Local OOC
It's probably not the right tool for the job

I strongly suggest that we all use Local OOC as little as possible. When you do use it, keep it short, to the point and generally in relation to very specific game issues/events. Take it back to IC as soon as you can.

All too often I see or hear about players hanging out in a room and engaging in lengthy local OOC conversations about the most recent football games, their love of French cheese or the things they hate about Sindome.

I am not against people discussing any of these things but I really feel that Local OOC is one of the worst places to do it. If you want to talk about the recent football game, go to OOC-Chat. If you want to talk about something you hate about Sindome, do it respectfully on the BgBB Game Problems & Complaints forum, xhelp with staff or send us an email at [email protected].

Why not on Local OOC?

With lengthy general OOC chit-chat, I see players becoming attached to other players. This is not a bad thing in general as I want friendly and polite relations to be the norm for our community (OOCly at least >:P). But doing it on Local OOC creates a player to character link that WILL influence us to some degree even when we have the best intents. You now know and like they person behind Bob the character. Or hate them. I don't think any of us needs that baggage when RPing.

And when it comes to what you hate about the game, it serves no purpose aside from maybe helping you feel validated. After all, you are voicing these complaints to a small audience of people. Probably people who feel the same way which is likely part of the reason they were sought out for the conversation. Now you are in an isolated echo chamber. Staff is not going to magically know about your concerns. We can't address them, learn from them or try and explain why we feel it's healthier as it is. It can also results in the same player to player bonding and the ame character to player links described above.

Instead, I urge you all to use the proper tool for the task. Local OOC isn't really meant to be used for lengthy OOC chats where you get to shoot the shit with the guys/gals behind the characters present in your room or to rant about the things you might not like about Sindome. It's for dealing with game issues/events where nothing else makes sense (Game-Help, OOC-Chat, BgBB, xhelp). It's use should be as limited as possible and things should be brought back IC as quickly as possible

If you want to have a general OOC chat session, got to OOC-Chat or Free-Chat. If you want to talk about the state of the game, go to the BgBB or xhelp or use email to contact staff. I can not think of any situation in which using Local OOC as anything other than quick, last resort exchanges leads to more good than bad for the game as a whole.

Now that I have adjusted, OOC seriously squicks me.

Correct your typos ICly. Get tongue tangled. Misspeak and correct yourself.

Mobius brings up an excellent point about OOC communication leading to establishing relationships with PLAYERS and not characters. It is natural to want to connect with the people behind the characters, but that is not what Sindome is about.

There are a few people who I have played with here who I REALLY wanted connect with on a personal level because we seem to share common interests and perspectives on the game. When their character disappears, it bums me out. But I think that the game is better for there being a clean break there when a character disappears.

I encourage you all to challenge yourself to avoid OOC altogether. Definitely try to avoid it in public rooms where there are multiple other characters. It breaks the immersion to have those green brackets pop up.