There Needs to be SERIOUSLY Better Policing of the RP Servers

[Timarick]

((re-post from General Discussion, because really, we here on the Ebon Hawk deserve better treatment as RPers))

 

Not that you guys righteously give much about the RP community, but this is getting obscenely out of hand...

 

Why make an RP server when nobody follows the RULES of an RP server? You know where people actually go to make characters, play out the story beyond standard PVE and PVP, and don't have to watch whenever they walk around people like "Sithborn" and "Spider-Man" and "Sirfapsalot" and "Hulk Hogan" and every other kind of stupid possible name you can list off known to mankind. I cannot tell you how long my ignore list is just with people with incredibly stupid names like the handful I have listed above. And not just on ONE toon, but ALL of them.

 

If players want to PVE, that's great, but if you want to do that, go to a regular PVE server. Even when you /ignore the people with the stupid names, they don't just magically turn invisible and there is the occasional chance you can still re-que with them, as rare as that is. There needs to be better moderators (that are devs) that police these stupid names and filter them out of the game because if you can do that by filtering out "Han Solo" and "Luke Skywalker" then you can do it for a guy that calls himself "Darth Buttf'ck McGoose."

 

Also, the regulation of RP is TERRIBLE. We are given ZERO RP events that aren't done by the game devs that further the story and only see the VERY occasional news report here on site. But how does that pertain to the roleplay community? That's up to the players to determine and wrangling people is such a pain to do that! I mean creating free RP instances within phases would be nice, GSH seems to be a great step towards this idea too, but really, the servers have gotten ZERO love to the point they are just another PVE or PVP server, that the tagline of them being "RP" or "RP-PVP" server seems obscenely redundant.

 

That is nothing to say of the lack of QL features like optional chat bubbles, hood toggle, sitting in chairs (not just a chair emote) or the laundry list of things that the community has asked for and only got breadcrumbs instead of a proper steak and potato dinner the same way the PVP and PVE crowd have gotten. I LOVE the PVE and enjoy the PVP, but the RP is the only reason I still play this game and I am not the only one in my own personal community who feels this way.

 

Is it too much to ask for better policing of these servers for this portion of the community? You clearly made these servers FOR the RPers and yet at every turn have given them next-to-NO attention and this is getting extremely out of hand. I mean if you don't want to give the RPers more toys to play with on par with that of the PVE and PVP crowds, fine, but it gets really dis-heartening when I am on an RP server (reserved for those who ROLEPLAY) and yet I still see a stupid little Sith calling himself "Spider-Man" and allowed to get away with it! And filling up my ignore list with thousands of players isn't going to change the fact I still have to see these players and more walk by whenever I decide to go on the Fleet to do something.

[NRN_Hawk]

Maybe he is RPing a Spider man?

 

But yeah I get your point, just transfered to EH and the RP-meter seems to be very low. =\

[Insolus]

I think it's quite apparent that no effort from the developers will be directed toward this. Instead, I suggest that you create your own alternative: those players who's names bother you will never enjoy your stories, or impact them, so long as you divide yourself from such rabble. They are peasants while you are heroes, recognized as such by your peers. Turn the other cheek and treat them as they are: part of an entirely different story.

 

Among the nameless who temporarily occupy the bastion of carirck, are not some of them refugees of makeb?

 

My name, in particular -as a pure white consular, means of the sun or light. Anyone who has a name that makes no sense should simply be perceived as what they are: outside your realm. They are some kind of refugee or hood rat. I'm not condoning any condescension. I'm just saying that if your stories are interesting enough, you should not be at all concerned with the common folk of the common areas. You're basing your perception of the worthiness of names on some preconception. That preconception needs to be lifted. Names are ridiculous everywhere based on your what you're used to. A guy in this video is actually named Jed I. Night.

 

 

If you're really serious about names. then start handing out cartel name changes. **** I'll spare you a couple if you carry me through HM/NiM oh great hero.

[Timarick]

I think it's quite apparent that no effort from the developers will be directed toward this. Instead, I suggest that you create your own alternative: those players who's names bother you will never enjoy your stories, or impact them, so long as you divide yourself from such rabble. They are peasants while you are heroes, recognized as such by your peers. Turn the other cheek and treat them as they are: part of an entirely different story.

 

Among the nameless who temporarily occupy the bastion of carirck, are not some of them refugees of makeb?

 

My name, in particular -as a pure white consular, means of the sun or light. Anyone who has a name that makes no sense should simply be perceived as what they are: outside your realm. They are some kind of refugee or hood rat. I'm not condoning any condescension. I'm just saying that if your stories are interesting enough, you should not be at all concerned with the common folk of the common areas. You're basing your perception of the worthiness of names on some preconception. That preconception needs to be lifted. Names are ridiculous everywhere based on your what you're used to. A guy in this video is actually named Jed I. Night.

 

 

If you're really serious about names. then start handing out cartel name changes. **** I'll spare you a couple if you carry me through HM/NiM oh great hero.

 

This doesn't help when I have to see them running around on my screen trolling RPs and while I cannot hear them, they still toss a Party Jawa in or randomly dance on the table or I may have to end up queing with them on the oddball occasion I have to use the Group Finder to run my dailies. See the fact they DON'T pay attention to the difference between an RP server and a PVE server is atrocious when RP is the only reason I stayed with this instead of playing the VASTLY SUPERIOR DC Universe Online, which was my first MMO as well! I mean if this keeps up, once I get my free access to GSH and bonus 1500 cartel coins I'm just gonna re-sub back over to DC and back to the happy place. At least there I KNOW the ignore key works (even turns the ignored invisible if you leave the room then go back to it) and it's not an RP heavy game ever since the megaservers.

 

RP servers need more love, and they are not getting them from this game.

[Bastrus]

[HeckdadddyG]

Duel me irl brah

[Sidenti]

This doesn't help when I have to see them running around on my screen trolling RPs and while I cannot hear them, they still toss a Party Jawa in or randomly dance on the table or I may have to end up queing with them on the oddball occasion I have to use the Group Finder to run my dailies. See the fact they DON'T pay attention to the difference between an RP server and a PVE server is atrocious when RP is the only reason I stayed with this instead of playing the VASTLY SUPERIOR DC Universe Online, which was my first MMO as well! I mean if this keeps up, once I get my free access to GSH and bonus 1500 cartel coins I'm just gonna re-sub back over to DC and back to the happy place. At least there I KNOW the ignore key works (even turns the ignored invisible if you leave the room then go back to it) and it's not an RP heavy game ever since the megaservers.

 

RP servers need more love, and they are not getting them from this game.

 

Physician? Heal thyself!

 

I've heard this same cry from RPers ever since my first MUD in 1997. My response has always been the same since - what are YOU doing to make RP happen?

 

It seems like you're a lot more focused on what OTHER people are doing. Unless you're RPing Gladys Kravitz (look it up), all you're doing is raging impotently. So what if someone's got the name "Loves2******"? Hell, I've got a character (two, actually) named after ME.

 

You bet I RP 'em too.

 

Furthermore, there aren't really any "rules" for an RP server. Guidelines and encouragement? Yes. Rules? Not that I've seen beyond the basic ToS, and if you can cite where having a silly name is a violation, I'll have one of my characters eat his Efficiency Scanner.

 

Bottom line?

 

If you want a good RP experience, it starts with focusing on finding good RPers - not impotently raging at the bad ones as if it's going to change something.

 

It won't. -bp

[SammyGStatus]

As someone who has spent many an hour jumping from the VIP section of the pub fleet , I can honestly say that everynight while I'm waiting for the GSF que to pop, there are always groups of 5 or 6 at multiple ends of the cantina. Also, I'm pretty sure there's a nice cantina on Nar Shadda that gets a lot of play. In those areas, you seldom see people who aren't RPing. Also, talk to Itkovian. I played a GSF match with him and his padawan last night and it was a blast. They were finishing up an event yesterday when we asked them to group, so it worked out well. There should definitely be more player-based coordination between the RP guilds though Edited April 19, 2014 by SammyGStatus

[QuinMantha]

There is a distinct difference that's usually visible on sight between those who do RP and those who don't. Whether it's watching someone named 'Jabbathehutt' bounce along as you're leveling, or having somebody named 'Quesadillas' stumble across your RP, names do contribute a great deal to your perception of both the character and the player.

 

However, let's put things in perspective. Let's say you have been appointed and empowered as the RP Police of Ebon Hawk. We have agreed to trust you with filtering out the undesirable element of the server and bring people more in line with the vision of a more immersive server. On your patrol of Carrick Station, you come across a name, "D'man". It's a level 12...mmm...Trooper, let's say, at the quest to choose an AC. Now, how do we determine if this is an RP-appropriate name or not? It could be a derivation of the phrase 'the man', indicating someone deserving of respect or authority. It could be a misspelling of 'damn'. It could be a contraction of something to the effect of 'Demolition Man'. Or, it could be an actual, honest RP name, pronounced something like [d' mäwn], and the person just wasn't thinking about those other connotations when they first created the character.

 

With some idea of how gray areas of naming could be, it's easy to see why the guys at Austin don't crack down on names very hard, even on an RP server. Some examples are pretty explicit, outright, and obvious. These are the ones who typically will get a GM's attention. But a lot of others are difficult to pin down. Sith names in particular can be derived from actual words in any of a number of languages, and somebody with the name 'Balthazar' and the Legacy name 'Bone' could be just as much an RP'er as anything else.

 

There is no test of requirements to get onto an RP server. There's no mandate requiring RP in order to stay here. People with bad names do break immersion, but when there is open access to the server, that's just going to be, as I say, 'the perils of the PUG'.

 

All you can do is facepalm, shake your head, screenshot, report the worst examples, and try to orbit closer to those folks with names that you like who RP stories that you want to be part of.

[Nrock]

have to agree with sammy. its probs not a good idea to RP in high traffic areas. also a lot of us were forced onto this server during mergers.

[Fallen_Dragon]

You know there is an option to turn off the name plates right? Also if you want to RP a flashpoint or operation make sure you go with those that want to do it as well. The funny part is that just as in life you will always find those that don't follow the rules you set for yourself. So you either brush it off and don't pay them any attention, or you drive yourself crazy trying to control the masses. Basically the more you let them affect your life the more they win. The choice is yours.

[Headpunch]

So the glowing blue text hovering in space above every toon is IC? If it ruins your immersion, turn nameplates off. The server rules in server selection even say that no special naming conventions will be enforced on RP servers.

 

The issue with trying to police RP is that every group of RPrs has different ideas as to what is/isn't inappropriate. I have some friends that completely ignore the nameplate thing for RP because as far as they're concerned the name floating above their head isn't IC knowledge until they introduce themselves. When they do introduce themselves, they may use a different name since their RP name can differ from their character name. The other issue with policing it is that, if pressed, you could find people RP'ing as obnoxious drunks, and their character could be designed around dancing on tables and interrupting everybody's evening. Then you get into the whole question of how the game could enforce regulations against god modding, people that say they're on the Dark Council, and the fact that the random level 13 Sith Warrior says they're a big-shot Darth who is equal to some lvl 55 in min-max'd PvP or PvE gear. How could you kick all the lusty Jedi who are publicly soliciting romantic engagements in cantinas from the Jedi Order?

 

Basically, it's next to impossible to police RP because people have wildly different metrics by which they judge what is appropriate and what is not. If you're frustrated by people not conforming to your standards, then there's the possibility that they may be frustrated by you not conforming to theirs.

 

With regards to hardcore PvErs or PvPrs on a RP-server, there is nothing that says RP and those play styles are mutually exclusive. I don't seem to recall that enjoying RP instantly made it so you were unable to press buttons on your keyboard that correspond to correct ability usage. People also like to play with their friends, and while they may not be the biggest RPrs, their friends might be. Guilds will develop that cater to a particular play style as long as their is demand for that play style regardless of the server type.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Headpunch

[Paintcheck]

I've been RPing for an embarrassingly long amount of time in other games and since SWTOR launched. I've also been one of the people whose job it is to police RP servers in other games (not MMOs, other games with RP scenes).

 

Policing RP servers sucks. Everyone wants to be the special snowflake super-****** character and very few of them actually earn that ICly. We've all seen the level 11s in the cantina fresh off of Korriban loudly proclaiming how they are Darth Marr's son and an expert in every single form of lightsaber and blaster combat, so bow, peasant! Those people usually don't think "Wow I'm a terrible RPer despite being a god-moding moron", they usually think "Wow everyone else is a terrible RPer because they aren't treating me with the respect I deserve!" Trust me, there is no easy solution to that. Unfortunately, the other posts in this thread are mostly correct: If you want good RP you really have to find some good RPers and join in with them and ignore most of the outside world. That's been true in pretty much every game I've ever RPed on.

 

Yeah, obvious trolls are pretty easy to spot, the people with names like "Dick Butt" running around spamming emotes to make the chat scroll are obviously not even trying to roleplay or develop a character, but the line Sev spoke of is much harder to see when someone thinks they are RPing properly but others disagree.

 

It would be nice if there were easier ways to identify who the good RPers are, but there's not really anything Bioware can do about that. I would suggest just not being shy if you hear people having an interesting conversation and seeing if they will let you participate as well. Most good RPers would probably be happy to have others involved, but that requires an attempt made on your part instead of just hoping people notice you and strike up a conversation.

 

And yeah, RPers can PVE rather well, if I do say so myself. Usually not while RPing though. Being good at the game and enjoying RP are not mutually exclusive.

[Omophorus]

With regards to hardcore PvErs or PvPrs on a RP-server, there is nothing that says RP and those play styles are mutually exclusive. I don't seem to recall that enjoying RP instantly made it so you were unable to press buttons on your keyboard that correspond to correct ability usage. People also like to play with their friends, and while they may not be the biggest RPrs, their friends might be. Guilds will develop that cater to a particular play style as long as their is demand for that play style regardless of the server type.

 

Some of followed friends and have infinitesimal interest in RP.

 

Some of us also don't take character names that seriously.

 

Some of us don't care to pay for a server transfer or have friends here who may or may not RP.

 

I, for one, am glad BioWare knows better than to enforce RP, because that has worked literally never.

 

RP is Serious Business after all...

[Armonddd]

I think it's unreasonable to expect everyone on the server to be constantly roleplaying when many of us joined the server for its other unique attractions, just like it's unreasonable to expect everyone at the D&D table to be super into the roleplay and story when some of us are there for the combat and camaraderie.

[Sidenti]

have to agree with sammy. its probs not a good idea to RP in high traffic areas. also a lot of us were forced onto this server during mergers.

 

Now, on the flip side...

 

This IS an RP server, and I've seen a few (very few, not many) knuckledraggers who seem to think they can log on, plop down and make OUR server more like whichever one had to close because it was a worthless failure or whatever. (I don't know why the servers closed and I can't find a damn to give.)

 

None of the merger folks were "forced" to go to a particular server. If you were an East Coast RP-PvPer, you could have rolled Jedi Covenant just as easily. We're more than happy to welcome anyone who wants to play on TEH, but I sincerely hope those that have chosen our server respect what we've got going.

 

Nobody wants ME catching anybody making fun of an RPer on an RP server. I don't tolerate that kind of bullying. I'm not the only one. If people don't like RP, fine. It's just like gay marriage - if it offends you, don't participate.

 

But don't try to ruin our fun either. It won't end well. -bp

[HeckdadddyG]

Now, on the flip side...

 

This IS an RP server, and I've seen a few (very few, not many) knuckledraggers who seem to think they can log on, plop down and make OUR server more like whichever one had to close because it was a worthless failure or whatever. (I don't know why the servers closed and I can't find a damn to give.)

 

None of the merger folks were "forced" to go to a particular server. If you were an East Coast RP-PvPer, you could have rolled Jedi Covenant just as easily. We're more than happy to welcome anyone who wants to play on TEH, but I sincerely hope those that have chosen our server respect what we've got going.

 

Nobody wants ME catching anybody making fun of an RPer on an RP server. I don't tolerate that kind of bullying. I'm not the only one. If people don't like RP, fine. It's just like gay marriage - if it offends you, don't participate.

 

But don't try to ruin our fun either. It won't end well. -bp

I'm sure they're all shaking in their boots at your threat

[Sidenti]

I'm sure they're all shaking in their boots at your threat

 

That's the best part, Puppy! I don't even have to do anything! XD

 

You know, I gotta say - I have a newfound appreciation for you. Don't ever change. -bp

[HeckdadddyG]

That's the best part, Puppy! I don't even have to do anything! XD

 

You know, I gotta say - I have a newfound appreciation for you. Don't ever change. -bp

 

I won't as long as there's still people on these forums trying to be funny

[Sidenti]

I won't as long as there's still people on these forums trying to be funny

 

Pft. Eff those people. Humor's worthless. As worthless as groundpounding.

 

<3

[HeckdadddyG]

Pft. Eff those people. Humor's worthless. As worthless as groundpounding.

 

<3

 

The only people who think ground pvp takes no skill are the ones who are bad at it <3

[QuinMantha]

The only people who think ground pvp takes no skill are the ones who are bad at it <3

 

*raises hand*

 

Yo.

 

Anyway, back on topic before the Honeymooners here pull us in another direction...

 

I really don't know of a better solution to the server's issues of RP population and RP-indifferent population, south of just orbiting closer to whatever group you're more in line with. When you can't restrict access to the server based on a set of criteria (and we probably shouldn't, either), all manner of folks can end up in a place that's ostensibly set aside for one certain thing.

 

I'm sure normal servers have an RP guild or two (though I wouldn't know firsthand...I don't think I've ever rolled a normal server for...well...anything).

 

The only real solution to the issue is if you don't like an RP, don't get involved with it. That counts just as much for RP in general as non-RP, and bad RP as much as good RP. Find the groups whose interests and stories match what you want to be around, then follow their orbit and try to stay in it.

[Chembox]

I had to chime in here, as a separate party you may not be well aware your affecting.

I switched to a RP server because I could not stand the endless barren chat banter that I was finding in normal PvE servers. I thought that a RP server would have more mature individuals.

I am a person who likes names like SamuraiLincoln, Gacy, Sharkattack, because they make me smile and reflect the character I play. I didn't realize there was a whole silent butt-hurt minority constantly ignoring me because they were so sickened by my name interrupting they're fantasy that they took the time to put me on a black-list.

 

Instead I find highly sexual RP general chat, or really embarrassing general chat RP that always seems to revolve around 3-5 male characters meeting up with 1 female character and following them around trying to gain the most affection. I have yet to find on my level 31 trooper named Chemdog, after my favorite strain of marijuana but not a horrible call sign for a soldier, any other trooper come up to me while I'm questing and be like "hey lieutenant, do you need any help?". Instead I get these RP elitist people like you who need to be disconnected from reality as soon as they get to the character selection menu.

 

My points:

-You are the minority

-Your idea of RP may not fit into anyone else' definition

-Don't disassociate yourself so much into role-playing that you forget real people are the ones playing with you with real feelings

-I hope you calm down and appreciate that someone named Hulk Hogan might be just as big of a nerd as you and that you stop judging people like they did to you in high school.

 

-There are incredible non-rp conversations going on all the time and are much more mature then my previous servers. I may not have gotten that family feel I thought I would or the maturity level I was hoping for with everyone but I have had some of the best experiences with people on this server and I wasn't even role-playing. That makes it all worth it dealing with people like you who think I should be beaten by "RP Police" squads.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Chembox

[Lanuria]

 

My points:

-You are the minority

 

On an RP server, RPers should not be a minority. RP servers are made for RPers.

 

Policing a server can't be done, however. When people are doing stupid OOC things while you're RPing, put in a ticket and carry on. Those guys are jerks anyways.

 

When it comes to 'policing RP', it can't be done. There is no point in trying and it is rude. Despite how much I HATE Jedi on the fleet hitting on people and Republic side Mandos, I can't really say "No, you can't do that!" I do, however, have two options:

 

Ignore it and walk away or explain to the person why I am not going to RP with them. I did this once with someone who said they were a Sith in the Republic, but was welcomed. I had to tell him why I couldn't RP with that, because it didn't really make sense. We had a good chat about characters and stories and ideas and he said he would maybe think about making a character that worked better. Hurrah!

 

Or I can be the change I want to see. I don't chat OOC in say, I don't RP fight, I have my Jedi follow the Code, despite how hard it is, I have my padawan stay next to her Master, my Imperial Soldier would never dare speak against the Empire because he knows what happens when you do and he's completely and utterly brainwashed, of course.

 

In response to names...If you name your character Shark Attack or Pineapple Express or whatever, I'm going to assume you aren't a roleplayer. That is just the way it works. If you want people to take your character seriously, you should have a name that at least sounds like an actual name.

 

If you made a soldier with a name like "Karkarodon attack' or something, hey, why not. Could be a call sign AND it's an actual Star Wars race!

[QuinMantha]

On an RP server, RPers should not be a minority. RP servers are made for RPers.

 

That's a nicer way of saying what I was feeling upon reading that bit from Chembox, thank you, Lan. I don't think I could have presented a civil counterpoint to that with how I was feeling.