That would be some awesome fun RP. This leap confuses me. We're talking about IC spying and RP. Now you're talking about OOC. If the spy is working on behalf of Darth Bob to root out and identify threats to him, then I would assume he would report his findings to Darth Bob in some kind of IC manner as well (even if it was by written report). There should be no OOC to it. If the spy and Darth Bob are in the habit of ooc chatting about RP developments before they get around to the RP - a habit I try to stay away from because it messes with things - well then it's up to them as responsible role players to use some reasonable judgement in what they know. As an aside, one way to reduce the temptation to accidentally meta in cases like that is to not be RPing for disastrous (to someone) stakes. You can play with the IC threat of character death (or something) without carrying it out. So the assassination, if successful, would presumably not be an assassination at all - unless Darth Bob agreed to such high stakes. Some kind of deal would be made - or something - to keep RP going, give Darth Bob the opportunity to keep playing and keep RPing. The higher the stakes, the greater the need for purity and rigor to keep the RP and OOC meticulously separated. I can appreciate the more narrative style, and I've participated in some that were amazing and intense. Although a huge part of the beauty of it for me is that I was able to act simply as my character would and not know the planned direction or the expected outcome. I don't know the inner workings of the mind of the person who was driving it all, but I suspect if a scene didn't end up quite where he intended it to, he would set up a follow-up scene or somehow try to get it back in direction he had in mind - not retconning things (mostly) - but frequent course changes. Having your plans foiled by the unexpected is a perfectly good plot point and something to work with when it happens. Although I admit there are different levels of "unexpected" and a herd of fluffy vampire bunnies charging in to foil the assassination attempt and whisk Darth Bob away to safety might be difficult to work with.

Absolutely. But that isn't the topic, as far as I know. We're talking about RP in a public shared world, in which if I hear something, I don't have to ask if it's ok that I heard it. I did. And if I choose to tell others or somehow use it against you (or rather, my character finds a way to use it against your character - it's a fictional story - not personal), then that's what happens. If my character finds it politically advantageous to drive a wedge between your character and ally of yours, to nudge the ally to someone else's side perhaps, then that's fair game as far as I'm concerned. So word gets to your ally that maybe you aren't as up front with them as they would like. (Remember - we're talking about CHARACTERS, not players, and transmission by IN CHARACTER means.) Politics happens. Intrigue happens. The end result is totally not in my hands, or yours, but comes out of the resulting RP. Setting up a situation to respond to, setting into action a series of events, is not god-moding. Throwing a monkey wrench into a situation is not god-moding. I will however throw in a caveat that deliberately interfering with really private RP - such as continually disrupting a guild's internal event so that they can never introduce their story or get it moving or progress it ~IS~ d-baggery. Even if the disruption is done with "RP". It offers nothing to the RP, gives nothing to work with, simply prevents the others from progressing with the RP that they worked hard to lay the ground work for, and that may have been vital to the in-game fun of the players involved. If reasonable attempts were made to keep it private - then it's private - even if the game mechanics don't allow the level of privacy that was intended. So yeah, spies, saboteurs, disruptors need to use some sense and consideration in what they might reasonably have access to. Even then, in a questionable situation, I might ask if I could reasonably have heard/observed what I think I did, but I would not ask for permission to use what I heard or explain what it would be used for.

RP-PvP works fine. It all depends on your tolerance for being shot at when you would rather make a speech or have a picnic. If you can accept that the enemy might want to attack you when they see you, even if you don't know the attacker, and can fit that in with your RP, then it works fine. BioWare isn't enforcing RP rules on any server, RP-PvE or RP-PvP, so that's no different. To the OP, if you enjoy PvP you might want to create a character on an RP-PvP server and give it a try. If you like it - great. If you don't like it - no problem, nothing really lost - you still have your PvE characters.

I figure if you're discussing something sensitive out in the open then you expect and intend for someone to take and use that information. That's what makes intense dynamic RP in my opinion. Heck, I've gone with co-conspirators to a place where people could easily eavesdrop and once I noticed people around, deliberately dropped bits for spies to hear and act on or sell. That's the way I expect dynamic RP to work. I've been the spy, the one spied on, and the one hiring the spies or buying their information, and at no point have I asked or been asked "is it ok if I spy on you?" Although I have also learned that stealth mechanics breed distrust, and aren't even necessary really. I'm convinced that with enough character setup over time, you can learn more hiding in plain sight than you can using the stealth mechanic.

My personal opinion is that if you're talking in say, expect you might be heard. I don't expect anyone to ask permission to hear me. And I won't ask permission to see or hear what I darn well did see and hear. But - I also don't go for using the stealth mechanic when eavesdropping. If you're going to listen in on someone, then try to hide behind an object, and they need to have a fair chance of noticing you. If they always notice you right away and refuse to play - then you at least have some new information. You can either try to work with them to find a compatible middle ground of RP, or take your RP business elsewhere. The OP's situation of having someone use the stealth mechanic in a way that is unrealistic and a bit one-sided, and then to use that information in RP - I don't know. I really don't like an environment where there needs to be too much ooc negotiation, but maybe it would be worth discussing it with that person. Work out an agreement whether it's asking permission, RPing some kind of emote to give you a heads up, or just not using the stealth mechanic.

Maybe for you. I've done plenty wrong - and try to learn from it. And I see it often done right - and try to learn from that. I've also seen it done wrong by others - and try to learn from that. Your vaguely accusing generalization fails. An angst-filled Jedi may be done well or badly or somewhere between, just as a straight by the book Jedi may also be done well or badly or somewhere between. I wouldn't tell someone RPing an excessively angst-filled brooding Jedi that he's RPing badly or wrong. But I would probably make my excuses and be on my way. If he were a friend who asked my advice, I might gently suggest he tone down the angst. If he didn't ask my advice, I wouldn't say anything. Edit: I'll leave this discussion by pointing out that just about any character concept that can exist in the game lore can be well done. The most rewarding approach, in my opinion, when encountering something that leaves us suspecting "cliche" is to withhold judgement and see what they do with it. It could be very surprising.

The key words there are "if done right". My Jedi Sentinel also has some issues with emotional control. But there's a difference between RPing the effort to control emotions (sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing) and constantly full of angst and brooding over it.

This sounds like a really useful project. Good luck with it.

As far as being a light side Sith, I don't think it's a problem. My Sith is light. No one really needs to know - or should know - your degree of light/dark unless you want them to. Have some basic reasoning for yourself of what your character will and won't do and why - overall and case by case. Try to make that reasoning make sense and fit with your character's origins and history and current situation. You'll be fine. And honestly as far as which server is "best" - only people who actively RP on more than one server are in a position to answer that. I think Jung Ma is fine. I'd like more, but I suspect there is more, we just haven't all found each other and started RPing with each other yet. It's coming along - I have faith.

That sounds fantastic! Good pointers on how to help without ruining the experience, too.

I'm still not certain if I agree with you, but I see your distinction and think it's valid. I suspect there may be a few people who really, at a deep level, don't "get" RP, and a written "how-to" guide won't help. Especially since most guides I have seen stray from the essence and dwell far too much on peripheral things like a detailed back story, writing ability, or creating a character that is drastically different from the player.

I disagree. People who don't know any better may sometimes choose inferior models or standards to emulate, and sometimes suggestions or examples of better alternatives is all that is needed to nudge them onto a different, and better (to many of us) track. And if they see other ways to do things and simply like their way better - than let 'em have fun their way.

On Pub side of Jung Ma the RP channel is for OOC. So I'll tell you how we use it (mostly) there. We use it for finding RP, of course, and we have. That does not mean that if you speak out in channel that you'd like to find some RP, someone will drop whatever else they're doing at that moment to come to wherever you are and RP with you. But I've had a few "RP dates" where we finished up our quests, met somewhere, and got acquainted. We did an RP run of Esseles at one point too, which was great fun. We use it to bounce character concepts or guild concepts off each other. We've used it to discuss different RP styles, techniques, and methods - and when I was there it was interesting, full of different opinions and perspectives, and without drama. We also use it for just hanging out and general chat. But it's generally a more friendly class of general chat. The RP channel is global, not limited only to the planet (or station) you're on. And we're making friends, or at least friendly acquaintances there - people we are happy to see and greet when they log on, and who we rely on to simply chat with. Last night we had a bit of minor conflict in which someone was questioning - in a way that seemed more demanding than curious - why we weren't RPing in the RP channel. The person who created the Jung Ma Pub side RP channel did it for OOC chat. He said so. I do think things would be less confusing, frustrating, and contentious if we had RP (which was IC) and RPOOC or just OOC (which is, obviously, OOC). But I didn't create the channels, I'm just working with what has been established on our server. Anyway, the discussion over RPing or not in the RP channels got a smidgen unpleasant for a while, but it settled down. I backed out for most of it and just asked for a verdict when the discussion was over so I could create an OOC channel if necessary. I do enjoy meeting and chatting with other RPers, but there is no way my character is sharing a constant comm-link with such a large and motley group of mostly strangers while skulking around Balmorra. The outcome of that discussion was that on Republic side of the Jung Ma server, the RP channel is still used for ooc chat.

Patrian Legion and Obsidian Legion were formed with the goal of being able to fight each other over RP objectives. We're small yet and don't really have the numbers in similar levels brackets to really do that yet - so we just play one side or the other depending on our preference for now. Sometimes we'll have a Warzone night for one specific side and all hang out together.

I'm glad they're being reasonable in that department. I mean it's flirting for god's sake - something most people do - flirting isn't being unfaithful - it's flirting. And besides, we aren't married yet. Not even very close to it. And it's all in the line of work.

I just met Akaavi - and if I were a guy I would totally go for her.

Funny. Mine had a great evening with the noble on Alderaan - by not throwing herself at him, and not looking for anything more than a good time. Yeah, he got alarmed when she yanked his chain about marriage, but it was all ok when she said "relax, I'm just teasing you". And then a little later she saved his bacon - again. So the Twi'lek dude on Balmorra is nailable? I wish we could save and reload because it would be fun to go for that and then save the relationship with Corso - but I would hate to have it ruined forever.

This is confusing. He has whatever you equip him with. Improve his gear, and with the stats you want, and that's what he has. And I don't need him to single-handedly kill the stuff, I need him to hold aggro and stay alive. I can switch between healing and dps - and I do.

There was a fun "girl bonding" scene with Kaliyo and the agent who was working with the PC on Balmorra. Basically the female PC gets to go off to "celebrate" alone with the guy at the end of the mission, and Kaliyo gives a "you go girl" - although Kaliyo wanted to play with him herself if PC didn't take him up. Another fun girl-bonding moment for the female IA. Kaliyo: "You take the smart ones, I'll take the rich ones, we'll be all set."

I love Scoundrel and Corso is the companion that fits the Scoundrel play style best, in my opinion. I don't remember when you get different abilities - but basically when you get Tranquilize, you stealth in, tranq one biological, back out to where you want to fight and select one of the ranged biologicals remaining, or the toughest one there, and tell Corso to attack. If there's a droid you disable one droid. Corso pulls to him the one you told him to, you get some heals on him to have Upper Hand, Blaster whip and Underworld Medicine to keep two Upper Hand up, and alternate Upper Hand stuff, other heals, and damage. I love Back Blast. It's so satisfying.

Yup. I've been there. But still - I would take that, and a server forum where we could actually get to know each other enough to make friends and enemies - over the nothing we have now.

However, I would suggest that the name floating over your head (which characters can't see anyway) is what you are called, not what your momma named you. I know when I meet someone, I'm not checking their passport, but just asking what their name is. And I expect the answer to "what's your name" to be what he is called, not what his birth certificate says. If everyone calls him Spike, and he wants me to call him Spike, then it doesn't matter to me that his momma named him Rufus - I'll call him Spike. (And Spike is what I hope he will have displayed over his head, to aid in memory, since I'm NOT going to try to remember some other name.)

I have found it much easier to simply put my actions and descriptions embedded in * * with the same post as dialog rather than deal with emotes. It's a habit I had from previous games, and it still seems to work better for me than using /e. Now - if we could get the best of both worlds, with the animated emotes completed and fixed, and my custom text accompanying them - life would be sweet! /e nods her head enthusiastically But until then, I prefer /say *crosses her arms over her chest, studying him critically, clucking her tongue softly, thinking* "Now that you're on my ship, what am I supposed to do with you? If I'm going to run afoul of authorities, I want it to be on my terms, and for a profit." Everyone in say range can see it, even cross-faction, but it can't be seen across half the planet, which is annoying as hell.

I've seen server forums turn to sewers only as a result of the server community dying - not as the cause. The "calling out" and other such posts that bother some people are just the nature of a competition-oriented population. It is usually complemented and balanced by other content on the forum of a good healthy server community.

Republic vs. Empire RP on Jung Ma I haven't had enough exposure to either yet to say. My anecdotal experience so far is I attended a social/cantina event on Empire side and saw more people in one place role playing than I have seen on Republic side. I've seen more chat in the RP channel on Republic side than on Empire side - chat resulting in RPers getting together in duos and small groups for RP out in the world or in flashpoints. I think all aspects of RP on both sides will pick up more.