Forums » Suggestions
Multiple Message Board Profiles & Personalities
Wouldn't it be fun to have multiple message board profiles that could be tied together under the same account? Even if the MMORPG itself allows multiple profiles, if the message board doesn't allow those profiles to have separate corresponding message board profiles, it becomes difficult to have coherent multiple Vendetta® Online personalities.
For example, sometimes I feel bored with being an Itani, and want to be, say, a UIT trader for a few days. Other times, I am angry about something, and want to be a Serco fighter for a day. Yet on other days, I feel ripped off, so I want to be a pirate and rip other people off. This is supposed to be a role-playing game, so I should be able to play multiple roles.
When becoming another personality, I would like to assume a completely independent, separate coherent online profile with a corresponding separate message board profile.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that it is currently possible to have multiple message board profiles under the same account. I would like to have, for example, something similar to the following independent profiles with separate corresponding message board profiles (names other than my own have been abbreviated, because I intend to use them in their full form soon):
Profile #1:
Name: DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Nation/Territory: Itani
Guild: TGFT
Plan: To master trading until the way of the inner spirit is revealed.
Motto: What is the sound of one hand clapping in outer space?
Profile #2:
Name: B. Morganfeller
Nation/Territory: UIT
Guild: Undecided
Plan: To monopolize the market.
Motto: You can buy from any territory, so long as it's UIT.
Profile #3:
Name: T. Caesarius
Nation/Territory: Serco
Guild: SAF
Plan: To conquer the universe.
Motto: Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.™
Profile #4:
Name: Captain R. H.
Nation/Territory: UIT (but stationed in Corvus Prime)
Guild: None
Plan: To become the lord of all pirates. Yar!
Motto: Steal from the rich; give to the poor.
In addition, I would like to have a master personality, independent of them, yet subsuming them all, and simultaneously distinct from my real-life personality:
Master Profile:
Name: <shrouded in mystery>
Nation/Territory: <shrouded in mystery>
Guild: <shrouded in mystery>
Plan: To be that which I am not now.
Motto: I am everywhere when you aren't looking.
The advantage of multiple message board personalities is that they could be distinct.
For example, one day, T. Caesarius could go about crushing Itani CtC transports in a Serco SkyCommand Prometheus with impunity. He could post demands on the message board about how there were too many Itani people participating in CtC, and how they need to be culled.
The next day, DekuDekuplex Ornitier could take out an IDF Valkyrie Vigilant and go about blowing the living daylights out of T. Caesarius's friends from yesterday while leading the Itani in CtC. He could post a message on the message board about how overpowered was the Serco SkyCommand Prometheus, and demand that it be nerfed.
The next day, Captain R. H. could take out an Orion Centurion Rev. C from Corvus Prime and extort credits from all the rich traders who try to leave that system until they went into bankruptcy. He could post gloating messages on the message board about how he had killed several rich traders in Atlas ships who were foolish enough to beg for mercy in grayspace when they should have paid up sooner.
The next day, B. Morganfeller could put Captain R. H. on the bounty list and lead a team of bounty hunters in Tunguska Centaur Aggresso's armed with AGT, Flares, and Lightning Mines until they discovered his usual whereabouts and lay in ambush for him. He could also post a list of the inhumane deeds of the cruel pirate Captain R. H. on the message board, and ask for volunteers to help blow him out of space once and for all.
The whole point of role-playing is to be somebody other than yourself. Why not have multiple identities? Sometimes I get tired of being myself, and long to be my sinister, diabolical, evil twin cloaked vampire brother who awakens at dusk, stays awake through the night, and goes to sleep in his coffin just before daybreak %->>>. Heh, heh, heh, har, har, har! Back to the coffin!
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
For example, sometimes I feel bored with being an Itani, and want to be, say, a UIT trader for a few days. Other times, I am angry about something, and want to be a Serco fighter for a day. Yet on other days, I feel ripped off, so I want to be a pirate and rip other people off. This is supposed to be a role-playing game, so I should be able to play multiple roles.
When becoming another personality, I would like to assume a completely independent, separate coherent online profile with a corresponding separate message board profile.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that it is currently possible to have multiple message board profiles under the same account. I would like to have, for example, something similar to the following independent profiles with separate corresponding message board profiles (names other than my own have been abbreviated, because I intend to use them in their full form soon):
Profile #1:
Name: DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Nation/Territory: Itani
Guild: TGFT
Plan: To master trading until the way of the inner spirit is revealed.
Motto: What is the sound of one hand clapping in outer space?
Profile #2:
Name: B. Morganfeller
Nation/Territory: UIT
Guild: Undecided
Plan: To monopolize the market.
Motto: You can buy from any territory, so long as it's UIT.
Profile #3:
Name: T. Caesarius
Nation/Territory: Serco
Guild: SAF
Plan: To conquer the universe.
Motto: Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.™
Profile #4:
Name: Captain R. H.
Nation/Territory: UIT (but stationed in Corvus Prime)
Guild: None
Plan: To become the lord of all pirates. Yar!
Motto: Steal from the rich; give to the poor.
In addition, I would like to have a master personality, independent of them, yet subsuming them all, and simultaneously distinct from my real-life personality:
Master Profile:
Name: <shrouded in mystery>
Nation/Territory: <shrouded in mystery>
Guild: <shrouded in mystery>
Plan: To be that which I am not now.
Motto: I am everywhere when you aren't looking.
The advantage of multiple message board personalities is that they could be distinct.
For example, one day, T. Caesarius could go about crushing Itani CtC transports in a Serco SkyCommand Prometheus with impunity. He could post demands on the message board about how there were too many Itani people participating in CtC, and how they need to be culled.
The next day, DekuDekuplex Ornitier could take out an IDF Valkyrie Vigilant and go about blowing the living daylights out of T. Caesarius's friends from yesterday while leading the Itani in CtC. He could post a message on the message board about how overpowered was the Serco SkyCommand Prometheus, and demand that it be nerfed.
The next day, Captain R. H. could take out an Orion Centurion Rev. C from Corvus Prime and extort credits from all the rich traders who try to leave that system until they went into bankruptcy. He could post gloating messages on the message board about how he had killed several rich traders in Atlas ships who were foolish enough to beg for mercy in grayspace when they should have paid up sooner.
The next day, B. Morganfeller could put Captain R. H. on the bounty list and lead a team of bounty hunters in Tunguska Centaur Aggresso's armed with AGT, Flares, and Lightning Mines until they discovered his usual whereabouts and lay in ambush for him. He could also post a list of the inhumane deeds of the cruel pirate Captain R. H. on the message board, and ask for volunteers to help blow him out of space once and for all.
The whole point of role-playing is to be somebody other than yourself. Why not have multiple identities? Sometimes I get tired of being myself, and long to be my sinister, diabolical, evil twin cloaked vampire brother who awakens at dusk, stays awake through the night, and goes to sleep in his coffin just before daybreak %->>>. Heh, heh, heh, har, har, har! Back to the coffin!
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
don't like the idea. too much metagaming goes on in the forums; i don't consider them an extension of game space (even the Role Playing forum). the minor benefit (which can be gained almost as well by just signing your posts with different names, as some players already do) would be outweighed by the increased confusion on the message boards.
Re: hakamadare
> [content deleted]
>
> the minor benefit (which can be gained almost as well by just signing your posts
> with different names, as some players already do) would be outweighed by the
> increased confusion on the message boards.
Simply signing posts with different names is almost useless. Most people don't even get to that line until after they've finished reading the entire message.
Why could multiple profiles result in "increased confusion?" The RPG already allows for multiple in-RPG characters, but nobody seems to complain about any "confusion." People see these characters as different characters in the RPG, but nobody complains that they are "confus[ing]." So, message-board<->RPG inconsistency is *less* confusing?
Which of the following sets of messages is more "confus[ing]?"
Your suggestion:
Sun 12:00AM | ITANI_HERO:
The Serco Prom has too much thrust. It needs to be nerfed!
-- ITANI_HERO
Mon 01:59 AM | ITANI_HERO
There are too many Itani. We need to increase the thrust on the Serco Prom, or start culling Itani players _en masse._
-- SERCO_HERO
--
Now, my suggestion:
Sun 12:00AM | ITANI_HERO:
The Serco Prom has too much thrust. It needs to be nerfed!
-- ITANI_HERO
Mon 01:59 AM | SERCO_HERO
There are too many Itani. We need to increase the thrust on the Serco Prom, or start culling Itani players _en masse._
-- SERCO_HERO
--
Judge for yourself.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
> [content deleted]
>
> the minor benefit (which can be gained almost as well by just signing your posts
> with different names, as some players already do) would be outweighed by the
> increased confusion on the message boards.
Simply signing posts with different names is almost useless. Most people don't even get to that line until after they've finished reading the entire message.
Why could multiple profiles result in "increased confusion?" The RPG already allows for multiple in-RPG characters, but nobody seems to complain about any "confusion." People see these characters as different characters in the RPG, but nobody complains that they are "confus[ing]." So, message-board<->RPG inconsistency is *less* confusing?
Which of the following sets of messages is more "confus[ing]?"
Your suggestion:
Sun 12:00AM | ITANI_HERO:
The Serco Prom has too much thrust. It needs to be nerfed!
-- ITANI_HERO
Mon 01:59 AM | ITANI_HERO
There are too many Itani. We need to increase the thrust on the Serco Prom, or start culling Itani players _en masse._
-- SERCO_HERO
--
Now, my suggestion:
Sun 12:00AM | ITANI_HERO:
The Serco Prom has too much thrust. It needs to be nerfed!
-- ITANI_HERO
Mon 01:59 AM | SERCO_HERO
There are too many Itani. We need to increase the thrust on the Serco Prom, or start culling Itani players _en masse._
-- SERCO_HERO
--
Judge for yourself.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Ok, they're the same, wait! I'm confused....
deku hasnt figured out that by creating a trial account with his alternate names and never logging into the game under that profile to use the 8 hours he can achieve exactly what he wants.
... and that by doing so he will be in violation of the EULA, and will then have his account suspended...
I'd like someone to explain to me how the idea of having both Itani and Serco characters fits in with the idea of roleplaying. How can you play a role seriously if you're going to switch to the complete opposite side 5 minutes later? I think it's bad enough that we have multiple characters- we don't need to continue the illusion here.
I'd like someone to explain to me how the idea of having both Itani and Serco characters fits in with the idea of roleplaying. How can you play a role seriously if you're going to switch to the complete opposite side 5 minutes later? I think it's bad enough that we have multiple characters- we don't need to continue the illusion here.
That's why you make it take a good solid week of effort (say ten or fifteen game hours) to switch factions. That way people who wanted to make the switch could, but those who were just doing it for the hell of it couldn't.
Read my post in the other thread about nation switching. But that doesn't prevent people from having secondary characters.
Ya know the only reason why we didn't have to listen to n00bie's sh** on the message board? Because Icarus didn't want to give up his identity. I don't really want people being able to flame without fear of reprise just because they can press a button to use -any- name (providing it isn't already created).
Nothing good can come of further emphization of the multiple-character system.
Ya know the only reason why we didn't have to listen to n00bie's sh** on the message board? Because Icarus didn't want to give up his identity. I don't really want people being able to flame without fear of reprise just because they can press a button to use -any- name (providing it isn't already created).
Nothing good can come of further emphization of the multiple-character system.
Re: roguelazer
> I'd like someone to explain to me how the idea of having both Itani and Serco
> characters fits in with the idea of roleplaying. How can you play a role seriously
> if you're going to switch to the complete opposite side 5 minutes later? I think
>it's bad enough that we have multiple characters- we don't need to continue the
> illusion here.
Okay--here's my explanation.
One of my favorite role-playing games has been "Romancing Sa-Ga™ 3" ( see http://www.fantasyanime.com/saga/rs3.htm ), for the Super Famicom (the Japanese version of the Super Nintendo), by Square Soft (now Square-Enix Co., Ltd.) Released in Japan in 1995, the game allowed the player to choose from among eight different characters: Julian, Monica, Mikhael, Harid, Katarina, Thomas, Elena, and Sarah, each of which had a separate role in the overall story.
What really enamored me about this title was the multi-character system. In some cases, the experience changed dramatically when the character was changed, because of the perspective change.
I actually purchased three identical copies of this game, because the cartridge only held three save slots, and I needed eight to experience all character perspectives simultaneously. Every now and then, I switched among different characters, and was able to play from entirely different perspectives.
For example, let me compare just two of my favorite characters in that title:
Thomas Bent
"Settler" [also, Merchant]
Thomas Bent was born in the small countryside village of Pidona. He was raised by a grouchy, rich man, and grew up happily in the same village with Julian, Ellen, and Sara. He now plans to take on his family business. Calmer than Julian, he thinks before he acts, and is proficient in both weapons and magic.
Choosing Thomas starts the player's journey in Pidona, where he encounters Princess Monica stumbling through the door from the rain in search of her elder brother King Mikhael, whom she needs to warn of an impending treachery.
Choosing Thomas is necessary to get financier Fullbright to appear. Fullbright will give Thomas temporary control of his business, and teach him bartering and negotiation skills to help him earn a fixed sum in a business venture. If Thomas succeeds, Fullbright will join Thomas's party, and also provide an additional special battle formation which will later become very useful in the overall quest to close the four Abyss Gates.
--
Monica Ausbach
"Princess"
Princess Monica Ausbach of Roanne was raised as King Mikhael's younger sister.
One day, she overhears two of King Mikhael's subordinates scheming to kidnap her and overthrow the king. She asks her caretaker, Katrina, to assume her identity temporarily while she sneaks out on her horse to warn her brother, who is away on a mission.
Along the way, she encounters a thunderstorm. Her horse stops running, and she is forced to seek shelter in the village of Pidona, where she meets Thomas Bent, Julian Naul, Ellen Carson, Ellen's younger sister Sara, and the wandering mercenary Harid "Tornado" El Nool.
The next morning, Thomas, Julian, Ellen, Sara, and Harid all escort Princess Monica to King Mikhael's fort in the woods. King Mikhael states that he had already known of the plot, and asks Thomas, Ellen, and Sara to escort Princess Monica to the castle of Earl Leonid the Vampire, who can be trusted, while he asks Harid to join him in battle against the traitors.
After King Mikhael has defeated the traitors, Princess Monica returns to the castle, only to be asked to marry a prince whom she does not love. She asks Julian Naul to escape with her so that she does not have to marry the prince. The two then journey together in search of a way to close the four Abyss Gates.
--
I could continue in this way for the other six characters as well, each of which also has a different perspective and role.
"Romancing Sa-Ga™ 3" is one of the few RPG's that offered very different experiences in the same environment for different characters. It is also one of the few from 1995 that I continue to enjoy to this day as one of my main current RPG titles, precisely because of its multi-character, multi-perspective system.
I have been looking for an online counterpart to this title. Vendetta® Online, with its potential for different perspectives among the Itani, Serco, UIT, and pirate roles, could offer just this multi-character experience provided that it supported multiple characters for the same account.
This is the reason that I believe that the idea of having both Itani and Serco characters (as well as UIT and pirate characters, and, possibly, separate characters for each faction as well) fits in eminently with the idea of roleplaying.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
> I'd like someone to explain to me how the idea of having both Itani and Serco
> characters fits in with the idea of roleplaying. How can you play a role seriously
> if you're going to switch to the complete opposite side 5 minutes later? I think
>it's bad enough that we have multiple characters- we don't need to continue the
> illusion here.
Okay--here's my explanation.
One of my favorite role-playing games has been "Romancing Sa-Ga™ 3" ( see http://www.fantasyanime.com/saga/rs3.htm ), for the Super Famicom (the Japanese version of the Super Nintendo), by Square Soft (now Square-Enix Co., Ltd.) Released in Japan in 1995, the game allowed the player to choose from among eight different characters: Julian, Monica, Mikhael, Harid, Katarina, Thomas, Elena, and Sarah, each of which had a separate role in the overall story.
What really enamored me about this title was the multi-character system. In some cases, the experience changed dramatically when the character was changed, because of the perspective change.
I actually purchased three identical copies of this game, because the cartridge only held three save slots, and I needed eight to experience all character perspectives simultaneously. Every now and then, I switched among different characters, and was able to play from entirely different perspectives.
For example, let me compare just two of my favorite characters in that title:
Thomas Bent
"Settler" [also, Merchant]
Thomas Bent was born in the small countryside village of Pidona. He was raised by a grouchy, rich man, and grew up happily in the same village with Julian, Ellen, and Sara. He now plans to take on his family business. Calmer than Julian, he thinks before he acts, and is proficient in both weapons and magic.
Choosing Thomas starts the player's journey in Pidona, where he encounters Princess Monica stumbling through the door from the rain in search of her elder brother King Mikhael, whom she needs to warn of an impending treachery.
Choosing Thomas is necessary to get financier Fullbright to appear. Fullbright will give Thomas temporary control of his business, and teach him bartering and negotiation skills to help him earn a fixed sum in a business venture. If Thomas succeeds, Fullbright will join Thomas's party, and also provide an additional special battle formation which will later become very useful in the overall quest to close the four Abyss Gates.
--
Monica Ausbach
"Princess"
Princess Monica Ausbach of Roanne was raised as King Mikhael's younger sister.
One day, she overhears two of King Mikhael's subordinates scheming to kidnap her and overthrow the king. She asks her caretaker, Katrina, to assume her identity temporarily while she sneaks out on her horse to warn her brother, who is away on a mission.
Along the way, she encounters a thunderstorm. Her horse stops running, and she is forced to seek shelter in the village of Pidona, where she meets Thomas Bent, Julian Naul, Ellen Carson, Ellen's younger sister Sara, and the wandering mercenary Harid "Tornado" El Nool.
The next morning, Thomas, Julian, Ellen, Sara, and Harid all escort Princess Monica to King Mikhael's fort in the woods. King Mikhael states that he had already known of the plot, and asks Thomas, Ellen, and Sara to escort Princess Monica to the castle of Earl Leonid the Vampire, who can be trusted, while he asks Harid to join him in battle against the traitors.
After King Mikhael has defeated the traitors, Princess Monica returns to the castle, only to be asked to marry a prince whom she does not love. She asks Julian Naul to escape with her so that she does not have to marry the prince. The two then journey together in search of a way to close the four Abyss Gates.
--
I could continue in this way for the other six characters as well, each of which also has a different perspective and role.
"Romancing Sa-Ga™ 3" is one of the few RPG's that offered very different experiences in the same environment for different characters. It is also one of the few from 1995 that I continue to enjoy to this day as one of my main current RPG titles, precisely because of its multi-character, multi-perspective system.
I have been looking for an online counterpart to this title. Vendetta® Online, with its potential for different perspectives among the Itani, Serco, UIT, and pirate roles, could offer just this multi-character experience provided that it supported multiple characters for the same account.
This is the reason that I believe that the idea of having both Itani and Serco characters (as well as UIT and pirate characters, and, possibly, separate characters for each faction as well) fits in eminently with the idea of roleplaying.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
deku, there is a significant difference between assuming the role provided for you in a single player game, and creating a role from scratch in a multiplayer online game.
The game you described places you in an allready created character, you have set goals and tasks you need to perform, and your story works towards a specific conclusion.
In a multiplayer online game, you have no set goals, and the story is open ended. You choose what you wish to do.
basically you just compared apples to pecans.
While I am not in agreement with roguelazer that there is no place for multiple roles, I do understand what he is saying. It is much harder to change your motivations completely in a game where anything is possible.
The game you described places you in an allready created character, you have set goals and tasks you need to perform, and your story works towards a specific conclusion.
In a multiplayer online game, you have no set goals, and the story is open ended. You choose what you wish to do.
basically you just compared apples to pecans.
While I am not in agreement with roguelazer that there is no place for multiple roles, I do understand what he is saying. It is much harder to change your motivations completely in a game where anything is possible.
@Deku:
roguelazer's point about people flaming with impunity is what i had in mind; sorry for not being clearer.
these forums are almost entirely metadiscussion; the voices you hear on the forums are the voices of *players*, not the voices of the *characters* they play ingame (with infrequent exceptions). characters don't petition the devs to make changes in their game world, characters don't discuss the lag associated with ammunition, characters don't theorize about how cap ships or crafting might work - these are all topics of discussion for players.
when you're engaging in IC (in-character) discussion, it's only relevant to know which character you're talking to; however, when you're engaging in OOC discussion, it is of paramount importance that you know which player you're talking to, what that person's history is, and so forth. i'm sure you've already made your own judgments about how much weight to give to the opinions of various individuals on this board; this task would have been significantly more difficult (though not impossible) if each person hid behind a multiplicity of aliases.
more to the point, having access to multiple aliases makes it much easier for those who are inclined towards trolling to engage in their antics. there is no way at all in which this is good.
roguelazer's point about people flaming with impunity is what i had in mind; sorry for not being clearer.
these forums are almost entirely metadiscussion; the voices you hear on the forums are the voices of *players*, not the voices of the *characters* they play ingame (with infrequent exceptions). characters don't petition the devs to make changes in their game world, characters don't discuss the lag associated with ammunition, characters don't theorize about how cap ships or crafting might work - these are all topics of discussion for players.
when you're engaging in IC (in-character) discussion, it's only relevant to know which character you're talking to; however, when you're engaging in OOC discussion, it is of paramount importance that you know which player you're talking to, what that person's history is, and so forth. i'm sure you've already made your own judgments about how much weight to give to the opinions of various individuals on this board; this task would have been significantly more difficult (though not impossible) if each person hid behind a multiplicity of aliases.
more to the point, having access to multiple aliases makes it much easier for those who are inclined towards trolling to engage in their antics. there is no way at all in which this is good.
My undisclosed alternates can't post on the forums. This doesn't make them happy.
-:sigma.SB
-:sigma.SB
how about making it so that alt characters can only post in the role playing threads?
hakamadare said everything I meant, only better.
Only in the RP boards, thats the best I've heard. I mean, where else would you post stuff entirely pertinent to your alt identity?
Okay, the most recent discussion clarifies the main problem.
In that case, to prevent "trolling" (to borrow hakamadare's term), I would agree with the specific suggestions of ArAsH and Fnugget that alternate profiles only be allowed to post in the Role Playing forum. This would prevent "trolling," while still allowing for multi-character IC meta-discussion, as opposed to only single-player OOC meta-discussion.
Separating the posting permissions of the OOC player profiles from the IC character profiles on the message boards would seem to be a relatively simple solution.
Assuming that the boards already allow assigning specific profiles permission to post only in specific forums, it would only be necessary to create new IC character message board profiles and allow them to post only in the Role Playing forum.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
In that case, to prevent "trolling" (to borrow hakamadare's term), I would agree with the specific suggestions of ArAsH and Fnugget that alternate profiles only be allowed to post in the Role Playing forum. This would prevent "trolling," while still allowing for multi-character IC meta-discussion, as opposed to only single-player OOC meta-discussion.
Separating the posting permissions of the OOC player profiles from the IC character profiles on the message boards would seem to be a relatively simple solution.
Assuming that the boards already allow assigning specific profiles permission to post only in specific forums, it would only be necessary to create new IC character message board profiles and allow them to post only in the Role Playing forum.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier