Backstage - OOC Forums
EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => EVE OOC Summit => Topic started by: Seriphyn on 26 Aug 2010, 07:42
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From the corresponding topic...
I find it interesting how a lot of us have put our threat levels as severe or extreme...maybe we should put killboard ratings and security status to actual DED threat levels? :P
Threat level, as I interpreted it doesn't mean ship based combat exclusively - there a few of us who have RP'd physical dangerous and highly lethal characters outside of the pod, so this could include that.
However, in cases like Verone and John Revenant - I think they are entirely accurate :P
I more interpreted the DED threat level as threat as a criminal...I mean, if our characters are being space marines versus pirates then why would CONCORD rate them dangerous? Of course, obvs for Verone, John Revenent, Jade Constantine etc. that applies, but considering CONCORD, according to TBL, highly regulate and control capsuleer activity in stations, in addition to the fact there is little need for a capsuleer to be an active combatant...if Seriphyn is "severe" out-of-pod but a mission runner in Dodixie all day with 5.0 sec status...I'm not really sure he's that much of a threat, heh.
That is, of course, not really relevant, so I start up a new topic on that subject in general.
This is a guilty pleasure of mine...I used to do it a lot before I started severely cutting back on RPing as a space marine thingy...while it was fun, I wanted to emphasize the fact that as a capsuleer, we are leaders and commanders of the mudeaters.
There anything really wrong with it, though? Since starting EL-G and getting into regular PvP and lowsecing, I started associating ability to PvP with RP out-of-pod combat ability...is that elitist? For example, not that I would engage in this sort of RP anymore, but I wouldn't imagine someone who is a mission runner be able to successfully take Seriphyn down...this is the same way that Verone, leader of a big RP alliance, would be beatable in RP fisticuffs. It's a sort of metarule, really, with no real tangible reason as to why pod PvP ability can correspond to ability to kickass out-of-pod.
Seriphyn is a former Federal Marine, but instead of RPing him as running around in a powered suit pwning bad guys, he is thus a commander of groups of marines instead, especially as Lum Gen, and having the background in it. For everything's thats hammered as "oooh, our great capsuleer masters, what is thou bidding?" which is being hammered in PF, I figured I'd follow that through.
Also, the issue with this sort of combat RP, is that you're either kickass, or you're not. No one is really going to say their character is anything other than a highly trained and skilled and adept etc fighting machine. So...if I hop on that bandwagon, seems a bit redundant, so instead, I just limit it to his background and current story...he is a former marine, that currently engages in plenty of VR simulations in pod, training routines and physical fitness programmes out-of-pod with professional instructors he has hired. If he wants to get some mission done out-of-pod, he sends in his own team
But what about you? Do you RP a superman/woman? Are there any problems with it, the redundancy of everyone RPing a hardass? Or is it just inconsequential?
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While I don't go out of my way to RP a superpowered character, I understand the necessity of it. Basically, there are enough supermutant android killing machines walking around that It'd be irresponsible not to be able to hold my own.
That said, I've built Nikita's abilities up in such a way that they're much more defensive then offensive. Make no mistake, she could turn someone into a bloody smear on the wall, but chances are she won't. And while that technically goes against the disposition of the character, I feel like its a more fair way to RP, I only push back as hard as I'm pushed. So Nikita has her shield generator implant that I can pop up and mock small arms fire with, and she has hardwirings which are all ones I've either found in the PF such as the quickdraw implant from All Tomorrow's Bodies, or correspond to skills I have in the pod. I've also taken on the attitude that skills we've trained in the pod correspond to abilities we have out of the pod.
To some up my attitude on out of pod combat, I don't go looking for it, but if I get sucked into it, I'm more then capable of holding my own, and I'll let loose more and more against newer characters who don't understand the game as much and are awesome because they say so, whereas against an older, bigger name player, like Verone or Graelyn, I'd likely give myself a handicap.
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RL combat pilots, while in excellent condition, don't necessarily hold up to ground-pounding soldiers. Even more so for commanders -- they might be badass compared to the general population, but that doesn't mean they're killing machines. Age might have something to do with it, but I also tend to think that someone who spends their time and energy on higher-order operations doesn't have that time and energy available to devote to endless training in the fine art of killing the man in front of you.
And I don't see why, at least IC, a "PVE" pilot should be lesser, particularly at the high end.
As I've said elsewhere, Casiella has little in-person combat ability. This is a change from how I initially played her, translating her in-pod abilities into out-of-pod. As time as passed, that seemed less and less realistic to me, so that now I assume she moves about with a personal security detail (particularly if she's not in a station area reserved for capsuleers).
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It is purely a matter of choice of the player.
While I don't go out of my way to RP a superpowered character, I understand the necessity of it. Basically, there are enough supermutant android killing machines walking around that It'd be irresponsible not to be able to hold my own.
Added bold on my emphasis.
There is no such thing as a necessity for your character to be superhuman.
One of the reasons for it is the fact that the only way to communicate within the confines of PF and the UI of EVE (without metagaming a real encounter) with someone is in VR in close proximity (being able to use more bandwidth on a sublight communication relay) or through IRC like channels when using FTL communications.
To restate my opinion in this matter.
A pod pilot does not have to leave the pod ever.
What the meat can do does not matter.
Unless you choose it to.
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There is no such thing as a necessity for your character to be superhuman.
Yeah, capsuleers are, for the most part, or in theory, should be untouchable. They have a dedicated section of every dockable station for this reason.
Considering they employ thousands to hundreds of thousands too, there would also be a considerable myriad of security staff to protect them, not to mention CONCORD's own agents, since presumably they administer these capsuleer sections of stations.
It would be more interesting to see a villainous pirate capsuleer who is not physically capable at all, and instead is protected by layers of goons. Like a tr00 crimeboss or something.
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It would be more interesting to see a villainous pirate capsuleer who is not physically capable at all, and instead is protected by layers of goons. Like a tr00 crimeboss or something.
Its something along the lines of, I want to be able to interact with people and RP out of pod encounters, but there are far too many people who will take advantage of that and pull supermutant powers out of their ass and try to kill me with their awesomemegakungfudeath move. And yeah, the pile of goons thing would be interesting, but I prefer not to say I have tons of goons until I actually have some power behind me (allies, etc) and yes, I'm well aware that technically all capsuleers have tons of goons regardless, but no one ever really looks at that, everyone looks at the capsuleer capsuleer interactions, no one cares about the fact that technically these interactions are rather over the top etc, no one cares about the little people that make everything work, so if I don't have actual players, it seems cheap to claim I have a lot of manpower. That probably sounds odd but its what I think.
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It would be more interesting to see a villainous pirate capsuleer who is not physically capable at all, and instead is protected by layers of goons. Like a tr00 crimeboss or something.
Its something along the lines of, I want to be able to interact with people and RP out of pod encounters, but there are far too many people who will take advantage of that and pull supermutant powers out of their ass and try to kill me with their awesomemegakungfudeath move. And yeah, the pile of goons thing would be interesting, but I prefer not to say I have tons of goons until I actually have some power behind me (allies, etc) and yes, I'm well aware that technically all capsuleers have tons of goons regardless, but no one ever really looks at that, everyone looks at the capsuleer capsuleer interactions, no one cares about the fact that technically these interactions are rather over the top etc, no one cares about the little people that make everything work, so if I don't have actual players, it seems cheap to claim I have a lot of manpower. That probably sounds odd but its what I think.
If you're in a situation where another Capsuleer is trying to kill your Capsuleer that is not pre-arranged or allowed, you can simply walk away. RP is purely consensual and you can freely remove yourself from situations you are not consenting to.
Of course the liberties you take, depending on the degree, may or may not result in repercussions but the freedom of choice is always there.
Then there are places like The Last Gate, The Skyhook (presumably?) which pretty much fulfill "all Capsuleers are safe, no killing kthx".
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I'm well aware that technically all capsuleers have tons of goons regardless...
Eh. Not all of them do.
Vieve does now, sure, but only because her husband insists. Coming home to find her lying in a pool of blood in their bedroom just didn't set well with the guy. He upped the bodyguard count.
Celeste continues to be delighted that Dex has convinced himself that having her being followed around by LDIS marines would send the wrong message to stockholders. She has a vague feeling that Hamish is having it done anyway, so she's still being cautious with her private business transactions. (Though, now that Vikarion's off doing other things, she's reasonably assured that she's only being monitored by the obvious sort of electronic surveillance.)
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Then there are places like The Last Gate, The Skyhook (presumably?) which pretty much fulfill "all Capsuleers are safe, no killing kthx".
I confirm that trying to kill someone in The Skyhook results in getting ripped to shreds by the sentry turrets. We also don't pay for your clone afterwards.... :yar:
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How about all you guys who want to get into fights just stat your characters in, like, Eclipse Phase or something. Then you can wail on each other all day and have a resolution mechanism.
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I don't quite get the concept of an OOC arms race for RP. I've seen this in other communities, and it seems to me that it does more harm than good. Otherwise it turns into the same sort of "you can't pwn me, I pwn you first!" I see my kids do. ;)
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Yeah. Text RP is ultimately consensual. If someone pulls magical superpowers out of thin air, you can just ignore them.
Sometimes some out-of-pod prowess can serve a story function, but it is a thin line between that and mary-sueish self-gratification, in my experience. It's an all-to-easy trap to fall into.
OFC, it can depend on what you want out of your RP. It might be satisfying to have an incredibly capable character. On the other hand, it is rarely interesting for most other people to see and hear how awesome your character is.
Those times I have had RPed combat out of pod, it's generally been with characters whose players I trusted enough where we could discuss relative backgrounds and capabilities and come up with how things would pan out. Where the characters were relatively evenly matched, another player also used fudge dice, which worked out really well.
OFC, none of those times were with Silver, who is about as useful out of pod as tits on a boar. I have RPed underlings of his who don't pilot, and have ground-pounder military backgrounds, though.
I think that Ze'ev's suggestion would be a good one, for out of pod combat. Find an RP system where you can 'roll up' your character and use that RP system's combat mechanics if you wanna have a fight.
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Maybe we amarr loyalists are just too civil and advanced, but... out of pod fighting between capsuleers, seriously? :ugh:
Considering that you spend (your playtime + some) floating in a supsension of who-knows-what that's going to be more like a cripple-fight than anything else - especially since most people whom I Know would want to have such fights spend a lot of their out of pod time sighing in romantic hallways, sipping tea and/or slobbing out in random bars. :lol:
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Maybe we amarr loyalists are just too civil and advanced, but... out of pod fighting between capsuleers, seriously? :ugh:
Well, yes. As I recall Arnulf still holds an IC grudge against you related to this very issue. You might recall pounding on an EM pilot who was an invited guest at Shern's wedding. Scagga's people had to drag you off her.
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:lol: That was two years ago, and actually the time I found out how useless such stuff is. :lol:
Typical though, for an EM to drag such stuff up again - it doesn't really prove my point wrong, so... :|
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:lol: That was two years ago, and actually the time I found out how useless such stuff is. :lol:
I wouldn't say useless. You made it very clear what sort of person you wanted to portray Laerise as by that action.
Typical though, for an EM to drag such stuff up again - it doesn't really prove my point wrong, so... :|
Smile when you say that PIEman. :D
A punch up between characters can be a decent bit of colour. But I'd say the details need to be worked out OOC first if it's to have any lasting consequences other than generating ill feeling (or being one of those overly macho bonding things).
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Saint has no superhuman abilities besides the ability to come back from the dead and to use implants. His only hand-to-hand combat abilities are those honed in bar fights pre-capsuleerhood and having his ass kicked by Imperial Marines in said fights (that he now commands them as a member of the militia is a lol-point for me). He has, however, had some unofficial sparring matches with subordinate Kameiras he had under him in order to better defend himself while out of pod (as I RP any time I'm not in space as him being out of pod) in the increasingly hostile world of the capsuleer.
I'm also not afraid most of the time to let him get his ass beat (he can be quite insufferable at times and the other party needs to have fun somehow :lol:), which he almost had once unbeknownst to the other party (had they escalated the situation). That RP did have a running OOC commentary (it was to be included in a story by a third party), though.
A fun example of such is that I learned that in previous RPs where Aldrith Shutaq had been present, he had been physically intimidated enough as to not interfere whenever he saw Saint get rough with someone else, but now that Aldrith has gone through Cyber Knight training, he no longer does. And for the record, yes, with Aldrith's recent training and cybernetic implants, he could kick Saint's ass. :lol:
You can have a lot of fun with the more physically confrontational RPs if neither party has to "win" the RP to enjoy it.