Time to open the public forum?

[snoopy369]

Please discuss:
1. Do we want to open the public forum to all conversation.
2. Are there ground rules upon which we will discuss game activities once it is open?

Talk amongst yourselves

Ultimately it will be up to a team vote when this discussion is done.

[PJayTycy]

How soon do you want this possible change to be in effect ? It might have consequences for the apolytonian...

[binTravkin]

Actually, I'm not sure what 'public forum' constitutes, could someone please explain?

[Daddy-O]

Right now the "Private" forums are open to team members and the "Public" forums is pretty much closed by rule. If this game's public forum was opened to team or individual posts you might see tracker threads for a war between two teams, or announcements of alliances, & world wonders. There could be a threads dedicated to the war dead or a team or propaganda.

Opening the public forum will allow lurkers to follow along and might cause them to join a team.

I am all for this.

[Daddy-O]

Like I said, I am all for opening the public forums with some ground rules that would allow for role play (RP) and trash talk without hurting an individual's feelings, accusations of flaming and Ming getting involved.

I simply ask that RP posts be labeled as such and my example will make it obvious why this is needed and how it helps.

Post 1:
Sarantium is led by lying dullard and his henchman Con is no better! The Banana will never accept a treaty for peace from anyone on that team. I hope you die!

I should probably be reported for a flaming personal attack like that.

Post 2:
RP: Sarantium is led by lying dullard and his henchman Con is no better! The Banana will never accept a treaty for peace from anyone on that team. I hope you die!/RP

Now we see that my comments were in character and that any insult to Beta or Con was just part of the game and that the death wish is just a more colorful was of saying, "you are so gonna lose."

Or we could designate an RP color instead of RP: /RP

OK How does this help and why don't we just talk nice? Because this game is about war and in war mean things are said about those that you are at war with. We need a way to do this clearly and without question so no one can cry they are being insulted. Many of us have seen this happen in previous games and I don't think we want that to happen again.

I also think this RP rule should extend into email communications.

It is very confusing to attempt to read tone into text. What one person thinks is an obvious RP of a blood thirsty general threatening a weaker nation can be read by the other as a rude personal rant.

This also allows us to say things out of character about the game like the following:

RP: Team Banana was ruthlessly attacked by our former friends the backstabbing baby eating Sarantiumums./RP
Nice you guys really caught us off guard. That archer will pay!

See? First I responded in character then commented out-of-character about the turn.

I'd like to thank the lying baby eating dullards at Sarantium for being the target of my examples.

EDIT: I added quotes around the examples.

[conmcb25]

Originally posted by Daddy-O

Post 2:
RP: Sarantium is led by lying dullard and his henchman Con is no better! The Banana will never accept a treaty for peace from anyone on that team. I hope you die!/RP

Why do you need to RP, everyone knows its true

[conmcb25]

As long as we have some basic ground rules about role play, I don't have a problem opening up the forums personally.

I dont speak for my team however, just me.......

[Daddy-O]

I knew I could count on you con.

I also have to add that I am speaking on my own and not for Team Banana.

[UnOrthOdOx]

ooooo....contract history thread....

[PLATO]

RP:

Civil Discussion? We shall use your backs as table tops!

/RP


Excellent advice Daddy-O! I think that responsible and well identified role play can bring much to a game. I think that the system you suggest could have avoided a lot of ill feelings in the past. I sure wish something like that had been in place in the last game...

Opening the public forums could add a lot of enjoyment to this game if we handle it correctly.

Disclaimer: This is me speaking for me, not for my team.

[Jon Miller]

I think that no discussion does more to lower interest than slow play of turns.

JM

[Impaler[WrG]]

I'd be in favor of creating private "continental" forums, the map script were playing on general creates 2-3 continental land masses and play has proceeded long enough that you would expect everyone on each continent to have meet by now. If the world has two continents then theirs no real harm in announcing who's on what continent as everyone will already have a good idea as to the split and we can just have East and West forums, but if their are 3 or more then it gets tricky and we might want to disguise things a bit more.

[Hercules]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I think that no discussion does more to lower interest than slow play of turns.

JM

I agree.

[Hot Mustard]

Not sure where I sit on this just yet, but something did occur to me that bears saying earlier than later - how about giving UnO exclusive rights to break the major news from each team? Then after those 'Press releases' are out, open the forum.

[Daddy-O]

RP:
Or maybe we should use your skulls as goblets for banana beer!
/RP

Plato, I completely agree with you agreeing with me.

And for those that don't get into role play it's no big deal they can simply stick to the facts and know when someone's hyperbole is RP.