[OffWhite Knight]

This kind of came up during the OWBN GenCon Masquerade game. It's nothing major, not a slight at anyone or at OWBN, but I am curious as to what you think.

Now, the game was supposed to be a major meeting between Anarchs and the Camarilla. The Anarchs of the Free States are claiming Status Prefectus, the Camarilla are saying you silly ninnies, you are bound by the Treaty of Thorns. The Anarchs saying 'eff you, the Cams saying now play nice children, all that sort of thing.

Okay. At the game, just about the only people that came up to me were people that already knew me, out of game. And my PC is a bloody Baron, so he is slightly important. (and I mean slightly, but enough that the Cam should have paid more attention) Now, I went and met the Prince of San Francisco and argued Thorns vs. Prefectus, I went and met the other anarchs from other games, I went and said hello to nearly anyone that seemed amenable.

But at least half of the Camarilla folks refused to talk to really any of us. And honestly, I don't know where the line between being a snob and good role play is. There was a group that seemed to almost go out of there way to not talk to any anarchs. Were they simply role playing an arrogant Cam, or were they being a snobby clique?

I know that those players that know us came up to us and talked, but were arrogant snobs.

I'm just wondering where the line is. I'm not being sensitive, since I don't really care and I'm really just curious about it, since I'm guessing I and my friends probably have done it too in the past.

Thoughts welcome.

[Dolston]

The line is whether or not the actions made the game worse. If the game was not as good as it could have been because people refused to interact then it went to far. If the game was still of good quality then the actions of the other players and their characters was fine.

Question for you, did you go and engage characters played by people you didn't know?

[Hailen]

I think also that anyone who acts snobby is just waiting for a beatdown.

Snobby = No interactions = No Friends = No allies

No allies = End of your requiem, punk.

I like snobby people. They make my network stronger.

[jadedeath]

I think also that anyone who acts snobby is just waiting for a beatdown.

Snobby = No interactions = No Friends = No allies

No allies = End of your requiem, punk.

I like snobby people. They make my network stronger.

you are playing Vampire right? In which there aren't many nice people who are nice for the fun of it and snobby is bread and butter...

not to mention that in most Vampire games there shouldn't be a "beatdown" unless it's a very rare situation... like the LARP that I'm in here... I've been to about 4-5 games and have yet to even experience the combat system...

Logan

[OffWhite Knight]

Question for you, did you go and engage characters played by people you didn't know?

Yeah, I did. In fact, I made a specific point of *at least* meeting and conversing with any of the anarchs I didn't know. Some of them seemed to then kinda hang out with me the rest of the night. And in character, I went up to a number of the Cammies. Hell, in character I "hit on" another Cam and got shot down badly. It was cool in a way; getting shot down by a girl was never so much fun. In character, I had an essentially private conversation with the Prince of San Francisco (who was the elder's representative at the meeting).

I do know that in some games, my friends and I have probably been those snobs. Part of why I'm expanding my LARP horizons is because the smaller troupe games have been kinda split and because of the people I hang out with, I'm painted with the same brush they are. (as in, people assume a lot about my wife and I because of who our friends are) But to a certain extent, we end up making sure we end up on the same ship/coterie/whatever. So from that side of the coin, I'm thinking about it so I can be better in the future.

I do honestly think the game could have been better if there was more interaction. I mean, at least the people that knew us played out being an arrogant Cammie, as opposed to the people that just kept to themselves.

It really just made me more aware that a lot of gamers get into a clique and really only interact with that clique, even if IC it makes no sense at all. And it shuts out new players. It's no wonder that both OWBN and the Camarilla organization have a bad reputation among many players. Too many people fall exactly into that clique trap.

[Hailen]

My point was really that the only thing that keeps you alive is your network of friends and allies. If you are cliquey and don't interact with new people, you will soon find yourself with fewer allies than your enemies.

And "beatdown" means more than just a physical beatdown too...

[Dolston]

Hey Knight,

I think part of the issue with the lack of interaction between the Anarchs and the Camarilla in this case is that there is no reason for the average Anarch to interact with the average Camarilla member. Basically, the game was doomed to failure due to poor decisions on the part of the planners and Storytellers unless the players were willing to really stretch for a reason to interact with the otherside in-character. Many players will not do that.

[jadedeath]

My point was really that the only thing that keeps you alive is your network of friends and allies. If you are cliquey and don't interact with new people, you will soon find yourself with fewer allies than your enemies.

And "beatdown" means more than just a physical beatdown too...

depends on the game really... for the most part I've seen Cliques gain a lot of power and end up in power because it's the same people who keep each other alive as opposed to the other characters that end up missing or dead...

in this specific example I agree with Dolston... your average member of the Camarilla has no reason to interact and play nice with your average member of the Anarchs...

As for beatdowns the anarchs don't really know any type of beatdown rather than your average physical one...

Logan