Metagaming

Metagaming is a category of activities which are usually considered dishonest, poor sportsmanship, or otherwise damaging to a role-playing game. 'Metagaming', as a concept, is generally considered to be 'playing the game outside of the game,' or generally allowing information, actions or resources from outside of the game's context to influence decisions made within the game's context. Many forms of metagaming are considered illegal under Dartmud's out-of-character-cheating rules. Some examples follow.

Example #1

In this situation, we have two players, A and B, who have contact with each other outside the game. Player A contacts Player B after being killed by Player C and asks Player B to put a plan to kill Player C's character in motion.

Metagaming: Yes. Severity: Very High Reason: This is a direct violation of Dartmud's rules.

Example #2

In this situation, we have two players, A and B. Player B's character has just been killed by Player A. Player B decides that his new character will have a grudge against Player A.

Metagaming: Yes. Severity: High. Reason: Player B has allowed his personal feelings against Player A and/or Player A's character to enter the game in the form of his new character's default relationship with Player A's character.

Example #3

In this situation, we have two players, A and B, who have contact with each other outside the game - either via Icq, telephone, or even direct contact in real life. Both of these people have characters generated and active prior to this conversation.

Player A: Hey B, we should get our characters together and form an organization. It'll be cool, like the Mob or something. Player B: That's a great idea. We can take over the Qg or something.

Metagaming: Yes. Severity: Moderate. Reason: These players are plotting in-character actions via out-of-character means.

Example #4

In this situation, we have two players, A and B, who have had characters play together before. Player B is killed and introduces his new character to Player A's old character in the game. Player A notes similarities in the new character's dialogue and mannerisms and supposes that this new character is really Player B. With this information in mind, Player A loans Player B's new character a few suns, offers teaching, a place to live, or other considerations..

Metagaming: Yes. Severity: Moderate. Reason: Player A likely had his character's decision to trust Player B influenced by their characters' prior friendships. Example #5

In this situation, we have Character A, who has built up a nice cache of equipment and rare items. Sensing that he may be killed soon, he hides practice materials, money, and his favorite things in a chest, bin and bookshelf placed very deep in the underdark. Character A dies as expected, and the player makes Character B. Character B 'wanders down' deep into the underdark, 'coincidentally' stumbling over the cache of stuff.

Metagaming: Yes Severity; High Reason: Character B now has an unfair advantage over other characters of similar age due to his 'discovery' of a dead-drop.

Example #6

As above, but Character A informs Character C, who is played by a friend of A's player. After A dies, character C and character B (who is played by the same person as A) become 'fast friends' and C shows B the cache.

Metagaming: Yes Severity: High Reason: Same as above. In fact, this is worse because it also involves using cross-character connections to gain the advantage.

This list is far from exhaustive, but it should give you an idea of the spirit of these rules. Just say no to metagaming.