@bored said in How can everyone play the same game?:

so long as you're logged in, using the game resources, and adhering to policy, you are absolutely playing the same game

Then this is your answer. This was @surreality's answer too, and some of the conversation in the thread so far could be considered, "How do you make sure everyone is adhering to policy?" Or, "What kind of policy helps?" Hell, @Ghost mentioned the kind of "RP Types" that are academic and yet feed into the concept of what is the game about.

you really can't filter them out

Except you can.

Staff is always capable of showing someone the door.

A constant or blatant ignoring of game's theme, setting, or intent is a valid reason to show someone the door. If you don't have respect for the game, you shouldn't be playing it. (Or running it. God, the number of times I've seen staff who lack respect outright. I could write a book.)

Sure we can get into the "but I can always return" discussion about Tor and VPNs, but at that point you're not playing the game.

@Arkandel said in How can everyone play the same game?:

Once you have an idea, a vision for the kind of MU* you want to create... what needs to be done and what are some good ways to effectively communicate something locked in your head first to other potential staff members then to (heavens forbid) your players so everyone on roughly the same wave length?

Something I haven't seen since Aether: Have a test at the end of chargen.

It might be surprising that I'm advocating hoops to jump through, but if you make it mild then this way you can make sure that players aren't skimming, or if they are skimming then they recognize that this particular thing is important.

I know a lot of people who say if people don't know everything then that's on them. That's fine. I'm not saying they are wrong. Yes, even "we won't hand-hold" is a policy decision.

But man did we almost never get any confusion on Aether for what it was about, or what the various races and factions were about. They weren't even hard questions, by design, but forced people to be aware how the pre-wiki was laid out and that they could rely on the help of their fellow players.

"How many magic types can elves learn?"
"How many weeks idle until we put a character on ice?"
"When did Aether split from Earth?"

Five questions and you're out.

@insomniac7809

I am slightly curious about this "TS Mystery" genre.

... Oh, wait, there's the comma. Hahahaha, my bad.

@Derp said in How can everyone play the same game?:

That also has come back to backfire on me in the past too.

Name me anything on this Earth that has not come back to bite someone in the past.

Balancing the positive with the negative is staff's burden. Those who can't or refuse to do so shouldn't be staff.

I was mostly testing your "a flat no by fiat" response, which in spite of how you phrased it isn't "a flat no by fiat". Which is more than fair.

MovieBob tears Joker apart, kinda.

The "kinda" is that his review is basically saying, "Eeehhhhhhhhhhhh...."

The first ten seconds put his opinions into context. Worth a watch.

@Derp said in How can everyone play the same game?:

my default answer is 'no'

Not "no, but"?

Huh.

I find that players mimic staff. Their attitude, their considerations, their unwritten rules from how they react to various situations.

If "no" is visible to the game, then "no" will be its default too.

At least it's "no, and here's why". A lot of staff don't even go that far.

@Tinuviel said in Feast of Legends MU(The Wendy's RPG):

@insomniac7809 Naturally, CR got some flack for that deal...

By people with no soul.

@Ominous

If staff has questions about my character’s direction that are important to the game, then they should ask them.

Otherwise I would like a chance to play my character first and make those discoveries on my own.

@Auspice said in NOLA: The Game That Care Forgot:

@RDC said in NOLA: The Game That Care Forgot:

I also very badly want Changeling to be honest. Is the Theno-code done for it? Is there a non-backers-only PDF available?

I'm not quite sure where @Thenomain is on the code.

Chargen. Regain/Spend for Goblin Debt has not been tested, and I need to add it to the sheet. Also need to test that the Touchstone merit behaves properly with regards to the Clarity tracker.

Personally I am looking for places to play Mage.

Golden Road and that Portland game have Mage.

I won't start fussing about Geist until it's out I guess but would you consider Geist once it's released?

I’ve seen the Kickstarter pre-release and they use Touchstones too, in a way similar to Changeling and Vampire. I have no other solid commentary on the quality of the changes, even tho I know yo we’re asking RDC.

@The-Sands

I try to focus on what's "good for the game" rather than "good for the player". It does leave a lot of vague and abusable nonsense, but it also puts the focus on maximizing the fun of the game which is often phrased as:

The job of staff is to facilitate fun.

Not guarantee, not provide, but facilitate. Make sure all the conditions are in place so that fun can be had. If fun isn't being had, it's up to them to decide what to do next.

It also insulates staff against the idea that if an individual isn't having fun it's up to staff to fix this. If it's an indication of bigger problems staff should probably pay attention, if it's a response to a plot staff is running then they should also probably pay some attention, but one-on-one it's not a critical duty of staff.

It's my personal philosophy that if everyone does what they can for the nebulous being I call The Game, then chances for fun is broadened on more shoulders and more people are there and willing to, wait for it:

@Ghost said in Staff scrutiny during CGen:

Make sure everyone is playing the same game.

For inspiration: Epic Rap Battles of History - Fast Food

@Arkandel

"What is your character concept?"

I was going to mention this as the other question I love as being a to-the-point way to get an early gauge on a character that is—and let's not ignore this point—not yours on a game—and this is also important—that is.

So keeping the questions as short jumping-off points is amazing.

Alright, enough of my thoughts are pulled together to comment on this part.

@Auspice said in Staff scrutiny during CGen:

1. What does your character love?
2. What does your character hate?

I often don't know. I play to find this out. If this creates a flat character that I can't engage with I don't think that this is the problem of the game or game staff. Someone can convince me that these two questions are critical for playing a character, but I will do a complete 180° on the third one:

3. Why did your character join the Stargate program?

Or as @Ominous summarizes: "Why are you here?"

If that question can't even be answered in some form or another, then how does anyone know what your character's engagement with the game will be?

Sometimes you do have to convince those around you that you're going to be a responsible citizen. Love this question. A+, would answer again.

@Derp said in Staff scrutiny during CGen:

They all switched it out to 'Irish Pub Dive Bar slash underground boxing ring'

While playing Haunted Memories, I and a few other people complained how many Irish Pubs there were on grid.

Then we researched Vienna.

There are a lot of Irish Pub-themed places in Vienna!

@Ganymede said in PC vs Player Assumptions:

@Thenomain said in PC vs Player Assumptions:

coughDoorscough

Or the Chase system.

But combat? Man, someone doesn't get combat 100% correct and it's like you pissed on their puppy while kicking it into the mouth of an orc.

These games need more chase scenes.

@Ganymede

coughDoorscough

@Lisse24

The reason is creates a job is to create a paper trail and allow staff to manage it how they want. Since it's giving people XP (or one fifth of an XP) every time they engage it, max once per scene, I didn't want people to just tick it over whenever they wanted.

This is the explanation, at least.

I'm a little surprised that people are seeing "creates a job" as "this is a big deal". A little, but not terribly surprised; no design survives first contact with the end-user.

--

@Coin, et al. , here is what I'd be afraid of making a "(post-)scene Aspiration validation system":

+vote/scene

This is the shorthand that came about because people would, instead of giving xp votes to people they thought were exceptional, to give free love. I wasn't a fan of it...ever, but this is how things evolved in the social sense.

Two years from now it will be:

+asp/validate all

When left in the hands of the users, bureaucracy is just as much of a nuisance as to staff but without the oversight.

@Ghost said in Staff scrutiny during CGen:

Make sure everyone is playing the same game.

Hold on a sec...

Make sure everyone is playing the same game.

Better.

(edit: can't make it bigger, dammit)

@Ghost

These are all things that I already said.

Where is the communication barrier?

@Ghost said in What Types of Games Would People Like To See?:

@Thenomain Some Long Term Asps some people choose are a bit too long term.

And my response to that is: So what? What in a Long-Term Aspiration needs it to resolve completely? Or ever? (Though giving people a Condition for hanging on to their dreams past their viability could be interesting!)