eyes darken and narrow, his arms tensing as he takes a half-step back. You notice his usually sunny demeanor suddenly replaced with a thunderstorm of anger.
-The mind behind Rowmi's eyes.
GS4-KAIKALA
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 07:25 PM CST
I don't want to derail the thread (these have been soooper interesting discussions to read), but I did want to comment on one thing:
>>It's just that sometimes I wish there were a way to make a more obvious physical impression without purposefully drawing attention to yourself with an ACT or other methods.
I really wish players would use ACT more often without feeling like it's purposefully drawing attention. The vast majority of players are quick to use built-in verbs, which can take up just as much screen/brain real estate as an ACT, but for some reason, actual unique actions that can quickly give more definition to a character are used far and few between in most cases.
On a totally separate note, many of you express your 'unexpressed traits' quite well within the limitations that you feel you're up against.
~Kaikala
From nearby, you hear Ordim yell, "Dont eat meeeeee!"
>>It's just that sometimes I wish there were a way to make a more obvious physical impression without purposefully drawing attention to yourself with an ACT or other methods.
I really wish players would use ACT more often without feeling like it's purposefully drawing attention. The vast majority of players are quick to use built-in verbs, which can take up just as much screen/brain real estate as an ACT, but for some reason, actual unique actions that can quickly give more definition to a character are used far and few between in most cases.
On a totally separate note, many of you express your 'unexpressed traits' quite well within the limitations that you feel you're up against.
~Kaikala
From nearby, you hear Ordim yell, "Dont eat meeeeee!"
DMWCINCY
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/14/2017 10:00 PM CST
I like to think that I express Pup as best as I can and not held back on expressing who or what he is due to the game mechanics or limitations. One part I always found hard to express though is the connection between Pup and his wolf animal companion. There really is little in the lore on what type of connection there is between a ranger and the animal companion. I have taken my queues from Robin Hobb's Farseer Series with a magic called the wit(by the way I admit i read after Pup got his wolf). It was a magical connection between animal and human allowing them to share thoughts and senses. The wolf through this connection learned to me a bit more human while the human learned to be a bit more wolf in how he thinks and acts. Due to this connection, the sense of pack and the need to protect while the pack means more then the self is very important to Pup. This is not something that is easy to express and really the concept between ranger and animal could be way off on what is suppose to be BUT this gave me a framework to grow other parts of Pup's personality.
UBERWENCH
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 02:42 AM CST
Another fun topic! I love these and am enjoying reading everyone's responses. I do think there are some aspects of my character that people who don't spend a lot of time around her see, but that's a good thing; real people take time to get to know, so I'd like Lylia to be somewhat inscrutable at first glance.
Lylia does a lot of hugging, cheek-kissing, and smiling, but I hope it comes across that it's a deliberate, calculated attempt to present a pleasant face to the world rather than a genuine hail-fellow-well-met demeanor. Not that she dislikes everyone, but she isn't nearly as affable as she seems, and sometimes that comes out in an offhand haughty comment or condescending tone. As a player, I truly am happy to see (almost) everyone in the game and love interacting with others, but my character isn't a particularly nice or warm person -- yet she finds it useful to be thought of as one, like a politician's wife at an important fund-raiser. I'm an outgoing person playing an aloof character who in turn wears friendly courtesy as a mask. At least, that's what I have in mind. No idea if it looks like that from the other side of my character's face.
Alisaire's player mentioned never lying, and Lylia doesn't tell outright lies either (well, aside from lying to NPCs at times, but the NPCs are well aware of the lies because I MYCHAR all over the place when I do it). Prevarication and paltering give other people more to play with than a bald-faced lie. They can catch her in a twisted truth, be complicit in it, or otherwise interact with it in ways that a straight-up lie doesn't allow. It's also a worry for me that an IC lie could distort what players know about storylines or historical facts. It's one thing to give a vague response -- "Yes, I had heard that someone helped Grishom Stone flee, but I have been so busy that you probably know more about it than I" -- and another to say "[Person] helped Grishom Stone flee" when he/she didn't.
It would be cool if we could say more about how we speak in-game without resorting to permanent speech tones, none of which fit my character. I tend to use longer sentences, standard grammar and punctuation, and few contractions to communicate that she's been educated and thoroughly coached in every language she speaks. As for how she sounds, I have a lot of mental reference points: Cersei Lannister, Lady Violet, Cate Blanchett's version of Elizabeth I, Lucille Bluth/Malory Archer. Mix and match, and you'll probably be pretty close.
--- Lauren, Lylia's player
Lylia does a lot of hugging, cheek-kissing, and smiling, but I hope it comes across that it's a deliberate, calculated attempt to present a pleasant face to the world rather than a genuine hail-fellow-well-met demeanor. Not that she dislikes everyone, but she isn't nearly as affable as she seems, and sometimes that comes out in an offhand haughty comment or condescending tone. As a player, I truly am happy to see (almost) everyone in the game and love interacting with others, but my character isn't a particularly nice or warm person -- yet she finds it useful to be thought of as one, like a politician's wife at an important fund-raiser. I'm an outgoing person playing an aloof character who in turn wears friendly courtesy as a mask. At least, that's what I have in mind. No idea if it looks like that from the other side of my character's face.
Alisaire's player mentioned never lying, and Lylia doesn't tell outright lies either (well, aside from lying to NPCs at times, but the NPCs are well aware of the lies because I MYCHAR all over the place when I do it). Prevarication and paltering give other people more to play with than a bald-faced lie. They can catch her in a twisted truth, be complicit in it, or otherwise interact with it in ways that a straight-up lie doesn't allow. It's also a worry for me that an IC lie could distort what players know about storylines or historical facts. It's one thing to give a vague response -- "Yes, I had heard that someone helped Grishom Stone flee, but I have been so busy that you probably know more about it than I" -- and another to say "[Person] helped Grishom Stone flee" when he/she didn't.
It would be cool if we could say more about how we speak in-game without resorting to permanent speech tones, none of which fit my character. I tend to use longer sentences, standard grammar and punctuation, and few contractions to communicate that she's been educated and thoroughly coached in every language she speaks. As for how she sounds, I have a lot of mental reference points: Cersei Lannister, Lady Violet, Cate Blanchett's version of Elizabeth I, Lucille Bluth/Malory Archer. Mix and match, and you'll probably be pretty close.
--- Lauren, Lylia's player
CHAMALICE1
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 03:00 PM CST
<<<I really wish players would use ACT more often without feeling like it's purposefully drawing attention. The vast majority of players are quick to use built-in verbs, which can take up just as much screen/brain real estate as an ACT, but for some reason, actual unique actions that can quickly give more definition to a character are used far and few between in most cases.>>
I very much agree. I know that acts are not pretty to look at, and I have spoken to several players that don't use them because of the (). Still as self conscious as I feel using them because of those pesty ()'s, I don't even notice them when other people do!
I vow to use more acts and say to heck with the ()'s!!! Who is with me?
Cordaleigh's mum.
CHAMALICE1
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 03:08 PM CST
For Cordaleigh, despite her friendly demeanor and quick smile, there is a bit of a wistfulness about her. A sense of loss that even she is not really aware of. Most people would never notice it unless they caught her expression while watching any two, very close-knit people interact with one another.
The reason for this is not as obvious as it may seem. When I finish her background it will make more sense.
UBERWENCH
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 08:28 PM CST
I've never minded the parentheses, and they don't stop me from the occasional ACT. I do try to keep them to a dull roar, partially because I don't want to contribute to screen scroll in busy areas and partially because I sometimes worry about sucking up all the oxygen in the room. I play a fairly visible and vocal character as it is; I don't want to make gatherings into The Lylia Show.
Hope to see more ()s from others, though! I love ACTs that give more insight into characters and go beyond pre-made verbs. Wear your parentheses proudly. :)
Hope to see more ()s from others, though! I love ACTs that give more insight into characters and go beyond pre-made verbs. Wear your parentheses proudly. :)
HATESHI
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 09:18 PM CST
Several years ago, I set both the opening and closing parentheses to be highlighted in black, the same as my text background. As a result, except for a single space indentation, ACTs don't otherwise stand out to me as anything different from other verbs. It's vastly improved my experience in seeing and using ACTs, simply because it is less visually jarring. There are occasional oddities like if someone brackets a portion of a sentence with parentheses, but that's not very common outside of occasional lnet conversations or signs.
Best decision I've made!
- Overlord EK
>You now regard Eorgina with a warm demeanor.
Best decision I've made!
- Overlord EK
>You now regard Eorgina with a warm demeanor.
NAAMIT
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 09:40 PM CST
> I set both the opening and closing parentheses to be highlighted in black, the same as my text background -EK
Ditto EK! I rarely use ACT for feigning damage on other characters though. It's a fine line I'm not comfortable with.
Ditto EK! I rarely use ACT for feigning damage on other characters though. It's a fine line I'm not comfortable with.
RICEA3
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 10:18 PM CST
I've also employed and enjoyed the black highlight trick for many years. It's cool knowing that other people found it jarring and also use this method.
~Amanda, player of Treeva
~Amanda, player of Treeva
INIQUITY
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 11:09 PM CST
For some reason it has always felt kind of gauche to use ACTs when there are all these verbs I cannot be bothered to remember.
I know that is excessively conservative and puritanical, a residual prejudice from GSIII, it's just those parentheses...
<<As for how she sounds, I have a lot of mental reference points: Cersei Lannister, Lady Violet, Cate Blanchett's version of Elizabeth I, Lucille Bluth/Malory Archer.>>
Whenever I see Cersei Lannister I think, "They better watch out. Lylia is in a bad mood."
- Xorus' player
>(Xorus makes a note: "Incidentally, I found a log a long time ago from late 1990 or early 1991 from right after SMILE and ACT were implemented, where people were first asking what they're allowed to do with them. Bardon is telling them things like, 'No. You can't actually be a vampire.' 'No. You can't use it to tell everyone what you're thinking.' 'No. You can't summon the spirit of Melgorehn and make him obey you when casting his magic disk spell.' The parentheses were there from the start!")
I know that is excessively conservative and puritanical, a residual prejudice from GSIII, it's just those parentheses...
<<As for how she sounds, I have a lot of mental reference points: Cersei Lannister, Lady Violet, Cate Blanchett's version of Elizabeth I, Lucille Bluth/Malory Archer.>>
Whenever I see Cersei Lannister I think, "They better watch out. Lylia is in a bad mood."
- Xorus' player
>(Xorus makes a note: "Incidentally, I found a log a long time ago from late 1990 or early 1991 from right after SMILE and ACT were implemented, where people were first asking what they're allowed to do with them. Bardon is telling them things like, 'No. You can't actually be a vampire.' 'No. You can't use it to tell everyone what you're thinking.' 'No. You can't summon the spirit of Melgorehn and make him obey you when casting his magic disk spell.' The parentheses were there from the start!")
FIREPHOENIX
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/15/2017 11:10 PM CST
I wish I had the mental fortitude to try this, but I'm just gassed to make an intelligent response. That and Geijon probably isn't that complicated.
MOURNE
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/16/2017 01:30 AM CST
>Is there anything about your character that you have a difficult time expressing or you feel generally goes unexpressed or unnoticed... because of the nature of the game? Is it that everything is text-based? The feature system doesn't quite let you say what you need to? A lack of verbiage? A missing mechanic? Something else? -Raelee
I've had this come up more for my super quiet and darker characters over the years. For example, I would have killed for a way to inflict voluntary wounds on myself or another person that wasn't just ATTACKing. Something considered and precise and needing OOC acceptance from the target if it was another person. I'm sure I made a lengthy post about the suggestion 10+ years ago, too.
Upon reflection, something that springs to mind is that one of my characters is intersex, very androgynous, and genderfluid. In a perfect world, they would be able to present male or female with the associated pronouns at any given time, and/or choose a neutral pronoun to display as and not have to be locked into male or female and all the feature restrictions pertaining thereto.
The build feature being released has, at least, helped give me another way to describe their featureset.
I still wish for an option to change the sex of a character in general. For my purposes, it's easier to hit the androgynous middle ground as a soft-featured male than as a masculine-framed female. But there's too much energy (society mastery, feature alterations, custom tattoo, etc) sunk into that character to justify a reroll and having to scrape that all back together. :/
>ACT and parentheses mini-tangent
I actually highlighted the parens in bright stand-out blue years ago so I could notice better when someone was freeforming it. I feel a little self-conscious when I use ACT for a lot of the reasons already expressed - I don't really like doing the look-at-me-look-at-me thing, but I also want to act and react how my character would in a timely fashion, and I a) can't always recall Just The Right Verb at the drop of a hat, and b) there's not always something already in place for what I want to do. Soooo screw it, that's what ACT is for. The older I get, the less I care about potential negative judgments anyway.
---
Cendadric says, "Hmm, a most impressive weapon of note. I'll give you 110 silver coins for it."
I've had this come up more for my super quiet and darker characters over the years. For example, I would have killed for a way to inflict voluntary wounds on myself or another person that wasn't just ATTACKing. Something considered and precise and needing OOC acceptance from the target if it was another person. I'm sure I made a lengthy post about the suggestion 10+ years ago, too.
Upon reflection, something that springs to mind is that one of my characters is intersex, very androgynous, and genderfluid. In a perfect world, they would be able to present male or female with the associated pronouns at any given time, and/or choose a neutral pronoun to display as and not have to be locked into male or female and all the feature restrictions pertaining thereto.
The build feature being released has, at least, helped give me another way to describe their featureset.
I still wish for an option to change the sex of a character in general. For my purposes, it's easier to hit the androgynous middle ground as a soft-featured male than as a masculine-framed female. But there's too much energy (society mastery, feature alterations, custom tattoo, etc) sunk into that character to justify a reroll and having to scrape that all back together. :/
>ACT and parentheses mini-tangent
I actually highlighted the parens in bright stand-out blue years ago so I could notice better when someone was freeforming it. I feel a little self-conscious when I use ACT for a lot of the reasons already expressed - I don't really like doing the look-at-me-look-at-me thing, but I also want to act and react how my character would in a timely fashion, and I a) can't always recall Just The Right Verb at the drop of a hat, and b) there's not always something already in place for what I want to do. Soooo screw it, that's what ACT is for. The older I get, the less I care about potential negative judgments anyway.
---
Cendadric says, "Hmm, a most impressive weapon of note. I'll give you 110 silver coins for it."
JOSHUADEVON84
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/16/2017 03:57 AM CST
Azryen's biggest character trait that I have difficulty expressing in game is that he is a flagellant. Part of that is because he is quiet in general about his devotion to Mularos and what it involves, and part is because the game lacks a way to show scarring that would be optimal for him.
He's not really a typical sadist or a masochist, like most followers I've heard about seem to be. I felt it was an uncommon approach to being a Mularosian, and it's one of my favorite things about him. His method of worship is actually a tell for anyone who knows him well enough to catch those subtleties in his personality and story. It's an important part of the character and his development, but it also isn't something that's just going to come up in casual conversation, so I rarely have the opportunity for him to express that side of himself. And without a coverable tattoo/scar feature, his options for actually having a large mass of back scars are sub-optimal. (I would prefer to have this done via the tattoo system so that he can hide/show them as he sees fit, considering their placement and his somewhat private nature.)
That aspect of his behavior and what drives him to it relates to my next point, which is that he's not actively trying to come across like an ass, though I think he does more often than not. He hides his damage, wariness, and social awkwardness behind a mask of hostility and indifference, but most people just see the mask and that's it. He pretends not to be interested, but he is - if he wasn't, he wouldn't be constantly listening and watching everyone, which I touched on in the last post.
Azryen's often quiet wallflower-type behavior is in part because I'm nervous about talking, and so his complexity often gets lost in my own apprehension. I'm afraid he comes across as a one-note, abrasive and boring character, when there is so much more to him than face value.
He's not really a typical sadist or a masochist, like most followers I've heard about seem to be. I felt it was an uncommon approach to being a Mularosian, and it's one of my favorite things about him. His method of worship is actually a tell for anyone who knows him well enough to catch those subtleties in his personality and story. It's an important part of the character and his development, but it also isn't something that's just going to come up in casual conversation, so I rarely have the opportunity for him to express that side of himself. And without a coverable tattoo/scar feature, his options for actually having a large mass of back scars are sub-optimal. (I would prefer to have this done via the tattoo system so that he can hide/show them as he sees fit, considering their placement and his somewhat private nature.)
That aspect of his behavior and what drives him to it relates to my next point, which is that he's not actively trying to come across like an ass, though I think he does more often than not. He hides his damage, wariness, and social awkwardness behind a mask of hostility and indifference, but most people just see the mask and that's it. He pretends not to be interested, but he is - if he wasn't, he wouldn't be constantly listening and watching everyone, which I touched on in the last post.
Azryen's often quiet wallflower-type behavior is in part because I'm nervous about talking, and so his complexity often gets lost in my own apprehension. I'm afraid he comes across as a one-note, abrasive and boring character, when there is so much more to him than face value.
NAAMIT
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/16/2017 08:28 AM CST
> And without a coverable tattoo/scar feature, his options for actually having a large mass of back scars are sub-optimal. (I would prefer to have this done via the tattoo system so that he can hide/show them as he sees fit, considering their placement and his somewhat private nature.) - Azryen's harpist
This is why I originally gave Naamit a plethora of those 'black chain tattoos' long ago (she had one on every part but her face). It was as close as I could get with available functionality.
-k
This is why I originally gave Naamit a plethora of those 'black chain tattoos' long ago (she had one on every part but her face). It was as close as I could get with available functionality.
-k
JARHEAD
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/17/2017 04:37 PM CST
<Azryen's biggest character trait that I have difficulty expressing in game is that he is a flagellant.
The first time I read this i would have sworn flagellant was flatulent. I even tried to think of ways to express it in-game.....thank god I re-read it before posting.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
The first time I read this i would have sworn flagellant was flatulent. I even tried to think of ways to express it in-game.....thank god I re-read it before posting.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
OM1E5GA
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/26/2017 05:29 AM CST
I forgot about this folder for a while, but I did want to post in this thread since I did the other.... and I saw something I wanted to respond to also.
I'll stick with Starchitin since that's who I did in the other thread. The only thing I don't really express with him is his deep devotion to Aeia. Partly because it would be out of character to wear his religious beliefs on his sleeve (figuratively, not literally), but also because there's not really any time where he really has serious conversations. He's always so wrapped up in his antics, he never really gets serious unless someone's threatening the safety of River's Rest... in which case his response is arrows, limericks, and insults (laugh if you want, his limericks led to the downfall of one of the main baddies in a RR based storyline once).
<A lot of people do type their accents in game, and it can be effective. That doesn't quite work for me, however. In my head, Raelee definitely has an english accent - but a very proper and clearly-enunciated one. She sounds like the kind of person who was definitely schooled on her diction as a child. However, there's no way to type that out except for... just typing correctly. (Of course, that's another thing I fail to do sometimes...)>
I'm one of those people that definitely types out my characters accents. It actually started by accident cause I kept making the same typos with my empath and figured I'd just say it was the way she spoke after taking so many head wounds from folk. As time went on I got better at typing and standardized how I type her speech into an actual accent ment to convey repeated head trauma.
In your case, though, I'd convey the accent through word choices and grammar with a bit less focus on spelling. People in England use different words for some things then Americans (for example, loo instead of toilet or chips instead of fries... not that fries exist in Elanthia, just going off the top of my head), the well schooled over there also tend to use very proper grammar whose rules can vary slightly from American use (I'm by no means an expert on that, but there has to be an online resource on the Queen's English somewhere). Spelling COULD be used as well as some words are spelled slightly differently across the pond (theater/theatre for example).
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
I'll stick with Starchitin since that's who I did in the other thread. The only thing I don't really express with him is his deep devotion to Aeia. Partly because it would be out of character to wear his religious beliefs on his sleeve (figuratively, not literally), but also because there's not really any time where he really has serious conversations. He's always so wrapped up in his antics, he never really gets serious unless someone's threatening the safety of River's Rest... in which case his response is arrows, limericks, and insults (laugh if you want, his limericks led to the downfall of one of the main baddies in a RR based storyline once).
<A lot of people do type their accents in game, and it can be effective. That doesn't quite work for me, however. In my head, Raelee definitely has an english accent - but a very proper and clearly-enunciated one. She sounds like the kind of person who was definitely schooled on her diction as a child. However, there's no way to type that out except for... just typing correctly. (Of course, that's another thing I fail to do sometimes...)>
I'm one of those people that definitely types out my characters accents. It actually started by accident cause I kept making the same typos with my empath and figured I'd just say it was the way she spoke after taking so many head wounds from folk. As time went on I got better at typing and standardized how I type her speech into an actual accent ment to convey repeated head trauma.
In your case, though, I'd convey the accent through word choices and grammar with a bit less focus on spelling. People in England use different words for some things then Americans (for example, loo instead of toilet or chips instead of fries... not that fries exist in Elanthia, just going off the top of my head), the well schooled over there also tend to use very proper grammar whose rules can vary slightly from American use (I'm by no means an expert on that, but there has to be an online resource on the Queen's English somewhere). Spelling COULD be used as well as some words are spelled slightly differently across the pond (theater/theatre for example).
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
JARHEAD
Re: The Unexpressed Traits
02/26/2017 02:59 PM CST
<In my head, Raelee definitely has an english accent - but a very proper and clearly-enunciated one. She sounds like the kind of person who was definitely schooled on her diction as a child. However, there's no way to type that out except for... just typing correctly.
I just thought of something here that may actually pertain to this. Since my move to Canada 8 or so years ago I've taken on sort of a weird habit. My spelling of certain words is beginning to change, and frankly, it's driving me crazy. Here in Canada everything is spelled the "British" way. For instance, any word used in the states that ends with "or" ends with "our" here (Honor = honour, color = colour, flavor = flavour). I know if I saw someone spelling that way I'd automatically tag a Brit accent to it.
I haven't quite gotten the knack of pronouncing the letter Z (Zee to you U.S. people) as Zed, and I probably never will.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
I just thought of something here that may actually pertain to this. Since my move to Canada 8 or so years ago I've taken on sort of a weird habit. My spelling of certain words is beginning to change, and frankly, it's driving me crazy. Here in Canada everything is spelled the "British" way. For instance, any word used in the states that ends with "or" ends with "our" here (Honor = honour, color = colour, flavor = flavour). I know if I saw someone spelling that way I'd automatically tag a Brit accent to it.
I haven't quite gotten the knack of pronouncing the letter Z (Zee to you U.S. people) as Zed, and I probably never will.
General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq
Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato
www.radeekandoran.blogspot.ca
