Playing online multiplayer can be new experience for some of you while others have already played online here and there. So, what is different? You are not alone, you are not the center of all, you are no better than others. This mostly goes around the following points in servers:
1) Loot, sharing and greed.
- [i]In servers there often comes problems with items and loot you find from monsters, chests or gain through DM events. Nearly everyone in group wants them, even if the character doesn’t need them. However, there would come nothing good if everyone were just picking the loot without telling others about it, or otherwise ‘stealing’ it without leaving a possibility for others to gain it. To show good sports, it is always suggestable to in character (or out of character, but preferably first one as it can be handled that way) establish some sort of ruling how to share the treasure. Either take turns, decide on the way by giving items to most deserving, let the dice decide (four six sided dices as example, since it is generally more in character than 1d100), so it works or whichever seems the most convenient way to handle it, if you want to design alternative in character ways to handle it, feel free. Your character may be greed, but that gives no excuse for you as player to give nothing to your fellow players… if you wish to play greed character, rather emote taking everything, but leave somethings behind like he was in rush to steal everything or demand payments for smallest things in character… roleplay.[/i] [/li]
- [i]Another problem in servers often is monsters and sharing hunting grounds (be it for experience points, gold or items). Now everyone would want to be in the most optimal hunting ground hour after another just to get the optimum result of gaming. Unfortunately in multiplayer that is not always possible and you sometimes need to share and/or stand aside to make room for others. Why should you move? To be polite? Consider situation that another group has been hunting in an area for four hours straight because it is optimal for them to do itÂ… now your group arrives the area and youÂ’d want to get adventure through the areaÂ… problem is, it is already occupied. I could bet that in such situation you would think that the other group should move on, theyÂ’ve had their time around the place already. That person who was there first could be you. Of course there is always possibility of combining forces, but always keep in mind that there are other players who have same desires, same rights and possibly same motivesÂ… remember that there are plenty areas to go to, it doesnÂ’t have to be the most optimal area all the time, to find the good spots, you sometimes need to find the bad spots.[/i] [/li]
- [i]As the point is quite obvious already, but bears mentioning… you are not the only player in multiplayer. Single player campaigns (both official and unofficial from nwvault or somewhere) are always option. If you are unable to behave and respect the other players of the server, perhaps you should keep to them. Playing with others and sharing the areas, loot or whichever is in the end really easy. Remember that when you are in group or nearby others, you don’t have to be that greedy, later on you can catch up by playing a bit of time alone (it is admittably great way to release stress/pressure sometimes) and you will get it all, except possibly the areas. There is someone new to roleplaying? Don’t just ignore them and lift your nose to sky because someone has not roleplayed as much as you have, everyone are new to roleplaying at some point, others have language barrier. As long as the person is willing to try and learn, they are doing something right. (Even carry a few “roleplaying guide books” with you that you can get from OOC room from one of the signs if you don’t have time to always assist new roleplayers) Language is another matter, although in SCoD we are targeting to mature audience, it does in no way mean we are in favour of ‘f***’, ‘c***’, ‘s***’ or similar language. Profanity is more of ‘power word’ without real meaning in it… you say it to emphasize your message, like exclamation mark or something. It is not always needed, you are capable of discussing without them. It is true that profanity has only as much of meaning as you give it, but here comes the tricky part… you are not alone in multiplayer, there can be a lot of people, respect their lifestyle as it is already stated that profanity is not needed to spread the message.[/i] [/li]
4) NPC, cities and laws.
- [i]One of the less obvious general courtesy in servers is to understand and acknowledge the existence of surroundings and non player characters day to day life. Doing crimes right infront of NPC city guards is often frowned upon as metagaming or god-moding, it is unfortunate truth that scripting the NPC to act appropriately to all players actions is nearly impossible, which is why only DMs can really make them react. You should avoid trying to do deeds where the environment and surroundings would react to your characters actions in means to beat other characters or beings through unrealistic methodsÂ… such as doing crimes right infront of NPC city guards, unless a DM is actively controlling said NPCs at the time. This doesnÂ’t mean that while you are in city, you can do no mischief to people, just try to think how to do it in manner that it wouldnÂ’t catch too much attention into itÂ… lure victims to dark alleys or spots where the guards donÂ’t appear, make the mischief appear harmless for others (like classic movie trick, stab the other while appearing to others as if youÂ’re hugging the person). Lastly, donÂ’t assume the guards will never act. Sometimes the guards might become rather alive which holds nothing good for open wrong-doers.[/i] [/li]
- [i]This one is the more conflict creating things in any server. If you go for just jumping into someone and clicking the skill, then walking away, people will only frown at youÂ… instead how you should go for with pick pocket is to roleplay it through out... a few example scenarios:[/i]
- As female characters this is easy to do, tempt a male, get close themÂ… dust off their clothes a bit, maybe even hug them, then pick pocket them when theyÂ’re most likely unable to think deception.
- Get close to people, maybe to handshake, get apparently more friendly by hitting shoulders on each other and tap their backÂ… pick pocket ensues.
- Lure people to inn, offer them a drink, offer to take off their jacket or some more exterior outfits, then pick pocket the jacket while youÂ’re taking it off from themÂ… stealing with style.
- Roleplay bumping into someone, maybe enough hard to push them on ground, be a gentleman and help them up of course apologizing and everythingÂ… all the same time as youÂ’re pick pocketing them.
- Offer to show a magic trick to someone for their item, if you manage to get sleight of hands/dexterity rolls well enough, then it should work as such and take it out of their pocketÂ… while picking something else out of their pockets.
*edit* Sleight of Hands has been modified to unallow robbing player characters mechanically, naturally you are more than free to still remain to roleplay such.