Request official ruling from Ed: Are Orbs of Remembrance IC?

[SteveMaurer]

I've been weaving various elements of Layonara into my character's RP, and an issue has come up on which I'd like an official public ruling.

Unlike PC Dicebags and Language Ears, Orbs of Rememberance have a fully in-game description that both explicitly state that they are are well known, and explains how they are fully integrated into the "invisible" society of NPCs that aren't displayed by the game engine.   When used, they also have been given a fully in-game effect.   Not "Character saved" but "You close your eyes and impress your soul on the world".   To me, this means that, regardless of other practical effects Orbs may have on the server, they also exist in game.  Much like looting a monster has both the practical server effect of transferring gold to your character, while the in-game justification is that you picked coins of a fresh corpse.

There is at least one GM who has recently used a "Tell" to say that he's run this around people and think Orbs aren't in-game.

Whichever way it is, it should be made explicit, both on the website, and in the game itself.   If Orbs aren't IG, then the extended description of them should be altered to explicitly read that way, and the save method text should be altered to be explicitly not IG as well.

[ycleption]

I know this doesn't answer your question, but keep in mind that the issue can be avoided by using "/o c save"  or "/o " which does the same thing as the orb, but other players don't see anything.

The only time I use the orb is when somebody lends my character an expensive item, and I want to let them know I'm being careful with it...

[miltonyorkcastle]

Dorganath will likely expand on this, but here's how the Orb of Rememberance works, both as an IG, IC representation and as the OOC item it really is.

The Orb of Rememberance serves an OOC function only (to save the most recent iteration of your character to the server). In that sense, it is strictly an OOC item. However, as we strive for immersion and do our best to keep the OOC things from interfering with the IC things, the Orb of Rememberance is candy-coated with an IC (or at least non-intrusive OOC) description/notification. You'll find something similar written in LORE for the explorer badges (the little flags that give you experience), which are really an OOC deal as well.

So, to clarify with a general statement, there are OOC items IG that must exist IG but do not necessarily exist in the world or in an IC sense.

Now, all that said, if you wish to RP the existance of the orb IG (or those explorer flags), it's not that big of a deal; just don't expect much more to come of the RP than your own gratification.

Whichever way it is, it should be made explicit, both on the website, and in the game itself. If Orbs aren't IG, then the extended description of them should be altered to explicitly read that way, and the save method text should be altered to be explicitly not IG as well.

Finally, to respond to this last statement, the Orbs are IG, clearly. What they are not, necessarily, is IC (an actual visible part of the world). And really, that's what it seems to me that you're asking, "Is this thing in my backpack or not?" The answer is, "It's in your IG inventory. Whether or not your character actually carries an "Orb of Rememberance" on his person is subject (at this juncture) to personal preference, and its existence is not in fact supported by current world lore."

[orth]

Which GM told you not to weave the usage of the orb into your RP?

Ed, for reference, I asked Rhizome to write this like back in '04

When the gods clash and sometimes even when powerful mortal magic is drawn from the weave, the world seems to lose its stability. Disruptive waves wash through eveything. As sentient beings, this means we may become disoriented, dizzy, even loose consciousness and memories. It is seldom talked about, as it has become just another everyday matter of a Layonaran existence. It can become serious, however, as when an adventurer finds the world altered suddenly to their dismay and disadvantage. Money and goods somehow seem to disappear into the chaos as well.

All experienced travellers, businessmen and adventurers have therefore devised ways to avoid the potential setbacks of these ruptures in time and space. By focusing thought upon a particular place and time and making some sort of impression on it, that fragment of reality becomes considerably more stable. This is possible to accomplish with no devices, through dreaming, praying or meditating. But to make a mark with far less time and effort, a gnomish mage invented this orb, which would magically aid in focusing your thoughts. As you wave your palms mystically over the orb, you are stabilized in that time and space. Then if reality seems to collapse, you will remember that moment and suddenly find yourself back in it.

I like it and think it should be IC, something to do with some weird rifts in time.  It allows at least some OOC things to be explained IC

[miltonyorkcastle]

I believe that's the description they have IG, Orth. Outside of that description, however, the orbs are not tied to any specific existing lore (that I'm aware of), such as who the gnome is that actually made the thing, since that could be the believed reason for their existance rather than the actual reason (might be a fun quest series to find out, though ). And no, for clarification, I am not the GM who sent the tell.

[Dorganath]

Hehe...I remember that orth...it was a fun little "IC explanation" about server crashes and how people end up in places they had already left afterward. That's also, if I remember right, the whole reason for the Remembering Orb in the first place, that being to give players a way to save their character state through some other means beside resting or relogging.

Thankfully the server is far more stable now than it was back then.

I know this doesn't answer the IC/OOC question, but I'm going to let Ed rule officially on it.  Personally, I see it is mostly OOC anymore, something I generally ignore when someone uses it.

[EdTheKet]

Right.

I think that got totally disregarded when we rolled out the new cosmology, death, bindstones and the like.

Chances are it'll go OOC all the way.

To be continu-Ed!

[SteveMaurer]

Any word yet on a final decision?   Or is it still too low on the priority queue?
No rush.   Right now, I'm leaving it out just in case.

[Link092]

*all the Personalities of Layonara wonder why they black out at random times and have lost memories and thoughts. meanwhile, Developers in the "other" world work diligently to expand the small world and even enjoy the confusion they cause the poor souls.*

[EdTheKet]

Any word yet on a final decision?   Or is it still too low on the priority queue?
No rush.   Right now, I'm leaving it out just in case.

Well, it's somewhere between #50 and #60 on the list, and no that is not kidding.