OOC communication

[Aveline]

Ok, at the moment I'm pretty well flustered. A lot of people on this game have my contact info (messengers, email and the like) and that is perfectly fine. I enjoy talking to most of you. But for goodness sakes, STOP asking me IC information. Stop it. And stop asking me things you are too lazy to look up yourself when you are logged on to the game. This is not targetted at just one person, it is a lot of people and I have finally just hit that point where I am really really fed up with it. When you ask me some sort of IC question about a quest or someone else, that puts me in a really awkward position and just makes me think you are a jerk. On one hand, I really shouldn't be telling you anything, but on the other, I don't want to upset you and look like a jerk myself and tell you to go figure it out ICly. My messenger information is there so that if you want to, you can talk to me. Next person that asks me for information about a quest or some IC information, I'm reporting. That might make me sound like a jerk, but too bad. I'll just be a jerk. If you need one of my characters for something, like needing to make a time to meet with them in game for faithing or for something else. Message me. If you want to just see how my day is going or rant about how your cat knocked over your potted plant, message me. If we interact together in game and you have a problem with it or you just found it hilarious and want to share.. message me. Do not ask me about quests, do not ask me where to find trainers, don't ask me what Gesine charges to teach certain things or if she will teach your character. Stop it. What is so hard about asking Gesine ICly what she charges or if she would teach you at all?

Now, I have less of a problem with people asking me about OOC things on the game, like they can't figure out how to make a command work, or asking me about the game policies... but.. I am not your personal ASK channel. That is what ask is there for, and there is a good chance if you ask there you'll get me anyway! So go ahead and use that. The Player Council isn't out there to get people and for the most part are very very very happy to answer questions, and most of them are a lot more experienced, lot smarter than I am. So ask there! Most of the time I am just having to ask other people for you. I don't know these things! And if you use the ask channel, you have a better chance of getting more accurate help.

I'm really sorry, but I had to rant for a bit. This was really getting a bit out of control. And again, it wasn't just one person, it was a lot of them. And now, you can get mad. But I feel much much better. Please cut out on the OOC game stuff over the messengers. Again, I enjoy talking to people.. the other stuff is just out of control.

[Lathlain]

Well said!

[Larethiel]

That is, was and will always be the problem with Instant Messenger services and the reason why many advise against using them, IC and OOC mingle and melt freely. I assume anyone playing both the game and using ooc communication means does encounter it If one wants to avoid, best not to give out contact info, or, plainly tell people that there wont be IC talk on OOC-communication-tools or refuse to speak about IC things.

[Isaldur]

Larethiel has it in the right. Block whoever won't listen to your warnings and be done with it. You cannot control how other people act, but you CAN control who contacts you. Far easier to just do something yourself to rectify the situation than yell at whoever bothers you endlessly with no real effect.

[Roderick]

I don't generally give my IM stuff out to folks for many reasons, but two of the most obvious are:

1) I am deathly afraid of what kind of mailing/IM list someone like Isaldur's player would sign me up for. I am sure it would be something that would cause a significant other to go all Tiger Woods' wife on you with a pitching wedge.

2) The never ending IM's from Larethiels player saying 'I can haz platinum?'



On a serious note, I echo the posts above. You can't change others, but you can take personal steps to make sure you continue to enjoy your gaming experience.

[Gwain]

I echo and support Aveline's post and topic. Its important that questions and request designated for the mud be handled in the mud and mud related sources like the forums or council emails before anything else.

[Lathander]

That took a lot of courage to post and was well said. Thank you.

[Nysan]

Completely agree. I never release my IM or email addy any more than necessary due to problems with other muds communities (and certain MMO guilds). Its too much of a headache. I feel sorry for staff and older players that post their info, I know the wall of "WTF" that can come with that. Turns good, helpful people into IM hermits like me.

In-game OOC rubs me the wrong way to, especially lately for some reason. A few comments, a joke, typo complaints, 'afk, walking dog', ect in otell and osay are fine, I do it often myself. Asking if titanium has spawned this reset or where xxx spell is trained, no. At first, I thought those game-wide messages to not use amulets as OOC chat tools were funny... now, I get it.