Already put this on the DM question and answer forum but im curious as what the players think so ill ask here as well.

On the server recently ive noticed a growing number of players using quotation marks to indicacte when there talking and using the non bracketed words to represent actions there charecter is carrying out for example

usualy a player would talk like this using brackets and astricks to represent actions

(player name) *turns* would you like to help me with this quest?

wheras these other players are typing like this

(Player name) player name turns "would you like to help me on this quest?"

im just wondering what the playes think of this since i myself just find it terribly confusing since one group uses non bracketed sentances for speech and another group is using non bracketed words for actions?

It honestly doesn't bother me at all. Whatever the person playing the char is comfortable with works for me in most cases, though I admit I do like to see some effort made to keep spelling and punctuation as tidy as possible. That would probably bug me more than the format of the text to be honest.

I prefer the asterisks for actions, and I don't need quotes around my words unless I'm quoting someone IC.

I have been on RP servers where the admin asked the players to write everything as if they saw it in a book.

Part of the reason for this was so they could cut and paste text convo's in the Forums for really kick but re-telling.

However-- in EFU, conversation drives the story. I like emoting things, on occasion, to drive a point. But 98% of what I type is stuff my characters says. So it saves on my poor arthritic fingers to leave the quotation marks out.

Erm, that-- and I found that when Mirin put everything in quotes, for some reason, it made me want to smack the happiness out of her. Or maybe it was just her constantly correcting my spelling-- (hee hee!)

And other than Mirin-- I have only seen one other person use quotation marks for conversations. Will be confusing if people are using both systems at the same time, or neither-- or spend 15 minutes in tell convo's asking each other which way is the correct way to do it-- etc.

*turns his head to look at the next reply on this forum thread*

See? I am so used to it, I do it when I am not even role playing! :P

People, in my experience, use quotation marks because they think it looks cool, and because it; believe it or not; makes it more comfortable to emote (for some). I'm OK with either.

I'd prefer if people stick to the more often-used no-quotes-asterisks-method. It really just wants me make to strangle them if they use the other one. Don't ask me why, I don't think it's rational anyway.

I prefer the standard way, since the quotation method appears more redundant and "busy" and thus distracting in NWN where often text is flying by at warp speed.

It's not a big deal though.

I prefer the standard, and tend to think the other manner is just pretentious and rather elitist in approach.

I have seen people use it in time to time (not gonna give a list, of course), and while I felt it's really unneeded and decided against it at first it bugged me I might be jealous.

When I see someone writes with quotations I feel he (or she, really), invests effort (Not that those who don't do it, are not investing effort).

I decided to try it with one of my chars (Amywieng Evrilo). I also feel it depends somewhat on your character. I feel differently when I write with quotations, really.

I certainly don't think that those who use quotations are "cooler". But I certainly feel people who do use quotations, are trying to make the gaming experience better or different.

I also think the person is spending a lot of effort to RP, and I appreciate that. I also wonder how they fast they can type if they can do it while in combat.

I hope the people who do it that way don't look down on me for not putting as much effort as they are.

As one who does it with one of my chars, I don't look down at others at all ;) I hardly believe others feel so too :)

personally i find quotations annoying, mainly cos im used to the asterisk method...

yeah to be honest it probably sounds stupid but i actually find it quite immersion breaking especially if the person also uses the charecter chat options because he keeps switching between one methood and another just really puts me off.

the old school: no quotes and * ( or [] )

Another question: What do people think of using * to emote something that doesn't involve action? For instance,

*his armor is covered in blood*

or

*scars cover her face*

Although I admit that these sort of descritptive statements are rare. More likely you'd type something like, *pulls back hood revealing her scarred face*

I use the standard style and one thing I've noticed with the quotation style is that it's sometimes harder to follow the conversation if it's going on at a fast pace and half of the people are using the standard way and the other half's using quotations. Both of the systems use a different way to mark what your character is actually saying. As said in the original post, this is the thing that causes confusion.

I don't really see what any of this has to do with how much effort you're putting into your roleplaying, or why it would be an elitist way of typing.

In any case, yeah, I prefer the standard way also.

I find the new way of talking confusing to read but it doesn't annoy me all that much. As for Erglions question. I find it adds that bit more roleplay and opens up more things to talk about.

You've just miraculously survived a attack from a umber hulk behemoth. You wouldn't want someone walking upto you and saying 'Hello your looking well today'

It is pretentious, but it isn't annoying. It doesn't bother me at all, really.

Writers, when giving advice, tend to tell you that if you're writing a story, the tone of the writing needs to suit the content of the story.

The quotes style seems to be used for the more poetic and charismatic characters, or the ones who have the most reason to be pretentious, and for that reason it seems to suit them.

I don't mind it one bit.

As for emoting the character's current condition, I can't imagine why anyone would have trouble with such a thing at all.

If my character has been crawling around in the Stinky Sewers, and I walk through the street, I'm bloody well going to emote "*Smells like he's been rolling around in fetid shit*". And I have several times before, in fact. Else people are going to approach me without realizing what my character's condition is.

Having recently switched over to 'Quotation-style', I have got to say I find the benefits and disadvantages to balance eachother out. I find it very likely that, as Kotenky said, emotion-styled characters may find the benefits to far outweigh the disadvantages, because it allows for whole new ways of bringing an image across.

Secondly, and with all due respect, I have but one thing to say to people who find quotation-style immersion-breaking, disrupting or difficult on the eye:

Read a book.

Sorry for anyone that uses the quotation style, but I agree entirely with Kale!

I know NPC's tend to use it, but personally, I find it sort of pretentious. Perhaps it's elitist, but once one convention is established (that is, people talking normally with emotes infrequently) then anything that goes -beyond- that convention sort of appears... well. Lame.

If everyone did it it'd be okay. Not everyone does it though

The plain fact is, speaking without quotation marks requires less fingerpresses, and for my poor RSI induced fingers (I half-jest!) i'm inclined toward that method and that's the only reasoning I can give you, because as Coldburn rightly says, it does kind of look 'nicer' :)

I believe that it is best to use *x* or [x] for emotes. I use a laptop and prefer the [] because I need to shift+8 for the *.

As for quotes, I have not seen many used, but believe it would be best to use in order to show that something "really" stands out instead of SHOUTING the word. Of course you may SHOUT if that is what you want to do, but since you cannot hear the words you may miss some 'hidden" meanings, or 'suggestive' phrases.

Completely trivial, I don't mind either. I certainly don't think the quotation style is pretentious; merely different.

At the end of the day, I do slightly prefer the standard way. Especially the [whatever] method over the *whatever* method because I think it looks better and it also involves less, as NC elaborately puts it, 'fingerpressing'. :P

I think spelling and grammar are much more important though. Call me a nazi all you like, but I -hate- seeing things like random capitalization, piss-poor spelling and misuse (or non-use) of commas!

I don't mind it to be honest, i have seen Amy doing it and i agree it fits her charchter. It doesn't bother me one way or the other, I also use *x* rather than [x] but that is due to the fact that in a job i used to do i used the number keypad a fair bit for it as it was data entry so i find that easier on my fingers.

MadCaddies I think spelling and grammar are much more important though. Call me a nazi all you like, but I -hate- seeing things like random capitalization, piss-poor spelling and misuse (or non-use) of commas!

This is the only thing that bothers me. Well, that and when people try to play "stupid" by simply misspelling the words they say. You either said the word or you didn't! Now, that also goes for spelling "accents". I read a lot, and I never have trouble deciphering the author's use of accents in speech. But half the time IG, when people playing accents type, I have to read it several times to understand them. Very annoying, and extremely immersion-breaking.

Pup

MadCaddies I think spelling and grammar are much more important though. Call me a nazi all you like, but I -hate- seeing things like random capitalization, piss-poor spelling and misuse (or non-use) of commas!

This is the only thing that bothers me. Well, that and when people try to play "stupid" by simply misspelling the words they say. You either said the word or you didn't! Now, that also goes for spelling "accents". I read a lot, and I never have trouble deciphering the author's use of accents in speech. But half the time IG, when people playing accents type, I have to read it several times to understand them. Very annoying, and extremely immersion-breaking.

Great that you mansion it, actually. I thought of adding [Says in dwarvish accent] "Hello, lad! How are you today?"

What do you think about that?

I love heavy accentuated speech. Think Majre and Caleb.

Strong accents are sometimes hard to decipher in real life as well. The only non-sensical application of an accent I can think of, is when people ascribe one to a written piece.

I'm all for characters trying to have a unique and different 'voice', and pretty much always support someone attempting an accent.

Having played my fair share of warbling filth, I can say that the best accents are the most minimal. I always try to find a few commonly used words, and adjust accordingly.

So what would be the suggestion regarding the accent?

It's hard to decipher at times, I suggest, if you don't understand RL your char wouldn't understand IG too. Deal with it IG, it's more fun ;)

-alogen

All I ask, is that it is readily readable. As I have said, I have read many books. Mark Twain, Hemingway, Bukowski, and especially Shakespeare, all of which put accents into their works. I have never had to read their lines more than once. I immediately understand what the phonics of their phrases are trying to say. But I think often people are trying too hard.

I guess all I can do is suggest that when people are trying to represent an accent, that they should think really hard about what they are saying. With chars such as Cannonball Ruby, I have always understood what she was trying to say. Phoenix does a great job of representing an accent. When Ruby speaks, I know what she is trying to say.

Please, just think before you type. It is immediately obvious IG when someone is indecipherable. If people are often asking you OOC what you just said, you should probably look at changing your way of interfacing.

All the love in the world to those who try to represent. Just try to make sure I can read it.

Alogen Great that you mansion it, actually. I thought of adding [Says in dwarvish accent] "Hello, lad! How are you today?"

What do you think about that?

I think you should have said: "Great that you MENTION it,"

That is what I think about that.

Pup

Alogen Great that you mansion it, actually. I thought of adding [Says in dwarvish accent] "Hello, lad! How are you today?"

What do you think about that?

I think you should have said: "Great that you MENTION it,"

That is what I think about that.

I have a little problem with grammar >_> I do work to correct it and people often won't notice. If you'd speak with me enough you'd see I have it in time to time.

I always use the firefox spelling feature, but sometimes its words as that one. Please understand people with that have slight problem with that stuff, but try to work on it.

Considering that for a lot of people thier first language not being English they can be forgiven for making the occasional mistake :P.

(i should talk English is my fist language and my spelling is terrible)

Wow, I guess I stand outside the norm but I actually prefer the quotation method. I don't use it personally, because as NC said it requires more "finger pressing". I am lazy like that. However, I simply love to RP with people who do it, because it enhances my immersion with their character. Those who use the method are far more likely to include actions as well as speech in a single sentence.

Compare these two: (Current Method) You don't say? She strokes her amulet and smiles slightly, arching an eyebrow. "You don't say?"

That is generally how I have seen it used, and I desperately want to improve my role-playing to include more actions because I feel it adds to immersion. The forced use of quotation marks would remind me to use actions with speech. I tried it a few times, but because I was unfamiliar with typing that way I couldn't keep up with everyone else.

I don't find it pretentious or elitist. I think (generally) those who do it are putting more effort into their character, and trying to enhance the immersion of not only themselves but everyone else. I'm rather surprised at the rather negative feelings involved, because the only negative feeling I have is a slight bit of jealousy that I have trouble doing it.

The same effect can be achieved with asterisks, and without the stick. You know the one.

1 He seems to twitch, "What does that mean?"

2 *He seems to twitch* What does that mean?

3 [He seems to twitch] What does that mean?

4 *he seems witch what doe that mean ** **does *?

Second and third method are the most clear ones; no confusion about which part is meant to be emote, and which character talking. I'd prefer third one, as using that it is clear where emote starts and where it ends; useful when you have several separate emotes in one 'block of speech/emoting'.

In case of first one, it's not always clear, at least right away. That could be easily interpreted as character saying He seems to twich, and then putting more emphatization on the following "what does that mean?" , as in being shock after seeing someone twitch.

Afterall though, all I wish is seeing less of the fourth kind. Even if you make spelling mistakes sometimes, it is not by far as annoying as correcting yourself afterwards. If there is a CLEAR chance what you wrote could be misinterpreted, then please fix it, but not after every damn missing letter or misspell. Thank you.

Coming from a whole line of "/me" method RPGs and IRC chats, I'm used to the quotation method. But for some strange reason, in NWN it quite looks strange. I, personally use the [ ]'s now, due to it fits with NWN in general, considering even the NPCs use those. Seeing them getting used by people I prod all the time for questing, it's.. Strange to get used to.

Generally, quoting the speech looks better. But it is certainly more confusing in NWN.

Jus' me 5 gold.

I prefer [emote] Speech

However, when I am interacting with someone who does /me emotes. "Speech"

I will adapt to the same pattern, to make the interaction look more homogeneous.