Chapter 2 RP Etiquette Basics
Things to Keep in Mind!
This section covers some etiquette basics to be mindful of as you embark on your role-playing adventure! Some of these may only apply to RP-heavy situations but they are still useful to know regardless of your skill level!
Presumptive Actions
A presumptive action is something you want to avoid doing when role-playing.
This is where you control the actions of another role-player’s character during your session which takes away their opportunity to respond or react.
Example:
/em Legaia offended by Thancred’s words closes his eyes and tries to calm the tempest within. Quickly losing that battle, he tosses his ale in Thancred’s direction, drenching him and nearby guests.
In the example above, I have thrown ale in Thancred’s direction which is where my interaction should have ended. Thancred could have chosen to shield himself or quickly dodge the ale but I have taken that opportunity away from him through my own interaction.
Metagaming
When roleplaying your actions based on the information you have learned out of character, this is called metagaming. This is often considered a form of cheating in RP Heavy environments. An example of this is calling a player by their character name before they have introduced themselves to you.
Godmodding
This is where a roleplayer’s character is illogically invincible. If not planned ahead of time or backed by lore, this can be frustrating to deal with. An example of this is a character who can dodge every attack and, never get sick or tired, etc. It can hold back story progression for both you and anyone else in the roleplay session.
Consent is always required in all roleplaying scenarios!
Consent
Consent is permission for something to happen or agreement to do something between all participants. In Final Fantasy XIV, consent often refers to permissions for role-playing dark or mature themes with other players and can include:
Erotic Role-playing - sexual expressions
Dark Themes - violence, gore, medical procedures, etc.
Be 100% clear about your intentions and seek permission to engage in any of these themes with other roleplayers. Additionally, if responding to a request, respond clearly to avoid any confusion. Communication is key!
Square Enix highlights consent as part of the TOS as you can see below.
Square Enix on Consent
The following is an excerpt from the official FINAL FANTASY XIV FAQ for Prohibited Activities
In the case of role-playing involving mildly sexual expressions (such as erotic role-playing) with a consenting group of two or more players, if it is conducted in a private area, it will not be considered a violation unless a report is made.
However, if you encourage or invite a player to participate in such role-play without being certain of their consent, there is a high possibility that you will be reported and penalized. Please be very careful.
- SQUARE ENIX FAQ Article: 68216
Respecting Immersion
While communicating with your roleplaying partner you may speak out-of-character (OOC) using brackets as shown in chapter one. Try to keep out-of-character communication focused if in the middle of a session.
You’re in the middle of a captivating story and you receive this from your roleplaying partner:
((I’m pretty hungry, should I order pizza or sushi?))
((Hey, just wondering are you also a girl in real life???))
Fade to Black (FTB):
This is a device you can use to skip anything you do not wish to engage in or experience in the scene you’re acting out. This is especially common with some dark RP themes and there are some nuances to this. Here’s an example:
Doctor Ives approaches the table and rests his hand on his patient. “It’ll be over soon.” He administers a sedative and waits for the Elezen’s mind to slip away before getting to work.
Legaia can feel his eyelids get heavy and swiftly enters a deep slumber. He awakens the next morning after the procedure and notices the doctor waiting at his bedside.
The “procedure” component of this example is something that I, a role-player in the scene wanted to skip. Out of character, I let my roleplay partner know I was uncomfortable with certain details so we agreed to FTB that portion. In some cases, a role-player may explicitly state the phrase “FTB” in their RP interaction but this is uncommon.
Advice & Corrections
In general, unless a roleplayer has specifically asked for help or advice to work on their roleplaying skills it’s best not to correct the player depending on the situation.
Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar is not important when it comes to RP unless you are truly having a difficult time understanding the interaction of another player. You may politely ask for clarification out of character if it is affecting your ability to respond to the interaction appropriately.
Lore “Inaccuracies”
The story-telling and world-building of another player may contain lore from Final Fantasy XIV. If something seems inaccurate, please understand there are several reasons for this. Some players have not finished the Main Scenario Quest and may not know the full lore! Players will often create headcanons that intentionally transform in-game lore to shape their character backstories and beliefs. Additionally, players may intentionally design their character to have a flawed understanding of the world, as a story point.
Presumptive Actions, God-modding, Metagaming (Improv RP)
In scenarios where a fellow roleplayer is interacting with you and has done a presumptive action, god-modded or meta-gamed, it MAY call for some polite intervention. The player who does this may be new to RP and may not know what any of these terms are.
In short, read the room. If it is a new player, negatively perceived feedback can deter them from wanting to RP. You can reach out to the player and say something like…
((Hey, I noticed you did an action that controlled my character. I am going to respond as if my character still has an opportunity to reply to your action.))
The Blacklist
Final Fantasy XIV has a built-in system for curating your in-game experience. If you’ve felt like anyone has impacted your experience online in a negative way, you can blacklist the player. Blacklisting somewhat tends to be viewed in a negative light however it is helpful to ensure you continue to enjoy the game!
Role-playing is meant to be a fun experience! If you are not enjoying a scene, you are not obligated to continue and can stop at any time.
Remember: You have absolute agency over your character. This means other players cannot do anything to your character or story without your permission.
