Spurious/Non-associative IG DM Tags

[I-KP]

I do ask, but I am conscious having to bug busy people just to find out who they are. If the name was associative such pestering wouldn't be necessary.

As a non-DM I probably don't understand this need to appear anonymously. If DM style becomes recognisable, and DMs reveal who they are if asked anyway, how much is that anonymity really worth and why the need for the communication hurdle?

[CloudDancing]

Well I figured it out like this:

" *: the wind whistles through the shimmering pines as crystaline flakes break free and sugar the thick snowpack below"

or
(the voice coming "from" an NPC)
*: "Oy I seen the Orc! It ate me cows up; it did!

vs

DMCloud: "The water shifts shimmering across the bow. A huge gelatious cube sudden lands with a slurpy thud on the deck! Above you you see a Gnomish Airship, laden with cubes held in leathern slings, preparing for another barrage of the acidic invaders."

DMCloud: "Hey there Mistah..you want a dance? Dime a dance Mistah..come on inside! We got losta girls, tall ones, short ones, even got some big girls, all the girls ya want and more..Dime a dance Mister!"

Now imagine DmCloud is dysgraphic/calculic and consistently exchanges words and numbers for their opposites and confuses which NPC she is speaking for.

It makes sense for me. I also introduce myself in shout when I come in like Wynna always did. But I am not one to say all Dms should do as I do, we all are individuals and have so many aspects to our play.

Some of us have tiny screens and old computers, others of us have 22 inch screens and new computers. Some of us play loose, specialize in certain plots, are storytellers, or facilltators. Some of us log in randomly when they feel like it and some like being predictable. It's all a prefrence.

[Mirabai]

I do ask, but I am conscious having to bug busy people just to find out who they are. If the name was associative such pestering wouldn't be necessary.

As a non-DM I probably don't understand this need to appear anonymously. If DM style becomes recognisable, and DMs reveal who they are if asked anyway, how much is that anonymity really worth and why the need for the communication hurdle?

First off, it's nice to be able to log on and test stuff, setup, do maintenance, etc, without raising false hopes amongst the players and getting spammed with tells. Sometimes I log in to check one thing which should take me 5 minutes and I end up being on for an hour because of the tells, requests, etc. That gets annoying.

Secondly, it's useful to be able to log on and observe the wildlife in their natural setting, their behavior patterns undisturbed by knowledge of your presence. A DM can learn a lot this way and I'm not just talking about catching farmers or seeing who's cyb0ring.

Oftentimes I'm in the mood to DM and I log on and just watch people, waiting for inspiration to strike. I don't generally plan out sessions, I react to what the PCs are doing and where they are. If it doesn't strike me, I log off. Anonymity prevents dashed expectations and hurt feelings if this occurs, and it lends itself to people being happily surprised, as well as encouraging people to RP whether they think a DM is on or not.

Finally, anonymity prevents situations from occurring like when you log on as a DM to have a look around or whatever, then the next day you find a player has actually complained about you because you didn't answer his tells promptly enough to suit his tastes, apparently assuming you were ignoring him or don't like him, when in fact the reality was you were in the damn bathroom while he was spamming you with tells. Yes, that actually happened.

[Blindhamsterman]

Finally, anonymity prevents situations from occurring like when you log on as a DM to have a look around or whatever, then the next day you find a player has actually complained about you because you didn't answer his tells promptly enough to suit his tastes, apparently assuming you were ignoring him or don't like him, when in fact the reality was you were in the damn bathroom while he was spamming you with tells. Yes, that actually happened.

wow...

[I-KP]

First off, it's nice to be able to log on and test stuff, setup, do maintenance, etc, without raising false hopes amongst the players and getting spammed with tells. Sometimes I log in to check one thing which should take me 5 minutes and I end up being on for an hour because of the tells, requests, etc. That gets annoying.

Fair enough, and all completely understandable - DMs need their shtick too. In such cases could you not merely append a '_DnD' to your tag? Those rude enough to ignore that message have no recourse for complaint when their PMs seemingly fall into the void.

I don't see how your second point comes into play. A DM is a DM regardless of how spurious their codename is at that moment and if players are going to modify their behaviour when observed they'll do it no matter who they perceive is watching them.

Your third point I think, if I might say, does the current playbase a disservice. I doubt that there are such fragile psychologies present that would have their entire hope system dashed upon the rocks to see you log in, and out, without saying hello.

Finally, anonymity prevents situations from occurring like when you log on as a DM to have a look around or whatever, then the next day you find a player has actually complained about you because you didn't answer his tells promptly enough to suit his tastes, apparently assuming you were ignoring him or don't like him, when in fact the reality was you were in the damn bathroom while he was spamming you with tells. Yes, that actually happened.

People really behave like this? To quote BHM: "Wow." As appalling as that sounds placing a communication barrier such as this may mitigate arsehattery and save the DM from some BM - I assume this is a very rare event otherwise my faith in Humanity will be completely shot - but the flipside to this is that new players will feel the greatest disconnect between player and DM. People who've been around the block a few times know how to get their voice heard merely because they know who 'CodenameX' is, or recognise their style, or whatever. If ALFA is serious about player retention then this issue impacts upon that goal, if only slightly.

[Mirabai]

I don't see how your second point comes into play. A DM is a DM regardless of how spurious their codename is at that moment and if players are going to modify their behaviour when observed they'll do it no matter who they perceive is watching them.

No, I was referring to complete anonymity, like we had in nwn1 when a player had no real way to know when a dm was on. I agree that merely changing your login name isn't going to make a difference. I'm always on as MiraFI.

Your third point I think, if I might say, does the current playbase a disservice. I doubt that there are such fragile psychologies present that would have their entire hope system dashed upon the rocks to see you log in, and out, without saying hello.

Mm, yes, so you would think.

[Thangorn]

I like to mix it up and keep people guessing so I am not changing to system where I must name my avatar x-blah-blah-x. I don't restrict players creativity even when they are dirty cyb0rers so I don't expect anyone to restrict my creativity by imposing nomenclature.

I am largely courteous if you ask me a question or even say hello although you may not get an immediate response as I am usually too busy killing PCs while attempting to roleplay it.

PS: I want stealth DMage back too

[I-KP]

I don't restrict players creativity even when they are dirty cyb0rers so I don't expect anyone to restrict my creativity by imposing nomenclature.

Yeah, you flog that straw man! He deserves it, goddamnit.

[danielmn]

Okay. If you don't want to disturb the DM IG by asking, then perhaps ask in the forums? I mean, if it actually helps the playerbase I see no reason for DMS not to name the avatar by forum name I guess, I suppose I just don't see the ginormous hurdle here though...

[Thangorn]

Yeah, you flog that straw man! He deserves it, goddamnit.

Invalidating another's argument with spurious, snippy comments like this does not validate your own.

I play DnD as an avenue for creative expression. There are enough rules and beauracracy in RL i dont see the point in adding more to a gaming environment.

[Sandermann]

Personally, I wish we could have stealth DM login back, like in nwn1.

err...its just a setting in nwnplayer.ini on the server.

[I-KP]

Okay. If you don't want to disturb the DM IG by asking, then perhaps ask in the forums? I mean, if it actually helps the playerbase I see no reason for DMS not to name the avatar by forum name I guess, I suppose I just don't see the ginormous hurdle here though...

Quite agree, it's not a ginormous hurdle; it's slight at worst (yet more impactful for new players). The question was why it needs to be there at all.

Yeah, you flog that straw man! He deserves it, goddamnit.

Invalidating another's argument with spurious, snippy comments like this does not validate your own.

Wasn't trying to add validity to my own opinion. Turns out I'm not the only one who has had trouble in the past trying to identify who a DM is for the purposes of follow-up, but most DMs (probably those who stick to an associative tag anyway) don't see a problem. That's fair enough, maybe there isn't much of an issue here after all. Either way, logical fallacies do not help explain anything.

[Sandermann]

The reverse causes more problems, Players using GSIDs different to Forum names. You've no idea how much grief that can cause a DM.

[I-KP]

The reverse causes more problems, Players using GSIDs different to Forum names. You've no idea how much grief that can cause a DM.

So maybe there is something in this after all.

[Burt]

This thread is dumb. Find something better to drama about.