EVE Fiction

First of all, I should make it clear that none of this query is focussed on the one poster quoted. The quote provoked some reflection on my part, and I wish to gather some advice before further participation.

https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=5909059#post5909059



I am a long time role-player recently moved from another MMO, and whilst I have read IGS with interest for some time, the above question challenged my assumptions about participation here. As always when joining a new community, it is wise to get the views of the existing members clear in one’s mind.

Role-playing is about creating interaction and content within the broad lore of a game’s stated environment. In conceiving my character and corporation, I hoped to be able to contribute a different voice: it seems apparent that the majority of RP is done within an Amarr/Amarr aligned context, and that the lore tends to be polarising (not unexpected given the PvP structure). I hoped to take the position that the Republic Fleet is the least tribal government entity and whilst divisions exist therein, it is more oriented towards the peace shattered by the Elder Fleet. Rather than be another Matari shouting ’slavers’ at all things Amarr, I conceived a more diplomatic approach within the Fleet structure that could provide nuance and discussion in the longer term. I hoped over time, that IGS regulars would come to know and trust this approach.

Now, if it is frowned upon to adopt an affiliation with an NPC organisation for the purposes of developing storyline (which of course is never going to be binding on lore, but is another way for players to create and develop their own content) then my approach will not be welcome. The challenge implicit in the quote noted above seems to indicate that I have over-stepped some boundary recognised by IGS.

I recognise that, unusually for RP forums, IGS tolerates a fair amount of OOC conversation. Nonetheless, we are all ‘conveniently named capsuleer corporations’ here. IC, the challenge for credentials makes little sense - the thesis we adopt as RPers for our interactions is that our characters are as presented. The message I conveyed with my post, for example, was environmental colour based on what we know to be likely - the other races will be getting new battleships too. It is unlikely that CCP will hold RP launches for all - I thought to provide a little spin on an otherwise mundane series of events.

Perhaps this is misguided. I would appreciate being told if my conception is wrong and IGS does not condone characters presenting views from NPC corporations or entities. (Such a rule would have a fairly drastic impact on the theological discussions here, but I can see why such a position would be taken).

I apologise if I have got things wrong, and will be happy to absent myself from the forum should I have transgressed. I appreciate any advice from the established members of the forum.

NB: Noting that this is an OOC post, I would expect it to be moved to a more appropriate forum, but fear that elsewhere I would not get any replies from the people I need advice from the most. Again, apologies if this is considered a derailment.

Thank you very much for your guidance. It is much appreciated.

I shall rethink my approach.

Dear spokesman for the Secretariat General of the Republic Fleet,

We have seen misunderstandings like this occur due to missing paperwork and misfiled credentials. Our work as a solicitor frequently involves tedious research on government databases and many such records can be stored on paper with no digital backups.

We are certain we will be able to locate your credentials. Please give us a day to conduct our research and we can forward you digital versions of any relevant paperwork we dig up.

The RP environment of EVE is a lot different from other MMO communities, due to the unique nature of the game.

You say that the IGS 'tolerates a lot of OOC conversations', which is actually completely untrue. The IGS tolerates no OOC conversations. The conversations you see on the IGS are, in fact, IC ones. (and when I see people blatantly breaking the barrier, by prefacing their post as OOC and so on, for my own part I report the post to the moderators).

EVE is a full-time in-character game. It does not have the split between in-character activities and out-of-character activities that other MMOs have. OOCers doing their thing out in null sec are still part of the universe in EVE, and their actions are still considered in-character.

On this same front, as a single shard universe where there is still an active developer live events team, the developers have a consistent involvement with the game's lore (even just the average patch is, typically, in-character. Ship remodels and rebalances are typically seen as retrofits). The developers actually create and play IC representatives of lore factions, and frequently respond to direct communication by players. The official spokesperson for the Republic Fleet is Heder Elislar, who you could actually mail and potentially receive a response.

In other MMOs, the lack of any direct involvement of the developers and storywriters means that players are forced to take the Game Master position themselves, and to thus themselves represent the NPC factions. I know how this goes, in another game I was RPing as a senior member of a nation's government. This is a necessity in other MMOs, because absolutely nothing would happen if players didn't step up to take the GM position themselves and act as stand-ins for the otherwise unresponsive NPC factions. EVE, however, still has the developers acting as the Game Masters and representing the factions. Therefore, by us attempting to represent those factions, we are presuming stances that they have not confirmed to have. We are claiming authority while having none, and it is very frequent that the actual dev characters/factions act in ways contrary to those claimed by player characters.

Essentially, in EVE, players are almost unilaterally understood to be independent. Indeed, lore explicitly defines players as independent operatives, with the CONCORD Capsuleer Pilot Act described in EVE Source. Characters who are part of the PvP militias are considered privateers and mercenaries, rather than members of the military (hence why it is called a militia). Player characters essentially stand for themselves and whatever organizations they themselves create. You cannot represent an NPC government or military, but you can create your own corporations and represent those. As an example, my organization, the Praetoria Imperialis Excubitoris, is an independent paramilitary capsuleer organization that fights on behalf of the Amarr Empire. We cannot speak for Amarr itself, but we do speak for ourselves. I am a diplomat, but I am a diplomat for PIE rather than Amarr.


Now, with all above said, I for one have enjoyed your RP. You seem like a high quality RPer, just one that has run into the issue that many RPers have when coming to EVE. It is a very different environment from any other MMO out there, because it is a full-time rather than a part-time IC environment. If I were you, what I would suggest is simply carrying on with what you do but altering it a bit into being an independent mission rather than a direct government-authorized mission. You don't speak with authority for the actual Republic Fleet, but you have created an independent corporation that strives to speak and act in its defense on the forum of interstellar public opinion. A privately-owned enterprise acting in pursuit of your goal.

You've mentioned the Pakhshi Peace Conference before in your posts. As an example, that conference was created not as an official entity capable of enforcing change, but rather as an independent initiative, similar to many such conferences that have happened around the world RL. What it was was a bunch of people gathering together to talk about things, and then presenting their findings to the world's governments. We don't speak for the governments, but we do speak to the governments, suggesting changes and hoping that they will listen. View us, the players, as the grass roots communities that gather together as private citizens to support our desired politics and nations.

Essentially: Content creation is perfectly fine, but because CCP themselves create and move the actual NPC factions, the content creation of player characters is kept to the small form. One cannot speak for an entire nation, but we can speak for smaller territories, like clans or subclans within the Republic's tribes, or corporations within the State's megacorps, or noble vassals of the Amarrian Heir families. We can speak for the paramilitaries and PMCs we create to fight on behalf of the nations, but not for the militaries themselves.

I hope this helps, and I hope you are not discouraged from participating in EVE RP. It is a different environment, but that different environment is what makes it a refreshing change, IMO, from every other MMO out there. We absolutely do need more Minmatar RPers. I recommend you join the channel Minmatar.OOC in game, as well as the RP channel The Standing Place, to get in touch with other minmatar RPers.

Samira, along with everyone else, has said everything I could and more. I will echo the quoted statement above, and suggest extending it to player corps and alliances who you feel your character would be inclined to interact with. In-character solicitations by mail are something I have generally had good luck with, and there are the out-of-character channels in the game for coordinating interactions. If you feel I may be of assistance, feel free to drop me a line.

Keep at it!

Well, I see my fellow RP-ers have been helpful already.

I will only add that because of the scam tolerance within EVE, that a lot of vets will take the "See it before I believe it." approach, even when you're not claiming to be an official for RF or something.

Also, someone mentioned backstage already, go check it out if you have not: http://backstage.eve-inspiracy.com/

My thanks to everyone for their kind advice and detailed thoughts.

I have much to ponder. The time you have taken to explain things is greatly appreciated. Thank you.