random suggestion- Option to limit posting per-location? (game host editable)

[Tahiel]

I literally just woke up from a roleplaying 'nightmare' where I woke to have to wade through 50000000000000 posts to get to something (meaningful XD) I had to reply. lol And it made me remember that the main reason why I tended to dislike "group" RPs is that I've always had bad luck with them in the posting respect.

Now, to explain myself a bit better and why I think this would be useful:

I'm not referring to a setting for each location you make individually, but a general group setting for all locations, that allows the same x posts on any you make.

So when you make or edit your game you ca tell it: "Same user can only post (5) times on a given location per day."

S/he can only post 5 times on "Main"
And even if they posted those 5 times there, they can still post up to 5 times on "Sublocation1" and another 5 in "Sublocation2" per day.


I don't mean to cut off anyone's creative juices from flowing, but I've been (waay back) in a few RPs with people that even if you asked them to couldn't measure their own posting.


This is bad for a couple reasons (and I mean in really really active groups, as I'm sure some will get):

-> If they're 1on1ing, with everything being in a single topic/location, it gets messy to find certain topics if there are just -too many- (yes, I know you can search per character, but then if you're addressed mid-1on1 and they didn't add your character you'll never know in doing that)

-> If they are actually in a thread with more people, people sometimes get carried away and overlook that hey, this other person needs sleep too since they're in a whole different timezone (or work, or food)- and go back and forth 100 times, either ignoring your character whom promptly ends up looking like an idiot and isn't even given a chance to follow if they leave, or referring to your character who is still looking like an idiot because doh, they can't reply if I'm not there, and continuing on past that point and accusing my character of not replying isn't polite. XD
(or they just outright use it for you and probably still make him or her look like an idiot lol)


Maybe I've just had really bad luck, but that's usually what happened in all of the ones I've been in.

Hence, giving an optional posting limit for those that want to control their game that way = I think is good.

/donerantingaboutbeingignoredinRPs. X'D

[Tigerkytti]

Perhaps, the best thing to do if that happens to you so much would best be trying to just join rps that have a posting order, or Live RPs (where the rp only happens when everyone involved is there to rp). I started out on live rps, and it always a good thing to have a posting order in those due to people's different typing speeds. And of course posting orders can be put in for a rp, real time or not. If your an admin for example and put together a full game, just tell people to not post before everyone else has had a turn to do so. That way, you don't need a posting limit... cuz say everyone gets on at the same time once in awhile and you'd be able to get further in then the 'x' number of posts during that time, you don't have to worry about being able to only carry it so far.
Or if you know your not going to be on for a bit, while a bunch of other posts are going to take place, maybe have your character leave, or become occupied so that they're not being ignored, etc.

Though gotta say that's pretty inconsiderate of others to make it so your character is 'ignoring' others just cuz you couldn't post in the time they wanted x.x Hate when others do that personally...

Ahem, anyways, just some suggestions that might help you^.^

[Tahiel]

Well the rps when I got "ignored" to happened overnight. lol Like literally, I went to bed, woke up the next morning, and it was 50 posts where my character got addressed 3 times, and treated like an idiot because he didn't reply, then they promptly left me which would've been fine if I'd been off for like over a day without notice, but it was only like 7 hours sleep lol, and they almost killed me (assuming things is bad, kids, if you don't know the character well), among others. XD

Now, I don't mind asking people for posting order or measuring themselves, the problem is some just don't hear (or read) you. I've hosted my fair share of games in the past (and been in/led enough forums too) to know that sometimes, for some people, reading in RP-oriented or text oriented environments is like a hassle, so why read all those little pesky rules you bothered writing?). (You'd think not, right? But there you have it. XD)

It's not a problem right now, but I think as the site grows it would be something interesting to add to those who don't want to bother kicking all the ones who are good rpers but just can't measure themselves out of excitement. :P

As for live RPs, I'm all over the place with my schedules, so that's never worked fine for me sadly. X) Also I usually log in at times few people do. XD

[Aerion]

I've already semi to completely dropped out of one of the RPs I was involved in here just because of pacing issues u.u. I work like 10 hrs a day 5 days a week then 6 hrs on Saturday. I also have pets to care for and what not, so I simply can't keep up with hundreds of new posts per character per day. It's sad, I like playing that character, but I am currently trying to think up a good story reason to take him out of the rp.

[Maneki Neko]

I can certainly put it on the, "This is something that might be good one day." list of things.

I've run into similar problems before with forum rpgs and can see where it'd be useful to enforce that sort of thing to make it easier on all the players.

Since it's not likely to come for awhile, it may be a good time to discuss amongst yourselves what would streamline the feature and make it most useable to game hosts and players alike.

[Tahiel]

Yay! It got on the list! I honestly think it would make it really useful for some hosts. So definitely the choice to opt in-out of that should be available (so they can choose if they want to use it or not).

ETA: And it should appear on the overview page whether the group has it enabled or not.

[Tigerkytti]

If you're talking about Shade, Aerion just to let you know the rp has drastically slowed...

[Schizophrenic]

I don't know why I couldn't grasp what you were talking about for a solid 3 minutes of reading. (I'm so slow today.) But when I finally realized what you were looking for, that makes a lot of sense! I've run into that problem as well in the past, and it's funny how similar the experiences have been. That whole, "for some reason the jerk decided to ignore me... moving on." when you didn't. That response makes sense I guess if you outright address the person and move in another direction to avoid the character but when you can't get on and post and you don't even get a chance it would make me just want to drop out completely...

I do agree that it should be optional so that people who were online 24/7 without responsibilities could do what they want but that kind of control would be nice for the game master to have. Oh the personalization of this site is splendid and seems will only get better.

[Tahiel]

I don't know why I couldn't grasp what you were talking about for a solid 3 minutes of reading.

That's because I talk (or rather, write) in circles when I'm trying to explain stuff. XD It's hereditary, you should try to follow what one of my aunts tries to say when she tries to explain something, particularly how to get places.
"You do two blocks and turn left and then one block and left, and then two blocks and left and-" "Wait, doesn't that get you back where you started?""Oh, you're right, so it was two blocks then left twice then right once then left once then... "
/OT

But yeah, I hate when they just overlook you completely like that. :/ It's not my fault I need sleep to function. :P Most of those I ended up moving my character elsewhere and never going back, anyway. It really is discouraging and rude. But, some people can't help themselves.

[Maneki Neko]

Out of curiosity, would it be a good thing to have a sort of mandated rotation?

This is just a thought that came to me and may or may not be what people would want or use, so don't think that just because I'm suggesting it that it's something I'd ask to be produced. Just putting it out there for you guys to think over...

***

Okay - so the Game Host (GH) is given the following options for each location in the Game World:
- Posting limit per 24 hours per user: [x] (Leave 0 for no posting limit.)
- Enforce posting order for this location? [yes] [no] (Notice: Posting limit will reset after posting order is reached.)
___List of users: [ user1, user2, user3, user4]

So let's say that the GH limits the posting limit to 3 posts to a location per 24 hours and sets a limit so that only the players who should be using the location at this period of time are affected by the posting limit. (Users 1 - 4)

So users 1-4 are given three posts to use in the location per 24 hours.

Users 1 - 3 make their posts and hit their limit. So they have to either wait 24 hours for it to reset, or for user 4 to make at least one post in order to reset the posting limit for the location to 3 posts.

This will, of course, allow players actively in the forum to continue gaming pretty much indefinitely because the limit will keep resetting once each player has posted at least once. But the moment one of them logs off for the day/night/weekend, everyone will have to wait on the other person before proceeding in that location.

****

Thoughts?

[Tahiel]

I think that sounds quite fine. I personally don't have/see an immediate use for the posting order myself, but I can see how it would be useful to many types of RPs. (And if the posting limit is done, I guess might as well attach the order so it's all done "once").

Could they both be used independently? (I could set a posting limit but not order, or order but not limit?)

[Tigerkytti]

I think this could be a very good idea! It definitely gives it a good medium for people to be able to enforce a posting order instead of just asking for it and hoping that the players will follow, and not completely stall out a rp if someone can't be around without warning temporarily. Though hopefully the order would be able to be edited by the admin at any time for new players joining and others leaving.

[Maneki Neko]

Yes - you could set one or the other or both. xD

And, yes, the admin could edit at will.

Again, this isn't something I'm putting on the immediate to-do list, so there's still time to brainstorm and tweak the idea to make it more usable. :3

[Michael Cra]

I Had one forum that i RP'd in but i had to leave because of Work reason, but what they did was gave Permission to Mods to play them out as in they would tell the Mod who was participating or just watching the game ((its a little harder here because there was like 6 mods that liked to Participate in the RP's or at least kept up on most of them)) But if you thought the game would go on with out you, you'd just send the Mod a PM saying hey im gonna be gone for a few hours ((or X amount of time)) if they keep going could you have my character do this, or what not.

With that you at least knew you weren't gonna get a sat in the corner Drooling instead of replying.... XD unless your a Drunk because we had one guy who was always drinking and the mods would make him pass out in a corner drooling lol

Although what Neko said also sounds reasonable but it can be bit fun when you leave you have to wonder what the Mod posted if the RP kept going.

[Nyan Cat]

I like a lot of the ideas in this threa. The one Mr. Cra detailed isn't something I've seen before, and sounds quite interesting.

I myself had my own idea that I put together in my currently inert interest-gathering thread. It wouldn't fix the prolem that's being addressed in this thread, but it's a measure. Like, say your character was stuck with someone whose player has been away for a long time. Designated mods with certain character in reserve can then send these characters to 'interrupt' the interaction and guide the stuck player's character away from the abandoned character. Likewise, if the whole 'character in a corner drooling' situatin happened, the designated characters could move in and take the character away elsewhere to 'occupy' them, so they aren't a drooling idiot.

Obviously not perfect, but nothing's perfect.

Nyan~

[Maneki Neko]

I think those things could be handled without a "mod" to the forum, though. xD The game host can at least organize either co-hosts whose duties are to help out "blocked" characters or move them around themselves. (I'm not sure, can game hosts control any character in the game whether they're private or public? I can, but I'm Admin so... :x )

[Nyan Cat]

Exactly what I mean~ But what I meant by 'designated characters' is that these co-hosts or helpers merely have an extra character who is maybe a loner that mostly only comes into play to perform these duties. There'd be multiple of them to ensure that there's always one available, since after moving the character they may become engaged, or it may simply not make sense for certain characters to get involved with certain other characters.

[Maneki Neko]

Ah, sorry. xD I was more meaning that I wasn't sure if Michael Cra was suggesting some sort of mod to the forum or not. xD

Your low-tech solution sounds great. :3

[Nyan Cat]

Yay for my McGuyver solutions~ Boo for my mixing the direction of words up. xD

[Tahiel]

(I'm not sure, can game hosts control any character in the game whether they're private or public? I can, but I'm Admin so... :x )

Good then, I'm still all for the idea, having both choices make it an excellent and (in my opinion most needed) feature.
Re: the above, I guess we can, I mean, they certainly ARE listed when I go to reply, so unless it tells me no when i try to post, which I haven't tried, I'll assume I can "control" them.

[Maneki Neko]

Good then. I thought that was how it worked, but I wasn't sure.

Then, as per the above comments, if necessary, a player could give their game host permission to control their character to get them out of sticky situations if necessary.