Bio and metagaming

[Khante]

Howdy, I bumped into this PW world by accident and it seems like worth a try.  
  I read the new players notes and started creating a character via the character approval wizard, then I bumped into the bio part of the creation.
 One thing is really bothering me. How do you rp biography?
 I'm used to using my biography as a way to give other in cast players/characters hint about my in cast character with as little metagaming as possible. Ie my biography might say something about my characters seasoned looks or a very noticeable scar in his right cheek etc.
 But as I shuffled through the approved bio's it seems as it is required to give a life story or such. Doesn't this urge people into metagaming?
 Same thing with names, if you can see the name above the goofy elf standing before you that doesn't mean you know the stranger by name ic right?
 So in general i'd like to know more about how this server feels about metagaming. I couldn't find any notes about it.
 In game, should we just ignore biography which would make it more of a way to make the new players think about their characters character more carefully? That's not a bad idea either but clear things up for me please.
 Thanks.

[Stephen_Zuckerman]

*Smiles broadly.* Actually, this server cracks down really hard on metagaming... The submitted bio for the character approvers doesn't have to be what you put in your in-game description - that's your choice either way. The bio you submit is just so that the character approvers can make sure the character doesn't start out with anything he or she shouldn't, and that he or she fits properly into the campaign setting.

Since our characters can't see the floaty names, how should they read them? Likewise with anything written on the OOC parts of this forum, and a large portion of the IC parts.

In-game descriptions (which you referred to as "biographies," but that gets confusing with the need to submit a character bio [history, information on, etc.] for approval) are the player's choice... Most use them to make a little IC description so that the other players have an easier time knowing what their characters are actually seeing.

For example, my primary character's in-game description is as follows:

This slender man moves with a lithe grace, weapons, tools and pouches hanging from his belt making little sound as he steps along. Usually wearing a calm, friendly expression, his cold blue eyes sparkle with some inner mirth, and are touched at the corners by the finest of lines, belieing his otherwise youthful appearance. A small, simple beach conch hangs from a cord around his neck, but the unnatural streak of white following from behind his right ear to the end of his shoulder-length black hair draws your eye.

I'd say that's probably about as long at the outside as you'll want the description to be, but that's just a personal preference.

What I would recommend you NOT do is put the bio you submit for approval (i.e. history and such) in your in-game description. After all, our characters can't know that, so it's a waste of space and scroll-wheel-usage.

[Lord of the Forest]

Well, metagaming is evil if you want it this way. Even if you read submissions you have todivide in char knowledge and your "out of character"-knowledge. What you know might your char not. Maybe some people metagame bios of other chars but they should not, not even allowed to.

If a char tell your char about your bio in game it is alright.

What you mean is something like a description and you can add these IG as well. Generally that's what you write in your submission as well and which can be displayed to chars.

How do we RP bio?
Well, in general your char knows or sometimes does notknow about his/her own bio. If you tell other players about your bio IG then they'll know about it without any metagaming. Or you can keep your bio/past hidden as well. Your char is the only one that knows about it IG. And honestly, I did not really see anyone metagaming by using other bios.

So to sum it up: Metagaming should never take place and is evil Just don't metagame and others wont likely metagame using your submission.

I hope that helps.

//beat by Stephen's points here

[Faldred]

In some respects, the submissions process might be better if it were private, i.e., only the submitter and GMs/Approvers would be able to see them, and therefore remove the danger of metagaming via submitted biographies.

However, the submissions process being open has its advantages too.  One is that everything is transparent; players should be able to see that there aren't favorites, and that everyone has to go through the same rigor.  (There are recent submissions by active GMs that have been given as much scrutiny, if not more, than for other players.    The other main advantage is that reading other submissions gives people a better guideline as to what's a "good" submission (or, in the vase of rejected ones, what's a "bad" submission) and could spur new ideas from the player community.

[Khante]

Ahh of course. Basicly I,  being simple man like Lynyrd sang, was under the impression the bio I state here must be the same in game. For some reason I was thinking the term "bio" as the examine sheet of my character. Which isn't the case and which allows me to stick to my normal not-too-much-info examine. Thanks all cleared up now.

[darkstorme]

*grins*  Also, the bios NOT being private allows for you to save a little on typing, in-game, if you've written an epic backstory; if you want to confide in someone, you can "sit down for a drink and a talk", and direct them to your already-written bio.  Kell did that with a few people he trusts.

But I made the mistake on creation of cutting and pasting my life story into my description - not a great thing to do.  Make up something that reflects what others will see when they look at your character, put that there, and everyone will be happy.

Also, welcome to the server - it's a good place.

[Shadowblade225]

What you know might your char not. Maybe some people metagame bios of other chars but they should not, not even allowed to.

It's really a pickle when your character is suppose to know things that you yourself don't, particularly on DM quests

Then of course you have the right to clarify things from an OOC manner provided there's ample justification.  But this can open up a can of worms or however the saying goes.