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Shard Culture
from the Comraich Players
The players of Comraich wish to make your
transition to their world as smooth and friendly as possible. Each
community of people has their own cultures, manners and person-to-person
expectations. Private UO shards are no exception. And the culture of
one private shard can vary widely from another, even if the two are role-play
shards. Therefore, the players of Comraich would like to tell you a bit
about themselves and the culture that has developed on Comraich.
Hard Core vs
Relaxed Role Play Styles.
Courtesy
Looting
Asking another to go hunting
Asking another to role-play
with you
Inviting yourself along on a
hunt
Inviting yourself along on a
quest
Asking a player for a loan
Asking a player to make you
something
Asking a player
questions about the game
Talking OOC at the bank
Macroing in public
Contacting players via ICQ
Romantic role-play relationships
Hostile role-play encounters
Out of Character Relationships
Game Mechanics
Sexual Role-Play
Comraich is a Relaxed role play shard. What does this mean? Well it means
that there is an expected level of tolerance when it comes to all styles and
abilities with regards to role playing. This is not to say hard core role play
doesn't have its place on Comraich, but players are expected to keep a level of
courtesy and respect to those who do not play with the same styles as they might.
Comraich’s philosophy when it comes to the shard is everyone is friends, and we
are welcome guests in Lara and Mith's home. This home is a relaxed home, where
people are urged to be comfortable and urged to be themselves and enjoy the
experience. In order for everyone to enjoy their experience here we must
tolerate one another and our play styles.
It is completely unacceptable to criticize anyone's play style whether they be
hardcore or relaxed with their role play. If you happen to see the need to
criticize another persons play style likely you will find this home
uncomfortable because of the relaxed atmosphere. This relaxed play style will
not change, it is a style that works, and one which the shards foundation is
firmly based from.
So if your wondering if hard core role play is frowned on, no not really,
neither is relaxed role play. What is frowned on is when people allow their
styles to clash to the point where they loose the mutual respect for each.
Take for example that I am a hard core role player, and I am standing at the
bank in character and up walks a friend of mine from chat that I wouldn't know
in character just yet. They greet you with a big hello and a smile. Do you a)
yell meta gaming and run for the hills or B) slip out of char for a moment and
greet them and enjoy their company a moment or two?
On this shard the answer should without a doubt be B! You must be tolerant of
others styles even if you do not agree with them.
The flip side is also applicable. Say I was a relaxed player and I was sitting
around the bank. A person you tried to role play with the other evening wanders
by and tries to engage you in some role play even though you weren't in
character:
Do you A) ignore their attempts to role play and talk about what you did last
evening?
or B) give a good try at role playing and enjoy the experience?
The answer again should be B.
Basically the name of the game when it comes to role play is respect. If you
respect those around you, you will be met with the same respect. At the end of
the day we are all here to have fun and enjoy time with friends, not argue over
who's style is the best, everyone's style is great to each individual person,
and the diversity is what makes Comraich a great place to be.
Courtesy is important on an RP shard. This does not mean your CHARACTER
needs to be courteous, but a player NEEDS to be courteous to the other PLAYERS
on the shard. The general rule of thumb is to make sure anyone you are
interacting with knows and AGREES with your characters behavior toward their
characters. Don't assume everyone will get it because "it's your
style." There are many ways to accomplish this. The use of an
instant messaging program such as ICQ or use of the in game commands .msg and
.reply to discuss the situation in an out of character environment before acting
out the situation in character.
This generally is only necessary in situations that would affect another persons
ability to play in some way. General conversations, threats by evil
characters on good characters, saber rattling, etc. should be fine
spontaneously. But running up and looting someone else's kill, attempting
to steal from them, killing a persons pets/livestock in their homes pen,
murdering townsfolk that provide some service, bringing in monsters via a gate
into town to teach those people some kind of lesson, and ESPECIALLY PvP all
require some kind of OOC confirmation before hand. This is a MUST as
failure to do so will result in bad feelings, complaints, and COULD get one
banned.
Basically, think before you act, and be polite and respectful of other players
as a player. It will help your RP and theirs in the long term. And
may have the added benefit of making friends in the process, even for those with
evil characters.
The Comraich players are typically unconcerned about loot, and can be rather
casual about the collecting and division of loot. Each group of players
has their own unspoken method of how they go about looting. Typically it
is one of two methods.
a) Everyone loots as they go, and then keeps what they get at the end of the
hunt.
b) Everyone loots as they go, then they return to the bank together and sell and
split.
However, there are some subtle behaviors that Comraich players don't care for.
One is the player that rushes to loot everything. The other is the
player that leaves the hunt and takes what they've looted with them. It is
commonly expected that the better magic items will be offered up to the group to
be "diced over" and that low level items may be kept by the player
that looted them, or better yet offered to the newbie in the group.
By Lara
Before you ask someone to go hunting, there are several variables that you
must consider. First, is the person an acquaintance of yours. If
not, then you should start by introducing yourself.
The next question would depend on where you are. If you happen to cross
paths while in a dungeon, and you are looking for a partner to hunt with, then
you could suggest the idea of "hunting together, etc.". If you
are in town, then you should already have a dungeon in mind, as a suggestion.
An example would be, "Hail friend, would you care to travel with me
to the cave to the north to hunt those vile two headed creatures that roam
there."
If the person agrees, then be sure you are prepared to go, complete with
bandages, potions, etc. You should also decide on the method of
"looting", please read that section for more detail.
Jlir
There are a few options for getting involved in role-play with another
character. The first, would be to actually "role-play", by
walking up to someone, introducing yourself, and guiding the nature of the
conversation. If the person is not busy, I am certain that they will be
more than happen to interact with your character. If they are, then you
will probably hear, "I am sorry dear friend, but I have matters to attend
do, but we shall speak again soon."
Now, if you want, you could "plan" the encounter, by developing a
storyline, and talking to that person offline (or through messaging) about your
idea. That way, you can be almost certain that your characters will be
able to interact.
If all else fails, just be yourself. Comraich is the only place you are
allowed to talk to strangers
Jlir
How often have you found yourself wandering through the north gates of
Telrae'dor,
only to find yourself face to face with a hunting party, standing tall on their
steeds, checking their armor, and preparing their weapons for a hunt. If
at that moment you find yourself thinking, "I wish I could go...",
then here is what you should do.
First, look among the group for any acquaintances or friends. Joining the
party will be a lot easier if you already know someone who is going. If
you do not know any in the party, but are still interested, then you can
approach and ask:
"Hail friends, I am _______ (enter name here), and I see you are preparing
to go on a hunt. Might you need another ____(bow, sword, etc.)."
You get the idea.
In most situations, they will be happy to let you join their troupe. If
not, do not despair, there are always others to join.
Remember, if they accept you, to get the details on looting from them.
Good hunting.
Jlir
My thoughts on asking another to go hunting with you. If you are asked by a
friend or acquaintance to go hunting, and you agree, then that needs to be what
you focus on for that period of time. It's bad manners to agree to accompany
someone into a dangerous situation and then run when the heats on (or something
else comes up In-game or out). You need to think of the situations you leave
others in when you do this. It is hard to tell when the last spawn was in an
area, and if you leave, a re-spawn could conceivably wipe out your hunting
partner. I know things come up IRL, but most of us will not just log in the
middle of a battle (in other words we leave and log somewhere safe). Let your
friend know you're leaving, and let them decide if they want to go it alone. A
little courtesy goes a long way towards preserving friendships and trust.
Kiyo
While hunting parties are often quick to accept other members, you may find
that quests are sometimes more private affairs. People may be looking for
a particular item, and may wish to do so; for role-playing, or personal reasons,
alone.
If you do happen to overhear someone discussing a quest by the bank, and you are
interested, then by all means approach them. If they are your friend, then
you can quickly walk up to them, and tell them that you too were planning on
going on that quest. If they are not, then you should always start with an
introduction, and perhaps explain to them that, "I am sorry to interrupt
you, but I couldn't help by hear you mention that you were planning to go on a
quest for ______ (enter quest name, item, etc.). I too was going on this
quest, perhaps we could travel together." Or, "I offer you my
help on this quest."
If the person agrees, then be sure to discuss the sharing of "quest
points", loot, etc.
Safe questing.
Jlir
Asking players that you do not know may be frowned upon. Especially if you
are asking several players at a bank or any other location. Simply put, this
type of action is Begging.
If you are really in need of something, not just something you would like to
have but really need, for RP or game play, then ask a friend. If one is not on,
then wait until a friend is on. You can do many other things in the mean time.
Now if your talking with someone or a friend and you mention that you need to go
earn another 5k or 10k to buy a house, and the other player offers you what you
need, then by all means either accept their kind offer or reject their offer,
but letting them know you would like to earn the needed money yourself. The same
can be said for any other item, not just a house.
If your a new player, you do start with a good sum of gold this is for many
reasons, one being, you would not have any reason to beg. If you spend
your starting gold wisely, then you will be able to buy what you need, when you
need it. And will still be able to adventure the world to see what it has to
offer.
By Pedro
So, you find yourself in need of something. Armor, a weapon perhaps, or
maybe even furniture. Well, there are plenty of skilled denizens in
Comraich who would be more than happy to help you.
But before you ask someone, be sure to check the merchants in
the various cities. You will often be able to find anything
and everything you want there.
If you still can't find what you are looking for, or you checked, and they are
out of something, then there are a few options.
A. Most merchants leave their falcon (ICQ) on a booklet on their vendors, you
can contact them offline and request that a particular item be crafted.
B. You can look for the character whose merchant sells the item you want,
and message them, or try to find them in realm.
C. You can put a request on the Comraich Message Board. People
check here quite often, especially merchants.
Some things to remember when asking, you should be sure to ask for the cost of
such an item(s) in advance, so that you have the gold ready when they are
finished. Especially since they may suggest that you place the gold in
their mailbox, as they occasionally offer to place the item in yours.
Jlir
Here on Comraich you will discover with much relief that virtually everyone
here is willing to take time to help answer some questions that may often arise. If
for some reason a player hasn't the answers often enough they will direct you to
someone who CAN assist. A couple of things to consider when doing so:
#1- It is best to ask questions of the game to a player using the .msg command.
This will aid in alleviating any discrepancies and disruptions of flow in any
scenes currently taking place around you.
#2- Consider looking over the User Manual provided at the link on the main page.
It more than likely has most of the answers you seek.
#3- Avoid paging staff for questions that can be answered via
the User Manual. If need be, when paging for help, select the Online Volunteers
selection. More than likely, there will be at least 1 person on who can help.
#4- If for some reason players cannot help, another option is leaving a post on
the player to player assistance boards.
These 4 things will make your quest for answers a lot easier here.
By Nicholas DeShayes
OOC interrupts the normal flow of RP. If you must be Out Of Character
then typically it is common curtsey to say, [OOC] before you speak so that
others know your intentions. Otherwise this causes a break and confusion in the role-playing.
You try and keep up with 6 conversations while someone at the bank is
venting about their cat, etc... it is disturbing to say the least. IF OOC
is really needed then you may take it elsewhere, in
private so not to disturb those that are trying to create a new character, or
disturb those that are refining the wonderful ones that already exist. All
of us have come to Comraich with one thing in common, to find a home. A place
where we are excepted for who we are, (Our characters), and for whom we will
become. Remember... anything done in public really should be role-playing.
Take the OOC to a private place to catch up on your friends life. Help the new
family members catch a good glimpse of the work in your character that You
are so proud of.
by Vanzant
Macroing generally involves the player using a program or function to have a
character repeat a certain task or string of tasks.
The type of
Macroing we are referring to is the use of macros to keep a
character logged into the shard while the player is away from the computer for
extended periods of time, or unattended Macroing.
You will find on Comraich that unattended
Macroing is frowned upon but we do
not take a hard stance against it. If you macro and it does not affect
other players then it will be tolerated. The worst you can expect is for
your character to be forcibly logged out (kicked) when you get back.
Typically those who macro unattended do so to gain skills and stats while they
are not able to play. The shard is a role-play shard and not one where
skills and abilities are of a major importance. Also, you gain little by
Macroing unattended as your character must be moving in order for there to be
gains.
What we mean by Macroing in public is for you to macro anywhere or in any
fashion that other players can see and your Macroing disrupts the role-play.
Even in your own home if your macro is a speech that is completely out of
character, then it disrupts role-play.
It is at a GM's
discretion whether to "kick" your character when they
notice the unattended Macroing. If a player complains you will be kicked
immediately. If you have been "kicked" due to a complaint or
your Macroing is disruptive then you will be asked to not macro again. If
you macro again then your account is subject to being banned.
by Tsalagi
When contacting players through ICQ, MSN, AIM, or email, you should try to
follow a few guidelines. Especially when talking to staff, senior or
otherwise.
A. Make sure you tell them who you are (your
character's name), and that
you are from Comraich. As Halikar would say, "it's bad form" to
just start talking without them knowing who you are.
*note: Try to have your instant message name match your character name, this
avoids a lot of confusion.
B. Be courteous, if you are messaging to make a request, you may want to start
by asking, "Hi, I was wondering if you are free to talk at the
moment." If they are, continue. If not, ask them when a better
time might be.
C. Instant messaging, outside of game chat, is almost always OOC, so try to
remember that
Jlir
In any role-play world, there are going to be many different types of
relationships, and quite often, these relationships turn into romantic
situations. Here are some quick guidelines to follow when and if this
happens in the life of your character.
1.) Don't do anything that is out of your character's role-play style. Basically,
random cybering is not considered role-play.
All physical encounters need to be role-played between the two characters.
2.) If a situation between your character and another turns romantic or physical
in nature, try to keep the encounter within the bounds of taste. Often
times, there are staff members that keep an eye on the population as a whole,
making sure that rules are being followed, and to learn what is going on in our
world. Don't do anything that you would find embarrassing if it were seen
by another. Make sure that all your encounters are tasteful. Sexuality
has been incorporated into art all throughout history. Be creative and
artful, not "raunchy".
3.) Don't allow another character to engage you in something that you are not
comfortable with. Send them a message, and politely tell them that this
"isn't your bag", so to speak.
Likewise, do not pressure someone into something that they are not comfortable
with.
4.) Have fun. As this is an adult shard, adult things are bound to happen.
5) Although OOC online relationship do happen, never assume that the
character's player wishes for such. Many have significant others, don't enjoy
online dating, are actually the opposite gender then that they play. If this is
why you are getting into a romantic relationship for reasons other then RP make
sure the other player is aware, and always respect their wishes on OOC talk.
If you feel your RP is going too far with someone, discuss it immediately
with the other. If both of you are happy with OOC relationships please
re-read guidelines 1 & 2.
In the world of Comraich conflict is bound to happen and one of those types
of conflicts are those between two players. When you engage in a hostile
action with another player, whether it be the exchange of harsh words or
threats, or a PVP battle between one another you must remember a few simple and
basic rules.
- Nothing that happens in this game IC should be considered personal OOC,
therefore never go after the person behind the character.
- If you are engaging in some sort of Hostile action try as hard as possible
to stay Online till the RPing is over. If you should have to log off be kind
enough to inform the other party of the reason and continue where you left
off at the earliest chance. This includes leaving a message on the message
board, ICQing them, or .msg them IG later should you have to leave because
of an emergency. There is nothing worse then chasing after someone for
some reason and to only find off they logged off without you knowing or
being in the middle of a battle with them only to see them go [OFFLINE] in
the middle of it.
- Make sure you read the rules about PVP, just incase your hostile encounter
ends up in PVP. We don’t want anyone banned over something stupid
like ignorance of the rules!
- Last thing to remember winning isn’t everything. Sometimes it’s
just as much fun to lose as it is to win a battle. Should you be
losing think of this famous saying, “You may have won this battle,
but you have not won the war!” What I’m getting at is that if you
make an enemy chances are that you will have many hostile encounters so if
you lose one it is not the end of the world. Should you lose the
encounter be sure to RP it out properly. If you get beaten in a battle
don’t jump back up and pretend to be all better ready to fight again, try
acting like your injured and accept defeat.
Just remember, having hostile encounters with other players are a great way
to increase the level or RP and enjoyment for both parties.
Ill leave you with one thing, Hatred in UO can be very fun. In a world
where everyone is buddy buddy you will find things will get dull quickly. Go
out and spark an IG hatred with other players. Allow these hatreds to
develop into some fun and interesting RPing scenarios.
By Mandragon Ral
Hey! Do you play UO often? and other sundry and over used
pickup lines.
Before I go into this topic, I want it known that Mithril and I met playing UO.
We have been together three glorious years and have two beautiful
daughters. UO is, was and will always been our passion. We hope that
others may have this opportunity.
However, with that said, there is a far cry from meeting your soul mate and
"cruising". Comraich is not a place for you to meet others to
cyber, in character OR out. It is not a place for you to find another to
be your emotional crutch. If you or your character are constantly
"chatting up" other players or needing others to talk to you, your
missing the whole point of the shards philosophy.
"Allow players the freedom to role-play their characters in a world free of
harassment and immature behavior"
Harassment includes IC and OOC. If a player or character tells you no,
nada, no thank you, please leave me alone, I'm not interested, etc, etc. etc.
You need to respect that, or a find a new shard.
If you are having a
RP relationship with another char and it goes out of char
for one of you but not the other, it is NOT the other persons fault. Take
a break, get a beer, or find a new shard.
If you find yourself getting mad at other players because they
don't talk to you,
don't spend enough time with you, don't understand you, seek drugs & therapy
... and find another shard.
If you chat up only female chars ran by female players, find a new shard. If
you keep finding that none of the other female players will do any romantic
role-play with you ... make a eunuch char or ..... you guessed ....... find a
new shard.
Ya'll get the hint here?
The Comraich Team is dedicated to providing you not only an excellent role
play environment, but also a fully scripted and bug free gaming system. We
started with the best shard scripts available and have begun to do extensive
upgrades and redesigns to make combat better, magery more extensive, provide new
items and give the seers a wealth of tools to develop interactive quests.
This kind of work takes time and a great deal of dedication. In return,
your scripting team ask a few things of you the player in return.
-
We reserve the right to tweak a GAME MECH during its first month, or to
say ... "I'm not so sure I like your idea, why don't you play with what
we have for a bit, and then we'll talk". Sometimes you just need
to make a decision and get a feel for it. Tweaking a game mech during
the first month is NOT NERFING.
-
We hate the idea of NERFING and hope never to have to do it after the
first month of any new feature. Please don’t accuse us of nerfing
or anything else of that nature. It hurts our feelings and makes us
feel unappreciated. (modified 3/12)
-
If you are not having FUN with Skills, NPCs, Monsters or anything else
regarding the game dynamics. PLEASE POST IT ON THE MECHS BOARD. Let
me repeat, we want you to have fun playing the game. But to clarify,
YOU is not necessarily you the person, but you the players. So as to
avoid the tender feelings of the Scriptors, please post in the following
format:
”I do not enjoy the duration of nightsight. Would you be willing
to lengthen the duration?”
So, the scriptors are prolly gonna go … “Nightsight, what the hecks
wrong with nightsight?”. We will then go digging into the code, find
the duration and say “Ouch, let’s up that”
-
If you tell us its taking too long to level your character, we will prolly
look at you blankly and post some thought provoking questions for the rest
of the players to comment on. Based on that we will make a recommended
change and get a vote.
-
If you ask us for some super cool special ability, we will ask if it’s a
RP ability, like shape changing, a power-game ability, or something to help
you game better. If it’s the first or the last, we’ll prolly give
you something simple and see how it goes.
-
Now, if you tell me that this that or the other thing doesn’t make
sense, one of a few things might happen. A) We know that, but it’s a
pregnant dog to code it another way. B) We were just NOT interested in
that cool idea and don’t FEEL like coding it, but we may very well let you
code it. C) It’s a great idea and we’ll put it on the To Be Done list.
-
The Admins and Scriptors promise to TRY not to change code on you
unexpectedly. (modified 3/12)
There are some things one just doesn't like to discuss in a public forum... I
know I'm not a prude but I never felt the need to talk about sexual role play
before because I figured everyone here pretty much knew what is and isn't
appropriate.
To repeat a now old shard axiom - Comraich is our home and the staff are
your hosts. Do you go to a friends house and have sex on their couch? If you do,
you have a much more interesting life than I, but its not really what these
particular hosts are looking for in a guest here on Comraich.
I have RPed getting undressed, hugging, kissing and once even the sexual act
as part of what turned into a ritual, though I admit that at the time I wasn't
sure where it was going. If I ever felt randy at another time I was in ICQ.
Sometimes sex is important to RP. Creating an adultery situation in an attempt
to get someone in trouble. Creating a dark ritual. Describing a metaphysical
bond.. There are many reasons for it as part of your ROLE PLAY. And it is
perfectly acceptable to role play *lies in her arms and turns out the lights
making wild passionate love to her. The end*
Its up to the participants how graphic they wish to get. Discuss it OOC if
you are uncomfortable with what is happening. Some folk here are very happily
married and don't wish to go as far as you do. Ask them, see if just turning out
the lights will fulfill the RP.
However, if you just sorta are attracted to your partner, perhaps bored,
horny.. whatever.. and you want to get really graphic, why not take it to ICQ or
some other private medium?
We don't use the term "mature RP" here as an euphemism for sexual
RP. We've never meant it that way. We meant no kiddies trying to R00X you.
However if you feel you must become graphically intimate on the shard there are
a few rules:
-
Never do it in a public place. Ever. The staff will not tolerate sexual RP in
public areas.
-
Be discrete if others come near.
-
If someone asks you to stop, you stop.
-
If it offends you and you can be somewhere else, go somewhere else.
-
No one on this shard is permitted to be offensive in their RP to another
player. If you feel offended and can not leave the area, perhaps you live next
door, you have every right to ask those offending you to stop what they are
doing. If you can leave the area, then just do so and don't worry about it.
-
Be discrete, be tolerant and be polite.
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