Immersion

[Valkyrie]

The fact was, in a battle situation voice chat gave you a distinct advantage over text commands/orders and so died a little RP and immersion when it was embraced that day. It is why solo play is that much more immersive, you don't have characters popping up who aren't of yours or similar mindset.

On the topic of voice chat, I recently played PS2(Planetside 2) over the past year where voice chat is absolutely essential to the success of the platoon(s). There was a massive amount of immersion to be had by the chatter in PS2 and by the very nature of the game and what kinds of communication or chatter went on over comms, from giving a move order for alpha and bravo to take point while charlie is to scout the perimeter of a facility. Mind you, in our platoons, other than acting commanders, we had strict clear comms with the exception of spotting or locating priority targets.

What I'm saying is, this immersion from voice chat actually brought about RP in a way which is something I totally did not expect to happen, especially coming from mmo's.

I'm playing a "game" that I'm a starship commander/pilot, I have no interest to be pulled out of that immersion by anyone. The fact that some seek to do that means (for me) they are instantly placed on my block or banned list and if it gets to the point where it is no longer controllable ... well ... I'll just have to go solo play and leave it at that. A selfish way of playing? Maybe.

Multiplayer is something I want to try and am very enthusiastic about. I think voice comms could work very well for ship to ship communication but I am unsure if it will have that same immersive sense that I got from PS2 but I am also prepared that I may have to withdraw from the online component from time to time (I'm assuming we can go on and offline at will?) just to enjoy or immerse myself in the game as I don't want to read text or hear voice comms that could potentially egress me from where I want to be. I just hope the ignore list doesn't have some silly cap.

 

[warbaby2]

So I wonder what your true roleplayers think about players needing technical assistance.

So I am in a roleplay session, trying to stay in character but I don't know how to do something. I am going to have to know e.g. to follow an order. In the end I will have to ask what button to push, is that not unavoidable?

Well, in pen and paper, you can always do it "in character" i.e. if you don't know how to do something, you make a skill check against an appropriate attribute/skill and if it's successful, me (the game master) tells you what you have to do.

It's not quite as simple in MMOs... you could use a OOC (out of character) tag to ask for things your character should know but you don't... but that only, really works in text chat, not in voice chat.

 

[Riandor]

I am not a roleplayer myself. But that is because basically I have not played any games or joined guilds that made work of it. I am too casual.

So I wonder what your true roleplayers think about players needing technical assistance.

So I am in a roleplay session, trying to stay in character but I don't know how to do something. I am going to have to know e.g. to follow an order. In the end I will have to ask what button to push, is that not unavoidable?

So how is a roleplayers expected to handle that exactly? Just curious.

Depends on the group, i have seen two forms.
1- you add an "out of character" tag to your text (if text based)
2- you simply ask in character. Much easier to do in scifi games as you can talk about hardware more easily in character. Much harder in fantasy!

But i prefer not to exclude casual players with a full blown RP group. Again, i think many on here will play and communicate in ways that whilst not strict RP, will not be immersion breaking. As many dont know each other personally conversation is likely to be in game related anyway.

The main issue for me in big MMO style games are those who "shout", looking for party, selling sword you dont need, etc.. Its games like that where i see the true benefit of limiting server "chatter" and could see being in a rp group as beneficial.

Maybe Elite for a fee of us would be beneficial that way, but maybe its as simple as putting together some key phrases that anyone on here who likes the idea can use when communicating and if you get the right replies you know you are dealing with a fellow forum dweller keen on a more immersive RP experience.

Those who dont respond in that manner you can choose to chatter with in normal parlance or ignore if you prefer.

I have always been a big RP fan, so i wouldn't be against joining RP groups, but i certainly dont want to be elitist about it either, especially as in terms of history and factions and the game in general i am as the kids say, a noob! So i have some learning to do before i could RP well enough, or at least to the standards i like.

 

[Nagual]

I am not a roleplayer myself. But that is because basically I have not played any games or joined guilds that made work of it. I am too casual.

So I wonder what your true roleplayers think about players needing technical assistance.

So I am in a roleplay session, trying to stay in character but I don't know how to do something. I am going to have to know e.g. to follow an order. In the end I will have to ask what button to push, is that not unavoidable?

So how is a roleplayers expected to handle that exactly? Just curious.

"Hey, erm you know the undercarriage control.. um... I think I'm suffering from space sickness... where is it again?"

 

[Cathy]

Multiplayer is something I want to try and am very enthusiastic about. I think voice comms could work very well for ship to ship communication but I am unsure if it will have that same immersive sense that I got from PS2 but I am also prepared that I may have to withdraw from the online component from time to time (I'm assuming we can go on and offline at will?) just to enjoy or immerse myself in the game as I don't want to read text or hear voice comms that could potentially egress me from where I want to be. I just hope the ignore list doesn't have some silly cap.

You won't be able to swap online/offline at will, but you will be able to swap between online solo / online multiplayer between logins - which I think is what you're really asking for That is the current proposal from Frontier.

(once started, an offline i.e. no internet commander must stay offline)

 

[Variform]

Thanks you for your responses. This will help me not break immersion for others.

I like the idea of having a special RP comms channel.

I haven't found this in the documents around here but do we have the ability to create a guild channel of some sort? I read the group system document but can't recall how that relates to just the different channels we see in MMO's.

If there could be a global RP channel that would help, so the chatter boxes where non-roleplayers break each other's immersion can be ignored if so desired.

I also like the idea of some phrase that hints to other players you are immersed. Could we come up with something? E.g. we know the old greeting 'ahoy' that was used (maybe still is?) between ships and mariners I suppose.

It should be something that a non-roleplayer would not use tongue in cheek. Something a little more obscure.

I don't know, something referring to the original game. 'Lave be praised!' (And then roleplay: 'It is good to see a vessel out this far...')

I suspect when the game goes live there will be an influx of casual players out of any MMO they are bored with, who want to change a space sim for a change because few have been around. Discover what it is like. A whole wave of immersion killers

Roleplayers need to be able to ID each other, hence the catchphrase.

What do you all think? Would that work?

 

[Eckhart]

It's a splendid idea and I'm all for it !

Maybe the fiction writers have some phrases in mind that could be adopted.

 

[warbaby2]

What do you all think? Would that work?

Absolutely... we could just use some Chinese lingo... worked in other universes.

 

[PacalB]

On the topic of voice chat, I recently played PS2(Planetside 2) over the past year where voice chat is absolutely essential to the success of the platoon(s). There was a massive amount of immersion to be had by the chatter in PS2 and by the very nature of the game and what kinds of communication or chatter went on over comms, from giving a move order for alpha and bravo to take point while charlie is to scout the perimeter of a facility. Mind you, in our platoons, other than acting commanders, we had strict clear comms with the exception of spotting or locating priority targets.

What I'm saying is, this immersion from voice chat actually brought about RP in a way which is something I totally did not expect to happen, especially coming from mmo's.



Multiplayer is something I want to try and am very enthusiastic about. I think voice comms could work very well for ship to ship communication but I am unsure if it will have that same immersive sense that I got from PS2 but I am also prepared that I may have to withdraw from the online component from time to time (I'm assuming we can go on and offline at will?) just to enjoy or immerse myself in the game as I don't want to read text or hear voice comms that could potentially egress me from where I want to be. I just hope the ignore list doesn't have some silly cap.

Yes, you are right it can be done, I also have had years of fun playing a sim called Digital Combat Simulator - A-10C Warthog, a place where all the guys and gals there are hardcore into brevity codes and keeping battles as realistic as possible. It's almost like RP without calling it actual RP, so you are right it can be done.

I'm wondering though, will ED have its own voice comms system or will it only be via text comms? If it doesn't come with voice comms what's going to end up happening is people are going to use things like Teamspeak in the background to keep that extra situational awareness with their friends. This will give a distinct advantage to those that use this over the text talkers. It will also give them a huge advantage over noob pilots coming to the game who may get into fights with people using voice comms.

FD needs to be real clear on how they are going to handle this because it will be a huge issue as the game unfolds multiplayer wise.

 

[PacalB]

It's a splendid idea and I'm all for it !

Maybe the fiction writers have some phrases in mind that could be adopted.

Interestingly enough, in the early days of EVE online the Minmatar where known only as this, the unit I ran with started calling ourselves the ""Matari" and pretty soon it was widespread around the EVE galaxy as standard. So the writers have all this to play for if done right in their stories.

 

[PacalB]

Absolutely... we could just use some Chinese lingo... worked in other universes.

要有礼貌 也不是愚蠢的

 

[warbaby2]

要有礼貌 也不是愚蠢的

Shi shi, tyen tsai.

 

[Variform]

要有礼貌 也不是愚蠢的

Great, you just broke my speelchecker!

 

[Allen Stroud]

It's a splendid idea and I'm all for it !

Maybe the fiction writers have some phrases in mind that could be adopted.

There are lots. We were talking about this a few weeks back. I'm sure once we get to Alpha you'll find some phrases creeping in.

 

[Oss133]

There are lots. We were talking about this a few weeks back. I'm sure once we get to Alpha you'll find some phrases creeping in.

I am looking forward to this with great anticipation. Can you make sure that "Pew Pew, LazorZ!" is included?

But seriously, accepted/acceptable terminology would help immensely with the immersion. Honestly can't wait to find out more.

 

[Cathy]

oss, your sig makes much mirth in me

 

[Oss133]

oss, your sig makes much mirth in me

Thank you, although I feel I cannot take any credit for merely repeating things that others have said.

So, my dear Forumites, Cathy thanks you all for your contributions and I am sure she wishes you all continued success in making amusingly quotable statements.

I thank you all as well. The level of wit and insight on this forum is a true joy to be a part of.