Hello all,
So this thread is going to clarify some points regarding the standing of staff in RP where we have noticed mild contention in the past. Hopefully this thread will explain any concerns you might have had and reduce confusion going forward.
In a shortened summary,
Staff and players should be able to:
1) Operate within the same bounds of freedom and obligation in RP.
2) Have the same opportunities to achieve significant things IC.
3) Use any justified, earned IC abilities/knowledge as befits their character without OOC fear of persecution.
What does this mean?
To start off, you’ll notice this:
I suppose the only way to go about this is to state the obvious:
1) Staff are players too.
Non-staff and staff players alike, we all want to be able to enjoy playing the game on an equal opportunities basis. In accordance with the Tome of Citizenship, the King’s Law, the Roleplay Guides, with the most recent Player Bill of Rights - which you may find {here} - we all have exactly the same right to realistic IC action/inaction within the Altera setting.
Occasionally it has been criticised that staff do too much in RP, or take too big a role in events and current happenings. However, it needs to be clarified that staff players can accomplish nothing IC that non-staff players cannot. If any player, staff or non-staff does not? Simply put, it is nothing to do with any perceived distinction between staff players and non-staff players.
What characters do is extraneous to staff work; it is simply unfair to unrealistically inhibit anyone’s character to make something easier or more fun for others - it is simply caving to the Tall Poppy Syndrome, and it’s not how real life works either.
On the subject of equal opportunities:
2) We know nothing, Jon Snow.
Excusing the meme, that is the essence of it; unless personally involved in a confidential project OOC, staff players know as little about the campaigns as non-staff players do, and should therefore be able to interact with them to the same degree.
We do not have any advantage in terms of knowledge of plot variables, planned interactions, denizens, or anything remotely character-affecting whatsoever.
Those who are involved in working on anything specifically confidential or spoiler-heavy will often have to comply with a work agreement that they must, depending on the extent of the knowledge, either:
This leads nicely onto the last area to be explained, though it focuses more broadly on any character strengths rather than knowledge alone:
3) Being a staff member grants no IC perks.
Staff players are required to earn their IC abilities, skills, knowledge and power through in-character just as players are:
A final note:
Last of all, please bear in mind that this is not a jab at any specific incident or query; it is neither rebuttal nor reprimand, and I'm glad this was able to be addressed. Hopefully it will alleviate some of the concerns we have been seeing, though if you still have questions or thoughts on the subject by all means comment below or, if you would prefer, send myself or another staff member of forum message on the subject.
Thank you all for reading, and have a good weekend!
So this thread is going to clarify some points regarding the standing of staff in RP where we have noticed mild contention in the past. Hopefully this thread will explain any concerns you might have had and reduce confusion going forward.
In a shortened summary,
Staff and players should be able to:
1) Operate within the same bounds of freedom and obligation in RP.
2) Have the same opportunities to achieve significant things IC.
3) Use any justified, earned IC abilities/knowledge as befits their character without OOC fear of persecution.
What does this mean?
To start off, you’ll notice this:
I suppose the only way to go about this is to state the obvious:
1) Staff are players too.
Non-staff and staff players alike, we all want to be able to enjoy playing the game on an equal opportunities basis. In accordance with the Tome of Citizenship, the King’s Law, the Roleplay Guides, with the most recent Player Bill of Rights - which you may find {here} - we all have exactly the same right to realistic IC action/inaction within the Altera setting.
Occasionally it has been criticised that staff do too much in RP, or take too big a role in events and current happenings. However, it needs to be clarified that staff players can accomplish nothing IC that non-staff players cannot. If any player, staff or non-staff does not? Simply put, it is nothing to do with any perceived distinction between staff players and non-staff players.
What characters do is extraneous to staff work; it is simply unfair to unrealistically inhibit anyone’s character to make something easier or more fun for others - it is simply caving to the Tall Poppy Syndrome, and it’s not how real life works either.
On the subject of equal opportunities:
2) We know nothing, Jon Snow.
Excusing the meme, that is the essence of it; unless personally involved in a confidential project OOC, staff players know as little about the campaigns as non-staff players do, and should therefore be able to interact with them to the same degree.
We do not have any advantage in terms of knowledge of plot variables, planned interactions, denizens, or anything remotely character-affecting whatsoever.
Those who are involved in working on anything specifically confidential or spoiler-heavy will often have to comply with a work agreement that they must, depending on the extent of the knowledge, either:
A) Keep their characters from interacting with the area that they have knowledge of OOCly
If they are made to be remotely involved IC through the actions of other characters, they will go to ridiculous extents to avoid making any related IC conclusions until there is absolutely no doubt their character would realise things.OR
B) Keep their characters out of an event or campaign as entirely as can possibly be justified
This leads nicely onto the last area to be explained, though it focuses more broadly on any character strengths rather than knowledge alone:
3) Being a staff member grants no IC perks.
Staff players are required to earn their IC abilities, skills, knowledge and power through in-character just as players are:
- Characters leading houses go through the same process of collecting funds, finding others to join them, and establishing themselves in the political scheme of things.
- Characters with combat skills, passive skills, specific learning or areas of expertise will have earned and maintained such through roleplay.
- Characters using magic have all taken the necessary risks, done the necessary training, completed research, experiments, trial and error to earn their abilities - some even through excessive instances of error purely to avoid any possibility of metagaming.
A final note:
Last of all, please bear in mind that this is not a jab at any specific incident or query; it is neither rebuttal nor reprimand, and I'm glad this was able to be addressed. Hopefully it will alleviate some of the concerns we have been seeing, though if you still have questions or thoughts on the subject by all means comment below or, if you would prefer, send myself or another staff member of forum message on the subject.
Thank you all for reading, and have a good weekend!
Staff need to make a threat about this? People think that OOC matters IC? *confused*
