Posts made by Ganymede

@Kestrel said in Borrowing ideas — at what point does it become theft?:

I know that I'd probably like to list credit where it's due with some kind of acknowledgements page, such as 'thanks to HavenRPG for inspiring idea X, Legend of the Green Dragon for inspiring idea Y, and @SkinnyThicket for the innovative mapping/exploration system', but I'm interested to hear thoughts from developers/players here about the practice of idea-borrowing in general.

If you are directly taking an idea, code, or system from another game, you should probably ask for permission. For example, if I swipe @surreality's wiki stuff, I should probably ask first. Credit should always be given where credit is due, so I appreciate it when game developers give shout-outs to inspiration; WoD books generally do this.

I don't mind people using or implementing my ideas because that's all they are -- ideas. I've got a lot of them. If I get props for it, that's fantastic. If people claim that the idea is completely novel, I'm happy to point out where I mentioned it and when, if I believe I came up with it first. The latter instance rarely comes up.

@HorrorHound said in Reality Levels and WOD Realms:

Your players need to be mature, unjaded and realize such games mean they are never alone. Specifically for things like politics. @Ganymede may have some better grip with how to implement that without coming off as weird.

I spent some time considering how to best implement a mini-game, off-screen political system for Cobalt's project. In doing so, I came to the conclusion that the most genial way to do this is by focusing the mini-game on: (1) gathering resources; (2) acquiring and completing jobs/quests/missions from NPCs; and (3) gradually building up territories.

RfK's system fell down because it tried to do too much. In addition to the above, you could wrest control of places away from factions, debilitate or destroy territories, and otherwise act in a deleterious fashion. As realistic as this might be, you are encouraging a hostile PvP environment. Managing that in addition to managing the inevitable PvP that arises in a MU* -- especially a WoD MU* -- is difficult, and runs contrary with the general theme of player collaboration in creating and maintaining a welcoming, inviting game environment.

Barring the absolute automation of every facet of a game, MU*s will not be able to compete or compare with other kinds of online role-playing games. The best way to manage politics between players and characters is to not try to do this.

@Arkandel

People need to get their heads on straight about conflicts (because there is none at the moment), but you have to be careful to keep the matters in both scenes separate from one another, so that players do not inadvertently create their own conflicts.

If the PCs in the first scene and the PCs in the second scene cross paths, then the players are creating their conflict, not you. But you need to make it clear -- if this is a possibility -- that there may be an alt-conflict down the road.

@Killer-Klown said in Rate A Concept:

@tragedyjones I actually think there's a canon Bloodline based around that kind of thing.

I'm pretty sure he's played that concept before too.

I would be the "Ganymede" appearing on that Due Rewards list. Amusement factor, high.

@Arkandel said in RL Anger:

How you can do that to a creature who loves you utterly is beyond me.

This is why I'm a cat-person. Because, frankly, if I die suddenly, I want someone to enjoy me.

@HorrorHound

You work for Westgate?

That was an awesome resort.

@Arkandel said in Coming Soon: Arx, After the Reckoning:

ANOTHER one?

The fuck you on, pal? I don't play them often!

Only recently.

And Galina's not a slutty-bunny. She's just played that way. If it's wrong to be sexy-vampire-Hitler, I don't want to be right.

@Kanye-Qwest said in Coming Soon: Arx, After the Reckoning:

It's ok for a character to plot and want to destroy another character politically, but yeah, I'd definitely not allow it for the sole purpose of screwing a player over. (Note, I was certain that was a pithy comment on Custodius and not an actual game plan)

Well, so much for the slutty-bunny I was putting together.

@Sunny said in The Apology Thread:

Why would anyone spend so much time with people that they aren't friends with?

When we RP together, you're RPing with Ganymede. Ganymede is a sexually-ambiguous lawyerbot that alleges it was created and developed in Canada before being exported to Ohio for being an intolerable fuck-wit. I, the player, am more than slightly different.

When I go out to local haunts to chill, sing karaoke, or mix and mingle, I do so as myself, the person -- the non-lawyerbot. I give people my name, talk about what I do, discuss sports and other hobbies, and laugh at others' expense.

I see these as two activities. So, when I'm online, I generally don't talk about personal things: my name; my hobbies; my pets (children); my work. (At least, I don't do so often.) It's not important to my persona on the game as a player: there, what is relevant is that I'm patient, polite, encouraging, and genial until you push lawyerbot buttons and turn me into a savage.

I've been at this over 20 years, and I'm pretty sure that no one really knows who I am.

And it doesn't matter, does it?

@gasket said in The Apology Thread:

Something something communication something. It's always seemed to me that you do better at that than most.

Thank you, but I never thought there was a trick about it.

When I was younger, I was creeped on. But I gravitated towards people more mature than I. (Sunny, for instance.) I try not to get roped into stupid shit, and I don't think I ever entertained gossip much. There are a handful of gamers I listen to closely, who have never steered me wrong. (Sunny, for instance.)

I'm not a saint; I'm not perfect; I've made mistakes; I've deserted people. But at the end of the day, I think the only reason I've escaped being shit on is because I've never tried to form a relationship with others. Those that have developed occurred organically, without a concerted effort.

That said, the shittiest I've been treated was probably at the hand of VASpider and Shaft, who had Nokomis remove me from Denver by Night's staff because I was deliberately barring them and Seiche from taking control of a sphere. What they might not have appreciated was that I wasn't trying to keep them from anything; everyone else was.

@gasket said in The Apology Thread:

To take the other side, most of us have had someone be breathtakingly horrible to us in this hobby.

I can honestly say that no one has treated me this poorly before.

@Kanye-Qwest said in RL Anger:

Freedom of speech guarantees that you can say what you want (threats not included) and the government will not throw you in jail or take all your property for it.

This is a good way to look at it, if you are someone that doesn't want to toe the line when it comes to laws and regulations that actually infringe on the absolute right.

@Goyim

Actually, I did play at Arx. I created and played Grim for a short while. After playing, I realized it wasn't for me, so I left. My decision to leave had nothing to do with the e-mail requirement, as I'm sure you read (if you read) my comments.

I've been saying this since before this board again, but I'll say it again: staff is under no obligation to respond to criticism made here. Letting negative criticism of game policies go untouched is not an indicum of softness.

And if you are going to respond, do so with some semblance of decorum, no matter how absurd or unreasonable the critic sounds.

@Apos said in Coming Soon: Arx, After the Reckoning:

Yes, arguing with players can be a huge red flag. But let's also not forget how many games croak run by super sweet and nice people.

Your staff didn't come off sweet or nice, or even professional and level-headed.

In fact, there is no requirement your staff even had to react on this thread.

It is not a surprise that any number of us don't see any logic to having an e-mail requirement to log-in. For the most part, I still don't. Your game was an exception because I just don't know Evennia.

Nothing that was said required KQ to say anything at all. And no response would not make you appear soft.

You are under no obligation to respond to anything by anyone here.

So, no. I don't buy your defense.

(P.S.: You also don't need to respond to this post.)

(P.P.S.: Your game is pretty badass, but I'm not into the system or the setting.)

@Thenomain said in Coming Soon: Arx, After the Reckoning:

Because there have been several times in the past where people have taken those email addresses and abused the trust of the people who've asked for them. We here, esp. us dinos like WTFE and myself, have been over this and we can't come up with a considerately valid reason why having the email in the first place has more benefits than risks.

I hesitated to join Arx because of this. I figured it had to do with Evennia, and the fact that there was a roster system. There may be better way to track who has played which PC at one time, but an e-mail address seems like a reasonable way to track this.

Since we can all make shell or false accounts, I don't see much of an issue with this. I don't know if there's a better way, but this requirement did not bar me because I presumed it was necessary for the game interface, which I was curious about.

@Coin said in Shadows Over Reno:

CULLED.

I DON'T REMEMBER ASKING YOU A GODDAMN THING.

@mietze said in Shadows Over Reno:

Most of my horrific ooc and ic experiences have been with people who write beautiful, detailed, what some might call overly long descs. But that is not why they were bad, it just reflects the nature of games and circles that I'm attracted to as a player. And since I stopped looking altogether my last year of play, I found myself experiencing the same range of quality as I always had, perhaps even improved a bit because I did not prescreen people on wiki or object description, so I didn't avoid as many people on that filter--I just culled people after 1-3 scenes depending.

Hey ... wait a minute ...

... in how many scenes have we played together recently?

@Miss-Demeanor said in Dead Celebrity Thread:

Sweetie? Mickey Rooney died 2 years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Rooney

Thanks. I needed that. ^.^

@Arkandel said in Policies:

How do we feel about policies which punish players for their past behavior from different games?

Absolutely. This is fine and tolerable.

I have a high level of tolerance for bullshit; ask anyone. But if I make the decision that we don't get along or I cannot work with you, it is a given that I will keep you off of any of my games, once I find you.

If I don't find you, chances are that you have changed yourself sufficiently. I will still kick you off if I find you.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with people that I have not been able to deal with before. I know more people I'd rather play with and work with, and devote my time to. Or, in the words of a local mediator I like, "I ain't got time hanging out with people I don't like; I've raised three kids."