I'm growing of the belief that these should just be open to anyone. Anyone who wants to go into any of these areas already can, even if they are "banned" more often than not by simply putting on a rather simple disguise.

As it is, I see lots of posts that say "Posted in Mycopolis" or "Posted in Upper" or "Posted in Lower". Which suggests that what is happening now is that the public notice board just replace the metafaction boards.

I'm not sure how useful all these boards are closed. It may as well be left to common sense, if a player is welcome in that area post things, if he's not-don't.

If you post something in the Machine Zone, you post it there and know anyone who wants to see it will. As is now, if I post something in the Machine Zone, I have to post it in the Public Notices too because many who should see it--won't bother to get access to the Machine Zone notices.

Agreed. The metafactions should be open to everyone, and public notices that are designed to be posted in one area (such as a Watch Bounty) should be posted on the metafaction boards.

I understand your argument, but specifically with the Machine Zone I suspect it's largely because most people who would want to post there have access either to the Spellguard sub-section or the Associate sub-section, and then it doesn't really make much sense to not post in those. It's a bit different with New Dunwarren and Mycopolis which don't have established PC factions similar to the Associates. While you can still easily put up a poster in Mycopolis or New Dunwarren, that doesn't necessarily mean you have easy access to whatever else has been posted by locals.

Yea, the mycopolis board has a sticky of unwelcome people. And since no one but the people in mycopolis can see it it does no good. The sticky says [Posted on the crude signs that are on the boarders of mycopolis]

New Dunwarren has lots of spoilerish posts because they've been acting like a faction (crazy Paladins!). That'll have to be cleaned up if we go ahead with this.

Myfanwe I understand your argument, but specifically with the Machine Zone I suspect it's largely because most people who would want to post there have access either to the Spellguard sub-section or the Associate sub-section, and then it doesn't really make much sense to not post in those. It's a bit different with New Dunwarren and Mycopolis which don't have established PC factions similar to the Associates. While you can still easily put up a poster in Mycopolis or New Dunwarren, that doesn't necessarily mean you have easy access to whatever else has been posted by locals.

That in fact, highlights my point I think.

The Spellguard is seen as the "Machine Metafaction" and one of my IC goals is certainly to try to change that. I want to include other PC groups and NPCs in the group. Part of the issue I had over the last three months with the Metafaction and faction both seemed to be that it wasn't operating as such, which led to lots of frustrations.

I'm trying to change that now In-Character, but am feeling the way the boards are used has actually led to an OOC view of the Metafactions as specific factions.

Especially.

New Dunwarren=Tyr Temple Magocracy=Spellguard

So I'd like to change that. I know this OOC limitation on the boards tends to prevent my IC goals. Or at least, I fear it does.

AScottBay New Dunwarren has lots of spoilerish posts because they've been acting like a faction (crazy Paladins!). That'll have to be cleaned up if we go ahead with this.

Isn't that their own fault for treating a publicly displayed area as a secret closed vault of notices, when anyone walking in could see it?

At least if they are the commonly used 'posted up near some common area' style.

Onto the OP though. I don't think metafactions should be public. It allows for many of these smaller metafactions to actually feel like a community, or that their characters actually see each other, even if you are on opposite play times. If every metafaction board was public, these feeling would be lost. to a certain degree. Or maybe simply a public and private metafaction board? Seems like a lot of extra posting though, when the public boards seems to work fine for saying *posted in area x*.

Vlaid Isn't that their own fault for treating a publicly displayed area as a secret closed vault of notices, when anyone walking in could see it?

At least if they are the commonly used 'posted up near some common area' style.

But then, I would not expect anything particularly spoilerish to be posted in such a way.

You'd be surprised. Sometimes people get lulled into treating the private forums as private vaults of information!

Learn a lesson from Nixon, keep no records of your illegal activities.

I think they should be opened.

I mean, If I walk into the Machine Zone- and look around for notices, I would see them! Same with mycopolis, or New Dunwarren, or lower. If you dont go into that area of town- then you dont see the note. And you shouldnt post a note without going there IG anyway. Just as if something was posted at Mur, and you've not been there in 2 months. The meta-factions were basically a way to help people screen where things are posted- if you don't go there- then don't read the notes that are there! Or if you must- then realize its not IC.

If the Tyrran church needs a notice board, then by all means- have one. But the Tyrran church isn't suppose to be the only faction within New Dunwarren. So it wouldn't make sense the church to be using the New Dunwarren faction's public notes of the area for super secret stuff.

Now- On that matter. I would love to see these (meta) area's build up other factions inside them. As it stands, Creating these meta factions were suppose to be like creating smaller internal cities, but since they could never maintain a player base large enough and diverse enough, they seem to have instead become one big faction.

If they are suppose to be one big faction then keep them hidden, and remove the ones (machinezone) That have little to no non-factioned traffic. Call them what they are.

Public notes: are public around that area- anyone in the area can find them. Anyone traveling around that area can go look for them.

Factions: Are not public, they are factionized. They work as a single unit, rather then a diverse community.

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Edit:: AND! If the New Dunwarren is gated community that wants to restrict peoples ability to even be oocly aware of what they are doing- then you best block even those Neutral and Good PCs that walk in and look around. Because, if they don't grab a mod or a dm and ask for permission, then they don't have access to what they are seeing. Even though they have access to the area without question- ?.?

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For example, this is something most everyone can see:

Metafactions No new posts Old Sanctuary Public postings, events and sentiments of Old Sanctuary.

And if Meta faction were opened, we could avoid This:

Public Notices [Sloppy note posted in the pissing crone] Blah Blah blah....

I'd click the second just becuase its in the forum that is suppost to have information that is posted Either everywhere in the city, or Somewhere really remote. (which realy should have its own forum thing: Ex Mur and the Underdark)

It just helps Organize, what we do and don't see, and WHERE the information can be found IG.

Whats the use of these forums if you can't make a character and then opportate in them with Dm or Player Approval? And whats the use of the these forums if people will have their characters look at -all- of them -all- the time? I say post where its posted in the correct forum, Then be respectful enough not to meta-game some distant post.

While I agree on some of the points on metafaction boards- I find the most amusing ones about New Dunwarren. There is no more New Dunwarren board, it is the Greycloak faction board. k thx. ^_^

Then, Part of what I was suggest has already been done! But the point still remains clear for the remainder. Also what NewDunwarren used to be still remains as a good example.

I think you all are assuming way too much about exactly what these metafaction boards are meant to be. Having two forums, a public and a private one, for each metafaction is ridiculous. I am not a member of the Clan Cave Worm, therefore I should not have access to their private board. However, as a member of the Mycopolis metafaction, I'll darn well expect to be able to post spoilers for every other Mycopolan to see -- but I'm not stupid enough to post them in a place where everybody and her goat can walk in and see it.

I can't speak for New Dunwarren, but Mycopolis doesn't have a Spellguard equivalent forum for spoilers only Mycopolans can see. The metafaction boards were never meant to represent what area a note is posted in, they were meant to offer specifically members of those metafactions a place to communicate -- just like all the DM factions have -- I'm guessing without risking unwanted visitors learn vital information. Getting access isn't even all that difficult, just do it right. >.>

I do know about, and agree that it is a bit of a problem with, specifically the Machine Zone board. Whether that's an IC or an OOC impression that the Machine Zone == Spellguard (Associates) I can't say, and I can't offer any insight as for how to solve it.

Myfanwe I think you all are assuming way too much about exactly what these metafaction boards are meant to be. Having two forums, a public and a private one, for each metafaction is ridiculous. I am not a member of the Clan Cave Worm, therefore I should not have access to their private board. However, as a member of the Mycopolis metafaction, I'll darn well expect to be able to post spoilers for every other Mycopolan to see -- but I'm not stupid enough to post them in a place where everybody and her goat can walk in and see it.

Where exactly would you post these so -only- Mycopolis residents could see it? That's kinda the gist of this whole topic. Most places don't really have a legitimate place for their ultra super secret plots, so should act to communicate between each other more ICly, instead of being forum warriors posting secret stuff in your top secret vault of....posted up near the public encampment.

Myfanwe I think you all are assuming way too much about exactly what these metafaction boards are meant to be. Having two forums, a public and a private one, for each metafaction is ridiculous. I am not a member of the Clan Cave Worm, therefore I should not have access to their private board. However, as a member of the Mycopolis metafaction, I'll darn well expect to be able to post spoilers for every other Mycopolan to see -- but I'm not stupid enough to post them in a place where everybody and her goat can walk in and see it.

You are confused, I think. There are Metafactions (Upper, Lower, Mycopolis), DM factions (Watch, Pissing Crone, Society of the Ordered Mind, etc.) as well as Minor and Player Factions (Clan Stoutheart, School of War, secret cult ones, etc.)

The metafactions you are a member of depend on where your char would likely go with any regularity. I personally think they are far underused for specific posts in specific places. If you post something outside the Crone and nowhere else, you should post it in the Lower board, etc.

Vlaid Where exactly would you post these so -only- Mycopolis residents could see it? That's kinda the gist of this whole topic. Most places don't really have a legitimate place for their ultra super secret plots, so should act to communicate between each other more ICly, instead of being forum warriors posting secret stuff in your top secret vault of....posted up near the public encampment.

Pup You are confused, I think.

Forum access is an OOC tool. If nobody metagamed, ever, we could all have access to all forums and no harm would be done. As soon as you join a faction you're going to learn about everything that has happened in the past anyway. Unless you're a lazy slacker.

This isn't about metagaming. Its about providing a place on the forum that specifically shows the activity level- and the direction of each faction. If I wanted to meta game your damned board- I'd make a level2 and ask for access. That fact that I'd need to find the player and get permission is stupid anyway- If I lived in the area- then most posts would be going there- despite your secret hiding spots for your secret spoiler-ish information.

Now, Metafactions are being treated as single factions- rather then a community of them. These boards are PUBLIC notices specific for the area. If you hide the note- then guess what, HIDE IT. If you have something in druidic- then post it noting such.

I believe some of these forums fail to live up to their potential because people have to jump through so much red tape to even learn what a section of our city cares about. I like these boards because is organizes clutter that used to pile into the citywide public notices. It allowed me to click on the forum of that meta-faction while I wandered around in that section of the town to kinda see what was going on in this neck of the woods.

Metafactions have no reason to be private unless they have their posts locked up somewhere inside a "faction" hideout. One that is not shared with anyone who takes the time to claim to a be a citizen- or wants to be- and asks for directions to it.

[sarcasim] Oh No. Spoilers posted on the wall of the last stand! No one must read it! Zblock the entrance Old Santuraians! Keep our center city alive and unmarred by .. uh.. other poeples... eyes! Yeah! [/sarcasim]

That fact of the matter is this: People can metagame information easily if they try to. Its not hard. Its not any fun. But its not hard. Even for your precious boards.

Opening these boards allows people to actually try to draw people -into- that section of town. It might all the meta-factions to grow into something more then they are now. It certainly wont ruin anything.

Ebok Now, Metafactions are being treated as single factions- rather then a community of them. These boards are PUBLIC notices specific for the area. If you hide the note- then guess what, HIDE IT.

Ebok [sarcasim] Oh No. Spoilers posted on the wall of the last stand! No one must read it! Zblock the entrance Old Santuraians! Keep our center city alive and unmarred by .. uh.. other poeples... eyes! Yeah! [/sarcasim]

Ebok Opening these boards allows people to actually try to draw people -into- that section of town. It might all the meta-factions to grow into something more then they are now. It certainly wont ruin anything.

The metafactions started very hostile to every other metafaction; that's eased up over time, especially recently. Really, they should be available to anyone who spends enough time in an area. This is part of the instructions for moderators of the metafaction, though: let anyone in if they've been ICly in the area, spy, ruffian or legitimate community member. (Unfortunately, automated server-forum interaction is a bit beyond us at the moment.)

These areas aren't as restrictive as a faction. The Machine Colony wasn't all wizards and sorcerers. New Dunwarren wasn't all paladins and clerics. Mycopolis certainly isn't all druids!

If you want to have a secret place for messages, meet IG, leave actually cryptic notes, or start a player faction. While metafaction boards should only be read by people actually visiting those areas, the benefits of making them available will likely outweigh them acting something like a faction of their own.