UCC Player Expectations

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==D&D Player Expectations==
The following is a list of things that you may be bitched at for:
1. Blatant Metagaming! As a DM, it aggravates me sometimes when players metagame. "Metagaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game. Another definition refers to the game universe outside of the game itself. In simple terms, using out-of-game information, or resources, to affect one's in-game decisions" (Wikipedia). Basically the use of information that your character could not possibly know (the thoughts or hidden emotions of another character, a certain event that the character was not present for, etcetera) is metagaming.
For example, one time when I was DMing in WC3, I got suspicious of a player that instantly knew what kind of world I was constructing. The player's character made ridiculous statements about smelling demons in the woods miles away from the town that the characters were in. Once the area was finished, he instantly made a dash for the demons whilst ignoring all other objects/monsters in his character's path. How did he know that there were demons in the woods near the town? How did he even know that there were woods or a town at all!? The player was maphacking, made the fact obvious, childishly denied it, and was kicked for both metagaming & player dishonesty.
2. Banal God-modding! God-modding is taking control of the situation where you inhibit another player's character's ability to retaliate or limit his/her/its capabilities without reason, logic, and/or the consent of the other player. It is also the convenient twisting of the lore or laws of the world so that it benefits your character. In other words, god-modding is making it so that a player's character cannot do anything in any way, shape, or form to affect/harm your own character. God-modding is also the use of any resource that your character actually does not possess, cannot possess, and/or has been conveniently created to make your character invulnerable or supernatural. Another way to explain god-modding is when a player hijacks another player's character.
3. Creating lore without the consent of the DM. This includes creating characters who are nobility. This is especially a touchy subject with me when I DM since I have the majority of the aspects of the world pre-planned for a scheduled game and it does not amuse me when someone forces their own lore into my plot. If you plan to make up your own lore, you should notify the DM for his/her consent before introducing it to the game. I do not recommend that you create your own completely unique race or introduce your own class, and you should especially not even think of tampering with any supernatural things or divine beings whatsoever. Recommendations? Why yes, absolutely, go ahead and recommend things to the DM! Trying to hijack the DM's lore? No, that's a big no-no.
4. Refusing to adventure! This is what would be absolutely driving DMs all stark raving mad. Why? Because when the adventurers refuse to adventure, the players fail... horribly. It is the player's obligation to improvise by creating reasons for their character's presence as well as reasons for why their character wishes to journey. Why? This is because the players should NEVER bring the game to a complete stop. The player should never craft their character's attitude so that he/she/it will completely have no interest in questing. The players should, by themselves, be creating their own character's background. And, the players themselves are responsible for their characters' character development. This character is yours and you, the player, is in control of his every action, thought, and any other aspects. But don't forget to remain realistic enough to make the character seem natural. If your character does in fact, refuse to adventure, then you may be completely left out of the game.
5. The following are very light offenses created from biases I have: I have learned to utterly hate obvious attempts/confessions that players make when they choose to make their character very generic or excessively unique. Why can't we have a group of nice, normal people once in a while? Why are people so bent on being awesome, god-modding mercenaries? And how about, for example, a drow whose parents WEREN'T KILLED or whose home WASN'T DEVASTATED by some people(s)? I swear... every damn drow has the same life story. And then there are the horrible, horrible effects that stereotypes have on people's thought processes on how their character should act. How about... a half-giant that could actually speak decently and not talk like the Hulk!? How about... we stop inferring that humans and orcs despise each other? If the DM's lore says that the two races do in fact hate each other, then it shall be so! Otherwise, don't assume (because of Warcraft 3 lore or stereotypes)!
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Mael
Category:User Created Content