How's The Game? #2

[phantasmods]

How's The Game?

Well, hello there, PhanRift! Welcome to our second How's the Game post!

How's The Game is an open forum for discussion about the current state of the game and where it may go, heading forwards. For mods, this is a place for us to make you guys aware of any changes to the game that are on the table and to hear your thoughts on them. For players, this is a chance for you guys to give us feedback on how the game is going!

Please keep in mind that this is not a HMD meme and this post should not be used as a forum for critiquing specific players or characters. We trust you guys to keep things civil but please be aware that any out of hand conduct will be frozen.

The mods will have a list of toplevels below, covering topics we want to raise with you guys, but the rest of the post is a total free for all!

Comments

MOD FEEDBACK

[phantasmods]

Your current modteam consists of headmod Nai and helpermod Claire!

We appreciate that things have been a bit scatterbrained this month, with my (Claire's) vacation falling right around hell week so we'd like to apologize for any inconvenience caused to players and thank you guys again for all your patience!

Do you have any feedback for the mod team specifically? Anything you'd like to let us know? Do you just want to tell us how beautiful and amazing we are? Feel free to tell us right here!

If you're at all uncomfortable with hitting us up on a public post like this, don't forget that we have a contact post right here with screened comments that you can use to speak with us! We're also available on Discord, as usual.

[nojohnyouare]

You guys have done a lot of good for all of us and you clearly care about the game and everyone's happiness. Thank you for everything!

[makejapangreat]

I've noticed that in the discord channel heymods that questions get skipped over at times (or aren't returned to). Having to nudge multiple times for a single question is uncomfortable and often times people may end up just not doing it, so questions never get answered.

I know questions can't always be answered to right away, but at least a message letting us know why it's been skipped and when it will be returned to would be appreciated. I'm sure we can all wait for a day or two for questions to be answered, but it becomes a bit awkward when we're not sure if it's just on the back-burner or whether it's been forgotten entirely.

Thank you~

POINTS CAP

[phantasmods]

Something that's been brought to our attention recently is that the current system of loot and points has left a lot of our players with excess points and not a lot of ideas of what to do with them. While we'd like to come up with a solution for this issue, the last thing we want is to end up inconvenicnig our players who are less active by making it harder for them to earn points.

To that end, what we're proposing is a monthly cap on the amount of points earned per character. We've not made a final decision on the number yet, but it's looking like it might land at around five hundred. We're also considering giving players free additional loot rolls for exceeding this limit but the exact numbers are something we're still working out.

This would not be a retroactive cap and won't affect anyone's current point totals! This will only come into play in the points totals following its implamentation.

We'll have more details for you guys if this is something we decide to go forward with. For now, we'd just like to hear what you guys have to say about the idea of a points cap at all.

Re: POINTS CAP

[thecompletionofthings]

Five hundred seems like a reasonable cap to me, as a newb to the whole journal RP thing; it's enough for me to plan on doing cool things next month, it's a target to aim for, and it's a nice round number. Converting excess to loot rolls also seems like a good thing, though Claire may have to bulk out those loot tables a bit...

Indy here, don't mind the "sir not appearing in this game"

[tiefleaf]

Converting excess to loot rolls seems like a reasonable idea. I'm all for the cap.

[theosophomoric]

Five hundred seems reasonable. If you use the "extra gatcha rolls" thing, when would those loot pulls be awarded? At AC?

[thinkingwithmahous]

I support a point cap, and honestly think it should be even MORE stringent, though I recognize I'm probably in a minority on that point.

I feel like while being able to expand your character's capabilities is definitely a good thing and also a core engagement of Phantasmal Rift as a game, the fact that Incendia means we basically don't have to spend points on gear anymore when we can just go out and get it from the city has gotten rid of a fairly large point sink. Basically our entire point total can now go towards buying new abilities and as a result people are going to start getting VERY ridiculous VERY quickly.

[hairpincurves]

I think it sounds like a good idea, as do the additional loot rolls for excess. 500 seems like a good number to me too.

Hopefully I won't go as crazy with activity as I did last AC period /s w e a t s

[beguiledcard]

I'll admit, I was feeling like there was potential for focusing on comment spam / striving for just numbers, rather than anything else... So this is a reassuring thought, and could encourage some slower pace! Thanks, guys!

Re: POINTS CAP

[hurt_comforting]

This seems to me like a good solution, along with the conversion to gacha pulls.

This would be a good place to link to the "Gacha Suggestions" post since we will need more stuff on it. Are we encouraged to put things from canons on here, like you would in a moidahgame?

[photoshooter]

Aw, well, you know how I feel about points. I think, as it exists, it's a great way to reward activity without mandating a certain level for less active players, or players who have extreme highs and lows of activity (me). I don't see that capping points helps people know what to do with them if they have a lot, and it's kind of a downer for people who just LIKE SITTING ON A HOARD OF POINTS LIKE A POINTS DRAGON... (me). The existing loot roll cap on dungeons already makes me kind of sad--though believe me, I SUPER GET IT from a mod standpoint--because then it's like one of the joys of being active on dungeons has been curbed for me. Of course there are other reasons to be active, like tasty CR and finding plot stuff, but I like unlimited points because I can save them for when I do have a burst of creativity that requires a lot of IC materials to pull off, like building something that other characters can remark on or use.

So, I'm against the point cap. The automatic conversion of extra points into loot rolls softens the blow somewhat for me, but it's not the same; I'm not as interested in collecting loot as points to start with and loot isn't as free to use as creative currency as points.

Edit: It's also easier for me to keep track of points and things I consciously buy with points than randomized loot. Managing that stuff takes some of my spoons for not much personal payoff.

Editx2 combob: PhanRift's point system is probably the thing unique to PhanRift that drew me to the game and has consistently made me feel happy and satisfied as a player. I think it's one of the best, low-pressure institutions for encouraging straight-up activity I've ever seen in a game.

My question is, to those who worry about people working to rack up comment counts over other things: What exactly are those other things you want to prioritize in your and others' RP? Does installing a points cap encourage people to do those things?

Re: POINTS CAP

[have_hat_will_travel]

A 500-point cap seems good. Not sure about the loot rolls for going beyond, though; I kind of feel like that could feel weak for slower playes...

MANDATORY OPT-OUT POSTS

[phantasmods]

PhanRift was initially planned out as a relatively small, slow-paced game and it's grown very much beyond our initial plans since inception. This is, of course, great because you guys are great and it's always great to see people enjoying PhanRift!

With an increased playerbase unfortunately comes the increased possibility of player conflict or simply running into folks you'd rather not play with. To that end, we're strongly considering implamenting a system of mandatory opt-out posts a la the nice folks over at Starhue Valley (HI OPAL I LOVE YOU!!!!!).

We understand this might sound a little YIKES and extreme, but both the folks at Starhue and some of our players on Plurk have expressed appreciation for and interest in this system so we're considering implementing it or something similar here at PhanRift. We understand it's a big change however, so we'd like to have some discussion with you guys before we go forward with it!

Re: MANDATORY OPT-OUT POSTS

[thecompletionofthings]

I've hung out on a writing forum where member-requested, mod-enforced OOC no-contact orders are an occasionally-invoked thing, and I think they're a mixed blessing. They're a shortcut for the extremely challenging process of dispute resolution, to be sure, but they leave the original dispute's bad feelings in place, curdling, with no way ever to be resolved. In the one case where one was requested against me, the other party basically left the forum shortly thereafter; if they'd still been active, and we'd each had to pay careful attention to avoiding each other's threads, and if we'd had any friends in common, I might have walked away rather than deal with the frustration.

Consider also how no-contact orders would interact with the Discord chat. I don't see that working very well.

As for IC-only no-contact orders, forgive my newbishness but what would be the point?

[hairpincurves]

This sounds like a good idea to me!

Re: MANDATORY OPT-OUT POSTS

[fifthreplacement]

I'm honestly a little unsure on the idea of them being mandatory. I can definitely understand the need for them, but them being mandatory...I'm honestly not sure I can words it, but yeah. I know it's probably just me, but I figured I'd mention it since not saying something isn't helping nobody.

[blackestwitch]

That does seem both YIKES and extreme, ngl. I don't know if I can words it right, but it seems like a huge step to take for a minor problem.

[coagmentatio]

I am 1000% for this!

Maybe emphasizing from the get-go that this could help people with all kinds of situations would be helpful! For instance, some people might want to avoid spoilers, while other people might want to avoid something triggery. Not to mention, there are some people who generally associate negative and painful experiences with another player altogether.

Of course, I could be influenced by my own, personal dealings with PTSD, thus feeling a little more open to things of this nature?

Given these things usually call for screened comments, however, I see nothing at all wrong with it. It's the same concept as being able to PM or DM someone, but with a dedicated location for someone to keep up with any and all who have requested a lack of IC interactions. If anyone is at all like me, you tend you need something like that!

Not to mention, it might even feel less "sudden" than a random PM or DM out of nowhere, and thus less awkward and/or with less of a potential for hurt feelings. There's absolutely no way to please everyone, but I think this could have the potential to help the majority of folks, in the end, in some way - including both people who would opt-in, as well as those who could avoid making someone incredibly uncomfortable and not even be aware of it.

[riderofcharlemagne]

I'm a little worried it might cause tension between players, but also as someone who has some canons I just wouldn't want to interact with for personal reasons, I do get the reason why. But I think it probably has too much of a risk for misunderstanding/misinterpretation and could just make some people really anxious? If it's something that would be done, I think it'd have to be done really carefully to work.

[photoshooter]

After reading the other players' thoughts and the subsequent explanations and then giving it some thought myself, I'm still a little uneasy/uncertain about these, particularly about making them mandatory. I understand making them a uniform requirement for the game will ease the sense of peer pressure about them, since if everyone has them there's no individual decision to be made and so players just have to live with them or not.

They're a popular enough idea and the reasoning for having them is clear and compelling enough that I encourage individual players to make them if they want them and feel comfortable. However, the idea of requiring them made me instantly uncomfortable, and it's clear I'm not the only one. I have never myself experienced bullying or abuse in my DWRP communities, either anonymously or not, nor have I ever been offended or upset by a person straight-up asking me not to RP with them for any reason (or an unstated reason); I actually find it more upsetting not knowing if people want me to back off or not.

However, I think this is something that should be up to each player. Some people will be more anxious leaving themselves open to being shut out of interactions without knowing why and choose not to make an opt-out post; some people will be more anxious asking people to please step back and encourage the creation and use of these opt-outs by example and by reasoning. I have a feeling this will be a popular idea and a lot of the playerbase WILL engage in opt-out posts, the same way impressions/permissions are popular (and yes, some permissions posts here are mandatory, but those are with clear reasoning). They're like memes; a good idea catches on.

But, ultimately, I don't think these opt-out posts, no matter how well-intentioned, are something the game itself should mandate.

**Also, a lot of people already HAVE opt-out clauses on their permissions posts, and I think most of them ask for no reasoning to be given! I feel like it's kind of like how all Homestucks used to have color opt-out posts on their journals. Encouraged and widely used, enough that it's not weird for other people to pick it up, but not enforced.

Re: MANDATORY OPT-OUT POSTS

[have_hat_will_travel]

I am not a fan of this for the purpose of players avoiding each other, agreeing with the dispute-resolution issue; an equivalent to this was implemented at older games I was in, and unintentionally served as a way to allow players to shove others out of the game without running afoul of actual rules.

However, I do see the value in being able to avoid characters whose backgrounds have triggering content, and/or at least being able to say "plz avoid XYZ topic around me as we interact, mmm'kay?"

I doubt the former is a problem with the current community, but...

[nojohnyouare]

I love this game and how it really seems to be made to let the players have fun first and foremost. From self-indulgent AUs to CRAUs that need a lot of context to pet posts to cast invasions to high or low activity to happy freaking endings, it seems that everything someone can do in RP comes with a lot of fear of gossip and judgment, but PhanRift is a place where I don't feel afraid to do anything as long as we're all just having good fun. More games should have this kind of culture and I can't be appreciative enough of it. Thank you all.

[hurt_comforting]

I super appreciate this place as Strange's Home For Traumatized Muses, yes. I'm delighted/horrified by the existence of the IC SHITlist and by the way that this is being dealt with intelligently ooc'ly.

Also, I am super down for any game where it's all OC's all day everyday, and no one bats an eye.

RESULTS

[phantasmods]

Hey guys! Thanks to all your feedback and some discussion between the mods, these are the results of the HTG going forward.

No points cap! On reflection, this idea just doesn't suit the current playstyle of the majority of PhanRift. The last thing we want is to make people feel discouraged from tagging and being active! Instead of capping points, we're currently looking into ways of expanding the points system and introducing more things for you guys to invest points in. We've come up with a really cool system that's going to give you guys more stuff to do both IC and OOC and we're really excited to show it off! We're not quite ready to pull back the curtain but we're hoping to get some more details to you guys soon!

Opt-Out posts will be encouraged but not mandatory! The original intent behind their introduction was to open further avenues of communication between players about issues that maybe didn't need to be dealt with on a mod level. Because we still feel this is a valuable idea to pursue, we'll be suggesting players make one in their acceptance forms when they get into the game, but we won't be enforcing their creation for everyone. After listening to what you all had to say, it became clear that making them mandatory just isn't what would suit the needs of the PhanRift playerbase. So thank you again for everyone's feedback and I apologize to anyone who was caused any undue anxiety about the prospect of these bad boys going up.

To address a worry that popped up once or twice, though – opt-out posts were never intended to serve as any sort of replacement of OOC conflict resolution by the mods where called for. They're simply another tool for players and we, the mod team, to use to keep PhanRift a chill and safe place for everyone who plays here!

And that about wraps things up! Feel free to use this toplevel to provide us some more feedback on the results of this HTG session. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!